When Canada was New France — John Locke — John Shaqi
When Canada was New France
John Locke · en
The Great War has had a special meaning for Canadians. Soldiers from our
shores, citizen-soldiers, have been landing on the northern coast of
France in tens of thousands, and passing through the same seaport towns
whence nearly four hundred years ago men sailed forth to the westward to
discover a fabled land.
This country, discovered by the French and colonized by them and by the
English, this land which was now French and now English as the fortune
of war changed in Europe as well as in America, has become a nation, and
when the time of trial came and danger threatened the ancestral homes
in the two Motherlands, Canada hesitated not a moment but offered her
services in the cause of freedom.
Canada has been fighting more truly perhaps than any other nation in what
we speak of as “the common cause,” and it is to make clear to ourselves
as well as to others the great meaning of this in the development of
nationality in our Dominion that this story of the two centuries when
Canada was New France has been told and in this form.
The early history of Canada is a history of men, and if Canada is
to become a great nation, its future history will depend upon the
development of men who can and will inspire, guide and lead us to the
greater things.
This is not intended for children only, but for the youth of every age,
those who are young enough to enjoy a story and who know not, or know
but dimly, our wonderful history during the two hundred years of our
country when its history was bound up with that of the two great empires
of France and England, France of the times of Henry of Navarre and of
Richelieu, England of the days of the Tudors and of the Pitts.
The frontispiece of this little book illustrates a dramatic incident in
our history. The landing of the Canadians at St. Nazaire in 1915 to help
Old France against the ruthless invader brings to one’s mind the landing
of a French exploring expedition under Cartier nearly three hundred years
ago when the flag of France was raised high upon the cliff of Gaspé and
the newly discovered land was called New France. Our thanks are due to
the Canadian War Memorials Committee for permission to reproduce this
picture.
To the kindness of Dr. John M. Clarke, the Director of the New York
State Museum, himself a contributor to the history of New France, we
are indebted for the great privilege of reproducing the illustrations
of the Iroquois Indian Groups which form the Myron H. Clark Memorial
in the Museum at Albany. They portray the aboriginal activities of the
Confederacy of the Six Nations.
GEORGE H. LOCKE.
WHEN CANADA WAS NEW FRANCE
OLD FRANCE.
Le Gaulois semble au saule verdissant:
Plus on le coupe et plus il est naissant,
Et rejetonne en branches davantage,
Prenant vigueur de son propre dommage.
—RONSARD.