104 CHARACTER OF THE CANADIAN JESUITS. [1637. 



class in one of the Jesuit schools. Nature had 

 inclined him to a life of devotion. He would fain 

 be a hermit, and, to that end, practised eating 

 green ears of wheat ; but, finding he could not 

 swallow them, conceived that he had mistaken his 

 vocation. Then a strong deshe grew up within 

 him to become a Recollet, a Capuchin, or, above 

 all, a Jesuit ; and at length the wish of his heart 

 was answered. At the age of twenty-one, he ^#^as 

 admitted to the Jesuit novitiate.^ Soon after its 

 close, a small duodecimo volume was placed in his 

 hands. It was a Relation of the Canadian mission, 

 and contained one of those narratives of Brebeuf 

 which have been often cited in the preceding 

 pages. Its effect was immediate. Burning to share 

 those glorious toils, the young priest asked to be 

 sent to Canada ; and his request was granted. 



Before embarking, he set out with the Jesuit 

 Poncet, who was also destined for Canada, on a 

 pilgrimage from Eome to the shrine of Our Lady 

 of Loretto. They journeyed on foot, begging alms 



1 His age, when he left his uncle, the priest, is not mentioned. But 

 he must have been a mere child ; for, at the end of his novitiate, he had 

 forgotten his native language, and was forced to learn it a second time. 



"Jamais y eut-il homme sur terre plus oblige que moi a la Sainte 

 Famille de Jesus, de Marie et de Joseph ! Marie en me guerissant de 

 ma vilaine galle ou teigne, me delivra d'une infinite de peines et d'incom- 

 modites corporelles, que cette hideuse maladie qui me rongeoit m'avoit 

 cause. Joseph m'ayant obtenu la grace d'etre incorpore a un corps aussi 

 saint qu'est celui des Jesuites, m'a preserve d'une infinite de miseres 

 spirituelles, de tentations tres dangereuses et de peches tres enormes. 

 Jesus n'ayant pas permis que j'entrasse dans aucun autre ordre qu'en 

 celui qu'il honore tout a la fois de son beau nom, de sa douce presence et 

 de sa protection speciale. Jesus ! O Marie ! Joseph ! qui meritoit 

 moins que moi vos divines faveurs, et envers qui avez vous ete plus pro- 

 digue ? " — Chaumonot. Vie, 37. 



