318 J. G. BOURINOT 



first nine volumes of which comprised the English collection known as " Astley's Voyages" (London, 1745-1747). 

 Before the completion of the work Abbé Prévost died, and four volumes were added by Querlnn and De Leyre. 

 (See " Nar. and Crit. Hist, of Am.," i. p. xxxv, for references to other editions.) 



"ïlie Life of Sir William Pepperrell, Bart., the only native of New England who was created a baronet during 

 its connection witli the mother country,"' Ijy Usher Parsons (London and Boston, 1856). This work is the best and 

 only complete life of the famous leader of the New England expedition. In his preface tlie author states that the 

 ideaof the work originated in tlie fact that became into posse.ssion of a package of paper.s, "which had been 

 exposed in an old shed on the Pepperrell estate, probably for half a century." Tliey had been saved from destruc- 

 tion by Colonel George Sparliawk, allied by marriage to descendants of Sir William. After much difficulty he 

 accumulated sulBcient material to write a biography. The plan of Louisbourg is taken from the early edition of 

 Bancroft's "History of the Colonization of the United States," as Dr. Parsons came to the conclusion, after a per- 

 sonal inspection of the ruins of that city, and after an examination of several drawings of it and its fortress, that 

 it "admitted of no improvements." The " Narrative and Critical History" (v. 448) says that " it follows an Eng- 

 lish plan procured by Mr. Bancroft in London, and closely resembles the sketch owned by a descendent of Pepper- 

 rell and herewith given " (p. 437). Tliis last plan is owned by Mrs. Howanl, of Brooklyn, N.Y., and is considered 

 authentic. 



Sir W. Pepperrell's funeral sermon was preached by his former pastor, Rev. Dr. P>. Stevens, and as Lndy 

 Pepperrell published it, and sent a copy to every memlier of the hou.se and council of Massachusetts, it is still 

 easily obtained. (See Parson's " Life," p. 321.) It has for title " A Sermon occasioned by the Death of the Hon. 

 Sir W. Pepperrell, Bart., Lieut.-General in Her Majesty's .service, etc., who died at his seat in Kittery, .Tuly 6, 1759 " 

 (Boston, 1759, pp. 30). It has a portrait inserted in some copies. 



''Capture of Louisbourg by the New England Militia "is the title of a monograph that appears in the March, 

 April, and May numbers of the ' Atlantic Monthly ' for 1891, from the pen of Dr. Francis Parkman, who, in this 

 essay, as in all his other productions, displays that elegance of style, thoroughness of research, and judicial spirit 

 that are eminently his characteristics as an historian. He uses the testimony of a curious little work, not before 

 cited by the historians of Loui.sbourg. It is the "Lettre d'un Habitant de Louisbourg, contenant une Relation 

 exacte et circonstanciée de la Prise de l'Isle Royale par les Anglais. A Quebec chez Guillaume le Sincère, a l'Image 

 de la vérité, 1745." Dr. Parkman says that " this little book, of 81 printed pages, is extremely rare. I could study 

 it only by having a literatim transcript made from a copy in the Bibliothèque National, as it was not to be found 

 in the British IMuseum. It bears the signature " P.. L. N." and is dated " a" .... ce 2S Août, 1745. The 

 imprint of Quebec is evidently intended as a mask, the book having, no doubt, been printed in France. It 

 criticises Duchambon severely, and makes him mainly answerable for the disaster." 



As these proofs are passing through my hands. Dr. Parkman's new work, " A Half-Century of Conflict," which 

 fills up the gap between his "Count Frontenac and New France under Louis XIV" and his "Montcalm and 

 Wolfe," is announced for early in May. It covers much of the ground over which I have gone, very Ijriefly on 

 the whole, in this work on Cape Breton. It contains chapters on " Louisbourg and Acadia" (i. c. 10) ; on " Louis- 

 bourg Besieged and Taken " (ii. cc. 5 and C) ; and on " The Expedition of the Due d'Anville" (ii. c. 7). 



In 'Harjier's Monthly' for 1864, vol. xxviii, p. 354, will be found an interesting narrative, suitable to the 

 readers of a popular magazine, of the siege of Louisbourg in 1745, by ,1. T. Headley. The writer is accurate on tlie 

 wiiole, but he makes an egregious mistake, when he states (p. 3.56) that "the Rhode Island troops, numlioring only 

 a few hundred, were already " at Canso, when the Massachusetts forces arrived there on the first of April — the 

 fact being, that they never sailed or took part in the expedition. The statement that one-half of the rich treasure 

 taken in the Délivrance and other vessels captured by tlio fleet, went to tho captors, is misleading. The Crown 

 and the English fleet alone divided the .spoils between them. 



In the 'Report of Canadian Archives' for 1886, (pp. vii xii) Mr. Brymner, chief archivist, has a summary of 

 the leading facts relating to the capture of Louisbourg in 1745. It is generally accurate and impartial. It contains 

 tlie i)lans (Note A.) suggested by General Waldo to Pitt, for the reduction of tho fortress in 1758, and "dearly 

 drawn from his experience while in command of the land forces, at the redui'tion of the same place in 1754." The 

 two maps that accompany the report, are made up from Gridley's and other maps in .Jeli'erys' French Dominions. 



In the fifth volume of tlie ' Transactions of the Roj'al Society of Canada' (sec. ii), there is a long paper on the 

 "First Siege and Capture of Louisbourg" by the Honourable Sir Adams G. Archibald, P.C.,K.C.M.G.,D.C.L., who 

 after a long life spent in tho public service, has devoted the leisure of his declining years to historical studies. This 

 paper is an interesting contribution to the literature on the subject. 



" Tho taking of Louisbourg in 1745," is a short account of the siege by Samuel Adams Drake, published in a 

 series describing "Decisive Events in American History," (Boston, 1891). It has no special liistoric value since it 

 is simply a narrative made up from the ordinary sources of information available to every one on tho subject. 



