These two instruments were executed before Metres Duchaine and De
la Ville, greffiers; the greffiers were Notaires also. Another fact
worthy of note is that the first time a Notary's services were put in
requisition was at the instance of the heirs of Hebert, the physician." -
Morning Chronicle, 12th April, 1881.
[69] Chansons populaires du Canada, &c., par Ernest Gagnon, 1865.
[70] The father of French-Canadian history; born in 1809, died in 1866.
[71] The tablet on his monument, in Mount Hermon Cemetery, bears the
following inscription: -
IN MEMORY OF ROBERT CHRISTIE, ESQ.
A native of Nova Scotia, he early adopted Canada as his country, and
during a long life faithfully served her. In the War in 1812 as a Captain,
4th Batt., he defended her frontier; in peace, during upwards of 30 years,
he watched over her interests as member of Parliament for the County of
Gaspe; and in the retirement of his later years recorded her annals as her
historian.
He died at Quebec on the 13th October, 1856, aged 68, leaving behind him
the memory of a pure career and incorruptible character.
Integer vitae scelerisque purus.
The inscription, which we think worthy of commendation for the chasteness
and conciseness of its style, is from the pen of (the late) J. B. Parkin,
Esq., advocate, of this city; the most lasting monument, however, of the
honoured deceased is that which was the product of his own brain, his
History of Canada. This work is unfortunately incomplete, though the
materials of a posthumous volume are still extant; but it is to be
regretted that Mr. Christie's widow has been robbed, and that by the hand
of no common thief, of some most important documents collected by and
belonging to her late husband - Quebec Mercury, 5th Nov., 1859.
[72] Opposite to Mr. Narcisse Turcotte, jeweller, on Mountain Hill.
[73] The Basilica Minor, or Roman Catholic Parish Church, built in 1647,
restored after the siege of 1759, was consecrated by Bishop Laval on the
18th July, 1666, under the name of the Church of the Immaculate
Conception. It is the oldest church in North America. Its length is 216
feet by 108 in breadth, and is capable of containing a congregation of
4,000 persons. "It originated in a gift, in 1644, on the part of Couillard
and Guillemette Hebert, his wife, of 80 perches of land in superficies,
for a parish church, on condition on the part of the Fabrique, or
church authorities, that they would furnish a pew in perpetuity in said
church for them and their successors, on their paying them a sum of 30
livres, tournois, at each mutation. The Church was begun in 1644
and 1645, on this spot, out of collections made in the years 1643 and 1644
together, until the price for which were sold 1,270 beaver skins - worth
about 8,000 livres - was given by the Quebec merchants.
