MERTON COLLEGE AND CANADA. 467 



give a tone of principles and of manners that would be of infinite 

 support to Government." 



Then, after describing the surgeon who is to accompany him, and 

 who he evidently thinks will be of use to him in conducting investi- 

 gations in science, he concludes by promising to call on Sir Joseph 

 when he comes up to town. 



" Sir George Tonge," he says, " has promised my old surgeon, a 

 young man attached to his Profession, and of that docile, patient, 

 and industrious turn, not without inquisitiveness, that will willingly 

 direct itself to any pursuit which may be recommended as an object 

 of inquiry. 



" I am sure. Sir, of your full pardon for what I now offer to you, 

 from the design with which it is written ; and I am anxious to profit 

 from your enlarged ideas. I shall therefore beg leave to wait upon 

 you when I return to London. 



" I am, Sir, with the utmost respect, 



" Your most obedient and faithful — 

 " Sis. J. Banks, Bafrt., " J. G. Simcoe. 



" President of the Poyal Society. 



"January 8, 1791." 



From this letter it will appear that the organizer of Upper Canada 

 fondly hoped, through British institutions honourably worked in his 

 new province, to Anglicise the United States. He would have been 

 amazed had he been told the day would come when the United States 

 would Americanize the British islands. However, the policy of 

 Governor Simcoe still in some degree governs English statesmen. 

 We see his theory apparently pushed in our own day. Por one 

 thing, the distribution of titles of late years has increased. There are 

 many persons in the parent state and elsewhere who expect that 

 such distinctions, combined with the real freedom and more positive 

 civilization and refinement resulting from British institutions "within 

 the Canadian Dominion will, if they do not in any way affect society 

 in the United States, at least render the people of the Dominion itself 

 so satisfied with their condition by comparison, that no desire will 

 exist among them for amalgamation with their southern neighbours. 



I next give portions of letters addressed by Governor Simcoe to 

 Bishop Mountain, of Quebec. It will be seen from them that he 

 had a very luminous forecast of the future of Canada, and that his 

 plans in respect to it were those of a statesman. He several times 

 refers to his project of a University for Upper Canada. 



