38 JOnN LESPEEANCE. 



of his compositions have' b^H^u laid before a wide public iu the pages of that fastidious 

 and exclusive periodical. It is, ouce more, unfortunately due to the narrowness of my 

 space that I can only barely allude to two men who, by their transcendant talents and the 

 prominence of their positions, would almost merit the honours of a separate page. The 

 two greatest orators of Canada were also very considerable poet.s. There is a swing in 

 Howe's verse, a breeziness in his fancies, a rush and roar in his transports, well in keeping 

 with the wild music of those waves within whose sight his infancy was cradled. I 

 would suggest that a careful selection be made of Howe's poems, and that they be 

 pviblished in cheap form for distribution as prizes or otherwise in our schools. They 

 breathe the true native spirit. Somewhat the same may be said of McGee's Canadian 

 Ballads, which might very properly be detached from the bulky volume containing his 

 other poems and published separately. Thus would the country have another link of 

 sympathy with the memory of the martyred orator and poet. I have now to speak of one 

 who needs no introduction to lovers of Canadian literature, and certainly none to his 

 Fellows of the Royal Society — Evan McColl. His first published volume dates back to 

 1836, under the title of the Mountain Minstrel, containing poems in Gaelic and attempts iu 

 English song. In 1838, and simultaneously with a second edition of the Mountain 

 Minstrel — the best proof of that work's success — appeared Clarsach Nam Beann, a contri- 

 bution to G-aelic letters which at once placed him in the front rank of Celtic bards. Hugh 

 Miller called him " the Moore of the Highlands." During his long residence in Canada, 

 Mr. McColl has frequently published poems on subjects of varied public interest, audit was 

 hoped that the time would come when he would commemorate the second half of 

 his martial life by putting forward his Canadian poems. He has done so. A hand- 

 some volume, published simultaneously at Toronto, Edinburgh, and InAœrness, appeared 

 in 1883, and is announced as containing the English poems of the author. These 

 are considerably over two hundred iu number, presenting an almost infinite variety. 

 We have the Mountain Minstrel complete, which is a desirable acquisition ; and we 

 have, in the second half, the songs that were mostly written in Canada. Our poet 

 has maintained his poi^ularity for so many years, and the characteristics of his 

 genius are so well known and appreciated, that we need scarce do more than thank 

 Mr. McColl for bec[ueathing to his countrymen this beautiful memorial of a long 

 life devoted to poetry. Nor will the father live alone : he will survive in his offspring. 

 I have detached the name of Mary J. McColl from among the female poets, purposely to 

 set it be.side that of her venerable parent. Her Bide a Wee, a handsome little volume, 

 was published at Buffalo in 1880. When an authoress is introduced into the world of 

 letters with such sponsors as Longfellow, Whittier, Wendell Holmes and Joaquin Miller, 

 she requires no poor words of recommendation such as I might utter to-day. I shall only 

 repeat in one line what I wrote more at length, in a review of the work at the time of its 

 publication, that Mary McColl gives promise of such poetic qualities as must place her 

 by the side of the principal poets of America, if she continues to give due attention to 

 her natural gifts. 



It is one of our standing regrets, and a source of discouragement, that we have not 

 been able to maintain a literary periodical of our own. The loss is the greater because 

 there is a vast store of talent in the cou.ntry, which only requires a proper channel of 

 publication to produce most substantial results. The Canadian Monthly is a case in point. 



& 



