New Orleans Republican., 1877-01-14
Laurdes.


Our readers may like to form some idea
of the outward aspect of place which has
had the luck to become 90 celebrated as the
little rough old Pyrenean town of L0urdes.
We can not offer more than this, for our
visit, unfortunately, fell during the dead
season for plgrimRges. It must be owned
that Lourdes is much more convenient for
its present purpose than La Salette; for
while, as we believe, the latter place de-
mands OF it's v0taries climb of few thou
sand feet up q mountain in Dauphine, Dill.
grims to Lourdes have only TO take tickets
TO fret class station on the Bayonne and
Toulouse line, from which some three-quAr-
ters Of mile along well macadamized
road lands them in tront of the mystical
Rrosto. .LOurdes itself is picturesque old
place, crowned by Just the medieval castle
which its history-includinR such names
askSimon of Montfort, the Black Prince,
and CASTOR Phebus--damands; clrcIed by
hills which, under their November colOring,
strongly recall Welsh landscape. Par
allel to the railroad the Gave de Pau rushes
with rapid current from east to west,
skirting hill Just westward Of the town,
which must previously to recent opera
tiOns, have come down to the stream with
8 rocky steep. Here stands on the water
level-One out of several in the neighbor-
hOOd-a little shallow recess Of 8 nearly
semicircular form, just like the caves so
IEb0ueuIiY lUunu III bu6 u0lS1 VI ObLUY-
shire and other limestone counties. In
1858 it was very likely inaccessible, except
ct the cost of Q scramble; now 1t Is frOnted
by a email and very neatly kept macada-
mized place. An iron railing protects
from promiscuous intrusion the sa-
cred precinct, which is nearly filled
up by 8 statue, stands Of perpetualiy blaz-
ing candles, aud the innumerable crutches of
successive vetaries, hanging in clusters
from the roof, not to mention two bath
chairs upon the floor. Immediately over
the right hauneh of the arch the rock has
been smOothed away to form . sort of
oblong panel, which carries poor figure in
high relief Of the Madonna, the head en-
circled by that notorious legend, re sitis
PInamaclllee Conception words obviously
coined in the muddled brain Of an ignorant
peasant child, retailing the pek big phrase
which had been dinned into her ears with
ont penetrating her understanding. The
fountain, which is believed to bave first
bubblad up under the fingers Of Berna-
dette SoubirOn, ia now incased in an oblonR,
saroophmRus shaped stone conduit, 3 little in
front and to the left Of the grOtto, with the
inscription, "Ailes b0ire Ia foRtasns ct VotEs
laper, Feprier, 1853" Throe brass cocks
supply the drinkers, and metal cups are not
forgotten. The water Is pure, clear and
tasteIess, but Of an unmistAkable Limestone
origin.
A church over the site Of the supposed
series Of separations would in any case have
been their natural sequel; but, In fact, tho
order to build II was One of the alleged
revelations. II was 3 einRnlarly happy
chance for an architect who had the geniua
20 seize his opportunity. The "Massabiellen
fold mass OF rOckl, as the bill Of the grotto
was called, was rounded buttress shelving
off from more lofty heights, and while Of
course tbs grotto itself and its immediate
sefa hsa1 20 anHnN shn
ing mass Was available to convert into an
architectural group, as, In degenerate ege
aud with & bdr0qtss style, the con-
structor manipulated the Isola Bella.
IN the hands Of q capable artist
the building might have recalled
the Rock q Caahel Or Mont \. Michel.
Moreover, n. LGupot, the selected architect,
had tho rare luck 70 fall in with 30 magn1-
cent an employer 10 the Cure Of fsOurdss
chat hie fEgt sketch wna publicly torn up
and pitched into the river for the fault Of
! hasnr too cheap. The Eoault Of all these ad-
yansasoa ie 3 mAEterpiace q eommonplnee.
! Ehe gsotfo oonspiOnoualy facing e II does
Waa the natural base aud oantar Of the
Rz0nn. wfich amcnunental staircase might
wal have iin#ed - the superelEuotuHo.
/ Then 4hs arohst1e5 might have either re-
peelad orlsnsMen, aed placed his church
/ lenRthWays, cast end Wes1. q which oaeo
( ths atsiroase Weuid bav8 opened cn 3 north
porch. o. - might have raugs4 i noFlh
: meerrsatsI ;swsuie dso1. Wkss
he haa nrslerred 10 70 adopt tha
/ lenRthua56 pI1QniuE, e piee1 The altar o
I tao west, end l1 30 eEteaEe bic flle n1 most
! ooa1IEtsIr % Urt 81 fho cturoh from the
I rf0tio nnd tko Fl1teo fEem s1e church. 11o
I 1ioro of the hll had Of oe1Eg8 % be faced,
+ ard isa suamlt l84el4ds sad Rot onlf has
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