The cultivation of literature, of the arts and sciences in Canada, has almost uniformly continued in the lowest degree of Degradation. It was the policy of the French government to keep the people in a state of ignorance ; the general levity and dissipation of the colonists equally contributed to the discouragement of learning ; and the Jesuits alone possessed any taste for the sciences, and any means of cultivating them. The progress of know ledge was not greatly advanced by the conquest of the country by the British. The first traders and settlers whom this event introduced, were little qualified to com municate a taste for literary pursuits ; and an Almanac continued for many years to be the only work printed in the colony. Of late, however, the Canadians have evinced a greater inclination to favour the productions of the press ; but still the whole extent of their exertions is limited to the publication of four weekly newspapers, an almanac, and the acts of the provincial assembly. Two °Wiese papers, the Quebec and the Montreal Ga zettes, are published in English and French, and contain the proclamations and edicts of the governor, advertise ments of the sheriffs, Sc.c. Other two, the Quebec Mer cury and the Canadian Courant, are published in English, and resemble other periodical works of that description. Two others, indeed, entirely in French, one called Le Canadien, a violent political paper, and the other Le Courier de Quebec, rather of a literary description, and chiefly intended to give publicity to fugitive pieces, were produced for some time, but are now no longer pub lished. There are two subscription libraries in Lower Ca nada ; one of which is kept in the building called the Bi shop's Palace at Quebec, and the other in one of the rooms of the court-house at Montreal. Both of them contain many useful and valuable works, which are year ly augmented by the liberal support afforded by the in habitants of these towns to their respective institutions ; and the good effects of these establishments are very ob servable in the acquirements of many young men of the country, who have of late entered into public life.
The provinces of Upper and Lower Canada were erect ed by his Majesty into a bishop's see, in the year 1793 ; but the clergy of the established church in both provinces amount only to eleven or twelve, including the lord bi shop of Quebec. Within these few years, a Metropoli tan church has been erected at Quebec, which is an ex tremely neat and commodious building, and in which there is a very fine organ. There is also a minister of the church of Scotland, both at Quebec and Montreal, who have chapels appropriated to their use, with very respectable congregations. But the great majority of
the inhabitants of Lower Canada profess the Roman Ca tholic religion, the free exercise of which was seem ed to them by the act of the British parliament of the 14th year of his present majesty, c. 83 ; subject, however, " to the King's supremacy, declared and established by an act made in the first year of the reign of Queen Eli zabeth." By the same art of the 14th of the King, the clergy of the said church may " hold, receive, and enjoy, their accustomed clues and irights, with respect to such persons only as shall profess the said religion." 11 the above act, the Roman Catholic clergy in Lower Canada has e obtained rights and privileges far superior to those of the same religion in any other part of the Bri tish dominions. It is nevertheless to be observed, that these advantages are held subject to the King's sulire inaCy ; which, consequently, gives to the crown the right of presentation to Roman Catholic church livings in Lower Canada, where there is no other legal authority to make such presentations. This very important right has hi therto, through connivance, been suffered to be exer cised by the Roman Catholic bishop, who is always no minated by the governor or person administering the government of the province for the time being, as the representative of his Majesty. But, for want of proper authority from the crown, the parochial clergy of Lower Canada labour under very serious difficulties; and, from sonic suits which have of late years been brought into the provincial courts, but which have not been carried to a final issue, there is great reason to doubt whether, by legal process, they can enforce pay ment of tythes from their parishioners, should the latter be inclined to dispute the point. We have only to re mark farther, on this subject, that the Roman Catholic clergy of this colony arc more distinguished by their de vout, inoffensive, and humane dispositions, than by their learning or talents ; and that they are regular and rigid in the observance of their religious ceremonies; but have much less bigotry and party-spirit, than the ecclesiastics of the same church in any other country. They live on the most friendly terms with their Protestant neighbours; attend each other's baptisms, marriages, and burials, with out scruple ; and have ever been known to make use al ternately of the same place of worship. They certainly af ford a proof, as adduced by Mr Burke, that the full and complete toleration of Catholics is not necessarily follow ed by revolt and independence on their part ; since, when