[M'LACHLAN] FLEURY MESPLET, FIRST PRINTER AT MONTREAL 207 



the Quebec trade with neatness and despatch, and asked for the patron- 

 age of those interested in the dissemination of such literature. 



In 1777 Mesplet printed his first Almanach,^ the first Latin pub- 

 lication appearing in Canada,^ the first book in the Iroquois language,^ 

 and two religious books,* besides a number of others, no examples of 

 which are known to exist. 



In 1778 he issued his second almanac, but with the name changed 

 from " Almanach ,Encyclopédique,'' to " Almanach curieux et intéres- 

 sant." ^ Two more religious books — " Neuvaine de St. François Xa- 

 vier," ^ and " La semaine sainte " "^ — and a reprint of a French book 

 entitled " Abrégé des règles de la A^ersification française." ^ This latter 

 publication shows that at that time there was sufficient aspiration after 

 poetical composition in Canada to make it worth while to reprint a 

 work giving poetical rules. The first work of a historical character, 

 '^Journal du Voyage de St-Luc " also bears date 1778." 



But the most interesting of ]\[esplet's publications in 1778 was 

 " La Gazette du Commerce et Littéraire." ^o An editor had been 

 secured in the person lof Valantin Jantard, an advocate, who came 

 originally from France about the year 1768. He was a sympathizer 

 with the Continental Army, for, in the Canadian archives,^^ mention 

 is made that he was appointed a notary in Januar}', 1776, by General 

 Worcester. He does not appear to have practised the notarial profes- 

 sion after this army had evacuated Canada, as no repertoire of his 

 papers are to be found in the Court House at Montreal. Before pub- 

 lishing his paper Mesplet issued a prospectus,^^ setting forth that it was 

 to be a four paged quarto at $2.50 a year. Merchants and professional 

 men were asked for their support as it would be a medium for . adver- 

 tising^ besides providing commercial news and good literature. At the 

 same time, he engaged not to pul)lish anything likely to prove offensive 

 to the church or the state. He also wrote to the Governor-General 

 asking for permission to publish the paper, with the same promise to 

 refrain from discussing interdicted subjects.^^ * 



Appendix A No. 11. 



Appendix A No. 14. 



Appendix A No. 12. 



Appendix A 13 and 15. 



Appendix A No. 16. 



Appendix A No. 13. 



Appendix A No. 12. 



Appendix A No. 20. 

 ' Appendix A No. 19. 



Appendix A No. 21. 

 ' Tanadian Archives 1888, Haldimand papers, pa~e 917. 



See appendix C No. 4. 

 ■* See appendix C No. 3. 



