— 145 — 



Maseres' Villa at Eeigate. Though Maseres despised 

 the levellers of 1793, as well as Voltaire's subversive 

 doctrines, he knew how to appreciate the clever wri- 

 tings of the author of Zaire. Scrupulously honest, 

 unassuming, of an even, happy disposition, what espe- 

 cially delighted him was the bringing together, at 

 Eeigate, congenial spirits, lovers of the exact sciences. 

 He could not bide the surly dogmatism of the famous 

 Dr. Samuel Johnson. On one occasion Maseres met 

 the old bear, at his publisher's store ; the critic as usual 

 launched out in unmeasured raillery of the contempo- 

 rary writers, naming Hume and Voltaire. That was 

 enough; Maseres declared he would have nothing more 

 to say to him. The Baron was a great chess player ; 

 he knew how to lose a game, with such charming 



ters, the Canadians would have been satisfied 5 buthedit not 

 dare say that it would be prudent to do it at that time. He 

 alleged also that he believed that if the Protestant and 

 Catholic creeds were left on the same footing in this coun- 

 try, there would be more pleased than those who were 

 displeased. If Maseres occupied himself as much with the 

 affairs of Canada after his return to England, it was that he 

 acted as agent with the English Government on behalf of the 

 Protestants that were in Canada, and this lasted a good 

 many years. He had frequent communications with the chiefs 

 of the English party, whose interests he watched ; the latter 

 kept him posted with what transpired in the country, as may 

 be seen from the large correspondence which he makes 

 known to us in his Quebec papers. Before him, the agent of 

 the English party in Canada was one Fowler Walker, 

 a lawyer of reputation, practising in the Court of Chancery — 

 one who did more than any other in having Murray recalled 

 from the government of Quebec. This, poor Murray had, 

 nevertheless, but given fair play to the French Canadians 

 during his administration. He was the same Walker who 

 directed the movement to prevent Mgr. Briand from taking 

 the title of Bishop of Quebec, which was at last granted to 

 him. Maseres says that he was the best informed person in 

 the affairs of Quebec whom he had met. {Occasional Essays, 

 page 369). 



PHILEAS GrAGNON. 



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