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years, the Royal Institution, according to Dr. Meilleur, 

 had but limited success ; it had opened but 84 schools, 

 the greater number of which had disappeared before 

 the introduction of the Educational Act of 1841. Ele- 

 mentary education engaged the attention of Sir Charles 

 Bagot, in 1843 ; of Lord Metcalf, in 1845 ; of the Earl 

 of Elgin, in 1849-'50 ; of Morin, Lafontaine, Hincks, 

 Viger ; each Cabinet introduced modifications and 

 improvements in the system. In 1852, inspectors of 

 schools were named, a new subdivision of the Province 

 for school purposes took place ; superintendents of 

 public instruction had been appointed. Dr. Meilleur 

 was the first, a most efficient officer ; his successor was 

 the Honorable P. J. 0. Chauveau, an able official and 

 elegant writer. 



The 1321 schools of 1836 have now increased to 

 5154 and the 36,000 pupils of that year are represented 

 now by 256,549, taught by 7,541 school-masters and 

 mistresses, according to the latest official returns. 



The Province has doubled its population, its resources, 

 its wealth, and with its vast facilities for educating its 

 youth — the country's future hope — may we not indulge 

 in the golden dreams, put forth on a public occasion, 

 by one of Canada's most gifted friends : " Like a virgin 

 goddess in a primaeval world, Canada still walks in 

 unconscious beauty among her golden woods, and along 

 the margin of her trackless streams, catching but broken 

 glances of her radiant majesty, as mirrored on their 

 surface, and scarcely dreams as yet of the glorious 

 future awaiting her in the Olympus of nations ; " so 

 spoke the Earl of Dufferin, at Belfast, on the 11th 

 June, 1872. 



Quebec, June, 1887. 



