In the nineteenth century, sketches describing the "prose of life" - humorous or tragic incidents, life in the backwoods, travels, hunting, fishing and unique places or characters - frequently appeared in Canadian magazines. Like other forms of Canadian documentary writing, the sketch seemed to fill a need to record imaginatively different aspects of life in Canada. This volume brings to light examples of this important genre, include previously uncollected pieces by such well-known writers as Archibald Lampman, Sara Jeannette Duncan, and Catharine Parr Traill.