Report of the Council of the Literary and Historical Society of Quebec, for the Year 1843
REPORT
OF THE COUNCIL
OF THE
LITERARY AND HISTORICAL SOCIETY
OF
QUEBEC
AT THE
GENERAL ANNUAL MEETING,
HELD ON THE 10TH OF JANUARY, 1844.
As if is customary at this session, that the Council, previously to resigning Office, should lay before the Society a Statement of their principal proceedings during the year now drawn to a close ; they submit the following Report, showing briefly the progress made by the Society in furthering the objects of the Institution, as well as its present condition.
The Council have to lament, in common with the Province at large, the death of the Society’s late Patron, Sir CHARLES BAGOT, Governor General of Canada. Removed as he was from this, the ancient seat of Government, the Society had necessarily little intercourse with His Excellency ; but exhibiting in his own person evidences of the education and accomplishments of an English gentleman, and having, during his short career of Provincial Government, manifested a deep interest in the promotion of sound learning, the Society might have confidently hoped for his own person evidences of the education and accomplishments of an English gentleman, and having, during his short career of Provincial Government, manifested a deep interest in the promotion of sound learning, the Society might have confidently hoped for his encouragement and support, if he had been longer spared those hopes are now directed to his eminent successor, Sir CHARLES T. METCALFE, who, on his visit to Quebec in September last, graciously assented to the request of the Society to become its Patron ; and whose disposition to advance the cause of Education, affords just ground to hope that the Society may enjoy his countenance and encouragement.
Early in the past year, the Council directed their attention to the publication of the first part of a fourth volume of the Transactions of the Society ; which was issued from the press in the month in February last, upon terms advantageous to the limited finances of the Society. This commencement of a volume contains several several useful and interesting papers, all written by members of the Society, with the exception of one by Mr. Robertson, a resident during more than thirty years of his life of the Coast of Labrador. Several papers are also in type, in advance of a second part : amongst which the Council are proud to reckon one by our esteemed fellow Member, Captain BADDELEY, R.E., now absent on duty in a distant part of Her Majesty’s dominions.
Since the publication of the part just mentioned, several papers have been read at the Society’s Evening Meetings ; a selection from which, it is thought, that your next year’s Council will find sufficient, with those in type, to form another part of Transactions.
The papers read during the past year are as follow :
A Neurological notice of the late Valentine Daintry, a lamented Member of the Society—by Dr. Wilkie.
On the Love of Truth—by Dr. Wilkie.
On Animal Magnetism—by Dr. G.M. Douglas.
On the Diversity of the Laws prevailing in the different Colonial Possessions of Great Britain. Two papers, being in continuation of one on the same subject commenced in 1842—by the Honorable A. W. Cochran, D. C. L.
On the causes which operate against Truth—by Dr. Wilkie.
On the Ornithology of the District of Montreal—by Dr. Archibald Hall.
On the Geology of the Perth District—by Dr. Wilson.
A Critical Illustration of the Honorable Mr. Young’s work on Colonial Luterature and Education—by Dr. Wilkie.
And a paper entitled, Antiphrenology—by Mr. Charles Roger.
It will be seen by this list of papers, that the Society is again indebted to the inderfatigable zeal and industry of our worthy and esteemed fellow Member, the Revd. D. Wilkie, L L. D., whose frequent contributions to the Society’s Transactions, have accumulated a debt of obligation to him from the Society, which it should be the emulous endeavour of other Members, by the similar exertions, to compensate and discharge.
During the last winter, the Historical Committee published a pamphlet, being their third of the kind, bearing on the early History of Canada. It comprises the three voyages of Jacques Quartier ; Le Routier de Jean Alpttonse ; Voyage du Sieur de Roberval ; Lettres de Jacques Noël, with appendices. Although these have already appeared in print, yet in consequence of the copies having become extremely rare, and indeed being scarcely now extant, the Committee deemed that a new impression of them would prove not only of peculiar interest to the Canadian reader, but a service rendered to the student of American History.
This pamphlet, together with the first part of the fourth volume of Transactions, has been distributed amongst the public authorities and Institutions within these Provinces ; and copies have been sent to such Literary and Scientific institutions, as exchange their transactions or proceedings with this Society, and also to corresponding members in actual intercourse with the Society.
It may be proper in this place to state, that the sum of £300 granted to this Society in 1832, by the Legislature of Lower Canada, having being nearly expended—principally in the search for, and copying Historical Documents in London and Paris, and in their publication here—the Council during the late Session of the Legislature took occasion to bring under the notice of His Excellency the Governor General, and the other Legislative Bodies, the exhausted state of this fund, detailing the mode of its expenditure, and praying for a further aid in prosecution of the same object : but the Council have no reason to apprehend, that in consequence of the untimely closing of the Session, the application was unavoidably passed over for the present. In connexion with this subject it will here be proper to report to the Society, that the Council have for some time past been in correspondence with Mr. Margry, a literary gentleman in Paris, who offers his services in the selection and transcription of historical papers, to which he has access in the public Archives of France : and the Council would willingly have availed themselves of the favourable opportunity to procure papers illustrative of the early history of Canada, had they the necessary funds to defray the expense ; but the offer of Mr. Margry must necessarily await the decision of the Government and Legislature, upon the application of the Council, for further funds to prosecute their researches.
The Council also applied for a continuation of the customary yearly grant, and to be reimbursed in the sum of £31 10s. expended in putting Chasseur’s Museum in a condition of being preserved to the Province but the result of these applications is not yet known to the Council, though they have reason to believe, that the yearly grant was included in the general estimates submitted by Government to the Legislature.
At the termination of the Society’s engagement with Mr. Kendall, on the first of May last, as Assistant Secretary, and contributor to the Museum, the usual measures were restored to in order to the selection of a competent person to succeed him. The choice of the Council feel on Mr. Charles Roger, and he immediately entered into office.
The Council have much satisfaction in bringing under the notice of the Society in this place, a Report of the Class of Science, to which was referred specimens of State raised by Mr. Quigly, from quarries. In the township of Frampton, near Quebec. The Report of the Class states this Slate to be fit for the purposes to which the article is usually applied in Europe ; it may, therefore, hereafter become a great value to the Province, as an article of commerce.
In the hope of adding to the efficiency of the Society, measures were taken by the Council early in the year, to collect information on all natural and public events occurring withing these Provinces, in order to their being recorded. A Committee of five Members, to be called the Committee of Record was appointed to carry our this measure. These Records may hereafter prove of use to the future historian of Canada.
There have been admitted into the Society, during the past year, one Honorary, twelve Corresponding, and five Associate Members.
The Reports of the Curators of the Museum, and of the Apparatus are upon the table : by these we are informed that the Museum has been encreased, re-arranged, and much improved in appearance. The visitors to the Museum have been very numerous during the past year. The Apparatus, although requiring some slight repairs, is in general good order and fit for use.
The Librarian reports the acquisition of many useful and valuable books to the Library, which continues to augment yearly, principally by the liberal donations of Members and friends of the Society—by purchase, 32 volumes—by donation, 43 volumes, and 41 pamphlets. It is, however, matter of great regret, that a continuation of the Literary and Scientific Periodicals is wanting for the past year. These are considered quite essential to the efficiency of the Society, without which the Members and Students cannot keep up with the progress made in Europe and America in the general knowledge.
The Treasurer’s Report is also before you. It is cause of much anxiety to the Council, that the funds are not in a more flourishing condition : to this cause may be assigned the deficiency alluded to in the Report of the Librarian. Many Members are in arrear, but measures are about to be taken for the recovery of the outstanding dues, amounting in the aggregate to the sum of about £300 ; some portion of this claim on the Members, it is hoped, will be forthcoming.
And now, gentlemen, that you are about to exercise your privilege of electing Offices for the ensuring year, the Council venture the recommendation, that you will select from amongst yourselves persons to fill the different offices whom you shall judge to be the most active, influential and effective in their respective stations ; leaders who, cordially taking the prosperity of the Society to hearty, will give it a fresh impetus, and whom you will yourselves actively second in their endeavours to further its grand objects.
Officers for 1843.
President,
Honble. WM. SHEPPARD.
Vice-Presidents,
Hon. A. W. Cochran, D.C.L
Revd. D. Wilkie, LL. D.
G. B. Faribault, Esquire.
Revd. H. D. Sewell,
Recording Secretary,
W. Bristow, Esquire.
Corresponding Secretary,
W. H. A. Davies, Esquire.
Council Secretary,
S. Wright, Esquire.
Treasurer,
Robert Symes, Esquire.
Librarian,
D. Wilkie, Esquire.
Curator of Museum,
M. Sheppard, Esquire
Curator of Apparatus,
R. C. Geggie, Esquire.
COMMITTEE
On Historical Documents
Hon. W. Sheppard—President
W. H. A. Davies, Esquire.
Revd. D. Wilkie, LL. D.
Hon. A W. Cochran, D. C. L.
G. B. Earibault, Esquire.
Revd. John Holmes.
G. M. Douglas, Esquire, M. D.
Chairmen of the Classes.
Literature,
Hon. A. W. Cochran, D. C. L.
Natural History,
Revd. H. D. Sewell.
Science,
Revd. D. Wilkie, LL. D.
Arts,
Honble. William Sheppard.
Fine Arts,
Archibald Campbell, Esq.
DONATIONS—1843
TO THE LIBRARY.
From G. B. Faribault, Esq.—Journals of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of
Canada, 1st session 1st Parliament.
G. B. Faribault, Esq.—Journaux de l’Assemblée Législative de la Province du
Canada, 1st session 1st Parliament.
G. B. Faribault, Esq.—Journaux du Conseil Législatif de la Province du
Canada. 1st session 1st Parliament.
W. H. A. Davies, Esq.—The Quebec Gazette for the year 1787.
C. W. Henderson, Esq.—A German Bible.
S. Wright, Esq.—A framed engraving, ″The Expected Penny.″
The New York Lyceum.—Their Third Annual Report.
Mr. Wm. Ruthven.—The Quebec Magazine.
Mr. Wm. Ruthven.—The North American Register.
His Lordship the Bishop of Montreal.—The Publisher’s Circular.
W. H. A. Davies, Esq.—Journals of the House Assembly of Lower Canada, for 1818, 1819, and 1825.
John Musson, Esq.—A system of Geological arrangement, by J. Deck,
F. G. S.
John Musson, Esq.—A List of Casts of rare Fossils, named with their localities,
by J. Deck, F.G.S.
John Mussion, Esq.—A Catalogue of the Strata of Alum Bay, by J Deck,
F.G.S.
Mr. A. Deck.—A Catalogue of British Plants, by Prodessor Henslow.
S. Wright, Esq.—Account of a Voyage to the South Pacific Ocean, by Captain
James Wilson.
S. Walcot, Esq.—Occurrences in the Indian Ciuntry, by the Earl of Selkirk.
S. Walcot, Esq.—Quebec Papers.
Honble. A. w. Cochran.—Hawkesworth’s Voyages—5 vols.
Honble. A. W. Cochran.—Proceedings of General Court Martial held in Council
Chamber, of Whitehall, upon the trial of Lieutenant General Sir John Mordaunt.
His Lordship the Bishop of Montreal.—Ancient French Archives.
The American Philosophical Society of Philadelphia.—Their Transactions,
volumes 7th and 8th.
From the American Philosophical Society of Philadelphia.—Transactions of
Literary and Historical Committee.
Historical Society of Pennsylvania.—Their Memoirs, vol. I part II, vol, II parts 1
an II, vol. III, parts I and II, and vol. IV, part I.
Geo. Ord, Esq.—A Sketch of the Life of Alexander Wilson, the Ornithologist;
James Mease, Esq.—Thermometrical Observations as connected with
Navigation.
Mr. Issacher Cozzens, Junior.—Geological History of Manhattan.
56th Annual Report of the Regents of the University of the State of New York.
Mr. Wm. Ruthven.—The Naval Chronicle.
Professor Greenleaf.—Reports of the Reptiles and Birds of Massachusetts.
Professor Greenleaf.—Forth Report of Agriculture of Massachusetts.
Professor Greenleaf.—Reports of the Insects of Massachusetts, injurious to
Vegetation.
Professor Greenleaf.—Reports of the Invertebrate Animals of Massachusetts.
The Assistant Secretary.—Erasmi desiderii colloquia Familiaria, 1676.
Thomas Cary, Esq.—Young’s Colonial Literature, 1st vol.
Geo, Fuvoye, Esq.—A new edition of Grelve’s translation of Celsus, with
notes, by G. Futvoye.
Geo. Futvoye, Esq.—5 copies of Genera nominum.
Mr. Thomas Henning.—A new Testament in the Irish tongue.
The Assistant Secretary.—A new Testament in the French and Latin
languages—nearly 300 years old.
Historical Society of Massachusetts.—Collections of vol. VIII, ED series.
Royal Society of Edinburgh.—A copy of their Transactions, vol. XV, part III
with pamphlet.
The Hinble. Wm. Sheppard.—Cooney’s History of New Brunswick, and the
District of Gaspe.
Alfred Hawkins, Esq.—Copy of Autographs of Illustrations Personages.
TO THE MUSEUM.
From A. G. Baxter, Esq., Quarter Master, 68th Regt.—A specimen of the inner bark
of the lace tree of Jamaica.
A. G. Baxter Esq., Quarter Master, 69th Regt.—3 Copper Coins.
Thomas Pope, 68th Regt.—2 Copper Coins.
Dr. A. Hall.—An Iron Instrument from the Georgian Springs, showing the
Chemical action of the Water upon the Iron.
J. Foley, 68th Regt.—A specimen of Fungus from Jamaica.
Mr. John Fountain.—A Silver Coin of the reign of Queen Anne.
Mr. John Fountain.—A Silver Coin of the reign of Queen Elizabeth.
Honble. Wm. Sheppard.—A Shrew Mole (Scalops Canadensis.)
Honble Wm. Sheppard.—A long tailed star nosed Mole, (Condyura Lougi- caudata.)
Mr. M. Quigley.—3 specimens of Slate from Frampton.
Robert Symes, Esq.—A quarter Franc of Louis XV, 1731, (Colonial money) Robert Symes, Esq.—A half Franc of Louis XVI, 1778.
Lewis Sleeper, Esq.—A Mineralogical specimen from Troy, State of New York. John Anderson, 68th Regt.—A Copper Coin of Gibraltar, value one quarto.
R. C. Geggie, Esq.—Fact similes of the largest known Diamonds.
Mr. Atkinson.—A piece of Cloth, the covering of a Mummy.
Revd. T. Atkinson.—A very ancient Map.
Dickson, Esq. A specimen of Mica, two specimens of Asbestos, and a piece of
Sienite.
Dr. Wilson, Perth.—24 Mineralogical specimens.
Revd. T. Atkinson.—A specimen of Malagacey Cloth.
Dr. Gesner, New Brunswick.—A box of Mineralogical specimens.
Serjt. Pope,68th Regt.—A number of Copper Coins.
Color Serjt. Ross, 68th Regt.—A Medal struck in honour of Pope Pius the VII.
Geo. Futvoye, Esq.—An Alligator.
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