supplemented by another concerned with the more humanistic aspects
of biculturalism, such as education, literature, art, music, radio, and
television. In these fields until very recently there has been little
contact between English and French Canada; there were two cultures
rather than biculturalism, a situation recalling that described by Pierre
Chauveau in 1876 when he likened the Canada of that day to the
famous staircase of the Château de Chambord, so constructed
that
two persons could mount it without meeting and without seeing each
other except at intervals: "English and French, we climb by a double
flight of stairs toward the destinies reserved for us on this continent,
without knowing each other, without meeting each other, and with-
out even seeing each other, except on the landing of politics. In social
and literary terms, we are far more foreign to each other than the
English and French of Europe." ¹ But with the official recognition of
biculturalism by the Report of the Massey Commission, the former
"Two Solitudes" have been drawing closer to each other, the process
expedited by a general recognition that if Canadian culture is not to
be swamped by American culture, it must be both French and English.

Obviously these brief essays do not pretend to be definitive studies.
The intention is to state the situation, suggest tentative hypotheses on
the basis of present knowledge, and indicate the areas where further
research is most urgently needed. The book will serve its purpose if it
stimulates further study of these matters. In the past there has been
a curious reluctance on the part of both English and French Canadians
to examine the fundamentals of their national relationship, presumably
for fear of disturbing it, and in a desire to let well enough alone. But
now that the diplomatic tradition of the bonne entente, with its
formal exchanges of polite compliments, has been outmoded by the
rapid national development of Canada, both English and French
Canadians appear willing to join in frank and searching examinations
of their attitudes in the interest of true mutual understanding. It is
probably unfortunate that thus far so much of the research has been
done on French Canada by English-speaking scholars. There is no
reason why French Canada should be the only Canadian guinea-pig,
and French-Canadian studies of English Canada would certainly be
enlightening and valuable. With the growth of exchanges of professors
and students between the English and French universities, the pros-
pects for a better-balanced mutual examination of the Canadian
heritage are much brighter.

Such an examination need not be mere contemplation of one's navel,

-xviii-