102 CANADIAX LOCAL AISTORY r 



iistitution ; and it is remarkable that, while departing educationally and otherwise, iii samlet 

 points, from the exemplar of the ancient universities, as they were in 1842, a nearer approach, 

 architecturally, was made to the medieval English College than any that had been thought of 

 before. Mr. Cumberland, the designer of the really fine and most appropriate building in which 

 the University at length found a resting place, was imbued, as is evident, with a large measure- 

 of the spirit of Wykeham and Wayneflete. 



The story of our University is a part of the history of Upper Canada. From the first 

 foundation of the colony the idea of some such seat »f learning entered into the scheme of its; 

 organization. In 179'1 before he had yet left England for the unbroken wilderness in which hia 

 Government was to be set up, we liave General Simcoe speaking to Sir Joseph Banks, the 

 President of the Royal Society, of "a college of a higher class," as desirable in the community 

 which he was about to create. "A college of a higher class," he says, "^ would be eminently 

 useful, and would give a tone of principles and of manners that would be of infinite support to 

 Government." In the same letter he remarks to Sir Joseph, "My friend the Marquis of 

 Buckingham has suggested that Government might allow me a sum of money to be laid out 

 for a Public Library, to be composed of such books as might be useful in the colony. He 

 instanced the Encyclopedia, extracts from which might occasionally be published in the news- 

 papers. It is possible," he adds, "private donations might be obtained, and that it would 

 become an object of Royal munificence." 



It was naturally long before the community of Upper Canada was ripe for a college of thfr 

 character contemplated ; but provision for its ultimate existence and sustenance was made, 

 almost from the beginning, in the assignment to that object of a fixed and liberal portion of the 

 public lands of the country. — In 1819-20, Gourlay spoke of the unpreparedness of Upper Canada 

 as yet for a seat of learning of a high grade. MeanwhUe, as a temporary expedient, he suggested 

 It romantic scheme. " It has been proposed," he says, " to ha,ve a College in Upper Canada p 

 and no doubt in time colleges will grow up there. At present, and for a considerable period tO' 

 eome, any effort to found a College would prove abortive. There could neither be got masters- 

 nor scholars to ensure a tolerable commencement for ten years to come ; and a feeble beginning 

 might beget a feeble race of teachers and pupils. In the United States," he continued, 

 " academies and colleges, though fast improving, are yet but raw ; and greatly inferior to those' 

 in Britain, generally speaking. Twenty-five lads sent annually at public charge from Upper- 

 Canada to British Universities, would draw after them many more. The youths themselves, 

 generally, would become desirous of making a voyage in quest of learning. — Crossing the ocean, 

 on such an errand, would elevate their ideas, and stir them up to extraordinary exertions. They 

 would become finished preachers, lawyers, physicians, merchants ; and returning to their native 

 country would repay in wisdom what was expended in goodness and liberality. What more 

 especially invites the adoption of such a scheme, is the amiable and affectionate eonuexioa 

 which it would tend to establish between Canada and Britain. But it wiU not do at present to 

 follow out the idea." His prediction that " in time colleges will grow up there" has beeit 

 speedily verified. The town especially, of which in its infant state, he spoke in such tenns of 

 contempt, has been so prolific of colleges, that it is now become a kind of Salamanca for the; 

 country at large ^ a place of resort for students from all parts. — It is weU probably for Canada 

 that Gourlay's scheme of draughting a batch of young students periodically to the old country, 

 was not acted on. Canada would thereby possibly, on the one hand, have lost the services of 

 some of the cleverest of her sona, who, on obtaining academic distinction would have preferred 

 to remain n the mother country, entering on one or other of the public careers to which 

 academic distinction there opens the ready path ; and, on the other hand, she should, in many 

 an instance, it is to be feared, have received back her sons, just unfitted in temper and habit, 

 for life, under matter-of-fact, colonial conditions. 



As a closing remark, we will observe that in the original planting of the Avenue, up whose 

 flne vista we have been gazing, the mistake was committed of imitating nature too closely. A 

 multitude of trees and shrubs of different kinds and habits were densely m;ingled together 

 as they are usually to be seen in a wild primitive wood ; and thus the growth and fair 

 development of all were hindered. The horse-chestnuts alone should have been relied on to give 

 character to the avenue ; and of these there should have been on each side a double row, with 

 » promenade for pedestrians underneath, after the manner of the great wallca in the public 

 parks af the old towns of Europe, 



