THE POETS OF CANADA. 37 



1863, iu her thirtieth year. Miss Murray's poems, especially on Siottish subjects, are full of 

 iuterest, biit she will be chiefly remembered as a successful writer of fiction. Mrs. Faulk- 

 ner published, in 1850, a volume of poems under her maiden name, Rhoda Ann Page, and 

 the title. Wild Notes from the Backwoods, sufhciently indicates its character. A distinguished 

 Irish Canadian name is that of Rosanna Eleanor MuUins, better known as Mrs. Leprohon, 

 whose numerous poems, sacred, narrative, descriptive, lyrical, elegiac, and society verses, 

 were gathered into one A'olume iu 1881. Mrs. Leprohon was endowed with many attri- 

 butes of the poetic faculty, aud several of her pieces will always find a place iu any 

 selections from Canadian poets. 



In the roll of the male writers, which I shall abbieviate as much as possible, I may 

 mention James McCarroU, Frederick Wright, E. J. McGeorge, W. F. Hawley, E. H. 

 Dewart, E. J. Chapman, Thomas McQueen, H. F. Darnell, John May, J. R. Ramsay, John 

 Massie, J. Gr. Hodgins, Robert Stuart Patterson, J. A. Allen, Samuel Payne Ford, Robert 

 Sweeney, D. J. Wallace, J. H. King, W. H. Hawley, Doiuxld Mcintosh, William P. Lett, T. 

 Cleworth, John Scoble, James Mcintosh. Alexander McLachlan has sometimes been 

 called " the Canadian Burns," and he certainly deserves special commendation for all his 

 efforts in favour of our country and its literature. His publications are numerous, 

 among which are three small volumes of poems, the last of which, entitled The Emigrant, 

 is much the best. Isidore Gr. Ascher, formerly a lawyer of Montreal, but now resident 

 in London, published Voices Jrom the Hearth in 1863, which at once secured for him a 

 leading position among our minor poets. He still publishes occasional pieces under the 

 familiar name of " Isidore." Alazon and other Poems, was put forth iu 1850 by William 

 Wye Smith, formerly of Toronto, and he has been a prolific writer, in prose and verse, 

 ever since that date. The reputation of John Breckenridge goes back to 1846, when 

 he published at Kingston Tlie Crusades and other Poems, including lengthy pieces, such 

 •as Napoleon Bonaparte aud Tlie French Fi.evoliitioH and Laiza. This volume is now out of 

 print and very scarce. If Mr. William Kirby had not achieved so high a reputation 

 in the domain of fiction, especially by his valuable historical novel Le Chien D'Or, 

 we should be disposed to linger more over his verse. His U. E., a Tale of Upper 

 Canada, appeared iu Niagara in 1859, and we have had the pleasure of reading several 

 contributions of equal merit since that time. Mr. Kirby is a thorough Canadian both 

 in verse aud prose. John F. McDonnell, a young Irishman of Quebec, has written a 

 number of very spirited lyi-ics, and, if he had not died prematurely, would certainly 

 have established a reputation. W. 0. Farmer, a youthful lawyer of Montreal, is 

 destined to fill the void made by McDonnell. He has pathos, imagination, enthusiasm, 

 and a delicate ear for cadence. It is to be hoped that Mr. Farmer will continue to 

 cultivate the Muses with devotion. There is matter for regret that Mr. George Martiu 

 does not write more frequently and that, after assisting Charles Heavysege in the pub- 

 lication of Saul, he has not thought fit to print a collection of his own poems. It is a further 

 pity that Martin G-erald G-riffin has become so absorbed in politics and the cares of militant 

 journalism as to neglect his uncommon literary ability. Mr. Grifiin has that facility of 

 verse and instinct of good taste which are inherent in the poetic temperament, and of 

 all the productions which I have read from his pen, there is not one that is not 

 decidedly superior. It is sufficient to say of Mr. Cleveland, of the Eastern Townships, that 

 he has succeeded in breaking the charmed circle of the Atlantic Monthly, aud that several 



