A Visit to the Monastery of La Trappe in 1817

e.--State of the Order since the restoration in 1814

P.

the Chartreux.--Forests

P.

Charité.--Alen?on.--Laval.--Vitré, the

P.

s to Nantes.--City of Nan

AP

cage.--Clisson.--Historical anecdo

P.

of Le Bocage.--Nature of the m

P.

re, from Nant

P.

rs to Blois.--Orléans

P.

e of Vincennes, and Chateau of Saint Germa

HE MONASTERY

AP

E.--STATE OF THE ORDER SINCE THE RESTORATION IN 1814

uelin's interesting work on the Vendean war, first gave me the idea of visiting the country called le Bocage, the theatre of so many events, and sufferings of the brave royalists; and, as the province of le Perche, in which is si

the village of Ruel, and the park of Malmaison, form a continuation of neat buildings. At Nanterre, in the campaign of 1815, the Prussians, after a severe engagement with the retreating troops of the French, had one regiment of cavalry cut to pieces. At Ruel, the celebrated Cardinal Richelieu had a palace, which at the Revolution

w the property of M. Ouverard, the banker: nearly opposite is the residence of the celebrated Abbé Sieyès, who lives in great retirement. Whatever may have been the po

s, are very curious. The palace of Marly is destroyed; but the basins, which were constructed by order of Louis XIV. are s

st grand, que l'art

hanté: c'est le

d'Alcine, ou p

etraite et gran

à vaincre, à domp

amais qu'entou

amorelie, who gave me a letter of introduction to the Père Don Augustin, Grand Prior of La Trappe. The mayor of the commune of Solignié, who happened to be at the inn, and learned from the Aubergiste, that a stranger intended visiting La Trappe, very civilly introduced himself to me, and gave me every necessary direction how to proceed through the forest; at the same time expressing his s

speck, met the eye amidst a landscape composed of nothing but barren wastes and thick forests, nearly impervious to the light. We had penetrated about half a mile through one of the latter, my attention occupied with the romantic wildness of the scene, when we were alarmed by the howling of a wolf. My guide crossed himself, and began cracking his whip with the noise and singular dexterity peculiar

intricate, that those best acquainted with it frequently lose their way. No vestige of human footsteps or of the track of animals appeared; a mark, here and there, on some of the trees, was the only direction! Pursuing our way through turnings and windings the most perplexing, we found ourselves to be on the overhanging brow of a hill, the descent of which was so precipitous, that we were under the necessity of dismounting; and by a winding path, hollowed out

e never was any thing in the whole universe better calculated to inspire religious awe than the first view of this monastery. It was imposing even to breathlessness. The total solitude--the undisturbed and chilling silence, which seem to have ever slept over the dark and ancient woods--the still lakes, reflecting the deep solemnity of

sight of the abbey, until he has actually reached the bottom; then emergin

e la mort et

rs flambeau

demeure, au mon

passe à l

ch has been mutilated by the republicans: he is holding in one hand a church, and in the other a spade--the emblems of devotion and labour. This gateway leads into a court,

he forests were still tinged with the warmest yet softest colours that faded fast away; and as we descended towards the Convent, quickening our pace to reach it before the last gleams of evening departed, there was a silence around us, which at s

t bells ar

nfully a

square tur

p sound, t

o the hea

nd prepossessing countenance. He informed me that the Père Abbé was then absent, visiting a convent of Female Trappistes, a few leagues distant, but that he should be happy to show me every attention; and requested that in going over the Convent, I would neither speak nor ask him any questions in those places where I saw him kneel, or in the presence of any of the Monks. I followed him to the chapel, where, as soon as the service was over, the bell rung to summon them to supper. Ranged in double rows, with their heads enveloped in a large cowl, and bent down to the earth, they chanted the grace, and then seated

iated, as Frère Paul, Frère Fran?ois, etc. which name they assume on taking the vow. Their supper consisted of bread soaked in water, a little salt, and two raw carrots, placed by each; water

lly a blanket, no mattress nor pillow; and, as in the former time, no

ich have been rapidly increasing since its restoration. In this cabaret I took up my abode for the night, in preference to the accommodation very kindly offered me by Frère Charle, and retired to rest, wearied with

lled Le Repentir, lately published, des

commune et sec

ouleur, martyrs

orture épuisa

éunis, consta

trangers, à c?té

malheur encore

pareils cherchant

e aux coeurs qui s

ains of two of the brothers, deceased since the restoration of their order in 1814. Another grave was ready prepared; as soon as an interment takes

las. Fr

e 24 Févr

*

he o

STINUS.

mensis

1816 D

SCAT I

M

*

when the destruction of the old church took place; it is now a complete ruin, and a few stones alone mark the spot of its ancient founder's grave,

S of the ANCIENT CH

n silent prayer at one of the angles, the bell tolled, when both Frère Charle and the Monk drop

deer, in some s

ie, (the arrow

hades, and wast

s, and pants

e the first order, are clothed in dark brown, with brown mantle and hood; the others are in white, with brown mantle and hood. I occasionally caught a glimpse of their faces, but it was only momentarily; and I can easily believe, with their perpetual silence, that two peopl

e three heads; but the lay brothers, who take the same vows, and follow the same rules, are principally employed as servants, and in transacting the temporal concerns of the abbey. The Frères Donnés are brothers given for a time; these last are not properly belonging to the order, they are rather, religious persons, whose business or connexions prevent th

ch are occasionally varied, but never diminished in their rigour. Frère Charle said, that the whole were strictly observed, and were frequently much more severe; for the Père Abbé

l'Office Divin,"

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