Charles Inglis: Missionary, Loyalist, Bishop (1734–1816) by Reginald V. Harris (review)

REVIEWS OF BOOKS 441 for a new biographyis that it bringsforward new and important facts or that it offersa new interpretation. The advent, therefore,of Vice-Admiral Gordon Campbell'sbiographywas awaited with impatience,especiallyas its publication was deferred(so it was understood)to enablenew materialsto be worked into the story. But one risesfrom its perusalwith a distinct senseof dissatisfaction: a sense of havingreada familiar story, told it is true, in an easypleasantway, but containingnothing important that is new either in fact or in atmosphere. The portionsof Cook's life that especiallytouch Canada are his surveysof the St. Lawrence and the Newfoundlandcoastand his discoveryof the north-west coast of America. But Canadianswill searchthisbookin vain for any newlight onthese subjects. The author in his prefacespeaksof "the immensefield of information" into whichhe hasdelved. If this meansmanuscriptsources the delvinghasnot yielded muchreward,asmay readilybeseenby examininga fewpages: for example,every statementon page238is to be foundin Cook'sThird voyage (1784ed., I, 64-103); similarly page 240 is merely a drastic condensation of pages136-72of the same volume;again, page242 represents pages187-212of that volumewith a wee bit of a correction from Zimmermann; and not to multiply instances,page 261 is nothingbut volume II, pages258-74. Here and there appear namesand wordslong sinceabandoned:Manganoia island (p. 240) for Mangaia; Rotterdam island (p. 243) for Namuka; sea-horses (p. 270) for walrus;Morai (p. 277) for Heiau, in the Hawaiian islands. It would appear from page 263 that the learned author believesin the alleged voyages of de Fuca and de Fonte; but they have longagobeenrelegatedto the limbo of departed myths, and any resemblancebetweentheir imaginary geographyand therealispurelyfortuitous.A fewinsignificant errorsmaybenoted:1597(p. 256) for 1579,aa the year of Drake's visit; John Ledyardwasborn in Connecticutin 1751, and hencewas a British subject (p. 273); King George'sBay Company (p. 262) for King George's SoundCompany. In the latter. part of the book Captain Cook's achievementsare succinctly set forth and crystallized;but the author doesnot give us his evaluationof the man. Instead, he reproduces opinionswith which the readeris already familiar: thoseof Miss Burney, Samwell,and Zimmermann. The piouswish that his work mayserve asanintroduction tothesubject forthose whodesire todelvemoredeeply is but empty words,for the volumecontainsno citationsto authorities,not even a partial list of booksdealingwith the greatcircumnavigator, and the eight-page list of manuscripts doesnot indicatetheir placesof depositnorattempt to distinguishamongstthem as to their historicalvalue. The best that can be said of the book is that it adds one more to the list of elementarybookson, but nothingto our knowledge of, Captain JamesCook. The storyflowseasilyalong,and is aidedby chartsof the threevoyages and by abouta dozenfineillustrations,many of whichare by Weber. F. W. How•,¾ Charles Inglis:Missionary, Loyalist, Bishop (1734-1816).By REGINALD V. Harms. Toronto:GeneralBoardof Religious Education. 1937. Pp. 186. ($1.25) THIS work is a condensation of articleswritten by Archdeacon F. W. Vroom, the Rev. C. M. Serson,and Mr. ReginaldV. Harris, the chancellorof the dioceseof NovaScotia,whichappeared in Church work,duringtheyears1934-7. The group are to be congratulated,in particular Mr. Harris, not only for their extensive 442 THE CANADIAN HISTORICAL REVIEW research but for the revision of the articles which has resulted in so creditable a finishedproduct. A noteworth.y featureis the shortsketchof all the characters mentioned in the narrative. The footnotes are excellent and where there are variations of information in the sourcesthese have been noted. Mr. Harris givesinformationas to the Scottishancestryof CharlesInglis,who wasbornin Irelandin 1734,hisemigration toAmerica, hisworkasa t•cher, his ordination,hispastoraldutiesat Dover, Delaware,and Trinity, New York. The Rev. CharlesInglisis portrayedasan ablepamphleteer, asa strongsupporter of theproposed extension oftheepiscopacy to America, andasa clericinterested in the evangelization of the Mohawks.The difficulties attendantupontheextension of the episcopacy to Americaand the position of the Anglicanclergyduringthe AmericanRevolutionare outlinedclearly. The writer notesthe appointmentof Inglisas bishop,the first suchcasein an overseas colony,his visitations, his assistance toward churchbuildingand the foundingof educationalinstitutions, and hisrelationships with otherreligious bodies. The revieweris not qualifiedto criticizesomeof the detail. He doesfeel,however ,that a foot-noteonthe "New Lights",some furtherextractsfromthediary, andsome quotations fromthebishop's firstcharge wouldhaveaddedstrength to the work. Mr. Harris hassucceeded in giving a living picture of CharlesInglis,hasincludedsome excellent illustrations, andhasprovided anexcellent example for later books along similar lines. M.A. GARLAND Migration.from Vermont (1776...