"Many Of The Public Buildings Of Montreal Are Excellent.
The Bon
Secours Market is a very fine building, and puts many of ours at home
to shame.
The Jesuits' College is large and sombre; and some of the
convents and institutions are well worth a visit, both as buildings and
as institutions of the place.
"In the country little progress appears; but you see no misery, and
much comfort and joyfulness. Indeed, these French settlers seem happy
upon their small properties, surrounded by their old customs, and in
the enjoyment of the fetes and holidays which their religion allows.
They look upon the rush of improvement with calmness, though often with
a sort of incredulity as to the agency by which it is brought about,
and the righteousness of its existence. 'Mais, croyez-vous que le bon
Dieu permettra tout cela?' said one of them on seeing a train move
along, dragged by no visible horseflesh, and propelled without birds'
wings. They are quite a contrast to their American neighbours, who have
often suggested that Lower Canada might go ahead if the French
population were 'improved off the face of the earth.'
"The priests set a good example of taking matters enjoyably and
peacefully: their country farm outside Montreal, at the foot of the
mountain, for example. The house is situated so as to command a
beautiful view of the basin of the St. Lawrence, which, on a fine day,
shows its river gliding on with broad tranquil surface, peacefully
towards the sea, and exhibits the gardens, woods, and orchards, which
cover the country with a fertile and smiling landscape. The grounds are
large and well planted; and the rude gaze of the multitude is shut out
by a high wall, which extends half round the farm itself. Here the good
fathers come for a few days at a time, and in turns, to recruit
exhausted nature, and spend their hours in exercise and reading. Fine
old fellows! we need not envy them; but rather hope that all men may
some day have as many of the means of quiet and simple happiness to
resort to.
"The short summer of Lower Canada causes great activity in business
during the 'seasons.' The summer and autumn are therefore the times of
business; the short interval between them the time for visits to the
seaside, or to Saratoga, or the Caledonia Springs; while the winter,
with its snow and ice and long endurance, brings round a continuous
carnival of pleasant racket, and is really the season of society
amongst all ranks of the people. I heard magnificent accounts of the
balls, parties, sleighings, and country frolics, which take place; also
of the walking expeditions far out into the wilds, with snow shoes,
tents to sleep in, and Indian attendants; and of the wild sport in
hunting the moose-deer, and other tenants of the wood - during this
winter season. Some of the English agents spend five business months in
Canada, and all the rest of the year in England, going home in November
and returning in April.
"The residences in the suburbs of Montreal are usually well built,
large, and beautifully situated. We drove through the suburbs to
Monklands, which is on the western side of the mountain, and commands a
fine view of the country. This house, which is capacious and handsome,
is now used as an hotel. It was the seat of the Governor-General, Lord
Elgin; and the landlord showed us a point at the end of the now
dilapidated, but some time beautiful, garden, from whence, he said, his
lordship viewed afar off the burning of the Parliament Houses at
Montreal a year or two back. Lord Elgin shut himself up in Monklands
for about three months after this outrage, and the Parliament and court
were removed to Toronto, which, until the turn comes round to some
other place, has the exclusive honour of hearing the rather strong
oratory of the Upper Province. The country about Monklands is very
beautiful, and there are still abundant openings on the mountain sides
for villas, similar to the very handsome and tasteful erections with
which they are at present pretty thickly studded.
"Leaving Montreal one evening by steamer, I dropped down to Quebec. The
St. Lawrence below Montreal is broad, deep, and, in some places,
winding. The principal population of Lower Canada is on its immediate
shores; and the numerous cottages and houses, with cultivated fields
around them, would lead to a belief that the whole population of the
country, so thickly appearing on the margin of the river, was greater
than it is. The sail by daylight must be beautiful, and as the hours of
day, which going and returning allowed, enabled me to see a great part
of the distance, I only regretted that I could not see more of so noble
a river, and of the industry and the people settled on its banks.
"When within five miles of Quebec, coming down the river, there
commences a succession of wharfs, to which the timber, which forms so
great a trade here, is floated down stream, and from which it is loaded
into vessels for Europe and other parts of the world. The stock of
timber balks floating in the basins about these wharfs and landings is
now so great, that for three miles the margin of the river looks like
one great raft. We passed two immense rafts of timber, floating down
the stream, to be stowed here, one of which was some 400 yards long,
had eighteen sails set, and four wooden houses complete, erected upon
it.
"Quebec is admirably placed as a fortified city, and also as a point
for commerce. It stands on a high point of land opposite the Isle of
Orleans, which here divides the St. Lawrence into two large streams.
The citadel overlooks the Bay of Quebec, the Isle of Orleans, and the
high banks of the St. Lawrence. The view from it is most extensive, in
whichever direction the eye wanders.
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