Three Years' Residence in Canada, from 1837 to 1839 (Volume 2) (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1840. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER VI. The Englishman's Political Reverie from the summit of Cape Diamond.--Original Errors committed by British Statesmen in regard to Canada.--Restitution of Canadian Civil Law.--Impolitic Division of the Province of Quebec into Upper and Lower Canada.--Perversion of Elective System in the latter.--Character of Feudal Tenure.--Legislative Union of the Provinces.--Conclusions relative thereto. It is a pleasant thing for an Englishman, who may be even moderately imbued with a sense of his country's past and present greatness, and with patriotic feelings, to take his stand, on a fine summer's evening, upon the summit of Cape Diamond, at Quebec, and there, communing with himself, to review in memory the leading incidents connected with the history of the vast continent whose gigantic arms encircle him on every side. Towards which point soever of the horizon the vision of his thoughts may be directed, it is met 246 ENGLISHMAN'S REVERIE. alike by monuments commemorative of British valour, enterprise, and skill. Does he face the North, he views the records of his countrymen's scientific labours, implanted amidst the accumulated snow and ice of ages. Does he turn to the south, he beholds a nation mighty in its infancy, --the offspring of his own, and reared by its hands, whether for future good or evil, --developing its energies, displaying its resources, and revelling in its freedom, attained through the resistless vigour imparted' by an innate consciousness of maturity. Does he revert towards the east or towards the west, he discerns the embryo of a second nation engendered of the same parent stock as the first, and requiring only fostering care, and timely prudent cultivation, to become, at no distant period, its contemporary as well as counterpoise, in w...