[casgrain] WOLFE'S MONUMENT ON THE PLAINS OF ABRAHAM 219 



from the Old Country, and to serve as a model for the sculptor, and 

 remained with the statue. 



We have a clue as to this drawing as well as to the sculpture of the 

 statue from the late Mr. Jam«s Thomson, Sr., whose name is a house- 

 hold word in Quebec, and who was a personal witness on the occasion, 

 having had the direction of the work.^ 



Here is what he says on this subject, as taken down by his son, 

 James Thomson, Jr., assistant-commissary-'general, from his father's 

 mouth, on the 11th August, 1828. It is to be found in the collection, 

 Thomson MSS., vol. 1, p. Jf, in the library of the Literary and Plisborical 

 Society of Quebec. 



As these notes have not been seen in print, they may as well be 

 given here in extenso: — 



'' We had a loyal fellow in Quebec, one George Phipps (Hips), a 

 butclier, who o-wn'd that house at the corner of Palace and John Streets, 

 still called " Wolfe's Corner," and it happened to have a niche, probably 

 intended for the figure of some saint; he was very anxious to fill it up, 

 and he thought he could have nothing bettex than the statue of General 

 Wolfe; but he did not know how to set about getting one. At last he 

 finds out two French sculpto.rs, who w'ere brothers, of the name of 

 Chaulette,- and he asked me if I thought I could. direct them how to 

 make the likeness of the General iii wood. I said I would, at all events, 

 have no objection to undertake it, and accordingly they, the Chaulettes, 

 tried several sketches, but they made a poor job of it after all. 



^' The front face is no likeness at all, and the profile is all they 

 could hit upon, and which is good. The body gives a poor idea of the 

 General, who was tall and straight as a rush, so that, after my best 

 endeavours to describe his person (and I knew it well), and for w'hich 

 purpose I attended every day at their workshop,^ which was in that 



* Mr. James Thomson, Sr., was sergeant in the 78th (Fraser Hig^hlnnders), 

 and served under Wolfe at Louisbourg and Quebec. He knew the General 

 perfectly well, and used to speak of his kindness to all his men, and to him 

 in particular, addressing them all in private as " Brother soldier." "U'^hen the 

 Highlanders were disbanded, Mr. Thomson remained in Quebec, where he 

 was employed in conducting divers military works. He died in 1830 at the 

 ripe age of 98 years, leaving a most respected name. 



■^ Thomas-Hyacinthe & Ives, menuisiers, fils de Pierre Chauletto. char- 

 pentier de vaisseaux, et de Marie-Catherine Laflêche. Greffe de F. Têtu, 

 notaire, 21 avril 1812, et J. C. Panet, notaire, 1er octobre 1768. Ils étaient 

 simplement sculpteurs en bois, et nos pas statuaires. 



3 Mr. Thomson lived on the opposite side of the street, at the south-east 

 corner of Parlor and St. Louis Streets; the workshop of the sculptors being 

 situate where Mr. Campbell's stables are now erected, 45-47 St. Louis Street 



