— 185 — 



comprehensive a scale as at present, there was a cordia- 

 lity in social intercourse, an abandon, un je ne sais. 

 quoi, which in many cases seemed to soften the hearts 

 of more than one rabid political opponent of the Gov- 

 ernor. De Gaspe has left a most seductive portrai- 

 ture of a grand fSte champetre held at Powell Place, in 

 the lively era of Little King Craig, as he was then 

 styled (1). It took place in 1807. Though Sir James H. 

 Craig made, in our opinion, a grave mistake in his mode 

 of administering the colony, which he seems to have 

 taken for a military camp, the old martinet had his 

 good points, and Mr. de Gaspe, though a firm upholder 

 of the Gallic Lily, has the courage to give his testimony 

 squarely in favor of the English Vice-Koy. 



The Memoirs cover seventeen chapters. 



In Chap. II, is related the merry interview of the 

 Duke of Kent, at the Island of Orleans, about 1792, 

 with a sprighty centennarian lady. The prince had 

 asked the ancient damsel what he could do to please 

 her. . 



The spruce old Islander replied, " Dance a minuet, 

 mon prince, with me ! I can then say that before 

 dying I had the honor of dancing with the son of my 

 sovereign (George III) ! " 



H. R. H. led out his partner ; the minuet over, he 

 gallantly conducted back his danseuse to her seat, when 

 she made him a very dignified curtesy. We are next 

 told of the heroic manner one of the Duke's privates in 

 the 7th Fusiliers, who had deserted, had taken the 999 

 lashes of the cat-o'nine tails. La Eose, such was his 

 name, a Frenchman, reprieved from the death penalty 

 for desertion, in a defiant manner thus spoke to his 

 commanding officer; " Frenchmen require cold lead, 

 not the whip, to be made to obey ! " 



(1) See Picturesque Quebec u A Fete Champetre at Powell 

 Place," p. 343. 



