John Holmes, a Canadian author, born at Windsor, Vt., in 1799, died at Lorette, near Quebec, in 1852. He was preparing to enter the ministry of the Wesleyan church, when he embraced the Roman Catholic faith; he studied philosophy and theology in the seminary of Montreal, became professor in the college of Nicolet, where he was ordained priest, and spent some time as a missionary in the Eastern Townships. In 1828 he entered the seminary of Quebec as professor, was elected one of its directors, and soon became principal of the seminary. In 1836 he was commissioned by the provincial government to inquire into the system of normal schools in Europe and America, and returned to Canada in 1837 with professors, apparatus, etc, for the Canadian normal school, which was opened forthwith in Montreal. From 1838, owing to a domestic affliction, he lived in seclusion, only appearing to deliver Lenten courses of lectures, published in 1850 as Conferences de Notre Dame de Quebec. His Manuel abrege de geographic mo-derne has reached its sixth edition.