Pope, William (1848) Reminiscences of Prince Edward Island, in an Historical Descriptive Poem, addressed 
     
     to the Hon. Joseph Pope, Speaker of the House of Assembly &c. Prince Edward Island. F. Dunsford, 
     
     Liverpool. 38 pp. 
     
    
   
   
    
       
     
    
   
   
    
     in 78 7 7 William Pope arrived at Charlottetown from Plymouth in England with his half-brother John in order to set 
     
     up a shipbuilding and timber exporting enterprise on the island. In 78 79 he moved from Charlottetown to Bedeque, 
     
     where, as well as pursuing his business interests, he served as captain in the local militia. in the 78203 he moved 
     
     back to Charlottetown, where he carried on as a merchant, as well as holding the office of High Sheriff for the island 
     
     and at the same time serving as a Methodist preacher. His younger brother Joseph, to whom he addressed the 
     
     poem, arrived at Bedeque in 78 79 and later became a prominent merchant and shipbuilder, as well as an influential 
     
     politician. In 7828 William returned to England, and he later lived in Liverpool where he became the inspector of 
     
     ships for Lloyds of London. At some time before 7848 he wrote a 788-line poem about the island, which he later 
     
     had printed for private Circulation. Along with some general comments on the forest, the poem names a few of the 
     
     island’s forest trees, though the epithets applied to them (the beech is ’graceful’, the oak ’state/y’) clear/y derive 
     
     from the realm of poetry rather than from field observation in the island ’8 forests. 
     
    
   
   
    
     REFERENCES: 
     
    

    
     Prince Edward Island Register, 8 January 1825, Vol. 1 1, No. 19. 
     
    

    
     Leard, G. A. (1948) Historic Bedeque. Bedeque United Church, Bedeque. pp. 19, 21. 
     
     Holman, H. T. (1990) Joseph Pope. Dictionary of Canadian Biography, XII: 855—58. 
     
    
   
   
    
       
     
    
   
   
    
     Nor can I that sweet Isle forget; 
     
     It lives in my affections yet, 
     
    
   
   
    
     Which Cabot of immortal fame, [It was erroneously believed that 
     
     First found, and gave a sacred name [p. 7] John Cabot had 'discovered’ the 
     
     In her best robes of summer green island and named it after St. John.] 
     
     How fair and lovely was the scene! 
     
    

    
     The forest, The stately forest* newly dressed, 
     
    
   
   
    
     As if to meet her Eastern guest; 
     
    

    
     As on the deck the veteran stood, 
     
    

    
     With joy the sylvan land he viewed, [p. 7] 
     
     Moose. The mooseT, fleet rangers of the wood, 
     
     Supply nutritious grateful food; [p. 8] 
     
    
   
   
    
     But Gaul its empire now extends, [’Gaul’ is a reference to France] 
     
     And Western Regions with it blends; 
     
     Our Island owns its sovereign sway, 
     
     And savage customs pass away. 
     
     The forest now becomes subdued; 
     
     And where the birch and maple stood, 
     
     And graceful beech and spruce combine 
     
     With stately oak, and lofty pine, — 
     
     On hill and far extended plain, 
     
     Are meadows fair, and golden grain. 
     
     Forest removal. While mansions in succession rise 
     
     Of lofty or of meaner size, 
     
     Where fertile rivers gently flow, 
     
     And bays indent the coast below. [p. 13] 
     
    
   
   
    
     Some trees. 
     
    
   
   
    
       
     
    
   
   
    
     * The extended and richly dressed forest, together with the general appearance of 
     
    
   
   
    
     HIS footnotes. extreme fertility, must have struck its first visitors with pleasing astonishment and delight. 
     
    
   
   
    
     T The moose deer, which for ages were inhabitants of the Island, have long since been 
     
     entirely out off, but may yet be found in the sister provinces. 
     
    
   
   
    
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