New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-12-04

III.
re. Invite Lepgtsllcw and Bryant TO instruct the
siri, in defamation ssa TO Amsse them 9Th their
private PLAYS; let WHITFIELD Wesey Eds.rds
and Bu, bne be tseir spiritual guides and frequent
preash~rs; induce IrviSg, Prescott Elizabeth Fry
and Margaret Fuller to be their slant and init
mate companions; let the pupils themselves no OF
our noblest blood and educated for the ,blest
de'tipies. ImsRioe we have princesses, aud let
them be proud to graduate Ut suca school, aud
fancy the queens OF all nations eager In place their
daughters there, and ysu will have faiot idea of
st Cyr during the life of its founder The pri
mary idea Of Madame de Main.enon was 70 afford
meaDs Of education to those whose youth was like
Der own. She bao been poor herself and could
sympatbze with the Deeds and desires of the im-
diversified MOBILES. st Cyr was the place. then,
for her establishment. ltwas beneath the shadow
Of the throne, less shan q league from the palace,
and comprised within the Park OF Versailles
Esnsard was the architect of the buildings, and
no expense or pains was spared in their construc-
ton. Msdsme de ManteDon framed the cOnsti.u.
tioB of the Hou.e Of st. Louis. The Bishop Of
Cbartrts, the Pere la Chsise, made changes aud
additions Racine and BOlleau corrected It's style,
and The Pope approved the whole The King gave
most liberal letters patent to the institution aud
reminded Racine aad BOileau that its foundation
war sn event too remarkable TO be emitted IN the
de, ais of the history Of his reign The installation
Madame de MaiDtsnOD, Oh entering remarked:
What gives me pleasure in entering these wallis
& ia that here / see my retreat and my tomb.
" May this establishment endure 90 long as France
" endures al d France as long as the world. This
lie my desire. my passion, the depth of my heart.
During the first years Of the school Nine. de
MainfepOn though far advanced in age, was obliged
to turn her hand to all the duties of the insttu-
ton. Her time was divided between Versailles
ard st. Cyr-much the larger part devoted to the
latter. Besides" said she, nothing at st. Cyr
"teems TO me small, impOrtune, or disagreeable.
" l am cheerfully it's superintendent. would with
"all ny heart be the servant Of our community OF
teachers, if by that means | could form them
80 as to be able to do without me- The zeal
and devotion Of st. Paul breathe in all her
writings. She is found often at ST. Csr from
in the morning to at night, instructing the
teachers, supervising the classes, correcting &C
counts, caring for the rick, washing, and cOmbing
the hair Of the cOnvalescent and little girls; doing
all for those under her charge as an example to
those who should later take her place.
Shortly after the instsllment at st. Cyr, visits
commenced. All the princes came one after the
other TO admire the new foundation of Louis
"tbe Great"
The children of Nine. de la Valliere, then
Louise de 10 hisericorde, came in turn, followed
by Nine. de MObtespan, who conceived the strange
caprice Of contemplating the creation OF her
rival. She sfterwsId often visited the institution
and took part in the religious instruction OF the
giIls, and it was here that she was confirmed and
took her convent vows.
The Queen Marie Tberese had presented tbs
mopastic vail to La Valere at Val de Grace, and
at St. Cyr the second wife Of Louis XIV. was
witness Of the confirmation of his second famous
mistress
Imposing ceremonies and religious pOmp at
tended the first visit Of the King to the house of
st. Louis, and if we may believe the traditions
preserved ever after in the house, it was on this
occasion when the King entered the garden that
three hundred voices intOned prayer to HE praise
give the original words, because an interesting
discussion hangs thereon:
"Grsnd Dieu, SAWYER lie Roi!
GIaTs Di,u, yeDsez 10 hoi!
Qua jsmais glOrieux,
L MS ve,.rsuI
Tsp(ooI, soumis
d'sI %;i Ds e s ,srsss. lie R'i'
According to the zane tradition Handel, having
heard the cong during his visit to st. Cyr in l!2l,
copied it for George j., of England, ano hence the
famous /" God Save the King" The English, on
the other hand, pretend that the House of ST. Cyr
borrowed The air from Handel for the praise OF
Louis XIV supposition improbable, as the En-
pl,h King vas hereto and enemy OF their patron
and besides, the memoirs of the community affirm
that both the WORDS and air were tuDg at tne HIsI
visit Of the King, il 1896 and Handel was born
in 1886.
The first design Of the founders of st. Cyr was,
that il should be an institution entirely different
from the existing boutes of educatiOn--the Con
vents The girls were permitted to read innocent
and agreeable bOoks-they were taught letter
writing after the noble and gallant styles Of Volture
aId Balzac--tbey were melted to converse on ele-
waited subjects-they were habituated to distin-
euished manners, and to a noble grace which in
eluded mode sly they were taught not to despise
but on the contrary to cultivate their beauty,
(which is also," said Madame Maiotenon 4" a
gift of God" In fine, st. Cyr was destined to
continue the traditions of those iustrious salons
whose piety and elegant manners were equally cui-
tivsted.
ITO lead our girls to virtue by noble sentiments
should be the dominant idea of the education of
asst Cyr," said she whom Fenelon nan 81" wisdom
speaking by the mouth of grace"
Impelled by desire to cultivate her pupils IN
style and language, Racine was invited to prepare
q poem combining piety and morals, in which
music might be mingled with the recitation, and
the whole rendered entertaining to the school.
Hence the origin of " Esther, Whose presenta
ton formed an important era in the History OF
St. Cyr, and introduced chose faults watch neces-
STATED the most rigid reforms in its system OF edu
cation. AU hEVOiR.
NEW-MEXICO.