But now if we come to sum up the whole and compare their good and ill with ours, I do not know but that they, in truth, have some reason to prefer (as they do) their own kind of happiness to ours, at least if we speak of the temporal happiness, which the rich and worldly seek in this life. For, if indeed they have not all those pleasures which the children of this age are seeking after, they are free from the evils which follow them, and have the contentment which does not accompany them. It is true, nevertheless, that they are purely and absolutely wretched, as much because they have no part in the natural happiness which is in the contemplation [98] of God, and in the knowledge of sublime things and in the perfection of the nobler parts of the soul, but chiefly because they are outside the grace of our Lord JESUS CHRIST, and the way of Eternal salvation. CHAPITRE IX. QUEL MOYEN IL Y PEUT AUOIR D'AIDER CES NATIONS À LEUR SALUT ETERNEL. VOVS auez ouy iusques icy, quel est le naturel des terres de la nouuelle France, & les façons, arts, & coustumes principales des habitans. Or maintenant le tout bien consideré, en fin, ie croy, que le resultat de toutes les opinions, aduis, experiences, raisons, & coniectures des Sages ne pourroit estre guieres que [99] cestui-cy, sçauoir est, qu'il n'y a point d'apparence de iamais pouuoir cõuertir, ny aider solidement à salut ces Natiõs, si lon ny fonde vne peuplade Chrestienne, & Catholique, ayant suffisance de moyens pour viure, & de laquelle toutes ces contrées dependent, mesmes quand aux prouisions, & necessités temporel. Tel est le resultat, & conclusion des aduis. CHAPTER IX. ON THE MEANS AVAILABLE TO AID THESE NATIONS TO THEIR ETERNAL SALVATION. YOU have heard up to the present about the nature of the lands of new France, and the more important habits, arts, and customs of the inhabitants. Now, after considering the whole subject thoroughly, the result of all these opinions, sentiments, experiments, arguments, and conjectures of the wise can hardly be otherwise than [99] this; namely, that there is no probability of ever being able to convert or really help these Nations to salvation, if there is not established there a Christian and Catholic colony, having a sufficiency of means to maintain it, and upon which all the countries depend, even as to provisions and temporal needs. Such is the result and conclusion of our investigations.