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THE

POETICAL WORKS

OF

MRS. LEPROHON

(Miss R. E. Mullins)




INTRODUCTION.


When, in after ages, the literature of Canada comes to be written,
it is to be hoped that among the mighty sons and daughters of
genius now unknown, or as yet unborn, some room will be kept for
the brave and loving pioneers who "gave the people of their best,"
and sang the songs of duty and patriotism and hope, ere life in
our young land had ceased to be a struggle. With the growth of
wealth and the spread of prosperity, will come leisure for more
than material interests; and thus, in course of time, the author
who has something to say will find an audience, prepared by
culture and not too busy to listen to it. And, as supply is
generally commensurate with demand, there will then be a literary
class of corresponding merit. At least, something like this has
been the rule in the progress of nations. But if those who come
after, thus favored by circumstances, surpass their predecessors
in literary skill or power, not less deserving are the latter who,
with little prospect of reward, bore the burden and the heat of
the day. This early stage in a nation's literature has, indeed, an
interest and a value of its own, which only meet with due
appreciation from a judicious and grateful posterity. If it has
not the rich, warm splendor of the later morning, it has the
welcome promise of the dawn, and a tender beauty of its own.

In this band of pioneers Mrs. Leprohon must be conceded a
distinguished place. None of them has employed rare gifts of head
and heart to better purpose; none of them had a wider range of
sympathy; none of them did more willing service, with the purest
motives, in all good causes. And, it may be added, none of them
was more happy in attaining, during life, the admiration and
friendship of a large though select circle of every creed and race
among her compatriots. It is in order to place in the hands of
those who thus loved and honored her a memorial of what she was at
her best, intellectually and morally, that this little volume has
been prepared. It contains the emotional record of a blameless and
beautiful life, the outcome of a mind that thought no evil of any
one, but overflowed with loving kindness to all. Before pointing
out, however, what we consider the salient qualities in Mrs.
Leprohon's poetry, it may be well to give our readers a brief
sketch of her too short career.

Rosanna Eleanor Mullins was born in the city of Montreal in the
year 1832. It is almost unnecessary to state that she was educated
at the Convent of the Congregation of Notre Dame, so numerous are
her affectionate tributes to the memories of dear friends
associated with that institution. Long before her education was
completed, she had given evidence of no common literary ability.
She was, indeed, only fourteen years old when she made her
earliest essays in verse and prose. Before she had bid adieu to
the years and scenes of girlhood, she had already won a reputation
as a writer of considerable promise, and as long as Mr. John
Lovell conducted the _Literary Garland_, Miss Mullins was one of
his leading contributors. She continued to write for that
excellent magazine until lack of financial success compelled its
enterprising proprietor to suspend its publication. It was some
time before another such opportunity was given to the Canadian
votaries of the muses of reaching the cultivated public. In the
meanwhile, however, the subject of our sketch--who had, in 1851,
become the wife of Dr. J. L. Leprohon, a member of one of the most
distinguished Canadian families--was far from being idle. Some of
her productions she sent to the Boston _Pilot_, the faithful
representative in the United States of the land and the creed to
which Mrs. Leprohon was proud to belong. She was also a frequent
and welcome contributor to several of the Montreal journals. It is
a pleasing evidence of her gentle thoughtfulness for a class which
many persons in her position regard with indifference that she
wrote, year after year, the "News-boy's Address" for the _True
Witness_, the _Daily News_ and other newspapers. One of her most
pathetic poems, "The Death of the Pauper Child" may also be
mentioned