If we remember that there were only at this time seventy houses in Quebec, we may say without exaggeration that the number of persons who came from France in this year, 1665, exceeded that of the whole white population already resident in Canada.  But it was desirable to keep this population in its entirety, and Commissioner Talon, well seconded by Mgr. de Laval, tenaciously pursued this purpose.  The soldiers of Carignan, all brave, and pious too, for the most part, were highly desirable colonists.  “What we seek most,” wrote Mother Mary of the Incarnation, “is the glory of God and the welfare of souls.  That is what we are working for, as well as to assure the prevalence of devotion in the army, giving the men to understand that we are waging here a holy war.  There are as many as five hundred of them who have taken the scapulary of the Holy Virgin, and many others who recite the chaplet of the Holy Family every day.”

Talon met with a rather strong opposition to his immigration plans in the person of the great Colbert, who was afraid of seeing the Mother Country depopulated in favour of her new daughter Canada.  His perseverance finally won the day, and more than four hundred soldiers settled in the colony.  Each common soldier received a hundred francs, each sergeant a hundred and fifty francs.  Besides, forty thousand francs were used in raising in France the additional number of fifty girls and a hundred and fifty men, which, increased by two hundred and thirty-five colonists, sent by the company in 1667, fulfilled the desires of the Bishop of Petraea.

The country would soon have been self-supporting if similar energy had been continuously employed in its development.  It is a miracle that a handful of emigrants, cast almost without resources upon the northern shore of America, should have been able to maintain themselves so long, in spite of continual alarms, in spite of the deprivation of all comfort, and in spite of the rigour of the climate.  With wonderful courage and patience they conquered a vast territory, peopled it, cultivated its soil, and defended it by prodigies of valour against the forays of the Indians.

The colony, happily, was to keep its bishop, the worthy Governor de Courcelles, and the best administrator it ever had, the Commissioner Talon.  But it was to lose a lofty intellect:  the Marquis de Tracy, his mission ended to the satisfaction of all, set sail again for France.  From the moment of his arrival in Canada the latter had inspired the greatest confidence.  “These three gentlemen,” say the annals of the hospital, speaking of the viceroy, of M. de Courcelles and M. Talon, “were endowed with all desirable qualities.  They added to an attractive exterior much wit, gentleness and prudence, and were admirably adapted to instil a high idea of the royal majesty and power; they sought all means proper for moulding the country and laboured at this task with great application.  This colony, under