THE BRITISH ASSOCIATION.

(Reprinted from The Times, 1884)

It seems early to begin to speak of the arrangements for the next

meeting of the British Association, but it is a far cry to Montreal, and

a proportionately long start must be made before the final leap is

taken. So heartily have the Dominion Government and the Canadian

_savants_ entered into the preparations that everything is ready;

all the presidents, vice-presidents and secretaries of sections have

been selected; all arrangements made with steamship companies and

American railways; all excursions have been planned, and all possible

routes provided for; instructions of the most detailed kind have been

drawn up for the guidance of members; nothing has been left, indeed,

except what depends on contingencies of time and place, so that

Professor Bonney and his legion of officials may at any moment take up

their portmanteaus and walk on shipboard. All this forwardness and

completeness are largely due to the zeal of the High Commissioner, Sir

Charles Tupper, and his energetic and obliging secretary, Mr. Colmer.

When the decision was come to at Southampton to hold the meeting of 1884

in Canada there was widely expressed disapproval of the step, and doubt

as to its legitimacy; but the prospect of entertaining the upper

thousand of English science has evidently so greatly gratified our

Canadian brothers that even the most stiff-necked opponent of the

migration must be compelled to give in if he has a shred of good nature

and brotherly feeling left. There are doubtless a few grumblers who will

maintain that the Montreal assembly will not be a meeting of the

_British_ Association; but after all this Imperial Parliament of

Science could not be better occupied than in doing something to promote

science in one of the most important sections of the British dominions.

Indeed, since some maintain that so far as this country is concerned it

has almost ceased to have a _raison d'etre_, might it not extend

its functions and endeavour to exercise the same effective influence on

the promotion of science in other parts of the Empire as it has

undoubtedly done in the past in the Mother Country? It can scarcely hope

ever to hold a meeting either in Australia or India, nor even, we fear,

in South Africa; but there are other means Which it might adopt more

appropriately than any other body to encourage the progress of science

in these parts of the Empire, and make accessible to the public

interested in it the good work which is being done, at least in some of

the Australian colonies. In Canada itself there are several important

scientific societies; but so far as we know, they have no common bond of

union. Seeing that there is already an efficient American Association,

we should not advocate the formation of a separate Canadian body; but

possibly the Montreal meeting might be able to do something to

federalise the separate Canadian societies. We suggested some years ago

that the Association might do such a service to the numerous local

societies in this country, and we are glad to know that the suggestion

has borne fruit, and that already a real advance has been made in this

direction.

But whatever may be the results of the Montreal meeting, it is clear

from the programme which has been drawn up that everything possible is

being done to render the occasion one of genuine enjoyment to all who

are fortunate enough to be present. The Canadian Parliament has voted so

handsome a sum for the entertainment of the Association that its

expenses are likely to be less than at an ordinary meeting. Provision

has been made for free passages and free living for fifty of the

officials, who need not spend a penny from the time they set foot upon

the steamer until they step ashore again upon their native land. Not

only so, but a sum of $14,000 has been allotted for the reduction of

members' passages to Canada in addition to any abatement of fares

allowed by the steamship companies. The most important of these

companies, sailing not only to Quebec and Montreal, but to New York and

Newport, offer reductions averaging about 10 per, cent, on the ordinary

fares. The companies who offer these advantages are the Allan, the

Dominion, the Beaver, White Star, Cunard, National, Anchor, Guion,

Inman, Monarch, and Union lines; so that intending visitors have ample

choice of route. On the other side, again, all the railway companies

have shown the greatest liberality. The Government railways are free to

all who produce members' vouchers. The Canada Pacific Line will from

July 1 up to the date of the departure of the special free excursion to

the Rocky Mountains, grant to visiting members free passes over its

lines to the northward (Rocky Mountains, Lake Superior, &c.) and

intermediate points. This company also offers to one hundred and fifty

members of the Association a free special excursion to the Rocky

Mountains, by way of Georgian Bay, Thursday Bay, and Winnipeg, providing

that those places passed during the night on the outward journey will be

repassed during the day on the return. The only thing members will have

to pay for will be meals, which will be provided at a rate not exceeding

2s. Arrangements, moreover, will be made for trips and excursions from

Toronto, across Lake Ontario to Niagara, under the direction of local

committees to be formed in both places, giving to all members an

opportunity of visiting the Falls. Various other excursions have been

liberally arranged for by the company, so that visitors will have ample

opportunity of seeing most that is worth seeing in Canada for

practically nothing. The Canada Atlantic Railway has also arranged for

several free excursions, while the Grand Trunk, the North Shore, the

Central Vermont, and other railways in the States offer tickets to

members at something like half the usual rates; thus those who proceed

to New York may visit various parts of the States before proceeding

northwards to Canada at extremely cheap rates. At all the Canadian

cities to be visited local committees will be organized to receive the

excursionists and to care for them during their stay. The circular

prepared for the members gives every information as to routes,

distances, fares, &c., so that they may make all their arrangements

before leaving England. The telegraph companies, not to be behindhand,

undertake to transmit messages during the meeting for members from

Montreal to all parts of Canada and the United States free of charge.

Of course, it is not to be expected that all those advantages will be

given indiscriminately to all who may apply, and doubtless the great

accession of members at the Southport meeting was partly due to the

prospective visit to Canada. But only those members elected at or before

the Southampton meeting will share in the benefit of the $14,000

allotted for reduction of passage money, and until further notice no new

members or associates can be elected except by special vote of the

Council. This is as it should be, otherwise the meeting would be largely

one of mere "trippers," instead of genuine representatives of British

science. The Council have taken every precaution to render the Montreal

Meeting one of real work, and no mere holiday; from respect to itself as

well as to its hosts, the Association is bound to show itself at its

best. At the same time, the Council have extended all the privileges of

associates to the near relatives of members to the number of three for

each, so that members will have no excuse for doing Canada _en

garcon_. Of course those applying for the privileges mentioned must

produce satisfactory evidence of their identity, and in return will

receive vouchers which will serve as passports on the other side. Those

desirous of obtaining information as to hotels and other local matters,

must apply to the local secretary, care of Mr. S. C. Stevenson, 181, St.

James's Street, Montreal.

Already somewhere about six hundred applications nave been received, and

it is quite probable that at least one thousand members and associates

may be crowding across next August. Those members who wish to share in

the subsidy of $14,000 must apply before March 25, and no voucher will

be issued after July 20. We may say that the reduced railway fares

mainly extend from August 1 to the end of September. The active and

courteous secretary, Professor Bonney, on whom so much depends, will

arrive in Montreal three weeks before the opening of the meeting, August

27, for the purpose of securing that everything is in train. It is

expected that all the addresses will be printed here in time for

transmission to Montreal. So far at least as the officials are

concerned, the Canada Meeting will be a representative one. The

President elect, Lord Rayleigh, one of the most solid exponents of

British science, will certainly prove equal to the occasion. The

vice-presidents show a large Transatlantic contingent; they are, his

Excellency the Governor-General, Sir John A. Macdonald, Sir Lyon

Playfair, Sir Alexander Gait, Sir Charles Tupper, Sir Narcisse Dorion,

Hon. Dr. Chauveau, Principal Dawson, Professor Frankland, Dr. L. H.

Hingston, and Professor Sterry Hunt. Sir Joseph Hooker, we may say, has

also been nominated by the Council a vice-president, in place of the

late Sir C. W. Siemens. Perhaps it is scarcely necessary to state that

the general treasurer, Professor A W. Williamson, and the general

secretaries, Captain Douglas Galton and Mr. A. G. Vernon Harcourt, will

be present. There are five local secretaries and a local treasurer. The

presidents of the sections are all men of the highest standing in their

particular departments; it would be difficult, indeed, to suggest a

better selection. In Section A, Mathematical and Physical Science, it is

a great thing that Professor Sir William Thomson has been persuaded to

preside. No more representative chemist than Professor Roscoe could have

been obtained for Section B; in C, Geology; Mr. W. T. Blanford, the head

of the Indian Geological Survey, is sure to do honour to his subject; in

Section D, Biology, Professor Moseley, a man of thoroughly Darwinian

type of mind, will preside; in F, Economic Science, Sir Richard Temple

will be a host in himself; while in G, Mechanical Science, Sir F J.

Bramwell is sure to be vigorous and original; finally, in the new

section H, Anthropology, Dr. E. B. Tylor is the very man that ought to

have been selected. Lord Aberdare, we regret to say, has been compelled

to retire from the presidency of the Geographical Section; but for a

Canadian meeting no more suitable president could be obtained than the

veteran Arctic explorer, Sir Leopold McClintock, who, we trust, will be

persuaded to take the place of Lord Aberdare. All the vice-presidents

and secretaries of sections have been chosen with equal care; and thus

the Association has taken the very best means of proving to the

Canadians how highly they, appreciate the honour of the invitation, and

in what respect they hold their prospective audiences. For the public

lectures, the popular feature of the meetings, it is hoped to secure the

services of Professor W. G. Adams, the able Professor of Physics in

King's College, London, who it is hoped will be able to go; Dr.

Dallinger, the well-known-biologist, and Professor Ball, the witty and

eloquent Astronomer Royal for Ireland, who will deliver the popular

lecture _par excellence_.

Thus it will be seen that every possible arrangement has been made that

could be made beforehand to insure complete success, and there can be

little doubt that neither the Association nor the Canadians will be

disappointed. Section A is following the example set last year in

Section D by Professor Ray Lankester. The Committee, as we have already

announced, are sending out a circular inviting mathematicians and

physicists to co-operate with them in sustaining discussions and

contributing papers; one of the special subjects for discussion in this

section on September 1st will be the vexed one of the connection between

sun spots and terrestrial phenomena. In conclusion we may say that the

American Association will meet in Philadelphia on September 3rd, and

those who have not had enough of science at Montreal can enjoy another

week of it at the Quaker City. The Philadelphia Committee have sent a

cordial invitation to the members of the British Association to attend

their meetings, offering to do the utmost in their power to make the

visit at once pleasant and profitable. This will be a red letter year in

the history of both Associations.

Letter No. 1.

_Thursday, August 21st, 1884; on board "PARISIAN,"--getting near

Newfoundland._

My beloved Mother.--I sent you some lines from the train on Saturday

16th, and a card to Clara after we arrived on board. This is a capital

ship, and lucky for us it is so, for we have had a regular gale. I

little thought it was possible that I should dislike any sea as I do

this Atlantic! It has been dreadful weather--grey in the clouds above

and waters beneath, and blowing hard, without anything to brighten the

vast waste of waters, and I have heartily wished myself away from it.

This truly humiliating state of things will cause you to triumph over

me, no doubt! I became uncomfortable and headachy and could do nothing,

nor bear to stay in the saloon, and the drawing room, such as it is, is

taken possession of by the men, who lay themselves down full length on

the seats and leave no room for any ladies, so I have stayed in my

cabin. Dr. Protheroe Smith has been quite a comfort to me. He is such a

good man, and so pleasant, and has given me things to read, and relates

interesting medical and religious experiences. While I write, an

enormous wave has dashed against my port light and given me a flash of

darkness. Hedley has been rather ill, but has never quite lost his

appetite. Gibson and the two others have held out well. Evelyn has been

in her berth since Monday, when it began to blow, but she has not been

really ill. John and Dick have braved the storm on deck, and say the

sight of the waves from the stern was magnificent, but I don't care for

this kind of awful uncomfortable magnificence, which makes me feel a

miserable shrimp, whose fate it is to be swallowed up by these raging

waves, and who well deserves it. So I only made a feeble attempt to get

to the deck on Monday, and was glad, to leave it in half an hour when it

rained. I went down to the drawing room to look at some men playing

chess, but as the others stared at me as if I had no right to be there,

and the motion was very bad, I had soon to leave ignominiously. Mr.

Barrett has entertained me with some ghost stories, well authenticated

and printed for private circulation. I have begun writing this to-day

because there seems some chance of posting it on Saturday or Sunday,

when Sir Leonard and Lady Tilley and two sons are to be landed at New

Brunswick as we pass down the Straits of Belle Isle, I think. I shall

not see your birth-place as we shall be too far off.

_Friday, 22nd._--I went upon deck after breakfast in a great hurry

to see an iceberg. I was greeted with great kindness by every one after

my three days' seclusion, and thoroughly enjoyed the day and the ocean

for the first time. It was very cold but clear and sparkling, and there

was no motion to speak of; after the gale, and the great hills and

valleys of the Atlantic roll in a storm, it seemed impossible it could

be so smooth; but we are to have every experience of weather, as a fog

came on and we steamed very slowly and blew fog signals for an hour!

However, the sun broke forth and lifted the curtain of fog, and within a

quarter of a mile we saw a beautiful iceberg twelve or fifteen hundred

feet deep, they said, and so beautiful in its ultra marine colouring.

The shape was like a village church somewhat in ruins. Miss Fox, a

sister of Caroline Fox, is on board and sketched the icebergs and the

waves during the storm very cleverly. They were also photographed by Mr.

Barrett and a professional. After dinner we were all on deck again and

watched for the lights on the coast of Labrador, which mark the entrance

into the Straits of Belle Isle, and at last a twinkle caught my eye and

we all greeted it with joy! Isn't it wonderful that a ship can be

steered across that vast expanse of water straight to this light, in

spite of clouds and storms and without the sight of sun or moon or

stars? If I was teaching a class I should quote this as a good

illustration of "God's mysterious ways." We wander on through all the

changes, and chances of this mortal life, and we don't know the why, or

when, or where, but at last we see the lights of heaven looming on our

horizon and are at the haven where we would be. Then we realize that all

the time He was guiding us by ways that we knew not! In the evening we

heard an auction amusingly carried on, though I did not approve of the

gambling connected with it; and then Mr. Barrett gave a short account of

apparitions, and there was a discussion.

I am now writing after breakfast on Saturday and we expect to reach

Quebec on Sunday night. It will be a dreadful disappointment if we don't

see the first view, which is so fine, by daylight. We entered the Gulf

of St. Lawrence last night (Friday). I give you a list of our saloon

fellow passengers and you will see that I knew a good many of them

before.

LIST OF SALOON PASSENGERS PER S. "PARISIAN," (CAPTAIN JAMES WYLIE,) FOR

QUEBEC, AUGUST 16TH, 1884.

Mr. H. Alabaster

Mr. A. H. Allen

Dr. J. T. Arlidge

Mr. Atchison

Mr. B. Baker

Major E. Bance

Miss Barlow

Mr. W. F. Barrett

Dr. Beamish

Mr. G Belyea

Mr. G W. Bloxam

Miss Bodman

Dr. H. Borns

Mr. Stephen Bourne

Miss E E. Bourne

Miss E. M. Bourne

Mr. A. H. Bradley

Sir Frederick Bramwell

Mr. R. G. Brook

Mr. Robert Capper

Mrs. Capper

Mr. G. C. Chatterton

Mr. W. H. Clemmey

Mr. C. Cooke

Mrs. Cooper

Miss Cooper

Mr. F. B. C. Costelloe

Mr. Crampton

Mrs. Crampton

Mr. Crookshank

Mr. W. C. Davy

Miss Daw

Mr. W. Boyd Dawkins

Mr. Thomas Denman

Prof. Dewar

Mrs. Dewar

Mr. G. E. Dobson

Mr. R. Edminson

Mr. E. Farnworth

Mr. J. Fewings

Prof. G. Forbes

Mr. R Formby

Mr. C. Le Neve Foster

Mr. Howard Fox

Miss Fox

Prof. Fream

Hon. C. W. Fremantle

Capt. Douglas Galton

Mr. John L. Garsed

Dr. J. H. Gilbert

Mrs. Gilbert

Mr. J. H. Gladstone

Miss Gladstone

Miss Gladstone

Miss Gladstone

Mr. J. H. Glover

Mr. A. G. Greenhill

Mr. Egbert de Hamel

Mr. N. C. Hardcastle

Mr. B. W. Hardcastle

Dr. G. Harley

Mr. N. B. Harley

Miss Harris

Mr. R. T. Herford

Miss A. C. Herford

Mr. Horniman

Mr. W. Hurst

Mr. John Jones

Rev. Harry Jones

Mr. George Oliver Jones

Miss Fanny Jones

Mr. R. H. Jones

Hon. Mrs. Joyce

Rev. A. G. Joyce

Mr. Simeon Kaye

Mr. J. W. Leahy

Mr. B. T. Leech

Mrs. Leech

General Sir J. H. Lefroy, K. C. M. G.

Lady Lefroy, and Maid

Mr. James A. Love

Mr. William Lukes

Mr. W. Macandrew

Mr. G. Mackay

Mr. U. Mackay

Mr. Harry Mackeson

Mr. James Mackrell

Mr. Samuel Marsden

Mr. James Mactear

Mr. W. P. Marshall

Dr. W. R. McNab

Mr. C. T. Mitchell

Mr. W. J. Muirhead

Mr. Hugo M. Muller

Mr. E. K. Muspratt

Miss J. Muspratt

Mr. J. S. O'Halloran

Admiral Sir E. Ommanney

Mr. W. H. Perkin

Mr. W. H. Perkin, Jun.

Mr. L. G. Pike

Mr. Benjamin Pilling

Mr. John Pilling

Mrs. Pilling

Mr. John Powell

Mr. W. H. Preece

Mr. P. Price

Mrs. Price

Lord Rayleigh

Lady Rayleigh

Clara Lady Rayleigh, and Maid

Mr. J. B. Readman

Mr. A. W. Reinold

Mr. C. Richardson

Mr. R. Richardson

Mrs. Richardson

Mr. A. Rigg

Mr. A. F. Riddell

Mrs. Riddell

Rev. J. Robberds

Prof. W. Chandler Roberts

Mrs. Roberts

Mr. G. H. Robertson

Mrs. Robertson

Canon Rogers

Mr. W. Rogers

Earl of Rosse

Mr. P. L. Sclater

Mr. W. L. Sclater

Mr. Sydney C. Scott

Mr. A. Sedgwick

Prof. H. S. Hele Shaw

Prof. J. P. Sheldon

Mr. George Smith

Dr. P. Smith

Dr. H. Smith

Prof. W. J. Sollas

Mr. E. Sollas

Mr. Sowden

Mr. A. Sowden

Dr. W. D. Spanton

Mr. Russell Stephenson

Mr. T. H. Stockwell

Hon. R. Strutt

Hon. H. V. Strutt

Mr. A. Summers

Mr. R. W. Cooke-Taylor

Mrs. Cooke-Taylor

Mr. T. H. Thomas

Dr. Alex. S. Thomson

Mr. William Thomson

Mr. W. J. Thomson

Dr. H. G. Thompson

Sir Leonard Tilley, K.C.M.G., C.B.

Lady Tilley

Master Herbert Tilley

Master Leonard Tilley

Mr. W. Topley

Mr. W. Tribe

Mr. G. S. Turner

Capt. H. S. Walker

Mrs. Walker

Mr. Ward

Miss Ward

Mr. C. A. Wells

Rev. E. Wells

Mr. Westgarth

Mrs. Westgarth

Mrs. Westgarth

Mr. W. Whitaker

Miss E. H. Williamson

Mr. E. S. Williams

Miss Wilson

Rev. H. H. Winwood

Mr. Alfred Wood

Mrs. Wood

Mr. H. T. Wood

Mr. A. W. Worthington

Miss Worthington

Mr. T. Wrightson

Mr. F. York

Mrs. York

This afternoon was very dull and grey. I played a game of four chess,

and there was a concert in the evening,--every two or three minutes

broken in upon by the roar of a wild beast called the fog horn. It was

very funny to hear the apropos way it came in when Canon Rogers was

reciting Hiawatha. "Minnihaha said ----" then a roar! One of the party

read a paper, and a really witty burlesque on this supposed wild beast

and its anatomy. John is so well and, I think, very popular: Evelyn is a

much better sailor than one anticipated. Captain Douglas Galton told me

John's address was admirable, but I would not read it, as I want to

judge of it as others will, when it is delivered. I have had no

_whist!_ think of that--at first people were too ill, and then so

much on deck, and they play in the smoking room, I hear, and perhaps

gamble for higher stakes than I like!--which perhaps you will say is not

surprising as I never play for anything.

_Sunday, August 24th._--We have had a bright but cold day and

brisk wind--in fact I have felt colder than when the icebergs were round

us! We had service in the morning--Mr. Joyce read prayers' and Canon

Rogers preached; and at three we Lad the excitement of seeing Sir

Leonard and Lady Tilley, and two sons, with innumerable packages, taken

off in a tug to New Brunswick--_Rimouski_ was the name of the

town, and the still greater excitement followed of receiving from it the

Secretary of the Lodging Committee at Montreal, who brought quantities

of letters, papers, &c. I had a letter from Mr. Angus, asking me and a

son to stay with them during our visit to Montreal, and it is close to

where Dick is invited (Mr. and Mrs. McClennan's), and near John and

E---. I also heard from Mr. Dobell, very kindly offering his house and

carriage for my use while at Quebec; he and his family are away camping

in the woods. You never saw a scene of greater excitement than the

appearance of the saloon when the President opened the parcel containing

letters, newspapers, and telegrams, after a week's total abstinence from

all news; everyone _seized_ upon their respective letters, &c.,

with eagerness; the only person who did not look happy, was John, for he

found the arrangements made would be too much for him, and he and

Captain Gallon set themselves to try and alter them, in which I hope

they will succeed. The Secretary sat opposite me at dinner, and told me

how anxious they all were to make everything comfortable for us. It is

doubtful whether we stay at Quebec to-morrow night, or go on to Montreal

at once, as there is to be an excursion on Friday next to Quebec, and

grand reception, and picnic or garden party on the following day. If you

find a difficulty in reading the indelible pencil, tell me; it is more

convenient to use travelling. We had an interesting conference on prayer

this afternoon (Sunday), and I have just returned from another smaller

one. A scientific man asked questions as to whether we could

_prove_ answers to prayer would be given for _physical_

blessings, or what we consider such; or whether prayer was only a

sentiment (as Tyndal thinks)? Professor Barrett and a dear old

clergyman, Canon Rogers (who, in my ignorance, I had thought, at first,

was a "dry stick") argued the matter with him, and also Dr. P. Smith and

his son, and Miss Fox and I said a few words. Now, about nine o'clock,

they are all singing hymns, very much out of tune. I must finish this up

now for it must be posted to-morrow, or may miss the mail on Tuesday. I

have thoroughly enjoyed the last three days, and am almost sorry the

voyage is over, and so, I think, are many of my fellow passengers. Some

of them are very good and nice. Miss Fox is delightful--upwards of

eighty, and yet so full of interest in everything good and beautiful;

she is like a piece cut out of the old past, and a very wonderful old

fossil, full of energy and cleverness. Hedley desires his love, and is

very well and happy. We go to 240, Drummond Street, Montreal, on Monday

or Tuesday, Dick in same street, and John and E--- near. Gibson has

never been ill at all! Good-bye, now, and God bless you all, darling

Mother, and everyone dear to me at home. Two or three times during the

gale, Hedley and I said to each other, "How nice it would be to be

sitting with you at No. 90, O--- G---."--but now we have not that

desire' From your loving child,--C. R.

Letter No. 2.

_Tuesday, August 26th, Beavoir, Quebec._

My first letter was brought up to 24th. I forgot to tell you then of an

interesting discussion with a clever and honest infidel, Mr. X---.

Through ---- (who had told me about him), I had lent him "Natural Law,"

and (seeing him standing about looking, I thought, rather sad as we were

all singing "Rock of Ages, cleft for me") I asked him his opinion of the

book, and he said "on Mr. D.'s assumption of the existence of a Personal

God, it is very clever, and with your views I would certainly circulate

it." Of course, I could not argue with a man well armed at all points

for attack (as these infidels generally are), though they are weak

enough at defence, their explanations of life's mysteries being as

unsatisfactory and vague as that of any ignorant Bible woman; and so

when others joined us I gave way, and he said as a _crusher_--"I

see you are a very sincere and conscientious lady, but you are very

_fanatical_." I replied, as my parting shot, "Well, of course, I

cannot do justice to my cause, but at any rate you have nothing to offer

_me_; convince me and others, if you can, that we are wrong (and

thank God we have a noble army on our side), what have you to give us in

the place of our beliefs? Nothing! a mere negation." He answered--"What

have you to give me?" "Oh," I replied, "a mere _nothing, only_

peace and power for holiness now and a glorious hope for the future, and

so (shaking hands) good bye." I could scarcely speak to him for crying,

for it was so painful to hear his words about our Blessed Saviour. After

our discussion on prayer in the back cabin, a young man who was there

and who was sitting near me while I was writing to you, began to talk it

over. "Well," I said, "the best answer to those objections about prayer

that I know, is to try it, and then I am sure no arguments will then

shake your confidence that there is a God who heareth and answereth

prayer." It is like our Lord's cure of the blind man. "How did He do

it?" they ask, and ask in vain for any explanation which could be

understood, but the man says "I don't know, but whereas I was blind, now

I see," and the Pharisees beat themselves to pieces against that rock.

You may imagine I went to my berth heartily tired after the excitement

of this long day.

_Monday, 25th._--I got up at six and rushed on deck, and with a

lovely clear sky and shining sun and a brisk breeze, I found we were

steaming along the river St. Lawrence. We devoured with our eyes the

beautiful views on each side, mountains of blue and violet, wooded to

their summits, and Canadian villages nestling at their feet on the banks

of the river, with glittering spires of _blanche_ for every seven

miles, like tall milestones, and then we reached the entrance to Quebec,

which is indeed magnificent! the splendid water-way, with the fine

position of Quebec, makes it a grand sight, and I was not disappointed;

and the clear and brilliant morning sunshine showed us all to

perfection. Then came such a scene of hurry and confusion,--but we were

favored: Captain R. Stephenson, the Governor-General's A.D.C., who had

been our fellow passenger, received instructions from him, and we were

conveyed in a police steamboat to the other side--to the Citadel; there

was also a letter from Lord Lansdowne to John, asking him and E--- and

any of his party to breakfast, brought by Captain Streatfield, another

A.D.C. Our maids and luggage were left in charge of the police at their

wharf station. On reaching the wharf a carriage conveyed us to the

Citadel,--such a drive, up the side of a house! over a great many

boulders. A curious old town is Quebec--thoroughly like a French town,

with French spoken everywhere, and French dirt and air of poverty and

untidiness, as in the remoter and older towns of France.

Lord and Lady Lansdowne received us most kindly, and besides there was

Lady Florence Anson (her niece, who is engaged to Captain Streatfield),

Lady Melgund, whose husband is away in Ottawa looking after canoe men

for Egypt, and a young Mr. Anson, A.D.C. After seeing the view from the

balcony--a splendid panorama of Quebec and the river St. Lawrence, with

its tributary St. Charles, and the surrounding country backed by blue

mountains, we went in to our second breakfast, and much we enjoyed our

tea. Lord Lansdowne sat next me and was very pleasant. Afterwards he

asked John and E--- and me and the boys to dine, apologising for not

asking us all to sleep there, on the grounds of not having room, which

is true enough, for the house is not large. I thought it best to decline

for myself and two sons, as I was going with them for the night to this

place (Mr. Dobell's), four miles away. Then came a Secretary of the

Local Committee to discuss arrangements with John, and alter the

programme somewhat for next Friday and Saturday, when we are expected to

revisit Quebec.

John is much afraid that the long-list of engagements will bring on his

rheumatism and knock him up for the real Business in Montreal. After

this we had the carriage and drove in state to the Hotel where John and

E--- were to sleep, arranged about our berths on the steamer for

Montreal, saw numbers of our fellow-passengers who had not gone to

Montreal, and drove to the wharf and only brought a little luggage to

come here with. They told me I should not want umbrellas ("Our climate

here is very different from yours," said they), nor wraps, but I

persisted in bringing a few, fortunately, for it has been pouring all

night and up to this time (twelve o'clock Wednesday), and it was so cold

besides. While at the hotel (I forgot to mention _that_) a card was

handed to me with Mr. Price's name on it. I could not think who he was,

but he soon came and mentioned Capt. F--- (Julia Spicer's son-in-law),

and then I remembered he had promised to mention us to the Prices. He

offered to drive one of the ladies in his buggy to his house near the

Montmerenci Falls, where we were all to lunch, and E--- went in it, and

the rest of us drove in another carriage to his place, about five miles

off. The drive was delightful and his cottage a picture--a little, fat,

fair motherly woman for a wife, with two little chicks, and a lady

friend. They took us down some steps to the Falls, the river Montmerenci

falling 500 feet, and it was very fine, the view being improved by the

figures of our fellow-passengers on the opposite side making struggling

efforts to gain good positions, which we achieved in all ease and

comfort. Then we returned to an excellent luncheon, very pleasantly

diversified to us by Indian corn, which we learned to eat in an

ungraceful but excellent fashion on the cob, blueberry tart and cream.

This was our _third_ substantial meal on Tuesday. Several visitors

called, and among them our fellow-passengers, Mr. Stephen Bourne and his

daughters and two friends, who are also staying here, a gentleman with

three other ladies (two of whom had been on the "Parisian") who said he

had been staying lately with one of them in Cheshire, so I concluded he

was an English-Canadian and said heartily: "That's right, keep up with

the old country. You come to see us and we come to see you." And he

responded graciously, but I heard after that he was a French-Canadian

and R. C., and they are not fond of England, but cling very much to

French ways and customs and are entirely in the hands of their priests.

They are a quiet, moral people, marry very young and have very large

families. It is quite common to hare ten children, and they live at what

we should call a starvation rate; yet they will not go to service,

contribute hardly anything to the revenue, and so the English, who are

the only active and money-making section of the population, are heavily

taxed; of course _I_ speak of the poor and working classes. The

province of Quebec is, therefore, not a favourite one with enterprising

spirits from our shores or from other parts of Canada.

After these visitors were gone, Mr. Price drove me and E---, and the

rest walked, to the "Natural Steps." It was a beautiful spot, the clear

torrent of the river Montmerenci falling in cascades over a curious

formation of layers of stone and steps on either side, with the bright

green _arbor vitae_, which they call cedar, growing above and in

every niche it can find a bit of soil; wild raspberries and strawberries

too, which, alas, were over. We met several of our fellow-passengers,

and we greet one another like long-lost friends. On our return we found

Mrs. Price had cuddled her ailing boy to sleep and could give us some

attention. We had delicious tea and cake (our fourth meal). Mr. Price

comes from Boss, in Herefordshire, and has been twelve years away from

it. He is very nice and intelligent. Her brother owns the Falls and

lives in a pretty cottage near. Edison, the electric light inventor, has

bought the power of these falls for electric purposes. John was thinking

all the time how useful they might be made. We returned to the hotel in

time for John and E--- to dress for the Governor-General's dinner party.

We took a little baggage and Gibson and came here--a dark drive, and we

were shaken to bits in what is justly called a _rockaway_ carriage.

We were met at the door by Mr. Dobell, much to our surprise, for he and

his family had returned unexpectedly from camping out, as it proved a

failure, and rushed home to receive us. She is handsome, and quite

English in tone and manner, daughter of the Minister of the Interior,

Sir David Macpherson. Mr. Dobell is very bright and pleasant-looking,

the house pretty and comfortable, with large conservatory. We Had a

tremendous supper (our fifth meal) and so I could hardly do justice to

it. I went to bed very tired after this hard day's work and awoke this

morning to find it pouring, so I have been taking advantage of the quiet

to write to you. Dick and Mr. Dobell went to Quebec, and we follow at

three. They hope to have some organ-playing in the Cathedral. Mr. S.

Bourne and his young ladies are also gone, and we are to leave at three

and start at five in the river steamboat for Montreal. Tell Edward and

Lisa, &c., &c., about us. We all thoroughly enjoyed everything yesterday

except that we wanted warmer clothes. They had tremendous heat here

before we arrived, and so every one was advising us to wear light

clothing!--and the weather changed!