Lord Elgin

Bourinot, John George, 1837-1902Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.1

Word count: 398K words
Chapters: 40

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.Lord Elgin by John George BourinotAuthor: Bourinot, John George, 1837-1902,Language: English, Class: F1001: North America local history: Canada, Release Date: Jul 31, 2004

Editor's review

This Lord Elgin is a biographical work by the Canadian historian John George Bourinot, focusing on the Earl of Elgin, who served as Governor General of Canada. The original belongs to the category of Canadian local history; it is short and leans toward political and administrative affairs, written in the historiographical style of the mid-nineteenth century. For Chinese readers its value lies not in literary quality but in offering a window onto the governance of British North America and the political figures around the establishment of responsible government. The book presents some of the political controversies and administrative choices Elgin faced during his tenure in Canada, and can be read alongside the historical context of the formation of the Canadian Dominion. As an old public-domain work, both its language and its historical viewpoint bear the marks of its time; it is best treated as a historical source rather than a modern scholarly biography, and read together with a general history of Canada to better judge its stance and choice of material.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers interested in the political history of colonial Canada and the office of Governor General
Students who need public-domain English historical sources for coursework or research support
Readers who enjoy nineteenth-century biography and political narrative
History enthusiasts who want background on the era of responsible government in British North America

Not a good fit for

Specialist researchers expecting modern scholarly annotation and a critical introduction
Readers with little interest in political and administrative history who prefer literary biography
Beginners with weak English reading skills who need a smooth Chinese narrative

Reading tips

Read a concise general account of the responsible government era in Canada first, then turn to the political narrative of this book.
While reading, mark passages concerning parliament, the powers of the Governor General, and colonial affairs for easy reference.
Compare this book with other works on Canadian history from the same period, noting the author's contemporary stance and preferences in selecting material.

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

Is this a complete modern biography?

No. It is an old public-domain work by a late-nineteenth-century Canadian historian, limited in length and annotation, closer to a character sketch and political narrative of its time; it should not be used as a complete biography by modern scholarly standards.

What historical background is needed before reading?

It is best to first understand British North America, the establishment of responsible government in Canada, and the role of the Governor General in colonial governance. With this background, the book's account of parliamentary disputes and administrative decisions will be much easier to follow.

Is the English edition difficult for Chinese readers?

The text is nineteenth-century English with long sentences, and some political terms are used differently from today. With reasonable English reading ability and Chinese materials on Canadian history for comparison, reading will be much smoother.

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About the author

Bourinot, John George, 1837-1902 Author

John George Bourinot (1837–1902) was a Canadian writer on historical and political subjects whose works center on Canada's political institutions, historical development, and intellectual and cultural life. Five of his works are held in this collection, including Canada under British Rule 1760-1900, Canada, Lord Elgin, The Intellectual Development of the Canadian People: An Historical Review, and Our Intellectual Strength and Weakness. These titles show that he attended both to the political and institutional changes of Canada under British rule and to the historical course of Canadian intellectual and cultural life, combining general historical narrative with focused commentary. Public information on his life, nationality, and education is limited, so no conjecture is offered here; judged by his works alone, his writings provide a fairly systematic reference for understanding Canada's nation-building and the evolution of its thought and culture.