sake of exclusive dedication of the whole man to art or science, but of the whole heart to God, and where, instead of the pride engendered by lofty attainments in such carnal studies, the humbling and equalizing doctrines of the Scriptures formed the subjects of their continual investigation, not as affording room for the display of intellectual superiority or subtlety, but as improving the heart, as the rule and guide of life, and as alone able to make them wise unto salvation. True peace and the most unalloyed happiness which our present imperfect condition would allow, he assured me, from long experience, was to be found in these hallowed abodes. Their inmates have no care but of pleasing God, and making always nearer approaches to him in divine love and likeness, by which they were growing in conscious meetness for heaven, and the beatific vision of him who sitteth upon the throne, and of the Lamb for ever. Placed here, comparatively beyond the reach of sensible things, nought interposed between their faith and its objects, which are invisible. There was no distraction and no diversion here of their faculties and affections upon any but the most excellent things, which, like ourselves, are eternal. Their hopes, resting on the sure word of promise, and centred in those realities which lie beyond the region of death and the reach of chance and change, never meet with disappointment, but were always brightening as the morning light. Even the sages of antiquity reckoned it as the sole proper business of life to make preparation for death, and ceasing to live to the world, as they did, he conceived was doing this most effectually. In a word, his opinion regarding both conditions, the one he had abandoned and the one he had adopted, was expressed in this motto, which he took for his own:

Inveni portum! Spes et fortuna valete,
Sat me lusistis, ludite nunc aliis.

There are several men of rank here, altogether unknown to the world; and also many English, Irish, and Scotchmen; but the most inviolable secrecy is observed as to their former history and connections. On the death of any of the fraternity, his name is not mentioned in any written communication to his friends, but there is merely sent, in this mode, a notice to the friends that a brother has died, so they are left to find out if the intimation relates to their own relatives or not.

A singularly curious and interesting volume, or rather series of volumes, might be formed by any writer who could relate to the world the lives of some of the individuals who have sought an asylum in this death-like abode, where all human passions - all the fears and hopes of mortal existence, are entombed; the inmates of these melancholy walls have brought hither with them nothing but the memory of their former vanities, and their former frailties. Many have been driven hither by disgust, by remorse, by despair, nay, as I have occasion to know, by disappointment in their addresses to the fairest of the fair; and then, not a few, I fear, have moved in the gay circles of fashion and pleasure. What, then, must have been the contest in their hearts, ere they could renounce such alluring scenes, to immure themselves where existence is but protracted and selfelected mortification? The history of the brethren of La Trappe would be an important chapter in the history of men, a stumbling block to all philosophy and all theories, particularly to their creed who persuade themselves that the chief and sole end of this present existence is to enjoy.

t;

Many persons visit the convent, and their contributions add to the treasury. In 1690 James II. paid a visit and the duchess of Berri was a guest a few months before me. There is no idleness in this establishment, great activity being exercised; and when the monks are not occupied at their devotions, they are always engaged in some handi

craft trade. There are ploughmen, gardeners, tailors, shoemakers, tanners, and various other trades, and many articles prepared by them are sent to Nantz for sale. Their labours in the fields are never allowed to be interrupted by any weather, either during winter and summer. These monks, who "venerate the plough," are supposed to be more skilled in agricultural operations than any farmers in France, and their cattle is the best. The implements they use are brought from England; and the king has allowed them a sum of money yearly, to form a seminary for training young Frenchmen in these pursuits.

With respect to this monastery, it is sometimes called “La Trappe,” but more frequently "The Convent of Melleray," and the monks date their letters in the latter mode. It is perhaps one of the most antient abbeys of the Benedictine order, and was established by Innocent II. in 1140. Some suppose it is called La Trappe from the difficulty of access to it, others think it was the name of the founder; and another opinion is, that the name " Melleray was given to it because the place was so much frequented by bees. But, be this as it may, it is certain that no spot could be more completely shut out, as it were, from the world, it being enveloped in wood, so favourable to contemplation, and its very site calculated to nourish a disordered and a superstitious imagination, and to inspire the wildest fancies.

It is almost unnecessary to observe, that females are prohibited from entering this convent, which is also uniformly the case in every monastery in the east. Yet, about a quarter of a mile distant, on the side of the lake, there is a range of buildings, where female visitors may be accommodated, and attended by those of their own sex. At the time of the French revolution this establishment was transferred to Dorsetshire, where the monks were under the protection of Mr., now Cardinal, Weld; and on the

restoration of the Bourbons they returned to this religious abode, which had become greatly dilapidated.

After I had breakfasted, and bestowed on the brethren some relics from Jerusalem, which they seemed to consider altogether invaluable, I followed the custom here of putting a sum into the hands of the guardian for the use of the poor, a mode I always found observed by pilgrims in Palestine on leaving the convents. This being done, my most polite countryman, the Abbé, conducted me to the great gate, where we shook hands, and he gave me his benedictions*; when I found the same porter again who opened it. He was upwards of six feet, extremely elegant in appearance, and, had been captain of the gens d'armerie in Paris. I then departed for Nantz.

Saint désert, sejour pur et paisible,

Solitude profonde, au vice inaccessible ;
Impétueux torrens, et vous, sombres forêts,

Recevez mes adieux, comme aussi mes regrets!

On returning to England, I learned that this most accomplished gentleman was a native of Scotland, and highly connected, but his real name I am not at liberty to mention. At one time he was colonel of a regiment of dragoons, and distinguished himself by his bravery in the Peninsula. As to the cause of his removing here I shall be silent, as it respects a tender subject." I found that the venerable personage who first received me in the large apartment was a brother of Admiral Linois, who had been captured by our fleet off the Isle of France.

CHAP. XXIV.

DEPARTURE FROM THE CONVENT. THE NETHERLANDS.

WATERLOO.

BUONAPARTE'S CARRIAGE.

PARIS.

INTERVIEW WITH THE KING. — GRAVES OF LOUIS XVI., HIS QUEEN, AND CHARLOTTE CORDAY. DUNGEON IN WHICH HER MAJESTY WAS CONFINED. ORIGINAL PAINTING OF MARY QUEEN OF SCOTS. PERSONS SACRIFICED UNDER THE REIGN OF

ROBESPIERRE.

BOULOGNE.

DESCRIPTION OF A LADY TAKING THE VEIL. REMAINS OF JAMES II. HOUSE OF VOLTAIRE.-REVENUE OF THE ROYAL FAMILY OF FRANCE. OTHER PARTICULARS RESPECTING THE CAPITAL. DEPARTURE. ENGLISH CHURCH. NAPOLEON'S PRAAM BROKEN UP.ARRIVAL IN ENGLAND. REFLECTIONS ON THE WHOLE JOURNEY.

ON N leaving the monastery of Melleray, I retraced my steps to Nantz, and from thence proceeded to the Netherlands. The population of this country is 6,000,000. In my way I again saw

The grave of France, the deadly Waterloo;

which I had visited immediately after the sanguinary conflict, where British valour and firmness achieved what has been truly styled —

The first and last of fields! King-making victory!

Here I again fell in with Napoleon's carriage, which he was forced to abandon for the speedier and more secret conveyance of horseback in his flight. I was extremely desirous to purchase this interesting relic of gigantic ambition which had overleaped itself, as well as most ingenious