( H2 ) 



an it a fmall number of the beft company, where 

 nothing is wanting that can poilibly contribute to 

 form an agreeable fociety. A governor- general, 

 with an etat-major, a nobleffe, officers, and troops, 

 an irrtendant, with a fuperior council, and fubaltern 

 jurifdictions, a commiffary of the marine, a grand 

 provoft, and furveyor of the highways, with a grand 

 matter of the waters and forefts, whofe jurifdi&ion. 

 is certainly the moft extenfive in the world rich 

 merchants, or fuch as live as if they were fo ; a 

 bimop and numerous feminary the recollects and 

 jefuits, three communities of women well educated, 

 affemblies, full as brilliant as any where, at the lady 

 Governefs's, and lady Intendants. Enough, in my 

 opinion, to enable all forts of perfons whatever to 

 pafs their time very agreeably. 



They accordingly do fo, every one contributing 

 all in his power to make life agreeable and chear- 

 ful. They play at cards, or go abroad on parties 

 of pleafure in the fummer- time in calafhes or canoes, 

 in winter, in s fledges upon the fnow, or on fkaits up- 

 on the ice. Hunting is a great exercife amongft 

 them, and there are a number of gentlemen who 

 have no other way of providing handfomely for 

 their fubfiftence. The current news confift of a 

 a very few articles, and thofe of Europe arrive all 

 at once, though they fupply matter of difcourfe for 

 great part of the year. They reafon like politi- 

 cians on what is paft, and form conjectures on what 

 is likely to happen ; the fciences and fine arts have 

 alfo their part, fo that the converfation never flags 

 for want of matter. The Canadians, that is to 

 fay, the Creoles of Canada draw in with their native 

 breath an air of freedom, which renders them very 

 agreeable in t\& commerce of life, and no where 

 in the world is our language fpoken in greater pu- 



