the West, differ from those of the French Canadians of Quebec,
the old province on the St. Lawrence remains to various degrees
their cultural homeland, and they have deeply felt its influence.
This book is primarily concerned with Quebec, the heart of French
Canada; but it also deals with the history of the outlying groups
when this has affected Quebec and the far-flung French-Canadian
people have been re-united, regardless of provincial or international
frontiers. It has been impossible for the author, with the time and
means at his disposal, to tell this broader story in detail, or even to
sketch it fully. But the history of Quebec is essential to the under-
standing of these outlying minority groups, which in the past have
shown varying tendencies to follow the Quebec tradition of standing
apart and preserving their separateness from English-speaking North
Americans; and there are common patterns, as well as significant
differences, in the behavior of all minority groups. These are of
concern to all North Americans, whether citizens of Canada or the
United States, and indeed to all mankind, for only by the acceptance
of diversity, through the understanding and reconciliation of cultural
differences, can the great world problem of our time be solved.

It is unfortunately impracticable for reasons of space to acknowl-
edge in detail all the obligations incurred by the writer in the course
of ten years' work. Among many libraries the Dartmouth College
Library offered extraordinary facilities for research throughout the
undertaking. The staffs of the Public Archives of Canada and of
the Quebec Provincial Archives were unfailingly helpful. The
author is particularly indebted for criticism of the first draft to
Professors J. B. Brebner of Columbia University, and Jean-Charles
Falardeau and Jean-Charles Bonenfant of Laval University, who
read the entire manuscript. Others who criticized one or more
chapters include Professors E. R. Adair, J. I. Cooper, and F. R.
Scott of McGill University, A. L. Burt of the University of Minne-
sota, G. F. G. Stanley of the Royal Military College of Canada,
Miss Elizabeth Armstrong, M. G. Ballantyne, Dr. Pierre Dansereau,
the late J. K. Howard, and Major Gustave Lanctot. The late Paul
Rainville, Gérard Morisset of the Quebec Provincial Museum, and
A. J. H. Richardson of the Public Archives were of great assistance
with the illustrations and maps. To these individuals and many others
the writer wishes to express his gratitude, while absolving them of any
responsibility for the views which he finally adopted after considering
divergent points of view.

MASON WADE

Cornish, New Hampshire

April 1954

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