4. UNDER FRENCH RULE When the Treaty of Saint Germain-en-laye (1632) restored to France (see FRANCS Hu her possessions in North America,, Acadia and Canada were still savage wastes Prior to this date Port Royal and Quebec had hardly advanced beyond the status of con venient landing points, while Tadoussac and Three Rivers were mere rendezvous for barter. In theory the profits of the fur trade were enormous, but disaster or disappointment seemed to follow each venture with dismal regularity. At the same time the attempt to establish permanent colonies had been attended by only a moderate degree of success. Louis Hebert and a few other settlers had maintained themselves at Quebec for 21 years before the surrender of that place to the English, but their privations were constant and severe. Those who supported themselves by agricul ture were less than a score and the total popu lation barely passed 100. As for the missionary efforts, which constituted a third form of French activity in Canada, neither Jesuits nor Recollets had gained more than a handful of converts and a certain amount of friction be tween the two orders already existed. One hopeful sign was indeed visible, for in 1627 the Company of New France took form with Richelieu (q.v.) and other prominent people at its head, but this organization (better known as the Company of the Hundred Associates) was just beginning to show signs of vitality when Quebec fell (1629) into the hands of Kirke (see KIRKE, SIR 'DAVID). The general state of the situation can be described in a single phrase. Though individuals had dis played great enterprise and splendid heroism, the French as a nation had not impressed them selves deeply upon the western hemisphere.
Between the of Saint Germain-en Laye and Wolfe's decisive victory over Mont calm (1759) (see COLONIAL WARS IN AMERICA) lies a period of 127 years which is marked by all the features of genuine colonization. It cannot be said that in wealth and population New France kept pace with the English colonies from Massachusetts to Georgia: but while the economic basis of the French was less solid their geographical range was wider and their institutions were equally distinctive. For a century and a quarter France continued to be an active competitor for the control of this continent and maintained a strong foothold upon it. Moreover the Canadian French, the habitants, developed feelings of local pride and patriotism which, though they did not beget political restlessness, are not less noticeable to the historian than are the pride and patriotism of the English in America. From 1632 to 1759
New France was a colony peopled by vigorous and resourceful inhabitants. Unfortunately it possessed a defective system of administration, but its annals are adorned by noble deeds and its life represents a characteristic form of civilization.
Of the two regions which France regained in 1632, Canada was destined to be the more important and to be held upon the firmer tenure. Acadia with its long frontier of sea board lay open to easy attack from the side of New England and after 1621, when James I gave Sir William Alexander the charter of Nova Scotia (see Nowt SCOTIA — HiStOry) its population contained a Scottish element. At the moment when Port Royal fell to the Eng lish for the second time (1628) the ablest and most loyal Frenchman in Acadia was Charles de la Tour, but on the formal restoration of the colony four years later Isaac de Razilly, a rela tive of Richelieu, was appointed royal lieuten ant. During his lifetime the French in Acadia proved able to hold their own against New Eng land and even to. destroy posts which the English had established on the coast of Maine. De Razilly's death, however, precipitated an acute quarrel between de la Tour and the able, unscrupulous Charnisay, who had conic to the colony with de Razilly in 1632. Theprosecu tion of the feud between these rivals led, among other things, to a famous siege of Fort Saint John by Charnisay and a spirited but fruitless defense of the stronghold by Mme. de la Tour in her husband's absence. The long and bitter broil ended peacefully enough in the marriage M of de la Tour and Mme. Charnisay after the death of .Charnisay and Mme. de la Tour, but meanwhile the prosperity of Acadia had been seriously hampered by a domestic feud which unsettled the whole administrative system and raised the issue of Catholic versus Huguenot. In 1654 Acadia was seized by the English for the third time and held till 1667, when France regained it by the Treaty of Breda (see BRFZIA, TREATY or). During the greater part of the next 20 years peace between the two nations prevailed along the Atlantic coast, broken by occasional bickerings at points near a frontier which was always in but with the renewal of hostilities in the reign of William III Acadia suffered severely and had not re .