58 JOHN LESPEEANCE ON 



history, as also separate districts in the several provinces. In the second place, we have a 

 number of monographs on detached events of importance, such as that of the period 

 between the Conquest and the Union; the Rebellion of 183Y-38, in both Canadas; the 

 Scotch in Canada, the Irish in Canada, the United Empire Loyalists, and others. 



III. — I cannot speak so well of our Biographies. They are not sufficiently numerous 

 for one thing, and there are only a few of them that rise above mediocrity. As most of 

 the subjects of Canadian biography are political, the authors have generally written either 

 in the spirit of pamphleteers or with the mistaken zeal of extreme partisanship. 



IV. — Our Historical Novels are still more unsatisfactory, both as regards quantity 

 and quality. I cannot count more than a dozen in all — seven or eight in French, and the 

 remainder in English — that deserve to be mentioned. 



V — We have not much in Memoirs as yet, but more may be expected from this source 

 in the near future. As events multiply, those who take part in public life will naturally 

 write out their impressions, repeat their experiences, collate their speeches and arrange 

 their correspondence, so that their personal share in these events may be transmitted to 

 posterity, and embodied in the general history of the time. Take the instance of Sir John 

 A. Macdonald, whose career extends over forty years of most active life ; the memoirs of 

 such a man would be of incalculable importance to the political historian. 



III. 



While waiting for the general history of the country to which reference has been 

 made, it were desirable that courses of Canadian history should be taught in our Univer- 

 sities. It is a very singular fact that there is not a Chair of Canadian History in the whole 

 of the Dominion, and while this is a proof of the general apathy on the subject, it goes 

 far toward explaining the equally general ignorance which we all deplore. Which ot 

 our leading institutions of learning will take the lead in this direction ? What patriotic 

 citizen will endow the first chair ? It should be a question of rivalry between Montreal 

 and Toronto, Halifax and St. John. For such a professor I would lay down the follow- 

 ing scheme of twenty-four lectures, — twelve on the French and twelve on the British 

 rule : — 



Feench-Canadian Period. 



(1). Navigation and Discovery. — The Icelanders. Columbus. Cabot. Verazzani. 

 Cartier and Roberval. 



(2). Foundation and Settlement. — Champlain and Quebec. Maisonneuve and Mont- 

 real. PovTtrincourt and Port Royal. 



(3). Mission and Martyrdom. — The Recollets. The Jesuits. Brebœuf. Lalemant. 

 Jogues. 



(4). Exploration and Adventure. — Joliet. Marquette. Lasalle. Hennepin. Dablon. 

 Dollier du Casson. 



