Univ.-f///.. Library 62 jm ... ’ , ■$>. .^Pd * ♦ THE SCHOOL-GIRL IN FRANCE, OR 0narc0 of JJoperi) : A WARNING TO PROTESTANTS against education in catholic seminaries. TENTH EDITION. NEW- YORK : PUBLISHED BY J. K. WELLMAN, No, 116 Nassau Street 1846 , B. W. BENEDICT Sc CO f Stereotypers and Printers 16 Spruce S t r c * * s 2 3 /*, <+1-/U CONTENTS. CHAPTER. PAGE I. The Letter 9 II. The Farewell Visit •• 13 III. A Roman Catholic School 19 IV. The Influence of Error • ••• 25 V. New Scenes and Rangers 33 VI. The Funeral 40 VII. The Pious Roman Catholic 50 VIII. The Grey Sisters 5S IX. The Youthful Backslider 62 X. Restoring Mercy • • • 69 XI. Sunday Employments 75 XII. Romish Idolatry 82 XII. The Nuns of St. Thomas 89 XIV. Claire de Liancourt- • • 96 XV. The First Communion 103 XVI. School Persecution 109 XVII. The Hidden Snare •••117 XVIII. Sunday Temptations 122 XIX. The Missionary Association 127 XX. Protestant Inconsistency 135 XXI. The Fete Rieu .*••*140 XXII. Traits of Character 149 iv CONTENTS. CHAPTER. PAGE' XXIII. The English Teacher 156 XXIV. The Country Party 161 XXV. Sunday Trials 167 XXVI. True Friendship 174 XXVII. A Change of Residence * 180 XXVIII. The French Protestant School 186 XXIX. The Convent 194 XXX. Convent Scenes 200 XXXI. The Confessional 211 XXXII. An Unwelcome Guest 217 XXXIII. The Discussion 22G XXXIV. A Melancholy Event 233 XXXV. The Departure •••••••••«« 240 PREFACE In presenting the following narrative to the public, the author is fully conscious that it has many imperfections ; but she is anxious that a right estimate should be formed of its character. It is not a work of fiction, but a collection of facts, thrown together into one tale, with scarcely any additions, and few other alterations than those which were absolutely necessary, in order to disguise names, places, and dates. It has fallen to her lot, to witness many of the evils attendant on the too common practice of sending young persons to the con- tinent, at that very period of life when the mind is most unguard- ed, the feelings most susceptible, and the principles most uncer- tain. She has seen the snares spread for the inexperienced, the spells thrown over the warm imagination, the fascinations en- twined round the youthful heart, by that most dangerous system of false religion, which, appealing with almost irresistible power to the senses, through them prostrates the reasoning faculties, and thus silently, but surely, weaves its fatal net around the un- suspecting victim. She has thus seen the foundation of a Pro- testant education sapped and undermined, till the promising fabric, reared by parental fondness, has been levelled with the dust, and the deluded parents left to mourn their alienated child a prey to the seductions of Popery, or the not less probable danger of un- settled principles, and practical infidelity. It is, unfortunately, too much the custom with parents, to lull their minds into a false security on the subject, by requiring a promise from the Romish instructors, to whom they entrust their children, that no attempts shall be made to interfere with their 1 # VI PREFACE. religion; and, satisfied with this assurance, they persuade them- selves that there is no cause for fear. Alas! how greatly are they mistaken ! The promises thus given are often indirectly, if not directly broken ; and even where there is a conscientious ad- herence to the engagement, there are a thousand perils and snares, inseparably and necessarily connected with a residence among, and constant intercourse with, the votaries of the Romish heresy, which can only be avoided through the special interposition of a merciful Providence. Let such parents remember the daily prayer they teach their children, — “ Lead us not into temptation,” — and the solemn warning addressed to them, by Him “ who searcheth the heart, and trieth the reins,” — “ Thou shall not tempt the Lord thy God.” No Roman Catholic instructress could more conscientiously refrain from all intentional interference than Madame d’Elfort ; yet the Author again assures her readers, that the evils she has attempted to describe, as resulting from a residence under her roof, are not, in any degree, either imaginary or exaggerated ; neither are Madame d’Elfort, her establishment, and her pupils, at all fictitious. She could easily, and without any violation of truth, have deepened the picture with darker shades ; she could have painted an unhappy father, deserted in his old age by two daughters, who had been taught that it was a meritorious work, and one which would secure their salvation, to bury themselves in the living death of a cloister, while by thus trampling on every filial duty, they brought down their parent’s grey hairs with sor- row to the grave. She could have sketched the affecting picture of a bereaved mother, whose heart has been broken, and her re- maining days embittered, by the apostasy and undutifulness of an only child, once her joy and hope amidst a life of severe trial, and whose principles were gradually perverted by the inconsiderate in dulgence of a Protestant governess, who unreflectingly allowed her occasionally to attend a Popish chapel, and thus exposed her to the snares and artful machinations of the Papists. But she forbears;— such instances have been but too frequent; her object was to point out the minute, every-day dangers connected with a Roman Catholic seminary, even under the most favorable circumstances *. and she trusts she has said enough for that purpose. She hopes that Christian parents, who value the principles, the immortal PREFACE. Vll souls, the eternal interests of their children, will no longer send them forth “ as sheep in the midst of wolves.” If there are any parents so ignorant of the religion they profess, as to imagine that there is but little real difference between Pro- testantism and Popery, and that it is of no consequence what we believe, if we are but sincere in that belief, the author would ear- nestly entreat them to study the Word of God with more atten- tion, and prayer for the teaching of the Holy Spirit ; they will then see that “ there is none other name under heaven, given among men, whereby we must be saved,” but the name of Christ ; “ neither is there salvation in any other 5” and that, as the church of Rome substitutes many other methods of salvation, and many other Saviours, in the place of Him “ whom God has anointed,” she is essentially an anti-christian church, and therefore to be dreaded, as the greatest enemy to genuine Christianity. And if they are members of the church of England, she begs to refer them to the xvmth Article of their church, in confirmation of her assertion. Finally, she would say to all Protestant parents, whatever their peculiar sentiments may be, “ If your children must go to France, place them at least in the hands of Protestants. There are many such establishments there, conducted by English instructors, where they may enjoy all the advantages of a French education, combined with the far more important benefits of religious in- struction, on scriptural principles.” If this simple narrative,— this “ plain, unvarnished tale,” should be made instrumental in preserving but one lamb of the Saviour’s flock from the snares, pitfalls, and innumerable perils of a Popish school, she will thank Him “without whom nothing is strong, nothing is holy that her humble labor “ has not been in vain in the Lord.” THE SCHOOL-GIRL IN FRANCE. CHAPTER 1 THE LETTER. Lead us not Into temptation. — M atthew vi. 13. It was a beautiful morning, in the early part of summer. The trees and fields were clothed with the loveliest verdure ; the fea- thered songsters of the grove were warbling a hymn of gratitude to their beneficent Creator; the flowers seemed to breathe their sweetest incense to his praise; and every feature of the surround- ing landscape wore the aspect of peace and joy. This sweet serenity of nature diffused its calming influence over the minds of two young friends, as, with arms fondly linked, they slowly walked along a pleasant country-road, that led from their native village, within sight of the deep blue waters that roll through the British channel* Their thoughts were intent on sub- jects of deep importance to both ; yet, for some time, neither had spoken a word. “ Dear Caroline,” at length observed the elder, a pensive-look- ing girl of seventeen, whose dark eyes and hair gave additional interest to the paleness of her cheek, “how lovely, how very lovely is this scene ! but, oh, how long it may be ere we again be- hold it!” A smile of cheerful hope illumined the sweet countenance of her blue-eyed companion, as she replied, “ My dear, drooping Emily, you must not yield to these foreboding fancies. *A year or two will soon pass away, and I trust we shall then return to this beloved spot, with minds improved by instruction, and hearts expanded, but not corrupted. Our education will then be finished, and our principles more firmly fixed, by the experience we shall have had, of the superiority of truth over error.” 10 THE LETTER, f Emily as she uttered these words ; and Fanny Gordon felt rather confused, and did not know what to answer. At length, however, she resumed the conversation} by observing that, at all events, Miss Mortimer was very severe, when she accused the Catholics of worshipping images. “ I asked Mademoiselle Laval yesterday,” said she, “ if it was true that they worshipped them ; and she assured me it was quite a mistake, and that they only knelt before pictures and images, as a mark of reverence to the persons they represented.” 44 Ah! Miss Gordon,” replied Emily, “it is a sad sign of a bad cause, when we are ashamed to own the truth. "Wherefore, then, do they kneel to them ? What more unequivocal mark of adora- tion can we possibly show to an object, than the action of kneel- ing to it ? Do you not remember how awfully the Israelites were punished by God, for their image-worship “Yes ; but they worshipped those images, and the Catholics only look upon them as representations ” “Well, granting they only do so (which, however, is very doubtful) I do not think the Israelites did any more : when they made the calf in Horeb, they had but very recently seen a visible manifestation of the glorious presence of God ; we cannot sup- pose that, after such an event, they could be so devoid of common sense as to believe that the golden calf they made was the same great and awful God ; it must have been as a representation of him that they worshipped the molten image 5 and their crime was, therefore, precisely the same as the Roman Catholics are guilty of. Besides, the second commandment expressly forbids all such marks of reverence to images ; and the Roman Catholics are so conscious of this, that they have excluded that commandment from the decalogue, and divided another into two, in order to com- plete the number. Is not this sufficient to stamp the character of re- probation on a church which takes such unwarrantable liberties V* ;c But I tell you, Miss Mortimer,” retorted Miss Gordon, coloring with offended pride, “ that the Catholics disavow the worship of images or saints; and I think they ought to know their own reli gion best.” THE INFLUENCE OF ERROR. 29 “My dear Miss Gordon,” replied Emily, mildly but firmly, “ I am extremely sorry to see you thus allow yourself to be deceived by this sophistry : but, whatever may be the real intention of the custom we have just been speaking of, it is a circumstance worthy of our most serious consideration, that the second commandment not only forbids the avowed worship of images, but explicitly adds also, — 1 Thou shalt not bow down to them !’ ” Several of the young ladies seemed struck with this observa tion • but Miss Gordon was so much displeased at having been thus opposed, that she haughtily left the room, muttering very angrily some remarks about bigotry and uncharitableness. It was not that this young lady had any particular predilection for the religion she thus warmly advocated ; but she valued her- self on that false liberality of sentiment which considers all re- ligions as in themselves alike ; and, having once taken up the cause, her pride would not suffer her to drop it, nor could her haughty spirit brook the idea of being contradicted and put to silence. Emily regretted the altercation ; but she could not think of disguising her sentiments. Another point on which she felt the necessity of being candid with her companions, was the manner of spending the Sabbath. The Roman Catholics considered that part of the day which they devoted to public worship, as the only time that ought to be ob- served or kept sacred. The services of the church were no sooner over, than they thought themselves at liberty to spend the rest of the day as they pleased ; walking out, playing, singing, and danc- ing, were their usual resources, in the evening, unless they had long lessons for the next day, and then they would learn them instead of amusing themselves. Emily was shocked at this awful profanation of the sacred day by the Roman Catholics, but still more so, when she saw the Protestants, in a great measure, follow their example. They did not, indeed, go quite to the same lengths as the former ; hut when they had been to church in the morning, and read prayers together in the afternoon, they did not scruple to imitate their companions in buying fruit, cream, or pastry, and spending the evening in play, in looking on the sports of the others, or studying their usual lessons for the week. They were struck with astonishment when they heard Emily blame their conduct, and remonstrate with them on the impro- priety and sinfulness of these customs. Their prejudices were immediately up in arms against this troublesome censor; they loudly declared that they never had seen such a strangely scrupu- lous and gloomy creature, and that they would not suffer them- selves to be ruled by so new and disagreeable an intruder. It was in vain that she disclaimed the least intention to rule or dictate ; in vain that she reasoned with them, or intreated their attention to the sacrndness of the Sabbath institution. They were highly 30 THE INFLUENCE OF ERROR. offended at her endeavors, and turned a deaf ear to all her argu- ments. She did not, however, give way to discouragement, or allow herself to be deterred from doing what she felt to be right. She earnestly prayed for a blessing on her endeavors, and renew- ed the subject whenever she found a favorable opportunity. She spoke seriously on the sanctity of the day, and the necessity and privilege of keeping it holy to the Lord ; she used every means to persuade her companions, and intreated them, at least, to refrain from those glaring breaches of the fourth commandment, which are so highly offensive to God, and so dishonoring to the pure and scriptural religion they professed. In thus faithfully performing a painful, but positive duty, she frequently met with much oppo- sition from those she wished to benefit; but the God on whose strength she relied did not leave her altogether without encour- agement and success. Some of the young ladies at length yielded to the force of her arguments, and others to her pressing entrea- ties ; the rest were ashamed to purchase on the Sunday, when their companions abstained from doing it ; and, with a few occa- sional exceptions, she had, after some time, the unspeakable satis- faction of seeing them gradually abandon this wicked custom. She was inexpressibly grateful to Him who had thus deigned to make her an humble instrument of restraining one breach of his commandments; and, though the motives which actuated the young ladies in this instance were far from being so conscientious as she could have wished, she felt, notwithstanding, that she had much reason to “ thank God and take courage.” It was not, indeed, an easy thing for a young girl, uninfluenced by religious principles, to resist the temptation of buying fruit and cream on the Sabbath. After a long, hot, and dusty walk, when they returned to the house, fatigued, exhausted, and per- haps tormented with thirst, these tempting refreshments were immediately presented to their view ; and it required no small degree of firmness and resolution, to see the others indulging their taste for these dainties, and yet withstand the delicious allurement. Those who refused to buy were immediately teazed by the others offering them part of their own purchase, and press- ing them with the greatest 'earnestness to accept it. Emily and Caroline, of course, never were prevailed upon to do so ; but the others often found it impossible to escape the snare. The French girls were not sparing of their ridicule, on these occasions, when they found that their arguments had no effect on Miss Mortimer ; but she felt grateful that she was so far honored as to suffer this slight persecution for the cause of truth, and continued to bear a silent, but impressive, testimony against these sinful customs ; a testimony which was not entirely without effect on the minds of her English companions. The strange opinions of the new comers excited considerable THE INFLUENCE OF ERROR. 31 attention in the house ; and as a boarding-schoo. may be called a miniature of the world, they were discussed and commented on in various ways, according to the different characters who took them up. Some pitied the “ young enthusiasts,” as they called them, for their gloomy notions ; others blamed and railed at them, as dangerous fanatics. By far the greater number took every opportunity of turning their principles into ridicule ; and some were sufficiently malicious to devise many artful plans, for over- coming their resolution, and frustrating their wishes. The con- ductors of the establishment were not uninterested in these occur- rences. Madame d’Elfort and the teachers attempted to argue with Emily; but, unable to confute her reasons, or alter her de- termination, they at last dropped the subject, and, by Madame d’Elfort’s orders, the English were allowed to act as they pleased. “ Surely,” said that lady to Emily, as they were one day convers- ing on this topic, “ when we have sanctified the Sunday by attend- ing to all the observances required by religion, it cannot be sinful to amuse ourselves, or purchase those things which are so neces- sary for our refreshment.” “ But, madam,” replied her pupil, “ we can easily do without those things, or we can procure them the day before. Whether we buy provisions or refreshments, an apple, or an article of dress, it is always the same action of buying; — it is always encouraging those who sell in transgressing the commandments of God. Be- sides, if the practice would be wrong (as you allow it would) during the hours of public worship, it must be equally sinful after- wards ; for we are commanded to keep the Sabbath day holy, and not any particular part of it.” “ You must certainly be too scrupulous, even for your religion,” observed Madame d’Elfort, “for I have known several English persons, who were considered very pious, and who yet had no hesi- tation in buying any sort of refreshment on the Sunday. It was but a few days ago, that I mentioned your way of thinking to Miss Stanhope’s mother, who, I believe, is a very religious woman ; and she told me, that she had no objection whatever to purchasing as we do.” “ Are these people Protestants V 1 thought Emily, as the crimson of indignation mounted to her cheek. She felt that it might be thought unbecoming in a girl of her age, to censure those whose years and experience were so much superior to her own ; yet she could not bear to leave this impression on the mind of a Roman Catholic, and thought she ought not to shrink from the vindication of truth, even at the risk of being called presumptuous. She, therefore, replied modestly, but with animation. “ Pardon me, my dear madam, if I seem bold in speaking so plainly. Far be it from me to judge the characters of my fellow- creatures • but you must allow me to say, that those are certainly 32 THE INFLUENCE OF ERROR. not pious who so flagrantly transgress the injunctions of the Bible, and so shamefully disregard the precept* of their religion. They may indeed be regular in the performance of some of its duties, ana attentive to some of its outward forms ; but the voice of un- erring truth condemns their conduct, and rejects their claim to the character of Christians. The Lord Jesus Christ has declared, ‘ not every one that saith unto me Lord ! Lord ! shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.’ ” Emily was much agitated as she pronounced these words ; and Madame d’Elfort looked surprised, though not displeased. She was silent for a few moments : then, kissing the cheek of her pupil, she kindly said, “ Well, my dear child, I admire and respect your sentiments, though I should not like to adopt them. How- ever, since it gives you pain to see the English buy anything on a Sunday, I shall not encourage them to do it, hut leave them to make their own decision.” “ Deplorable infatuation !” exclaimed Emily to herself, as she pensively bent her way towards her own room. “ Whatever the church commands must be observed and obeyed, though it should be expressly contrary to the commands of God himself; and they openly disobey those commandments, because the church sanctions their doing so ! However, they cannot judge of his will, since they are not allowed to read the Bible ; but how shall those an- swer for their conduct, who bear the name of Protestants, and have free access to the word of truth, yet thus wilfully disgrace their profession, and knowingly trample on the gospel V } This was not a solitary instance of the dishonor brought upon religion, by the conduct of the English residents in S and its vicinity. Emily frequently heard the most painful accounts of them. It is a melancholy fact, that a great number of those who take up their abode in France abandon their religion with their country, and adopt all that is pernicious in French customs and manners. Every kind of folly and extravagance is but too com- mon among them ; and even those who maintain a character of probity, and decent regularity, generally fall into the sentiments and habits of those they live with. The most awful profanations of the Sabbath are constantly practised by these soi-disant Pro- testants ; and the words of Christ are indeed strikingly applicable to them — “ Why call ye me Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say v> CHAPTER V N£W SCENES AND DANGERS. Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation. — M^ tt. xxvi. 41. Emily was particularly shocked one evening, by a conversation which took place in her presence, between Miss Gordon and Miss Stanhope, an English weekly boarder, on the latter’s return from a visit to her family. “ And do you know, Fanny,” said Catharine Stanhope, after having given her an account of several gay parties she had heard of, “that there was a ball last Sunday at the Mayor’s house in the country ? The Misses Lloyd were there, and they told mamma it was very brilliant, and that they kept it up till four in the morning.” “ The Misses Lloyd !” exclaimed Caroline Howard, with sur~ prise ; “ is it possible that English Protestants can go to Sunday balls r “ Why, yes, to be sure,” replied Catharine, “ but they did not dance, you know, so long as the Sunday lasted, but merely sat and looked on till the clock struck midnight, and then they got up, and danced till the ball broke up.” “ For my part,” observed Anna Lushington, H I think they might as well have danced all the time, as looked on ; for their heart was as much in it, as that of the persons who were dancing.” “ They forgot, no doubt,” said Emily, “ what the Bible declares, that c God is not mocked ;’ or rather, perhaps, they never read the Bible at all.” “ La !” exclaimed Catharine, “ there was nothing very strange in their going to the ball ; but you have such odd notions, Miss Mortimer and Miss Howard ! Why, there was a grand masque- rade the other Sunday, at Mr. Sackville’s ; and there is to be a ball at Mrs. Dixon’s next Sunday evening.” “ But all this does not lessen the sin, my dear Miss Stanhope. The curse of Sabbath-breaking is fearfully hanging over those who do such things ; and it is a very awful truth, that while the servant who knew not his Lord’s will, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes, — he who knew and transgressed that will, shall be beaten with many stripes.” The young ladies looked at each other, and Catharine and Fanny exchanged a smile of contempt. The conversation ended here ; but Emily long reflected, with much painM feeling, on the conduct by which the Protestant religion was thus deeply wound- ed, by the hands of its pretended friends. There was a spiritual gloom resting on every object around her, 34 NEW SCENES AND DANGERS. which pressed heavily on her heart, and was very distressing. It was not long, however, after the foregoing conversation, that a bright ray of heavenly light shed its sweet influence over the scene. She had looked anxiously, but in vain, around her, for some indications of seriousness among her companions ; but she now found that the fragrant bud of youthful piety was concealed in a spot, where she had given up all hopes of meeting with its lonely beauty. In order to acquire that facility and fluency in speaking the language, which were considered so necessary to complete her education, she was compelled to mix as much as possible with French society, however uncongenial to her feelings. She was sitting one evening at a work-table, which was surrounded by French girls, and where Mademoiselle Laval was reading aloud Madame de Genlis’s work, entitled “*Les Veiltees du Chateau.” The reading was, every five or six minutes, interrupted by the observations of the young ladies, who expatiated,. with that volu- bility so peculiar to their nation, on the incidents of the tale, and the merits of its different characters. The personage then under review was a young man who having left his native country for the purpose of travelling, often looked back with longing regret to the scene of his former enjoyments, where he had left an affec- tionate father, and a young person* to whom he was shortly to be united. One of his expressions of impatience, to see again this beloved spot, was couched in language so pathetic, and pro- nounced by the teacher with a tone of such ludicrous sentimental- ity, that the whole party, with two or three exceptions, were almost convulsed with laughter. This merriment continued for some time, with almost unabated gaiety, till one of the young ladies exclaimed, addressing another who sat beside her, “ Well, really, Rose de Liancourt, I cannot imagine how you can pre- serve such a composed gravity of countenance, while listening to so laughable a subject.” “ Indeed, to tell you the truth,” replied the young person to whom she had spoken, “ I am not sufficiently penetrating to dis- cover what it was which made you laugh so much, nor can I see anything ludicrous in the earnest wishes expressed by a dutiful son, to see again the land where he has left a kind and indulgent parent.” At this observation, the bursts of laughter were renewed ; and the artless simplicity of Rose became the subject of so many giddy remarks, that she looked quite disconcerted. Mademoiselle Laval not a little increased her embarrassment, by exclaiming, “ Upon my word, our Rose is really charming ! she is so naive and un- suspecting, that I verily believe she has not even the least idea of any other sentiments than those of filial and fraternal affection.” “ Oh ! charming, charming l” exclaimed Clementine Vermont, NEW SCENES AND DANGERS. 35 with a malicious sneer,