^lehec, 143 



genius and qualities. They are here reck- 

 oned a mofl cunning fet of people, who 

 generally fucceed in their undertakings, 

 and furpafs all others in acutenefs of un- 

 derftanding. I have therefore feveral times 

 obferved that they have enemies in Ca- 

 nada. They never receive any others into 

 their fociety, but pcrfons of very promifing 

 parts J fo that there are.no blockheads 

 among them. On the other hand, the 

 priefts receive the heft kind of people a- 

 mong their order they can meet with ^ and 

 in the choice of monks, they are yet lefs 

 careful. The Jefuits who live here, are 

 all come from France ; and many of them 

 return thither again, after a ftay of a few 

 years here. Some (five or fix of which 

 are yet alive) who were born in Canada, 

 went over to France^ and were received 

 among the Jefuits there ; but none of them 

 ever came back to Canada. I know not 

 what political reafon hindered them. Dur- 

 ing my ftay in ^lebec, one of the priefts, 

 with the biihop's leave, gave up his prieft- 

 hood, and became a Jefuit. The other 

 priefi:s were very ill pleafed with this, be- 

 caufe it feemed as if he looked upon their 

 condition as too mean for himfelf, Thofe 

 congregations in the country that pay rents 

 to the Jefuits, have, however, divine fer- 



vice 



