Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1846-01-14
Taking the Veil in Paris.

i.u .a IaKlDg me ven III ParlS. lzs.
The whole spirit and tendency of the
age, whether in politics or in literature,
in private or in public life is, to agitate
and revolutionize the thoughts and the
feelings. Under such circumstances is
it astonishing that so many Of the very
elite ofsociety--of the choicest spirits Of
the age-(being those who feeLmost ex-
element Of the time, just as the bright
est mirrors reflect more clearly the
scene )-should shrink from the trials of
life, the responsible discharge of duties
amidst the turmoil and temptations ol
the world, and should throw themselves
within the pale of Romanism, of which
the boundary is so arbitrarily defined,
and guarded with so much austerity,
and where the votary yields up the
freedom of volition and the control of all
his actions,-thanks to the daily, nay,
almost hourly observanees, the in
QUESTION Of priests the ordeal ofaricular
confession and its reward and the as.
sumed power Of absolution from sins?
If we cast our glance abroad in
France where society has been so often
shaken down to its very dregs, and
where the surges of revolution are still
rolling, with vice riding above them
triumphant, we behold a still greater
number, of stricken spirits, seeking the
last refuge-that which has been called
the hospital of the soul. There takes
place constantly the celebration Of one
rite; which, however, melancholy to a
rational mind, always awakens roman
tic associations ana historical remin-
iscences; we allude to the ceremony Of
taking the veil. For some time past,
all the beau monde Of Paris have been
eagerly flocking to these ceremonies;
the greatest coquettes and merveillsu'
sees of Paris appearing to consider
their presence absolutely necessary to
display the contrast betwixt the ram.
pant vanities Of life, and their entire
remuneration. .......
OF course, the high Carlist society o.
The Faubourg St. German have offered
the most striking and most frequen
examples ofthls religious enthusiasm
Amongst the number of these holy
marriages which have taken place
this season, one of the most interesting
was that celebrated at the Chapel o
the Orleans Carmelites on Monday
the Sd inst. Mile de la TaiIle, a young
lady belonging to one of the best fam
lilies, on that day renounced the world
and its vanlties, before a large assem-
blage of friends and relations. During
the celebration Of mass, which was per-
formed by the bishop, assisted by his
Wears, the parents Of the novice with
her brothers and sisters approached the
holy table, and considerable interest
was added to this always imposing
scene, by the affecting address made 10
her by one other brothers, M. T. Able
de la Taille, who is honorary canon and
secretary to the prelate. During the
whole OF his discourse the spectators
were deeply touched, and when he
came to the following words, their emo.
ton was irrcpresslble: "Oh, my sister
how enviable is your lot! Imay say to
you as was said to st. Bernard, by the
youngest Of his brothers, you have Ia
ken heaven for your portion. and yo,
have left US the ear,h--the division i
not equal We all desire 10 attain tn
Joys Of heaven, but you alone have che
sen the road which leads to them direc
and without danger; whilst we are wan
dering and ofttimes losing ourselves il
the rugged mountain path. you ru
straight for the goal which is set befor
us alI."
The ceremony concluded with tn
blessing pronunced on the young novic'
by the parents. 5+..'