IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-S) /. ^/ y / 4,. ^"1% ls'.< C/a 1.0 I.I 1.25 1^ 1112.2 It I'o 2.0 1.4 11 1.6 Photographic Sciences Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580 (716) 872-4503 fe-.H V fA <\ CIHM/ICMH Microfiche Series. CIHM/ICMH Collection de microfiches. Canadian Institute for Historical Microreproductions / Institut Canadian de microreproductions historiques Technical and Bibliographic Notes/Notes techniques et bibliographiques The Institute has attempted to obtain the best original copy available for filming. Features of this copy which may be bibliographically unique, which may alter any of the images in the reproduction, or which may significantly change the usual method of filming, are checked below. D D D n n D Coloured covers/ Couverture de couleur I I Covers damaged/ Couverture endommagde Covers restored and/or laminated/ Couverture restaurie et/ou pellicul6e I I Cover title missing/ Le titre de couverture manque □ Coloured maps/ Cartes gdographiques en couleur Coloured ink (i.e. other than blue or black)/ Encre de couleur (i.e. autre que bleue ou noire) r~| Coloured plates and/or illustrations/ Planches et/ou illustrations en couleur Bound with other material/ Reiid avec d'autres documents Tight binding may cause shadows or distortion along inte:ior margin/ La re liure serree peut causer de I'ombre ou de la distortion le long de la marge intdrieure Blank leaves added during restoration may appear within the text. Whenever possible, these have been omitted from filming/ II se peut que certaines pages blanches ajoutdes lors d'une restauration apparaissent dans le texte, mais, lorsque cela 6tait possible, ces pages n'ont pas 6t6 film^es. Additional comments:/ Commentaires supplimentaires; The to tl L'Institut a microfilm^ le meilleur exemplaire qu'il lui a 6t6 possible de se procurer. Les details de cet exemplaire qui sont peut-dtre uniques du point de vue bibliographique, qui peuvent modifier une image reproduite, ou qui peuvent exiger une modification dans la mithode normale de filmage sont indiqu6s ci-dessous. □ Coloured pages/ Pages de couleur □ Pages damaged/ Pages endommagdes □ Pages restored and/or laminated/ Pages restaurdes et/ou pelliculdes v/ Q n The post of tl film Orl{ beg the sion oth< first sion or il Pages discoloured, stained or foxed/ Pages d6color6es, tachet^es ou piqu^es Pages detached/ Pages d^tachees Showthrough/ Transparence Quality of print varies/ Quality in6gale de I'impression I I Includes supplementary material/ Comprend du materiel supplementaire Only edition available/ Seule Edition disponible The shal TINI whi( Map diffc entii begi righi requ metl Pages wholly or partially obscured by errata slips, tissues, etc., have been refilmed to ensure the best possible image/ Les pages totalement ou partiellement obscurcies par un feuillet d'errata, une pelure, etc., ont iti film^es d nouveau do facon d obtenir la meilleure image possible. This item is filmed at the reduction ratio checked below/ Ce document est film6 au taux de reduction indiqu^ ci-dessous. 10X 14X 18X 22X 26X 30X ^y 12X 16X 20X 24X 28X 32X The copy filmed here has been reproduced thanks to the generosity of: Douglas Library Queen's University L'exemplaire film* fut reproduit grflce A la gintrosltA de: Douglas Library Queen's University The images appearing here are the best quality possible considering the condition and legibility of the original copy and in keeping with the filming contract specifications. Original copies in printed paper covers are filmed beginning with the front cover and ending on the last page with a printed or illustrated impres- sion, or the back cover when appropriate. All other original copies are filmed beginning on the first page with a printed or illustrated impres- sion, and ending on the last page with a printed or illustrated impression. The last recorded frame on each microfiche shall contain the symbol — ^> (meaning "CON- TINUED"), or the symbol V (meaning "END"), whichever applies. Les images suivantes ont 6t6 reproduces avec le plus grand soin, compte tenu de la condition et de la nettet6 de l'exemplaire film6, et en conformity aves les conditions du contrat de fllmage. Les exemplaires originaux dont la couverture en papier est Imprimis sont filmis en commenpant par le premier plat et en terminant soit par la dernidre page qui comporte une empreinte d'Impression ou d'illustration, soit par le second plat, selon le cas. Tous les autres exemplaires originaux sont filmis en commengant par la premiere page qui comporte une empreinte d'Impression ou d'illustration et en terminant par la derniAre page qui comporte une telle empreinte. Un des symboles suivants apparaitra sur la dernidre imaye de cheque microfiche, selon le cas: le symbols ^*> signifie "A SUIVRE", le symbols V signifie "FIN". Maps, plates, charts, etc., may be filmed at different reduction ratios. Those too large to be entirely included in one exposure are filmed beginning in the upper left hand corner, left to right and top to bottom, as many frames as required. The following diagrams illustrate the method: Les cartes, planches, tableaux, etc., peuvent dtre film6s d des taux de reduction diffdrents. Lorsque le document est trop grand pour dtre reproduit en un seul clich6, 11 est f ilm6 d partir de Tangle sup6rieur gauche, de gauche d droite, et de haut en bas, en prenant le nombre d'images nicessaire. Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la m6thode. 32X 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 .!' i' i&^ ''Mil i'l' :- ft'.i // -■\ ^.- ..■^.■;, *'_ '- \i' { I ..:-;,.... .,.,.;tf:- U ft-i M AWFUL DISCLOSURES OP :ii^j^-n.T A. is^ o 2sr I' ■MiM .tw M AWFUL DISCLOSURES OF MARIA MONK; OR, THE HIDDEN SECRETS OF A NUN'S LIFE IN A CONVENT EXPOSED I ' ILLUSTRATED WITH UPWARDS OF FORTV BNGRAVINGS. • . ♦ MANCHESTER I MILNER AND COMPANY, ii DYCHE STREET. m-rfh N .1 i>i^I£:jf\a.ob. jV«;r past experience, and escape from the power of the Superior of the Hotel Dien Nunnery, at Montreal, and the snares of the &oman Priests in Canada, have left her. My feelings are frequoatly distressed and agitated by the recol- lection of what I htivt» passed through ; and by night and day I have little peace of mm '1, and few periods ofoalm and pleasing reflection. Futurity also appears uncertain. I know not what reception this little work may meet with, and what will be the efTect of its publi- oatiou here or in Canada, among strangers, friends, or enemies. 1 have given the world the truth, bo far an I have gone, on subjects of which I am told they are generally ifjpK/rant ; and I feel perfect confidence, that any facts which may yet be discovered, will con- firm my words whenever they can be obtained. Whoever shall ex- plore the Hotel Dieu Nunnery at Montreal, will find unquestion- able evidence that the descriptions of the interior of that edifice, given in this book, were furnished by one familiar with them ; for whatever alterations may be attempted, there are changes which no mason or carpenter can make md effectually conceal ; and therefore there mnst be plentifal evidenoe in that Institution, of the truth of mj daucnptioii. ^ lOlCG'lL mcfAom I t Than «r» Urlng witzit«M», al«o, who T mOOLLBOnONS — KABLT UTB — KBLIOIOUS BDITOATIOll «K(»J.BOTBI> — FIB8T SCHOOL — ^BMTKAKCni INTO THX SOHOOZt OP THB CON^^iLBGATTOmAL N17KNX&T — BBIB7 AOOOUKT OV THB irUimBKrBg m MONTRBAIi — THB OONORBOATIOlfAIt KtlNWBRY — TltE BLACK JCTJNKBRT — THB OBBT KDNNBKT PTTBLXO aB8PBl-r FOR TUBJKB INSTITUTIONS — INSTBUOTIOMfr RBCB17BD — THB QATBCHISM — THB BIBIiB. My parents were both from Scotland, bnt had been resident in the Lower Canada some time before their marriage, which took place in Montreal, and in that city I have spent mo«t of my life. I was born at St. John's, where they liv- &i for a short time. My fatlier was an oflBoer under the Britisli Government, and my mother has enjoyed a pension on that a«x;ount ever since his death. According to my earliest recollections, he was attentive to his lamily, and had a peculiar passage from the Bible, whjch iiium occurred to me in afttjr life. T may very pro- bhbly liave been taught by him, as after his death 1 did not retioilect to have rfxeived any instruction at home, and wsui cot t^vtin broii^iit up tu lotid tht) ISoiipturts ; my mothar, 10 Awyri. DiMLonrxfffl or mar^a wow«. h '* although nominally a Frotestajit, not being aociurtomed to pay attention to her children. She whm rather inclined to think well of the Oatholios, and often attended their ohurchet. To my want of religiooii inatruotion at home, and the ignoranoa of my Greater and my duty, which waa its natural effect, I think I can trace my introduction to eonvent8, and the loanea which I am to deecrihe in the fol" lowing narr&tive. When about ox or seven years of age, I went to echool to a Mr. Workman, a Protestant, who taught in Sacrament Street, and remained several months. Thai-e I learned to read and write, and arithmetic as far as diviHion. All thu progfress I ever made in those branches was gained in that school, as I have never improved in any of them since. A number of g^la of my acquaintance went to school to the nuns of the Congregational Nimnery, or Sisters of Charity, as they are sometimes called. The schools taught by them are perhaps more numerous than some of my readers may imagine. Nuns are sent out from that con- vent to many of the towns and villages of Canada to teach small schools ; and some of them are eRtablished as instruc- tresses in different parts of the United States. Wlien I was about ten years old, my mother ask- ed me one day if I should like to learn to read and write French, and then I began to think sen* ously of attending the school in the Congregational Nunnery. I had already some ac- quaintance with that ]angua«:e, sufficient lo iqpea^ it a It^ ^tAJUA MOKi vrx) na mothjul AWm. OTKILOBTTIBIIIB OV MAUXA MOHK. n Itemed to nclined to ded their at home, irhich waa luction to n thefol* to school Jacrament learned to . Ailthu »d in that dnoe. ochool to SiBten ol >Ib tanght 16 of my that con- to teach instruc- When I M I heard it erery day, and my mother knew nmnnthing of it I have a distinot reoollection of my ftret entraaoe Into the Nnnnery ; and the day wae an important one in my lifa, as on it commenced my aoqnaintance with a oony«nt. I was conducted by some of my young friends along Notre Dame street, till we reached the gate, Entering that, we walked some distance along the side of a building towards a chapel, until we reached a door, stopped, and rung a bell. This was soon opened, and entering, we proceeded through a long covered passage till we took a short turn to the left, soun after which we reached the door of th<^ school-room. On my entTanr«, the Superior met me, and told me first of all that I must dip my fingers into the holy water at her door, cross myself, and say a short prayer ; and this she told me was always reqmred of Protestant as wall as Oa- tholjc children. There were about fifty g^irls in the school, and the nuns professed to teach something of reading, writing, arithme- tic, and geography. The methods, however, were very im- perfect, and little attention was devoted to them, the time being in a great degree engrossed with lessons in needle- work, which was performed with much skill. The nuns had no very regular partA assigned them in the manage- ment of the scJiools. They were rather rough and unpo- lished in their manners, often exclaiming, ' C'est un menti,' (that's a lie,) and ' mon Dieu,* (my Gk>d,) on the most tri- vial occasions. Their writing was quite poor, and it was not uncommon for them to put a capital letter in the mid- dle of a word. The only book of geography which we stu- died, was a catechism of geography, from which we learnt by hivixt a few questions and answers. W© were sometimes referred to a map, but it was only to point out Montreal or Quebec, or some other prominent name, while we had no instruction beyond. It may be neoossary, for the information of some of my read en, to mention, that tharo kq Ihxes distinct Ooxnmti It AWWL DIBOLOflUXURS OV MAJD-IA. MOIfX. in Montreal, all of different kinda — ^tiiat is, fonnded on dif* f erent plans, and governed by diflerait ralM. Tkmx namas am as foUows :— 1. The Congregational NtmneTy. %. The Black Nunnery, or Oonrent of 8ist«r Bonrgeoiae. 8. The Grey Nunnery. The first of these prof eases to be devoted entirely to tJie education of girls. It would require, however, only a pro- per examination to prove, that with the exception of nee- dle-work, hardly anything is taught excepting prayer and catechism ; the inBtruction in reading, writing, &o., in fact, amounting to very little, and often to nothing. This Con- vent is adjacent to the next to be spoken of, being Beparat- ed from it only by a wall. The second professes to be a charitable institution for the care of the sick, and the sup- ply of bread and medicines for the poor ; and something is done in these departments of charity, although but an in- M-'-^^ ^^' ! it >m& i{j&o^ d? 3iu» Qomf^^isaxTicmAX, linnnspmv* if ' AwyvL mmjiAmtrtJiB of masxa moitk. It ledandif. Mxtuunm mrgeoim. Biy to the 1I7 a pro- m of nee- rayerand .f in fact, liiiOon- separat- 8 to boa the aup- ething is lit an in- k ■tf-J^^sSJ^ .^iOii^ tigniflcant amount compared with the 8Lu> ot the hnildingi and the number of inmatee. The Grey Nonsiury, which u ffituated in a distant part of the city, u alfio a large edifice, containing depturtmautN for the care of iuaane penons and fouudlinjirfi. With thia, bovreTer, I have leas porsonal acquaintmce than with ei- ther of the otheri. I have often sueii two of the Grey nuns, and know their rtdea, as well aa those of the Congre- gational Nunnery ; they do not oontine them always within thuir walla, like thoM of the Black JN'unnery. Theee two Convents have their common names (Black and Grey) from the oolours of the dresses worn by their inmates. In all these thrue Convents there are certain apartments into which strangers can gain admittance, but otheri« from which they are always excluded. In all, large quantities of various omomeuts are made by the nuntt, which are exposed for sale in the OrrMuitnt Booms, HJid afford lar^e pecxmiary receipts eve- ry year, which coatxi* hute much to their in* come. In these rooms, visitors often purchase such things as please them, from some of the old and confiden- tial nuns who have the charge of them. From all that appears to the public eye, the nuns of these Convents are devoted to the charitable object appropriated to each, the labour of making diiferent articlcH known to be manufaotored by them, and the religious observances, which oooupy a large portion of their time. They are re- garded with much reepeot by the people at large ; and now And then when a sovioe takei the veil, she is supposed to 8ALB m THB OHNAM£N^ H(3()»I8. m ▲WTUL DuoiiONvrjutt ov XJLEXA Momu retire from fhe temptatioiu and troubles of thi« world Into • «t»te of holy seclnflion, where, by prayer, etUl'moruflc*- tion, and good deeds, the prepares herseli ton heavea. BomotimeH the Superior of a Ocmyent obtaiiu the charaotw of working miraoles : and when saoh an one dies, it is pub- lished through the country, and crowds throng the Oon- ▼ent, who think indulgenceH are to be deriyed from bits of her clothes and other things she has poaseMNxi ; and many hATO sent articles to be tonchad to her bed or chair, in which a degree of Tirtue is thought to rtoziain. I used to participate in such ideas and feelings, and began by de- grees to look npon a nun as the happiest of women, and a Convent as the most paaceful, holy, and delightful place of abode. It is true, some painit ware taken to impress such views upon me. Some of the priests of the Seminary of- ten Tisitud the Congregation Nunnery, and both oatechiaud and talktid with us on rbiigion. The Superior of the BliKsk Nunnery adjoining, also, occasionally came mto the school, and enlarged on the advantage we enjoyed in having such teachers, and dropped something now and then relating to her own convent, calculated to make us uuterudn the high- est ideas of it, and make us sometimes think of the powi- bility of getting into it. Among the instructions given to us by the priests, some of the most pointed were directed against the Frotestant Bible. They often enlarged upon the evil tendency of that book, and told us that but for it many a soul condemned to hell, and sufFering eternal punishment, might have been in happiness. They could not say anything in its favour ; for that would be speaking against religion and against Qod. They warned us against its woe, and represented it as a thmg very dangerous to our souls. In confirmation of this, they would repeat some of the answers taught ua at catechism ; a few of which I will here give. We had little catechisms, (' Les Petits Oatechismes') put into our bands to stady ; but the priests soon began to teach us a Ml of answers, which were not to be found in our ■ majOa moml 1% tM^)k(i, from «ome of which I hare raoeiTod now ideM, and )^i)t, as 1 thought, important light on religious labjictSi which confirmed me more in my belief in the Roman Ga- thobo doctrines. Those queitione and answers I can still recall with tolerable accuracy, and some of them I will add here. I never ha^e read them, as we wera taught them only by word of mouth. ' Quettion. Pourquoi le boa Diea n*a pas fail tous le« commandemena ?* — ' Setponu. Parce que V honime n'est pas ai fort qu*il pent garder tout see oommandemens.' * Question. Why did not Qod make aU the oommand- mentsi"— * Antwer. Because man is not strong enough to keep them.' And another : * Q. Pourquoi 1' homme ne lit pas 1* Evan- gilo P' — * A. Paroe que 1' esprit de 1* homme est trop borne et trop faible pour oomprendre qu'est ce que Dieu a ^orit' * Q, Why are men not to read the New Testament .?'• * A . Because tiie mind of r^^m is too limited and weak to imderstand what God Jim written.* These questions and answers are not to be found in the common catechisms in use in Montreal and other places where I have been, but all the children in the Congrega- tional Nunnery were taught them, and many more not found in these books. :*^j '^■.. I ( 'y\ W U " . 'i : AwruL Dtaahtmnum ov majcia mojkm. Oliapter XX. otmoRieATioirAL mnnnniT — stoby told bt a fbli^ow rrr. 91h AOAIMST A PKIBST— OTHSE IBTOUXX0 — PRmTf MABT — 0ON7B8flIOir TO FATHS& BI0HAKD8— MT SrBSBQtJBNT 0<'ll>* waaaiov — msTKUonoNi in thb oatbcmiuc. Thbbb was a girl Uiirteen yean old whom I knew in the school, who Tended in the neighbourhood ol my mother, and with whom I had been familiar. Hhe told me one day at lohool, ol the oondnct of a prieat with her at confeseion. at which I was astonished. It was of so criminal and shameful a nature, I could hardly belieye it, and yet I had so much confidence that she spoke the truth, tiiat I could not discredit it. She was partly persuaded by the priest to believe that he could not sin, bocause he was a priesc, and that anyihmg he did to her would sanctify her ; and yet she seemed some, whut doubtftii how she should act. A priest, she had beex. told by him, is a holy man, and appointed to a holy otiice, and therefore what wuuld be wicked in other men, could not be so in him. She told me she had informed her mu« ther of it, who expressed no anger nor disapprobation ; but only enjoined it upon her not to speak of it ; and remarked to her, as priests were not like men, but holy, and sent to instruct and save us, whatever they did was right. I afterwards confessed to the priest that I had heard the story, and had a penance to perform for indulging a sinful ooziomty in making inquiries ; and the girl had another for communicating it. I afterwards learnt that other children had been treated in the same manner, and also of (dmilar proceedings. Indeed it was not long before mch language was usod to ne, and I well remembor how my Tiews of right and wrong ■■'■■■' \ ▲WTTTL DINOLOSVItVS OF MAHIA VOmC. II T 4 niLi.ow rv- •PRmmr mabt — VBUmnVVHT OitS' u. n I knew in the ol my mother, told me one day er ftt confession. K> cximinal and t, and yet I had th, that I could » believe that he that unythtng e seemed some- it, she had heet. a holy ot&ue, er men, could rmed her mu- robation ; but and remarked ly, and sent to ight. ' had heard the asinful another for ther children of aimilur was ttsod to |ht and wrong ti were shaken by it. Another girl at the school, from « place above Montreal, called the Lao, told me the foUow« ing story of what had occurred recently in that vicinity. A young squaw, called La Belle Marie, (pretty Mary,) had been seen going to confession at the house of the priest, who lived a little out of the village. La Belle Mane waa afterwards missed, and her murdered body was found in the river. A knife was also found bearing the priest's name. Great indignation was excited among the Indians, and the priest immediately absconded, and was never heai-d from. A note was found on his table addressed to him, telling him to fly, if he was g^ty. It was supposed that the priest was fearful that his con- duct might be betrayed by this young female ; and he un- dertook to clear himself by killing her. These stories struck me with surprise at first, but I gradu- ally began to feel differently, even supposing them true, and to look upon the priests as men incapable of sin ; be- sides, when I first went to confess, which I did to Father Richards in the old French church, since taken down, I heard nothing improper ; and it was not until I had been several times that the priests became more and more bold, and were at length indecent in their questions, and even in their conduct when I confessed to them in the Sacristie. This subject, I believe, is not understood nor suspected among Protestants ; and it is not my intention to speak of it very particularly, because it is impossible to do so without saying things both shameful and demoralizing. I will only say here, that when quite a child, I heard from the mouths of the priests at confession what I cannot repeat, with treatment corresponding ; and several females in Canada have assured me that they have repeatedly, and indeed reg^ularly, been required to answer the same and other like questions, many of which present to the mind deeds which the most iniquitous and corrupt heart could hardly invent. There was a freqiumt chaDge of teatihers in the school (4 u AWWTTL DIBOLOSUItKfl OW MASTA MOITK. \ the ss annery, and no rof^lar system was ptinaed in oar in* •traction. There were many nuns who oame and went while I was there, being £r©(iuently called in and out with- oat any perceptible reason. They supply school teachers to many of the country towns, usually two to each of the towns with which I was acquainted, besides sending Sisters of Charity to many parts of the United States. Among those whom I saw most was Saint Patrick, an old woman for fr nan, that is about forty, Tery ignorant and gross in her manners, with quite a beard on her face, and very cross and disagreeable. She was sometimes our teacher in sew- ing, and was appointed to keep order among us. We were allowed to enter only a few of the rooms in the Congrega- tional Nunnery, although it was not considered one of the •edaded Convents. In the Black Nunnery, which is very near the Congre- gational, is aa hospital for sick people from the city ; and ■ometimes some of oar boarders, such as were indisposed, were sent there to be cored. I was once taken ill myself ■nd sent there, where I remained a few days. There were beds enough for a considerable number more. A physician attended it daily, and there are a number ci the veiled nuns of that Convent who spend most of their time there. These would also sometin^e read lectures and repeat prayeni to us. After I had been in the Congregational Nunnery about two years, I left it, and attended several drSerent schools for a short time. But I soon became dissatisfied, having many and severe trials to endure at home, which my feel- ings vnll not allow me to describe ; and as my Catholic ac- quaintances had often spoken to me in favour of their faith, I was inclined to believe it true, although, as I before said, I knew little of any religion. While out of the nunnery, I saw notiiing of religion. If I had, I believe I should Vfiiver have thought of beooming a nun. » »ar in* L w«nt 5 with* lachert of the Sistert Aiinong iroman prois in ry cross ' in sew- ^e were ngrega- le of the Congre- ity; and iisposed, 1 myself ler more. imber ol of their repeat ahont schools L having I my feel* lolic ac- leir faith, fore said, Inunneryt I should AWFUL BncLoamm ov ma&u movk. Ob.apt«r XXX. ■LAOS OTTKNKKT — PaHi^A&ATlOHN TU HBCOMB ▲ JfOTlCTB IM THB JIJLACX. MCMMIKT — KNTHAMCJI— UUOUl'ATIONS OJP THI MOVICB* — THB ▲PjL&TMJDfTM TO WHICH XHBT HAS) ACCBHS — FIK8T nfTBaTUW WITH /AJOI KAT — mTTBRANUB rOR THB 8UPBB.IOa — ▲ WOKUBRFUL KVH — HBK RBLiaUBS — THB HULT euuO SHBPKBUO OR, NAMBLRSB VVV — CON- FBSSIUN OF MOVICBB. At len^^ I determined to become a Black Nun, and culled upon one of the oldest priests in the Seminary, to whom I made known my intention. " The old priest to whom I applied was Father Rooqne. He is still aliva. He was at that time the oldest priest in the seminAry, and carried the Bon Dieu, GK)od God, as the sacramental wafer is called. When going to administer it in any country place, he used to ride with a man before him, who rang a bell as a signal. When the Canadians heard it, whooH habitations he passed, they would oome and pros- trate themselres to the earth, worshipping it as a God. He was a man of great ago, and wore large curls, so that he somewhat resembled his predecessor, Father Boue. He was at that time at the head of the Seminary. This In- stitution is a large edifice, situated near the Congregational and Black Nunneries, being on the east side of Notre Dame Street. It is the general rendeavous and centre of all the priests in the diatrict of Montreal, and I have been told, foppiitis all the ooontary an far down fathsv mooQVi. m AWVT7L DIBC7.O017UM OV M4kIA MONX. M the ThrM RJT«n, which place, I helioTtt, fi nndrtr the charii^ of Uitt Seminary of Quebec. About one hondrt^ti and fifty prieeta are connected with that at Montreal, aa eyery small place has one priest, and a number of larger ones have two. Father Bocqne promised to oonverM with the Superior of the Oonvent, and proposed my calliu/i|; again at the end of two weeks, at which time I visitbd the tieminary again, and was introduced by him to the Superior of the Black Nunnery. She told me she must make some inquiries, be- fore she could give me a decided answer, and proposed to me to take up my abode a few days at the house of a French family in St. Lawrence suburbs, a distant part of the city. Here I remained about a fortnight ; during which time I formed soma acquaintance with the family, particularly with the mistress of the house, who was a devoted Papist, and had a high respect for the Superior, with whom she stood on good terms. At length, on Saturday morning about ten o'clock, I call* ed, and was admitted into the Black Nunnery as a novice, much to my Hatisfaction, for I had a high idea of life in a Convent, secluded, as I supposed the inmates to be, from the world and all its evil influences, and assured of everlast- ing happiness in heaven. The Superior received me, and conducted me into a large room, where the novices, who are called in French, Postulantes, were assembled, and engag- ed in their customary occupation of sewing. Here were about forty of them, and they were collected in groups in difEerent parts of the room, chiefly near the windows ; but in each group was found one of the veiled nuns of the convent, whose abode was in the interior apart- ments, to which no novice was to be admitted. As we en- tered, the Superir - informed the assembly that a new no- Tioa had come, and she desired any one present who might have known me in the world to signify it. Two Miss Feugnees, and a Misa Howard from Yermtmtk iprtto hatl been m^ f eUow.pupils m the Ooiig^regatinntu Nim* II )T the ttdru*! aI, »■ larger periov ' Le end again, Black j8, be- tOBod to French le city. time I icnlarly pi0t,and he stood ,IcaU. novice, ife in a )e, from Bverlaat- nxe, and who are engag- ollected lear the ^e veiled 3r apart- I we en- l new no- lo might Termont, AinrxTL Dirtotonimvfi or makia monjh SI nery, immediately recogni^i 1 me. I was then pltu^ in one of the groupi at a distance from thcin, and fumished by a nun, called Sainte Olotilde, with nuiioi jula to make a purse, Buch as prieetB Mm to carry the comiecrated wafer in, when they go to administer the Bacrameut to the sick. I well remember my feelings at that time, sitting among a number of strangers, and expecting with painful anxiety the arrival of the dinner-hour. Then, as I knew, cere- monies were to be performed, though for which I was but ill prepared, as I had not yet heard the rules by which I WHS to be governed, and knew nothing of the forms to be repeated in the daily exercises, except the creed in Latin, and that imperfectly. This was during the time of recrea* tion, as it is caUed. The only recreation there allowed, however, is that of the mind, and of this there is but little. We were kept at work, and permitted to speak with each other only in hearing of the old nims who sat by us. We proceeded to dinner in couples, and ate in silence while a lecture was read. The novices had access to only eight of the apartments of the Convent ; and whatever else we wished to know, we could only conjecture. The sleeping room was in the se- cond story, at the end of the western wing. The beds were placed in rows, without curtains or anything else to obstruct the view ; and in one corner was a small room par- titioned off, in which was the bed of a night-watch, that is, the old nun who was appointed to ovursee ub for the night. In each side of the partition were two holes, through which she could look out upon us whenever she pleased. Her bed was a little raised above the level of the others. There was a lamp hung in the middle of our chamber, which showed everything to hor very distinctly ; and as she had no light in her little room, we never could perceive whether she was awake or asleep. As we knew that the slightest deviation from the rules would expose us to her observation as well as to that of our oompanious, in whom it waM a virtue to betray one another's tanktii^ oonti- r,i» . I ! i It iwim mRCLOsrniER of na^ria koxk. niial exposure to lufler what I di«liked. and had my mind occupied in thinking of what I wan to do ne^rt, and what 1 must avoid. Though I soon learned the mies and cere- monies we had to pass, which wore many, and we had to be rery particular in their observance, we were employed in different kinds of work while 1 was a novice. The most beautiful specimen of the nun's manufacture which I saw, was a rich carpet made of fine worsted, which had been be- gun before my acquaintance with the Convent, and was finished while I was there. This was sent as a present to the King of England, as an expression of gratitude for the money annually received from the government. It was about forty yards in length, and very handsome. We were ignorant of the amount of money thus received. The Con- vent of the Qrey Nuns has also received funds from the geveminent, though on some account or other, had not for several years. T was sitting by a window at one time with a girl nam- ed Jane M'Coy, when one of the old nuns came up and spoke to us in a tone of liveliness and kindness, which seemed strange in a place where everything appeared so cold and reserved. Some remarks which she made were evidently intended to cheer and encourage me, and made me think that she felt some interest in me. I do not re- collect what she said, but I remember it gave me pleasure. I also remember that her nuumers struck me singularly. She was rather old for a nun— that is, probably thirty ; her figure large, her face wrinkled, and her dress carolsss. She seemed also to be under less restraint than the others, and this I afterwards found was the case. She sometimes even sot the rules at defiance. She would speak aloud when si- lence was required, and sometimes walk about when she ought to have kept her place : she would even say and do things on purpose to make us laugh, and, although often blamed for her conduct, had her offences frequently paiised over, when others would have been puAished with pen- anctis. f AWPTJL DISCLOSUEES OP MARIA MONK. 23 r mixid vhaX 1 i cere- had to iployed le most I saw, een be- nd was Bseut to for the It was N'q were he Con- rom the I not for ^ I learnt that this woman had always been singular. She never would consent to take a saint's name on receiving the veil, and had always been known by her own, which was Jane Eay. Her irregularities were found to be numerous, and penances were of so little use in governing her, that she was pitied by some, who thought her partially insane. She was, therefore, commonly spoken of as mad Jane Ray ; and when she committed a fault, it was apologized for by the Superior or other nuns, on the gxound that #'he did not know what she did. . The occupation of a novice in the Black Nu...jery are not •nch fus some of our readers may suppose. They are not employed in studying the higher branches of education : they are not offered any advantages for storing their minds, or polishing their manners ; they are not taught even read^i ing, writing, or arithmetic ; much less any of the more ad- vanced branches of knowledge. My time was chiefly em< ployed, at first, in work and prayers. It is true, during the last year I studied a great deal, and was required to work but very little ; but it was the study of prayers in French and Latin, which I had merely to commit to me- mory, to prepare for the easy repetition of them on my re- ception, and after I should be admitted as a nun. Among the wonderful events which had happened in the Convent, that of the sudden conversion of a gay young lady of the city into a nun appeared to me one of the most remarkable. The story which I first heard while a novice, made a deep impression upon my mind. It was nearly as follows : The daughter of a wealthy oitizen of Montreal was paM- ing the churoh of Bon Seoours one evening, on her way to a ball, when she was suddenly thrown down upon the steps or near the door, and received a severe shock. She was taken up, and removed first, I think, into the church, but soon into the Black Nunnery, which she determined to join afi a nxm ; instead, however, of being required to pass through a long novitiate, (which usually oaupies aboat f Is is; 24 AWSTX DISCLOSrBKS OF MJIRIA MONK. two years and a half, and is abridged only where the char- acter is peculiarly exemplary and devout,) she was permit- ted to take the veil without delay, being declared by God to a priest to be in a state of sanctity. The meaning of this expression ib, that she was a real saint, and already in a great measure raised above the world and its influences, and incapable of sinning ; possessing the power of interces- ■ion, and a proper object to be addressed in prayer. This remarkable individual, I was further informed, was still in the Convent, though I never was allowed to see her ; she did not mingle with the other nuns, either at work, wor- ship, or meals ; for she had no need of food, and not only her soul, but her body, was in heaven a great part of her time. What added, if possible, to the reverence and mys- terious awe with vrhich I thought of her, was the fact I leamud, that she had no name. The titles used in speaking of her were, the holy saint, reverend mother, or saint bou pasteur, (the holy good shepherd.) It is wonderful that we could have carried our reverence for the Superior so far as we did, although it was the direct tendency of many instructions and regulations, indeed of the whole system, to permit, even to foster, a superstitious regard for her. One of us was occasionally called into her room to cut her naUs, or dress her hair ; and we would often collect the clippings, and distribute them to each other, or preserve them with the utmost care. I once pick- ed up all her stray hairs I could find after combing her head, bound them together, and kept them for some time, until she told me I was not worthy to pos8ess things ho sacred. Jane M'Coy and I were once sent to alter a dress for the Superior. I gathered up all the bits of thread, made a little bag, and put them into it for safe preservation. This I wore a long time round my neck, so long, indeed, that I wore out a number of strings, which I remember I had replaced with new ones. 1 believed it to possess the power of removing pain, and have often prayed to it to cure Uie tooth-ache, &o. Jane Hay sometimes profestiod to out- I AWTTTL JDIfKlT,OSrKli) OT MABIA MONK. 25 do as all in devotion to the Superior, and would pick up the feathers after making her bed. These she would distribute among us, saying, ' When the Superior dies, relics will be- gin to grow scarce, and you had better supply yourselves in season.* Then she would treat the whole matter in some way to turn it into ridicule. Equally contradictory would she appear, when occasionally she would obtain leave from her Superior to tell her dreams. With a serious face, which sometimes imposed upon all of us, and made liS half believe she was in a perfect state of sanctity, she would narrate in French some unaccountable vision which she said she had enjoyed ; then turning round, would say, ' There are some who do not imderstaud me ; you all ought to be informed.* And then she would say something totally different in English, which put us to the greatest agony for fear of laughing. Sometimes she would say she expected to be Superior herself one of those days, and other things which I have not room to repeat. While I was in the Congregational Nunnery, I had gone to the parish church whenever I was to confess, for al- though the nuns had a private conf ession^room in the build- ing, the boarders were taken in parties through the streets, on different days, by some of the nuns, to confess in the church ; but in the Black Nunnery, as we had a chapol, and priests attending in the confessionals, we never left the building. Our confessions there as novices were always performed in one way, so that it may be sufacient to describe a single case. Those of us who were to confess at a particular time, took our places on our knees near the oonfession-boz, and, after having repeated a nimiber of prayers, &c., prescribed in our book, came up one at a time and kneeled beside a fine wooden lattice-work, which entirely separated the con- fessor from us, yet permitted us to place our faces almost to his ear, and nearly concealed his countenance from our view, even when so near. I recollect how the pri^tji used *il i ! 10 AWWXJf SI80LO8FRXR 07 MARIA MONK. to recline iheir heada on one side, and often corered their faces with their handkerchiefs, while they heard me confess my sins, and put questions to mo, which were often of the most improper and revolting nature, naming crimes hoth unthought of and inhuman. Still, strange as it may seem, I was persuaded to believe that all this was their dut>» or at least that it was done without sin. Veiled nuns would often appear in the chapel at confes- sion ; though, as I understood, they generally confessed in private. Of the plan of their oonfession-rooms I had no information ; but I supposed the ceremony to be conducted much on the same plan as in the chapel and in the church, vis., with a lattice interposed between the confessor and the confessing. Punishments were sometimes resorted to while I was a novice, though but seldom. The first time I ever saw a gag, was one day when a young novice had done something to offend the Superior. This girl I always ha/^. txmipaiiaion for, because she was very young, and an orphan. The Su- perior sent for a gag, and expressed her regret at being compelled, by the bad conduct of the child, to proceed to such a pimishment ; after which she put it into her mouth, so far as to keep it open, and then let it remain for som^ time before she took it out. There was a loathem strap fastened to each end, and buckled to the back part of the head. V i j Awwm. BiscLosTTMn or vabxa monk. 17 Ob.apter IV. DIBPLSASKD WITH THK CONVIWT — LHTT IT — RI8IDBNCB AT ST. DBNI8 — RBLICS — UABBIAOB — RKTURN TO THB BLACB. KUK- NBKT — UBJBCTIONS MAOB BT 80MB NOVI0B8. Aftbb I had been a novice four or five years, that ia, from the time I commenoed ichool In the C!onvent, one day I was treated by one of the nuns in a manner which displeas^ •d me, and because I expressed some resentment, I was required to beg her pardon. Not being satisfied with this, although I complied with the command, nor with the cold- ness with which the Superior treated me, I determined to quit the Convent at once, which I did without asking leave. There would have been no obstacle to my departure, I pre- sume, novice as I then was, if I had asked permission ; but I was too much displeased to wait for that, and went home without speaking to any one on the subject. I soon after visited the town of St. Denis, where I saw two young ladies with whom I had formerly been acquaint- ed in Montreal, and one of them a former school-mate at Mr. Workman's school. After some conversation with me, and learning that I had known a lady who kept a school in the place, they advised me to apply to her to be employ- ed as her assistant teacher ; for she was then instructing the government school in that place. I visited her, and found her willing, and I engaged at once as her assistant. The government society paid her £20 a year ; she was obliged to teach ten children gratuitously ; might have fifteen pence a month, about a quarter of a dollar, for each ten scholars more, and then she was at lib^ty, aocording to the regulations, to demand as much as she pleased for the other pupils. The oourse of indtruotion as required by £8 AWflTL DTSCLOHi;&«S OJT MAJ&Il MONX. J* m the society, embraced only reading, writing, and what waa called ciphering, though I think improperly. The only books used were a spelling, rinstruction de la Jeunesse, the Catholic New Testament, and 1' Histoire de Canada. When these had been read through, in reg^ar succession, the children were dismissed as having completed their edu- cation. No difficulty is found in making the common French Canadians content with such an amount of instruc- tion as this ; on the contrary, it is often found very hard indeed to prevail upon them to send their children at all, for they say it takes too much of the love of God from them to send them to school. The teacher strictly complied with the requisitions of the society in whose employment she was, and the Boman Catholic catechism was regularly taught in the school, as much from choice, as from submis- sion to the authority, as she was a strict Catholic. I had brought with me the little bag before mentioned, in which I had so long kept the clippings of the thiead left af tor making a dress for the Superior. Such was my regard for it, that I continued to wear it constantly round my neck, and to feel the same reverence for its supposed virtues as before. I occasionally had the tooth-ache during my stay at St. Denis, and then always relied on the influence of my little bag. On such occasions I would say — * By the virtue of this bag may I be delivered from the tooth-ache !' and I supposed that when it ceased it was owing to that cause. While engaged in this manner, I became acquainted with a man who soon proposed marriage ; and, young and ignor- ant of the world as I was, I heard his offers with favour. On consulting with my friend, she expressed a friendly in- terest to me, advised me against taking such a step, and especially as I knew so little about the man, except that a report was circulated unfavourable to his character. Un- fortunately, I waa not wise enough to listen to her advice, and hastily married. In a few weeks I had occasion to re- AWVTTL DISOLOHUBBH Uf MAHIA SAOhlT^ pent of the itep I had taken, aa the report proved true — a report which I thought juBtifled, and indeed required, our •eparation. After I had been in St. Denis about three months, finding myself thus situated, and not knowing what else to do, I determined to return to the Convent, and pursue my fonner intention of becoming a Black Nun, could I gain admittance. Knowing the many inquiries the Superior would make relative to me during my ab- sence, before leaving St. Denis I agreed with the lady with whom I had been associated as a teacher, (when she went to Montreal, which she did very frequently) to say to the Lady Superior I had been under her protection during my absence, which would satisfy and stop further inquiry ; as I was sensible, should they know I had been married I should not gain admittance. I soon left and returned to Montreal, and, on reaching the city, I visited the Seminary, and in another interview with the Superior of it, communicated my wish, and desir- ed her to procure my re-admission as a novice. Little de- lay occurred. After leaving for a short time, she returned and told me that the Superior of the Convent had consented, and I was soon introduced into her presence. She blamed me for my conduct in leaving the nunnery, but told me that I ought to be ever grateful to my guar- dian angel for taking care of me, unless prohibited by the Superior ; and this she promised me. The money usually required for the admission of novices had not been expect- ed from me. I had been admitted the first time without Any such requisition ; but now I chose to pay for my re- admission. I knew that she was able to dispense with such a demand as well in this as in the former case, and she knew that I was not in possession of anything like the sum required. But I was bent on paying to the Nunnery, and acoiu- toaxed to reoeive the doctrine often repeated to me before t)keUi ti»ve, that whea th« adv^nfu^e pf the church wa» c^m* f i m 40 ▲WFCTL DMOIiOHUKKH OV UAlUA MOmL ■ulted, tht itrpa tftkon w«gr« jtutiflnbio, l«t them he what ih«7 would ; I therefoni resolred to obtain money on f aiae pretencei, oonfldent that if all were known, I nhould be far from diipleaaing the Sup^or. I went to the brigade- nia- jor, and acked him to g^Te me the money payable to my mother from her pemiion, which amounted to about thirty dollari, and without questioning my authority to receiTO it in her name, he gare it me. From MTeral of their friends I obtadned small suma under the name of loans, so that altogether I had tfoon raised a number of pounds, with which I hastened to the Nunnery, and deposited a part in the hands of the Superior. She re- ceiTed the money with OTident satisfaction, though she must hare kaown thai I could not hare obtained it honest* ly ; and I was at once re-admitted as a novice. Much to my gratif ^ tion, not a word fell from the lips of any of my old associates in relation to my unceremonious departure, nor my voluntary return. The Superior's or- deors, I had not a doubt, had been explicitly laid down, and they certainly were carefully obeyed, for I never heard an allusion made to that subject during my subsequent stay in the Convent, except that, when alone, the Superior would sometimes say a little about it. There were numbers of young ladies who entered awhile aa novioes, and became weary or disgusted with some things they observed, and remained but a short time. One of my cousins, who lived at Lachine, named Heed, spent about a fortnight in the Oonvent with me. She, however, conceived such an antipathy to the priests, that she used expressions which offended the Superior. The first day that she attended mass, while at dinner with us in full community, she said before lis all, * What a rascal that priest was, to preach against his best friend !' All stared at such an unusual exclamation, and some one inquired what she meant. * X say/ she oontinued, ' he has been preaching agalnat I iwhile Bome On« spent oyer, used AWFUL DI80L08U&KJ9 OF MARIA MONK. •1 iimi who has givan him hu bread. Do yon suppose that il there were no deril, there would be any priests P* This bold young novice was immediately dismissed, and in the afternoon we had a long sermon from the Superior on the subject. It happened that I one day gfot a leaf of an English Bi- ble which had been brought into the Convent, wrapped around some sewing silk, purchased at a store in the city. For some reason or other, I determined to commit to me- mory a chapter it contained, which I soon did. It is the only chapter I ever learnt in the Bible, and I can now re- peat it. It is the second of St. Matthew's gospel. ' Now when Jesus was bom at Bethlehem in Judoa,* &o. It hap- pened that I was observed reading the paper, and when the nature of it was discovered I was condemned to do penanco for my offence. Great dislike to the Bible was shown by those who con- versed with me about it, and several have remarked to me at different times, that if it were not for that book, Catho- lics would never be led to renonnoe their own faith. I have heard passages read from the Evangile, relaxing to the death of Christ ; the conversion of Paul ; a few chap- ters from St. Matthew, and perhaps a few others. The priests would also sometimes take a verse or two, and preach from it. I have read St. Peter's life, but only in the book called the * Lives of the Saints.' He, I under- stood, has the keys of heaven and hell, and has founded our church. As for Saint Paul, I remember, as I was taught to understand it, that he was once a great persecu- tor of the Boman Catholicit until he became convicted, and confessed to one of the father confessors, I don't know which. For who can expect to be forgiven, who does not become a Catholic, and confess P one laixuit AWriTL DiaOLOSVBJUl or MAAIA MOMSL I i i Chiapter V. KBCXITKD CONymMATION — PAINFUL rBHLING^ — 8PECIMBN8 tholics, and according to them I was guilty of three mortal sins : concealing something at confession, sacrilege, in put- ting the body of Christ in the sacrament at my feet, and by receiving it while not in a state of grace ! and now I had been led into all those sins in consequence of my marriage, which I never had acknowledged, as it would have cut me off from being admitted as a nun. On the day, therefore, when I went to the church to be confirmed with a number of others, I suffered extremely from the reproaches of my conscience. I knew, a\ 'east I believed, as I had been told, that a person who had been anointed with the holy oil of confirmation on the forehead, and dying in the state in which I was, would go do>vn to hell, and, in the place where the oil had been rubbed, the names of my sins would blaze out of my forehead ; these would be a sign by which the devils would know me, and would torment me the worse for them. I was thinking of all this while I was sitting in the pew, waiting to receive the oil. I felt, however, some consolation, as I often did afterwards, when my sins came to my mind : and this con- solation I derived from another doctrine of the church, viz., that a bishop could absolve me from all these sins any min- ute before my death ; and I intended to confess them all to a bishop before leaving the world. At length the moment for administering of the * sacrament arrived, and a bell was rung. Those who had oome to be confirmed had brought tickets from their confeMors, and those were thrown into % ihtob« Temely IMUtl)tiUK7«--~ EVAOLVTIOK TO SUBMIT. I v> h» mtroduciod into the Superior's room on thy «vening prtictxtiiig the day on wliich I was to take the veil, to have an interview with the hiahop. The Suporior was present, and the interview laated about half an hour. The bishop on this, as on other oocaHions, appeared to be habitually rough in his nuumers. His address was by no meuxis pre- possessing. Before I took the veil, I was ornamented for the cere- mrtuy, and was clothed in a dress belonging to the Con- vent, which was used on such occasions ; and placed not far from the altar in the chapel, in the view of a number of spectators, who had assembled, in number, perhaps about forty. Taking the veil is an affair which occurs so fre- quently in Montreal, that it has long ceased to be regarded as a novelty ; and, although notice had been given in the French parish church as usual, only a small audience as- sembled as I have mentioned. Being well prepared with a long training, and frequent rehearsals, for what I was to perform, I stood waiting.!: in my large flowing dress for the appearance of the bishop. He soon presented himself, entering by a door behind the altar ; I then threw myself at his feet, Pud asked him to confer upon me the veil. He expressed !iis consent ; and then turning to the Superior, I threw myself prostrate at her feet, according to my instructions, repeating what I had before done at rehearsals, and made a movement ae ii to kiss her feet. This she prevrnted, or appear to prevent, eaAilii'ji^ me by a sudden motion of h«r haxt.d, and ^JUiiiud ^1»«« 86 Avrm. macLOSuuBs of marta mos«. ' my request. I then kneeled before the Holy Sacrarnent, th»t ia a large ronnd wafer held by the Bishop between ku* ioro- finger and thumb, and made ray vows. (, TAKma THB VBIL. This wafer I had been taught to regard with the utmost veneration as the real body of Jesus Christ, the presenoe of which made the vows that were uttered before it binding in the most solemn manner. After taking the vows I proceeded to » small apartmesX i V m <*ir#iL uianiiOHiTKxs or maria mostk. raTnACt, reen hui 1 m I utmost nenoe of idingin behind the altar, accompanied by fonr nnna, wheie then wti8 a cofBn prepared with mj nun's name engraved up«n it: 'SaDTT EuiiTAOB.* My companion! lifted it by four handlea attached to it, while I threw off my dreM, and put on that of a nun of 8oeur Bourgeoise ; and then we all returned to the chapoi. I proceeded first, and was followed by four nuns, the Bis- hop naming a number of worldly pleasures in rapid buo* o«8aion, in reply to which I as rapidly repeated, ' Je re- nounce, je renounce, ja renounce,' — I renounce, I ro- nounce, I renounce. The coffin was then placed in front of the altar, and I advanced to place myself in it. This coffin was to be de- posited, after the ceremony, in an out-house, to be pre- served until my death, when it was to receive my corpse. There were reflections which I naturally made at that time, but I stepped in, extended myself, and lay still. A pillow had been placed at the hepi of the coffin, to support my head in a comfortable position. A large thick black cloth was then spread over me, and the chanting of Latin hymns immediately commenced. My thoughts were not the most pleasing during the time I lay in that direction. The pall, or Drap Mortel, as the cloth is called, had a strong smell of incense, which was always disagreeable to me, and then proved almost suffocating. I recollected the story of the novice, who, in taking the veil, lay down in her coffin like me, and was covered in the same manner, but on the re- moval of the covering was found dead. When I was uncovered, I rose, stepped out of my coffin, and kneeled. Other ceremonies then followed, of no parti- cular interest ; after which the music commenced, and h&n the whole was finished. I then proceeded from the chapel, and returned to the Superior's room, followed by the other nuns, who walked two by two, in their customary manner wiUi their hAods folded oo their breasts, and their eyes oasi ! 88 XWrUh DIdOLOflrRES OV M4BU uonx. down upon the floor. The nun who wa« to be my com- panion in future, then walked at the end of the prot^esoion. On reaching the Buperior's door they all left me, and 1 entered alone, and found her with the Bi&hop and two IViesta. The Superior now informed me that having taken the black veil, it only remained that I should swear the three oaths customary on becoming a nxm ; and that some ex- planation would be necessary from her. I was now, she told me, to have access to every part of the edifice, even to the cellar, where two of the sisters were imprisoned for causes which she did not mention. I must be informed that one of my great duties was to obey the priests in all things ; and this I soon learnt, to my ntter astonishment and horror, was to live in the practice of criminal inter- course with them. I expressed some of the feelings which this announcement excited ux, me, which came upon me like a flash of lightning ; but the only effect was to set her arguing with me, in favour of the crime, representing it as a virtue acceptable to Qod, and honourable to me. The priests, she said, were not sitxiatcd like other men, being forbidden to marry ; whUe they lived secluded, laborious, and self-denying lives for our salvation. They might, in- deed, be considered our saviours, as without their service we could not obtain pardon of sin, and must go to hell. Now it was our solemn duty, on withdrawing from the world, to consecrate our lives to religion, to practice every 8pe(;ies of self-denial. We could not be too humble, nor mortify our feelings too far ; this was to be done by oppos- ing them, and acting contrary to them ; and what she pro- posed was, therefore, pleasing in the sight of God. I now felt how foolish I had been to place myself in the power of such persons as were around me. From what she said, I could draw no other conclusions but that I was required to act like the most abandoned of beinars, and that all my future associations were habitually guilty of the moei heinous and detestable orimen. When I III 1^ I ii I 0my oom- >ro(;etiaion. me, acd 1 ;» and two taken the the three some ex- now, sho ), even to isoned for informed its in all nishment lal inter- igs which upon mo k> set her ingitas The being bborious, Sht, in- service toheU. om the e every >Ie, nor oppoB- ihe pro- I now ower of \ Jusions ned of itually Hian I e. A^rlW% 0I8CLO8U1UH uJr MARIA IfOKK. Bi 1 J tepeated my oxpresflions of sarprise and horror, di0 told me that tach feelings were very common at first, and that many other nuns had expresHod themselves as I did, who had long since changed their minds. She even said, that on her entrance into the nunnery, she had felt like me. Doubts, she declared, were among our greatest enemief . They would lead us to question every point of duty, and induce us to waver at every step. They arose only from remaining imperfections, and were always evidences of sin. Oar only way was to dismiss them immediately, repent and confess them. Priests, she insisted, could not sin. It was a thing impossible. Everything that they did, and wish- ed, was of course right. She hoped I would see the reason- ableness and duty of the oaths I was then to take, and be faithful to them. She gave me another piece of informatioa, which excited other feelings in me, scarcely less dreadful. Infants were sometimes bom in the Convent, but they were always bap- tijsed, and immediately strangled. This secured their ever- lasting happiness ; for the baptism purifies them from all sinfulness, and being sent out of the world before they had time to do anything wrong, they were at once admitted in- to heaven. How happy, she exclaimed, are those who se- cure inmiortal happiness to such little beings 1 Their souls would thank those who kill their bodies, if they had it in their power. Into what a place, and among what society, had I been admitted. How different did a convent now appear from what I supposed it to be. The holy women I had always fancied the nuns to be, the venerable Lady Superior, what are they P And the priests of the Seminary adjoining, (some of whom, indeed, I had reason to think were base and profligate men,) what were they all? I now learaed that they were often admitted into the nunnery, and al- lowed to indiilge in the greatest crimes, which they and others call virtues. And haying listened for some time to the Superior aloac^ '^^ 40 AWFT7L DHOLOSUBSA OF MARIA MONK. I a number of the nuzu were admitted, and took a free part in the oonTonation. They concurred in everything which ■he told me, and repeated, without any signs of ihame or compunction, things which criminated themselves. I must acknowledge the truth, and declare that all this had an ef- fect upon my mind. I questioned whether I might not be in the wrong, and felt as ^f their reasoning might have some just foundation. I had been several years under the tuition of Oatholics, and was ignorant of the Scriptures, and unaccustomed to the society, example, and conversation of Protestants ; had not heard any appeal to the Bible as authority, but had been taught both by precept and ex- ample, to receive as truth everything said by the priests. I had not heard their authority questioned, nor anything said of any other standard of faith but their declarations. I had long been familiar with the corrupt and licentious ex- prosaions which some of them use at confessions, and be- lieAved that other women were also. I had no standard of duty to refer to, and no judgpnent of my own which I knew how to use, or thought of using. All around me insisted that my doubts proved only my own ignorance and sinfulness ; that they knew by experi- ence that they would soon give place to true knowledge, and an advance in religion ; and I felt something like in- decision. - StiU there was so much that disgusted me in the disco- very I had now made, \il the debased characters around me, that I would most gladly have escaped from the nunnery, and never returned. But that was a thing not to be \Jiought of. I was in their power, and this I deeply felt, while I thought there was not one among the whole num- ber of ni'Jis to whom I could look foi kindness. There was one^ however, who beg^ to speak to me at length in a tone that gained something of my confidence, — the nun whom I have mentioned before as distinguished by her oddity, Jane Bay, who made us so much amusement when I was a novice. Although, as I have renuurked, there waS) II AVnrUL DISOLO0T7XBFI OV Ml/lIUA XONZ. « nothing in h«r face, form, or mannfl^^ to gire me any pleasure, ihe addre«M>d me with apparent friendlioefi^ ; &ad while the seemed to oonotir with some thii^ ipoken by them, took an opportunity to whijsper a few worda in my ear, unheard by tham, intimating that I had better oomply with everything the Superior desired, if I would save my life. I was somewhat alarmed before, but I now became much more so, and determined to make no further resist- ance. The Superior then made me repeat the three oaths ; and, when I had sworn them, I was shown into one of the coiumunity-rooms, and remained some time with the nuns, who were released from their usual employments, and en- joying a recreation day, on account of the admission of a new sistor. My feelings during the remainder of the day I shall not attempt to describe, but pass on to meution the ceremonies that took place at diimer. This description may give an idea of the manner in which we always took our meals, although there were some points in whish the breakfast and supper were different. At eleven o'clock the bell rang for dinner, and the nuns all toob their places in a double row, in the same order as that in which they left the chapel in the morning, e:ccept that my companion and myself were stationed at the head of the line. Standing thus for a moment, with our hands placed one on the other over the breast, and hidden in our large cuffs, with our heads bent forward, and eyes fixedl on the floor, an old nun, who stood at the door, clapped her hands as a signal for us to proceed ; and the procession mov- ed on, while we all commenced the repetition of litanies. We walked on in this order, repeating all the way until we reached the door of the dining-room, where we were divid- ed into two lines ; those on the right passing down the side of the long table, and those on the left the other, till all were in ; and each stopped in her place. The plates ware all arranged, each with a knife, fork, and spoon, rolled up in a napkin, and tied round with a linen band marked with the owner's name. My own plate, knife, &c., were pire- w ▲WrtTL iDT^fTLOKTmiU 0» MABiA uogt. pared like the rest : and on the band around them I fauini my new namo writton— • Saint Eustace.* There we stood till all had concluded the litany, when the old nun, who had taken her place at the head oi the ta- ble next the door, said the prayer before meat, beginning, ' Benedicite,' and we sat down. I do not remember of what our dinner consisted, but we usually had soup, and •ome plain dish of meat ; the remains of which were occa- sionally served up at supper as a fricasee. One of the nuns, who had been appointed to read that day, rose, and begun a lecture from a book put into her hands by the Superior, while the rest of us ate in perfect silence. The nun who reads during dinner, stays afterwards to dine. As fast as we finished our meals, each rolled up her knife, fork, and spoon, in her napkin, and bound them together with the band, and sat with hands folded. The oli' lun then said a short prayer, arose, stepped a little aside, clapped her hands, and we marched towards the door, bowed as we passed, be- fore a little chapel, or glass box, containing a wax image of the infant Josus. Nothing important occurred till late in the afternoon, when, as I was sitting in the community-room. Father Dufresne called me out, saying, he wished to speak with me. I feared what was his intention ; but I dared not disobey. In a private apartment, he treated me in a brutal manner ; and, from two other priests, I afterwards received similar nsage that evening. Father Dufresne afterwards appeared again ; and I was compelled to remain in company with him until morning. I am assured that the conduct of priests in our Convent had never been exposed, and it is not inuigined by the peo- ple of the United States. This induces me to say what I do, notwithstanding the strong reasons I have to let it ro- joain unknown. StiU I cannot force myself to speak on ij8^ eabje^ .except in the most brief muaa» w AWFOTL DiaOLOCnrUU OF MARIA MOWS. « Oliapter VII. DAOLT cimKicoxnn — yakb hat among thb wnre. On Thursday morning, tho bell rang at half-past six to wak- en us. The old nun who was acting as night-watch immo- diatoly spoke aloud : * Voici le Seigneur qui yient' (Behold the Lord cometh.) The nuns all reaponded : * AUons — y devant lui.' (Let na go and moet him.) We then rose immediately, and dressed as expeditiously as possible, stepping into the passage-way, at the foot of our bed, as soon as we were ready , and taking place each beside her opposite companion. Thus we were soon drawn np in a double row the whole length of the room, with oiur hands folded across our breasts, and concealed in the broad cufEs of our sleeves. Not a word was uttered. When the signal was given, we all proceeded to the community-room, which is spacious, and took our places in rows facing the entrance, near which the Superior was seated in a vergiere. We first repeated * Au nom du P^re, du FiLa, et du Saint Esprit — Aninsi soit il.* (In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, — Amen.) We then kneeled and kissed the floor ; then, still on our knees, we said a very long prayer, beginning : * Divin Jesus, sauvour de men ame,' (Divine Jesus, Saviour of my soul.) Then came the Lord's prayers, three Hail Marys, four creeds, and five confessions, (confesse & Dieu.) Next we repeated the ten commandments. Then we 1*0- peated the acts of faith, and a prayer to the Virgin, in Ijatin, which Uke everything else in Latin, I never under- stood a word of. Next we said litanies of the Holy Name of Jesus, in Latin, whicb, were afterwards to be repeated Mveral times in the oourite of the day. Then oame the w AYrruh vjnohoavmrn ow mjjiia xohtl i I pmyer for the beg^mning of tiM day ; tbeu becuiin^ d^wYi, wo oommenoed the Oriion Mental, (or Mectftl Ori»>n,) which lasted about an hour and a half. This exerciia wai ooniidered peculiarly eoleaxin. We were told in the nunnery that a oertain laint waa saved by the use of it, as she never omitted it. It oonaiits of sefveral parts : First, the Superior read to us a chapter from a book, which occupied five minutes. Then profound silence pre- vailed for fifteen minutes, during which we were meditating upon it. Then she read another chapter of equal length on a different su\ jeot, and we meditated upon that another quarter of an hour ; and after a third reading and medita- tion, we finished the exercise with a prayer, called an act of contrition, in which we asked forgiveness for the sins com- mitted during the Orison. During this hour and a half I became very weary, hav- ing before been kneeling for some time, and having then to sit in another position more uncomfortable, with my feet under me, and my hands clasped, and my body went hum- bly forward, with my head bowed down. When the orison was over, we all rose to the upright kneeling posture, and repeated several prayers, and the li* tanies of the providences, ' providence de Dieu,* &c., then followed a number of Latin prayers, which we repeated on the way to mass, for in the nunnery we had mass daily. When mass was over we proceeded in our usual order to the eating-room to breakfast, practising the same forms which I have described at dinner. Hav- ing made our meal in silence, we repeat- ed the litanies of the 'holy name of Jesus,' as we proceeded to the commu- nity-room ; and such as had not finished them on their arrival, threw tLemselvea ^^ upon their knees, and remained there imtU they had g(»ie thioogh with them, mjjua moitk. . ( w ijc4 th*x\ «iM.ik ti rbiit ol U8 in thu room being engaged in work. 'Hie nont were at this time distributed in different com- munity rooms, at different kinds ol work, and each wa« iJHtcuing to a lecture. This exercise continued until ten o'clock, when the recreation-bell rang. We still continued our work, but the nuntt began to converse with each other, ou tiubjects {>ermitt«d by the rules, in the hearing of the old nonn, oiie of whom was seated in each of the groups. At hail-paMt ten the Hileni^-bell rang, and this conversa- tion instantly ceased, and the recitation of some Latin prayers oommem^ed, which continued half an hour. At eleven o'clock the dinner-bell rang, and we went through the forms and ceremonies of the preceding day. We proceeded two by two. The old nun who had the command of as, clapped her hands as the first couple reach- ed the door, when we stopped. The first two dipped their fingers into the tont, touched the holy water to the breast, forehead, and each side, thus forming a cross, said, * In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, Amen,* and then walked on to the dining-room repeating the litanies. 17ie rest followed their example. On reaching the door the couples divided, and the two rows of nuns marched up, stopped, and faced the table against their plates. There we stood, repeating the dose of the litany aloud. The old nnn pronounced * BijarEDicTK,' and we sat down. One of our number began to read a lec- ture, which continued during the whole meal ; she stays to eat after the rest have retired. When we had dined, each of us folded up our napkin, and again folded her hands. The old nun then repeated a short prayer in French, and steTjpinir aside from the head of the table, let ns p&n out ta 'A 16 AWFUL UIBOIiOBVKKf!) Of W.A.fttA iHOTTA, we came in. Each of na howtxi in }NM«in^ the bttle chapol nefur the door, which is a gluss-case, containing a waxen figure of the infant Jesus. When we reached the cutnmu* nity-room we took our places in rox/s, and kneeled upon the door, while a nun read aloud, ' I)«.iulour8 de notre Sainte Marie/ (the sorrows of our holy Marj-). At the end of each verse we responded * Ave Maria.* We then repeat- ed again the litany of the provideu(}e« and the * BB.viKbAxrrB.' Then we kisued the iloor, and, riein^, took our work, witi leave to converse on permitUrd bubjeuts — this is wlxat is called recreation — till one o'clock. We then began to re- peat litanies, one at a time in succession, still enga^^ud in sewing, for an hour. At two o'clock commenced the afternoon lectm-es, which lasted till near three. At that hour one of the nuns stood up in the middle of the room, and asked each of us a queu- tion out of the catechism ; and such as were unable to an- swer correctly were obliged to kneel, until that exercise was concluded, upon as many dry peas as there were verses in the chapter out of which they were questioned. This seems like a penance of no great importance ; but I have sometimes kneeled on peas until I suffered great inconveni- ence, and even pain. It soon makes one feel as if needles were running through the skin ; whoever thinks it a trifle had bettor try it. At four o'clock recreation commenced, when we wero al. lowed, as usual, to speak to eacJsi other while at work. At half -past four we began to repeat prayers in Latin, while we worked, and concluded about five o'clock, when we commenced repeating the * prayers for the examination of oonsdence,' the * prayer after confession,' the * prayer before sacrament,* and the * prayer after saoramont.' Thus we continued our work until dark, when we laid it aaide, ■»^il^<^{)^iji|hii^;^»Jjirfc*^^^ w i ▲Wttfl. DtSOLOHtRtO OH MAJttiA M^UfWU if And began to go over the SHme pmyorj which we hnil ro- peatod in the morning, with the exception of the orisoii mental; instead of that long exercise, we oxaiained our coneciences, to determine whether we had perfumuid the resolution we had made in the morning, and such as had kept it repeated an * acte do joie,* or expression of grati- tude ; while such as had not, said an * acte de oontrition/ When the prayers were concluded, any nun who had been disobedient in the day, knelt and asked pardon of the Superior and her companions ' for the scandal she had caus- ed them,' and then requested the Superior to give her a penance to perform. When all the penances had boon im- posed, we all proceeded to the eating-room to supper, re- peating litanies on the way. At supper, the ceremonies were the same as at dinner, exoepi) that there was no lecture read. We ate in silence, and went O'^t bowing to the chapelle, and repeating lita- nies. Returning to the community-room, which we had left, we had more prayers to repeat, which are called La couronne (crown), which confiists of the following parts : Ist. Four Paters. 2nd. Four Ave Marias. 8rd. Four Gloria Patria. 4th. BoniRsez, Santeya. At the dose of these we kissed the fioor ; after which we had recxeation till half-past eight o'clock, being allowed to converse on pormittod subjects, but closely watched, and not allowed to sit in the comers. At half -past eight a bell was rung, and a chapter was read to us, in a book of meditations, to employ our minds npon during our waking hours at night. Standing near the door, we dipped our fingers in the holy water, crossed and blessed ourselves, and proceeded up to the aleeping-room in the usual order, two by two. \^ '; V M AWFETL maoLocrun trr kabia kohx. M Whim we had got into bod, we repeated a prayer bttgin- ning with, — ; ; < Mon Dieu, je Toua donne mon ocoor/— * hi J Gkxl, I give you my heart ;' » 1 and then an old nun, bringing some holy water, sprinkled it on our bedi to driTe away the devil, while we took some and croiwed ourselves again. At nine o'clock the bell rang, and all who wero awake repeated a prayer, called the oftrande ; t^ioae who were asleep were considerud as ezoosed. , After my admission among the nans, I had more oppor- tunity than before to observe the conduct of mad Jane Ray. She behaved quite differently from the rest, and with a de- gree of levity irreconcilable with the rules. 8he was, as I have described her, a large woman, with nothing beautiful or attractive in her face, form, or manners ; careless in her dress, and of a reetless disposition, which prevented her from applying herself to anything for any length of time, and kupt her roving about, and almost perpetually talking to MoniHlx>dy or other. It would be rery diiBcult to give an accurute description of this singular woman ; dressed in the plain garments of the nuns, bound by the uauie vows, and accustomed to the same life, resembling them in nothing else, and frequently inteiTupting all their employinonts. She was apparently alnyjst always studying, or pursuing some odd fancy ; now rising from sewing to walk up and down, or straying in from another apartment, looking about, addressing some of ns, and passing out again, or laying something to make us laugh. But what showed she wa« no novelty, was the little attention paid to her, and the levity with which she was treated by the whole nuns; even the Superior every day passed over irregularities in this singular person, which she would have punished with penances, or at least have met with reprimands, in any / ■ '••(;.;'-!.; ^iWVUL UHtOlAU^VRMH Of MARIA MONK. ^ Other. From what I saw of her I soon perceived that «ho betrayed two diBtinct traita of character ; a kind diiponition toward* Buch ae ahe chose to prefer, and a pleaaure in tea»- lug those ahe dialiked. or inch m had offended har. ii AWnrL DI80L0SUBS8 OF HAIIA MCUCK. Oliapter VIII. DX«CRn"nON OF AFARTMBNTS IN THB BLACK MVNMXBT^ W OIU>K&: IST FLOOR — 2kD FLOOR — OABJEUn — THB FOUKDBB — -SirPB&IOE'fl MAKAOBMB>rr WITH TUB FBISXSS OF NOYICBS — &BLIOIOU8 LIBS — O&IMINALITT OF OOMOBALIMO 8IMS AT 00XFK88I0N. 1' ■■ffS v -It. ^■■M I WILL now give from memory a general description of the interior of the Convent of Black Nnns, except the few apartments which I never saw. I may be inaccurate in some things, as the apartments and passages of that spaci- ons building are numerous and various ; but I am willing to risk my credit for truth and sincerity on the geooteral correspondence between my description and things as they are. And this would, perhaps, be as good a case as any by which to test the truth of my statements, were it possible to obtain access to the interior. It is well known, that none but veiled nuns, the bishop and priests, are ever ad- mitted ; and, of course, that I cannot have seen what I pro- fess to describe, if I have not been a black nun. The priests who read this book wUl acknowledge to themsolvei the truth of my description ; but will, of course, dcuy it to the world, and probably exert themselves to destroy my credit. I offer to every reader the following descriptioilf knowing that time may possibly throw open those sacred recesses, and allow the entrance of those who can satisfy themselves, with their own eyes, of its truth. Some of my declarations may be thought deficient in evidence, and thii fhey must of necessity be in the present state of things. But here is a kind of evidence, on which I rely, as I see how unquestionable and aatisfaotory it mustprovei whm» it «ball bo obtaiiMtd. 'iff i . .H AwvcTL •Dxaaiotsvum or makia konk. II rmET, w > BIMB AT ion of the the few ■ ^curate in Mit Bp» days. A door leads to the yard, and thence to a gate in the wall on the cross street. 7th. Adjoining this is a sitting-room, fronting on the cross street, with two windows, and a store room on the side s. p- posite them. There is but little furniture, and that very plain. 8th. From this room a door leads into what I may call the wax-room, as it contains many figures in wax, not in- tended for sale. There we sometimes used to pray, or me- ditate on the Saviour's passion. This room projects from tixe main building ; leaving it, you enter a long passage, with cupboards on the right, in which are stored crockery- ware, knives and forks, and other articles of table furniture, to replace those worn out or broken — all of the plainest de- scription ; also, shovels, tongs, &c. This passage lead* 9th. A comer room, with a few benches, &o., and a door leading to a gate in the street. Here some of the medicines were kept, and persons were often admitted on business, or to obtain mMicf nes with tickets from the priests ; and wait- ,••<' AW!nrL DnoLORTrmm ov marta Moynt. (U Thii we are y, and lewingy h nuaB ft mnttll ,tion of permiB* 3ca8ion- in pro- sgreseed ly large tor Sun- ^gate in the cross Bide ». X^" hat very may call not in- or me' )cta from passage, jrockery- umiture, dnest de- ge lethdi :i •d till the Superior or an old nun could bo sent for. Be- yond this room we never were allowed to go ; and I cannot gpeak from personal knowledge of what came next. The Second Storey. Beginning, as before, at the western extremity of tbt north wing, but on the second storey, the furthest apart- ment in that direction which I ever entered was, — Ist. The nun's sleeping-room, or dormitoire, which I have already described. Here is an access to the projection mentioned in speaking of the first storey. The stairs by which we came up to bed are at the further end of the room; and near them a crucifix and font of holy water. A door at the erd of the room opens into a passage, with two small rooiL«> ' " >loset8 between them, containing bed-dotibM. Next J V - jBt, — 2nd. A small community-room, beyond which is a pass- age with a narrow staircase, seldom used, which loads into the fourth community-room, in the fourth storey. Follow* ing the passage just mentioned, you enter by a door, — 3rd. A little sitting-room, furnished in the following manner : — with chairs, a sofa on the north side, covered with a red-figured cover and fringe; a table in the middle, com- monly bearing one or two books, an inkstand, pen, &o. At one comer is a little projection into the room, caused by a staircase leading from above to the floor below, without any communication with the second storey. This room has a door opening upon a staircase leading down to the yard, on the opposite side of which is a gate opening into the cross street. By this way the physician is admitted, except when he comes later than usual. When he comes in, he usuaUy sits a little whUe, until a nun goes into the adjoining nuns* sick-room, to soe if all is ready, and returns to admit him. After preacnbing for the patients, he goes no further, but returns by the way he enters ; and these are the only roonji into which he is ever admitted. 1 i N AwruL DiaoLostmiw or vassa. moo. 4th. Th» nun'i sick-roora adjoims the little sitticg-rooo on the eact, and has, I thmk, four windows towardfl tha north, with beds ranged in two rows from end to end, and A few more between them, near the opposite extremity. The door to the sitting-room swings to the left, and behind it is a table, while a glass case on the right contains a wax figure of the infant Barioux, with several sheep. Netur the north-eastern comer of this room are two doors, one of which opens into a long and narrow passage, leading to the head of the great staircase that conducts to the cross street. By this passage the physician sometimes finds his way to the sick room, when he comes later than usual. He ringe the boll at the gate, which I was told had a concealed pull, known only to him and the priests, proceeds up stairs and through the passage, rapping three times at the door of the sick-room, which is opened by a nun in attendance, after she has given one rap in reply. When he has visited his patients and prescribed for them, he returns by the some way. 6th. Next beyond the sick-room, is a large unoccupied apartment, half divided by two partial partitions, which leave an open space in the middle. Here some of the old nuns commonly meet in the day time. 6th. A door from this apartment opens into another, not appropriated to any particular use, but containing a table, where medicines are sometimes prepared by an old nun, who is usually found there. Passing through this room, you enter a passage, with doors on its four sides ; that on the left, which is kept fastened on the inside, leads to the stair- case and gate ; and that in front to the private sick-roomi, ■oon to be described. 7th. That on the right leads to another, appropriated to nuns suffering with the most loathsome disease. There was usually a number of straw mattresses in that room, as I well know, having helped to carry them in, after the yard- man had filled them. A door beyond enters into a store- room, which extends also beyond this apartment. On the M AWTUL DISOLOSTTBXS OF MABIA MONK. e» ig-room urda Uia tnd, and tremity. 1 behind IB a wax ^eurthe t one of igtothe w street. I way to Qexingi led pull, bain and or of the Lce, after ! sited hid the same Loccupied ls, which f the old ther, not a table, lun, who oin, you t on the ihe itair- k-rooma, riated to "here was lom, as I be yard- ) a BtorO' C)n th« right, another door opens into another passage, crossing which, yon enter by a door. 8th. A room with bed and screen in one oomsr, on which nuns were laid to be examined, before their introduc- tion into the sick-room last mentioned. Another door op- posite the former, opens into a passage, in which is a stair- oase leading down. 9th. Beyond this is a spare room, sometimes used to store apples, boxes of different things, &o. 10th. Betuming now to the passage which opens on one side upon the stairs to the gate, we enter the only remain- ing door, which loads into an apartment usually occupied by some of the old nuns, and frequently by the Superior. 11th and 12th. Beyond this are two more sick-rooms, in one of which those nuns stay who are waiting their accouch- ment, and in the other those who have passed it. 13th. The next is a small sitting-room, where a priest waits to baptize the infants previous to their murder. A passage leads from this room on the left, by the doors of two fuoceeding apartments, neither of which hare I ever en- tered. 14th. The first of them is the ' holy retreat,' or room occupied by the priests, while suffering the penalty of their licentiousness. 15th. The other is a sitting-room, to which they hare access. Beyond these, the passage leads to two rooms, con- taining closets for the storage of various articles ; and two others, where persons are received who come on business. The public hospitals succeed, ard extend a considerable distance — I believe, to the extremity of the building. By a public entrance in that part, priests often came into the Nunnery ; and I have often seen some of them thereabouts, who must have entered that way. Indeed, priests often get into the ' holy retreat,* without exposing themselves in the view of persons in the ether parts of the Convent, and have been first known to be tiiere, by the yard-nuns being sent to the Seminary for their clothes. (6 AWnn. DIH0L0H1TBX8 OF MABTA MONK. The Congregational Nunnery was founded by a nim, called Sister Bourgeoise. She taught a school in Mon> tre<|l, and left property for the foundation of a Convent. Her body iB buried, and her heart is kept under the Nunnery in an iron chest, which has been shown to me, with the assurance that it continues in perfect preservation, although she has been dead more than one hundred and fifty years. In the chapel is the following in- scription : * Soeur Bourgeoise, londatrice du Convent.* (Sister BourgeoiBe, Founder of the Con- vent.) ^ Nothing was more common than for the Superior to step has- tily into our community-room, while numbers of us were assem- bled there, and hastily communicate her wishes in words like these: — * Here are the parents of such a novice ; come with me, and bear me out in this story.' She would then mention the outlines of a tissue of falsehoods she had just invented, that we might be prepared to fabricate circumstances, and throw in whatever else might favour the deception. This was justified and indeed most highly commanded, by the system of faith by which we are instructed. It was a common remark always at the initiation of a new mm into the Black nun department, that is, to receive the black veil, that the introduction of another novice into the convent as a veiled nim, always caused the introduction of a veiled nun into heaven as a saint, which was on account of the singular disappearance of some of the older nims al- wnya at the entrance of new ones. To witness the scenes which often ocourred between wt SISTBB BOUBGBOISB, FOUNDBB OF THB OONOEBGATIONAL innCNKBT. AWWVh DI8CX;0S1TR«H OF VARIA MONK. 87 words aoBW ive the to the tion ol ccount B al- and strangers would have struck a person most powerfullyi il he had known how truth was set at nought. The Supe- rior, with a serious and dignified air, and a pleasant voice and aspect, wotild commence a recital of things most fa- vourable to the character of the absent novice, represent- ing her equally fond of her situation, and beloved by the other inmates. The tale told by the Superior, whatever it was, however unheard before might have been any of her statements, was then attested by us, who in every way we could think of, endeavourttd to oonfirm her declarations be- yond the reach of doubt. Sometimes the Suf lerior would entrust the management of such a case to some of the nuns, whether to habituate us to the practice in which she was so highly accomplished, or to relieve herself of what would have been a serious burden to most other persons, or to ascertain whether she could de- pend upon us, or all together, I cannot teU. Often, how- ever, have I seen her throw open a door, and say, in a hur. ried manner, * Who can tell the best story P* One point, on which we have received frequent and par> ticular instructions was, the nature of falsehoods. On this subject I have heard many a speech, I had almost said many a sermon ; and I was led to belie e that it was one of great importance, one on which it was a duty to be well in- formed, as well as to act. ' What !' exclaimed a priest one day — ' what, a nim of your age, and liot know the dilEer- ence between a wicked and a religious lie I' He then wont on, as had been done many time previously in my hearing, to show the essential diif erence between the two difEerent kinds of falsehoods. A lie told merely for the injury of another, for our own interest alone, or for no object at all, he painted as a sin worthy of penance. — But a lie told for the good of the church or convent, was meri- torious, and of course the telling of it a duty. And of this class of lies there were many varieties and shades. This doctrine has been inculcated on me and my oompanionn in the nunnery, more times than I can enumerate ; and to f&y D8 AWrUL DI80LOBUBS8 OF MARIA SfOKK. that it was generally received, would he to tell part of tbt tnith. We often taw tlve practice of it, and were fre- quently made to take part in it. Whenerer anything which the Superior thought important, oould he most con- Teniently acoompliahed hj faliehood, the retorted to it with- out scruple. There was a class of cases in which she more frequently relied on deception than any other. The friends of novices frequently applied at the Convent to see them, or at least to inquire after their welfare. II was common for them to be politely refused an interview, on some account or other, generally a mere pretext ; and and then the Superior generally sought to make as favour- able an impression as possible on the visitors. Sometimet she would make up a story on the spot, and tell the strange ers ; requiring some of us to confirm it in the most convinc- ing way we oould. At other times she would prefer to make over to us tha task of deceiving, and we were commended in proportion to our ingenuity and success. Some nun usually showed her submission by immediate" ly stepping forward. She would then add, perhaps, that the parents of such a novice, whom she named, were ia waiting, and it was necessary that they should be told such and such things. To perform so difficult a task well, was considered a difficult duty, and it was one of the most cer- tain ways to gain the favour of the Superior. Whoever volunteered to make a story on ths spot, was sent immedi- ately to tell it, and the other nuns present were hurried oft with her under strict injunctions to uphold her in every- thing she might state. The Superior, as there was every reason to believe, on all such occasions, when she did not herself appear, hastened to the apartment adjoining that in which the nuns were going, there to listen through the thin partition, to hear whether all performed their parts anght. It was not uncommon for her to go rather fur- ther, when she wanted to give such explanation£ as she AWWVL DI80L0SVB1S OW MAKIA VOmC. m oonld haTe desired. She wonld then enter abruptly, And ask, * Who can tell a good etory this morning ?* and hurry us oft without a moment's delay, to do our best at a ven< ture, without waiting for instructions. It would be curi- ous, could a stranger from the * wicked world' outside Ohe Convent, witness such a scene. One of the nuns, who felt in a farourable humour to undertake the proposed task, would step promptly forward, and signify her readiness in the usual way, by a knowing wink of one eye, and a slight toss of the head. * Well, go and do the best you can,' the Superior would say : ' and all the rest of you mind and swear to it.' The latter part of the order, at least, was always performed ; for in erery case, all the nuns present appeared as unani- mous witnesses of eyerythiog that was uttered by the spokeswoman of the day. We were constantly hearing it repeated, that we must never again look upon ourselves as our own ; but must re- member that we were solely and irrevocably devoted to GK}d. Whatever was required of us, we were called upon to yield under the most solenm considerations. I cannot speak on every particular with equal freedom : but I wish my readers clearly to understand the condition in which we were plac- ed, and the means used to reduce us to what we had to sub- mit to. Not only were we required to perform the several tasks imposed upon us at work, prayers, and penances, un- der the idoa that we were performing solemn duties to our Maker, but everything else wLich was required of us, vn were constantly told, was something indispensable in his light. The priests, we admitted, were the servants of GK)d, especially appointed by his authority, to teach us our duty, to absolve us from sin, and lead us to heaven. Without their assistance, we had allowed we could never enjoy the favour of Qod ; unless they administered the sacrament to ■H, we oould not enjoy everlaating happineee. Having consented to acknowledge all this, we had no objection to nrge against admitting any other demand that mi^ht be 90 ▲WytTL DI80T.