Series

This series documents the life and interests of Henri Gaspard Le Moine, in the second half of the 19^th century. It is composed primarily of diaries recounting the young man's daily life over the years.

The first journal covers the period from November 1, 1861, to July 8, 1862. Young Henri Gaspard, at that time a boarder at Collège Sainte-Marie de Montréal, provides a rich, detailed portrait of his life as a 13- and 14-year-old boy in Montreal. Every day, the young man notes the outdoor temperature, his leisure pursuits (billiards, lacrosse), school work, and participation in boarding school life. He also records his outings into the city -- usually when his parents come to visit -- which lead him to places like the Bonsecours Market, stores, Saint Lawrence Hall and the Port of Montreal to admire the ships. With the passage of time, however, his daily entries become shorter and more succinct. Sometimes, he just records the weather, followed by a simple rundown of the day's activities (wake up, study, breakfast, class, recess, etc.) and a note about any out-of-the-ordinary events. At the back of the diary, the young man lists the names of students, priests, and general school rules.

The following eight journals cover a period of five years, from October 21, 1867 to August 25, 1872, a time when the young man had returned to live in his home town of Quebec City. During this period, he continued his education by studying law at Université Laval, and then began his professional life. He notably worked for the merchant Jean-Baptiste Renaud (who later became his partner at the head of J.B. Renaud and Co.). More personal than the diary covering his years as a boarder, these eight journals focus largely on his love for Jean-Baptiste Renaud's daughter Emma, whom he sees almost daily at parties, dances and for walks. He also talks about his friendships, social activities, and the questions that concern young people his age, who are starting to get married. At times, the young man expresses confusion about the dating game and the various rules about romantic relationships he is learning. His relationship with Emma, whom he eventually marries in 1872, is tinged with anxiety stemming from the fact that their engagement is still unconfirmed and marked by misunderstandings and quarrels that sometimes leave him sad and miserable.

In addition to the diaries, there are two other notebooks, also handwritten by Henri Gaspard, but with different content. The first one, entitled "Album de G. Lemoine," was probably created during the 1870s and is a collection of riddles and short texts compiled by the young man, most of which seem to describe magic tricks. Cutout images of medieval monuments have been inserted into the pages of the notebook. The second notebook, which is undated, contains mathematical exercises. Finally, the series is completed by a scrapbook containing numerous press clippings.