Charles Sangster

Charles Sangster (1822–1893) was a Canadian poet and journalist whose work helped shape early Confederation-era literature. Born in Kingston, Upper Canada, he became known for poems that celebrated Canadian landscapes and history in a Romantic, patriotic style. His best-known long poem, “The St. Lawrence and the Saguenay” (1856), traces a journey along the great river and into the Saguenay region, blending travel narrative with national feeling. He also published “Hesperus and Other Poems” (1860), which further established his reputation. Sangster worked in journalism and public service, and his writing remains an early landmark in Canadian literary nationalism.