New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1867-11-14

m, he TIp
grounds: the road is now safe though very steep,
and the buildings Of the monastery presently CONT
into view mass of quadrangua ar piles OF InasonIHi
towers and pyTamdal roofs, inclOsed by nlgn wan
which must be considerably more than mile ID CIR
emit The place. in fact, resembles q 1oIuneu clIy'
The gateway was closed on the sac oy Wiz lid d
flowing beard, who driving an oX-cart lthe hrst
time ever saw one of his class so use1uiy empOyedl
directed me to 90 around 10 the eastern 'front.' An
isolated house, shaded by group OF Ola iindcntrees
is set apart for the of the female Visitors who
are attended by an old woman. usually sister OF
Nv guide rang the bell at the entrance, and the
door was Immediately opened by young monk IN q
long brown gown "Can be ADMITTEDLY asked
Eyes" said he in a whisper, the guide will take
you to the father who receives strangers: was
conducted across grassy courtyard IN which there
were two large stone fountains 10 the nam DG9lng
Several brethren in brown were passing swiftly 10
and fro in the cool spacious corridors but they took
no notice of me. found the father in comfortable
chamber hung with maps He was bright nimble
man of CO. with shaven head and face; but for his
keen eyes he would not have seemed more than hall
alive his complexion and his shroud-lke gown be-
ing nearly the same color. told HIM who was
next day Certainly" he whispered g as long as
you please. will show you into the refectory' ana
was somewhat unwell, and the heat and fatigue
had made me weak which the father probably, no.
ticed, for reaching the refect0ry-a great pare
apartment with an old-faShiOned chimney-place fOr
burning logs-he said "fOu must have q glass OF
our H9ueur the green kind, which is the strongest
II
a different view of life, in the space or 10 minutes
The qdrcOn was sturdy fellow III blue blouse, owl
IDENTIFY peasant hired for the season. Ils services
were confined to the refect0ry. Another brother IN
brown with mild, ignorant countenance, CONDUCT
ed me TO an upper chamber or rather CELL contain
ing a bed table, chair. and bowl OF water WIN
large private altar and priedeu Having taken pos
session and put the key in my pocket. returned to
the refectory where the white father begged me TO
make myself at home, ana likewise Nahs!leH; S
are fixed hours when strangers are conducted thIous
the buildings, and as had still some time 10 wait
went forth from the monastery and set to Work NJ
The monks of the Chartreuse now belong to the
order of La Trappe. San Burns first came hlther III
the year 1884, and the foundation of the monastery
dates from 1857. The I3pplst. or Silent system,
arose in the sixteenth century, but | am ignorant OF
the date when it was here introduced II rs prop
ably the severest and most unnatural OF al l9Iis VI
monastc discipline Isolation is cruel enough IN II.
self, without the obligation OF silence Inc use OF
mOnaseres cOnseTvatOTles Oflearnlng as salctua-
Tes Of peace in the midst of normal war; has long
since ceased they are now an anachr0nlsm, and they
will become Otense. The grand pie "a build
ings before me Tavaged during the French Rey0-
luton, and the monks turned adrlft. Although the
Government still keeps its hold on the greater part
of the property then sequestTated II has favored the
monastery in every other possible way france
swams with black robes as II has not before LOT
hundred years The Empress Eugene is o petted
daughter of the Church of Rome and the willing IN
strument of its plans as far as her influence eAtehdS
The monks of La ChartTeuse however, tojudge from
what saw of their industry and business talent are
far less Objectionable than those Of their brethren
who are not bound 10 SODtnde ana slltlict'
At the appointed hour was again admitted with
whisper and Joined three dark priests laso on thor
way to ROme) for tour of the interior. ne mlld
! brother in brown our guido. Alter calling our
attention to notice which requested that all visit
ors to the monastery would neither stand sun nor
| speak above their breath, lie unlocked q gate ana
| lshered us into the inner corridors. we walked
| down the dim, ech0ing vaults OF solid masonry ana
paused at a door, through which came the sound OF
sepqlchral chant 1t was the church wherein Two
which seemed like misGere. The brother conducted
us to an upper gallery dipped his fingers INTO the
! font and presented the holy water 10 me WITH
friendly smile am afraid lac was cut to the heart
| when | shook my head, saying: Thank You, don't
need it," There was an expression OF stupeiaG9n IN
his large innocent eyes, aud thenceforward he kept
near me, always turning to me with tender, melan-
choly interest as if hoping and praying that there
| might for me, be some escape rom the hell oil
There was nothing worthy Of notice in the archi-
lecture of the church. or the various chapels That
for the dead hung with skulls and cross bones,
| on ground of black; the graveyard, IN which the
dead monks lie, like the Quakers, under unmarked
mounds was cheerful. Here, NJ least, grass ana
wildfowers are not prohibited, the sweetest noun
tain breezes find their way over the monatc walls,
| and the blue sky above is filled with silence, ia
which there is nothing painful The most interest
ing thing saw the Hall of the Order, filled with
portraits of its generals, ana with fescOes ll1sra
ting the life OF San Bruno, statue OF the SAINT
represents him as a venerable man, OF pure, noble,
| and benevolent aspect The head l suspect, is i'm
aginary but it is very fine. AS works OF art the PIC
] lures have no merit; the three priests, however,
| looked upon them with awful reverence. SO much
| depends on place, Circumstance, and sentiment The
brush of Raphael cond have added nothing TO the
impression which these drew from the stn work
| manshp of some unknown painter
| was astonished at the extent of the buildings.
There is single corridor Gothic. OF solid stone $50
| feet in length. Looking down it, the perspective
dwndles almost TO point Opening from IT and
from the other ntersectng corridors are the cells OF
the Monks each with n Biblical sentence in Latin
generally of solemn import painted on the doors.
The furniture Of these cells is very simple, but
human skull is always part of It, IN the rear OF each
| is a small garden, inc0sed by wall where the
fathers and brothers attend to their own flowers and
| vegetables. They must have, il seems, some inn0-
cent sOlaoe; the silence the fasting, the company OF
the skull, and the rigid ceremOnals, would else, /
| imagine, drive the most OF them mad. Those whom
we met in the corridor walked with excited, flying
| step. as if trying TO OutTun their own thoughts.
Their faces were pale and stern they rarely looked
| at us, and, of course, never spoke The gloom and
silence the hushed whispers OF the priests and guide,
! and the prohibition put upon my own tongue, OPP
pressed me painfully at last onged 10 startle the
dead repose of the corridors bya shout full OF free
| dom and rejoicing
There are at present forty patres and twenty airs
in the monastery. The direction OF external matters
| is Entrusted TO few who enjoy more contact with
the world and must be absolved from the obligation
of silence. Moreover the rules III tins respect not
so strenuously enforced as formerly The Monks are
allowed to converse slightly ON Sundays and saints
DAYS and once a week. when they walk in procession
to the Chapel of ST. Bruno, higher up the mountain
An experienced father has charge Of the manufacture
of the Hqueur, which is made, learned, from the
young shoots of the mountain fir mixed with certain
aromatic herbs. Some parts OF the process are kept
secret The Chdrtreuse Is Sold even on the spot a.
high price and is sent TO all parts of the world The
flavor is delicious but indescribabe. and it has UNI
doubted tonic properties.
When we returned to the refectory, found several
gentlemen from Chambery in waiting. They, also,
intended to stay all night, and to start at in the
morning for the ascent of the Grand Son. the highest
pinnacle of the mountain. Ipredcted rain, but they
were not to be discouraged The result was, as |
learned next morning that they at eappointed
hour CROPPED about in the forest III perfect darkness
and came back in half an hour drenched to the skim
The seTvitor informed me that two Engshmen had
arrived and entertained in another part OF the