French Colleges.
The Times, 1824-02-05T00:00:00

There is nothing now talk ed of at Patis but (he a!atir of the College of Louis le Grand. You will see in the .tifonif etr of yes- terday all article pttblished by the University on this subject. This article states that 115 students liadi been sent home to their families, on accotnt of plots against the head, and insubordination to the rules, of the college. In detailing theprogress of these plots and prctended revolts, it mentiolns that the Protiseer had lately been changed, but that nothling clse was changed ir the administration of the establish- ment. A few veeks after the installation of the new Provosn, the capture of Cadiz was annotsxced by him in the refectory, and the news was received with acelamations. This proved that the young men woere not at first averse to the new head of their college, or imbued with the principles of insubordination, On the 27th of January, however, the Professors were informed that a plot was to break out that evening-that abottt six o'clock the students of the different halls were to extinguish the lights, to maltreat their masters, to descend to the coiirt, and to advance on the apartments of the Pro- Vost, with stich instruments as they could obtain. The execution of this Dlot was pretsented by thedischarge of4l of the young men who were alleged to have ftasmed it. On the foUlowing day (the feast of St. Charlemagne), when the rector proposed the health of the King, the stusdeniv were silent, and did not answer by the usual cry of Vive le Roi. Otn this account, anl from a report that the students who re- mained had an understanding with those who had been discharg- ed, sixty-five more were sent home to their fiamilies. Such is the s atement of facts in the xroniteu7. To render it more in- telligible and interesting on the English side of the Channel, it may l be necessary to give the folowitng explanation :-The college in question is the mnost considerable and the best conducted in Paris. For some years it has been .uperintended in a very superior mmn- ner by M. SMaileval. Even what is called among the Royalists good political doctrines prevailed in its The Duke d'Angoulenme was re- ceived with more enthusiasm there than in the other colleges. Even the Bishop of Hermopolis, the Grand Mlaster of the university, was enchanted at the vwelcome which he received. In fact. this person, who, possessed of a certain species of pulpit eloquence, and consi- derabiy well versed in theological lore, enjoyed the reputation of mode-ty and toleration, was well received by tie young men when, as simple Abb6 Frayssinous, he held his confetences in the church of St. Sulpice, refuising, it was then said, every kind of ec- clesiastical dignity. Tie holy man was not then thoroughly knovwn. In the course of a year afterwards we finld hIin creatted the King's first almoner, the Bishop of' Herniopolis, Peer of France. noble Couint, Member of the Academy, and Grand Master of the Uni- versitv. " Dean, doctor, fllocester, bishop, and my lord." Then tte sanctified Abb threw away his masik, and without any shatlow of reason dismissed tihe excellent Al. .Mlalleval, and no- minated. provisionally, in his stead a person from Djon, who in- derstantls nothinlg of the administration of the college, who over- tLurns every thittg, anti whoseonly recotitmendation is, that lie is a Jesuit. In this s:tate of ttinigs, about two or titree dt 's ago, under tite frolic of having extingutished fottr candles, the Grand Master and his nominee Iditt a a.si plots.ecretl, di-ised, a,d happily discoaered on re e, e nf,e rl*ution. This discovery wvas tnatdc by a regular svstenm of e vpintnagr established in the college, and on the declaration of these unworthy agents, forty-one youne met, were expelled fronti the esta- blishment, huddled into hlackne,y-coaches, and sent hGme,as if un.er arrest, to their fiamilies, without givitg any explanation of the vio- lenc-, or atssigning any reason for the dismissal. And vitat datv was chosen for this exhibition ? WVihy the eve ol' the fete of St. Charlemagne-an anniversary fete, whlten all the yottng men wtho ltavedistingttishledltiteii.selves,orattainetI the Erst rank intheirclasses, are invited to a pttblic breakfast, and are allowed to d,ink toasts. On the tday of the festival, tite Proviseur proltosed as a toast, the healtll of the Kinlg-no answer. He then proposeti that of the Giratnd Master-still no answver. Then tthe hraltlt of their present Chief; antl the young nieni stoutt thle natne 4f their late one in re- peated exclamations of `';',r . Maldrvol." Titis was anothier mortal transgression, and anottter plot was of' course discovered, worse tialn that fotuded on the liutting out oF four candles. More victims were called fi,r ; and the Provisettr, of his owtn authority, expelled 65 yotttlts more. making in all I 15-the tiost distinguished younig men in the capital, and Cut the most part butsats or students maintaiined at the expense of the Kiting or the city of' Paris. The consequtences of their dismissal are the loss Of their hnr.saian and atn interruption to their professional views. Every body is enraged at the measure-every body exclaims against the op- prcssive pTroceodings of Frayssinotus, and the fanatics, of whom he is ihe instrmment. Their design is evidently to restore the Col- lege of Louis le Grand to the Jesuits, to wbiom it forinerly be- longed. Already that inferttal society has made immense strides to the attaintnent of its forner power. It possesses already eight or ten tmagnificent houses, the chief of which is at Montronge a league from Patis. T'hey every where make proselytes, frotm the palace of the King to the shop of thie artisan. M1adame du Cayla yields them i her high protection, and the Director of the Police, Franchet, is one of tileir number. lie organizes ii thieir favour a system of espion- rtagr. Thsey know the sentiments of every uman, more nearly or mnoze distantly connected witbi the Government. They learn whetl.er such a mar1 observes tmaigre days, vwhethmer aa.other takes the comnmunion. and whether a third regularly attends rrass; anci if he does not possess all tile qualities in demand amoug them, w.hatever talent he may have, he will never obtain a situation in the public service. The Ministers, who tlo notlike them, fear them, and have the weakness to allow them to follow their own course. Jt is to be hoped that they will not ultimately siceceed, but in the meantine they cotnimit enormous mischief. If not checked in their machinatsions,they w iil triumph with the Botirbons as they triumph. e; with the Stuartz. PREA'BR COLLEGES. PARPTS. Fs:n. 2.