Philippe-Ignace-François Aubert de Gaspé (), or simply Philippe Aubert de Gaspé (1814–7 March 1841), was a Canadian writer and is credited with writing the first

French Canadian French Canadians, referred to as Canadiens mainly before the nineteenth century, are an ethnic group descended from French people, French colonists first arriving in Canada (New France), France's colony of Canada in 1608. The vast majority of ...

novel.

Career

Philippe-Ignace-Francois was tutored by his father Philippe-Joseph and studied at the seminary of Nicolet. He worked as a journalist at the '' Quebec Mercury'' and ''

Le Canadien ''Le Canadien'' () was a French language newspaper published at various times in Lower Canada, then the Province of Canada, and finally the province of Quebec, at various times in the 19th century. It went through three different publication pha ...

''. He was sentenced to a month in prison in November 1835 after clashing with

Edmund Bailey O'Callaghan Edmund Bailey O'Callaghan, (probably 27 February 1797 – 29 May 1880) was an Irish doctor, historian and journalist. Career Born in Mallow, County Cork, Ireland, he studied medicine in Paris and immigrated to Lower Canada in 1823 where he ...

, who questioned his integrity. In February of the following year, he unleashed a

stink bomb A stink bomb, sometimes called a stinkpot, is a device designed to create an unpleasant smell. They range in effectiveness from being used as simple pranks to military grade malodorants or riot control chemical agents. History A stink bomb ...

asafoetida Asafoetida (; also spelled asafetida) is the dried latex (Natural gum, gum oleoresin) exuded from the rhizome or tap root of several species of ''Ferula'', perennial herbs of the carrot family. It is produced in Iran, Afghanistan, Central As ...

at the

National Assembly of Quebec The National Assembly of Quebec (, ) is the Legislature, legislative body of the Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Quebec in Canada. Legislators are called MNAs (Members of the National Assembly; ). The lieutenant governor of Que ...

. While lying-low at his father's house he began writing his novel '' L'influence d'un livre''. The story is made up of various fictionalized historical events, legends and

folksong Folk music is a music genre that includes traditional folk music and the contemporary genre that evolved from the former during the 20th-century folk revival. Some types of folk music may be called world music. Traditional folk music has bee ...

s which show the influence of father's recollections. Despite now being recognized as a major landmark in

Canadian literature Canadian literature is written in several languages including Canadian English, English, Canadian French, French, and various Indigenous Canadian languages. It is often divided into French- and English-language literatures, which are rooted in th ...

, the book was not well received and Philippe died shortly afterwards in Halifax where he was buried in front of the present-day Spring Garden Road Public Library.

Grave

Philippe-Ignace-Francois is among approximately 4,500 people laid to rest in Grafton Park, downtown Halifax. The graves of the people who died in the Poor House were covered by a firehouse and later a library without any public recognition of their burial.

Works

* ''Le chercheur de trésors ou L'influence d'un livre. roman.'' 183
online
** Transl. Claire Holden Rothman: ''The Influence of a Book.'' Robert Davies Publ. 1993 John Glassco Translation Award

References

External links

* * 1814 births 1841 deaths 19th-century Canadian novelists 19th-century Canadian male writers Canadian male novelists Canadian novelists in French Collège de Nicolet alumni Lower Canada people Novelists from Quebec {{Quebec-writer-stub

Career

Grave

Works

See also

References

External links