Skchon II., 1897. [269 ] Trans. R. S. a 



VII. — The Historical and Miscellaneous Literature of Quebec — 



176^ to 1830. 



By Benjamin Sulte. 



(Read .June 23rd, 1897.) 



The literature of till nations began with poetry, or, at least, witl^ 

 versitication, and the form of song is generally the first to appear. Such 

 was the case amongst the French Canadian people. 



Their settlement on this side of the ocean is altogether confined to 

 the period of 1638-1680, when books were rather scarce throughout 

 Europe, especiall}' in coimtry places, and it is well known that Canada 

 received only few families from towns and cities at that time. Curious- 

 enough, though most of the women who came during those fifty j^ears 

 could read and write, and before thirty of them were here, they had a 

 school open for girls. The men. as a rule, were indifferent in that line of 

 business. 



The literary knowledge imported by that little group of toilers of 

 the soil was merely the popular current songs of the northern and north- 

 western (Brittany sent no settlers to Canada) parts of France, where thej- 

 came from, but they were songsters themselves^ and all loved to sing and 

 to play some kind of musical instruments. It is still one of the most 

 remarkable features of that race. 



The fur trade started about the same date as colonization, and the 

 " habitant," or actual settler, soon got interested in that new life. The 

 songs of old France were carried to the Great Lakes ; they passed after- 

 Avards to the Mississip|)i and the Northwest plains, where they are to be 

 found nowadays, wherever the French Canadians have penetrated through 

 this continent. Their number is immense. One would think that if he 

 knows the series of those that have been printed in book form or other pub- 

 lications he has nothing more to learn in that direction, but every week 

 will bring to his ear a fresh supplement of that inexhaustible stock. 



A people who is given to such culture may be exijected to produce 

 many works of merit, and stamp them with its own peculiar mark, as, for 

 instance, the characteristic traits belonging to a colony. We could here 

 mention what several high critics in modern France have said about 

 the literar}^ capacities of the French Canadians, but the compliments paid 

 to the latter only reflect on the present writers, and the critics referred to 

 have never read an}' of our productions previous to 1850. 



We wish to draw attention to even an older period, that of 1764-1830, 

 the very itifancy of our small literary world. The germs that existed in 

 the domain of the song-makers of the 17th and 18th centuries have onlj' 



