Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1859-06-10
0Qurtrster Daily Spp.
THE SILENT MONKS OF ITALY.


the editors of the New York Post, describes in
very interesting manner a visit made by the
writer to convent of Carthusian monks,
about seven miles from Pisa. The Carthusians
regard silence and solitude as the two cardinal
human agencies for the regeneration of man,
and the more strict and faithful of their order
never speak whenever they can avoid it, even
to their brethren. Their estabshmentat Pisa
Is one of the oldest and richest in Europe. 1t
was founded by one Petrus Mrautis, in 1866,
and endowed by him with an income of about
twelve hundred dollars a year. 1t afterwards
received large accessOns of wealth, much of
which has been invested in a series of struc-
lures covering no less than four acres of
ground, and " large tract of land, which is cul-
tivated for the use of monks. The party was
received at the gates, which are crowned by a
statue Of Saint Bruno the founder of the or
der, by man dressed in priestly habiliments,
and with shaven head, who Cooked as if the
notifications of the flesh TO which he had
submitted had not disagreed with him in the
least, for he answered in every particular to
ThomSon's
Fat, round, oily little man of Cod
in his Castle of Incidence" This man, though
dressed like all of the order, was a servant, and
was not charged with the higher class of re-
ligious duties imposed upon the brethren in
entered upon his duties with affability,
but he said that two ladies, who had
accompanied the party, could not proceed
with it, and invited them into recep-
ton room. What the rest saw is thus told
The main building, in the centre of which
is a magnificent marble entrance, leading bv
many steps to the chapel, is about five hun
dred feet in length aud three stories high, with
wings OF equal length running from each end
backwards and across the rear, forming a large
enclosure, into which open the cloisters, or
dwellings Of the monks. Each monk has his
own apartments, of course, for solitude and
silence could not be fully enjoyed without
them. They consist of a kitchen, a sitting
room or study a sort of working room and
bedroom. To each is also added a small gar
den, IN which we saw some oranges ripening
and various Towering shrubs There is also
little hole or rather closet, in the wall OPEN
ing upon the arena, within which their food
is placed by an invisible hand, so that they
may have as little communication as possible,
with each other, and prolong to the utmost
Their enJoyments Of the unutterabe pleasures
OF silence. In the main building to which we
were first introduced, we traversed know not
how many apartments, handsomely furnished
with large beds, which our guide informed us
were for the use of strangers. In former
years 1t had been the uses of the convent to
give any stranger who called a lodging for
single night, but now he said they were not
rich enough to continue the practice. AS it
had been discontinued l maryelled to find so
many large double beds, all made and ready
Tor immediate occupation Perhaps our guide
did their hospitality injustice.
The halls and almost countless apartments
abounded in pictures and statuary, but | saw
nothing OF much merit, save some small bronx
es on the altar of the chapel, by John of Bo-
logna, and an angel in marble IAN exquisite
thlng) which was presented anonymously to
the society The altar was all mosaic, and the
silver candleSticks of immense size and weight
facts to which our attention was particularly
invited.
We passed out of the chapel into the sacris-
ty, where we were shown several closets, each
resembling Herring's large safes, within
which were preserved the relics Of sundry
saints. These we were not permitted to ex-
mine.
The refectory of the convent, where the
monks dined together on feast days and Sun
days only, was about forty feet long and TWEEN
ty'hve feet broad. In one corner, and nearer
to the ceiling than the floor, was pulpit and
shelf of books, from which one of the order is
accustomed to read during their repasts, both
for the purpose of discouraging the warnings
for conservation natural on such occasions, and
also to assist in Withdrawing the wandering
thoughts OF the brethren from secular topics.
They never speak to each other, even on these
occasions, we were told except to ask for
something they may want-a reticence which
they did not violate even when Cosmo di Med
icis dined with them, and Queen of France
waited on their table-the two great events in
the history of the society, of which prodigious
frescoes on the walls bear record.
After spending over an hour in wandering
from room to room each having the same
general characteristics, | asked to be shown the
place where they buried their dead. They
took me out again into the area, with which
| have already said the clOisters communicate.
In passing to it through the hall, was little
started by the frescoe of Grecian sage near
the door, of colossal size, with his finger on
his mouth, as if prescribing silence, and beside
him as a famous goose, its mouth stopped with
wedge-shaped stone, also intoxicating the
same lesson. From the selection of instruc-
tors 1t is evident that the artist intended the
lesson should be Ineligible to every grade of
understanding.
A plot Of ground, about thirty by forty feet,
in the area, was shown to us as the last resting
place of all Of the brethren who had died
since the foundation Of the convent, nearly
six hundred years ago. When l expressed
my surprise that so small a space should have
answered for the burial Of so many, | was told
that they used no collins that on the soil de-
composition went on so fast that no traces of a
body remained after lying in it five years !;
that the erected no tombstones and conse-
quently they kept on burying in the same lit
tie plot, and might continue to do so for CEN
tunes to come without disturbing any one S
visible remains, When | say they erect no
tombstones, mean to members of their own
fraternity. Strangers who die there, especial
lly if wealthy or distinguished enough to make
it an object, have tablets placed over their re-
mains, but they are inferred in a different plot
of ground, separated by wall from that which
is devoted to the monks