Report of the Council of the Literary and Historical Society of Quebec, for the Year 1873

 

[Originally published by the Literary and Historical Society of Quebec in Transactions, New Series, No. 11 (1875)]

 

The Council of the Literary and Historical Society of Quebec, have much pleasure in announcing to its members the continued prosperity of the Society as evinced, not only by the state of its funds, but also by the number of new members who have been incorporated into the Society; the tide of prosperity has not ceased flowing, and will, they trust, continue in an unabated stream during the years to come.

 

They have to deplore the loss by death of W. J. Anderson, Esq., M.D. President of the Society—one who devoted himself with the utmost assiduity to the promotion of its interests and usefulness He was the author of a "Life of the Duke of Kent" ; "The Tourists Guide" ; and he contributed several valuable papers upon the early History of Canada, which will be found in the published Transactions.

 

They have also to announce, with sincere regret, their loss by death, of the following members:—The Honorable Henry Black, C.B., Judge of the Vice-Admiralty Court, an original member of the Society; John W. Cook, Esq., advocate; Baron K. G. A. Falkenberg, Knight of the Orders of St. Olaf and Vassa, Consul General for Sweden and Norway; and Lucien Turcotte, Esq., Professor at Law, Laval University. And by resignation: Messrs. J. W. Wilkinson, E. J. Duchesney, R. Middleton, J. Simons, and W, H. Brown On the other hand, they have pleasure in stating that seventy new members have been elected since the last annual general melting. The number of members is now 290.

 

During the past year large and valuable additions, both by purchase and donation, have been made to the Library, which comprises now 8,477 volumes, in which the several departments of Literature are. well represented. Nearly all the Standard Magazines and Reviews are taken in for the use of members visiting the Rooms of the Society; and in addition to these the Council have lately ordered two leading London papers, the Times, and the Spectator, in both of which valuable reports on the Arts and Sciences, occasionally appear. With a view to render the Library more useful and available than it has hitherto been, the Council, responding to the wishes of the members, have recently made arrangements to keep the Rooms open from seven p.m. till ten p.m., in addition to the usu/1 hours; members whose occupations prevent them from visiting the Rooms during the day, can now avail themselves of the new arrangements. The current expenses of the Society in connection with the change, have been greatly increased; and the Council trust they will not be disappointed by paucity of attendance. They consider it an imperative duty on their part, to render the Library of the Society as generally useful as possible, and to offer every opportunity for improvement by learning and culture.

 

It may be proper to mention that many members manifested a desire to introduce the game of Chess into the Rooms of the Society. The Council would have had much pleasure in meeting their wishes, provided it could have been done without any infringement of the Charter. As considerable difference of opinion existed among members on the subject, the Council deemed it desirable to obtain a legal opinion, and Use following resolution was moved, seconded, and carried:—"That the Council be authorized to submit to G. 0. Stuart, Esq., Q.C., the question whether the introduction of Chess into the Rooms would violate the Charter". The question was accordingly submitted, and the answer is as follows:—

 

OPINION :

 

"I have carefully perused the Royal Charter, by which an Association of persons was created a corporation, by the name of "The Literary and Historical Society of Quebec', for the purpose of answering the question suggested by the accompanying Resolution of the Council of the Society".

 

The original association was formed, and the Charter was afterwards granted, 1st, for the prosecution of researches into thee early History of Canada. 2ndly, for the recovering, procuring, and publishing documents, and useful information, on the natural, civil, and literary History of British North America; and 3rdly, for the advancement of the Arts and Sciences in the Province of Lower Canada, from which public benefit may be expected; with power to make statutes, by-laws, rules, and orders lit and expedient for the more effectual attainment of the objects above mentioned, and the administration of its affairs; but not repugnant to law or the Charter.

 

As it is a principle of law governing corporations that their power must be limited to the cases and objects for which they are incorporated, the game of chess, to admit of its being legally introduced into the Rooms of the Society, must fall under one of the foregoing heads A definition of the term "Game" to be found in the Imperial Dictionary is "An Exercise or play for amusement, or winning a stake, as a game of cricket; a game of chess; a game of whist; and it appears to me, that neither amusement, or the winning of stakes, can be classed with Literary and Historical researches and pursuits, or to be identified with science that public benefit may be expected from it.

Should the Society pass an order for the introduction of Chess into its Rooms, there would be two objections to it. 1st. That games or amusements were not contemplated by the founders of the Society and do not fall within the terms of the Charter; and as a natural consequence, 2ndly; The application or appropriation of the Rooms of the Society for the purpose, would be a misapplication of its property; and should there be added the purchase of tables, chess-boards, and other conveniences for the chessplayers, there would be a diverting of the funds of the Society, from their legitimate destination to the purposes of private amusement; either of which objections, I am of opinion would be well founded, and therefore that the introduction of Chess into the Rooms of the Society would be repugnant to, and in violation of the Charter".

 

(Signed,)            G. O. STUART, Q.C.

 

Quebec, 22nd December, 1873

 

While every attention has been bestowed upon the Library, the museum has not been overlooked, on the contrary it has been enriched by many valuable additions. The specimens of Ornithology in our possession are probably as numerous and as fine as can be found in any collection in Canada. The Council would invite attention to the collection of eggs of American Birds. It is considered a valuable one, and will be useful to the student of Ornithology. For further information respecting the Museum, they refer to the Report of the Curator.

 

The following papers have been read and published in the transactions of the Literary and Historical Society of Quebec, session 1872-73.

 

Paper I.—On some additional incidents in connection with the siege and blockade of Quebec in 1775-6, by Lieut.-Colonel William T. Coffin, Ottawa, Ontario. Read before the Society, December 18, 1872, by the late President.

 

Paper II.—On a whaling voyage to Spitzbergen in 1818, by James Douglas, M.D. Read before the Society by the author.

 

Paper III.—Historic Medals of Canada, by Alfred Sandham, of Montreal. Read before the Society, April 9, 1873

 

Paper IV.—Some observations on Canadian Chorography and Topography, and on the meritorious services of the late Jean Baptiste Duberger, Senr., by H. H. Miles, LLD. Read before the Society, January 29, 1873.

 

The Council have now the pleasure of laying before the members the Treasurer's Report on the state of the funds of the Society, which, it will be at once perceived, an; in a satisfactory state.

 

They take this opportunity of expressing their entire satisfaction with the manner in which Mr. Judd. the assistant secretary, has discharged his onerous duties; and they have pleasure in stating that when it was proposed to extend the hours of attendance from seven p.m. till ten p.m., he did not hesitate to place his services at the disposal of the Council.

 

In conclusion, the Council report, as they did on a former occasion, that the good understanding between the Morrin College, and the Society, continues unimpaired.

 

They have now to resign their trust into the hands of the members; and they request for their successors in office, the same friendly support, co-operation and encouragement, which they have experienced during their term of office.

 

E. D. ASHE,

Commander, Royal Navy,

President.

 

I have the honor to submit the following report on the present condition of the Library, and the use made of it during the past year.

 

The printed catalogue, whose compilation was commenced five years ago, was received from the printer in May last. It contains the record of 8019 volumes, classified according to their subjects in the first part, and arranged alphabetically in the second. With the assistance of Mr. Judd I have checked the books, and find 458 volumes on our shelves which are not named in the catalogue; and a few works, that were carried from the old catalogue to the new, missing.

 

There have been added by purchase to the Library 74 volumes, and a further addition of about 50 volumes is on its way from England; and we have to acknowledge with thanks the receipt of 63 volumes presented as donations, or sent in exchange for our own publications.

 

To the periodical literature taken heretofore, and which we receive weekly, monthly, and quarterly, as it appears, has been added Nature, the recognized medium of scientific intercourse for both sides the Atlantic, and as containing the most unbiased narratives of current events in history, the Mail and Spectator newspapers.

 

Two thousand one hundred and eight volumes have been borrowed by members from the Library, but unfortunately a like number has not been returned. It will be necessary for the Council to enforce such penalties as the by-laws prescribe against members who persistently neglect, not only the Library rules, but the appeals made in writing by the Librarian to return borrowed books.

 

J. DOUGLAS, JR.

 

DONATIONS TO THE LIBRARY, 1873

 

From Dominion Government:

Statutes of Canada for 1872  

Statutes of Canada for 1873  

Statutes of Canada, 36 Victoria, 1873  

Sessional Papers, No. 1 to 7, vol. 6, 1873  

Report on Education for 1870-71        

Report of Geological Survey of Canada         

Catalogue of Parliamentary Library           

Maps of Geological Survey of Canada         

Census of Canada for 1871  

Parliamentary Companion lor 1871        

Journal of the House of Commons, Canada,

vol. 6, 1873   

Journal ot the Senate of Canada, Canada, vol.

6, 1873         

 

Essex Institute—Bulletin of the Essex Institute, Salem Mass. . .

Historical Collections, part 1, vol. 1  

Second series, part 2 vol 1

Part 1, 2, 3, vol 10. . . .

Proceedings  and  Communications, part 3, vol 6   

Collections part 1 vol 11 

 

Royal Society—Proceedings of Royal Society of Edinburgh, 1872

Proceedings of Royal Society of Glasgow, 1872.

 

Georgia Literary and Historical Society, History of Georgia, 2 vols

Historical Collections, vol 2   

 

Minnesota Historical Society—Minnesota Historical Collections.

 

Dr. Anderson—Chapters of Canadian History           

 

M. J. Bell—Canada and its Vicissitudes of Climate, by Bell.... N. Scotia Institute of Natural Science—Transactions, 1872. . . .

 

Professor Darwin—Story of the Earth and Man   

 

T. H. Wynne—Report on the Boundary of Virginia and Maryland       

 

H. S. Scott—Method of issuing Library Books

 

L. Bertolotto—Scientific American for 1872  

 

St. Louis Academy of Science—Transactions of the Academy, 1873  

 

Mass. Historical Society—Proceedings of His. Society of Mass., 1873 

 

Boston Society—Proceedings of the Society of Natural History, 1872

 

Manchester City Library—Transactions of Agricultural Society, 1850 to 1860         

 

Royal U. Service Institution—Journal of the Institution, 1872-73

 

C. G. Glass—Stray Leaves

 

Rhode Island His. Society—Proceedings of the Society.         

 

H. S. Scott—Parliamentary Reports for 1872-73.       

 

Boston Antiquarian Society—Proceedings of the Society

 

New York State Library—Reports for 1873  

Meteorology 

Annual of Public Education..   

Cabinet Reports, 1865-66-67-68-69-70-71-72      

Regents' reports, 1870-71-72..

 

S. C. Gould, Manchester—About 50 Pamphlets of scientific and general interest

           

Peabody Academy—Annual Report of the Academy, 1872  

 

Geological Society of Ireland—Journal of the Royal Society. . .

 

Southern History Society—Proceedings of the Society..        

 

North Church Society—The first Centenary of the Society   

 

Philosophical Society of Glasgow—Proceedings of the Society, 1872-73.       

 

Antoine D'Abbadie—Paris 1873, Géodésie d'Ethiopie     

 

Nova Scotia Society of Natural Science—Proceedings and Transactions.           

Smith's Catalogue of American Books

 

J. L. Peyton—Memoirs of W- M. Peyton of Ronoke, vol1    

 

Dr. Roy—Report of the Quebec Lunatic Asylum, 1873

 

Before surrendering in other hands my trust, I shall concisely review the proceedings of the year just closed. Circumstances have enabled the Society to carry out some of the recommendations I made in last year's report, and though our Museum may not contain the entire Fauna of Canada, more than one department is worthily represented.

 

One above others, has within the year met with material accessions, the Oological Branch. The generality of the members are probably not aware of the importance attached by American and European naturalists to this science for the purpose of identification of species. I have taken advantage of the sale of stock advertised by Mr. LeChevalier, the Montreal taxidermist, previous to his departure for Florida, to acquire something valuable in the way of eggs of American Birds. You can see this collection tastefully arranged, labelled and numbered, so as to be available for the purpose for which it is intended. A good nucleus now exists for what, at a period not far distant, let us hope, will prove an extensive collection of American Oology. In order to have on hand subjects for exchange and not thereby lose, as formerly, the chance of acquiring foreign birds, the taxidermist of the Society, Mr. Bélanger, has been instructed to continue the preparation of skins of Canadian birds; several of the latter are gifts, the rest are purchases.

 

In consequence of the outlay for eggs, no funds were devoted this year to complete our display of Canadian woods; this subject, however, is of too vital importance to rest long in abeyance.

 

Strangers visiting our rooms are surprised at the absence of the large denizens of our forests; such as the bear, the deer, the wolf, &c. Had we space, nothing could be more welcome than well-mounted specimens in our Museum of the beautiful class of Cervidae in the British possessions—the moose, the woodland and the barren ground Cariboo, the Virginian and other Deer, &c. Let us hope this lacuna will be filled up some time or other. It is with regret I notice a very interesting province of Natural History much neglected—Entomology. Long shall we feel the loss of our active Entomologist, Mr. J. G. Bowles, who has left for Montreal. What a delightful study insect life presents! Who has not admired the azure green and gold spangles on Vanessa's wing, or the Humming Spinx on the lilac blossoms in June; and still how few can tell the daily habits of either—their mysterious transformations from grub to chrysalis, from a torpid chrysalis to a gaudy, perfume-loving insect!

 

And is there nothing to be said in favor of Botany, a study undoubtedly within the scope of our pursuits ? When shall we be able to add an Herbarium for the benefit of the amateur botanists our Society counts amongst its members ?

 

It is satisfactory to be able to notice that the study of Natural History, in one of its most fascinating forms—ornithology—is rapidly gaining ground.

 

In an addition to an elementary treatise on Canadian Birds, Toronto (alas why is it not Quebec?) possesses a periodical, "The Ornithologist", likely to meet with satisfactory encouragement.

 

One branch of our Museum, from its practical bearing, ought to receive especial favor: the Ores and Minerals of Canada. The collection might be enlarged and more space allotted. The numismatic display, through purchases and donations is rapidly increasing Some of the new English Medals as objects of artistic skill, are so beautiful to behold as to enlist the admiration of every man of taste, whilst others, time-worn, time honoured, depict vividly several of the most momentous events in Canadian History; the Defence of Quebec by Frontenac in 1690—its fall by Wolfe— the Death of the Hero, &c. At a juncture like the present, when every effort is made to obliterate the landmarks of the past, in our picturesque, historical and loved fortress, let us be thankful that History may yet live on Medals and Coins.

 

The whole respectfully submitted.

 

J. M. LEMOINE,

C. M.

Quebec. January, 1874.

 

From A. Lechevalier, Montreal:—36 New Species of Eggs.

 

" W. Judd, jr. :—A Shilling piece of 1763.

 

" Dr. W. Marsden:—A Ferry Token in use on the Ferry between Quebec and Levis in 1821.

 

" the Misses Joseph:—A Loon's Egg found at Riviere du Loup, 1 English Farthing,—5 and 10 Centimes, Belgium,—Ten and Two centimes, Italian,—Five, Two, and One centimes, France,—a Five centimes, French Republic,—Twenty, Ten, Five, Two, and One Centimes, Switzerland,—Two pieces Lava from Mount Vesuvius,— One piece of Brick taken from a House in Pompeii,—One piece of Lava from the Excavations in Pompeii,—One twisted Shell from Mobile,—One Starfish from Riviere du Loup.

 

" J. McLaren:—Some petrified Shells from Mingan Islands, North Shore St. Lawrence.

 

" Dr. Marsden:—A Squid or Ink Fish.

 

" Dr. Bligh, through Dr. Marsden:—The Fangs of a Rattlesnake

 

" J. K. Boswell:—A Sheldrake.

do       A Black Woodpecker.

 

“C. Lindsay:—A Ten Centime of Charles the 10th.

 

TREASURER’S REPORT

 

1873.Dr.

To balance from last year $755 11

"     Government grant $750 00

"    Interest on Bank Deposits $45 75

"    Subscription from Members $843 80

$2,394 66

 

1873.Cr.

By paid Bent $200 00

"    Insurance    $52 75

"    Salaries  $174 72

"    Gas and Fuel  $153 17

"    Books, Periodicals, Printing and Advertising  $704 41

"    Museum    $76 90

"    Commission to Collector    $41 80

"    Incidental Expenses  $276 05

$1,679 80

 

1874.

January 1st.—To Historical Document Fund$139 42

'     Life Members Fund    54 65

'    General Fund 520 79

$714 86

 

WM. HOSSACK,

Treasurer.