William Kirby reportedly (according to Lorne Pierce) arrived in Canada with only a rifle and a trunkful of books, and this luggage accurately represents his personality. In his career, literature is consistently wrenched into the service of political activity. The results, not always happy as far as the literary works are concerned or effective as far as the political activity is concerned, add up to an unambiguous portrait of a man of letters who, without having any particular talent as a writer of either prose of verse, nevertheless managed to produce one of the most popular books of his time.

Born on 13 October 1817 in Kingston upon Hull, in the North Riding of Yorkshire, England, William Kirby was the fourth child and only son of John and Charlotte Kirby. He arrived with his family in the United States as a youngster of fifteen. His father found work as a...