Transcriber's Note:
Punctuation and possible typographical errors have been changed.
Archaic, variable and inconsistent spelling and hyphenation, havebeen preserved.
Inconsistencies in spelling and sequence of author names and poemtitles in Table of Contents, body, Notes of Authors and Indexof First Lines have been retained.
A TREASURY OF
CANADIAN VERSE
For English natures, freemen, friends,
Thy brothers and immortal souls.
—Love thou thy Land.
A TREASURY
OF
CANADIAN VERSE
WITH BRIEF BIOGRAPHICAL
NOTES
SELECTED AND EDITED BY
THEODORE H. RAND
D.C.L.
AUTHOR OF
'AT MINES BASIN AND OTHER POEMS'
NEW YORK: E. P. DUTTON & CO.
LONDON: J. M. DENT & CO.
1900
All rights reserved
THIS ANTHOLOGY OF ENGLISH-CANADIAN VERSE
IS INSCRIBED WITH AFFECTIONATE ADMIRATION
TO
LOUIS FRÉCHETTE
LL.D., F.R.S. CAN.
C.M.G.
the Lamartine of Canada
PREFACE
TO one opening this book for the first time, it maybe permissible to say that the verse includedin the volume does not treat solely nor chiefly ofCanadian themes. While Canadian environment andlife necessarily supply the note of inspiration andimpart its timbre and accent, the thought andemotion are of wide range, and seek response in theuniversal heart.
The practical energies of the Canadian people areabundantly attested by extensive systems of railwaysand canals, a wide commerce, systems of free publiceducation in the several provinces and territories,liberal facilities for the higher education of men andwomen, and an enterprising and influential press.Thirty-two years have passed since the organizationof the Dominion of Canada. These years havewitnessed great progress in civil and social institutions,and no unworthy beginning of an adequatedevelopment of the illimitable material resources ofCanada's vast domain. It is noteworthy, as markingthe quality of life of the people, that from the earliestsettlement of the several provinces there have notbeen wanting public evidences of the presence of thescientific and literary spirit. The latter has expresseditself both in prose and verse, and in these recentyears there is an increased activity in literary productioncommensurate with the expanding life ofCanada.
It has been my purpose to present worthy specimensof English-Canadian verse, selected from the entirefield of our history. Such a collection should be of[x]interest, not only to Canadians, but to all English-speakingpeoples. Here are reflected the singularloveliness of our evanescent spring, the glow andluxuriant life of our hasting summer, the sensuousglory of our autumn, and the tingle of our frosty airand the wh