The Sun.
London, England, 1863-09-09 00:00:00

neighbourhood. The funds derived from the sale
of their produce, needlework, or tillage are spent in
educating the poor, and in other work- of bene-
volence. The "Servantes de Marie" and " Re-
penties" are cloistered; the former fe life, the
latter for whatever period they may think
proper. The " Servantes de Marie" wear a light
blue uniform, with the hood, veil, and rosary of
the regular recluse. The " Repenties" have the
blue gown, with a shawl marked with a large white
cross; instead of the veil and hood they wear the
handkerchief on the head, the same as that in com-
mon use among the Basque peasant women.
Strangers visiting the establishment are received
with courtesy by one of the sisterhood, and are
offered such refreshments as the house can afford—
excellent brown bread, delicious butter, wine, cheese,
and eau sucree. They feel a pleasure in showing
you the neat refectory, cowhouse, piggery, rabbit
enclosures, garden, and cemetery. When one re-
calls to mind what that place was some 20 years
ago, and sees what is now is, it is impossible not to
feel the highest admiration for the founder. During
their stay at Biarritz the Emperor and Empress oc-
casionally visit the Refuge, which, of course, dis-
plays its rustic triumphal arch, the Mayor of Biar-
ritz being a very devoted functionary. Their Ma-
jesties are received with the courtesy shown to every
one. They invariably leave some marksoffotrhgeeirt
bounty, and the sisterhood certainly do not
them in their prayers.
cas
The order of the " Servantes de Marie"
has spread
the influence and exertions of the Abbe to with
Eastern places in the
wonderful rapidity. There are few
departments of the Low, High,
and
Pyre-
nees, where there are not branch esofthite rp;oanhdawn shel-
tered, ever the outcast is to be reclaimed,
taught,
h
there
a s
stet:reed
t,oafin and
dthaemi genmohrearn to
ft o b
the
eCommunity.
of Spain, and
gaondfrosmom et
the
tbhreanscishteesreinwvearerioudsetpareohveldncensot
parent establishment of Anglet to organise a house
in Madrid.
But this is not the only conventual society you
meet on the sands of Anglet. About a quarter of
an hour's drive from the Refuge you find a Commu-
nity under the rigid rule of St. Bernard. The Ber-
nardines pass their days in seclusion as complete as
if they lived in the desert of Egypt. The sanction
of the Pope for this establishment under the rule of
St. Bernard was obtained in 1851 by the Abbe
Cestac. The sisterhood spend their time in improv-
ing and tilling the soil, in prayer, and meditation.
From that lonely spotfthe Bernardines have no view
of the village of Anglet, of Biarritz, of the ocean
which beats at the base of the sandhills in the dis-
tance, of the river, or the mountains. The straw
cabins which they erected with their own hands
in 1850 have since been replaced by ones partly of
stone and party of earth. They transplanted a
quantity of soil to the sands on which their huts
stand, and on it they cultivate asparagus, cabba-
ges, maize, and even vines. Their dress consists
of an ample gown of the coarsest wool undyed, to
which is attached a hood ; from a rope tied round
the waist depends a rosary, and on the shoulders is
a large cross made of light blue stuff. When
working in the fields during the heat of summer,
they are allowed to wear a broad-brimmed hat,
made out of the coarsest straw, such as that used
by the peasant women. The food of the Bernard-
ices is coarse, but not unwholesome. Their beds
arc simply pieces of canvass made like hammocks.
They quit them at daybreak, and after some time
spent in devotion in their chapel they repair to
their labour in the fields, which is only interrupted
by a short repast or by prayer at stated hours.
Absolute silence is imposed upon them, the only
exception being in case of illness. When the Em-
peror visited the place a year or two ago, he ex-
pressed a wish to see the features of one of the sis-
ters whose air of distinction, even uuder her coarse
attire, struck him, but he failed to obtain what he
asked. It would be a mistake to suppose that the
Community consists exclusively of the poorer class
of society. Young persons belonging to families
of good standing and means have sought, and still
seek, to be received in it. There are instances
where postulants of the class I allude to have
been rejected on the ground that their health was
not robust enough to practice the severe rules of
the Order. They were not received even as novi-
ces, and after repeated entreaties, contented them-
selves with becoming sisters of the neighbouring
Community, as " Servantes de Marie."
The ordinary route from Bayonne to Biarritz is
the high road from the Porte d'Espagne to the vil-
lage of Anglet. The other passes by the beautiful
walk keown as the Areas Marines, along the banks
of the Adour to the downs which lie between the
villas and gardens of Bayonne and the sea,
There are few sensations more delicious than
those yon experience while descending on a sum-
mer's morning the banks of the river, which, from
this point, where its waters are increased by its
junction with the Nive, really looks like a noble
stream. At the extremity of the Allees Marines you
enter the pine woods the verdure of which defies
the winds of autumn and the cold of winter. The
road winds through this wood for about an hour,
when it emerges on the downs. At one time you
enter a deep ravine, where you are shut in among
sandhills, and a moment after you catch a glimpse
of the sea glittering in the beams of the morning
sun. As you proceed along towards the Chambre
d'Amour and the Lighthouse, you perceive groups
of women working in the maize fields on your left,
whom you recognise as Bernardines by their peculiar
habit and the large blue cross on their shoulders.
If you happen to inquire which of the many paths
before you leads to Biarritz, they raise their faces
for a moment from the ground, and point with the
finger—but not a word is uttered. From this spot
half an hour's smart walk brings you to Biarritz.
It is possible that at some future time the Refuge
and the plantations of the Bernardines will be
cited as instances of the skill of religious communi-
ties in selecting the most favourable site for esta-
blishing themselves. It is certain that, however
flourishing the site may be at some distant period,
nothing could be more desolate, and, apparently,
more incapable of being turned to account than the
spot on which, not many years ago, the Bernardines
and Servantes de Marie pitched their tents.