Fils d’Albion, fils de la France,
On veut en vain vous asservir!
Soyons soldats! plutôt mourir
Que de perdre l’indépendance!
Chœur.
Ce bruit sourd, etc., etc.
Some time after, he was appointed lieutenant-colonel of the reserve militia. His intention had been to devote his life to politics, and the practice of his profession, having adhered for some time in politics, to the views of the late Hon. Joseph Cauchon, subsequently lieutenant-governor of Manitoba; but in 1861, he was offered, by the administration of Sir George Cartier, and accepted the office of joint prothonotary of the Superior Court, and still retains the position. Having exhibited such a taste for literature in his early youth, it is not surprising to find him with a strong tendency to poetry, which was developed so far that he is familiarly known as one of the poets of Lower Canada, for he has written some of the most graceful poems and lyrics published in this country. Upon the occasion of the visit of his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales to Canada in 1860, M. Fizét was invited by Sir Hector Langevin, at that time mayor of Quebec, to compose the ode of welcome for that city to the young prince, which was much admired, and for which he was complimented and received the thanks of our good Queen’s son. Mr. Fizét was jointly with the Hon. M. A. Plamondon, the founder of the Canadian Institute of Quebec (“l’Institut Canadien de Québec”) of which he afterwards became president, and for several terms subsequently held, and still holds, the office of honorary president. In 1856, while holding this office, he offered thirty pounds for the best essay on the subject: “Quels seraient les moyens à adopter pour créer en Canada une littérature nationale.” In 1878, he also put up to competition a prize of twenty-five pounds, to be adjudged by the said institute for the best essay on the following subject: “Eloge de l’agriculture; de l’état de l’agriculture dans la province de Québec; des moyens à prendre pour en activer le progrès.” Hon. Senator Fabre, at present Canadian agent in Paris, France, in a public lecture delivered in Quebec, said, regarding the subject of this sketch, Mr. L. G. C. Fizét, “Imagination charmante, au vol gracieux; poète délicat, au vers élégant.” Most of his published poems have appeared in La Ruche Littéraire, Les Soirées Canadiennes, La Littérature Canadienne, Le Foyer Canadien, Le journal de l’Education, and some of the leading French journals. The following extracts from “L’Histoire de la Littérature Canadienne,” by Lareau, of Montreal, may possibly tend to show the high repute in which M. Fizét is held in that city. In 1867, Mr. Fizét obtained the silver medal, at a poetical competition, opened to all comers, by the Laval University, on the following subject, viz., “The Discovery of Canada.” The competitors were numerous, and the report of the jury, speaking of his poem, read as follows; “A happy variety of rhythm, adapted with great art to the different parts of the subject, a great elevation of style and ideas, life and brilliancy, real lyrical inspiration which sustains itself nearly from one end of the poem to the other. The first two chants have merited a very particular mention for their loftiness of ideas, and the sustained beauty of the versification.” In 1873, M. Fizét was preparing a complete edition of his poems and lyrics, most of which were unpublished when his manuscripts were burnt and lost in the Court house of Quebec, which was destroyed by fire on the 1st of February, of that year. Ever since, his numerous official and other occupations have prevented him from devoting any of his time to the restoration of his lost manuscripts, and the further culture of literature, but with the high commendation he has so deservedly received, emanating from the source it does, it may well be remarked, that Quebec, with honest pride, gratulates itself that she possesses such a poet and scholar in one of her sons, as we find the subject of our sketch, who in various situations, some of them very trying, as we are told, has always shown a kindly disposition, a high sense of honor, a remarkable combination of powers, great sagacity, integrity of motive, energy of character and undaunted will-power as testified by general report. His motto is, “Fais ce que dois, advienne que pourra.”
Kilgour, Robert, Paper Bag Manufacturer, Toronto, was born at Beauharnois, province of Quebec, on the 29th April, 1847. His father, William Kilgour, was a native of Edinburgh; and his mother, Ann Wilson, a native of Loch Winnoch, in Scotland. Both came to Canada while young, and after marrying settled in Beauharnois, where Mr. Kilgour carried on the carpenter and building trade. Robert received his education at the public school of his native town, and when a lad entered the office of Messrs. Molson, of Montreal, where he remained for some time. He then came to Toronto, and became book-keeper for Livingston, Johnson and Co., wholesale clothiers, and here remained until 1870. He then returned to Montreal, and went into the paper bag business in partnership with J. C. Wilson, and on the expiration of this partnership, in 1874, returned to Toronto and established, with his brother, Joseph Kilgour, the business of Kilgour Brothers, paper bag manufacturers, who are now carrying on the largest business of its kind in Canada. Mr. Kilgour is a very active citizen, and takes part in everything tending to elevate the race. For a number of years he has been treasurer for the Young Men’s Christian Association, and is also connected with several other benevolent institutions. In politics he is a Reformer; and in religion a member of the Presbyterian church. On the 15th July, 1886, he was married to Clara, daughter of the late William Govan, manufacturer, who for a number of years was one of Glasgow’s (Scotland) greatly respected magistrates.