Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1867-07-17

SD! Ca!t.
TINE A Z 018REK or NNES.
From Once Week.
A T A LIE OF BRf TT ANY

From once week
A T A LE OF r + T my.
When the notable Duchess Anne passed away
from this world, the Independence of Brittany
passed away alsO---that Is to say. Brittany was no
longer a scplrate province. ruled over by mon
arch Of It's own When Anna married the French
king. or rather the second Of her royal husbands,
Brittany became part Of the heritage of the French
crown. For desppe the conditions which the
proud lady madei1 evor and for the benefit Of
her beloved land in the hope that it might re-
main forever an Independent state, the marriage
OF her daughter Claude with the Duke Of Angou-
leme, alterward Francis the First, sealed irrcvo-
cahly the fate of Brittany.
Time stole on but though Brittany had now
become part Of France, the Britons were not
French ia feeling and aspirations they did not
march onward, were not progressive; they pre-
ferred an " aHcieR regime an od-tashioned state
of affairs. and went plodding on, with their icudal
seigueurs living like minor patnarchs amongst
them. There was not much money, much energy
much talent to boast OF but they were simple,
honest folk, who went on their way peacefully,
aud at the couclusoa OF their uneventiul lives de-
sccndcd TO the grave well satisfied with the man-
ner in which they had performed their various du-
ties
And vet there are Breton names that will live
as long as history Is history; heroes and men Of
letters from Du Cues Fin TO Georges Caloudll,
from The monk Abelard to the renowned Le Sage
and Dcscartes
Throughout the northwest and western proyn-
OF France She primitive state of life existed TO
a great extent, aud simplicity extended even to
the priests who were, are told by French histo-
rian, ignorant, but p.ous and irreproachable; -
a hali-aud-half concentrations but the blind led
the blind boz the light direction. and IL needs not
a learned man 90 enter the kingdom of heaven.
Throughout these provinces very old fashioned
attribute-uamely loyalty--reigued supreme, and
was as much iu vogue with the boas BretoHs
and the g. 'IendeqHs as in the DAYS when it ranked
as one Of the cardinal virtues.
One scarcely knows whether loyalty in the pres
ent age Is more than a sentiment, or whether 10y
atty exists at all in ts fall aud original sigaGcl-
ton Days have gone by wherein a man would
cheeriully lay down his lite at his sovereg bid
ding, deeming that by such act he mt
working ont his own salvation. True armies 20
out 20 fight the sovcreigu's battles, and there are
soldiers found willing TO be shot at. and take the
risk but whether the trAug sum per diem is not
stronger argument with them than any vrtuous
and abstract idea Of loyalty, is perhaps less than
doubtful.
Loyalty was loyalty in the olden times as it
never can bp now; for those were the DAYS OF
chivalrous feeling and knight crrantry. and ven
turous youths grew into courfiers, and gained the
heart, oi kings and queens romanticaly, iu man
ner quite impracticable 10 this unromantc age
results which they wrought in those days of poetry
and romance. But those half misty days might
well linger long among the Bretons, for has not
Merlin found a grave 10 their midst. and IS not
Arthur still sleeping in Avalong Perchance he
ulled them into a half-enchanted sleep, like to
that Of the king and queen and all the court in the
legend Of the Sleeping Beauty. And as they slept
n hedge grew up around them, aud they were as
dead to the outer world and they woke not up
until prince should come and kiss the princess
who reigned in the hearts Of these &" bons Bre-
TONS And the name OF the princess was 10y
altv
The prince who touched her lips was Bour-
bon be the heir 20 the throne, the egit-
mate monarch, SO these Bourbons argued, and
therefore their allegiance was due TO him. No
matter that the Bourb1ns had faults imbocilites,
shortcomings Of all kinds, the Bretons were blind
to them, for loyalty like love, eau overlook many
failings.
Far away from the stir of the great world in
villages whore the lives of fathers and sons for
many generations were but as the same story told
over and over again, they, with their simple hAb-
its and iguorant but irreproachable priests wished
for no change-they comprehended not the need
of a revolution for which they felt no individual
necessitv
The Bretons were content and content in it.
self. and in a certain sense. is a blessed pnsses-
sion but in another sense il has degenerating
tendency for, as a modern writer truly observes.
when man sits down perfectly satisfied with hlm-
self and his surroundings be has reached his
eliminating point r he viii go no higher, and the
probability is that he Will hencet0rward 20 down
ward. For the world is gigantic sce-saw that is
in motion, and il one is not going up, up, up,
one must be going down. True it may be said
that at this rate each will have his turn but some
by deXteriIy, favor, time, chance, or opportunity
seem TO be ever at the rising end of the plank.
The Bretons, however were content with things
as fhtiN they with the R0ur-
bons; they were content with the present system.
Was not the dethroning of a monarch a sacrilege P
The Bretons shuddered in their quiet villages. -
: Was not --! But my peroration has lasted
longer than | intended and with this sketch of
the state Of Breton feeling ia the year 1893, or
thereabouts' begin my story.
II.
And thou would'st go to Vannes, my son, and
become great man What ha, pat that thought
into thy head p asked Madame Chabot
mo great man. mother answered the YOUTH
:" but priest, to help forward our holy religion,
endangered by the wicked decrees of those who
rule over France and deluge tfa unhappy land
with blood | would lift up my voice a. aius1 tuoir
false god, and bear witness that there are those
vet left who will not bow down 70 any but the one
true Cod Aud Rene's eye kindled, and a 1ash
Of unwonted animation lighted up his pale, intel
lectua countenance.
"Ab, my SON. returned Madame Chabot,
rest quiet IN tuint own LOult suftlN tntrt nttl
no more martyrs TO swell the ranks Thou hast
caught the fever that is raging in Brittany, and
dost believe that Georges Cadoudal is destined to
be the dcliyerer OF bis country
" He is brave man. See how he fought at
Granville, said Rene.
"And remember how he did but lust escape
trom-the prison at Brest." interrupted the mother.
Rene ii needs be will not urge thee against
lifting thine arm in defence of thy country when
the time comes, but stay in thy home now. Re-
member that thou art my only child thou art not
wanted as ! want thee Wait, Rene watt"
so did Madame Cathelineau argue with her
husband answered Rene; "and what came of
inv
Nay, il he had but listened it might have been
well for him. - replied Malame Chabot.
"And his work have been left undone No,
mother, this is not The time for men to be hiding
away in safety. No mans life is his own in these
days.'
Thou art scarce man yet, responded Mad
anne Chsbot, sadly, as she gazcd upon the slender
figure of the youth before her.
Thou hast aud spoken with Cadoudal ~
exclaimed madame Chabot. Then my words 20
for nothing for they say that Georges can per-
suade men to follow him the bird lures It's young
from the nest He has made many Breton hone
desolate, and many wife widow When hear
the wild cry, Chou Choul resounding through
the midnight air, / close my ears and shudder.n