Skction II., 1906. [ 197 ] Trans. R. S. C. 



III. — Fleury Mesplct, The First Printer at Montreal. 

 By E, W. McLachlan. 



Honorary Curator of the Numismatic and Antiquarian Society of Montreal. 

 (Communicated by Dr. S. E. Dawson, and read May 23, 1906.) 



Preface. 



When I commenced this memoir of Montreal's first printer it was 

 simply to give such a short sketch as I had deducted from a few 

 documents that, I may state, almost accidentally came into my hands. 

 But, after having started, fresh documents were unearthed; each of 

 which shed some new light, not only on the subject in hand, but on 

 the history of Canada. I have, therefore, thought well to reproduce 

 the Avhole herewith as well as the titles in full of all books and other 

 publications printed by Mesplet, as far as they can be authenticated by 

 existing examples in inventories, in advertisements or elsewhere. 



I would express my indebtedness and thanks to those who so kindly 

 replied to my inquiries and otherwise helped in this memoir. To 

 Judge L, W. Sicotte I am more especially indebted for access to his 

 almost unique library of rare Canadiana and for transcriptions o£ the 

 im.prints in the library of the late Mr. Justice Baby. To Messrs. E. Z. 

 Massicotte, and Charles Adélard Gareau of Montreal for timely help 

 in securing manuscripts otherwise unknown to me. To Abbé Camille 

 Boy of Université Laval, Quebec, for the titles of some twelve Mesplet 

 imprints in the University library as well as most helpful comments 

 in respect to these publications. To Mr. Cyrille Tessier a bibliophilist 

 of some importance for the titles of two unique factums. To Messrs. 

 I.. P. Sylvain of the library of Parliament, and Benjamin Suite of 

 Ottawa, for kindly advice and pointers regarding books. To Dr. A. 

 G. Doughty, Canadian Archivist, for transcriptions of documents, and 

 to Messrs. Herbert Putnam, Librarian of Congress; Euben G. Thwaits, 

 Secretary of the Historical Society of Wisconsin, and more especially 

 to J. W. Jordan, Librarian of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, 

 for transcriptions and photographs of Mesplefs imprints not to be 

 found elsewhere. 



I trust that this work may prove helpful to collectors of Canadian 

 books and students of Canadian history. 



