Project Gutenberg
2017-09-07
Public domain in the USA.
202
Bourinot, John George
1837
1902
Bourinot, J. G. (John George)
Our Intellectual Strength and Weakness
A Short Historical and Critical Review of Literature, Art and Education in Canada
E-text prepared by Larry B. Harrison and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team (http://www.pgdp.net) from page images generously made available by Internet Archive (https://archive.org)
"Our Intellectual Strength and Weakness" by John George Bourinot is a historical and critical review of literature, art, and education in Canada, written in the late 19th century. The work serves as a presidential address delivered to the Royal Society of Canada, and it reflects on the intellectual development of Canada, contrasting it with other regions such as New England. The text aims to illuminate Canada's cultural accomplishments and challenges, emphasizing the significance of intellectual pursuits beyond mere material success. The opening of the work introduces a notion from James Russell Lowell about the dangers of prioritizing material wealth over cultural development, applying this critique to Canada. It sets the stage for Bourinot's exploration of Canada's intellectual landscape, presenting three well-defined eras in the country's advancement. He discusses the foundational French period, the subsequent British influence following the political transition, and the modern era characterized by a burgeoning sense of national identity. Bourinot draws from historical figures, cultural institutions, and prevalent attitudes to reflect on the ongoing struggle for a mature intellectual culture in Canada, setting a thoughtful tone for the detailed analysis that follows. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
Reading ease score: 57.1 (10th to 12th grade). Somewhat difficult to read.
en
Canadian literature -- History and criticism
Canada -- Intellectual life
French-Canadian literature -- History and criticism
F1001
Text
Category: Essays, Letters & Speeches
Category: History - Other
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