226 THE COLONIAL EXPANSION OF FRANCE 



grai)hical peculiarity which, in the past, has always fostered colonial 

 entliusiasni. The}^ do not easily isolate themselves from society. 

 Solitude is not pleasant to them ; they are too communicative for 

 that. Their thought more naturally seeks outward expression than 

 concentration. An almost irresistible impulse leads them to wish to 

 impart to others the principles and ideas which they value for them- 

 selves. Touch them strongl}^ with religious emotion and they he- 

 come missionaries. Thus France has more Catholic missionaries 

 than all the other Catholic countries taken together. One cannot 

 speak too highly of their zeal, of their almost com})lete surrender of 

 selfhood, of their devotion, which at times attains the purest forms 

 of heroism. 



Though chartered companies were at work, it was predominantly 

 a religious motive which led to expansion in Canada. Quebec, ever 

 a verv religious city, was founded by Champlain, a very devout man. 

 Montreal from the first was a center of missionary and philanthropic 

 effort on behalf of the Indians. The missionaries and the courreurs 

 de hois radiated in every direction, the former to win souls and the 

 latter for the satisfaction of a restless spirit; together they won a 

 new em[)ife for France. The loftiest possible aims |)redominated in 

 this movement. Their ideal, to unite the whole Indian population 

 into a great Christian confederation, was in perfect keeping with 

 Henry IV's dreams of universal peace. 



Meanwhile, under Richelieu and Colbert, exi)ansion was taking 

 jdacein other directions, reaching Guiana, some islands of the West 

 Indies, and Senegal and Reunion Island in the Indian Ocean. The 

 westward advance of Nicolet was contemporaneous with the first 

 possession of Madagascar. While La Salle was working toward the 

 Mississippi, France was expanding in India. Now was her golden 

 opportunity in North America ; but many causes in no wise con- 

 nected with the colonial capacities of the nation were at work to 

 prevent her from making the best use of her o})portunity. 



REASONS OF THE FAILURE OF FRANCE TO RETAIN HER COLONIES IN 

 AMERICA AND INDIA 



Like other nations of the times, France had an inadequate appre- 

 ciation of the economic value of colonies. To her North American 

 possessions she preferred colonies yielding tropical produce and 

 spices, like the West Indies. She did not care to encourage the pro- 

 duction of articles common to Canada and to France. Then emigra- 



