Another great obftacle to their fuccefs in war, is their fuperftition, particularly their obfervance of lucky and unlucky days.

Being fond of all kinds of beafts of prey, they keep great numbers of them, and often vifit them before they give battle; and if they find them heavy and dull, they think it a bad omen, and a reafon fufficient to poftpone their intended defign of an action; and on the other hand, the accidental fury of the animal is regarded as a happy omen. They have also a custom of matching two wild beafts, commonly elephants; and having given their own name to the one, and that of the enemy to the other, they bring them to gether to fight in prefence of their army: But in this cuftom they are not altogether to be condemned for fuperftitious folly, fince they have the policy to make it a very unequal match, and to give their own name to the strongest.

But what is the greatest obstacle of all, to their becoming a military people, is, that thofe who have once had fuch fuccefs in the field, as to obtain the name of Fortunate, being thereby confidered as invincible, and in confequence unmolested for a time, are willing to fave the needlefs expence of an army. For this reafon there are few veterans, and most of their armies confift of an affemblage of various people haftily brought together from different parts; fo that there can be no fuch thing as difcipline, without which, numbers are but an impediment, and bravery ineffectual.

Notwithstanding they have fo feverely fuffered by being furprifed in the night by the Europeans; they can never be brought to eftablifh either order or vigilance in

their camp: And when they have acted with us as allies, the most earneft remonftrances could never prevail with them to be fufficiently upon their guard, when in the neighbourhood of the French, or to quit their ground in the morning, to co-operate with us, in furprising the enemy.

At the close of the evening, every man eats an inconceivable quantity of rice, and many take after it fome kind of foporific drugs; fo that about mid-night, the whole army is in a dead fleep. The confequence of thefe habits is obvious; and yet it would appear a ftrange propofition to an Eaftern monarch, to endeavour to perfuade him, that the fecurity of his throne depended upon the regulations of the meals of a common foldier; much lefs would he be prevailed on to reftrain him in the ufe of that opium, which is to warm his blood for action, and animate his foul with heroism. It must fill the mind of an European foldier at once with compaffion and contempt, to fee a heap of these poor creatures folely animated by a momentary intoxication, crowded into a breach, and both in their garb and impotent fury, resembling a mob of frantic women.

And there is certainly an appearance of effeminacy in the Eastern dress, which has at all times greatly contributed to leffen their military character with the European nations, who, from their own habits and prejudices, will naturally receive a ftrange impreffion, upon feeing a body of horse in filk or cotton robes.

There is, however, no character they are fo fond of as that of a warrior; and as they have no other notion of government, they have

been,

been, from time immemorial, continually at war with one another.

A general account of the Canadians,

E

from Charlevoix.

VERY man is poffeffed of the neceffaries of life; but there is little paid to the king; the inhabitant is not acquainted with taxes; bread is cheap fish and flesh are not dear; but wine, ftuffs, and all French commodities, are very expenfive. Gentlemen, and thofe officers who have nothing but their pay, and are befides encumbered with families, have the greatest reafon to complain. The women have a great deal of fpirit and goodnature, are extremely agreeable, and excellent breeders; and thefe good qualities are, for the most part, all the fortunes they bring their hufbands; but God has blefled the marriages in this country in the fame manner he formerly bleffed the patriarchs. In order to fupport fuch numerous families, they ought like wife to lead the lives of patriarchs; but the time for this is past. There are a greater number of nobleffe in New France than in all the other colonies put together,

The king maintains here eight and twenty companies of marines, and three etats majors. Many families have been ennobled here; and there still remain feveral officers of the regiment of Corignan-Salieres, who have peopled this country with gentlemen who are not in extraordinary good circumftances, and would be still lefs fo were not commerce allowed them, and the right of hunting and fishing, which is common to every one.

After all, it is a little their own fault, if they are ever expofed to want. The land is good almost every where, and agriculture does not in the leaft derogate from their quality. How many gentlemen throughout all our provinces would envy the lot of the fimple inhabitants of Canada, did they but know it! And can thofe who languish here in a fhameful indigence be excufed for refufing to embrace a profeffion, which the corruption of manners and the most falutary maxims has alone degraded from its ancient dignity? There is not in the world a more wholesome climate than this: No particular diftemper is epidemical here; the fields and woods are full of fimples of a wonderful efficacy; and the trees diftil balms of an excellent quality. Thefe advantages ought at leaft to engage thofe, whofe birth Providence has caft in this country, to remain in it; but inconftancy, averfion to a regular and affiduous labour, and a fpirit of independence, have ever carried a great many young people out of it, and prevented the colony from being peopled.

These are the defects with which the French Canadians are, with the greatest juftice, reproached. The fame may likewife be faid of the Indians. One would imagine that the air they breathe in this immenfe continent contributes to it; but the example and frequent intercourse with its natural inhabitants, are more than fufficient to constitute this character. Our Creoles are likewife accused of great avidity in amaffing; and, indeed, they do things with this view, which could hardly be believed if they were not feen. The journeys they undertake,

..

take, the fatigues they undergo, the dangers to which they expofe themfelves, and the efforts they make, furpass all imagination. There are, however, a few less interefted, who diffipate, with greater facility, what has coft them fo much pains to acquire, or who teftify lefs regret at having loft it. Thus there is fome room to imagine, that they commonly undertake fuch painful and dangerous journeys out of a tafte they have contracted for them. They love to breathe a free air; they are early accustomed to a wandering life; it has charms for them, which make them forget paft dangers and fatigues; and they place their glory in encountering them often. They have a great deal of wit, efpecially the fair fex, in whom it is brilliant and easy. They are, befides, conftant and refolute, fertile in refources, courageous, and capable of managing the greatest affairs.

I know not whether I ought to reckon amongst the defects of our Canadians, the good opinion they entertain of themfelves. It is at leaft certain, that it infpires them with a confidence, which leads them to undertake and execute what would appear impoffible to many others. It muft, however, be confeffed they have excellent qualities. There is not a province in the kingdom where the people have a finer complexion, a more advantageous ftature, or a body better proportioned. The ftrength of their conftitution is not always answerable; and if the Canadians live to any age, they foon look old and decrepid. This is not entirely their own fault, it is likewife that of their parents, who are not fufficiently watchful over their children, to pre

vent their ruining their health at a time of life, when if it fuffers it is feldom or never recovered. Their agility and addrefs are unequalled; the most expert Indians themselves are not better markfmen, or manage canoes, in the most dangerous rapids, with greater skill.

Many are of opinion, that they are unfit for the sciences, which require any great degree of application, and a continued ftudy. I am not able to fay whether this prejudice is well grounded, for as yet we have seen no Canadian who has endeavoured to remove it, which is, perhaps, owing to the diffipation in which they are brought up. But nobody can deny them an excellent genius for mechanicks; they have hardly any occafion for the affiftance of a master, in order to excel in this fcience; and fome are every day to be met with, who have fucceeded in all trades, without having ever served an apprenticeship.

Some people tax them with ingratitude, neverthelefs they feem to me to have a good difpofition; but their natural inconftancy often prevents their attending to the duties required by gratitude. It is alledged, they make bad fervants, which is owing to their great haughtiness of fpirit, and to their loving liberty too much to fubject themselves wil lingly to fervitude. They are, however, good mafters, which is the reverfe of what is faid of thofe from whom the greatest part of them are defcended. They would have been perfect in character, if to their own virtues they had added those of their ancestors. Their inconftancy in friendship has fometimes been complained of; but this complaint can hardly be general, and in those who have given occafion for it, it pro

ceeds

ceeds from their not being accustom ed to constraint, even in their own affairs. If they are not eafily difciplined, this likewife proceeds from the fame principle, or from their having a difcipline peculiar to them felves, which they believe is better adapted for carrying on the war against the Indians, in which they are not entirely to blame. More over, they appear to me to be unable to govern a certain impetuofity, which render them fitter for fudden furprizes, or hafty expeditions, than the regular and continued operations of a campaign. It has likewife been obferved, that amongst a great number of brave men, who diftinguished themfelves in the laft wars, there were very few found capable of bearing a fuperior. This is, perhaps, owing to their not having fufficiently learned to obey. It is however true, that when they are well conducted, there is nothing which they will not accomplish, whether by fea or land; but in order to this, they must entertain a great opinion of their commander. The late M. d'Iberville, who had all the good qualities of his countrymen, without any of their defects, could have led them to the end of the world.

There is one thing, with refpect to which they are not eafily to be excufed, and that is the little natural affection moft of them fhew to their parents, who for their part difplay a tenderness for them, which is not extremely well managed. The Indians fall into the fame defect, and it produces amongst them the fame confequences. But what, above all things, ought to make the Canadians be held in much efteem, is the great fund they have of piety and religion, and that nothing is

wanting to their edudation upon this article. It is likewife true, that when they are out of their own country, they hardly retain any of their defects. As with all this they are extremely brave and active they might be of great fervice in war, in the marine, and in the arts; and I am of opinion, that it would redound greatly to the advantage of the ftate, were they to be much more numerous than they are at prefent. Men conftitute the principal riches of the fovereign, and Canada, fhould it be of no other use to France, would ftill be, were it well peopled, one of the most important of all our colonies.

The Epistle from the yearly meeting, held in London, by adjournments, from the 11th day of the fifth month, 1761, to the 18th of the fame, inclufive.

To the quarterly and monthly meetings of friends and brethren, in Great Britain, Ireland, and elsewhere.

Dear friends and brethren!

UNDER a fenfe of that an

cient love and life, whereby we were gathered to be a people, we tenderly falute you; earnestly defiring that grace, mercy and peace, through the knowledge of God the Father, and his beloved Son, may abound amongst you.

We have renewed caufe, humbly to acknowledge the gracious condefcenfion of the God of all our mercies, manifeftly to us in this our affembly, whereby our fouls have been comforted in his prefence, our hope in his falvation renewed, and the bond of true fellowship again

con

confirmed, under a fresh fenfe that it is his good pleasure we should be continued a people, to the praise of his great and ever worthy name, In a degree of this uniting virtue and holy influence, we have been enabled to tranfact the affairs which have come before us, in much brotherly kindnefs and condefcenfion, and ftrengthened to purfue the great object of the churches care, the promotion of spiritual health and vigour in every member of the body, that it may be prefented holy and acceptable to him who hath called us to glory and virtue.

The amount of friends fufferings in England and Wales, brought in this year, being chiefly for tithes, and thofe called church rates, is three thousand two hundred and twenty-five pounds and upwards; thofe from Ireland, one thousand fix hundred and feventy-nine pounds and upwards. Against thefe and other demands, inconfiftent with the gofpel difpenfation, the teftimony of truth feems to fpread, to the opening of the understanding of many, heretofore ignorant of our religious principles.

The accounts received this year from the quarterly meetings in England, and the epiftles from Wales, Scotland, Ireland, Holland, New York, Penfylvania and New Jerfey, Maryland, Virginia, South Carolina, and Tortola, have afford ed us fome comfortable obfervations, that harmony and concord fubfift, in a good degree, throughout the churches; that a lively concern is maintained in many places, for the fupport of difcipline, and for the promotion of truth and righteoufnefs.

It likewise appears from thefe accounts, that divers are convinced of

that truth in which we have moft furely believed, and have joined themselves to our religious community fince last year. We therefore earnestly entreat friends every where, to walk in the light, and manifest by a circumfpect converfation in godly fear, that our teftimony to the power and fufficiency of the divine Spirit, is founded on the everlasting gofpel. Thus, no occafion of tumbling will be adminiftered to the weak, but many, beholding among us the fruits of righteoufnels, may have caufe with us to glorify our Father who is heaven.

When it pleased the Lord to vifit our predeceffors in the truth, they were as fheep without a fhepherd, without a place of feeding, or a fold of reft; fcattered, as many are to this day, on the barren mountains of forms and traditions, yet inwardly hungering after fubftance, which they law not how to obtain, it pleafed the author of these fecret strong defires, in his own time, to open to their understandings the nature of his kingdom, the fpirituality of that worship which was ac ceptable to him, and the bleffed advantages of his gospel when received, not in word only, but in power.

As their minds were thus enlightened, an aweful fenfe of the Lord Almighty, the all-feeing Father of fpirits prevailed therein, and led them from a dependence on outward performances, to a filent, folemn adoration in fimplicity of heart, humbly waiting for that help, without which none can worship. with acceptance.

In this frame of mind they were made fenfible of the accomplishment of his promife, that "those who "wait upon him, fhould renew.

their strength;" hereby they were

enabled