McGill Library
McLennan Library Building3459 rue McTavish
Montreal, Quebec
H3A 0C9
McLennan, William, 1856-1904
William McLennan, the son of grain merchant Hugh McLennan, was born in Montréal. After obtaining a law degree from McGill (1880), he practiced as a notary. His major life's work, however, lay in literature. McLennan played an active role in the contemporary movement to popularize Québec history and culture through his translations of folk-songs and through short stories and novels set in Québec, such as Spanish John (1898), Old France and New (1899) and As Told to His Grace (1891). Another historical romance, The span of life (1899) was written in collaboration with Jean McIlwraith.