The Sun.
London, England, 1831-01-05 00:00:00

MOUNT ST. MICHEL.

Mount St. Michel, where the Prince de Polignac is to
be confined, is at the southern extremity of the ancient
province of Normandy. It lies in the midst of extensive
sandQ, which are covered by the sea at spring tides. The
approach to it from the continent being very dangerous, it
is necessary to take guides at Ardevon.
Its most ancient name was Belenus, when it was inha-
bited by Druidesses. After the abolition of the Druids,
it took the name of Mons Jovis, to which was substituted
that of Tumba, when a monastery was erected upon it.
In 708, Bishop Auber raised upon it a church, which he
dedicated to St. Michel. Ethelred, the second King of
England, had a p articular veneration far Mount St.. Michel.
Abbot Roger bad been almoner to William the Con-
queror.
Henry 11. of England made a pilgrimage to Mount St.
Michel, where he met Louis VII., King of France, with a
splendid suite.
In 1203, the fortification consisted only of wooden palli-
sades. Being attacked by the Bretons, they set fire to them;
the fire reached the church and abbey, which were com-
pletely destroyed.
The monastery was restored in 1226 by Abbot Adulph
de Villedieu.

_
His successor, Richard Tustin, obtained from the Pope
the most distinguished privileges.
In 1418 the English made a fruitless attack upon it.
In 1123, it was attempted again with a very et-inside-
r..ble force and powerful artillery, two pieces of which now
remain at the ,nai❑ gate : one has a stone ball in it of
about fifteen inches diameter. Among the distinguished
Engli,b officers who perished at that siege, was a Chevalier
M. Burdet.

In 1577, a Protestant chief (Dutouchet) succeeded by
stratagem in getting possession ()lit. After two days' pos-
session he was obliged to evacuate it.
In 1591, a similar attempt proved most destructive to
he assailants.

In 1591, the spire, the bells, and the church, were con.
siderahly injured by lightning.
Mount St. Michel was visited in ISIS by Francis I. o:
France.

In 1561, by Charles IX.
In 1576, by the Duchess de Bourbon.
In 1621, by the Duke de Nevers, who made a rich pre-
sent to the Abbey.
In 1659, by.Madatne de SesignC, who designated it Le
Mont her et orgueilleux. _ .

In 1699, Philip Duke of Orleans, brother to Lou's
XIV., was one of its visiters. . _ .

The most remarkable circumstaile2 is the visit paid to

on the 10th of May, 1777, by the Ex-King of i'rance,

- .
the Count d'Artois years oil). Ia inspecting the
state prison, a wooden cage was shown to him. The
Prince, struck with horror at the sight of it, ordered it to
be destroyed.
Shortly after, the young Princes of Orleans, among
whom the present King Philip, accompanied by Madame
de Sidery, stopped at Mount St. Michel. After having
inspected the subterraneous passages and magazines, the
wooden cage was shown to them. They asked for work-
men and axes, and giving the first blow themselves, this
infernal machine was completely destroyed.

The original rock, which is of granite, was reduced tl
ISO feet, in order to obtain sufficient room for the build-
ing. The circumference of the rock at the base is a little
above half a mile. The height, including the turret over
the tower, is equal to that of St. Paul's.
It is surrounded on almost every side with lofty walls,

flanked with towers. The north and we7t sides are nearly

perpendicular. The south side is inlialiited. The popu-
tion may amount to SOO souls. The houses are, as it
were, on the top of each other. The ascent to the abbey
is by winding stairs. The abbey is strongly protected by
towers and strong gateways.
Since the revolution it has been used as a departmental
prison for convicts, of which there are now from 700 to
SOO.

A splendid entertainment was given on Mon-
day evening, at Drakelow, by Sir ROGER and Lady
SOPkilA GRESLEY, to about 200 persons of fashion. On
Saturday a comedy, translated from the French by Lady
DACRE, entitled A Match, or No Match, and a farce, were
very cleverly performed at the little theatre at Drakelow.
TII E UNION.-The Declaration of the Friends
of the Union between Great Britain and Ireland is already
signed by nearly 900 persons of the first respectability in
Ireland, including almost the whole of the nobility and
gentry of that country. Opposed to this formidable array
we find merely Mr. O'CoNNELL and his deluded Trades.
PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES OF THEBANK
Ok' IRELAND.—The number of sentries on duty at the
Bank was doubled on Saturday night, and the same pre-
caution is to be observed every night for the future, to
prevent, we should suppose, the bird-fanciers of Patrick's-
close from robbing the pigeons' nests, which are very nu-
merous about the roof of this splendid building.—Dublin
Morning Register.

SHEEP'S Vlow...—The demand for this ar-
article continuing, and 1,500 bales having been gala to the
Yorkshire manufacturers last week at advanced prices, the
total sales during the month of December exceed 4,000
bales in this market alone, which spews the woollen trade
to be in a healthy state.—Liverpool Albion.

Last night (Monday) Mr. THOMAS, son of
Mr. SAMUEL ASHTON, a very extensive cotton-spinner of
Apethorn, two miles from Stockport, on the Hyde and
Staleybridge road, left the works about seven o'clock to go
to his father's residence, about half a mile distant. He
was shortly afterwards found dead on the turnpike-road,
having been shot. Two balls appeared to have entered
his breast, and come out at his back—one through his
shoulder blade. There appeared the footsteps of two per-
sons having stood on the hedge-hack, close to the spot
where he was found, so that the murderers must have been
waiting for him. There is no clue, nor the most remote
surmise, as to the perpetrators of this diabolical deed.
Mr. ASHTON'S hands are not amongst the turn-outs, and
he stands high amongst them. The young gentleman was
about 23 years of age.
A remarkable instance of the frail tenure of
human existence occurred on the evening of Saturday
week. A cabinet-maker, while in the act of finishing a
coffin for an ex-grave digger (who died ♦ery suddenly),
dropped down, and instantly expired. Several individuals
were in the shop at the time, and medical aid was instantly
procured, but to no purpose ; the vital spark had fled. lie
was in the prime of life.—Dundee Advertiser.