MONTCALM AND LEVIS. 



For those desirous of following the main incidents of 

 the memorable Seven Year's War, 1756-63 in Canada, 

 as well as studying the social record of the period in 

 its minute details, two recent standard works are now 

 available : Parkman's, " Montcalm and Wolfe " for 

 the English reader, and Casgrain's, " Montcalm and 

 Levis " for French Canadians. 



The story told by both writers may be the same, but 

 the frame-work, the colouring, the lights and shades of 

 the picture often materially differ. Nor is the summing 

 up of the case and the verdict likely to be entered, the 

 same ; for here, we are face to face with two different — 

 shall we say antagonistic, schools of thought ? 



This extremely interesting phase of the subject, lack 

 of space forbids us entering into. We shall merely, 

 confine ourselves to a few glimpses of the two French 

 commanders in their e very-day life. 



Able generals, Montcalm and Levis unquestionably 

 proved themselves ; both equally free of the taint of 

 malversation of office and speculation ; as such, very 

 unlike the members of La Grande 'SocUU, of which 

 Francois Bigot, the Intendant, was the High priest. 

 But was their influence and that of their military fol- 

 lowers morally beneficial to the colony? Old memoirs, 

 corroborated by the recently published correspondence 

 of the military leaders, leave strong grounds to doubt. 



The sole object of French officers in accepting com- 

 mands, in what they styled the Canadian wilderness, 

 was military promotion. At each page of the corres- 

 pondence, we find them asking, as Abbe Casgrain well 



