HARVARD COLLEGE LIBRARY GIFT OF MRS. THOMAS WENTWORTH HIGGINSON MRS. MARGARET HIGGINSON BARNEY OCT 9 1940
THE ROAD
iring retreat are led to Catholicis The external character of monas -y their buildings, 4; pictures, alles, 19; victims of tyranny bur debere, 27; all are interested on vist rad supplied to all-first by the t exist without charity, of which union, 36; obedience, 38; capacity 40; or without the principle of y, seclusion, 47. The multipli 1; their position in desert pla love for the beauties of nature, 5 Gites unsuitable to all but mon eh seclusion indicative of truth, The life of the prophets perpetuat
THE ROAD OF RE
to the centre constituted by the try of Christianity, 84; with tha tions of many abbeys supply si 96; value of some monastic t critics who attacked them, 101. unding and enriching monasterie through natural affection sanctif 104; through remorse and reper 207; to manifest love of Jesu ugh a desire of heaven, 114. Av mnastic life in general, 116. W These institutions provide for the prophets and apostles, 122; the d of this life, 129; its temptations, ad nocturnal office, 143; its mysti pit of poverty, 158; why misunde erity, 167; its happiness contr Petry, 177; its adaptation to the Avenue by the facts of conversion f significative, 184; must be desire of changing life, 187; calan
THE ROAD OF RETREAT.
Men desiring retreat are led to Catholicism by observing its institutions for that
end. The external character of monasteries awakens the curiosity of all who
pass-by their buildings, 4; pictures, 8; treasuries, 14; libraries, 15; tombs
and relics, 19; victims of tyranny buried there, not being allowed sepulture
elsewhere, 27; all are interested on visiting a monastery, 28. Avenues from
this road supplied to all-first by the fact of such associations, 33; which
cannot exist without charity, of which the centre is Catholicism, 34; or with-
out union, 36; obedience, 38; capacity of being governed, or freedom of elec-
tions, 40; or without the principle of variety in unity, 46; self-renouncement,
stability, seclusion, 47. The multiplication of such free institutions signifi-
cant, 51; their position in desert places, 53; hermitages also fruits of the
same love for the beauties of nature, 58; the dangers of such localities, 66;
such sites unsuitable to all but monks, 69; the monks love them, 72; taste
for such seclusion indicative of truth, as belonging to the best men in all ages,
76. The life of the prophets perpetuated by the hermits-examples, 79.
CHAPTER II.-p. 84.
THE ROAD OF RETREAT (continued).
Avenue to the centre constituted by the history of monasteries-interwoven with
history of Christianity, 84; with that of the best kings, 87. The historical
associations of many abbeys supply signals, 90; the illustrious men who die in
them, 96; value of some monastic traditions as sources of history, 98; the
false critics who attacked them, 101. Signal by observing the motives of men
in founding and enriching monasteries, 102; the charters show that they were
built through natural affection sanctified and spiritually directed, 103; through
love, 104; through remorse and repentance, 105; to do good to mankind gene-
rally, 107; to manifest love of Jesus Christ, 109; to benefit the soul, 112;
through a desire of heaven, 114. Avenue by a consideration of the character
of monastic life in general, 116. What may suit some may not suit others,
116. These institutions provide for that variety of wants, 121; it is the life of
the prophets and apostles, 122; the diversity of rules explained, 124; the sanc-
tity of this life, 129; its temptations, 135; its spirit of prayer, 139; the chant
and nocturnal office, 143; its mystic side-visions, 147; its humility, 150; its
spirit of poverty, 158; why misunderstood in England, 165; its frugality and
austerity, 167; its happiness contrasted with worldly alternations, 172; its
poetry, 177; its adaptation to the desires of the ancient philosophy, 181.
Avenue by the facts of conversion, 183; forms of admission and precau-
tions significative, 184; must be voluntary, 186; causes of conversion,
desire of changing life, 187; calamity, 188; love, 190; sickness, 192; grati-
tude, contempt for riches and glory, 195; discourse of the holy, 197; casual
visits, 199. Avenue by the general results of these institutions-centres of
peace, 201; right of sanctuary, 204; a refuge from despotism, 205; contribute
to the peace of the world, fruits of a pacific, peace-producing, and therefore
true religion, 209.
CHAPTER III. p. 211.
THE ROAD OF RETREAT (pursued).
Avenue by moral and intellectual fruits. These institutions form great men,
211; learned men, 219. Union of classical and Christian erudition, 226. Cha-
racteristics of the monastic learning and philosophy, 228; its views of society
full of condescensions and indulgence for the rest of men, sanctioning popular
amusements, 238; the theatre, 241; the monastic services in regard to popular
instruction, 245; opposed to superstition, 249; the influence of the religious
as general instructors, their sermons and conversations, 253; their example,
256; their charity, indulgent to sinners, 257; their simplicity, 269; frankness,
270; toleration, 272; their loyalty and justice, 274; not useless, but service-
able and industrious men, 277; they console the miserable, 278; encourage
and assist the poor, 279; their hospitality, 286; the monastic tales as heard
when enjoying it, 295.
CHAPTER IV.-P. 299.
THE ROAD OF RETREAT (terminated).
Their services of a material order. The monks as agriculturists and workmen,
299; their herds, 302; their scientific observations of all natural phenomena,
303; as horticulturists-their gardens, 305; their care and administration of
forests, 307; conclusion that these were useful institutions, and indicative of
the truth of the religion which gave rise to them, 311. Avenue by a considera-
tion of the character which belongs to the friends of these institutions, 315;
their privileges, 322; by the character of their enemies, 325; the destruction
of the monasteries, by pagans, Mahometans, and modern revolutionists of all
classes, 337; the contempt evinced by their destroyers for the ancient pro-
visions to secure perpetuity to such houses, 342. Signal by the view which
Catholicism recommends respecting the past, present, and future, 349; it re-
cognizes the existence of abuses, 350; the need of reform, 351; the necessity
of change, 352. Such calm wisdom indicative of its truth, 358.
Change of appearance in the forest at approach of evening, 360. Old trees sym-
bolical of age in men, 361. Avenue by considering how Catholicism delivers
old age partly from its vices, 365; the vices of the old, 366; how these are
counteracted-avarice, 370; cunning worldliness, vanity, 371. Character of old
age under the central influence, 371; active, 372; kind, 376. Catholicism
removes the moral and alleviates the physical miseries incident to old age,
377; the miseries of the old, 377; lament the passing away of youth, 380;
central principles furnish a remedy, 382. Moral discipline preserves health,
`382; even beauty, 386; they deliver from moral miseries, from regrets as to the
past and youth, 388; render old persons like young, 391; conduce to the hap-
piness and respect of the old, 398; cause old age to be employed for the benefit
CHAPTER VI.-p. 409.
THE ROAD OF OLD AGE (terminated).
Avenue by the affinity between old age and Catholicism. Age, by its repose,
reflection, and memory, conducive to a recognition of truth, 409; favourable to
natural devotion, 413; to wisdom, conferring a prudence which cannot be
caught by snares, 415; conducive to the true philosophy of life, 421. It loves
equality and esteems the low, 422. It is inclined to great tolerance, 425; to
wise retractions of raw and violent opinions, 426; favourable to charity,
kindness, and moderation, 428; corrects foreign predilections, 431; makes
indulgent by memory, 434; by the tenderness arising from recollections, 437;
directs by a sense of life's brevity, 438; conducive to a desire of heaven,
by weaning from the world, 439; disenchanted by means of the subtle
evils of life destroying its poetry by false views of religion, glad to escape from
the sphere of the immoderate, 440; weaned from life by its inability to reside
in places congenial to it, 442; weaned by the changes around it, 443; by
domestic afflictions, 444; by the absence of love, 445; inclined to the thought
and hope of another world, and therefore favourable to impressions of Catho-
licity, 442.
THE ROAD OF THE TOMBS.
Attempt to invest the subject with cheerfulness by showing how the young and
happy visit cemeteries, 451; associated with lovers' walks, 452. Analogy
between trees and men in regard to death, 458. First opening to the centre by
the fears and repugnance which only faith dispels, 465. The natural views of
death gloomy, 466. Catholicism delivers from this melancholy view of death,
by a supernatural doctrine, 470; practical faith in a future life, 471; fears
respecting it diminished by central principles, by the doctrine of the atone.
ment, 473; of purgatory, 477. Examples of happy death by means of central
principles, 479; which change the view of death by a moral discipline, 483;
how far they inculcate a remembrance of it, 484; preparation for it, 486. Con-
trast between those who reject and those who embrace this discipline, 487;
the bad die ill, 488; those who have lived Catholically find death happy, 491.
Examples of happy death, 492. Catholicism sweetens the approach of death by
its partial restoration of nature to its original harmony, 496. Evils from the
sphere of the unnatural greater than those incident by nature, 497. Catholicism
restores the natural sense of immortality, 499; the sense of death being medi-
cinal, 501; easy, 503; happy under all circumstances, 511. It makes use
natural forces against the fear of death, the sentiment of honour, of love, 512,
551; bodies of the poor respected, 552; sanctions the choice of a grave, the
common feelings of nature outraged by antagonistic principles, 555. Ancestral
tombs, 557; beauty of the place significative, 558; Catholicism causes it to be
frequented, and prevents the dead from being forgotten, 559. All Souls, 562;
walk through the cemetery, 565; burial in cities and churches forbidden, 566;
visitors to the tombs, 569; Catholicism secures their erection as a duty of
friendship, 572. Catholic instruction from the tombs, 573; epitaphs, Catho-
licism inspires the best, 579. Issue in general to the centre from the cemetery
as a religious place which Catholicizes the mind, 573. Last openings furnished
by thoughts on the return after visiting the tombs, 592.
ERRATA.
Page 29, for all that vain, &c. read of that vain.
426, for age does show, read age does not show.
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