REPORT OF THE COUNCIL

OF THE

LITERARY & HISTORICAL SOCIETY

OF QUEBEC,

FOR THE YEAR ENDED JANUARY 5,

1841.

 

The Council, as is usual at this time, submit a report of the progress of the Society during the year just closed, and of the external events in which it was interested ; of such events, none affect this Society so deeply as the final loss of those, who were once in any way associated with us the first place is therefore due to a short commemoration of our departed friends.          

 

In the death of the Earl of Durham, which occurred during the past year, the Society has to lament a patron and friend, and his country an enlightened and highly talented statesman. The immediate connection of this Society with the Earl of Durham was but of short continuance, attention to our wants and interests. The elegant copy of the Greek and Roman classics, which he presented to the Society, was brought from England for that particular purpose : and during a short stay at Paris, between the time of his appointment as Governor General, and his embarkation for this country, he procured those manuscripts respecting the history of Canada, which form part of the second fasciculus of historical documents published by the Society. He was born in 1792, and died at the early age of 48 years. We do not deem it necessary here to allude to his high character, and distinguished course as a statesman, for his public life belongs to the empire.

 

The Society has this year also lost its chide ornament and support, by the death of Andrew Stuart, Esq. Repeatedly its President, and always one of its most effective members. The merits of the late Mr. Stuart either as a professional character, or a member of our society were too conspicuous to render any statement of them necessary in this place ; but who can pass in silence over the memory of the eloquent advocate, the enlightened statesman, the supporter at once of legitimate authority, and of popular rights, the friend of the poor and oppressed of every race and tongue. 

 

The following particulars in the life of Mr. Stuart, are taken chiefly from a brief memoir drawn up by two of his oldest friends shortly after his decease. It appeared first in the public journals of this city, and was afterwards copied into the American Jurist, published at Boston.

 

Mr. Stuart was born at Kingston, Upper Canada, in 1786. His education commenced under the Venerable Archdeacon Strahan, now Bishop of Toronto ; and was afterwards continued at Union College, Schenectady. He entered on the study of the law at Quebec, in 1809, and was admitted to the bar in November, 1807. He rose immediately into extensive practice. In 1810 he defended Mr. Justice Bedard then exposed to a state prosecution ; and from that time to the period of his death, his assistance was sought for in every difficult and important case that occurred. In October, 1838, he was appointed Solicitor General of this province, but it was prevented by ill health, from taking any prominent part in the important legal proceeding, carried on by the Provincial Government during his tenure of office.

 

Mr. Stuart was returned as a Member of Assembly for Quebec, in 1815 ; and continued to represent that City in every parliament, except one, until the suspension of the constitution in 1838. He took part in the discussion of every important question that arose during the course of his public life ; a period of peculiar interest, and pregnant with important consequences to the future prosperity of the province. In the spring of 1838, he went as agent of the Constitutional Association, a body which represented the interests and feelings of the British portion of the population of this province ; and returned in September of the same year, thus concluding the last great public business in which he was engaged.

 

Mr. Stuart gave a warm support to all institutions for literary purposes ; and for the advancement of this Society in particular he entertained a most earnest solicitude. Besides promoting its interests by his personal influence, he communicated to it, or read before it a number of very interesting papers ; and exerted himself with great zeal to forward the publication of its transaction. At his instance the Legislature granted those funds which have enabled the Society to publish the original historical documents which have appeared within the last two years.

 

The principal papers which Mr. Stuart read before the Society, were, 1st. Notes on the Saguenay Country ;--2d.On the Ancient Etrusans ;—and 3d. Detached Thoughts on civilization. Besides these, which have been published in the transactions, he read occasional papers ; which, though he did not consider them of sufficient importance to be laid before the public, yet contained much curious and useful information. One of these related to the appointment of Cities of Refuge in the legal provisions of the ancient Hebrews : and the adaptation of this singular institution to the circumstances of the people to whom it was given. Another was illustrative of the musical nature of ancient oratory, and its contrast in this respect to the modern system of public speaking. A third embraced a geographical description of the central parts of Italy at the era of the foundation of Rome. His last contribution in this way, was a series of papers in which he endeavoured to illustrate the poetical beauties, bearing, and antiquarian allusions in the introductory verses of the Eneid. His extensive knowledge of Roman antiquities and intimate acquaintance with the great modles of Latin composition renderednhis observations on this subject peculiarly luminous and attractive.

 

Besides the papers in the transactions of this Society, Mr. Stuart published an Octavo Volume in 1832, under the title of a Review of the proceedings of the Legislature in the session of 1831 : a Pamphlet on the Boundary Question in 1838 ; and another, many years ago, on some points in Mr. Malthus’s theory of population.

 

The following report from the Treasurer, shows a balance against the Society of £26 6s. 8d. A considerable expense has also been incurred for binding, repairing, and lettering books, which has only just come in, and which stands over for liquidation until next year.

 

RECEIPTS IN 1840

Balance from 1839,.             £17 10 6

Subscriptions received in 1840,. 59    0 0

Legislative grant,.             49  17 6

                                                £126 8 0         

EXPENDITURE.

To Armour & Ramsay,.                   £60  5  0

Books and Specimens of`}                    43  0 11

         Natural History

Assistant Secretary,.                               22 10  0

Insurance,.                                             5   0  0

Contingencies,.                                  21 18  9

                                                                        152  14  8

Balance due to the Treasurer,.                 £26    6  8

                                                            R. SYMES,

                                                                        TREASURER.

January, 1841.

 

This account shows that the usual legislative allowance was granted by the Special Council, at the recommendation of His Excellency the Governor General. It has enabled the Society to continue the additions to the Library hitherto in progress, to add to the Natural History Cabinet, and to pay off the debt to Messrs. Armour & Ramsay mentioned in the Report of last year. The Society’s warmest thanks are due to His Excellency the Governor General for this grant, and for a similar one for the ensuring year, which has been recommended by His Lordship to the Special Council without waiting for the usual petition on our part.

 

The Librarian has at length completed a catalogue of the books under his charge ; which is ready to be printed, as soon as funds can be spared for that purpose. The books are divided into different classes, according to the subjects of which they treat. The total number of volumes, now on the shelves, amounts to 984. The arrangement was a work that demanded considerable time and attention ; and too much praise cannot be given to Mr. Sewell, for the zeal which he evinced in completing it. Indeed, when we consider, that, from the want of men of leisure in the community, all our officers are necessarily men who have other more important avocations to attend to be during the hours usually devoted to business : we will be disposed to estimate more highly the efforts of those, who steal from the hours of recreation, the time which is required for the punctual performance of the duties imposed on them here.

 

Some valuable additions have been made to the Natural History department of the Museum, and it is expected from an arrangement lately made, that it will receive many acquisitions during the ensuring year, at a comparntively small expense. With this object in view, the Council, on the resignation of Mr. Andrews, secured the services of Mr. W. Kendall, as Assistant Secretary, whose talents in preparing subjects of Natural History, is a very high recommendation. He is retained at the increased salary formerly given to Mr. W. Smith, and on the same terms.

 

The correspondence of the Society with similar associations in other parts of the world, has been advantageously continued. Published Transactions of different Societies have been sent to us from London, Paris, and Edinburgh.

 

A donation of the same kind has been received, for the first time, from Dublin, in return for copies of our sublished Historical Documents ; and some of the most distinguished Members of the learned Societies of that City, have been elected Honorary or Corresponding Members of our Society, with the view of effecting a closer connexion with these bodies than has hitherto existed. Some gentlemen of Boston have also been elected Corresponding Members with the same object.

 

The attendance at the Meetings of the Society has not improved ; and only a few original papers have been read before it in the ordinary course. Several poetical productions however were submitted for the Society’s prizes. Two of these were not without merit; yet neither of them appeared to come up to the standard, which would justify the Society in bestowing upon them the approbation implied in adjudging to them one of its Medals. Through some inadvertency, the time at which prizes should be offered was, this year, allowed to pass without the usual publication of prize subjects. Though the omission was truly unintentional, we conceive that it is not a very important one; since the experience of several years supplies us with so few instances of production of any merit being sent in for competition.

 

 

DONATIONS TO THE MUSEUM

OF THE

LITERARY AND HISTORICAL SOCIETY, 1840.

 

A Friend, through W. Bristow, Esq.—A Silver Dollar, Halt Quarter, 9/8 and 1/11 of Hayti, and a Deux Centimes of the same.

R. Symes, Esq.—A Quarter Franc of Louis Phillippe.

N. Aubin, Esq.—A Double Tournois found on the Plains of Abraham, 1640.

H. Weston, Esq.—A Copper Coin of Maria of Portugal.

Peter Gray, Esq.—A specimen of Hoematite.

Capt. James Bowie.—A Sea Eagle (Falco Ossifragus.)

W. Downes, Esq.—An Antique Ring.

Anthony Anderson, Esq.—A Silver Coin of Louis XV.

Dr. Marsden.—A White Mouse.

 

DONATIONS TO THE LIBRARY

OF THE

LITERARY AND HISTORICAL SOCIETY, 1840.

 

A. Campbell, Esq.—Travels of Olearius, 1 vol. folio.

״                     MMS. Journal of a voyage from Canada to New England by Lieut. Montressor and Shaw, in 1761.

            ״                      Dioscorides, 1 vol. folio, 1643

            ״                      English Gentlemen, by R. Braithwaite, 1641

            ״                      Sandy’s Travels in Turkey, &c., 1 vol. folio, 1650.

            ״                      Collection of the Philosophical Writings of Dr. Henry More, 1 vol.

                                    folio, 1662.

״                      Impartial account of the Trial of Dr. Henry Sacheveral, 1 vol. folio, 1710.

  G. B. Faribault, Esq.—A New Theory of the Tides, by Ross Cuthbert.

  A. Sewell, Esq.—Cocker’s Arithmetic, 1 Vol. 8vol. 1711.

            ״                Dictionnaire des Alimens, 3 vol. 12 mo. 1750.

  A. Sewell, Esq.—Life of Alric Zwingle, the Swiss Reformer, 1 vol. 8 vol. 1812.

            ״                 Dramatic Scenes, by Miss Milford. 1 vol. 8vo. 1827.

            ״                 Count Dandalo, on Rearing Silk Worms, 1 vol. 8vo. 1825.

           ״                 The Canadian Review and Magazing, 1826.

            ״     A compressed view of the points to be discussed in treating with the United States of America.

״                 Quebec Magazing, 1793.

 Mr. Job Jameson.—Tourist’s new Guide through Cumberland, &c. by W. Green, 1 vol.

                                  8vo. 1819.

            ״                    Description of Earl Temple’s Seat at Stowe, with Plates, 1 vol.

Mr. J. Watt.—Journal of the state of the Barometer kept on Cape Diamond during the year             

                        1839.

RI. Med. Bot. Society.—Vol. 1 of their Transactions.

Mr. Job Jameson.—Rolland’s Appeal to Posterity, 2 vol. 8vo. 1795.

           ״                    A Journey to Mequinez, 1 vol. 8vo. 1720.

 W. Henry, M. D.—Histoire des Provinces Unies des Paϊs Bas, with Plates and Medals,

                                 struck to commemorate the events, 1 vol. folio, 1701.

 P. Chauveau, Esq.—Letters of Agricola by John Young, Esq.

            ״                    Rudimens de la Constitution Britannique, par Jacques Labrie, M. D.,

                                  M. P. P.

 A. Gesner, Esq.—2d Report on the Geological Survey of New Brunswick, 1840.

 H. Weston, Esq.—Genealogia Antiqua, 1 vol. 1816.

 R. Symes, Esq.—Catalogue of the Library of the Royal Society of Dublin.

 A. B. Chapin, Esq.—A pamphlet on the study of the Celtic Language.

 Societé Geologique de France.—The Quebec Almanack from 1804, to 1835, 31 vols.

 Dr. Geo. Grasett, of Amherstburg.—Clementis V. Constitutiones.

                        ״                                    Ægidii de Regimine Principum lib. 3, Editio Princeps,

                                                              1473.