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III.

on easy terms, and especially in the fertile regions and moderate climates, on the banks of the rivers and lakes in the South and South West.

sufficient? He opposes, it is the Rhapsodist that opposes the gracious means offered by the Governor and Council." The time is not arrived to have a University," that is to say, to let the light of Science shine upon the poor Canadians. Their eyes are too weak; clouds must be raised to intercept the smallest glimmering of light. The numerous Universities in Europe and in the South of America, the swarms of Missionaries, that continually cross the seas, who even sacrifice their lives to enlighten the ignorant, prove, that the Catholics do not reject the Sciences, and that they cultivate the arts in all their branches.

I shall stop here, it is not necessary to shew that the letter in question could not have been written by the Bishop of Quebec. This letter is a convincing proof that we have need of good Logicians, to correct our ideas, of Philologists, of Grammarians, to furnish us with expressions, construction, energy, and the epistolary stile. Wicked Zoilus' will chatter, they have free scope. As to the writer, I believe he is convinced of his own insufficiency, or of his too great self-sufficiency. If he continues to be the Proto defender of ignorance in the eighteenth century, let him go to Arcadia, and search for the glory and the apotheosis, and the nightingales shall chant his praise.

Now, Sir, I can no longer delay an answer which you appear to desire -You ask my opinion upon the subject, and as to the means of carrying it into execution.-Doubting my abilities, and entertaining a full confidence in yours, and for that affectionate attachment you have for this Country, so well known to the whole Province, I had waited until I saw your Plan and Resolutions, with a determination to second them with all my efforts. Yes, Sir, it is full time that a University should be established in Canada. I have merely given an outline of the plan to the Public, and then to stop would be to create discou agement, indeed a general discouragement, and to create a distrust, dif ficult to bring people's minds back again. Can we flatter ourselves with the hope, that those Scholars who are now ready, will ever return, who may never see the excecution of the plan. With grief our best citizens are placed between expatriation of their children, ignorance and idleness. Are there any establishments, whose beginnings are otherwise than small? Who can assure us, that our Gracious Sa

III.

THAT the discouragement of that System to the set- CHAP. tlement of the old French grants, must in future greatly increase; the population of the Province depending now upon the introduction of British subjects, who are

vereign will be always so well disposed towards us, and that we shall always have so good a Governor? Means cannot be wanting-nor need we look for them in the bowels of the Earth. Industrious persons will bring them forth, and clear sighted people will find them out. What an example! What hopes does not the respectable person, just dead, give us, and whom we all regret. Mr. Sanguinet, illustrious citizen, after having passed with honor through the different grades of Society, as good a Patriot, as a zealous Catholic, leaves us, when dying, a considerable sum of money, a Seigniory, the revenue of which must increase.—A striking proof, that the Canadians sigh for a good education, nor are they surpassed by our neighbours, in the love and zeal for the public good. If the plan for the University had been sooner known, how many of our Citizens might have anticipated his example.

As to the Professors, they cannot all be found in the Province: but a reciprocal good understanding will procure them soon for us: irreproachable manners, a mind enlarged by knowledge and a love of the sciences, will qualify them, and prepare them for our choice. The Christian Theology being left to each Communion, it is of little consequence, who teaches Aristotle and Euclid.-Catholics and Protestants being equally the object of a constant and vigilant attention, all jealousies ought to die away, and our wise and liberal Government has always shewn the desire to obtain such a happy union.

The thickness of the walls, the spacious appartments, the num ber of Colleges, ought not to deter us Some Universities in Eu. rope are renowned, that have but a small College: the talents and reputation of the Professors are the essential requisites. Four Pro fessors and a Rector, as the Honorable President thinks, are all that are wanted.

As to the number of the Parishes and their Inhabitants, and the Ecclesiastical Revenues you have been acquainted with their numbers and extent.

What is the nature and number of the Scholars and Colleges established?

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CHAP. known to be all averse to any but English tenures; and III. the Canadian Seigniors of course be left without a hope of multiplying their censitaires, except from the predilection of the descendants of the French planters, to usages no longer prompted by the motives of interest, nor recommended by example.

I know of none established by Public Authority in Canada. To the kindness of the Gentlemen of the Seminary of Quebec, and to the Citizens of Montreal, we are indebted for those we have at present. There are several Curés that have Schools for teaching Writing, Reading and Arithmetic in the Parishes. No others are established at present. I do not see any reason to prevent the Bishop visiting the English Schools. At least, as a citizen, he ought to encourage every one, labouring for the public good. I think, I should do injustice to the Subscribers of the Quebec Library, to suppose, that they would not give free access to their Library. The books belonging to the College, I am sure, would always be at their service.

Fearing that I have been too diffuse, I leave a task, far beyond my strength. I conjure, you, Sir and Gentlemen, by all that is sacred, as one of the most faithful subjects of the best of Kings, as holding a distinguised rank in the Church of Canada, as a Canadian attached to his country by the strongest ties, to pursue with diligence, this great and honorable enterprize, which cannot fail to add to the joy, and satisfaction of all the citizens of the Province, and will unite their hearts and cement their union for ever.-Second the good intentions of our Governor; that he may see the steps he has taken, crowned with success.

Et spes et ratio studiorum in Casare tantum
Solus enim tristes tempestate Camanas

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What glory for you, Gentlemen, to see your names placed at the head of the List of the first Promoters of the University, by the hands of gratitude.

These are my sentiments, in which I have the honor to be, &c,
CHARLES FRANCOIS DE CAPSE,
Coadjutor of Quebec.

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THAT the grant of the waste lands of the Crown in CHAP. free and common soccage, is essential to the growth, strength, defence and safety of the Province.

THAT unless the old French Seigniories can be settled upon terms as advantageous to the husbandman as the lands of the Crown, their land market must be at a stand, to the detriment of the proprietors, until the cultivation of the waste lands of the Crown, is damped by their remoteness from all water carriage, and the conveniencies and benefits of commerce.

THAT with the advantage of a vicinity to the navigable waters and a conversion of the tenures, the Seigniories will probably be the first to be fully cultivated, and with an increase of profit to the proprietors, under that ample dominion, which they will then enjoy over their lands, for settling them upon such terms as themselves may concert, to form a populous tenanty, and lay a foundation in property, for that perpetuity of their names and families, which a wise and well balanced government will be inclined to encourage and support.

THAT the King's Rotúrier tenants, cannot fail to wish for a conversion and discharge from the Cens rente and Lods et Ventes, and all the other feudal burdens connected with the tenure under which they now hold.

THAT the motives of interest will naturally make it the desire also of every Seigniorial censitaire, to stand upon the same free foundation of exemption with the other landholders of the Colony; but as this commutation for a discharge of the rents and dues to the landlords, must necessarily depend upon private conventions between them and their tenants, and involving considerations, out of the contemplation, of any but the parties

III.

CHAP. reciprocally interested, their cases cannot be the objects of special and particular legislative provision; perhaps the surest means of securing to the tenant a fair compact, will be to hold the Lord to his dues to the Crown, until he has discharged his tenants, from all the feudal incumbrances in his own favour.

THAT the prerogative is competent to put the waste lands of the Crown, under a Soccage tenure. But the legislative interposition is necessary, to make that tenure

universal.

THAT if this is to be the work, not of Parliament, but of the Colony Legislature, the royal instructions given for the greater security of the property of the subject, will require an act with a probationary or suspending clause, until His Majesty's approbation can be obtained.

THAT an absolute and universal commutation of the ancient tenures, tho' for a better, would be a measure of doubtful policy; but that no substantial objection occurs, against giving such individuals that benefit as desire it; and especially to such of the Seigniors whose tenants or censitaires, shall conceive it to be for their own, as well as for the interest and benefit of their landlords; and may therefore signify their consent to the change.

Ir might, also, have been observed by the Commit. tee, that among the causes of the non settlement of the Country is the divisibility of Property under the French law. Every day's experience proves the necessity of changing the law in this respect. It is well known, that

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