that the Queen, elevated as high by her virtues as by the steps of her throne, is not so dazzled by the splendors of her crown, that she does not sometimes cast her regards upon her new France. I have learned this through the letters of mother Magdalene of saint Joseph Carmelite, of the great Convent of the faubourg saint Jacques. This good soul also testifies to me that Madame the Princess is interested in our plans as well as Monseigneur the Duke d'Anguien, her son." Here are her words:

Thus far great blessings have been showered upon these poor little ones (she is speaking of the little Savage girls, whom we have sent to France) and the hand of God is plainly manifested in the affection that every one shows for them; and even Madame the Princess says she will take the one who remains to us, when she is fourteen or fifteen years old. This is a great blessing, for a good and virtuous Princess, as she is, can do much. Dare I say one little word in favor of this new Christian? If some one would give her a dowry, when she is of marriageable age, and then send her back to these [8] countries, I believe that much would be accomplished for the glory of our Lord. For a little Sav

age girl comfortably settled here, and married to some Frenchman or Christian Savage, would be a powerful check upon some of her wandering countrymen. This is the point to be aimed at, if this nation is to be effectually succored. I depend greatly upon the goodness of our Lord, that he will open the hands of some of his friends to bring about the marriage of another one, whom we have here in the home of one of our Frenchmen, who is now rearing and supporting her. Seeing her grow taller every day, not long ago I asked our Fathers who are here what help we

bien de la bonté de noftre Seigneur, qu'il fera ouurir les mains de quelques vns de fes amis pour en marier vne autre que nous auons icy, en la maison de I'vn de nos François, qui la nourrit & entretient maintenant. Comme ie la voy grandir tous les iours, ie demanday n'a pas long-temps à nos Peres qui font icy, quel fecours nous luy pourrions donner en cas qu'elle fe mariaft. Ie propofois de luy faire bastir vne petite maison, & luy faire defricher quelques terres, & la nourrir iufques à ce qu'elle euft dequoy suffisamment, cela fut trouué grand dans nos grandes difficultez: car en verité les premiers commancemens font remplis de tres-grandes defpences, neantmoins apres auoir recommandé l'affaire à Dieu, voicy ce que m'en refcriuit le R. Pere Charles l'Allemant Superieur de la refidence de noftre Dame des Anges. L'ay penfé à ce que [9] voftre Reuerence nous dit l'autre iour du mariage d'Amiskoueian, c'est le nom de cette fille, qui n'eft pas encore baptifée, fi celuy qui la veut efpouser eft vn homme craignant Dieu, faifons vn effort, que fçauons nous fi Dieu ne veut point entrer par cette porte? ie m'en remets neantmoins à voftre Reuerence. Dieu fera tout en fon temps, il fçaura fi bien mefnager cét effort, qu'il ne difloquera point nos bras, lesquels n'ont point d'autre appuy, qu'en fa puiffance.

Encor que ie fois defia bien auant dans la longueur, fi faut-il que ie rende mille & mille actions de graces à Madame de Comballet. Ie ferois plustoft vn chapitre à part, que de m'oublier d'vn cœur qui n'a point d'autre excez que dans l'amour de fon Dieu, où on ne peut trouuer d'excez. Cette Dame est doüée d'vn grand efprit, elle regarde dans l'eternité les biens qu'elle fait dans les temps, mais fi fes yeux

could give her in case she should marry. I proposed to have a little house built and some land cleared for her, and to support her until she should have enough for herself. This was thought a great undertaking in our straitened circumstances; for in truth first beginnings are fraught with great outlays. Nevertheless, after having recommended the matter to God, here is what the Reverend Father Charles l'Allemant, Superior of the residence of nostre Dame des Anges, wrote me in regard to it: I have thought over what [9] your Reverence said to us the other day about the marriage of Amiskoueian (this is the name of the girl who is not yet baptized); if he who wishes to marry her is a God-fearing man, let us make an effort; how do we know that God will not enter by this door? I leave the matter, however, to your Reverence. God will do all in his time; he will know so well how to direct this effort that it will not dislocate our arms, which have no other support than in his strength.

Although I have already become very tedious, yet I must render a thousand thanks to Madame de Comballet. I would sooner add another chapter than be forgetful of a heart which is guilty of no other excess than love of its God, in which there can be no excess. This Lady is endowed with a great mind; she sees in eternity the good which she does in time; but if her eyes, moistened by the waters of a single baptism, saw that the salvation of these tribes depends upon the powerful aid she gives them through the establishment and foundation of a Hospital, her heart would make use of a language which only speaks in silence, the language in which she often communes with God, blessing him for having chosen her for so great a work.

moüillez par les eaux d'vn feul baptefme, voyoi[en]t que le falut de ces peuples depend du puiffant fecours qu'elle leur donne par l'establissement & la fondation d'vn Hospital, fon cœur tiendroit vn langage qui ne se parle que dans le filence, c'est le langage qu'elle tient fouuent à Dieu, le beniffant de l'auoir choifie pour vn fi grand ouurage.

[10] Au refte on fait tant de prieres, tant de vœux, on offre tant de Sacrifices pour faire reüffir son honneur, & procurer fa gloire en ces contrées, que cela paffe noftre estonnement. Ie diray icy pour la derniere fois ce que i'ay fouuent reïteré dans les precedentes Relations, qu'vne infinité de Religieux tresfaincts en la maison de Dieu, respandent leur ame deuant fa bonté, pour luy faire refpandre fes mifericordes, fur vn peuple extremement barbare.

On me mande que les Congregations de la faincte Vierge, establies en nos maifõs, que les efcholiers de nos Colleges, ont presenté mille & mille fois nostre Sauueur à fon Pere pour arracher l'infidelité de l'ame des Sauuages.

La mere Prieure des Carmelites d'Aix en Prouence, m'apprend que Madame la Premiere Prefidente de cette ville, fondatrice de leur maison, a pareillement estably vn hermitage dans leur enclos, où toutes les prieres & oraifons, qui s'y feront iamais, feront dreffées a Dieu pour le falut de la nouuelle France. Tout ce fainct Ordre prend les armes pour nous, auec tel ardeur, que i'en fuis tout confus. Ie n'aurois iamais fait fi ie voulois produire les fentimens de leur cœur [11] que ie voy deuant mes yeux, couchez dedãs leurs lettres, c'est à qui s'abbaiffera d'auantage deuant Dieu, pour esleuer iusques au ciel des ames, qui ne craignent point l'enfer.

[10] Moreover, so many prayers, so many vows are made, and so many Sacrifices are offered to advance his honor and secure his glory in these countries, that all this surpasses wonder. I will say here, for the last time, what I have often reiterated in the preceding Relations, that a vast number of most holy Religious in the house of God are throwing open their souls before his goodness, to cause him to bestow his mercies upon a people barbarous in the extreme.

Word is sent me that the Congregations of the holy Virgin, established in our houses, and the pupils in our Colleges, have thousands of times presented our Savior to his Father, in order to wrench infidelity from the souls of these Savages.

The Prioress of the Carmelites of Aix in Provence informs me that likewise Madame the wife of the First President of that city, foundress of their house, has established a hermitage in their enclosure, where all prayers and orisons which shall ever be offered there, will be addressed to God for the salvation of new France. All this holy Order takes arms for us with so much ardor that I am overwhelmed therewith. I should never finish if I tried to exhibit the sentiments of their hearts [11] which I see before my eyes, contained in their letters. There is a struggle among them as to who shall humble herself the most before God, to raise to heaven souls which do not fear hell.

There has fallen into my hands a vow signed by the Nuns of the Annonciade, lately established at Paris, by which they offer all their mortifications, their fastings, their prayers, in a word, all their acts of holiness, to be united and presented to God with our little labors, that it may please him to open the