The previous summer he had spent at the Garrett Children's Hospital
in Mt。 Airy； Maryland。
Upon graduating he entered the Toronto General Hospital as resident
house officer； in 1899 he occupied a similar post at Johns Hopkins。
Then he came to McGill University as fellow in pathology
and pathologist to the Montreal General Hospital。 In time he was appointed
physician to the Alexandra Hospital for infectious diseases；
later assistant physician to the Royal Victoria Hospital；
and lecturer in medicine in the University。 By examination
he became a member of the Royal College of Physicians； London。
In 1914 he was elected a member of the Association of American Physicians。
These are distinctions won by few in the profession。
In spite； or rather by reason； of his various attainments
John McCrae never developed； or degenerated； into the type
of the pure scientist。 For the laboratory he had neither the mind
nor the hands。 He never peered at partial truths so closely
as to mistake them for the whole truth； therefore； he was unfitted
for that purely scientific career which was developed
to so high a pitch of perfection in that nation which is now
no longer mentioned amongst men。 He wrote much； and often；
upon medical problems。 The papers bearing his name amount to
thirty…three items in the catalogues。 They testify to his industry
rather than to invention and discovery； but they have made his name known
in every text…book of medicine。
Apart from his verse； and letters； and diaries； and contributions
to journals and books of medicine； with an occasional address to students
or to societies； John McCrae left few writings； and in these
there is nothing remarkable by reason of thought or expression。
He could not write prose。 Fine as was his ear for verse
he could not produce that finer rhythm of prose； which comes from
the fall of proper words in proper sequence。 He never learned
that if a writer of prose takes care of the sound the sense will take care
of itself。 He did not scrutinize words to discover their first
and fresh meaning。 He wrote in phrases； and used words at second…hand
as the journalists do。 Bullets 〃rained〃； guns 〃swept〃； shells 〃hailed〃；
events 〃transpired〃； and yet his appreciation of style in others was perfect；
and he was an insatiable reader of the best books。 His letters are strewn
with names of authors whose worth time has proved。 To specify them
would merely be to write the catalogue of a good library。
The thirteen years with which this century opened were the period
in which John McCrae established himself in civil life in Montreal
and in the profession of medicine。 Of this period he has left a chronicle
which is at once too long and too short。
All lives are equally interesting if only we are in possession
of all the facts。 Places like Oxford and Cambridge
have been made interesting because the people who live in them
are in the habit of writing； and always write about each other。
Family letters have little interest even for the family itself；
if they consist merely of a recital of the trivial events of the day。
They are prized for the unusual and for the sentiment they contain。
Diaries also are dull unless they deal with selected incidents；
and selection is the essence of every art。 Few events have any interest
in themselves； but any event can be made interesting by the pictorial
or literary art。
When he writes to his mother； that； as he was coming out of the college；
an Irish setter pressed a cold nose against his hand； that is interesting
because it is unusual。 If he tells us that a professor took him by the arm；
there is no interest in that to her or to any one else。
For that reason the ample letters and diaries which cover these years
need not detain us long。 There is in them little selection； little art
too much professor and too little dog。
It is； of course； the business of the essayist to select；
but in the present case there is little to choose。 He tells of
invitations to dinner； accepted； evaded； or refused；
but he does not always tell who were there； what he thought of them；
or what they had to eat。 Dinner at the Adami's； supper at Ruttan's；
a night with Owen； tea at the Reford's； theatre with the Hickson's；
a reception at the Angus's； or a dance at the Allan's； these events
would all be quite meaningless without an exposition of the social life
of Montreal； which is too large a matter to undertake； alluring as the task
would be。 Even then； one would be giving one's own impressions and not his。
Wherever he lived he was a social figure。 When he sat at table
the dinner was never dull。 The entertainment he offered was not missed
by the dullest intelligence。 His contribution was merely 〃stories〃；
and these stories in endless succession were told in a spirit of frank fun。
They were not illustrative； admonitory； or hortatory。
They were just amusing； and always fresh。 This gift he acquired
from his mother； who had that rare charm of mimicry without mockery；
and caricature without malice。 In all his own letters there is not
an unkind comment or tinge of ill…nature； although in places；
especially in later years； there is bitter indignation against
those Canadian patriots who were patriots merely for their bellies' sake。
Taken together his letters and diaries are a revelation
of the heroic struggle by which a man gains a footing in a strange place
in that most particular of all professions； a struggle comprehended
by those alone who have made the trial of it。 And yet the method is simple。
It is all disclosed in his words； 〃I have never refused any work
that was given me to do。〃 These records are merely a chronicle of work。
Outdoor clinics； laboratory tasks； post…mortems； demonstrating； teaching；
lecturing； attendance upon the sick in wards and homes； meetings；
conventions； papers； addresses； editing； reviewing； the very remembrance
of such a career is enough to appall the stoutest heart。
But John McCrae was never appalled。 He went about his work gaily；
never busy； never idle。 Each minute was pressed into the service；
and every hour was made to count。 In the first eight months of practice
he claims to have made ninety dollars。 It is many years
before we hear him complain of the drudgery of sending out accounts；
and sighing for the services of a bookkeeper。 This is the only complaint
that appears in his letters。
There were at the time in Montreal two rival schools；
and are yet two rival hospitals。 But John McCrae was of no party。
He was the friend of all men； and the confidant of many。 He sought nothing
for himself and by seeking not he found what he most desired。
His mind was single and his intention pure； his acts unsullied
by selfish thought； his aim was true because it was steady and high。
His aid was never sought for any cause that was unworthy；
and those humorous eyes could see through the bones
to the marrow of a scheme。 In spite of his singular innocence； or rather
by reason of it； he was the last man in the world to be imposed upon。
In all this devastating labour he never neglected the assembling of himself
together with those who write and those who paint。 Indeed；
he had himself some small skill in line and colour。 His hands were
the hands of an artist too fine and small for a body that weighted
180 pounds； and measured more than five feet eleven inches in height。
There was in Montreal an institution known as 〃The Pen and Pencil Club〃。
No one now living remembers a time when it did not exist。
It was a peculiar club。 It contained no member who should not be in it；
and no one was left out who should be in。 The number was about a dozen。
For twenty years the club met in Dyonnet's studio； and afterwards；
as the result of some convulsion； in K。 R。 Macpherson's。 A ceremonial supper
was eaten once a year； at which one dressed the salad； one made the coffee；
and Harris sang a song。 Here all pictures were first shown；
and writings read if they were not too long。 If they were；
there was in an adjoining room a tin chest； which in these austere days
one remembers with refreshment。 When John McCrae was offered membership
he 〃grabbed at it〃； and the place was a home for the spirit
wearied by the week's work。 There Brymner and the other artists
would discourse upon writings； and Burgess and the other writers
would discourse upon pictures。
It is only with the greatest of resolution； fortified by
lack of time and space； that I have kept myself to the main lines
of his career； and refrained from following him into by…paths and secret；
pleasant places； but I shall not be denied just one indulgence。
In the great days when Lord Grey was Governor…General he formed a party
to visit Prince Edward Island。 The route was a circuitous one。
It began at Ottawa； it extended to Winnipeg； down the Nelson River
to York Factory； across Hudson Bay； down the Strait；
by Belle Isle and Newfoundland； and across the Gulf of St。 Lawrence
to a place called Orwell。 Lord Grey in the matter of company
had the reputation of doing himself well。 John McCrae was of the party。
It also included John Macnaughton； L。 S。 Amery； Lord Percy；
Lord Lanesborou