Report of the Council of the Literary and Historical Society of Quebec, for the Year 1878[1]

 

[Originally published by the Literary and Historical Society of Quebec in Transactions, New Series, No. 13 (1879)]

 

The annual meeting was held on the 8th instant, in the rooms of the Literary and Historial Society, when the reports for the past year were presented

 

The meeting having been called to order, the President, Mr. Stevenson, read the report of the Council for the past year, which was as follows:—

 

REPORT OF THE COUNCIL FOR THE YEAR ENDING 31ST DECEMBER, 1878.

 

The Council of the Literary and Historial Society of Quebec have the honor to report to the members of the Society that, since the last annual general meeting, there has been the following change in, and addition to, the members of the Society.

 

They have to announce with regret their loss by death of two associate members, Mr. L. P. Turcotte, Recording Secretary; and Mr. Justice P. A. Doucet.

 

Four honorary members—men of distinguished merit— have been unanimously elected; and thirty new names have been added to the list of associate members.

 

The following papers have been read:

 

I. On "The Aborigines of Canada and their treatment under the British," by Wm. Clint, Esquire, Corresponding Secretary—on the 23rd March last.

II.         "The State of Ohio, and subjects related to it" by Hon. W. C. Howells, Consul for the United States of America—on the 30th March last.

III.         "The First Chapter of English History" by Professor Goldwin Smith, LL.D.—on the 21st September last.

 

The report of the Librarian will be read with interest, as well as that of the Curator, under whose supervision the objects in the museum are kept in a state of perfect preservation.

The Treasurer will submit his report on the state of the funds of the Society. A smaller balance than usual remains at credit, which is accounted for by the disbursements shown on the other side of the account.

 

The Council had lately the pleasure of welcoming to Quebec two distinguished historians, Professor Goldwin Smith, of Toronto, and Francis Parkman, of Boston, honorary members of this Society. The Professor delivered an interesting lecture on the early history of England to a crowded audience in this room. Both gentlemen have devoted their lives to the study of historical science. They take a sincere interest in the prosperity of this Association, and express their readiness to do all in their power to promote the objects which it is established to foster.

 

Although it has not been customary to make a record of current events in the annual report, the Council cannot pass over in silence a matter of such peculiar interest as the appointment of the Marquis of Lome, son-in-law of the Queen, to the important position of Governor-General, and his arrival with his wife, H. R. H. the Princess Louise. Their Excellencies have received a warm welcome to Canada; and their advent is hailed throughout the Dominion, as an event calculated to strengthen the ties which bind the Colony to Great Britain, and deepen the conviction that we share in all the history and traditions of the Mother Country.

 

The Council have watched with interest the progress which has been made by the city authorities in the restoration of our mural monuments. The foundations of the Kent and Dufferin gates have been laid. One will commemorate the administration of the army in Canada by H. R. H. the Duke of Kent, in 1791-4; the other the constitutional rule of Lord Dufferin. In addition to those memorials, important public works are in course of construction: the Dufferin Terrace, the Parliament Buildings, spacious docks and quays for the convenience of trade and the accommodation of shipping, calculated to promote, not only the commercial interests of this port, but those of the whole Dominion of Canada.

 

The "Transactions" of the year have been printed and will soon be ready for distribution. The state of the funds of the Society did not justify the Council in carrying out their intention, as mentioned in their last report, of publishing inedited historical documents and literary remains relating to the war of 1812. Several interesting manuscripts connected with the events of the war have since been received—which, with other documents relating to the same subject, will enable the Council, ere long, to issue their sixth series of historical documents.

 

J. STEVENSON,

President.

 

REPORT OF THE LIBRARIAN FOR THE YEAR ENDING 31ST DECEMBER, 1878,

READ BY MR. RODERICK McLEOD.

 

In resigning his trust for the past year, the Librarian takes pleasure in remarking that the reading-room and library continue to be appreciated, the number of issues having been 5,000, or about the same as last year, while the attendance in the very comfortable reading-room is observably constantly increasing.

 

The additions to the library by purchase and donation have been 240 vols. The gifts have been especially liberal, and among the principal donors may be mentioned Francis Parkman, of Boston, who has lately presented us with a complete set of his historical works, and Dr. W. Marsden, who has given a valuable work, "Le Dictionnaire des Sciences Médicales" in 58 vols.

 

Messrs. Abraham Thomson, P. Robinson, H. S. Scott, E. L. Montizambert, Dr. W. Boswell, and Col. T. B. Strange,of Quebec; Messrs. Huguet-Latour and Dawson, of Montreal; and Chapman, of New Zealand, have also benefitted the Society by donations of books. It is to be hoped that their example will stimulate others to confide to the care of this Society any volumes they can spare. Works relating to the history of Canada, and especially on the period extending from 1759 to the end of the past century, would be particularly valued.

 

A detailed list of the additions by donation and exchange is appended to this report.

 

The subscribers are, as usual, respectfully reminded of the recommendation book, in which they are invited to record the titles of works they may wish to have added to the library. Though action on these recommendations may sometimes seem tardy, they yet always receive due consideration from the Council. It is believed that the Acting-Librarian, Mr. Macdonald, by his obliging disposition, has not failed to please the members of the Society.

 

RODERICK MCLEOD,

Librarian.

 

DONATIONS TO THE LIBRARY FOR THE YEAR ENDING 3lst DECEMBER, 1878.

 

Medallic History of England.

Histoire Médallique de la Révolution Française, presented by Abraham Thomson.

Prize Essays, presented by Lt.-Col. Strange, R.A.

Methodism in Eastern British America.

Pamphlet—Hill's Surrender.

Canada Year Book and Almanac, 1878, presented by E. L. Montizambert, Esq.

Reports of the different public departments of the Government of Canada, presented by H. S. Scott.

Autumns on the Spey, presented by Dr. Boswell.

Parkman's Historical Works, 8 volumes, presented by Mr. Parkman.

Dictionnaire des Sciences Médicales, 58 volumes, presented by Dr. Marsden.

California, a book for Travellers and Settlers, presented by P. Robinson.

Evenings in the Library, presented by Geo. Stewart.

Schools of Mines, New Zealand, presented by Chapman.

Pamphlet—Superficial Geology of British Columbia, Travelling Notes on the Surface, Geology of the Pacific, presented by George Mercer Dawson.

Annuaire de Ville-Marie,presented by M. Huguet-Latour M.A.

Transactions of the Connecticut Academy of Arts and Sciences. Transactions of the Academy of Sciences, St. Louis, vol. iii., No.4.

Pennsylvanian Magazine of History and Biography, No. 4 of vol. i., No. 1, vol. ii., No. 2, of vol. ii., No. 3, of vol. ii. Proceedings of the American Antiquarian Society, 1877,

and April, 1878.

Proceedings of the Davenport Academy of Natural Sciences, Vol. ii, No. 1.

Proceedings of the Boston Society of Natural History, vol. 19, part 3.

Proceedings and Transactions of the Nova Scotian Institute of Natural Sciences, 1877, 78, vol. 4, part 4. Proceedings of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, session 1876-77.

Proceedings of the Royal Colonial Institution, vol. 9th, 1877-78.

Journal of Royal United Service Institution, vol. 21, '77

Proceedings of the Philosophical Society of Glasgow,vol. xi, No. 1, 1877-78.

Mémoires de la Société Historique de Montréal.

Memoirs of Boston Society of Natural History, vol. ii, part 4. No. 4.

Michigan Pomological Society, 1875, sixth registration report.

American Almanac, 1871.

Bulletin of the Essex Institute, vol. 9, Nos. 1 to 12; vol. 10, Nos. 1 to 9.

Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, vol. 1, Nos. 1 to 4.

Annals of the New York Lyceum of Natural History, vol. 11, Nos. 9 to 12.

Annual Reports and Collections of the State Historical Society of Wisconsin, 11 volumes. Report of the Quebec Lunatic Asylum, 1876-77.

New York Board of Education Journal, 1877. 36th Annual Report of.

Report on Corporal Punishment. Manual of the Board of Education, New York.

Statutes of Quebec in French and English, 41-42 Victoria, 1878.

Sessional Papers and Journals of Legislative Assembly of Ontario, vols. 10-11.

Sessional Papers of Dominion of Canada, vol. 2, 1878.

Journal of the Senate of Canada, vol. 12, 1878.

Parliamentary Papers, 1878.

Purchased, 74 volumes of Modern Literature.

Magazines, bound, 40 volumes.

Number of Works issued during the year, about 5,000.

 

Quebec, 8th January, 1879.

 

REPORT OF THE CURATOR OF THE MUSEUM,

READ BY Mr. LeMOINE.

 

Since the date of the last report, there have been few additions to our collection of birds, animals, medals, woods, &c, though we have had the same facilities this year we had previously, of completing one important department by acquiring specimens of the larger denizens of the forest; no other excuse need be pleaded for their absence from the museum than want of space. The numerous varieties of the deer family would form a splendid group.  For the size, shape, color, peculiarities of several of them, one now has to dive into ponderous quartos. Distinguished strangers as well as resident sportsmen have repeatedly manifested great curiosity to contemplate and compare, well-mounted specimens of the Moose, the two species of Cariboo, the Common Red Deer, the Long-tailed Deer, the Mule Deer, the Black-tailed Deer, Richardson's Deer, without forgetting the beautiful and gigantic Wapiti, one hundred and twenty years ago, abundant in our Province, but now extinct here as well as in the western provinces of Ontario, though found to this day in the boundless  prairies of our sister province of Manitoba.[2]  More than once, it has been the duty of the undersigned to press this matter on your attention, as many here can testify.

 

If, on this point, our Society is still open to a serious reproach, there is one subject of congratulation—a want of more than twenty years' duration, has at last happily been met.

 

The contents of the museum were lately catalogued under the superintendence of the Curator. Members can now at a glance see what it contains, and judge for themselves whether it is worth the money it represents.

 

The American fauna, being totally different from the European, with respect to the birds, it has been deemed advisable to adopt the nomenclature of the Smithsonian Institution; this elaborate nomenclature has likewise been used by several of the leading scientific institutions in Canada.

 

On reference to the catalogue, you will see recorded the magnificent gifts made to the Society since the date of the conflagrations which destroyed a former collection,—a most irreparable loss.

 

To any one perusing this compilation, it will be apparent how poor the Society is, in ores and minerals, and still who dare underrate the importance of suitably exhibiting the exuberant store of mineral wealth a bountiful Providence has concealed in our soil.

 

Judging from enquiries and letters from the United States and elsewhere, it is plain that our collection of birds especially, is becoming known abroad. We are now in correspondence with United States naturalists and taxidermists desirous of exchanging specimens with us.

 

In closing, the undersigned still indulges the hope that in time our museum will become so varied, so complete as to furnish material for any lecturer, desirous of illustrating the leading branches in natural history.

 

J. M. LBMOINE,

Curator.

 

DONATIONS TO MUSEUM, 1878.

 

Medal struck to celebrate an excursion on the St. Lawrence, 1st January, 1878, presented by R. W. McLachlan, Montreal.

 

Glass case containing bayonets, helmets, pistols, medals, &c, &c, found on battle fields of Strasburg, Metz, Sedan, obtained by C. V. M. Temple, Esq., after the Franco-Prussian war, and presented by him to the Society.

 

Photograph of an Astrolabe, found in August, 1867, on the rear half-lot No. 12, in the 2nd range of the Township of Ross,—supposed to have been lost by Samuel de Cham-plain, on the 7th June, 1613, in passing the portage from the Ottawa to the Muskrat Lake.

 

Photograph of the address presented to the Hon. W. C. Howells, presented by him to the Society.

 

Silver Cup, presented to the Society by James Ashbury, Esq., M.P., London.

 

Autograph of Dr. Livingston, LL.D., presented by J. R. Dunlop. Esq.

 

Picture of General Sir James Henry Craig, K. B., Governor-General of British North America, (taken by Schepper in 1809, at Quebec.)

 

Photograph of monument erected to the memory of Major-General Sir Isaac Brock, presented to the Society by Wm. Kirby, Esq., Niagara, author of "Le Chien d'Or."

 

Photograph of Jas Ashbury, Esq., M.P., England, honorary member of the Society.

 

The meeting then proceeded to elect the officers and .Council for the ensuing year, Messrs. A. Robertson and F. C. Wurtele being appointed Scrutineers, with the following result :

 

President—J. M. Le Moine.

Vice-Presidents—H. S. Scott, Dr. W. Boswell, Col. T. B. Strange, R. S. M. Bouchette.

Treasurer—W. Hossack.

Recording-Secretary—Cyrille Tessier.

Corresponding-Secretary—W. Clint.

Council Secretary—Alexander Robertson.

Librarian—R. McLeod.

Curator of Museum—Dr. H. Neilson.

Curator of Apparatus—F. C. Wurtele.

Additional Members of Council—J. Whitehead, J. F. Belleau, J. Stevenson, P. Johnston.

 

The following resolution was then passed: Moved by R. J. Bradley, Esq., seconded by P. Johnston, Esq.,—That the thanks of this Society are due and are hereby cordially tendered to Mr. Stevenson, the retiring President, for his valuable services to the Society during the three years last past, during which time he has so ably filled that office, and that a copy of this resolution be transmitted to Mr. Stevenson.

 

The following gentlemen were then duly elected associate members, viz:—St. George Boswell, J. J. Bell, and Willoughby Ross.

 

ADDRESS TO Mr. PARKMAN.

 

The following address was presented at the rooms of the Literary and Historical Society of Quebec, on Saturday, the 16th November, 1878:—

 

To FRANCIS PARKMAN, Esquire, of Boston, the Historian of Canada.

 

DEAR SIR,—The Literary and Historical Society of Quebec feels particularly happy in welcoming you to its rooms and in placing at your disposal its archives and manuscripts.

 

Called into existence by the friends of Letters, in the early part of this century, under the auspices of a distinguished nobleman, the Earl of Dalhousie, then Governor-General of Lower Canada, its cherished object has ever been the research and publication of historical data relating to Canada—the promotion of science and literature generally.

 

It would be recreant to the spirit which actuated it in the past, were it now to view with unconcern the advent in its midst of one of its most gifted honorary members—a writer of whom the most brilliant literary centre in the United States is justly proud.

 

In hastening to mark its appreciation of the eminent position achieved by you as the sympathetic annalist of our country, this ancient society feels it is not only discharging a debt of gratitude towards you, but also responding to the aims and aspirations of the worthy founders of this institution.

 

Sir, your graphic portraiture of all that must be dear to us—your captivating narrations of our sieges, our battlefields, our scenery and customs, have rendered your name a familiar sound in every Canadian home. Though born and living in a foreign land, we feel towards you as if you were one of ourselves. In now revisiting, at considerable trouble and some expense, our city, in order to complete the historical gallery, devised by your skilful hand and fertile brain, with a truthful and minute sketch of one of the noblest figures in our annals—Montcalm, the heroic rival of Wolfe, of immortal memory, we feel you are adding one more link to the chain of gratitude which already binds us.

 

You are, indeed, dear sir, welcome among us.

 

President—James Stevenson.

Vice-Presidents—Lt.-Col. T. B. Strange, R.A., H. S. Scott, R. S. M. Bouchette, Dr. W. Boswell.

Treasurer—Wm. Hossack.

Librarian—R. McLeod.

Recording-Secretary—Cyrille Tessier.

Corresponding-Secretary—W. Clint.

Council Secretary—Alex. Robertson.

Curator of the Museum—J. M. LeMoine, Past President.

Curator of Apparatus—F. C. Wurtele.

Additional Members of Council—J. Whitehead, J. F. Belleau, Commander Ashe, R.N., F.R.S., Past President.

 

(Extract from Mr. Parkman's Letter to Mr. J. M. LeMoine.)

 

MONTREAL, 17th November, 1878.

 

DEAR MR. LEMOINE,—

 

I arrived here this morning, bringing with me a grateful recollection of the many kindnesses of my Quebec friends.

 

Your Historical Society has done a great deal for Canadian history, but there is, I think, no particular in which it has done it better service than in collecting and printing memoirs and journals concerning the great crisis of 1759. I trust it will continue this good work. A great deal may thus be saved that would otherwise perish and be forgotten. There must be a great number of letters, papers and maps in private hands, subject to fire and all sorts of accidents, which might be saved at moderate expense and the preservation of which is essential to a full knowledge of that important period.

 

I am glad to hear that M. Bedard is making a full index of the records of the Conseil Supérieur. This is another work of the highest interest and value; and I trust that your Government will appreciate its importance and provide for continuing it and giving its results to the public and to students of history.

 

Very  truly  yours,

F. PARKMAN.

 

(From advertisement in Morning Chronicle of Jany., 1879)

 

 CANADIAN HISTORY

 

The Literary and Historical Society of Quebec, deeply impressed with the importance of adding to its Annual Publications on Early Canadian History, invites all those owning any original unpublished Memoirs, Letters, Reports, Journals of Siege Operations, Old Maps, &c, to deposit them with the President of this Institution, so that they may be referred to and reported upon by the Historical Committee of the Society.

 

The Institution having recently incurred considerable expense in fitting up a fire-proof Vault in the basement, under their Rooms, to store these MSS., the owners of such documents, &c, can be assured as to their safety.

 

In some exceptional cases the Society is prepared to treat with such owners, on cash terms, when the historical matter is of more than ordinary value.

 

J. M. LEMOINE,

President.

A. ROBERTSON,

Council Secretary.

 

January 15, 1879.