An Introduction to James Cappon's 1889 'Address'

Abstract

James Cappon's career, both as a pedagogue and as a critic in the late nineteenth century, encompasses a number of firsts in the history of the academy in Canada. He was both the first professor of English language and literature (appointed in 1888) and the first dean of arts (appointed in 1906) at Queen's University. He was also one of the founders of the Queen's Quarterly and an influential voice on its editorial policy from its inception in 1893 until his retirement in 1919. As a literary critic, Cappon produced the first monograph devoted to the work of a Canadian author, his Charles G. D. Roberts and the Influences of His Time (1905). Consistently through his critical writings, he promoted the civilizing values of the British Empire, philosophical idealism, and liberal humanistic education based on the study of literature.