828.] Singular Religious Ceremony in France. 481 



certain coloured items such as fichus, ribbons, cinctures, See.- which, 

 however they may add to the attractions of the individuals respectively, 

 interfere not a little with what was, no doubt, intended to be the purity 

 and uniformity of the general effect. The reverend directors of the cere- 

 mony were grievously mistaken as to the female character, if they were 

 much disappointed in this particular. They might confidently reckon 

 upon persuading their youthful followers to dress their souls according to 

 the ideas of their spiritual guides ; but they were scarcely so unreasonable 

 as to expect any very implicit obedience as to the attire of their bodies. 

 Following the second white division, comes a company of nuns, about 

 thirty in number, belonging to one of the religious houses of the place. 

 Their attire is of black stuff, and their coiffure, a huge cap of starched 

 white calico, with enormous wings hanging stiffly half way down their 

 arms. Next comes a body of men, consisting of the members of some 

 particular class of the mechanics, artizans, or others, of the town or imme- 

 diate suburbs ; for you are to understand that it is expected, on these 

 occasions, and almost announced, that whoever is, in the remotest degree, 

 interested in preserving the countenance and good opinion of the public 

 authorities of the place, including the clergy, &c. will do well to attend 

 and assist at this ceremony not only in his own person, but in that of 

 every man, woman, and child over whom he may exercise any control 

 or influence : and those who neglect the hints spread abroad on these 

 occasions may reckon upon being marked persons for the future. But 

 the French are not the persons to neglect what is expected of them under 

 circumstances of this nature especially as they have had good reason 

 to know that, during the last four or five years, the most indispensable 

 as well as the most effective evidence of eligibility for any public place, 

 office, or employment whatsoever, has been a due performance of the 

 outward forms and offices of the national religion. 



It is unnecessary to dwell in detail on the next portion of the proces- 

 sion, farther than to say that it consists of different bodies of the male 

 inhabitants of the place, divided into companies, according to their respec- 

 tive callings, &c. each individual bearing a little paper flag, with a 

 cross above and upon it, and ornamented with ribbons, &c., according to 

 the taste of the fabricator. Perhaps these various companies include not 

 much less than half the grown up male inhabitants of the place: for all 

 business is put a stop to for the day ; and all the shops, ateliers, &c. are 

 closed and deserted. Among the various companies may be distinguished 

 the pupils and professors of the Royal College, the employes of all the 

 various public establishments, the advocates of the courts, the officers of 

 the regiment stationed in the place, &c. &c. 



We have now reached the most curious part of the ceremony. The 

 procession halts all eyes are turned towards the crucifix, which has 

 hitherto been lying, unapproached, in the centre of the cathedral close- 

 and a young priest, whose duty it is to direct this portion of the proces- 

 sion, makes signs to a body of about a hundred and twenty young men, 

 who approach the cradle on which the cross is lying, and each takes his 

 place at that particular point of the framework beneath which he is to 

 walk as a bearer of the whole fabric. After a brief pause, and a glance 

 at his superiors to see if all is ready, the young priest now places himself 

 in front of the little army which he has been appointed to command, and 

 exclaims to them in a voice of thunder, " Attention !" In an instant, 

 each individual of the body has stooped down, and placed his shoulder 

 beneath that point of the framework to which his strength is to be 



M.M. New Series VoL.V. No. 23. 3 Q 



