THIS BOOK FIRST SAW the light of day as part of the 1993 Massey Lectures I was invited and honoured to give in the fall of that year. Special thanks to Bernie Lucht, executive producer of CBC Radio’s Ideas, Jill Eisen for keeping me on track, Jamie Swift, who first had the idea, and Michael Carroll for excellent editing. Ann Saddlemyer, master of Massey College, was a gracious hostess.