CHAPTER XXIV.
THE INSTITUTE.
"The battle for the sway,
Of liberty,
Fraternity,
And light of the new day"
—MARY MORGAN.
"About eighteen hundred and fifty," explained the Honorable, "L'Institut Canadien was our national thinking Society, and the spark of an awakening of great promise."
"Under the French regime, our people received no education. They knew the forests, the rapids, the science of trapping beaver, and when to expect the Iroquois, and sow grain. The English, conquest came next and cut us off from the new birth, of modern France, and the Church, our only institution, was very willing to ignore that stimulation of ideas. We lived on; we read little; we labored much.—But, monsieur," said l'Honorable, with his quiet dignity, "we were of the race of Descartes."
"We slept. At last the awakening! Our griefs and our grievances forced the Rebellion; they brought our thoughts together and made us reason in common; we demanded a new Canada, relieved of bureaucracy, of political disabilty, of seignioral oppression, some said even of abuses of the Church—a Canada of the People, in which every citizen should stand up equal and free."
"The first result demanded—and obtained—was responsible government. Among others came preparations for the abolition of feudal tenure, making a vassal population freeholders!"
"The next cry was Education! The French-Canadians were delighted with the opening world of knowledge and ideas, and there is no race which ever rose with greater enthusiasm to pursue progress and science. A few young men of Montreal were banded into a Society for mutual advancement, to hold debates at which all races were to be free to contribute opinions, to open a library of useful books, and to seek truth without any conditions. That was the Institut Canadien!"
"These noble young enthusiasts soon attracted chosen spirits, a precious essence of the race. They sprang into fame;—fourteen were returned to Parliament in one year. They called all the world freely to their discussions, and created eclat by the brillancy of their programme. The province kindled—every village had its Institute!" "But 'sa-a-a-cr!'" savagely ejaculated Zotique, and his eyes grew intense in their fierceness."
"The Institut Canadien gradually excited the jealousy of certain ecclesiastics by its free admissions and the liberality of its researches. What is known as the "Struggle" commenced. A series of combined assaults by episcopal summons, a pulpit crusade, excommunication, refusal of burial, encouragement of dissensions, and the establishment of rival Institutes bearing names such as "Institut Canadien Français," most of which existed only on paper, finally succeeded in crushing the movement."
"Ac"—ejaculated Zotique.
"The Institute at Dormillière is the insignificant sole survivor."
"I understand now your Reveillière," Chrysler said.