206 ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 



Although Mesplet complains that most of his paper was destroyed 

 by water, when he ran the rapids between St. Johns and Chambly, 

 and that he had to wait in idleness, for paper ordered from London^ 

 nntil the spring of 1777, we have the titles of three books, one of them 

 a bulky volume of 600 pages, printed during the latter half of 1776. 

 Besides these a number of others are mentioned in the first inventory, 

 some of which were, no doubt, printed during this period.^ 



It was early during the latter half of 1776 that the second edition 

 of " Règlement de la Confrérie," the first book printed in Montreal, 

 was issued for and on account of the Seminary of St. Sulpice.^ A 

 number of copies were found some years ago among the archives of 

 the Notre Dame Street house of that institution, where they had lain 

 ever since they had been printed. Although perfect, they were only 

 bound in wall paper, which goes to confirm Mesplet's claim that his 

 fine paper was destroyed on his way to ]\Iontreal. " Jonatas et DaVid 

 Tragédie," is the title of another work, printed for the 

 Seminary of Montreal.^ As it was to be played by the students of the 

 seminary, we may conclude it was written by one of the members of 

 the order, and a^ such is the first Canadian dramatic work printed in 

 Canada. It is also claimed to have been the first work printed in 

 Montreal, but this is unlikely, for, as the play would not be given until 

 the long winter evenings, it would not be wanted until late in the year. 

 Therefore the "Règlement" still holds priority. 



jSTow, regarding the third of the books printed by Mesplet during 

 his first yeajr in Canada — " Cantiques de Marseille,"* a reprint of a 

 French Hymn Book — which claims on its title page to have been 

 printed at Quebec, and which, as is shown above, Gagnon claimed to 

 have been printed during the visit of 1775. Was it printed at Quebec? 

 AVe have no other evidence that Mesplet did printing at Quebec. 

 Is it likely that he packed up his presses and type and moved down 

 to Quebec, printed a book of over 600 pages there, and then moved 

 back to Montreal in little more than five months? Does it not seem 

 more probable that the Quebec imprint was used with the view of 

 securing the printing of the Quebec religious institutions? Mesplet 

 believed they would prefer a printer who, by his language, was better 

 qualified to do their work. This view is confirmed by an advertisement 

 on the reverse of one of the preliminary pages by which Mesplet and 

 Berger announced that they were prepared to print religious books for 



' See appendix B Nos. 8-15. 

 " Appendix A No. 8. 

 ""Ibid No. 9. 

 *IMd No. 10. 



