THE POETS OF CANADA. 86 



Laval University aud further honoured by a gold medal. lu 1869, his Hymne National 

 deserved another gold medal. In 18*75, Les Vengeances saw the light. These poems are all 

 more or les.s lengthy, but in 1879 M. Lemay collected his .shorter and more fugitive pieces 

 in a book, entitled Une Gerbe. He has since given forth a volume of Fables, rex)lete with a 

 quiet philosophy. The qualities of this poet's talent ai*e grace and tenderness. His versi- 

 fication is always correct, his diction chastened, and his imagery well balanced and 

 refined. He has an eye for Nature, and is particularly happy in the treatment of domestic 

 and religious subjects. 



M. Benjamin Suite has, of late, neglected the Muse in favour of historical research, but 

 his single volume, Les Laurentiennes, is quite sufiicient to ensure him a prominent place am.ong 

 the French poets. He excels in song writing, and his work has a distinctly national stamp 

 from the circumstance that he gives expression to the thoughts and aspirations of the peo- 

 ple. Among his Isest elForts I may mention La Patineuse, Les Fondateurs and La Cloche. 



It is a curioiis instance of the blending of races in the Province of Quebec, that one of 

 the rising young French poets should bear the thoroughly English name of "William 

 Chapman. His contribution is denominated Les Quehecquoises, which, although rather 

 juvenile here and there, even in the author's own estimation, is a production full of possi- 

 bilities and promise. M. Chapman is a conscientious, painstaking writer, as severe to 

 himself as any critic could be, and these equalities, supporting undoubtedly original 

 talents, must secure the young poet a brilliant future. I would particularly call attention 

 to his odes on matters of historical and national interest, such as those to Bollard des 

 Ormeaux, La Bataille de Ste. Foye, Chateauguay and Cadieux. 



Another poet with a foreign name, a good round Irish name, is James Donnelly, 

 From a line in his impassioned address to Ireland, I should fancy he was born in the 

 Emerald Isle. If so, his mastery of the French language, and his skilful handling of the 

 intricacies of French versification, are remarkable. M. Donnelly has the poetic instinct, and 

 it is a pity that he does not produce more. 



Several clergymen figure among the poets of French Canada, but I have room for the 

 mention of only one, Abbé Gringras, curé of St. Edouard de Lotbinière, in the district of 

 Quebec. The very title of his little volume is poetic — An Foyer de mon Presbytère. The 

 Abbé writes rapidly and is not suificiently addicted to the use of the file, but he has a 

 fresh, unhackneyed turn of mind and his sentiments are truly elevated. As might be 

 expected of a celibate priest, he treats of subjects that are out of the common, and is 

 debarred from touching on that tender passion which is the most poetical outcome of 

 the human heart. His work has, therefore, the enforced advantage of novelty of which he 

 makes abundant use. His thoughts on the churchyard and on a child dying without 

 baptism are original and awe-inspiring. 



M. Félix Marchand, fellow of the Eoyal Society and member of the Provincial Parlia- 

 ment for the county of St. Johns, has devoted himself almost exclusively to comedy, both 

 in prose and verse. Of the first I need not speak, except to say that his work evinces a 

 knowledge of human natui-e, a gift of gentle satire, and a sense of sly humour, which readily 

 raise it out of the groove of the commonplace. These cjualities arc heightened when 

 presented in metrical form. Les Faux Brillants is a comedy in five acts, and Un Bonheur en 

 attire mi Autre is another in one act. Both of them are very happy conceptions, aud the 



