Ixxvii 



In New Brunswick he took a lively interest in the extension and improve- 

 ment of the Provincial University as a centre of liberal education ; and in 

 order to overcome local difficulties he appointed a commission of inquiry. 

 Sir Edmund attended the meetings of the Commissioners, and took a part 

 in their discussions ; and although he was removed to Canada before the 

 recommendations of the Commission were fully acted on, enough was done 

 to ensure the permanence of the University and enhance its utility to 

 the province. 



On entering on his administration of Canada, one of the first acts of Sir 

 Edmund (1854-55) was to promote the efforts of a number of patriotic 

 gentlemen then engaged in the attempt to reorganize the M'Gill University, 

 the only endowed institution in Lower Canada for the higher education of 

 that part of the population which is of British origin. The! Governor not 

 only gave substantial aid to their enterprise, which has been highly suc- 

 cessful and beneficial in its results, but through his influence secured the 

 appointment of the present Principal, Dr. J. W. Dawson, a Fellow of 

 this Society, under whom a flourishing school of natural science has been 

 established in connexion with the University. 



It was also largely due to Sir Edmund's influence that the provincial 

 normal schools of Lower Canada were successfully established ; and it was 

 during his administration and under his patronage that the Natural-His- 

 tory Society of Montreal was enabled to erect a new building and greatly 

 to enlarge its collections and other means of usefulness. 



In Upper Canada the University of Toronto especially has reason to re- 

 member the exertions of the Governor in preventing the division of its 

 endowments^ and in furthering the erection of its new and magnificent 

 buildings. 



The Geological Survey of Canada under Sir William Logan was regarded 

 by Sir Edmund as an object of special interest and importance. In the 

 first year of his administration he authorized the augmentation of the 

 fund annually voted for its support, raising the amount from eight thou- 

 sand up to twenty thousand dollars ; he took an early opportunity, without 

 solicitation, of considerably increasing the salaries of the staff ; and when 

 the welfare and even the continuance of the survey were endangered by 

 political changes, he was always ready to befriend it. 



These efforts of Sir Edmund Head made him distinguished as a Governor 

 who understood the subjects and sympathized with the cultivators of science 

 and literature, and occasioned the termination of his government to be 

 viewed by these with sincere regret. 



Seven years of official labour in New Brunswick, and seven in Canada, 

 were now to be followed by seven years of comparative rest, which com- 

 pleted his career. But his period of retirement was employed in a variety 

 of public labours. He acted for several years as an unpaid member of the 

 Civil Service Commission for organizing competitive examinations for ap- 



