order must go with me, and it will be heard. The petitioners still place, with confidence, their interests in the keeping of the Commonwealth.*

*Note 8. See Appendix.

APPENDIX.

NOTE. A.

We know of no better way to present a correct view of the habits and manners of the Ursulines, than by the following extracts, the first from the Boston Monthly Magazine, printed in 1825, and the second from the New England Magazine, January 1, 1835.

THE BLACK NUNS.

AN EXTRACT FROM THE MEMORANDA OF A SHORT TOUR.

"Be thou as chaste as ice,

As pure as snow, thou shalt not escape calumny."

THE lovely young Ophelia was not more abused by a feigned madman, than convents and monasteries have been by historians and novelists for the last age. These institutions grew from persecutions in the early ages of the christian. world, and were made the retreats of the distressed of all nations. St. Anthony, in the fourth century, classed these religious houses into orders, in some part of Egypt, and they soon extended to Palestine; and when Europe had embraced christianity, spread over the various countries in that quarter of the world. At one period the establishment of these institutions was the great business of religion; and like all other things in which our feelings are chiefly consulted, was pushed beyond every principle of necessity or utility. The

increase of convents and monasteries was so great in England, that the politicians became alarmed, and Edward III, and other kings after him, suppressed many of them, before the reign of Henry VIII; and in this reign, Cardinal Wolsey crushed a great number of them to form his twin colleges, Oxford and Ipswich. To these retreats, the refinement and learning of the present day owe much. In many instances, these institutions might have degenerated, but we must remember that the strong hand which pulled them down, held also the pen which recorded their fall. In the rude ages there was no law to make the rich support the poor; it was done by the bounty of the benevolent and pious, and these institutions were made the almoners of that bounty. Within the walls of the religious houses too, that learning which was nearly lost forever, was resuscitated by the labors of monks and friars, however offensive these names may now be to some ears.

The germs of the arts and sciences of modern times sprung from these cloisters. Time to their inmates was nothing; hence mighty tomes of commentaries upon the classics were made, and to these, dull as they may be, are we indebted for all that we have or know of the Greek and Roman writers. Women, too, owe much to these religious establishments; for in them, all who were distinguished at that period were educated, and their tender years protected; and if their sex prevented them from being heroes, they could become saints. It was natural for the reformers to traduce these institutions, and it was equally so that we should have imbibed their prejudices, but the time has now come in which we can speak of them with candor, and examine them with fairness. In more than one instance has the present age revised the opinions of our ancestors, but in none more absolutely and satisfactorily than in the case of the aborigines of this country. Once every epithet of contempt was heaped upon red men, and now all are anxious to do them justice. We beg pardon for these reflections, and shall now give you an account of our visit to the Black Nuns of Montreal. Their convent, the

Hotel Dieu, is situated in Pearl Street, extending three hundred and twenty four feet in front, and four hundred sixty three feet in depth. The buildings are a hospital, a convent and a church. The institution is conducted by a superior and thirty six nuns. It was founded by Madam de Bouillon, in 1644, and in six years afterwards, the convent of Notre Dame was established by Mademoiselle Margaret de Burgeois. The object of this institution is female instruction; it is, in fact, an extensive boarding school, which sends out some of the sisterhood on the best of all missions, that of enlightening the mind. The convent of Grey Sisters was founded in 1750, by Madam de Youville, as the refuge for the infirm poor, and invalids. It has also a department for those laboring under mental derangement. We had not suf ficient time to examine particularly the two last mentioned institutions. The Black Nuns take their names from the color of their dress. The purposes to which they are dedicated are to heal the sick and comfort the dying. The French government was formerly very liberal to them, and did not forget them when they ceded the country to England; but the revolution, in its fury, swept away this remembrance, as well as a thousand other sources of charity. These nuns, however, at the present time, have a fine land estate, and the province has frequently made them liberal grants to assist them in the great work in which they are engaged.

We were introduced by our friend, Mr. F., to several of the nuns of rank in the convent, as well as to the superior, to whom we had letters from Madam St. Ge rge of our city. We were shown the hospital, which contains a laboratory, dispensary and two large halls for the sick. In the first room, the nuns were preparing medicines, making extracts, decoctions, essences, and all that the apothecary could find a name for, which were afterwards placed in the dispensary, in the neatest manner and this room made a fine appearance, although there were no blue or yellow waters, which make so great a show in our apothecary shops, when seen through glass vessels of exquisite clearness. The hall for male patients

no ano

was on the ground floor, and notwithstanding it was excessively warm in the streets that day, (July 16th, 1825,) yet, between these massy walls of stone and lime, there was a refreshing coolness; the change of temperature was felt the instant we entered the room. Here these delicate women were seen exercising the skill of a physician, and the tenderness and patience of a mother or wife, at a sick bed; and these charities and this tenderness were bestowed, not upon kindred and friends, but upon humble beings, unknown to these sisters of charity before misfortunes and disease had come upon them. Some of these wretched beings would have perished without such succor. Humble as they were, there were no hirelings about their pillows dynes were administered to them, that their nurses might enjoy unbroken slumbers - but every attention which wealth and affection could command in a populous city was found. here. The female apartment for the sick, was, if possible, still more convenient. There was an air of taste and comfort about everything in this room, which seemed to half cure disease at the first look of the means to do it. It often happens, such are the accommodations for the sick here, that others than the poor and destitute come here to be healed, and leave the place, if not under pecuniary obligations, at least with a deep sense of gratitude for kind offices. I noticed one young woman lying on her bed, whom the nuns approached with great affection and kindness, bringing every little delicacy to tempt a sickly appetite; or now and then a small cup of cooling beverage, to moisten her parched lips; and the nuns, as they sat by her side, or passed along on duty, often, in gentle tones, let fall sweet words of consolation to the sufferer. Even the soft western breeze, so reviving in that excessive heat, was not allowed to visit her directly, but its current was broken by a screen, round which the air was wafted on the balmy wings of love and healing. I learnt that this fair invalid had been there twice before, and had, in a good measure, recovered; but it was all over with her now. The death tones of her voice the preternatural illumi