welcomed men of every nation and creed who desired to share in the enterprize of making Montreal rich and great, by becoming rich and great themselves.

Like the parent institution in Paris, the branch here has also had its seasons of trial. In 1661, the King of France had issued letters patent on behalf of the Seminary, and gave orders that tithes of all lands on the Island of Montreal should be paid to the corporation. The tithe was fixed at "one-thirteenth of the natural and artificial labour of the people." When, on the eighth day of September, 1760, the Marquis de Vaudreuil, representing France, surrendered Montreal to General Amherst, acting for Great Britain, he stipulated that the interests of the Seminary, among other institutions, should not suffer by the change. in the ownership of Canada.

Article xxxii of the conditions of capitulation provided that the communities of nuns should be preserved in their constitution and privileges, and be exempted from lodging any military, and guarded from trouble in their religious exercises, as well as from intrusion into their monasteries. Article xxxiii reads thus :—"The preceding article shall likewise be executed with regard to communities of Jesuits and Recollets, and of the house of the priests of St. Sulpice at Montreal. This last, and the Jesuits, shall preserve their right to nominate to certain curacies and missions as heretofore." The answer returned by General Amherst was:—"Refused, till the King's pleasure be known.” Article xxxiv was as follows:—"All the communities and all the priests shall preserve their movables, the property and revenues of their seigniories, and other estates which they possess in the colony, of what nature soever they may be. And the same estates shall be preserved in their privileges, rights, honours, and exemptions." This was granted by the British representative.

Article xxxv also related to the rights of the religious

communities already established in the city:—"If the canons, priests, missionaries, the priests of the ceremony of the foreign missions, and of St. Sulpice, as well as the Jesuits and Recollets, choose to go to France, passage shall be granted them in His Britannic Majesty's ships; and they shall all have leave to sell, in whole, or in part, the estates and movables which they possess in the colonies, either to the French or to the English, without the least hindrance or obstacle from the British Government. They may take with them, or send to France, the produce of whatever nature soever it be, of the said goods sold, paying the freight as mentioned in the 26th Article. And such of the said priests as choose to go this year, shall be victualed during the passage, at the expense of his Britannic Majesty, and shall take with them their baggage." To this the British General replied: "They shall be masters to dispose of their estates, and send the produce thereof, as well as their persons, and all that belongs to them, to France."

From the last article, it may be inferred that the affairs of the Seminary had at this moment reached a crisis, and that there was great uncertainty as to whether it would not abandon Canada altogether. The priests did not know what attitude their Protestant conquerors would assume towards them and their institutions. However, they resolved to await the revelations of the future. Their fears, if they ever had any, soon gave place to hope and confidence. The treaty of Paris, concluded on the 10th day of February, 1763, confirmed the concessions which Amherst had made in the name of his Sovereign. The Seminary held its ground, with the result which we behold to-day : it is generally regarded as the wealthiest and most influential corporation in the Dominion.

But besides the work of training priests in the Grand Séminaire, the Society has done its share of lay education

as well. In 1773, the Sulpician Fathers founded the Petit Séminaire, which originally stood in what is now Jacques Cartier Square, and was known as St. Raphael's College. In 1806, it was removed to the premises which it vacated about twenty-five years ago, bounded by William Street and College Street, the latter street being named after it. Its title was then changed to the "College of Montreal," that by which it is now designated, in its extensive and commodious buildings on the south-east side of Mount Royal. Both the classical and theological departments are accommodated in this large establishment.

The Seminary of St. Sulpice established also, in 1789, and still maintains, at a large annual expense, some excellent primary schools in the city and parish of Montreal.

The Treaty of Paris left doubts as to the legal status of the Seminary, with regard to its Seigniorial rights in the soil. These doubts continued to be entertained for eighty years after the conquest. In 1827, there was some uneasiness in Montreal ecclesiastical circles, occasioned by rumours that the Government intended to possess itself of the feudal lordship claimed by the Seminary over the Island, allowing an annuity to the Society instead. The Quebec Gazette made the following authoritative announcement:—"That during the space of fifty years past the Crown lawyers of Great Britain had advised His Majesty's Government that the claim of the Seminary could not be sustained against the paramount rights of His Majesty on two grounds—as not being themselves a lawful corporation, and as holding originally from a Society resident in a foreign country.

"That while the claims of His Majesty have never been enforced, neither have they been relinquished. They have merely remained in abeyance, nor is it likely that any steps to establish them would even now be taken, had not such a course been imposed upon the Government by cir

cumstances which render it imperative that the question should be settled, in whom lies the title to the Seigniory of Montreal, in the Seminary or in the Crown. Since the passing of the Act relating to the change of tenure of Seigniorial to free and common soccage, several individuals have petitioned the Government, praying a commutation of the tenure of property held by them at Montreal, in conformity to the provisions of said Acts. As these applications brought forward, in a tangible shape, the question of the right of the Crown in the Seigniory of Montreal, it has been thought necessary to refer the whole question to His Majesty's Government at home.

"Such are the facts on which the rumour is founded, and we are authorized to say that the whole matter will be settled with the utmost fairness, and that whatever may be the result, it is by no means designed to bar any claim which the Seminary may have on the good faith, justice, or liberality of His Majesty's Government, but these claims will be considered with the most large and liberal regard."

The question of right of title was finally set at rest in 1840, the Sulpician Fathers being confirmed in the possession of their ancient privileges. Thus not only the city but the entire Island of Montreal to-day possesses an ecclesiastico-civil status that is now denied even to Rome. This circumstance must never be overlooked, for it has been far-reaching in its influence. Montreal's first lessons in Christian civilization were taken under the auspices I have just described—among the best, it may safely be said, that the France of the period could furnish—and every Protestant Church, as well as every other institution in the city, has felt the powerful sway of "the gentlemen of the Seminary."