An interesting and flourishing literary society with a very large active membership is the Dickens Fellowship, which was established in 1909 as a branch of the parent English society of the same name, its object being to study the works and the social lessons of Charles Dickens and to apply his teachings as far as possible.
Its presidents have been: J. Portcous Arnold, 1909-10; J.A. Huchinson, M.D., 1911; W.H. Atherton, Ph. D., 1912-13; W. Godbee Brown, 1914.
At intervals there have been societies for special literary purposes, such as Shakespeare, Browning and Burns societies. Of these one of the most prominent was the Burns Society, which was started about 1857 and only lapsed recently.
Societies along national lines have been formed of late years. The first established in Montreal is the Alliance Française, being a branch of L’Alliance Française established in France in 1883. This latter was approved by an act of the minister of the interior on January 14, 1884, and was recognized as an establishment of practical utility by a decree of the republic on October 23, 1886. The end which the Alliance proposes to itself is two-fold: (1) in the French colonies and protectorates to make the language known and loved by the conquered people, to use it for social and commercial purposes and to induce colonists to go from France to a country where French is spoken; (2) elsewhere to maintain relations, (a) with the French-speaking settlers or groups away among strangers by encouraging them to maintain the cult of their national tongue, and (b) with friends of the French language and literature whatever their nationality, race or creed, so as to draw closer the bonds of a literary and moral sympathy which unites France to other peoples and to second in the East, or in countries still uncivilized, French missionaries of every denomination, and French lay teachers for the foundation and maintenance of schools, teaching the French language. A propaganda is carried out for this purpose with the result that there has been formed more than four hundred and fifty committees in France and other lands.
Among other general literary and debating societies of men of today are the “Nomads,” and those in connection with the universities and colleges, the Y.M. C.A. and other organizations of a religious, fraternal or social character.
Literature is similarly carried on in women circles; the Montreal Women’s Club, founded in 1893, being the most representative.
The club or society broadest in its conception in the topics dealt with and in the cosmopolitan character of its speakers at its weekly lunch is the Canadian Club, which was originally organized in the city of Hamilton, Ontario, in 1892 with the object “To foster patriotism by encouraging the study of the Institutions, Arts, Literature, and Resources of Canada and by endeavouring to unite Canadians in such work for the welfare and progress of the Dominion.”
The Montreal branch, which was organized in 1905, has now a membership of about two thousand, comprising representatives of every race living in the city. Practically every person of note who has visited Montreal since its incorporation has addressed the club, including prominent men such as Jerome K. Jerome who delivered the first address in 1905, Booker T. Washington, the well known leader of the American negroes; W.T. Stead, the great English journalist; Rudyard Kipling, the poet, who gave an address on “Journalism and Literature”; Rt. Hon. James Bryce, the English historian, man of letters and statesman; Lord Milner, the great pro-consul; Lord Grey; Lord Balfour of Burleigh, chairman of the commission on Canadian-West Indian reciprocity; Lord Northcliffe, the principal owner of the London Times and Daily Mail; Hon. C.J. Bonaparte, member of President Roosevelt’s cabinet and direct descendant of the great Napoleon; Sir Andrew Fraser, one of India’s public servants; Consul Nakamura of Japan; Commissioner Coombs of the Salvation Army; and the Hon. W.J. Bryan, American silver-tongued orator and secretary of state of the United States, etc.
The Canadian speakers have included Sir Robert Borden, prime minister; Sir George Foster; Hon. Rodolphe Lemieux; Dr. W.T. Grenfell, the missionary of the Labrador coast; Captain Bernier, the French-Canadian explorer; President Falconer of Toronto University; Armand Lavergne, a strong advocate of French-Canadian nationalism; the local speakers including Henri Bourassa, Doctor Macphail, the writer; Sir Alexander Lacoste; Doctor Colby; Principal Peterson of McGill University; Hon. J.I. Tarte of La Patrie; Hon. L.O. David; Prof. Stephen Leacock; and Judge Choquet, who spoke on the Juvenile Court in Montreal.
As the Canadian clubs were originally designed for men, the women of Montreal, in 1907, determined to organize a “Women’s Canadian Club.” This has proved successful, the subjects treated being specially applicable to the women and the idea had spread to thirteen other Canadian cities.