He At One Time Owned Several Vessels, But His
Floating Wealth Having, During The War Of The Conquest, Become The Prize
Of English Cruisers, The St. Peter Street Nabob Of 1740, As It Has Since
Happened To Some Of His Successors In That Romantic Neighbourhood,
- Lost His Money.
Loss of fortune did not, however, imply loss of honour,
as old memoirs of that day describe him, "Homme integre et d'esprit." He
had been selected, in the last year of French rule, to go and lay at the
foot of the French Throne the grievances of the Canadians.
About this
time, the St. Foye road was becoming a fashionable resort, Hawkin's
Picture of Quebec calls it "The favorite drive of the Canadian Belle
before the conquest." This is an interesting period in colonial life, but
imperfectly known, - nor will a passage from Jeffery, an old and valued
English writer, illustrative of men, manners and amusements in the Colony,
when it passed over to the English monarch, be out of place: -
"The number of inhabitants being considerably increased, they pass their
time very agreeably. The Governor General, with his household; several of
the noblesse of exceeding good families; the officers of the army,
who in France are all gentlemen; the Intendant, with a Supreme Council,
and the inferior magistrates; the Commissary of the Marine; the Grand
Provost; the Grand Hunter; the Grand Master of the Woods and Forests, who
has the most extensive jurisdiction in the world; rich merchants, or such
as live as if they were so; the bishops and a numerous Seminary; two
colleges of Recollets, as many of Jesuits; with three Nunneries; amongst
all those yon are at no loss to find agreeable company and the most
entertaining conversation. Add to this the diversions of the place, such
as the assemblies at the Lady Governess's and Lady Intendant's; parties at
cards, or of pleasure, such as in the winter on the ice, in sledges, or in
skating; and in the summer in chaises or canoes; also hunting, which it is
impossible not to be fond of in a country abounding with plenty of game of
all kinds.
"It is remarked of the Canadians that their conversation is enlivened by
an air of freedom which is natural and peculiar to them, and that they
speak the French in the greatest purity and without the least false
accent. There are few rich people in that Colony, though they all live
well, are extremely generous and hospitable, keep very good tables, and
love to dress very finely.... The Canadians have carried the love of arms,
and glory, so natural to their mother country, along with them.... War is
not only welcome to them but coveted with extreme ardor." [265]
During the fall of 1775, the old mansion sheltered Brigadier Richard
Montgomery, [266] the leader of the American forlorn hope, who fell on the
31st December of that year, at Pres-de-Ville, Champlain street, fighting
against those same British whom it had previously been his pride to lead
to victory.
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