File

This file consists of correspondence, dated 1891 to 1907, between Honoré Beaugrand and his family, various friends, and acquaintances in the artistic, political and economic spheres of Canada and abroad. It is comprised of handwritten and typescript letters, one photocopy, letters of acknowledgment, postcards, greeting cards and one annotated publication.

Its contents illustrate his close relations with federal and provincial parliamentarians like Wilfrid Laurier, who wrote to him several times, and Lomer Gouin. The file also documents Beaugrand's numerous relationships with members of the French judiciary, notably in warm letters sent by Jules Maillet, chief prosecutor of the Dijon court of appeal, that reflect the longstanding friendship between their respective families. In addition, the file chronicles Honoré Beaugrand's professional activities as the editor of La Patrie newspaper and as an author, as well as his ties with Canadian, French and American literary figures, such as Benjamin Sulte, Charles Gill and Albert Ferland. There is a letter from the Montreal Archdiocese calling Beaugrand to task after La Patrie announced it was going to publish the novel The Count of Monte Cristo, because the works of Alexandre Dumas had been added to the Catholic Index of Forbidden Books. The file also contains a letter from Camille Flammarion of the French astronomical society, who was seeking a Canadian publisher for the English version of his novel La fin du monde (Omega: The Last Days of the World), which came out in France in 1893. After publishing an article about the Dreyfus Affair, Honoré Beaugrand received some thank-you letters that reflect the emotions raised by this case in Canada and the United States. He also received several letters following the publication of his books La Chasse-Galerie, and Other Canadian Stories (1900) and New Studies in Canadian Folklore (1904), notably from Wilfrid Laurier, Félix-Gabriel Merchant and G. M. Fairchild, Jr.

The file chronicles Honoré Beaugrand's personal friendships, including those with numerous friends abroad, such as sculptor F. A. Bartholdi and Roland Napoleon Bonaparte. As such, it contains numerous personal letters and requests of various kinds. Several missives reveal the concerns of his friends and family with regard to his asthma-related health issues. In addition, the correspondence reveals the courteous, at times affectionate, relationships that the Beaugrands maintained with their extended family. There are also several letters documenting the assistance that Honoré Beaugrand provided to Julie De la Gimodière Riel for the education of her grandson Jean-Louis Riel, the son of Louis Riel. Finally, there are a few letters addressed to his wife Eliza Walker, including one from Julia Drummond, along with several condolence letters sent following Beaugrand's death in 1906.