The Sun.
London, England, 1848-12-12 00:00:00

CHATEAUBRIAND'S FIRST COMMUNION.

" My confessor was the Superior of the Seminary o.
the Eudistes, a man of about fifty years of age, of an
extremely stern aspect; whenever I presented myself at
the tribunal of penitence' he interrogated me with great
anxiety. Surprised at the trivial nature of my faults, he
knew not how to reconcile my distress with the insigni-
ficance of the secrets which I deposited in his bosom. As
Easter approached more nearly, his questions became
more urgent. Do you conceal nothing from me?' ex-
claimed he. ' No, my Father.'—' Have you not com-
mitted such or such a fault?' No, my Father.'—My
invariable reply was, ' No, my Father. He dismissed
me sighing and doubting, his look scrutinizing the very
depths of my soul; and, as for me, I quitted his presence
pale and harassed, as if I had been a criminal.
" I was to receive absolution on Holy Wednesday. I
passed the eight of Tuesday in prayer and in reading,
terror, the book called Confessions mat faites.'
wOln Wednesday, at three o'clock in the afternoon, we set
out for the seminary, accompanied by our parents. All
the attacheda to
withm y
could not inspire whicht
the in
a eclat
Madameh s sin cdee been
c na
tea nnr
nd
pride which she felt at that moment, when, as a
v
Christian and a mother, she saw her son about to parti-
cipate
in the great mystery of religion.
" On my arrival at the church, I prostrated myself
before the high altar, where I long remained as if anni-
hilated. When I rose to go to the sacristy, where the
Superior was waiting for me, my knees shook under me.
I threw myself at th feet of the priest, and it was with
the greatest difficulty that I was able to articulate my
confiteor. Well,' exclaimed the minister of Jesus
Christ, have you not forgotten anything?' I was mute.
His questions recommenced, and the fatal, ' No, my
Father,' issued from my mouth. He drew back, and
asked counsel of Him who conferred upon His Apos•
des the power of remitting and retaining sin. Then,
making an effort, he prepared to give me absolution.
" If a thunderbolt had fallen upon me I could not have
been more terrified, and I cried out, ' I have not told you
all l' This keen-sighted judge, this delegate of the Sove-
reign Arbiter, whose visage inspired me with such fear,
suddenly became the most tender pastor; he embraced
me, and, bursting into tears, exclaimed, ' Come, then,
my dear son, take courage and tell me all.;
" I never passed such a moment iu all my life. If the
weight of a mountain had been taken from me, I could
nut have felt more relieved. I sobbed for joy. I venture
to say that on this day I was made an honest man. I felt
that I never could survive remorse; what then must be
the feelings of that man who has been guilty of crime, if
I suffered so severely for childish frailty! And how
divine is that religion which can thus master our best
affections! What moral precepts can ever supply these
Christian institutions?
" The first avowal made, all the rest e,pst me nothing,
and my secret delinquencies, at which the world would
have laughed, were weighed in the balance of religion.
The Superior was greatly embarrassed; he wished to
deter my communion, but I was about to quit college,
and to enter the navy. With extreme sagacity he dis-
cerned in my youthtul tendencies, insignificant as they
were, the bent of my inclinations. He was the first to
penetrate the secret of what I should hereafter become.
He divined my future passions—he did not conceal the
good that he saw in me.; but he, at the same time,
pointed out the bad qualities with which I should have
to contend. There is,' he concluded, no time for you
to do penance; but you are washed from your sins by a
courageous, though tardy avowal.' Then, raising his
hand, he pronounced the formula of absolution. And
now this second time his arm of thunder descended on
my head like the dews of heaven. I inclined my head
to receive it—l seemed to share the joys of angels. I
ran and threw myself on the bosom of my mother, who
was waiting for me on the steps of the altar. I no longer
appeared the same to my masters or my schoolfellows.
I wallet d with a light step, raised head and joyous coun-
tenance, in all the triumphs of repentance.
" On the following day (Holy Thursday) I was ad-
mitted to that touching and sublime ceremony, which I
have in vain attempted to portray in my • Genie du
Christianisme.' Here again I might have found my
wonted petty humiliations. My bouquet and my dress
were less handsome than those of my companions; but
on this day all was to God and for God. I perfectly
realised faith—the real presence of the Victim in the
Holy Sacrament of the altar, was as sensible to me as
the presence of my mother at my side. When the Host
was placed upon my lips, I felt as if enlightened within.
I trembled with awe, and the only material thing which
occupied my mind was the fear of profaning the sacred
water.

Le pain que je vous propose
Sem aux ones d'aliment,
Dieu lui n a ne le compose
De la fleur de sou froment:—RAClNE.

" At this moment I understood the courage of the
martyrs, and could have confessed Christ con she Kai'
fold, or in the midst of lion,"