The Project Gutenberg eBook of Our Intellectual Strength and Weakness, by John George Bourinot

[58a] Page 42.—Four years ago you were good enough, in offering me the position of your honorary president, to ask the sympathy and encouragement which the governor-general, as Her Majesty's representative, might rightly be asked to manifest towards the representatives of science and of the liberal arts. I am afraid that my contributions to literature and science have been few. I do not know they are such as would have merited the notice of the Royal Society, but I can assure you that none of the members of your body take a deeper interest in all that concerns the welfare of your Society than he who is now laying down the office of honorary president. (Cheers.) There were some persons who considered that in a comparatively new country like Canada it was ambitious on her part when the foundations of the Royal Society were laid, but there must be a beginning of all things, and I think I may appeal to the work which has been and is being done by the different branches of the Society as evidence that its establishment was in no sense premature, but that it was fittingly determined that the progress of science and literature should take place coincidently with that of the country. In a new country like this—I think you have touched upon it in your address—there is a great tendency to further one's material wants, to promote trade and commerce, and to put aside, as it were, literature and the sciences; but here the Royal Society has stepped in and done good work by uniting those who were scattered by distance and who find in the meetings of our Society a convenient opportunity of coming together for the exchanging of ideas and renewing of those friendships which, though perhaps only yearly meetings permit, are nevertheless enduring. If we look back we shall best see what good work is being done. If we could imagine the existence of such a society as this in the older countries in olden times, what a mine of wealth of information would have been afforded us! We see that from the very first, whether in literature, which forms so important a part in our Society; whether it be in the constitutional studies, in which our President is such an adept—and I was glad to see his authority has been quoted on the other side of the Atlantic as well as on this—whether it be in the literature of the chivalrous pioneers of France, who first led the way into the unbroken wilderness, or whether it be in the latter days of constitutional progress of this country and its relations both to the old world and the country growing up alongside of us.

In literature, history and poetry, also, the Society will from the first have its stamp, as we trust, upon the future of the Canadian race. (Cheers.) That science and the arts to an equal extent may find a place here is our earnest wish, in order that by sentiment and feeling we may bind together in the closest ties that by which she must achieve a great and enduring success. I must not detain you from your other duties, but I could not refrain from saying in a few words how heartily and truly I appreciate and believe in the work of the Royal Society. At your next meeting, as you truly say, I fear I shall not be amongst you; but though the Atlantic may roll between us, you may be certain that in spirit, at least, I hope to be present at your meeting, and shall follow with the liveliest and deepest interest any record you may be good enough to send me of what takes place on that occasion. * * * * * I appeal not the less to my French colleagues than to my English ones in all matters which relate to the welfare of the Society. Science, art and literature, it is true, are cosmopolitan, but they are well knit together in this Society. We who have experienced in Canada the hospitality of its people are grateful for it. We have admired the greatness of the resources of this country, and we look forward to a society like this as having ample work to do in the future. As in every respect Canada seems to be disposed always to take a forward part, so I hope the Royal Society will ever press on to a higher and higher goal; and, gentlemen, I can wish to the Royal Society, to all my friends and brothers of the Society, to whom I once more tender my hearty thanks, no greater blessing than, like Canada itself, that they may be happy, united and prosperous. (Loud and prolonged cheers.)

[59] Page 40.—"A Study, with Critical and Explanatory Notes, of Lord Tennyson's Poem, The Princess." By S. E. Dawson. Montreal, 1882, 12mo. 2nd ed. 1884. The preface contains a long and interesting letter from the poet, which "throws some light upon some important literary questions regarding the manner and method of the poet's working." Tennyson describes the "Study" truly as an "able and thoughtful essay."

[60] Page 40.—It first appeared in Toronto in 1872 (Adam Stevenson & Co.), soon after Prof. Goldwin Smith took up his permanent residence in that western city. Much of its reputation for years necessarily depended on the contributions of a writer who, if he has failed to identify himself of late with the national or Canadian sentiment of the people, has at all events done something in the past to improve the style of Canadian littérateurs and to elevate the tone of journalism. The 'Monthly' was the ablest successor of a long list of literary aspirants in the same field, the majority of which had a still shorter existence. See Bourinot's "Intellectual Development of the Canadian People" (Toronto, 1881), chap. iv. and 'Canadian Monthly,' March, 1881.

[61] Page 42.—Since the delivery of the presidential address the Royal Society decided by a considerable majority—chiefly made up of the two scientific sections—to continue the quarto form for the present. Under these circumstances the compromise suggested may be adopted—that of printing separate editions of important monographs and works from time to time by some understanding with the author.

[62] Page 49.—The following is a fuller quotation from Prof. Goldwin Smith's very apposite remarks delivered before the Classical Association of Ontario (see 'The Week,' April 28th, 1893): "No age has stood more in need of humanizing culture than this, in which physical culture reigns. One of the newspapers the other day invited us to take part in a symposium the subject of which was 'How to Produce a Perfect Man.' The problem was large, but one help to its solution might have been a reminder to keep the balance. A romantic age stands in need of science, a scientific and utilitarian age stands in need of the humanities. Darwin avows that poetry gave him no pleasure whatever. This surely was a loss, unless the whole side of things which poetry denotes is dead and gone, nothing but dry science being left us; in which case the generations that are coming may have some reason, with all their increase of knowledge and power, to wish that they had lived nearer the youth of the world." See supra, Note 1, for Mr. Lowell's remarks on the same subject.

[63] Page 53.—Some interesting facts as to the evolution of libraries in the Dominion can be gathered by reference to Bourinot's "Intellectual Development in Canada" (Toronto, 1831); Canniff Haight's "Country Life in Canada Fifty Years Ago"; Dr. Canniff's "History of Ontario"; and Dr. Kingsford's "Early Bibliography of Ontario." The principal results of the Ontario law providing for the establishment of free libraries by votes of ratepayers in a community have been the opening of two excellent libraries in Hamilton and Toronto—the latter under the judicious superintendence of Mr. James Bain.

[64] Page 54.—An Art Society was founded in Upper Canada as far back as 1841, but its exhibitions were necessarily representative of British works of art. The present Art Association was founded in Montreal in 1860, and the Ontario School of Arts, which is doing excellent work, twelve years later, with its headquarters in Toronto. The Royal Canadian Academy, mentioned in the text, was established in 1880. The influence of these and two or three minor institutions in Canada has been on the whole in the direction of stimulating art, but their efforts are not adequately encouraged by government or people in the provinces.

The following is a list of the painters in oils and water colours whose pictures now make the principal features of the annual exhibitions in Ontario and Quebec, and the majority of whom were inadequately represented at Chicago: F. A. Verner, whose Indian and Canadian scenes are excellent; H. M. Matthews, who has made a high reputation for his Rocky Mountain paintings; L. R. O'Brien, essentially the most finished painter of picturesque Canada; T. Mower Martin, an industrious painter of wild sports and Canadian scenery; E. Wyley Grier, who has done some good work in portraits and natural scenery; W. Brymner, one of the most promising younger painters of Canadian scenes: George Reid, whose "Foreclosure of the Mortgage" is one of the best pictures produced in the Dominion; John Hammond of St. John, N.B., a painter of water life; Percy Woodcock, whose efforts at sketches of Canadian rural life are praiseworthy: F. M. Bell-Smith, who has a decided artistic faculty for the portraiture of our noblest scenery; Homer Watson, a favourite for his rustic landscapes and romantic pastorals; J. W. L. Forster, in some respects the best figure painter, but also capable of good landscapes; G. Bruenech, a careful artist of scenery; Ernest Thompson, who has made some good efforts at prairie subjects; J. C. Forbes, who painted Mr. Gladstone's portrait, and is one of the best artists of the class that Canada has so far known; W. Raphael and O. R. Jacobi, two of the oldest and best known painters of Canadian landscape. To these we must add Miss Minnie A. Bell, A. Watson, Miss Sidney S. Tully, Mrs. M. H. Reid, J. T. Rolph, R. F. Gagen, T. C. McGillivray Knowles, Forshaw Day, L. Huot, Mlle. Colombier, E. Dyonnet, C. Macdonald Manly, D. P. MacKillsan, J. W. Morrice, A. D. Patterson, Miss G. F. Spurr, F. S. Challener, Paul J. Wickson, Mrs. M. B. Screiber, W. Revell, D. Fowler, Miss E. May Martin, Miss Laura Muntz, Miss F. M. Bell-Smith, Miss Florence Carlyle, Miss I. M. F. Adams, Owen P. Staples, Mrs. M. E. Dignam, Charles Alexander, W. E. Atkinson, J. C. Mills, J. A. Fraser (in New York), Carl Ahrens, W. A. Sherwood, Miss Fannie Sutherland, T. C. V. Ede, H. Sandham (in New York), Mr. Harvey, Mr. Cruickshank, Mr. Seavey, A. Cox, Miss Edwards, J. Griffith, Colin Scott, J. Wilson, James Smith, C. J. Way, F. Brownell, A. P. Coleman, R. Harris, Miss Holden and Miss Houghton. Many of these artists, whose merits, of course, vary much, are not native Canadians. One of the strongest landscape painters, Mr. Matthews, is an Englishman, who has now, after some years, thoroughly understood the light and colour of Canadian scenery. O'Brien, Brymner, L. Huot, Forbes, Forster, Pinhey, Sidney Tully, G. Harris, Gagen, Knowles, Watson, Alexander, A. D. Patterson, C. M. Manly, E. May Martin and George Reid are Canadians. G. T. Berthon, who died recently in Toronto at an advanced age, and was known as a painter of numerous portraits, the best of which are to be seen in Osgoode Hall, was of French origin and education. Raphael is German by birth and education. Jacobi is a painter of the Dusseldorf school, and was at one time employed in the court of the King of Bavaria. Bruenech is a native, I understand, of Denmark, though educated in Canada. E. W. Grier is an Englishman by birth and education, with a knowledge of French art derived from study in Paris. So is Ernest Thompson, who also studied in Paris. Mower Martin is an Englishman, educated in that country and in Canada, with whose scenery he has been always enamoured. Carl Ahrens was born and educated in the United States. Miss Minnie Bell and Miss Laura Muntz are among the most promising younger artists of Canada. Both were born and received their elementary education in Canada. Miss Bell, after studying in Paris, is now in Montreal. Miss Muntz is still studying in Paris. Robert Harris is a native of Prince Edward Island. Mr. N. Bourassa, who is a French Canadian artist, has of late years devoted himself to ecclesiastical decoration. His best work is to be seen in the architecture and decoration of the churches of Notre Dame de Nazareth and Notre Dame de Lourdes, in Montreal, and he has the credit of having first applied probably in America "the art of painting to the adornment of Christian churches in the broad and thorough manner so common at one period in central Italy." (See Dr. S. E. Dawson's "Handbook of Canada," Montreal, 1888, pp. 183, 184.) The influence of the French schools of painting can be seen in the best works of Paul Peel (now dead), Forster, Harris, Geo. Reid and John Pinhey (born at Ottawa), all of whom have had success at the salons. At the present time there are some twenty-five Canadians, more or less, studying in Paris, and the majority are French Canadians. In fact, the French schools draw students from Canada as well as from the United States, and England is relatively ignored. The artistic temperament is more stimulated by the ateliers and the student life of Paris than among the more business-like and cold surroundings of a student in London. In sculpture the names are very few, Hamilton McCarthy, Hébert and Dunbar having alone done meritorious work, but of these three Hébert is the only native Canadian. One of the very first painters to draw attention, years ago, to Canadian scenery, especially to the wonderfully vivid tints of autumn, was Krieghoff, whose pictures have been so much copied that it is difficult now to tell the originals from the reproductions. He was, however, not a native Canadian but a Swiss painter from the German-speaking cantons, I believe. The name of Paul Kane (born in Toronto) will be always identified with Indian life and customs, and as the pioneer of art in Canada. A fine collection of his paintings is in the possession of Hon. G. W. Allan, who has always taken an active interest in the development of art in the city of which he has been so long an honoured citizen.

Among other Canadian artists who laboured in the commencement of art studies in this country may be mentioned the following: Dulongpré, Samuel Berczy, Audy, William Berczy, Vincent Zacharie Thelariolin (Indian of Lorette, 1812–1886), Hamel, Carey, T. H. Burnett, J. J. Girouard, P. Leber—many of whose artistic efforts are already forgotten though their work was meritorious. With respect to Berthon, the following note by Col. G. T. Denison, F.R.S.C., of Toronto, which I have received since writing of the artist above, will be of interest: "His father was a court painter under the great Napoleon, and several of his pictures are now in Versailles. He was a Frenchman, and I think was in Vienna when his son, my old friend, was born; for I am under the impression Berthon told me he was born in Vienna. I think he was brought up in France, and went to London when comparatively young, and there set up as a portrait painter. He was induced to come out to Canada about the year 1843 or 1844, and settled in Toronto soon after, where he died about a year ago, over eighty years of age. He was certainly, when in his prime, the best portrait painter we ever had in Canada, and in my opinion was better than most of the men of great celebrity in London to-day."

The successful artists at the World's Fair, where 113 works in all were presented from Canada, were the following: Mr. G. Reid, whose great picture mentioned above could not fail to attract much notice, Mr. Harris, Mr. Ede, Miss Holden and Mr. J. A. Fraser. This is satisfactory in view of the fact that the best work of the majority of leading Canadian artists was not represented in the exhibition. Apart from Mr. Reid's painting, the pictures that were signalled out for special notice were not equal in some respects to other efforts of the same artists that have been seen in our annual exhibitions.

In closing this note I cannot do better than give the following judicious remarks on art in Canada, delivered before the Canadian Institute, by an able Canadian artist, J. W. L. Forster: "The art of Canada to-day is a mingling of elements.... The influence of the old world may be seen in the work of many who cherish still the precepts of their masters. Yet it is due to those who have adopted Canada as their home to say they are as Canadian in the faithful reproduction of the pure glories of our climate as those who first saw the sun in our own sky. Our native artists who have studied abroad are much inclined to paint a Canadian sky with the haze of Western Europe, and our verdure, too, as though it grew upon foreign soil. Our art is not Canadian.... Material is certainly not wanting, nor motif of the grander order. The first requisite is for a stronger national spirit. Events are slowly developing this; and the signs are full of promise in this direction. The second great need is for a museum equipped with well-chosen specimens of the world's art. Our government and citizens are establishing schools of industrial and fine art, yet when we would point our pupils to examples of pure art, lo! there are none; and when we would know what art has been, in order to discover what art may be, we must go as exiles and pilgrims to foreign cities. A museum that gives the best of their art history and achievement will greatly strengthen our hope and give rein to our ambition. A third need is for capable and generous criticism. There are many men whose discernment and sympathies fit them eminently for the role of art critic; but as yet journalism has not opened wide the door to advancement in such a specialty."

[64a] Page 57.—While Canadian architecture is generally wanting in originality of conception, yet it affords many good illustrations of the effective adaptation of the best art of Europe to the principal edifices of the large cities. These are the most noteworthy public buildings:

In Ottawa.—The parliament and departmental buildings, admirable examples of Italian Gothic of the 13th century, with a fine central tower, the effect of which has been marred by a later tower in the western block out of harmony with the general design of an otherwise perfect group.

In Quebec.—The legislative building in the French style of the 17th century, noteworthy for its niches containing statues of men famous in French Canadian history.

In Montreal.—The parish church of Notre Dame, on the Place d'Armes, of a simple Gothic style, attractive for its stateliness and massiveness.

Christ Church Cathedral, on St. Catherine street, worthy of study as an admirable specimen of the early English style of ecclesiastical architecture, exhibiting unity of design and correctness of proportions.

Notre Dame de Lourdes, whose interior has been already spoken of (see preceding note); a good example of the Byzantine order, combined with effects of the Italian Renaissance recalling Venetian architecture.

The Montreal Bank, on St. James street, an artistic illustration of the Corinthian order, with an interior interesting for the artistic effort to illustrate on the walls remarkable scenes in Canadian history.

The Canadian Pacific Station, on Windsor street, a fine example of an adaptation of old Norman architecture to modern necessities.

In Toronto.—The University, perhaps the best example in America of a modern conception of Norman architecture, with a tower of much beauty.

Trinity University, whose graceful Tudor-Gothic design, in which the tower is a conspicuous feature, is marred by the clumsy projection of a later chapel building, entirely out of harmony with the admirable front.

Osgoode Hall, of the Ionic order, modified by additions of the Italian Renaissance.

St. Andrew's Church, a combination of the Norman and Byzantine orders, more suitable for a great library or a hall than an ecclesiastical edifice. As a specimen of architecture, apart from its purpose, it is harmonious and artistic.

The new legislative buildings, which are the most pretentious in Canada after the Ottawa parliament house, are a praiseworthy effort to illustrate the Romanesque, with details of the Celtic and Indo-Germanic schools.

The Methodist Metropolitan Church, a judicious example of a modern form of the Gothic style which distinguished the 13th century in France. It is at once simple and harmonious in its general design, and has a massive tower which adds to the general effect of the whole structure.

St. James's Church, often cited as a good example of ecclesiastical Gothic, with a graceful and well-proportioned tower and steeple, conspicuous from all points of view.

In Hamilton.—The court-house is in some respects the best designed of its kind in Canada. The head office of the Canada Life Assurance Company is noteworthy for its graceful simplicity, in its way not equalled in Canada.

In Fredericton.—The Church of England Cathedral, a perfect specimen, on a small scale, of pure early English Gothic on the Continent.

The new library building which McGill University owes to the public spirit of Mr. Redpath, of Montreal, is distinguished by the graceful simplicity of its external form, and the conveniences of its beautiful interior. Apart from this fine edifice, however, and the parliamentary library at Ottawa, whose external design is harmonious and whose internal fittings illustrate the effectiveness of our natural woods, Canada has no such libraries—in special buildings I mean—noteworthy for beauty of architecture and convenience of arrangements as we find among our neighbours, illustrating their public and private spirit. Neither have we an art gallery of special architectural features, for the building at Montreal is simple in the extreme. Such as it is, however, it is an object of imitation to other cities in Canada.