86 



them a summary of the present state and go- . 

 vernment of the Lower Province previous to en- 

 tering upon a topographical detail. My object 

 has been to present a short sketch, not to write 

 its history ; and my wishes have succeeded, if I 

 have been fortunate enough to convey so much 

 information as will help to place this important 

 appendage to his majesty's crown in its true 

 point of view. 



DIVISIONS OF LOWER CANADA. 



The province of Lower Canada is divided 

 into the districts of Montreal, Three Rivers, 

 Quebec, and Gaspe, which, by proclamation 

 of the government, dated May 7? 1792, were 

 subdivided into the following twenty-one coun- 

 ties, viz. Bedford, Buckingham, Cornwallis, 

 Devon, Dorchester, Effingham, Gaspe, Hamp- 

 shire, Hertford, Huntingdon, Kent, Leinster, 

 Montreal, St. Maurice, Northumberland, Or- 

 leans, Quebec, Richelieu, Surrey, Warwick, 

 and York. The minor divisions are, 1st, The 

 seigniories, or the original grants of the French 

 government under the feudal system ; these are 

 again partitioned out into parishes, whose ex- 

 tents were exactly defined by a regulation 

 made in September, 1721, by Messrs. De 

 Vavidreuil and Bigon, assisted by the Bishop 



