To the Earl of ----.
Silleri, June 6, 1767.
It is very true, my Lord, that the Jesuit missionaries still
continue in the Indian villages in Canada; and I am afraid it is no
less true, that they use every art to instill into those people an
aversion to the English; at least I have been told this by the Indians
themselves, who seem equally surprized and piqued that we do not send
missionaries amongst them.
Their ideas of christianity are extremely circumscribed, and they
give no preference to one mode of our faith above another; they regard
a missionary of any nation as a kind father, who comes to instruct them
in the best way of worshiping the Deity, whom they suppose more
propitious to the Europeans than to themselves; and as an ambassador
from the prince whose subject he is: they therefore think it a mark of
honor, and a proof of esteem, to receive missionaries; and to our
remissness, and the French wise attention on this head, is owing the
extreme attachment the greater part of the savage nations have ever had
to the latter.
The French missionaries, by studying their language, their manners,
their tempers, their dispositions; by conforming to their way of life,
and using every art to gain their esteem, have acquired an influence
over them which is scarce to be conceived; nor would it be difficult
for ours to do the same, were they judiciously chose, and properly
encouraged.
I believe I have said, that there is a striking resemblance between
the manners of the Canadians and the savages; I should have explained
it, by adding, that this resemblance has been brought about, not by the
French having won the savages to receive European manners, but by the
very contrary; the peasants having acquired the savage indolence in
peace, their activity and ferocity in war; their fondness for field
sports, their hatred of labor; their love of a wandering life, and of
liberty; in the latter of which they have been in some degree indulged,
the laws here being much milder, and more favorable to the people, than
in France.
Many of the officers also, and those of rank in the colony troops,
have been adopted into the savage tribes; and there is stronger
evidence than, for the honor of humanity, I would wish there was, that
some of them have led the death dance at the execution of English
captives, have even partook the horrid repast, and imitated them in all
their cruelties; cruelties, which to the eternal disgrace, not only of
our holy religion, but even of our nature, these poor people, whose
ignorance is their excuse, have been instigated to, both by the French
and English colonies, who, with a fury truly diabolical, have offered
rewards to those who brought in the scalps of their enemies. Rousseau
has taken great pains to prove that the most uncultivated nations are
the most virtuous: I have all due respect for this philosopher, of
whose writings I am an enthusiastic admirer; but I have a still greater
respect for truth, which I believe is not in this instance on his side.
There is little reason to boast of the virtues of a people, who are
such brutal slaves to their appetites as to be unable to avoid
drinking brandy to an excess scarce to be conceived, whenever it falls
in their way, though eternally lamenting the murders and other
atrocious crimes of which they are so perpetually guilty when under its
influence.
It is unjust to say we have corrupted them, that we have taught them
a vice to which we are ourselves not addicted; both French and English
are in general sober: we have indeed given them the means of
intoxication, which they had not before their intercourse with us; but
he must be indeed fond of praising them, who makes a virtue of their
having been sober, when water was the only liquor with which they were
acquainted.
From all that I have observed, and heard of these people, it appears
to me an undoubted fact, that the most civilized Indian nations are
the most virtuous; a fact which makes directly against Rousseau's ideal
system.
Indeed all systems make against, instead of leading to, the
discovery of truth.
Pere Lafitau has, for this reason, in his very learned comparison of
the manners of the savages with those of the first ages, given a very
imperfect account of Indian manners; he is even so candid as to own, he
tells you nothing but what makes for the system he is endeavoring to
establish.
My wish, on the contrary, is not to make truth subservient to any
favorite sentiment or idea, any child of my fancy; but to discover it,
whether agreable or not to my own opinion.
My accounts may therefore be false or imperfect from mistake or
misinformation, but will never be designedly warped from truth.
That the savages have virtues, candor must own; but only a love of
paradox can make any man assert they have more than polished nations.
Your Lordship asks me what is the general moral character of the
Canadians; they are simple and hospitable, yet extremely attentive to
interest, where it does not interfere with that laziness which is their
governing passion.
They are rather devout than virtuous; have religion without
morality, and a sense of honor without very strict honesty.
Indeed I believe wherever superstition reigns, the moral sense is
greatly weakened; the strongest inducement to the practice of morality
is removed, when people are brought to believe that a few outward
ceremonies will compensate for the want of virtue.
I myself heard a man, who had raised a large fortune by very
indirect means, confess his life had been contrary to every precept of
the Gospel; but that he hoped the pardon of Heaven for all his sins, as
he intended to devote one of his daughters to a conventual life as an
expiation.
This way of being virtuous by proxy, is certainly very easy and
convenient to such sinners as have children to sacrifice.
By Colonel Rivers, who leaves us in a few days, I intend myself the
honor of addressing your Lordship again.
I have the honor to be
Your Lordship's, &c.
Wm. Fermor.