Rural Life in Canada 



CHAPTER I. 



DEPLETION OF RURAL POPULATION. 



'" The Poetic Genius of my country found me as 

 the prophetic bard Elijah did Elisha at the plough, 

 and threw her inspiring mantle over me. She bade 

 me sing the loves, the joys, the rural scenes and plea- 

 sures of my native soil in my native tongue; I tuned 

 my wild artless notes as she inspired." So wrote 

 Robert Burns. That he was bred to the plow gave 

 Burns his knowledge of rural life; his genius gave 

 him insight into its significance. And thus in the 

 poem which made the Plowman's fame, and in its most 

 impassioned part, the patriot-poet prays : 



O Scotia, my dear, my native soil! 



For whom my warmest wish to Heaven is sent, 



Long may thy hardy sons of rustic toil 



Be blest with health and peace and sweet content. 



And oh! may Heaven their simple lives prevent 



From luxury's contagion, weak and vile. 



Then, howe'er crowns and coronets be rent, 



A virtuous populace may rise the while, 



And stand, a wall of fire, around their much-loved Isle! 



The welfare of this " wall of fire " is fundamental in 

 national well-being. 



" Agriculture," says that keen-visioned watchman on 



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