62 JOHN M. HAEPER ON THE 



and ilie Couutess of Dallioiisie lias her name associated with a catalogue of Canadian 

 plants, which is inserted at the end of the volume. 



Under such auspices the Literary and Historical Society became an important element 

 in the history of Canadian literature. As may be noticed from the nature of the papers 

 which comprise the first two vohtmes of the Transactions, there was not miicli attention 

 given to investigations j)ertaining to Canadian history. The world was beginning to be 

 excited over the discoveries in the field of natural science, and much of the energy of the 

 Society was devoted to scientific discussions and the organization of a museum, stored with 

 all that was curious in connection with animal and vegetable life. The encouragement of 

 Canadian literature was, however, by no means overlooked altogether, for, even as early as 

 1828, a French poem entitled " Le Siege de Missoloughi " was brought to light under 

 the auspices of the Society as well as an English one under the name of the " Canadian 

 Harp." 



In examining the title-page of the first issue of the Transactions we find the date of 

 1829 on its imprint, whereas the Society was in reality organized in 1824. The seeming 

 anachronism is explained by the fact that in 182Y a Society, in which the French Canadian 

 influence predominated, was organized for the encouragement of the arts and sciences. 

 When Sir James Kempt came to Canada, he was appointed patron of both these Societies, 

 and thinking, no doiibt, that their fusion as one Society might lead to excellent results in 

 more ways than one, he proposed that they should be united under the name of a " Society 

 for Promoting Literature, Science, Arts and Historical Research in Canada." The union took 

 place according to the wishes of the Viceroy, but the original name recognised by the Society 

 founded by Lord Dalhousie was adhered to, when the Transactions came to be printed in 

 the year 1829. At the time of this fusion, the Society numbered one hundred and thirty 

 members, and since that time it has never lost its cosmopolitan character, French-speaking 

 citizens uniting heartily with their English-speaking townsmen in advancing its interests, 

 and occupying places of prominence on its official list. At this time, there was indeed 

 the most praiseworthy zeal exhibited in all the departments of the Society's work, in con- 

 nection with the cultivation of literary and scientific tastes and pursuits. Though the 

 library in the matter of historical volumes, was to some extent neglected, the museum 

 began to assume respectable proportions, a lecturer was appointed to interest the members 

 in the studies of geology and mineralogy, while several committees were organized to con- 

 duct investigations in natural history and literature. In 1831, no less than thirty-two 

 prizes were distributed for essays on A'arious subjects, and a large sum of money, supple- 

 mented by a grant of two hundred and fifty pounds from the Government was laid out 

 in books on scientific subjects, and ap^iaratus for chemical analysis and experiments in 

 natural science and astronomy. 



When, however, the Society had been honoured by the grant of a royal charter, the 

 members began to consider how they could sustain the dignity of its position by the char- 

 acter of its work. As Louis Turcotte remarks, up to this time the members had been 

 engaged in encouraging the study of the physical sciences, reserving for better times, per- 

 haps, the realization of the principal object that the founders of the Society had in view, 

 namely, historical research, and the publication of the annals of the country. But in the 

 year after the royal charter had been bestowed upon the Society, affairs began to turn in 

 the right direction, as far as the collecting of documents referring to French discovery and 



