contrary. In our
momentary enthusiasms we think more of ourselves than of the object we
face, and so we see that when this enthusiasm is once past, our
tendencies and inclinations remain on the ordinary plane of life.' Built
on such a foundation, her piety was solid, sincere and truly
enlightened. In perusing her writings, we are astonished at finding in
them a clearness of thought, a correctness of style, and a firmness of
judgment which give us a lofty idea of this really superior woman.
Clever in handling the brush as well as the pen, capable of directing
the work of building as well as domestic labour, she combined, according
to the opinion of her contemporaries, all the qualities of the strong
woman of whom the Holy Scriptures give us so fine a portrait. She was
entrusted with all the business of the convent. She wrote a prodigious
number of letters, she learned the two mother tongues of the country,
the Algonquin and the Huron, and composed for the use of her sisters, a
sacred history in Algonquin, a catechism in Huron, an Iroquois catechism
and dictionary, and a dictionary, catechism and collection of prayers in
the Algonquin language."

CHAPTER VII

THE SMALLER SEMINARY

The smaller seminary, founded by the Bishop of Petraea in 1668, for
youths destined to the ecclesiastical life, justified the expectations
of its founder, and witnessed an ever increasing influx of students. On
the day of its inauguration, October 9th, there were only as yet eight
French pupils and six Huron children. For lack of teachers the young
neophytes, placed under the guidance of directors connected with the
seminary, attended during the first years the classes of the Jesuit
Fathers. Their special costume was a blue cloak, confined by a belt. At
this period the College of the Jesuits contained already some sixty
resident scholars, and what proves to us that serious studies were here
pursued is that several scholars are quoted in the memoirs as having
successfully defended in the presence of the highest authorities of the
colony theses on physics and philosophy.

If the first bishop of New France had confined himself to creating one
large seminary, it is certain that his chosen work, which was the
preparation for the Church of a nursery of scholars and priests, the
apostles of the future, would not have been complete.

For many young people, indeed, who lead a worldly existence, and find
themselves all at once transferred to