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UNIVERSITY OF GUELPH Vol. 14 — No. 31 July 25, 1969 2 French Canadian Literature Presented to University of Guelph One of Canada's leading book dealers, 1930's, Also included in this part of the that her work of supplying books across the Raymond Arthur Davies of Montreal, has collection is a complete set of Eskimo many barriers of today' world, be continued. honored the University of Guelph with the clothing and hunting spears, and several Mr. Raymond Davies, formerly managing gift of a collection of over five thousand original etchings by one of Canada's greatest Editor of World News Services, is the author volumes of books and journals related to Eskimo artists. of a number of books about Russia and French Canada. The actual presentation The collection includes a significant Canada, including several works on the will be made at a special ceremony in the number of books related to the history of Canadian Arctic — Arctic Eldorado, The University's McLaughlin Library on July the separatist movement in Quebec. Great Mackenzie, Odyssey Through Hell, 30, at which Canada's National Librarian Another rare feature of the gift is an and other works. Born in Montreal and Guy Sylvestre will be present. ancient illuminated German musical manus- educated in Canada and New York, he took Included with this unique and valuable cript dating from the fifteenth century. up journalism as a young man and spent gift, to be known as the Lillian Davies Among the more prominent titles of the many years travelling in Central and South Memorial Collection, in honor of the donor's French-Canadian books and journals are; America, Europe and Africa. An accomplis- late wife, are a number of rare books and "Bulletin des Recherches Historiques, La hed linguist, Mr. Davies covered many assig- historic art treasures. Revue Canadienne Liberte, and dozens of nments in Latin America and Europe for The collection includes works from all other renowned titles. Both Mr. Raymond Canadian publications and later served as a of the great French Canadian historians, Davies and the late Mrs. Lillian Davies correspondent in Russia for the CBC. He economists, writers, poets and political have had a long-standing association with also compiled and published a bibliography figures, and portrays the development of the world of literature. entitled "Printed Jewish Canadians — 1685 French Canadian life from the earliest Mrs. Lillian Davies, originally from 1900." days to the present. Toronto, in whose memory this generous The Davies family, which will continue Most of the books and journals date gift has been made, co-founded the Davies enriching the collection for the University from the 1600's to the present, although Book Company Limited in 1953 and from of Guelph in the years to come, will be there are several rare books of even that time on devoted her life to establishing honored at a special reception on Wednesday, earlier vintage. connections with libraries throughout the July 30 in the Library stoa. Among these special items is one of the world. She was in charge of library services Mr. Davies has also given valuable collect- earliest editions of Thomas Aquinas printed for the company and travelled throughout ions to Sir George Williams University in in 1485 and an original hand written manu- the world, including New Zealand, India, Montreal and the University of Moncton and script of Franz Liszt. Russia, France, Cuba, and Latin America, the Jewish Public Library. The Collection also features several exam- in the interests of broadening library facilities During his lifetime Mr. Davies will under- ples of interesting Canadian Eskimo art, for all peoples. take to keep the collection alive and current including two large figures carved in ancient When she died in 1968, dozens of libraries by providing new publications relating to bone, and an historic kayak dating from the abroad cabled their condolences and asked French Canada as they appear. Collection Valuable for Language Studies by Professor Ramon Hathorn may well prove to be a most fruitful and of the Huron language, written by Daniel Department of Languages relevant area of study. Wilkie in French and Latin in 1831, entitled The donation of such a collection to a Some of the more significant titles, repre- Grammatica huronia. This volume, in conj- new university in the heart of English- sentative of the French Canadian literature unction with our slowly growing collection speaking Ontario is most significant and section of the collection are as follows. of books in various Indian languages, is of indicative of the changing attitudes of the L'Ecole Sainte, ou Explication familiere great interest to linguists, both here at the public, both political and intellectual. It des mysteres do la foy, is a rare book, University of Guelph, and in Ontario and gives firm academic support to the Univer- printed in Paris in 1864, and is still intact Canada. sity of Guelph's vigorous interest in French in its original hand-tooled leather binding. Canada, as is evident in student and faculty Author of the volume, Mere Marie de contacts and exchanges with the Universit- ('Incarnation, who founded the Ursuline ies of Laval, Sherbrooke, Montreal, and Convent in Quebec City in 1639, may be Ottawa. considered the first lady of letters in Canada Most French Canadian editions printed and a selection of whose letters were publis- prior to 1950 are out of print, and we are hed some eighteen months ago in English. indeed fortunate to receive many of these Another interesting volume is the compl- books. Incidentally, due to standing orders ete fourth edition of Francois-Xavier from American universities for French Garneau's Histoire du Canada. Garneau's Canadian writings and the growing demand history had a major influence on the 19th in English Canada for Canadian books in century novel and poetry in French Canada. French, opportunities of purchase are Also included are numerous first editions minimal. of fate 19th and early 20th century writers, Many of the general items in the collect- which are now out of print, an example ion, though recent, are out of print, which being Louis Frechette's Oeuvres complete, strengthens the French Canadian literature published in 1908, along with many out of through greater contact with the works of print journals, containing articles of polit- the 19th century writers in particular, and ical, historical or literary interest; for exam- provide a firm basis for research at the ple, La Revue Canadienne, printed in the graduate level in these areas. 1890's and early 1900's. Pat Biggins, of the Library staff, looks at The collection of separatist literature too, A very interesting volume is a grammar one of the many books in the collection. 3 National Librarian Will Speak at Presentation Keynote speaker at the official present- the two appointments of National Librarian ation ceremonies of the Lillian Davies Col- and Dominion Archivist. Dr. Lamb remains lection, Wednesday, July 30, will be the Dominion Archivist. National Librarian of Canada, Guy Sylvestre. Joseph Jean Guy Sylverstre was born in Also participating in the presentation Sorel, and studied at the College Sainte- will be University of Guelph President Dr. Marie de Montreal and at the University W. C. Winegard, L. F. MacRae, Chief Libr- of Ottawa, taking a licentiate in philosophy arian, and Raymond Davies, husband of the in 1941, and his Master of Arts degree in late Lillian Davies, and one of Canada's 1942. Mr. Sylvestre was Private Secretary leading book dealers. to the Rt. Hon. Louis St. Laurent, 1945 Mr. Sylvestre was appointed National to 1950 and was appointed Assistant Librarian of Canada in May, 1968, succeed- Librarian in the Library of Parliament in ing Dr. W. K. Lamb, who had been filling 1953 and Associate Parliamentary Librarian in 1956. He is a life member of the Canadian Libr- ary Association and a member of the Canad- Raymond Davies, donor of the collection, ian Association of French Language Librar- and L.F. MacRae, Chief Librarian at the ians. University of Guelph, discuss one of the Mr. Sylvestre was made a Fellow of the oldest and rarest books in the collection, Royal Society of Canada in 1952 and was an early edition of Thomas Aquinas, printed elected to the French Canadian Academy in 1485, and still in good condition in its in 1965. He was President of the Canadian hand-tooled leather binding. Writers Foundation and lecturer at the Library School at the University of Ottawa. 41. The author of a number of works on The News Bulletin is published by the De- : partment of Information and edited by Mrs. French and Canadian literature, Mr. Betty Keeling. Copy for the next edition Sylvestre also has edited books on the sub- must reach the editor, Room 361, Mc- ject of Canadian Univeristies and the social Laughlin Library, not later than Friday, Two Eskimo sculptures, carved from bone structures of French Canada. He contribut- July 25. carbon dated at over 2000 years, are part es articles to a number of magazines on of the collection. cultural subjects. An Historian Looks At The Collection by W. S. Reid, Chairman, History Department The literary aspect of the Lillian Davies Memorial collection on conspectus of historical thought and point of view is reflected in the French Canada is apparent as one glances over the shelves holding the material. books, but on the closer examination it soon becomes obvious that Although some may consider many of the works as exclusively much of the material is also historical. In fact one might well say that literary, in fact even the Romans provide the historian with an import- it adds a new dimension to the MacLaughlin Library, for it provides ant source.

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