an improvement in a papermaking process in which an aqueous paper furnish containing cellulosic pulp , and optionally also mineral fillers is formed and dried , the improvement being the addition of a drainage and retention aid comprising a water soluble alkali metal polyaluminosilicate microgels formed from the reaction of polysilicic acid and an alkali metal aluminate , the polyaluminosilicate having an alumina / silica mole ratio greater than about 1 / 100 , together with a cationic polymer selected from the group consisting of cationic starch , cationic guar and cationic polyacrylamide .