Should the title of this review come by any chance under the notice of
some of those learned gentlemen who are delving among Greek roots or
working out abstruse mathematical problems in the great academic seats
on the banks of the Cam or Isis, they would probably wonder what can be
said on the subject of the intellectual development of a people engaged
in the absorbing practical work of a Colonial dependency. To such
eminent scholars Canada is probably only remarkable as a country where
even yet there is, apparently, so little sound scholarship that
vacancies in classical and mathematical chairs have to be frequently
filled by gentlemen who have distinguished themselves in the
Universities of the parent state. Indeed, if we are to judge from
articles and books that appear from time to time in England with
reference to this country, Englishmen in general know very little of the
progress that has been made in culture since Canada has become the most
important dependency of Great Britain, by virtue of her material
progress within half a century. Even the Americans who live alongside of
us, and would be naturally supposed to be pretty well informed as to the
progress of the Dominion to their north, appear for the most part
ignorant of the facts of its development in this particular. It was but
the other day that a writer of some ability, in an organ of religious
opinion, referred to the French Canadians as a people speaking only
inferior French, and entirely wanting in intellectual vigour. Nor is
this fact surprising when we consider that there are even some Canadians
who do not appear to have that knowledge which they ought to have on
such a subject, and take many opportunities of concealing their
ignorance by depreciating the intellectual efforts of their countrymen.
If so much ignorance or indifference prevails with respect to the
progress of Canada in this respect, it must be admitted--however little
flattering the admission may be to our national pride--that it is, after