APPENDIX A LXV 
enjoy a certain literary independence, though not desirable that it 
content itself with its own products to such an extent as to become 
narrow and provincial. One or two writers of surpassing merit in 
English or French would help to give us political cohesion, and impart 
to the two dominant races that intellectual influence which makes for 
unity, and against which no third race could long or successfully 
struggle. 
Let me not be misunderstood, I clearly recognize the presence 
in our midst of much literary talent; and our imperial political outlook 
will always protect our literature from narrowness and provincialism, 
which in itself is an element of greatness. Canadian poetry is full 
of promise; and possibly so far as we have a Canadian literature, it is 
poetical. Poetry with us seems to precede prose, in this respect 
following a recognized law of evolution, though we did not start 
our national life from a condition of barbarism. The charm of 
untamed nature which here gives such inspiration, I conjecture, 
explains it; and explains also such success as has been reached in 
landscape painting. I have sometimes thought that French-speaking 
Canada was fated to win our literary laurels, while English-speaking 
Canada would gain whatever achievements might be ours in science. 
- Concentration of effort makes for success, but I fear we can hardly 
arrange such a division of labour. 
The general conclusions [ reach with respect to Canadian litera- 
ture are that it is in a formative state; that poetic literature promises 
much; that there is amongst us no dearth of literary talent, though 
we cannot claim to have contributed to world literature; that we 
look forward to the production of works of genius, unless the future 
has in store for us an elevated, somewhat wide-spread demoératic 
equality with no great, outstanding luminary; finally, I pray that we 
do not resign ourselves to the development of our physical resources 
merely, for our intellectual needs importing from those places which 
can best or most economically minister to them,— which would be a 
reductio ad absurdum of the free trade theory. 
AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH 
When we remember that the science of agriculture is intimately 
associated with the sciences of Chemistry, Botany, Entomology and 
Bacteriology, and when we further recall the great varieties in climate, 
soil and other conditions that so vast a country as Canada offers, 
we see that numberless problems demanding the most careful scientific 
research must constantly present themselves. The greatness of our 
agricultural interests, the fact that our farm products are in value 
