[coxrNE] THE TALBOT PAPERS 19 
grievances which induced him to join the invading army in 1812, and 
to take an active part in raiding the Talbot Settlement. 
(e) The papers include what is probably the last letter written 
by Attorney-General Macdonnell, who fell at Queenston Heights. It 
bears date the day before the battle. 
(f) They contain interesting details relating to Gore, Maitland, 
Brock, Sheaffe, Glegg, Rolph, Nichol and Procter, which enable us 
better to appreciate their varied qualities and characteristics. 
(g) The frank references to Talbot’s convivial habits by the Lieu- 
tenant-Governors, Nichol, etc., show that his weaknesses were well-known 
to intimate friends in high station long before Mrs. Jameson referred 
to them in her book. 
(h) The general tone of Talbot’s correspondence reveals his char- 
acter, which, notwithstanding his habits, eccentricities and prejudices, 
has some admirable features. Altogether he remains one of the most 
striking and picturesque figures among the makers of Upper Canada. 
(7) It has been deemed advisable to add to the present publication, 
Talbot’s letter written from Port Stanley in 1801 to the Duke of Cum- 
berland, and the Duke of Kent’s forwarding this to the Colonial Office, 
and also a collection of letters in the Crown Lands Department, 
Toronto. from Talbot to the then Commissioner of Crown Lands, the 
Honorable Peter Robinson, as well as a number of letters written by 
him to the Honorable William Allan. The Robinson letters were 
brought to light some years ago by the late Mrs. Kate Westlake Yeigh, 
and were published in part in St. Thomas newspapers. For permission 
to publish the Allan letters, I have to thank Mr. Allan Cassells, of 
Toronto. These letters are all of sufficient value to justify their in- 
clusion in this publication. 
(%) The report of the preliminary meeting for the establishment 
of the Talbot Anniversary is now published for the first time from the 
Archives at Ottawa. The minutes bear the impress of John Rolph’s 
mind and hand, and are amusing as well as interesting. The papers 
relating to the establishment of the anniversary, published in Edward 
Ermatinger’s “ Life of Colonel Talbot,” and reprinted by Judge Erma- 
tinger in “The Talbot Régime,” animadvert upon Colonel Burwell’s 
objections to the premature canonization of his patron. It is possible , 
that some solid basis for his objections may be found in the equivocal 
statement in the minutes now published: “every individual returned 
to his family without one exception to correct conduct and sobriety. It 
is indeed an observation, which can be applied to few public dinners 
of the above description as numerously attended.” Of evil results from 
such gatherings Colonel Burwell was not unreasonably apprehensive. 
