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Foreword
- Michigan State University Press
- Chapter
- Additional Information
+ Foreword I WOULD NEVER HAVE UNDERTAKEN THIS STUDY, NOR HAVE COMPLETED IT, WITHout the encouragement and support of my wife, Mary Topshee. That is the simple truth. In recognition of how much lowe to her, and not just for these pages, I dedicate the completed study to Mary. In terms of the content and academic merit of the work, my greatest debt is without doubt to my doctoral supervisor at the Universite Laval, Professor Jacques Mathieu. This book began as a doctoral dissertation at Laval under the direction of Professor Mathieu. His commitment to clarity and precision, as well as his remarkable breadth of knowledge about New France, aided my progress immeasurably. I owe Jacques more than I can put into words. A word of appreciation is also due to the Universite Laval itself. It was the only university that offered both the academic setting I required and a doctoral program that was flexible enough to suit my particular circumstances. Were it not for the flexibility of the Universite Laval, this study would not exist, at least not in its current form. I would also like to give sincere thanks to Professors Andre Sanfa~on and Alain Laberge of the Universite Laval and to Professor Emeritus Cornelius Jaenen of the University of Ottawa. Their insightful, meticulous, and constructive comments on the dissertation, made as part of their preparation for sitting on the jury for the soutenance of the thesis, were of enormous benefit. Particular thanks are due as well to the other members of the siminaire de doctorat at the Universite Laval, and to colleagues and friends from Parks Canada. Bill O'Shea played a crucial role in providing me with the time necessary to see this book through to its completion. Fellow historians at the Fortress of Louisbourg National Historic Site, Kenneth Donovan, and B. A. Balcom, have brought to my attention xv Control and Order in French Colonial Louisbourg, I7I3-I758 over the past two decades many incidents and aspects from the history ofLouisbourg. Their suggestions and ideas definitely helped shape this book. Note on Translation The vast majority of the documents and a good many of the books and articles researched for this study are in French. For the ease of the reader, the author has translated all cited material in the body of the text into English. In the notes, however , any citations are left in the language in which they were first published, or as they appeared in primary documents. XVI ...