CANADA IN THE BODLEIAN. -^05 



That reign which now, no more an empty theme, 

 Adorns Philosophy's ideal dream, 

 But crowns at last, beneath a George's smile, 

 In full reality this favour'd Isle,'' 



Here my notes from the Bodleian folio end. We can gather from what 

 has been presented, that which we gather also from the contemporary 

 literature of the day, of every description, that in 1759, 'GO, '61-'G4, 

 (.anada was occupyinga very large space in the public mind of England. 

 The public imagination pictured to itself, after its own fashion, a con- 

 quest of immense importance to the empire, and of immense extent ; 

 failing to master, nevertheless, after all, as events have proved, and still 

 continue to prove, the true character and actual magnitude of the prize 

 which bad been won. Should England at a future time be stirred to 

 put forth her strength for the retention, by force of arms, of this great 

 region, it will be the tradition of the exultation of her people over the 

 acquisition in 1759 that will move her to do so, more than the dcoiro to 

 hold possession of a domain unproductive of national advantage to 

 herself directly — entailing, on the contrary, on herself several embar- 

 rassments. Let the national pride be touched by a reawakening of the 

 memories of the close of the second George's reign, and the decision 

 of England would be promptly expressed in the memorable language of 

 good William the Fourth, when the Maine boundary question was in 

 agitation, — " Canada must neither be lost nor given away ! " 



We may be sure that Cambridge was not behind Oxford in its formal 

 expressions of academic grief and joy on the demise of the crown in 

 1700. Cambridge was always held to be, in an especial degree, Hano- 

 verian and Whiggish. Sir William Browne's famous epigram will be 

 remembered, on the Donation of Books by George I. to Cambridge, at 

 the moment when, as it happened, a regiment of cavalry was being 

 despatched to Oxford, in 1751 : 



"The King to Oxford sent a troop of horse, 

 For Tories own no argument but force ; 

 With equal care to Cambridge books ho sent, 

 For Whigs allow no force but argument." 



This, it will be remembered, was in reply to Dr. Trapp's witticism on 

 the same occasion, in the Oxford interest, which ran very irrituiingly 

 as follows : 



The King observing with judicious eyes, 



The state of both his Universities, 



