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ENGLISH-SPEAKING ’S ARCHIVAL HERITAGE by Pierre-Louis Lapointe

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FICTION & POETRY FROM by Patrick Donovan

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WILLIAM MACMILLAN REMEMBERED

T HE M AGAZINE OF THE L ITERARY AND H ISTORICAL S OCIETY OF Q UEBEC , F OUNDED 1 8 2 4 ■ EDITOR AND DESIGN Patrick Donovan [email protected] ADVERTISING Julie Lamontagne NUMBER 15 ■ SPRING 2007 [email protected] ■ PUBLISHER Literary and Historical Society of Quebec CONTENT 44, chaussée des Écossais Letter from the President 1 David F. Blair Québec (Québec) G1R 4H3 PHONE Executive Director’s Report 2 Cliche 418-694-9147 FAX Letters to the Editor 3 418-694-0754 Transactions GENERAL INQUIRIES English-speaking Quebec’s [email protected] WEBSITE Archival Heritage 4 Pierre-Louis Lapointe www.morrin.org Library Pages ■ LHSQ COUNCIL Quebec City’s Literary Heritage: David F. Blair, President Focus on Fiction and Poetry 6 Patrick Donovan Peter Black, Vice-President Wish List 9 James Haberlin, Treasurer Library News for Kids 9 Anne-Frédérique Champoux Diane Kameen, Secretary Book Review: Made Me 10 Mathieu Rompré Marie C Tremblay. Honorary Librarian The LHSQ’s First Librarian 11 Anne-Frédérique Champoux William GK Boden Steve Cameron Testimonials Sovita Chander Jeune Barreau de Québec 11 Sebastien Jobin-Vermette James Donovan Judith Dunn INK Grant McIntosh The Battle of the Bakery 12 Michèle Sheaff Dorothy O’Brien From the Vault Lorraine O’Donnell Jill Robinson A Theatrical Trip, for a Wager 14 Horton Rhys Hélène Thibault Special Thanks [email protected] Perpetual Succession 15 Julie Lamontagne ■ EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Heritage Corner France Cliche William MacMillan 16 Cameron MacMillan [email protected] FULL-TIME STAFF Bulletin Board 17 Anne-Frédérique Champoux Library Manager [email protected] Patrick Donovan LIBRARY HOURS History-Interpretation-Conservation [email protected] Caroline Lamothe *NEW* As of April 1, Sunday 12:00PM-4:00PM the library opens one  Assistant to the director hour earlier on Sunday Monday CLOSED [email protected] Julie Lamontagne Tuesday 12:00PM-9:00PM Communications-Development [email protected] Wednesday 12:00PM-4:00PM ■ Thursday 12:00PM-4:00PM The Literary and Historical Society of Quebec is a non-profit organization whose mandate is to Friday 12:00PM-4:00PM foster English-language culture in the Quebec City region and share its diverse heritage. The Saturday 10:00AM-4:00PM LHSQ manages the ■ ISSN 1913-0732 Front page photograph: BAnQ Archives Centre, , former HEC building, BAnQ. LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT

Dear members and friends,

It is my pleasure to present yet another issue of the Society Pages and to see it bursting with more content than all previous issues to date.

The Society recently received a commitment of over $600,000 from the Ministère de la culture et des communications to finance Phase II of the restoration project. We are puzzled that the Ministère is no longer financing an elevator after contributing to a shaft built during the first phase. Universal access continues to be a priority and we are working with disability rights groups to ensure that the public sector responds to our request for accessibility. We expect news about Federal government funding for Phase II soon.

We are working not only to ensure the short-term success of the restoration project, but also to guarantee the Society’s long-term financial vigour. The past few months have been filled with lots of behind-the-scenes fundraising work. To support the upcoming capital fundraising campaign, a cabinet has been assembled made up of the following volunteers: Frank Cabot (honorary president); Evan Price (co-chair, Quebec City); Peter Dunn (co-chain, Montreal); Peter Simons; Cynthia Moore; Dennis Apedaile; Nat Finlay; Ronald Blair, and myself. On behalf of the Society I thank them all sincerely for having agreed to take on this task and for all the work they have done so far. Since one needs to invest a dollar to make a dollar, the Society made considerable investments in fundraising-related expenses over the last few months. This provoked intensive involvement and mobilization of volunteer resources. We are very confident that we will meet the objectives of our campaign but are currently experiencing cash-flow challenges. We ask the families of members and friends to support us during this crucial time in order to maintain the momentum that we have gathered over the last few years.

I am pleased to report the arrival of two new dynamic council members: Sovita Chander and Steve Cameron. Sovita works in the field of marketing and has already begun volunteering to help the staff prepare a marketing strategy. Steve worked in upper management at Canada Post and the STCUQ (now RTC) and his business experience will surely be an asset to council. They replace Michael McCormack and Patrick McSweeney. Michael served on the council’s executive for several years and Patrick continues to work as a tireless volunteer and musician at many of our events. I would like to thank them, on behalf of council, for their invaluable contribution to the Society.

We invite all members to join us for the Annual General Meeting, which will take place on March 27 at 7:00PM. It will be followed by the usual wine & cheese, magazine auction and games. Thank you for supporting the LHSQ and we look forward to seeing you at one of our many exciting events this spring.

David F. Blair, President

March 27 ■ 7:00 PM ■ All members welcome (bring a friend)

PAGE 1 SOCIETY PAGES Executive Director’s Report SPRING 2007 UPDATE by France Cliche, executive director

We are looking forward to yet another exceptional Staff: You have probably noticed a few changes to year at the Literary and Historical Society of staff over the past few months. Administrative Quebec. The restoration of the building should be assistant Nadia Cusan moved to Montreal with almost completed by the end of the year, more her family in December. Samar Sawaya found cultural programmes are being implemented and employment with Ducks Unlimited and has been new interpretation services will soon be promoted. working on fundraising there since mid-January. To achieve these goals, we are working very hard to Former library manager Caroline Lamothe make sure we can secure long-term financial returned from a leave of absence around that time stability through rigorous planning, and complete and has since taken up the new role of assistant dedication of the staff and volunteers. to the Executive Director. Anne-Frédérique Champoux is therefore staying on as our full- Some News time library manager. Mathieu Rompré, who Restoration project: As David F. Blair mentioned completed a Masters on the history of the Irish in in his letter, we are very happy to have received Sillery, began working for us in late January on confirmation of a $ 600, 000 contribution from the tour projects funded through the Federal ministère de la Culture et des Communications. This government’s IPOLC program. CEGEP Limoilou funding is made available through the recently and /St.Lawrence intern Andrée- created Fonds du patrimoine culturel québécois; it Anne Pelletier is assisting on the market study constitutes a major step toward the 1,8 M$ aspects of this project. Finally, Sonja Taylor left envelope we need to complete the restoration and her position in public relations to pursue the development of the infrastructure of our personal projects. cultural centre. Grants and Fundraising: The LHSQ has recently However, we do want to share our disappointment received money from the Canada Council for the about changes to the ministère’s funding Arts to bring in several well-known writers from programmes that have resulted in a smaller across the country as a pilot project (see back contribution than we had expected from the page). Your presence at these events will provincial government. Providing easy access to contribute to the success of future endeavours. our services is essential to be able to cater to the needs of the diversified clienteles of the Morrin We also continue to work on several other grant Centre and we are thus working hard to convince applications and on planning our major capital the authorities of the importance of universal campaign, which will allow us to complete many access! projects and ensure long-term operating funds for the Society. Confirmed funding for Phase 2 of the project is now close to $ 650,000. We are also confident we Library: Many donations to the library have been will soon receive a response to the $ 550,000 grant added to the shelves recently. We also purchased application presently being processed at Canadian over 80 local-interest books as part of the literary Heritage. Once the federal funding is confirmed, heritage project (see page 6). Furthermore, the we will have raised 1,2 M$ out of our 1,8 M$ inventory of the circulating fiction collection has objective. We are in the meantime working on been completed (which explains why all the other smaller public grants and on securing books have stickers on their spines). We plan to complementary private support. extend this to the rest of the circulating collection. ■

PAGE 2 SPRING 2007 Letters to the Editor plunder? Or as meek pastoral people settling on In our last issue we featured an in which Dr. Girish land that nobody else wanted? Again, no one Shah argued against the really knows. These events transpired almost theory that Aryans (Indo- wholly before the invention of writing, so we will Europeans) invaded four probably never dig up accounts of what happened. Even if we found evidence of burned -thousand years ago. Peter and pillaged Indian cities, why would proto-Indo Frost, author of Fair -Europeans be the only suspects? In those days, Women, Dark Men: The lots of folks were in the burning and pillaging Forgotten Roots of Color business. Prejudice, challenges Dr. Shah. We encourage all But there is another witness to these events. readers to send us their reactions to any printed material. Recent studies have compared Indian Y- chromosome DNA (passed on by fathers) with Dear Editor, Indian mtDNA (passed on by mothers). The former—but not the latter—has strong affinities In "Aryan Invasion of India: Myth or Reality?", Dr. with the DNA of Eastern Europeans and Middle Girish Shah argues that the linguistic, historical, Easterners. According to other studies, these and archaeological evidence for the Indo-European affinities are stronger in upper castes than in invasion of India is doubtful, if not lacking lower castes. The likeliest explanation? An altogether. outside population long ago moved in and appropriated local women, probably because it First, there is little doubt about the linguistic was the dominant social class. We see a similar evidence. It is broadly accepted that most pattern in Mexican subjects for similar reasons: languages of Europe, Iran, and northern India share their Y-chromosome DNA is mainly European deep structural features that point to a common and their mtDNA mainly Amerindian. origin. The similarities are even more striking if we compare the oldest known representatives of this To be sure, our understanding of India's genetic language family: Latin, Ancient Greek, Old Persian, history is still in its infancy. Only a few months and Sanskrit. Dr. Shah states that similarities also ago the lead author of one study argued against exist between Sanskrit and the Dravidian any substantial immigration into India from the languages of southern India—the latter north or west. Yet a consensus is emerging. Until similarities, however, are largely due to borrowed about 10,000 years ago, the subcontinent was vocabulary. Structurally, Sanskrit resembles home to hunter-gatherers similar in appearance Dravidian languages as much as English resembles to the native peoples of and New Turkish. Guinea. Agriculture then appeared, first in the northwest and later in the Ganges basin and This common ancestral language, dubbed "proto- further south. This spread of farming populations Indo-European," probably began to break up 6,000 involved both immigration from the north and years ago as speakers moved outward into Europe, west and assimilation of natives, especially the Middle East, and the Indian subcontinent. women. There then followed more movements of Where did they initially come from? Some have immigration and assimilation that likewise suggested the steppes north of the Black Sea, spread from the northwest to the south and east, others Asia Minor, and still others Central Asia. one of them being initiated by proto-Indo- But no one really knows. Europeans. Today, Indians are "South Asians" only in a geographical sense. They are, in fact, a How did they enter their new homelands? As mixture of peoples from within and without the fearsome warriors bent on subjugation and Indian subcontinent. ■

PAGE 3 SOCIETY PAGES TRANSACTIONS ENGLISH-SPEAKING QUEBEC’S ARCHIVAL HERITAGE by Pierre-Louis Lapointe, Reference Archivist, BAnQ-Québec City archives centre

The quantity and importance of archives related to by a particular individual, institution or the English-speaking community kept in various organization in the exercise of its activities and Quebec-based repositories, as well as in Library functions”) and collections kept in these archives and Archives Canada’s holdings in and sometimes include many types of media: , is quite considerable. McGill University, unpublished textual documents (handwritten, McCord Museum as well as Bishop’s University typed and digitized correspondence, minutes, usually come to mind when we are studies and reports), photographic called upon to name the main and audiovisual documents (films, storehouses of that archival heritage. videos, cassettes), maps and However, few are aware that the architectural plans, iconographic and Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du digital documents (diskettes, CDs) Québec (BAnQ) holds records and and microforms. Acquired over the papers linked to the - years by simple transfer, loan, gift or speaking Quebec. Fewer still know sale, they eloquently bear witness to that it stands out as one of Canada’s the evolution of Quebec. main sources of printed and archival holdings dealing with English In order to ensure their authenticity, Quebec’s evolution. protection and access, these fonds and collections are described and BAnQ keeps every possible type of kept in temperature- and - documentary resource dealing with controlled rooms. PISTARD, BAnQ’s Quebec, whether printed or archival in BAnQ repository at Université archival network guide to all of its nature. The fact that all these Laval in Quebec City holdings, gives ready access to them. resources are kept under the same roof Unless subject to restrictions, all and that BAnQ is responsible for copyright documents are for consultation, to ordinary registration of all books published and of all films citizens and academics alike, in the network’s produced in Quebec makes for an extremely rich various reading rooms. storehouse. This paves the way for a dominant role of the new institution in the accessioning, Government records transferred to the BAnQ are preservation and development of heritage. designated as public archives. Close to 16 kilometres of judicial records are to be found in The Archives Branch of BAnQ is made up of a BAnQ’s nine centres. A large percentage of these decentralized network of nine repositories located records, probably 30%, are in English and deal in Quebec City, Montreal, Trois-Rivières, with individuals, institutions and firms closely Saguenay, Gatineau, Rouyn-Noranda, , linked to the existence of Quebec’s English- and Sept-Îles, and of 30 private archives speaking communities. The percentage is much associated with and accredited by BAnQ higher for the late 18th to the first half of the 20th (including the LHSQ). The Quebec City archives century, when large corporations insisted on centre, located on the Université Laval campus, is dealing with the Quebec government in English. housed in the old seminary chapel in the pavillon Historians who, for instance, would want to Louis-Jacques-Casault. document the life and career of Henry Atkinson, a Quebec City lumber baron, would delve into the The manuscript or record groups, also called fonds 50,000-odd contracts of public notary Archibald (defined as all “the records or archives accumulated Campbell, the civil court case files involving him

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Archival Heritage (continued from previous page) BAnQ’s accessioning guidelines stress the need to respect the collecting areas and fields of interest and other members of the business community as of its archival partners throughout Quebec. This well as the correspondence files of the Lands and means that a potential donor of documents may Forests Commissariat―most of it in English! be redirected towards one of the accredited repositories. Documents linked to a family or Manuscripts, photographs, films and any other business that operated in Western Quebec, for documents originating from non-governmental instance, would never be accessioned by BAnQ’s sources are deemed “private” in nature: they are Quebec City archives centre, but manuscripts accessioned by loan, donation or sale, and a written linked to the immediate family of a Quebec contract spells out clearly the conditions agreed to premier would be. by both parties. These “private archives” reflect the existence of individuals, families, organizations Overall triennial accessioning priorities have been and business firms. They often bear witness to defined for all of BAnQ’s nine archival centres: more intimate episodes or events of private life. such is the case for the archives of cultural BAnQ’s 7 kilometres of shelving taken up by minorities (English, Scottish, Irish, Welsh, private archives also reflect the important role Lebanese, Haitian, Chinese, etc.), for those of played by Quebec’s English-speaking community. businesses and industries and for those of politicians (MPPs, MNAs, ministers and BAnQ’s private archives that are closely, if not premiers). exclusively, linked to the existence of Quebec’s English-speaking minority total approximately 1 As for all archival organizations, BAnQ’s kilometre, with 45 fonds in Quebec City alone. preferred form of acquisition is the gift or Some outstanding local examples include: donation, the donor being offered tax receipts in the amount of the fair market value of the  Price Company & Family fonds documents, that value being established by a  Neilson Family and Neilson Publishers fonds recognized merchant of manuscripts or by a NAB  YWCA fonds ( Appraisal Board) regional committee.  Ladies Protestant Home fonds Sometimes, in rather special circumstances, a loan  Literary and Historical Society of Quebec of the documents is negotiated, in the hope that Collection they will eventually be donated. In dire need,  The James Thompson Jr. fonds when all other approaches have failed and when  The William Sharples Family fonds documents of great historical value are threatened  Lady Aylmer’s Journal (illustrated by Colonel with destruction or export out of the country, the Cockburn) institution may offer to buy them outright!  1,500 magnificent Staveley architectural drawings As can be seen, BAnQ is an indispensable tool for the preservation and communication of English- All archival institutions are interested in speaking Quebec’s archival heritage and cultural accessioning private archives. In the past, however, mosaic. BAnQ caters to all Quebecers, many acquisitions have been marred by instances irrespective of religious or cultural origin, and of outright rivalry. Nowadays, things have members of Quebec’s English-speaking simmered down somewhat and cooperation has set community are invited to participate in the in, most organizations trying to respect the well- ongoing building of BAnQ, as users and as donors, defined fields of interest or territorial and in order to enrich this treasure-house. It is hoped institutional boundaries and specificity of their that this article will help lift the potential rivals’ collection areas. Because misapprehensions that may persist, thereby preservation and description of archives is a time- enabling BAnQ to play an even more important consuming and costly process, accessioning the role in the preservation and development of right manuscripts is of paramount importance. English Quebec’s archival heritage in the future. ■

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LIBRARY PAGES CELEBRATING QUEBEC CITY’S LITERARY HERITAGE by Patrick Donovan Last year, the LHSQ received a grant from the We also went beyond Quebec City to add other Department of Canadian Heritage’s Official Language relevant books to our collection. Past winners of Communities Development Fund to celebrate the Quebec Writers’ Federation Fiction, Poetry Quebec City’s English-language literary heritage. and Non-Fiction prizes were The first step of this project involved compiling a purchased, totalling over 30 new bibliography, which will be made available at the books. These will be identified with library. the QWF logo. prize winner

Using this list, books were then purchased for the The LHSQ will also be promoting this literature LHSQ’s library. Over 80 books will soon be added actively over the next year. In addition to the to the collection. These include books by local overview below, articles on page 10, 12, and 17 writers and books about the city. Fiction, poetry, focus on this literature. With this broader vision travel writing and kids books were of writing in Quebec, we can celebrate a wider purchased. Over 30 worn or range of literature from the past. paperback books were also rebound. These books will be easy to identify Come to the library and check out one of these thanks to a small logo representing great books today!. ■ St. Louis Gate on the spine. FOCUS ON FICTION AND POETRY FROM QUEBEC CITY

In a recent interview for Spirale magazine, writer America’s first novel, The History of Emily Montague. David Homel (see back cover) argues “The elegant arts are unknown here,” that the idea of “Anglo-Quebecois” she writes, “the rigor of the literature is baseless. Homel thinks suspends the very powers of the “Anglo-Montreal” is a more understanding; what then must appropriate adjective, claiming that become of those of the there is no sign of literary life outside imagination?” the metropolis. But the imagination flourished. The I was baffled when I read this. Not eighteenth century saw the only because Quebec City writers publication of several long poems have won QWF literary prizes over extolling the beauty of Quebec’s the past few years, but also because I landscape and praising British have been compiling a bibliography might. The only one by a local that suggests a vibrant history of writer was Abram’s Plains, published English-language writing in Quebec in Quebec by newspaperman and City. This story deserves a closer look. Thomas Cary’s Abram’s Plains, librarian Thomas Cary. There are probably the first work of others, written in the same genre: J. The story begins soon after the British literature published in English in Patrick’s Quebec: A Poetical Essay Quebec City. conquest. The first to sit down and (1760), J.Mackay’s Quebec Hill (1797) write was Frances Brooke, who came to Quebec and Cornwall Bayley’s Canada (1806). with her husband in 1763. She wrote North

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Literary Heritage (continued from previous page) Ray, who split time between New Haven and Quebec City, wrote over 40 romances. By The Good Some early poets were more than mere parrots for Sainte-Anne (1904) and Hearts and Creeds (1906) are the Empire. George Longmore spent the first examples of her work dealing with French and sixteen years of his life in Quebec City before being English society in Quebec. Then there’s the posted abroad in England, and business romance, seen in J.M. Harper’s That Town. He wrote several poetic works, namely The Norward Business Romance (1905), a timely tale Charivari (1824), which recounts the tale of a where the quest for a girl’s heart gets in the way wedding procession gone haywire in Montreal. of a railway scheme. Irish-born Adam Kidd, who lived in Quebec City throughout the 1820s, wrote a collection of poems A history of local literature would be incomplete about evil Europeans and noble natives entitled The without a look at F.G. Scott and F.R. Scott. The Huron Chief (1830). Bishop G.J. Mountain’s Songs of former became rector of St. Matthew’s Anglican the Wilderness (1846) is another collection of poems Church in Saint-Jean-Baptiste at the age of 25. from this period, well-received upon publication. His poems were acclaimed at the time albeit

conservative, focusing on From the 1840s to the 1940s, the landscape and British imperial roman du terroir was a dominant might. Canon Scott served in form in francophone Quebec, World War I and played a part in glorifying the rural francophone the effort through peasantry and extolling traditional his writing. His son, F.R. Scott, moral and religious values. A few broke with his father’s tradition examples within this genre exist in and profoundly influenced the English, such as the work of Quebec evolution of our artistic culture. -born James-Edward Le Rossignol, He is credited with bringing whose Jean Baptiste (1915) glorifies Canada into the modern era. the life of the habitant. Whereas Le Born in Quebec City, this Rossignol praises Francophones for graduate from the High School of their self-reliance, The Little Sergeant Quebec later became a Rhodes (1905) commends francophones for scholar at Oxford. In addition to their loyalty to Empire during the a poetic output that garnered American invasion. It was written many awards, Scott translated by J.M. Harper, rector of the High Quebec City’s F.R. Scott French-Canadian poets, played a School of Quebec. redefined literature in Canada part in founding the New (Photo: Lois Lord) Democratic Party, and even went Many Quebec City writers collected stories from to Burma to help build a Socialist state. the past, retold history as fiction, or wove folktales of their own. The work of George Moore Fairchild, The 1960s and 1970s saw few new faces on the E.C. Woodley, James and Charlotte MacPherson, literary scene. Fleur Garneau-Whitworth echoes and Hazel Boswell are examples of this. Lévis-born the Trudeau doctrine in her novel entitled Two Louis Fréchette, the first Québecois to be lauded Families: One Culture (1966). Gordon Pape, who by the Académie Française, tried his hand at lived in Quebec City for many years (and now writing in English with a collection entitled writes books about RRSPs), penned a political Christmas in French Canada (1899). thriller entitled Chain Reaction (1979) where the independence issue rears its head. Quebec-born The popular fiction of the period reveals much poet Grant Johnson also published his first book, about the relationship between different classes Compass of Open Veins (1970), during this period, and linguistic groups in Quebec City. Anna Chapin

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Literary Heritage (continued from previous page) immigrant, confronts her own sense of belonging and difficult marriage. She will read from this following a few decades later with Mirrors on book at the Morrin Centre on May 11 Uncertain Mornings (1988). (see back page).

In recent years, English-language And the list goes on. I have not writing has picked up momentum in included all the emerging or self- Quebec City. Although the English- published writers in Quebec, such as speaking population is at a historic low spoken word poet Rae Marie Taylor, of less than 2%, it is encouraging that musician Randall Spear, and others. more is being published by local There are also writers like Louisa Blair writers than ever before. We have seen and M.E. Reisner who focus on the rise of fiction and poetry written by history. The Quebec Writers’ Circle visible minorities who have migrated to (see p.10) attracts aspiring local Quebec. Neil Bissoondath, H. Nigel writers who meet monthly in the Thomas, Nalini Warriar, and LHSQ library to exchange tricks of

Madeleine Thien are the most Neil Bissoondath won the the trade. prominent examples. Although their QWF Prize for Fiction for works are usually set outside the city, Doing the Heart Good We hope this will inspire you write (2002), and The Unyielding Nalini Warriar’s novel The Enemy Within Clamour of the Night (2005) and take part in the future of Anglo- is a rare example of an immigrant’s tale Québecois writing. Why not join in set in Quebec City. Set against the backdrop of the the 8-week poetry course by local poet Aurian 1995 referendum, the novel features long walks Haller, starting next March? See our calendar on through Vieux Quebec in which Sita, an Indian www.morrin.org for details ■

Mail to: QAHN, 400-257 Queen, Lennoxville, Quebec, J1M 1K7, (418) 564-9595, www.qahn.org

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SPRING 2007 PRIORITY MODERN LIBRARY’S 100 BOOKS OF THE 20th CENTURY by Anne-Frédérique Champoux, library manager Our library wishes to thank Wallace and Mary- Just like your children, the kids’ section of the Ellen Rooney for donations of twelve books from LHSQ library won’t stop growing! Dozens of new the last wish list (We would also like to apologize junior books have just been ordered, and they for mistakenly referring to Mr. Rooney as “Walter” should be received shortly. Here’s a quick look at in the last issue). Additional thanks to Tomas what spring is going to make blossom on our Feininger and Patrick Donovan for donations of shelves! two relevant books from the list. The library also purchased four other books. We now have exactly For those who like adventure, three new titles 56 of the top 100 books of the 20th century! We are might sound appealing. First, you may want to still looking for the books below to have a have a look at William Gilkerson’s GG Prize complete collection of these classics. If you have winner, Pirate’s Passage. Then, you could take up any of the following in your collection, please consider donating to the Society. We also accept some action with the enthralling Operation Red financial donations destined to Wish List Jericho, and finally, get yourself ready for a medieval purchases. All donations will be acknowledged in makeover with Knights And Armour. If you’d rather the Society Pages and in the books themselves: enjoy a nice story, where friendship is a strong bond between humans and animals, you can Sherwood Anderson, Winesburg, choose from the whimsical Saul Bellow, Henderson the Rain King and The Adventures of Augie March Elizabeth Bowen, The Death of the Heart Moonbird, the sweet Duck Paul Bowles, The Sheltering Sky and Goose or the funny Girl Anthony Burgess, A Clockwork Orange James P. Cain, The Postman Always Rings Twice and Her Gator. And for the Erskine Caldwell, Tobacco Road ones who like to read Willa Cather, Death Comes for the Archbishop Joseph Conrad, The Secret Agent, Nostromo famous authors, the LHSQ J.P. Donleavy, The Ginger Man library has just purchased Theodore Dreiser, Sister Carrie Margaret Atwood’s Up in James T. Farrell, Studs Lonigan (trilogy) William Faulkner, Light in August the Tree and Madeleine Ford Madox Ford, The Good Soldier and Parade’s End Thien’s The Chinese Violin. E.M. Forster, A Room with a View John Fowles, The Magus Henry Green, Loving A few Children’s Books were purchased as part of Richard Hughes, A High Wind in Aldous Huxley, Point Counter Point the Literary Heritage project (see p.6). Books set in Henry James, The Wings of the Dove the city include The Juggler, The Quebec City Crisis and James Jones, From Here to Eternity James Joyce, Finnegan’s Wake Bon Voyage, Christie & Company. Why not pick up one William Kennedy, Ironweed of the old swashbuckling tales of William Sinclair Lewis, Main Street MacMillan (see p.17), which will also be added to Carson McCullers, The Heart is a Lonely Hunter Norman Mailer, The Naked and the Dead the shelves soon. Henry Miller, Tropic of Cancer Iris Murdoch, Under the Net V.S. Naipaul, A Bend in the River and A House for Mr. Biswas That was just a glimpse of what the children’s Anthony Powell, A Dance to the Music of Time (series) corner has to offer you and your family. Don’t Jean Rhys, Wide Sargasso Sea hesitate to drop by the library and browse our J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye Muriel Spark, The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie shelves yourself. Hundreds of stories are waiting to Wallace Stegner, Angle of Repose be told. And, while we’re on the subject, don’t William Styron, Sophie’s Choice forget our weekly kids’ readings, every Saturday at Booth Tarkington, The Magnificent Ambersons Robert Penn Warren, The Bridge of San Luis Rey 11:00 AM! ■ Evelyn Waugh, A Handful of Dust and Scoop

PAGE 9 SOCIETY PAGES LIBRARY PAGES BOOK REVIEW: CANADA MADE ME by Mathieu Rompré

Canada Made Me is the first personal issues, the author finds Canada boring book published by Norman and its towns provincial. Levine (1923-2005), a writer raised in Ottawa and In spite of Levine’s negative perception, the educated at McGill chapters dedicated to Montreal and Quebec City, University. He lived in St at the end of the book, are of great interest to Ives, Cornwall, from 1949 to Quebec readers. In Montreal, the author recalls 1980. It is an account of a his student years at McGill, and meets with one trip trough Canada in 1956, “André L.”, working for the newspaper Le Devoir written in a very simple and (obviously André Laurendeau, one of the most straightforward –yet prominent intellectuals in post-World War II beautiful and moving- style. Quebec). In Quebec City, Levine rents a room among the students in the old town’s “Quartier First published in Great Britain in 1958, the book Latin”, and spend a few days wandering the same was received with anger by Canadian critics at the streets we see in ’s movie I time. It was not published in Canada until 1979. Confess. In his eyes, Quebec City “had the After reading it, one easily understands the critic’s slowness, the dignity, of an old University town. anger: Canada Made Me is a chronicle of bitter But there was a deadness, a coldness about it all”; melancholy and brutal honesty. Levine has mixed he even compares the city to a “well-kept feelings about Canada: though he claim to feel no cemetery.” sense of belonging to Canada or anywhere else, the country’s cold and snow give him a sense of home: Canada Made Me is extremely well written and “It was a climate that rejected man. And yet I feel gives the readers the opportunity to bring back to strangely at home in it. This is what one belonged life the Canada of the 1950’s, especially the to: the cold, the snow, the frozen emptiness.” In neighbourhoods of the working class, which the the same way, there is no anger or frustration in author prefers to the upper-class districts. ■ his negative vision of his native country: “Mind you, I have no rancour; I don’t feel that Canada has Mathieu Rompré is a research assistant hired by the LHSQ cheated me of anything, I feel quite kindly through a project grant supported by the Federal disposed towards it. But I find that in the place Government. Last year, he completed his M.A. in History where I am expected to have patriotic feelings on the Irish of Sillery during the 1870s. there is a little void.” Whatever his feelings or

Additional references to Quebec City can be found in Norman Levine’s col- lection of short fiction entitled I Don’t Want to Know Anyone Too Well. The first story, “In ,” is set in the city during World War II and in the 1960s. A Jewish officer stationed in the city is invited to dinner by a wealthy family of Jewish merchants, possibly modeled on the Pollack family. The story is written in short poignant sentences that evoke the bare-bones realism of Hemingway. In less than a dozen pages, Levine creates a sense of attachment to the characters, evoking the same feelings of melancholy and bleakness as in Canada Made Me. He also creates a stunning portrait of Que- bec City life during the war. Worth a read! Check it out at the library today.

PAGE 10 SPRING 2007 LIBRARY PAGES THE LHSQ’S FIRST LIBRARIAN by Anne-Frédérique Champoux, library manager Although the Literary and Historical Society of Dr. Whitelaw devoted most of his career to Quebec was founded in 1824, its library was only chemistry, but he was also a successful physician. founded six years later. The government granted He became a close friend of Dr. James Douglas ₤250 to the Society in 1830, allowing for the first after watching him night and day through a books to be purchased. With this came the first severe illness. Dr. Whitelaw later moved to librarian, Dr. John Whitelaw. Born in Scotland . He lived in Brockville, Kingston and (1774), he studied medicine at the University of , but finally settled in Niagara. There, he Edinburgh. He came to Quebec to assist the became the head master of the Reverend Dr. Wilkie at his grammar school, grammar school. He died in January 1853, but the believed to be the best in the city at that time. He library he helped to develop is still very much then signed up as a member of the LHSQ. alive. ■

Testimonials

COCKTAIL DE NOËL DU JEUNE BARREAU DE QUÉBEC—UN VIF SUCCÈS! de Sébastien Jobin-Vermette, avocat

Le 30 novembre dernier, le traditionnel Cocktail de Le Jeune Barreau de Québec est fier d’avoir été Noël du Jeune Barreau de Québec a été tenu au Morrin parmi les premières organisations à profiter de la Centre. Le Jeune Barreau de Québec est une restauration récemment effectuée au Morrin association presque centenaire, qui représente tous Centre. Nous sommes certains que cette très belle les avocat(e)s de moins de 10 années de pratique du mise en valeur permettra, sans aucun doute, pour les prochaines décennies, à faire district de Québec. mieux connaître à toute la Plus de 150 personnes s’étaient ainsi communauté, ce lieu historiquement donné rendez-vous au Morrin Centre important mais encore trop pour fraterniser dans une ambiance méconnu. celtique. En plus du lieu magique, tout y était pour sentir l’atmosphère Les organisateurs ont grandement authentique: les bouchées irlandaises apprécié l’accueil chaleureux du de Mme Catherine Cairns et M. Gilles personnel du Morrin centre et ont Mascaro du restaurant Dazibo, la constaté que cet endroit démontre le musique d’un groupe celtique, le dynamisme de la communauté cornemuseur M. Devon Matsalla, la anglophone de la région de Québec. danse du groupe Shannon Irish Dancers de Mme Kerry Ann King et évidemment Le Jeune Barreau de Québec remercie les les organisateurs, Mes Sébastien Jobin-Vermette et commanditaires de l’événement : Barreau de Mathieu Trépanier, en kilt pour l’occasion! Québec, Dale Parizeau LM, la Corporation de services du Barreau du Québec, Fairmont Le En décidant de tenir le Cocktail de Noël au Morrin Manoir Richelieu, Aubut, Gagnon Centre, les organisateurs de l’événement ont voulu Sénéchal Coulombe et Ass., huissiers de justice, que les participants découvrent la richesse Boisjoly Bédard, sténographes officiels et architecturale de ce lieu historique. Aventure Inukshuk. ■

PAGE 11 SOCIETY PAGES

We arrived just as the Protestant and Catholic gangs had collided at the intersection and the first salvoes of stones were sailing across the road to the cries of “Ye black bastards!” and “Fuckin’ Taigs!” A SECTION DEVOTED TO “Hugh, you’re quartermaster for that group over THE WRITERS’ CIRCLE there,” Kat said, pointing across the street. “Just keep them well supplied in pastry.” From Aidan’s Wall “The Battle of the Bakery” “Right,” said Hugh, taking it all in stride as he angled across the street outside the field of fire. “You see,” Kat explained as the baker boxed the pastries, “back in Montreal on St-Jean-Baptiste “We’ll take up position on either side of the green Day—it’s like St. Patrick’s Day for Quebecers—the and cream you in a pincer movement.” radical leader of an anglophone rights group was marching in the parade. This pissed off the folks “Are you sure this is a good idea?” I asked Kat. from the most extreme French separatist group, who figured he had no business celebrating their “No, not really,” she answered without pause. She national holiday. So their leader was waiting to ducked low and sprinted behind the wall. confront his nemesis along the parade route. “This looks like a half-baked plan if ever I saw “But a few blocks before, the anglo rights guy was one!” intercepted by a clown, who creamed him with a pie. These clowns are part of a social conscience I called after her. We crouched down beside the group called Les Entartistes. They throw pies at teenagers, and Kat started passing out pastries. public figures as a peaceful way of denouncing them. And in this case, they also wanted to defuse a “Here, lads,” she said, “throw these instead.” volatile situation, by injecting some humor and silliness. And it worked. The whole scene turned “Ye’re barmy!” One of them exclaimed. “Ye want into a damp squib once it was liberally doused us to throw pies?” with whipped cream. So then I was after thinking: wouldn’t the world be a better place if everyone “Well, sticks and stones may break some bones, fought with pies instead of guns?” but pies are a helluva lot funnier.”

She put a box in each of our hands, and led us back Suddenly, the tallest one started to laugh as he out. “The problem with stones,” she went on, “is envisioned the possibilities, and he grabbed a they quickly become nail bombs. And nail bombs coconut cream tart. Testing the weight and become petrol bombs, and petrol bombs become balance in his hand, he swiftly stood up and Semtex bombs, and Semtex bombs become whipped it across the road. It caught one of the mortars. But you can’t escalate with baked goods.” other guys on the shoulder and splattered into his face. There was sudden silence as the others froze “I don’t know about that,” I cut in. “My mom and looked at him. makes a fruit cake that could do some serious damage.” “What is it?” One asked anxiously. He wiped his chin with a finger and licked it. “Thrown or ingested?” Hugh asked. “It tastes like coconut cream,” he said. They “Oh, either way,” I said earnestly. stared at him, the stones in their hands forgotten, astonished into a daze.

PAGE 12 SPRING 2007

“Yeah, well I’ve got the good stuff,” Hugh said as he reached them. “Lemon meringue. We’ve got them outgunned.”

They looked at Hugh with the same bemused expression on their faces, but the one wearing coconut cream recovered quickly. He grabbed a tart from the box and lobbed it over our wall, where it hit one of our guys on the chest.

“Yuck,” he said, and quickly retaliated by cannonballing a creampuff, which exploded in a very satisfactory way upon impact, splattering two of them with white goo. And then the Battle of the Bakery erupted in earnest, and much cream was shed, as sticky projectiles sailed back and forth across the road. ■

Michèle Sheaff is a journalist and writer from Quebec City. She recently finished writing a novel called Aidan’s Wall. Set in Northern Ireland, it’s a Romeo and Juliet story—if Juliet survived and returned ten years later to knock some heads together.

PAGE 13 SOCIETY PAGES

FROM THE VAULT A THEATRICAL TRIP, FOR A WAGER An edited excerpt from Horton Rhys’ account of his theatrical tour to , originally published in 1861

Quebec is a city built on a rock, &c., &c and a transferred with his Company from Toronto. In mighty tall rock, too, only about 350 feet above the less than no time it was arranged that he should level of the river. How on earth Wolfe and his army assist us on our "First appearance in Canada;" but ever got up to the top is a wonder. No man with how, and in what, required great consideration. any other name could have done it, I believe. The number of plays, in which there are but three However, any one who wishes to know, when and or four characters, is so limited. I was perforce how, and where it was done, won’t get any obliged to consent to write something "right away," information from me, for lots of writers, ere now, in which the varied talent of Lucille, the Captain, have described (from each other's descriptions) all and myself might be exhibited. Ten days, I about it, and having myself read it, and wrote it so thought, would suffice for the execution of our very early in life, that I have totally forgotten all the project, for puffing, posting, and all other principal parts of the performance, I will omit the proclamation of our arrival and intentions. , and continue my own... Quebec is at all times a dull-looking place, It was nearly nine in the evening when we drove up excepting when some political row breaks out, to the door of Russell's Hotel, and...we looked which is but of rare occurrence, and forward to a "cumfy" supper, and a ten-hour turnin unfortunately nothing of the kind took place with unmitigated pleasure. Judge ye our intense while I was there, therefore, I have no excitement misery on being informed that they were all full!-- to chronicle. and they wouldn't or couldn't tell you where to go. There was a little Cricket going on and we "Would the ladies like to sit in the drawing-room?" occasionally went to the Plains of Abraham to see the old English game played; and now and then, "Of course, they would--anywhere;" and to the the representation reminded me of sunny "lords," drawing-room they went, while the wretched old Lansdown, or the Canterbury meetings. There Stocks and I hunted up the town for quarters, were handsome women, fine-looking men, and which we at last found in an American House. The lots to eat and drink--a good Band, and landlord was not to be found; but his deputy, a moderately good play;--nothing to go into fits dissipated-looking cross between a billiard-marker about, but a sort of All Muggleton mélange. and a pot-boy showed me some comfortable Altogether, one could find something to do, and apartments ... and we all tumbled in, tired to death. Quebec was bearable for the ten days we had to pass, before our first "little go" in Canada came We are at breakfast--bad coffee, bad eggs, bad off. everything, but our temper is of the twain, improved. Besides, we are in Canada--our own I had worked like a man at a vehicle for the country, her Majesty's dominions, and feel introduction of ourselves and Captain Bayly, and ourselves Englishmen again. We shall have respect had finished, and entitled it, A Country Manager's shown us, and our rooms to ourselves. Perplexities. The plot was far from original, but the situations were startlingly new, and the dialogue We had scarcely shaken ourselves into our places, of a most spirited description--at least, I thought when Captain Bayly, of the Canadian Rifles, was so; so did Lucille; so did Bayly… announced, and in he came, his merry face illuminating the dingy room with a temporary ray Find out what happens by checking out the 1969 reprint of of comic sunshine. He had only lately been Horton Rhys’ travelogue, recently added to our collection.

PAGE 14 SPRING 2007

SPECIAL THANKS

PERPETUAL SUCCESSION: 2006 ANNUAL CAMPAIGN by Julie Lamontagne

The Society is 100$ à 499$ Quebec Anglophone Heritage p r o u d t o Louise Auger Network announce that it Michael Ayre Aline J. Rolland Hugh & Barbara Bignell William M. Ray has received a Luc Bissonnette Jacques Roy total of $12,090 France Cliche Sandra Thériault as a result of the 2006 Perpetual Marie-France Delisle James L. Williamson Succession campaign. These Jacques de Billy 1 anonymous gift donations demonstrate your Boutique Feejos inc. continued support and faith in Jean Simpson Ford 10$ à 99$ the Morrin Centre project. On Jacques Fortier John Ahern behalf of the Literary and Beatrice Royle Gaw Claude Berlinguette Esther Greaves Marion & David Blinco Historical Society of Quebec, its Matilda Grenier Colette L. Chartré volunteers and team members, Pauline Griffin Virginia N. Couture we would like to thank Greg Haberlin Normand & Judy Desjardins generous donors for their Sheila Hadvick Marie-Josée Deschênes precious contributions. Thank Deborah Hook Michel Fortin you for allowing Morrin Centre André Joli-Cœur Edward Gunn to evolve and to maintain a JPdL Québec Ève Lacombe Anne Martineau Norman W. Lower perpetual succession. C. Robert McGoldrick Patrick McSweeney & Marie- R. Clive Meredith Andrée Marquis 5,000$ à 9,999$ Thomas J. Moore Richard Piper Marc Bieler André Morin Arthur Plumpton Guy Morisset & Gina Farnell George Poulakos 500$ à 4,999$ Jacques Morissette/Omnitour Samar Sawaya Canadian Cultural Landscapes John Odgers François Tremblay Guy Dubois Les Photographes Kedl Ltée Solange Vouvé Joseph Pope Germaine Warkentin Joan Wright ■

PAGE 15 SOCIETY PAGES HERITAGE CORNER WILLIAM MACMILLAN, LHSQ PRESIDENT 1953-1956 by Cameron MacMillan

As part of the research into Quebec Little Saguenay Fish & Game City’s literary heritage (see page 6), Club, north of St-Raymond, many little-known local writers were those hours left him very little rediscovered. One of these is William leisure time. But, every morning MacMillan, father of Cameron at home he began his day by typing on his manuscripts before MacMillan, both past presidents of the going to work. And, almost every LHSQ. evening, he took up where he had left off. His trout fishing William MacMillan was born in weekends began at the close of Toronto while his family was in business on Saturday and he temporary residence from their would be back home Sunday home in Lévis. He often said evening. that he felt that his place of birth shouldn't be held against He published four or five him because, really, his heart adventure novels for boys but his was always in Quebec. His main effort was devoted to marriage to Mary Blyth William MacMillan (1890-1972) writing stories and articles for MacFarlane, the daughter of the Sunday school papers; articles for Minister of St-Andrews outdoor magazines including Presbyterian Church in Lévis, Field & Stream and adventure endured until her death in 1970. stories for the important British They had three children: Dr. and American tomes for Donald, a general practitioner teenagers such as Boys' Own and anaesthesiologist who Annual. served a term as Chairman of the Board of Governors of He was a charter member of the Morrin College; Joan, a teacher; Quebec Rotary, did his stint as and Cameron who also became President, and remained a President of Council in 1981. devoted member until shortly before his death. He was an He began working for Holt active member of the Quebec Renfrew & Company on rue Winter Club in its heyday. He Buade in Quebec City when he also served for many years as an was 15. He retired as general Elder in Chalmers-Wesley manager of the store when he United Church. was over 75. His first love was furs and he managed Holt's fur A long-time member of the department until his LHSQ, he was delighted to be appointment as store manager William MacMillan wrote at least 4 books elected on Council and to serve in 1950. In those days the store for young adults: Adventure, Red Leg Morgan, Dark Treasure, and Mystery Ship. as President from 1953 to 1956. was open from 9 to 6, six days a His family remembers him with week. For a man with a cottage The library owns all but Red Leg Morgan, pride and great affection. ■ and would be grateful for a donation of this at Château d'Eau on the St- Charles River and a camp at the book from our former president.

PAGE 16 T HE L ITERARY AND H ISTORICAL S OCIETY OF Q UEBEC BULLETIN BOAR D stops after visiting the library with his wife Patricia before Christmas. Merci beaucoup! ■ Last year the LHSQ welcomed a record amount of 105 new members! Welcome to all of you. ■ The library needs you! Are you interested in volunteering your time regularly to work behind George-Etienne Cartier’s desk. You not only get to work with great books but you also meet new people, practise English, and interact with other society members and visitors. If that sounds interesting to you, call Anne-Frédérique at 694-9147 or e- Rosemary Power Cannon Delaney (far right), the LHSQ’s first woman president sits mail her at [email protected]. alongside other Quebec City television pioneers (LHSQ Collections) ■ Big thanks to Diana, Clive, and On Saturday March 10 all are 9147 and she will provide you with Helen Meredith for donations of invited to participate in the official the necessary information. several boxes of relevant books unveiling of the portrait of our ■ that are closely related to the Society. ■ former president Rosemary Power Thanks to an anonymous donor, Cannon Delaney. The event aims copies of Science at honouring her as a remarkable magazine are now woman in connection with available for your International Women’s Day on perusal in the March 8 and as the only female LHSQ library. In order to save our softwood floors president the society had to date. ■ for posterity and to keep our building The event starts at 1:30 p.m. Karen Don,t miss the clean in the here and now, we ask you to put plas- MacDonald and members of the tic slippers over your muddy shoes. These will be weekly Kids family will present brief insights made available in the main entrance hall. Don’t Readings. Come into the life of this outstanding to the library with forget to slip on a pair at your next visit. Thanks! lady. your children on ■ S a t u r d a y Since August 2006, College Hall, mornings at 11 Classroom for Classics, Library a.m. and listen to and Entrance Hall have been some wonderful rented out for private events and children’s stories. parties. Many calendar days in ■ 2007 have already been booked. If We want to thank you are planning a special Pierre Rochette celebration, dinner or for spontaneously conference, contact Julie at c r a f t i n g [email protected] or 694- wonderful door

PAGE 17 Introduced on February 24 by Neil Bissoondath Quebec City April 6 Anita Rau Badami Montreal

Born in India in 1961, Badami won the Regional Commonwealth Writers Prize, Italy’s Premio Berto and her novel The Hero’s Walk was named a Washington Post Best Book of 2001. Badami’s latest novel is entitled Can You Hear the Nightbird Call (2006).

April 13 George Elliott Clarke Toronto

Originally from , Clarke will read and play songs from his operas Québécité: A Jazz Fantasia (2003) and Trudeau: Long March/Shining Path (2007). He has won numerous awards, three honorary doctorates, and is a renowned entertainer.

April 20 David Homel Montreal

Well-known to many francophones for his controversial article in Le Monde entitled « La littérature québécoise n’est pas un produit d’exportation », Homel is also an accomplished author who won a QWF Award for Best Fiction with his 2003 novel The Speaking Cure.

May 11 Nalini Warriar Quebec City

Nalini Warriar won the McAuslan First Book award for her collection of short stories Blues from the Malabar Coast (2002). Her recent novel, The Enemy Within (2005), tackles the issues of integration in a Quebec City context.

May 18 Susan Elmslie Montreal

Susan Elmslie’s latest book of poetry, I, Nadja and Other Poems, won the A.M. Klein Prize for best volume of poetry in 2006 by the QWF. She holds a PhD in Canadian literature from McGill University, and was a poetry Fellow at Hawthornden Castle in Scotland.

May 25 Jeffrey Moore Montreal

Jeffrey Moore’s Prisoner in a Red Rose Chain (2000) won the prestigious Commonweath Award for best first book. He has been described as « a much nicer Mordecai Richler who may do for the Plateau in this century what Richler did in the last. » His latest novel is The Memory Artists.

Time: 19:30 Price for series: $20 for passport (for sale at the LHSQ & La Maison Anglaise) Price per event: $4 (members/students), $6 (non-members), Location: Morrin Centre, 44, chaussée des Écossais, Quebec, QC

This tour is supported by the Canada Council for the Arts, which enables audiences to discover artists from other regions and provinces. Additional support from the Auberge St-Antoine.