YALE UNIVERSITY
LIBRARY
Purchased from the income
of the bequest of
WILLIAM ROBERTSON COE
Honorary M.A. 1949, for
material in the field
of American Studies

MARIA MONK

NUNNERY OF THE HOTELDIEU.

ACCOUNT OF A VISIT

CONVENTS

M ON TEE A L,

REFUTATION OF THE "AWFUL DISCLOSURES."

AUDI ALTERAM PARTEM.

BY WILLIAM L. STONE.

NEW YORK :
HOWE & BATES.
1836.

Entered according to the Act of Congress, in the year 1836,
By HUWE & BATES,
in the Clerk's Office ofthe Southern District of New York.

CRAIGHEAD AND A I. LEN, PRINTERS,
Corner of Ann and Nassau-streets.

PREFACE

It is possible that the strong and general — perhaps I might say
universal — interest with which the revelations of the young woman
who declares herself to be a nun of the convent of the Hotel Dieu
at Montreal, have been and still are received by the people ofthe
United States, may he thought to obviate th^ necessity of this
prefatory notice ; the object of it being simply to make known
in part, the reasons which have led to the present publicadon.
Nevertheless, a few words of explanation may not be thought su
perfluous. The statement contained in the following pages was written for
the New York Commercial Advertiser ; and when it was com
menced, the intention was merely to give a newspaper article of
at most two or three columas. As the writer proceeded with the
work, however, the iraportance of his undertaking became more
and more obvious to tho mind, and with it a feeling grew upon
hira that the subject admitted and required a more full and elabo
rate treatment than he had originally conteraplated. This feeling,
and perhaps the influence of a destiny which seems to have cast
upon his shoulders the task of showing up impostures, by throwing
in his way the requisite materials, in a number of instances, for
that useful though generally ill-rewarded office, caused the two or
three columns to extend to seven, and even with the enlargement,

IV
much remained untold. Some inaccuracies too, were the most
unavoidable consequence of the haste with which.the MSS. was
required by, and furnished to, the printers ; the statement was
written in ten consecutive hours, and some important errors were
the necessary fruit of this celerity. The eagerness with which
copies were demanded, and the general notice excited by the
publication, led to the behof that it was worth repeating with cor
rections, and the addition of some facts that had a bearing upon
the raerits of the controversy, and had come to the knowledge of
the wrher after the completion of the original MSS. In addition
to all which, as will be seen in the sequel, the writer was most
unexpectedly thrown into the company of a second impostor of
kindred character, who has either come to this city to try her
hand in the same business, on speculation, or has been brought
hither by the associates of Maria Monk, to sustain her wretched
inventions. I allude to Miss Frances Partridge, or St. Patrick, as
she says she was called in a convent in which, although an inmate
of twenty years and upward, she was yet ignorant ofthe location.
Of course, as the reader will see in the end, the tales of the se
cond impostor will fall to the ground with those of the first.
Hence the issue of the pamphlet now before the reader. My
object, from the beginning, has been simply to ascertain and de
clare the truth ; this I have done conscientiously and faithfully ;
if good arise therefrom, to the power of truth must the merit be
awarded.
W. L. S.

THE HOTEL DIEU, &c,

In the course of a recent flying excursion through a portion of
the province of Lower Canada bordering upon the St. Lawrence,
it was both desirable and convenient to pass a few days in Montreal.
The sojourn, in good weather, upon that rich and beautiful island of
which the city bears the name, could scarce be otherwise than
, pleasant to the inquiring traveller, under any circumstances.
Doubly so was it rendered to us by the kind attentions and hos
pitalities of intelligent friends, who spared no pains in contribu-
' ting to our comfort, and ministering to our curiosity.
To an American who has not "been abroad," and whose
f eye is accustomed only to the light and airy towns and cities of
, our own countrj', the narrow streets, and dark, massive-built stone
dwellings and store-houses, erected with an eye rather to use,
convenience, and comfort, than to the gratification of taste, or
any correct principles of architecture, the city itself presents few
external attractions. But its location is very beautiful. The
island, upon the southeastern side of which the city is built, is
formed by the St. Lawrence on the south, and by a branch-of the
Ottawa on the north. It is thirty miles in length, by ten and a
half in breadth — constituting a very large seignory, and belonging
io the Roman Catholic Seminary.
With the exception of a single mountain rising near the centre,
to the height of from five to six hundred feet, the island is
perfectly level, and for the most part, in a high state of cultiva-

6
tion. The base and sides ofthe mountain are adorned by the
orchards, gardens, villas, and substantial country seats of the
raost opulent citizens, while it is crested with a noble array of
primitive forest trees. The orchards are numerous and thrifty-
producing an abundance of apples of the finest varieties, several
of which were entirely new to rae. All the usual garden fruits
are produced in great abundance and perfection. In riding upon
the side of the mountain, and at the left, as wo were climbing
the road that passes over it, among other fine country estates,
my attention was directed to an ancient stone edifice, on the
skirt of the ascent, surrounded by a wall, forraerly distinguished
by the appellation of the Chateau des Seigneurs de Montreal
but now generally called La Maison des Pretres, or the Priest's
Farm, as it belongs to the serainary, and is occupied as a summer
retreat and place of recreation during the warra weather. The
grounds are ample, comprising spacious gardens and orchards ;
and all the members of the serainary, priests, tutors and pupils,
resort thither once a week in suraraer.
From the summit of this mountain, the view is (exceedingly
picturesque and beautiful. The island itself, and the eastern
shore of the St. Lawrence — pouring the mighty floods of the
great lakes into the Northern Ocean — are thickly inhabited, to
the extent of many miles. The parish churches are numerous and
every where surrounded by neat white cottages of the peasantry
clustering around them. The rapids df Lachine in a perpetual
foam above the sweet island of the Nuns on the South ; the
charming island of St. Helen's, with its fortifications in front of
the city, and the lofty mountains of Vermont and Chambly in the
azure distance on the east and south east; with a level plain,
sprinkled witb villages, farms, orchards and gardens, all around
from the St. Lawrence to the Ottawa, spreading beneath the feet
ofthe beholder, combine to make up a landscape such as is rarely
excelled, ehher for luxuriance variety or beauty. But enough—
perhaps already too much— of description. I will now proceed
to graver matters.
Among the religious and other public institutions of Montreal
demanding the attention of the inquisitive stranger, the monastic

establishments ofthe Roraan CathoUcs are not the least prominent.
The history of Monachism, from the days of Paul the Egyptian,
who leads the van in the army of the monastic saints as the first
Christian hermit — to say nothing of the Essenes and Therapeutes,
the recluses of Palestine and Egypt before the commenceraent
of the Christian era — is rich in instruction and of absorbing
interest. The first monastery was founded, according to the Rom
ish legend — and the tale is a beautiful one — in the deserts of Upper
Egypt, by the aforementioned Paul, in connection with St,
Antony, in the year 30.3, or thereabout. The legend is this : —
" Paul, at the age of fifteen, is said to have been versed in the
learning both of Greece and his own country — ^Egypt — and deeply
imbued with principles of the severest piety. He lived with a
raarried sister, whose husband was a pagan, and who, in order to
get possession of Paul's property, informed against him as a chris
tian, during the terrible persecution of Decius. The youth dis
covered the treachery in time, and withdrew into the desert. His
intention had only been to reraain there till the danger had gone
by; -but the villainy of one with whom he was so nearly con
nected, had disgusted hira with mankind, and as time passed on,
instead of being wearied with solitude, he acquired a love for it.
Thus wandering farther info the uninhabited country, he came
to some ruined dwellings, which, according to the story, had been
the mint of Egypt in the days of Antony and Cleopatra. Near
these ruins was a cave, the entrance to which was closed by a
stone ; removing this rude portal, he entered, and found within
what his biographer, St. Jero.me, calls a large vestibule, open to
the sky ; an old palm-tree was growing there, forming a canopy
with its broad head ; under the palm a clear fountain welled from
the ground, and presently was absorbed again. Believing that
Providence had brought him to this place, he deterrained to re
main ; the dates supphed hira with food, the fountain with drink,
and from the fibres and net-work with which the branches of the
Egyptian palm are interlaced, he made himself a close covering."
The Egyptian solitary was afterward joined by St. Antony the
Great, who had been told in a dreara that there was a Monk in
the deserts, more retired and holy than himself, and of whom he

immediately went in search. Having found the cave, after long
importunity he was admitted into his abode and fellowship. After
a timo Antony was sent back for a vest which St. Athanasius had
given him, and in which Paul desired to be buried. On his re
turn to the cave he was apprised of the decease of his companioa
by seeing his soul ascend in glory : he found the dead herrait on
his knees, 'his body erect, his hands and head and eyes upraised,
in the attitude of prayer, &c. Antony subsequently collected a
nuraber of herraits around him, who built their huts near each
other, and attended their devodons in common. Such was the
origin of Christian Monasticism. Female monasteries, or con
vents of nuns, were instituted about a century afterward. Both
have been at times eminently useful, and both at other times
eminently corrupt. They have served as places of refuge frora
persecution, of retirement and repose from the cares of the world,
of religious study and meditation, and as schools of learning, be
nevolence and virtue. They have also at tiraes degenerated
into dens of debauchery and crime. Still, when we consider
that it was to them, for many centuries, that the world was in-
debteil for all it knew of letters and religion, and that they were
the abodes of such meek and holy spirits as Bede and Thomas-
a-Kempis, it is not to be taken for granted by every opponent
of the Roraan See, that a monastery must necessarily be the
vestibule of hell, and every recluse worthy only of such an abode.
With such views and impressions, I was of course glad of an
opportunity of looking at an establishment of this description with
my own eyes ; and having from my youth heard much of the
Christian monasticism of Lower Canada, it may well be conjec
tured that the excitement recently enkindled in the United States
against the priests and nuns of Montreal, by the starding publi
cations of Maria Monk, in connexion with the writings of severa!
Protestant controversiahsts of acknowledged talents and piety
had not abated the desire, which, under any circumstances, I should
have felt to visit their communities. — Of the verity or falsehood of
the truly " Awful Disclosures" of Maria Monk, I had formed no
very definite opinion previous to entering the province. Indeed
I had not read the book in any other manner than by

an occa-

sional and very cursory glance at a few of its pages. Still I had
read much from and of it, and heard much more ; and I ara con^
strained in candor to confess, that, although at times a partial be
liever, and at others a sceptic as to the truth of her fearful reve
lations of hypocrisy, lust, and blood, I was rather a believer
than otherwise during the earlier part of my Canadian visit.
True the tale was most revolting, and it was ^ot a little difficult
to bring the mind to believe it possible, that even the most har.-
dened of our species could be guilty, frora year to year, of the
frightful abominations charged by Miss Monk upon the priests and
nuns of Montreal — much less that the professed rainisters of the
Christian religion, — of any faith,— however widely thoy might
have strayed from the truth, or however deeply been plunged in
error, or however rauch involved in the gross and mystical fanati
cism of the " scarlet lady" — could have been guilty of the horrible
successions of crimes imputed to them. Still more difficult was
it to suppose it possible that woman, gentle woraan^^ — who had
sought in solitude a protection against the corruptions and temp's
tatiotts ofthe world-— assuming a narae indicative of purity as well
as its garb — could resign themselves by whole communities, as the
ready and wiUing instruments of lust and murder, But on the
other hand, my prejudices against the Catholic faith were strong.
Its monstrous corruptions in the old world were notorious. The
work of Maria Monk I knew to have been written by one of our
most estimable citizens — a gentleman of character and approved
christian piety — who had taken every pains, as he supposed, to
record the exact truth. I knew from his own lips, that he was a
religious believer of all that he had thus written. I knew that
other intelligent and pious gentleraen, had, by repeated examina
tions, endeavored to detect the girl's imposture, if impostor she
was, without success. I knew that these men, and multitudes of
others, were firm believers in the truth of her revelations. I had
heard that emissaries from the priests ivere prowhng about New
York, and that several attempts had been made to spirit the poor
girl away, and bring her once more forcibly within their power at
Montreal. I had heard of her repeated offers to go to Montreal
and establish the truth of her disclosures by examinations — which
2

10
propositions had been refused. I had been taught to regard the
mysterious silence ofthe accused as ominous of evil, and had been
assured by nuraerous publications, that circumstances numerous
and strong had transpired, going to show that extensive alterations
within the nunnery, had been made, for the purpose of preventing
detection, should an examination ever take place. A variety of
incidents, raoreover, had been communicated to me as facts, while
on the way to Montreal, which had materially strengthened the ira
pression upori my mind, arising from this formidable array of cir
cumstances, until I had almost arrived at the belief, that, after all,
theire might be more of truth in the tale than I had been willing
at first to admit.
I soon ascertained, however, that such was by no means the
opinion of the citizens of Montreal. I did not indeed expect to
find the people generally, or even the half of them, believers in
the entire revelations of the fair fugitive. But having been assured,
frora tirae to tirae, by the publishing friends of the interesting
victim, that her work was causing some excitement in that capital,
and that the army of behevers would be vastly greater but for the
terror in which the Protestants were held by the Roraanists, and
the danger they would incur by the expression of any opinion
unfavorable to thera, I did expect to meet now and then with
some one courageous believer, with a multitude of others steahng
timidly along, looking unutterable things, and shivering and
shuddering at every apparition of cowl and -cassock as though
expecting every moment to be seized and pulled to pieces with
hot pincers. But it was not so. Such a city of sceptics, in all
that pertained to the disclosures ofthe wronged frail one, was never
before seen. Nay, raore, so perfectly absurd and ridiculous did
the people with one accord consider the whole aflair, that they
seemed to look upon the intelligent denizens ofthe United States,
as laboring under a widely extended monomania ! There was but
one voice upon the subject — protestants and catholics— those of
every and all denominations, born and bred upon the spot  men
of intelligence and unquestioned piety — those who had passed the
open gates of the Hotel Dieu, or looked from their casements
over its frowning walls every day of their lives — were all stubborn

11
tanbelieviers ;— and I may add in this place, instead of elsewhere,
that I was able to hear of two believers in the " Awful Disclosures"
in Montreal, one of whom, as will be seen in the sequel, was evi
dently afraid to vish the nunnery, lest he should be forced by ac
tual demonstration to change his opinion !
But the fact that the whole town and province disbelieved
the narrative of Miss Monk, was no good reason why I should not
take a survey of the establishment, in which the reported enor
mities were occurring— more especially as there were at least
twice the nuraber on the Yankee side of the line, (that is to be)
who were most devout believers of the whole. And as for any
supposed advantages derived by the former from their near loca
tion and acquaintanceship with the accused, did not the increase
of numbers on the other side, bring the balance to a equipoise ?
Perhaps not : but I was determined in any event, to visit the
Catholic establishraents generally, and look as closely into the
fearful Hotel Dieu as the guardians of its portals would allow me
to come.
The friends accompanying us were John Frothingham, Esq.,
President of the City Bank, of Montreal, and Duncan Fisher, Esq.,
to whose kind attentions we were greatly indebted. Our first
visit was to the Hospital General des Sceurs Grises, a convent of
the Grey Sisters^ — an institution founded in 1750, by Madame de
Youville, as a refuge for the infirm poor, for invalids, and the destitute
aged. It occupies a space of 678 feet along the little river St.
Pierre, by nearly the same depth, containing a convent for the
residence of the nuns, a depot, ample wards for both sexes, all the
requisite offices for such an extensive establishment, and a detached
building for persons laboring under diseases of the mind. This
convent is governed by a superior and thirty-four sisters. We
passed through the wards, which were spacious, and well aired and
kept. Both departments were filled with the lame, the halt and the
blind, and every species of decrepitude, and among tbe subjects
were many who were very old. One of these, with whom we con
versed, had not only been many years an inmate, but was cheerful
at the advanced age of one hundred and four years — having been
born in the same year with Washington. The ^eyes of the old

12
Centieharian brightelifed at the Recollection, as though it was no mean
honor even to have drawn his first breath in the sarae year whh
suoh a man. It was a graiifying spectacle to observe the kiridness
and attention received by these aged and infirm feUow-beiiigs whom
misfortune had thrown upon the benevolence of this community :
and however much we may deplore tbe errors of their religious
faith, we could not but aidmire their zeal in alleviating the dis
tresses of suffering humanity.
From these apartments we were next led into the rooms oc
cupied as an orphan asylum, or foundling hospital — I am not
certain which ; perhaps both. In the first division we found twenty
or thirty boys of ten years and under, and a like number of girls
in the second. They were all cheerful, but much more vivacity
was exhibited in the second ; characteristic alike of females and
the French. In each of the apartments visitedf articles of fancy
needlework were produced, sales of which are made to visiters for"
the benefit of the institution.
We entered the Grey Nunnery at 11 o'clock ; just as the sis-*
ters had gone to dinner. The nuns and the priests, at the semi
nary, dine at the same hour. They take a very light breakfast
at half past 4, consisting of a piece of bread and cup of tea ; dine
at 11, and are summoned to the chapel for their mid-day devo
tion at 12. With the ringing of the beU, we, by requestj wete
conducted to the chapel ; where the nuns, having entered first,
were already upon their knees in a column of two deep in the
Centre aisle. They told their beads, and repeated their prayers
in chorus, and having concluded, rose at a signal from tbe superior
in the gallery, wheeled round to the right and left, and returned ;
scarce raising their eyes frora the polished Qooi. They were ge
nerally middle-aged or young women.
The habit of the grey sisters consists of a dress of drab bomba
zine, raade in the fashion of our Quaker friends) only that the
sleeves are long and ample, a la Bishop, terminated with broad
cuffs of the same material. They wear a black Italian crape
cap, with a plain border of crape, lined with black silk. This
cap, too, is after the Quaker fashion. While in the nunnery^ I
observed that the skirt is always turned up, and faistened under the

13
Waist behind with a hook and eye. We saw them afterward
going in procession to the cathedral, and then the skirts, I believe,
were not thus turned up ; but am not quite certain.
The chapel is a very neat apartment, weU supplied with picture?,
none ofwhich are good, and for the most part they are very bad.
The altar was richly gilded, and adorned with vases of various
freshly gathered flowers. Among the relics displayed, was a
fragraent cut from the veil of the sacred statue of the Virgin, if
I do not misrecollect ; of very great antiquity. It is carefully
framed within glass, together with the certificates of its authenticity.
There are various other emblems used in the Catholic mode of
Worship, as well in the Chapel as in all the principal departments
of the convent; among which crucifixes and pictures ofthe Vir
gin were the most frequent. In several of the rooms, moreover,
of both nunneries, were waxen dolls, dressed out in tawdry finery
of gold and silver lace, ribbons, spangles, flowers, &c., accord
ing to the different tastes of the nuns who had made them in
honor of the infant Saviour. To devout Protestant eyes such
representations cannot but be viewed with regret, as calculated to
inspire most grovelling and unworthy ideas of th(f great object of
adoration who was declared to be " the brightness of his Father's
glory,- and the express image of his person." I took a suitable
opportunity to remonstrate with one of their higher ecclesiastics,
against allowing such unworthy emblems of the second person in
the Trinity ; but he said if the nuns chose that method of honor
ing the Saviour, it was at least harmless. 1 thought differently.
Frora the Grey Nunnery we drove to the terrible theatre of tbe
" Awful Disclosures " — the Hotel Dieu itself-— the portals of
which, from the pubhcations of Maria Monk and her collaborateurs
in this city, we might very well have expected.^to find guarded
by " gorgons, hydras and chimeras dire." But it was not so. The
broad and ample gate-way into the yard was wide open, as our
kind companions assured us it always had been during the day
time, these thirty years — and how much longer they could not tell.
A very civil-spoken man met us at the door and conducted us into
the hospital. This now so celebrated institution fronts upon St»

14
Paul stlfeet, on the east^ extending along that street 324 English
feet, by 468 feet in depth on St, Joseph street, frora which latter
we entered. The whole buildings belonging to, and connected
with the establishmentj include the hospital, the convent, or clois
ter, a chapel, kitchen, bake house, stables and a cemetery, A
large garden is likewise attached. It was founded in 1664, by
he Dutchess of Bouillon— ^as a hospital for the reception of the
sick and diseased poor of both sexes, and without regard to reli
gious creeds, and is conducted by a Superior and thirty-six nuns.
Its funds are chiefly derived frora some landed estate belonging to
it, but the incorae is scarcely sufficient, and contributions from
other sources, together with the avails of their own industry, help
to augment their means of supply.
Nothwithstanding the favorable appearance of all that we saw,
and the universal scepticism before spoken of existing among the
people, I cannot deny the fact, tha,t the publications already re
ferred to, had in some degree prejudiced our minds against the
inmates, and rendered us suspicious of almost every thing we
were to see. On entering the first ward, Mr. F. enquired of the
nurse in attendance for Miss Beckwhh, one of the sisterhood who
speaks English, and with whom he was acquainted. After a few
moments she carae and we were introduced to her. She received
us with great kindness. Her whole appearance is extremely
agreeable. She conducted us to the chapel, through both wards
of the hospital, and through the apothecary's apartment. Every
variety of disease finds alleviation here — without any [ question
being asked as to sect, or country. If laboring under a disease
which is not contagious the patient is received on application, and
when restored, is dismissed without any compensation, or any
questions being asked. The beds and rooms were in perfect or
der, each bearing the name of a Catholic saint ; a male, if in the
men's apartment, and female in that ofthe women. The sick lay
quietly in their respective beds, neatly curtained ; looking as if
the hand of friendship and female sympathy had smoothed and ar
ranged them. All was still and serene.
Can these walls, thought I, witness so much self-denial and pa-
itienee, so much toil and watching, without expectation of fee or

15
reward on earth, and yet be tbe abode of vke and profligacy which
it is a shame even to name 1 Is it possible for beings depraved
as these have been reported to be, to find that pleasure in doing
good, which sustains them amidst all their privations? Is it pro
bable—is it at all reconcilable— that persons living in habits of
criminal sensuality, can be found so disciplined in spirit as to attend
upon cases of disease most revolting, and for that class of society,
too, which exhibits disease in its raost revolting features, because
its subjects are destitute of refined feelings, and that delicacy which.
conceals as much as possible what has a tendency to disgust or
offend? And this course of conduct is not ati occasional gush of
feeling exhibited before the worid for effect, but is undertaken as
a permanent employment, from wbich sickness or death only can
release them. As these thoughts passed through ray mind, Mr.
F. mentioned Miss Monk's book to Miss Beckwith, and asked her
if she knew the lady who had written it. She replied that the
reputed author never had been there as a nun,, though it was
possible that she might have been in the hospital, as the names
of patients were never inquired. She said she had not read the
book, though she had heard of raany things contained in it. She
said she had herself taken the veil ten years since, and during
that tirae had never heard of Maria Monk. She then observed
that within the last few months strangers visiting the hospital had
often inquired if there was a nun with thera naraed Jane Ray.
She told thera she never had heard of one by that name since
she had been there, hut the question being so often put, at length
excited some curiosity, and induced her to ask the Superior, wh»
told her she had never been there, and they then bethought thera
selves of making an inquiry of Mrs. M'Donel, who kept the
Magdalen Asylum. Mrs. M'D. immediately replied that Jane
Ray was then in har establishment, and that Maria Monk had
formerly been an inmate there also.
It was then, for the first time, and from Mrs. M'Donel, if I
understood Miss Beckwith correctly, that they received intelligence
of the " Awful Disclosures." In continuation, she remarked, that
she had never read the book herself; but from what she had heard
of its contents, she should suppose that no one could write such

16
details, unless very depraved ; and a pure-minded person could
not have imagined them. When it was told her that the book was
believed by many in the states, she said " the Protestants hate
the Catholics so much, that they are willing to believe every thing
said against thera." " But," she added, " how can they believe
such statements as these disclosures, when Mr. Perkins has ex
amined the cloister, — for he is a very decided Protestant, and in
no wise favorable, to our religion." Still, on asking her if we
could be permitted to extend our observations into other apart'
ments, she said no. This nunnery was a cloister ; and neither
priest nor layman, raan or woraan, was ever permitted to enter
farther, unless by an express order from the Bishop. Thus in
part was the New York story confirraed, that no exaraination of
the nunnery itself — its heavy iron doors and dark passages < — its
rooms of prostitution and vaults of gloom — would be allowed.,.
In closing this account of our first visit, however, I must be
permitted en passant to note the fine condition and beautiful order
of the apothecary's apartment. It is extensive and arranged in
a manner that would gladden the sight of the New York college
of Pharmacy. The jars and galhpotsare all: of the ancient trans
lucent dark-blue and white china, of the same size and pattern,
rendering the shelves perfectly uniform. Nothing could have
been more neatly and beautifully arranged than the various arti
cles making up the assortment of medicinal preparations in this
department. The retorts, bottles, vials, and a hundred descrip
tions of fancy glass, containing drops, extracts, essences, solutions,
&c., &c., comprising an ample store for every bodily ache and
evil " which flesh is heir to," were disposed with the nicest taste
and skill. Two of the nuns are in constant attendance on this
establishraent, manufacturing and preparing medicine. They also
cup and bleed. The physician in attendance merely prescribes,
and they execute his orders. Two of tbe nuns are also in con
stant attendance upon each ward of the hospital, night and day ;
they take their turns, and in a community of only thirty-six, the
occasion does not seldom come round.
Thus ended our first visit to the Hotel Dieu— having seen
nothing of " masks, hatchets, racks, and vipers," nor experienced

17
any thing to remind us of the sanctum officium, of Pope Inno
cent IIL, or of Torquemada. Still we had been permitted to pro
ceed no further than the hospitals — all beyond was secret, silent
and mysterious. We had heard no groans ; but some of the be
lievers in Maria Monk may suppose that half a dozen infants
might have been very gently smothered, during our visit, and
some pretty rebellious nun trodden to dekth between two feather-
beds, for all that. Nevertheless, we took our departure, and pro
ceeded next to the Cathedral standing a few rods farther to the
north, on the left of St. Joseph street, fronting upon Notre Dame
street, and directly upon a diagonal line from the Hotel Dieu to
the Seminary of the Priests — the Cathedral well-nigh filling the
intermediate block between them. The Cathedral is a new edi
fice, ajnd is in some respects the raost splendid temple in the new
world, and as. said a late foreign traveller, only surpassed by the
old in interior grandeur. Its length is 225 feet, and its breadth
234. It was commenced in 1824, finished in 1829, and dedicated
to the Virgin Mary, The height of its walls is 11 2 feet. The ar
chitecture is of the rich Gothic of the 13th century. It has six
massive towers, between which is a promenade along the roof
25 feet wide, elevated 112 feet. There are seven altars, and the
east window behind the grand altar is 70 feet high, by 33 feet
broad. The other windows are 36 feet by 10. It is surrounded
by a fine terrace, and the chime of bells, 'the clocks, altars, &c.
are comparatively rich. But as a whole, the interior is not equal
to the exterior, nor by any means equal, in point of taste, splen
dor of decoration, and beauty of its paintings to the Cathedral
of Baltimore. This structure is larger, however, thau that of
Baltimore, being sufficiently capacious to accommodate 12,009
persons. My reasons for the particularity of this description in this
place, will appear in the sequel. I attended high mass in this
noble edifice on two Sabbath mornings, before the commence
ment of worship in the protestant churches. On both occasions
the Cathedral was filled by as attentive and well-ordered a congre
gation as I have ever seen in New York. The organ is too
small for the place ; but aided by other instruments, and a full
' 3

18
choir around the great altar, the music was as deep, rich and
solemn as the big " base ofthe ocean." '
The seminary of St. Sulpice, situated upon the corner of Fran-
cois-Xavier and Notre pame street, opening upon the latter, and
directly west of the cathedral, was next visited. This is the
general residence of the priests of Montreal— whose practice it
is, according to Maria Monk, to be continually visiting the Hotel
Dieu, for purposes of seduction and murder, by the subterranean
passage, which, if it exists, raust lead directly under the stupendous
pile of the cathedral, just described. This serainary extends 342
feet upon Notre Darae street, and 449 on Francois-Xavier street.
It was founded in 1657, by the Abbe Quetus, who was sent out by
the seminary of St. Sulpice, in Paris. The original object of tho
institution was the education of youth, through all departments, in
cluding the higher branches of philosophy and mathematics. It
has an able superior, and professors of eminence in the different
sciences, who are said to pursue a judicious plan of general in
struction. In order to extend its usefulness, a new college has
been erected by the serainary in the RecoUet suburbs — a large
and handsome structure.
I was introduced, at the Seminary, to many ofthe clergy, and
some of the dignitaries of the church — among whom were the
lord bishop M'Donald of Upper Canada and the bishop of Red
River, both being on a visit to the lower province. I was also
introduced to Father Richards, who figures in the " Awful Dis
closures" as one ofthe raost humane of the priests at the murder
of the nun St. Francis. — Father Richards is a short fat personage,
has a mild blue eye, and is exceedingly fair-spoken. He was once
a methodist minister in Virginia; but ! conceiving the project of
converting the catholic clergy of Montreal to the true faith, he
proceeded thither for that purpose. But in the end he was as
badly ofi" as the count O'Reilly, who went tb take Algiers — Al
giers took him ! Bishop M'Donald is a Scotch gentleman of the
old school; affable, intelligent, and for a Catholic, not intolerant.
He allows his people to read the Bible, and gives away all that
he can obtain for that object. In passing down the St. Lawrence
with hira to Quebec, I found hira to be a raost agreeable travell
ing companion.

19
The subject of Maria Monk's "Awful Disclosures" having been
introduced at the Seminary, those ofthe clergy who spofee English
entered freely upon it, without hesitation, and with an air of con
scious innocence. Having intiraated that there was nothing of, in,
or about, the Hotel Dieu, respecting which they desired conceal
ment, the idea first seriously occurred to me of putting their sin
cerity, and that of the nuns, to the test, by applying for permis
sion to visit the cloister, and make a thorough scrutiny. They
repeq.ted what had been said to us by the nuns, that no person
could be permitted to enter the cloister without an order from
tho Bishop of Montreal, who was then absent from the city.
But Bishop M'Donald and Father Richards entered at once into
my views, and promised their good offices in obtaining the neces
sary order, as soon as the bishop should return. I assured thera
•that ray only desire was to arrive at the truth, and that ifl entered
upon the duty, I should not be satisfied without raaking thorough
work of it. And thus I left them.
¦ The more I reflected upon the subject, the raore evident did it
seem, that the cause of truth and justice required at ray hands an
investigation of this kind, placed there as I was, without any
previous design of raaking such a visit, and wholly uncoramitted,
and uncomiected with any of the parties to the controversy. If
the priests and the nuns, were actually guilty of the fearful prac
tices imputed to them, the truth should be known. If, on the
contrary, the horrible stories respecting them were not true, the
slander, whether originating in the raalice of a wicked woraan,
or the disterapered imagination of one who added insanity to her
frailty, should be arrested. In any event, the Catholics were as
much entitled to justice, as any other sect of Christians; and I
could not but hope and believe, that in the event of being allowed
to make a thorough investigation of the premises, I could not
only arrive at a satisfactory conclusion rayself, but should be able
to aid in giving the public mind in ray ov/n country a proper di
rection. Should it in the end appear that Maria Monk had told
the truth, no punishment ever invented by the Holy Inquisition
would bo too severe for such lustful, bloody, and hypocritical
villany. But, on the other hand, should it be apparent that they

30
were the victims of calumny, it was high time that the crusade
should be at an end ; since I could perceive nothing more com
mendable in Protestant, than in Catholic persecution. Entertain
ing and pondering these views, I sought and obtained an interview
with the Rev. Mr. Perkins, ofthe American Presbyterian church ;
the able, zealous and pious successor of the lamented Christ
mas in that city ; and a son of the-late Hon. Enoch Perkins, of
Hartford. — Mr. P. warraly approved of my design. He had
himself visited the cloister, as one of a committee, in July, and
was smarting under the cruel attacks of the friends of Maria Monk
in this city. He was therefore exceedingly anxious that I should
have the testiraony of my own senses, to the correctness of tho
conclusions at which he had arrived, or discover to hira his error
if he was wrong. He did not hesitate to express to me his per
fect conviction, however, that an examination would bring me to
the unshaken conclusion, that, however bad the Catholics may
be in other respects, or in other countries, they are entirely in
nocent in this matter. There was no mistake in his opinion upon
the subject. He had resided there several years ; was well ac
quainted with the general character of the priests and people ;
as also by common fame with the character of Maria Monk ; and
he did not hesitate to pronounce her disclosures the most entire
and atrocious collection of lies that could he conceived. Thus be
lieving — nay, thus knowing — he had endeavored as strongly as he
could by letters to the writer of Maria's book, to prevent its pub
lication. He had admonished him of the falsity of her tales, and
implored him to desist.
Other gentlemen, of different churches, were also consulted. —
Their opinions were the same, both as it respected the character of
the disclosures, and the propriety of my proposed examination.
The result was, that I resolved on making the atterapt ; and re
turning to Montreal from Quebec on Saturday morning the 23d
ultimo, I was informed that an order for the admission of Mr.
Frothingham, Mrs. Stone and rayself into the cloister, had been
issued by the bishop on the preceding day. A gentleman from
Richmond, (Va.) Mr. Shepard, and his lady, having understood
our design, obtained an order through a friend, on that morning,
to be permitted to accom,pany us in the visitation.

21
The editors of the Montreal Gazette and the Ami du Peuple
in calling for the present narrative, have both taken occasion to
introduce the name of the Rev. Mr. Clary, a congregational cler
gyman recently from this state, and now the pastor of a congre
gation in that city. Regretting as I do, that the name of that gen
tleman should have been thus brought before the public, the duty
is nevertheless devolved upon me of making an explanation, in
justice to both of us, and to all. On the morning of the day
appointed for the exploration of the nunnery, Mr. Clary favored
me with a call, and gave me tho first inforraation I had received,
that his narae had been associated with mine, in the order for
opening the cloister of the Hotel Dieu for our inspection. It is
not necessary, were it even proper, to give a detail of all the con
versation that passed between us. An abstract will be all-suffi
cient for the purpose in hand. Mr. Clary informed me frankly,
that his position was peculiar, and he seeraed apprehensive that
were he to accept the invitation, it might place him in an un
pleasant situation. He said his name had already appeared in
sorae of the New York publications in connection with the con
troversy on this subject — a letter of his having been published, in
which he had declared that adraittance into the cloister had been
denied him ; and he evidently apprehended that the present spon
taneous offer had been made to entrap hira. He said that that
letter was strictly true, as he had once been promised adraission
into the Nunnery, but when he subsequently applied for permis
sion to search the building in company with Maria Monk, he had
been refused. He was particularly desirous to know whether it
was my intention to make merely a cursory and superficial exara
ination of the preraises, or to make thorough work of it. In rpply,
I assured him repeatedly, that my determination was inflexible,
to make as thorough an investigation as could be desired — that tho
priests had given me to understand that every facility for that
end should be granted, and that I was resolved to scrutinize the
whole structure, in all its ramifications, from garret to cellar — to
lift every trap door — to inspect every secret vault — unbar every
door — search every cellar — and thread every subterranean pas
sage.  Mr. Clary did not adrait that he was a believer in Miss

m
Monk's book, but he was evidently not a disbeliever. Among
the objections he started, was tho probability that were we to
make the visit, we should be called upon to write upon the subject.
To which I replied that I could perceive no objection to that ;
should the examination be full, and free, and fair, we could
say so. And, on the other hand, should we leave the institu
tion unsatisfied, there need be no hesitation in proclaiming that
fact likewise. But he intimated his apprehensions that we should
be deceived by tho wiles of those with whora we were to have to
do, and repeated his reluctance to place himself in a position that
would compel him to write any tbing upon the subject. We part
ed before he had determined what course to pursue, with an un
derstanding that I should call upon him in tho course ofthe morn
ing, and apprise him of the hour of entering upon the investiga
tion. This engagement was fulfilled, but Mr. C. was undetermin
ed whether to go or not. Being very anxious that he should make
one ofthe party, I urged him to accompany us — but was obliged
to leave hira again in a state of uncertainty. At the hour appoin
ted he called at my hotel, and stated that on the whole he thought
it best to decline the invitation. I hinted to him the unpleasant
dilemma in which he might be involved by the refusal. — But f o no
purpose. He retired, and I saw him no raore^O?
The hour appointed for comraencing our researches, was two
o'clock, and the residue of, the morning was devoted to the study
of the latest edition of the " Awful Disclosures," which is ac
companied by the drawings of the premises as laid down in the
tablets of Maria Monk's memory, and for a copy of which I was
indebted to the politeness of Mr. Clary. A few passages for
special reference were marked in pencil, and the leaves turned
down at others. But my determination was to make the examina
tion book in hand, and refer to its pages as occasion might require.
Such was the course pursued.
Punctual to the appointment, we arrived at five minutes after
two, and were received in the ' apothecary' by the assistant
superior Miss Weeks' an American lady, and two other, sisters,
who had been designated to attend us. I inquired for Miss
Beckwith, also from the United States,^ whose parents reside in the

23 ,
neighborhood of Batavia; she was immediately sent for, and soon
made her appearance. Our mooting was like that of old friends.
She is certainly one of the most prepossessing ladies with whom
I have ever met. Her countenance is full of intelligence, and ex
pressive of great tenderness and sympathy, and tho tones of her
voice harmonise with these qualities. I remarked to them that I
presumed frora what had been dropped at our former visit, they
were fully apprised of the object Of our call — being, if possible,
to test the truth or falsehood of Maria Monk's publications in
New York. I informed them that I should be satisfied with
nothing short of a minuto examination of any and every part of
the institution. I said to them, frankly, that I had been admonish
ed of their arts of deception, and had been told that they would
mislead me at every turn, and throw, dust in my eyes at their
own pleasure ; and that consequently I trusted they would be
neither displeased nor surprised if the scrutiny I was about to
institute should seera over-nice and particular. They replied
that it was their desire to have the investigation satisfactory to rae,
and that the keys and their assistance were at my disposal. The
Lady Superior, (sister Lapilleur Devoisy,) they infornied me, was
confined to her apartment by indisposition — otherwise it would
have been her pleasure to receive us in person. She would, how
ever, be happy to receive us in her own apartment.
We then commenced our travels and researches — being soon
joined by several additional merabers of the sisterhood, who
accorapanied us through our exaraination. Others we met in
their respective apartraents, busied in their regular occupations.
Having passed through the hospitals as before, we entered the
cloister, and proceeded through the various apartraents of the
first story. Every door, of every room, closet and pantry, was
readily opened at my request, and there was not an apartment, in
either story, which I did not examine with the closest scrutiny,
from floor to ceiling, to note 'R^hether there had or had not been
any alterations — any removal of parthions, closing of doors, new
painting, or suspicious whitewashing, or any such things — not
forgetting one truth, inserted by the amanuensis of Maria, iu
the sequel of her latest edition, that " whatever alterations may

24
6e attempted, tUre ara changes which no mason or carpenter
can make, and effectually conceal." But in this story there
had been no changes of any kind. The work and the fixtures
were all, evidently, time worn and ancient.
There were, however, trap-doors in several ofthe apartments-
several more than are specified in the drawings of Maria Monk,
Every one of these trap-doors I opened myself, and into every
one of the vaults I descended, sometimes alone, but more fre
quently accompanied by Messrs. Frothingham and Shepard.
These vaults were usually store-rooms for the accommodation of
the particular apartments iraraediately above. Every wall was
carefully exarained, both as to its appearance, the texture of the
raortar, &c. <&c. After these examinations were ended, the sis
ters took us into the yards, and conducted us into thecellars and
vaulted rooms. The sarae scrutiny was every where made, and
the texture of the mortar tried by an iron-pointed cane. Every
door and passage way was opened and examined, with the like
results. We now re-entered the convent, and ascended to the next
story, examining every apartment with the most deliberate and
eagle-eyed attention. We visited the cells of the nuns, and ex
amined their furniture. The unsophisticated reader may perhaps
think these " cells" are very dark and gloomy places, with stone
floors, and locks and bars, and grates. No such thing. They
are neat little apartraents, containing a single bed with green
curtains and counterpanes, two old-fashioned high-backed chairs,
a little desk, with a small case for books, and within which is also
a crucifix. The books, so far as we looked at them were such as
good protestants raight becorae still better by reading. Having
ascended to the attic, we had now exarained every part except
one of the long attic rooms, into which I looked carefully through
a glass window at the head of the stairway — Miss Weeks having
forgotten to bring the key to the door. The room was used for
drying clothes, for which purpose, as it was well lighted, I saw
the necessary fixtures, and I did not think it necessary to send the
lady down all the stairs for the key.

25
Soon after we commenced our investigations, we were pre
sented to the lady superior, at the door of her apartment, into
which we were admitted. She was suffering from an attack of
rheumatism. She is a lady of dignity and refinement of raanner ;
somewhat advanced in years. She received us with the utmost
urbanity, nay, with cordiality ; and regretted not being able to
accompany us through the institution. Indeed the nuns have all
the ease, simplicity, dignity, and grace which distinguish the high
bred and truly genteel. I have rarely seen so many ladies togeth
er, possessing, in so great a degree, the charm of raanner. They
were all affability and kindness. Cheerfulness was universal, and
very unlike the notions commonly entertained ofthe gloon^ ofthe
cloister. Their faces Were too often wreathed in smiles to allow
us to suppose they were soon to assist in smothering their own
children, or that those sweet spirits were doomed to be trodden out
of their bodies by the rough-shod priests of the seminary. The
costume of the black nuns is different from what I had supposed.
The dress is of black bombazine, with ample skirt, and bishop
sleeves ; the neck dress consists of a large square white hnen
collar, ,reaching up to the chin ; to this is attached a strap passing
across the top of the head, to which the bandeau'is fastened. This
is a white linen band bound round the forehead, and reaching down
to the eye-brows, so as to conceal the hair entirely. — To this the
black veil is attached, which is made of a large double square of
black Itahan crape, and reaches from the top of the bandeau half
way down the skirt behind. The face is not at all covered by the
veil, nor the front of the person. The skirts are turned up like
those of the grey nuns. The tout ensemble is dignified, not very
unbecoming and rather graceful.
In the recreation room we were introduced to the novices, sorae
four or five. The conversation was gay and cheerful, and so
pleasant was their laughter at sorae of ourremarks, that I asked
them, in badinage, what right they had to laugh— that in such a
place their business must be to look grave and gloomy, and never
smile ! The greater number ofthe nuns are advanced in life, and
some of them are very aged. In the infirraary of the cloister we
were introduced to quite an aged raeraber of the communhy.
4

26
Although an invalid for many years, she was cheerful and agree
able ; receiving us with marks of kind consideration. Indeed 1
have never witnessed in any community or family more unaffected
cheerfulness and good humor, nor more satisfactory evidence of
entire confidence, esteem and harmony araong each other.
Amongthe instances of innocent sportiveness which occurred,
proving that the merry mischief of woman does not always leave
her on taking the veil, was the following: I had been diligently
looking for the " purgatory," as laid down in Maria's book. The
sisters told me I must find it. At length we came to a sraall apart
ment, less ancient than the other wood-work, built out from the
wall, in one corner of a large room in the apartment in which
the hired woraen, seamstresses, spinners, &c., were at work.
The door was locked and there was no window, except a square
hole cut throufih J:he partition deals, high up from the floor. " Ah,"
I exclaimed ;•," Miss Weeks what have you here?" " Nothing" —
said she with an arch smile ; — " nothing — but — a poor nun doing
penance 1" " That spinning wheel," I remarked, " would be pen
ance enough for many young ladies in our country. But give us the
keys" " No," she said ; "you must look for yourself." Taking a
chair, I thereupon climbed up to the dark hole, and thrusting my head
through, discovered that the mysterious cell was a store room for
loaf-sugar hanging round the walls, and a few barrels of other
family supplies. And this was all the " purgatory" discovered
by us.
And here, perhaps, I may as well remark as elsewhere, that in
the course of our inspection I took frequent occasion to refer to
the drawings and the pages ofthe " awful disclosures," and I ara
constrained to say, that I was utterly unable, throughout, to discern
any raark, or sign, or trace of reserablance to any thing she has
laid down or described, other than the external localities, which
nobody could well mistake. But so far as it regards the whole
interior, neither I nor my' companions eould discover, from the
drawings, tbe least evidence that the author had ever been within
the walls of the cloister. By way of excusing the inaccuracies —
or rather the total and all but universal dissimilarity of the map —
the friends of Maria first assert that great changes have been made

n
inthe building; and if that is not sufficient, they imploringly ex
claim—" Oh what can a poor giri do ? We do not pretend to
perfect accuracy —but she has given drawings from recollection,
the best that were in her power." To the first excuse it may
be replied, without fear of contradiction from any one but Ma
ria herself, that there have been no changes. To the second it
may be well said that the giri must be an incorrigible blockhead
not to be able to remember somewhat of the interior of a house in
which she pretends to have been so long a resident, and in some
apartments of which she maintains that such terrible scenes have
been enacted. But she does not ; and it is a little remarkable
that the only internal resemblance to the diagrams she has given,
are said to be found in the recent Catholic Magdalen asylum of
Mrs. McDonell, which was dissolved about a week before our.
visit, and in which the celebrated Jane Ray remained until it was
closed. Having descended again to the apothecary. Miss Weeks inforraed
us that the task was over. I told her that there was another
cellar under the wing in which we then were, which I had not
explored. She remarked that as that did not properly belong to
the convent, my permission did not extend to it. For a moment
my suspicions were awakened. I replied that I must explore
that cellar, and the trap-door which I had just discovered near
where we were, or my work was not done. Miss Beckwhh
was thereupon despatched to the Superior for perraission, which
was imraediately and readily granted. The task of exploration
was forthwith undertaken and executed. It was raost thoroughly
done, and we were now about to take leave, when I discovered
another cellar door, leading from the outside directly into that
part of the building from beneath which, according to the plan
of the book, the secret subterranean passages lead to the seminary
one way, and the Congregational (School) Nunnery the other. I
asked if I might examine that cellar ? Certainly, they said ;
but as it is merely the kitchen cellar, we did not suppose you
cared about looking into it. An Irish laborer near by was then
directed to go into the kitchen for the keys, and Mr. Frothingham
and myself were inducted by Pat into the receptacle of potatoes

28
and turnips— for such it proved to be. But here, true enough,
we discovered what Maria calls " a great, gloomy iron door I"
To be sure, it was in quite a different place from that designated
by her. But it was locked, and would not yield to ray attempts
upon it. Perhaps, thought I, we shall find the range of prison cells
here — poor nuns with gags, and a charnel house of skeletons. I
told Pat he must open that door. Well, he said, he must do it
upon the other side — and away he went. In a moment more,
the massive iron turned upon its ponderous hinges, and lo! we
^ere — let into the daylight on the other side, in a store roora,
I believe, open on one side. There was also a kitchen well
in this cellar — small, and furnished with an old iron pump, and
other rather dilapidated fixtures. Not supposing that the nuns
would throw their murdered sisters and children into the spring
from which they draw their water for their tea and cooking, I
did not descend. The walls, however, as before, were most
thoroughly examined, into every nook and corner — and I was
compelled now to conclude my subterranean researches, without
being able to stroll pnder the deep foundations of the cathedral,
and startle the priests of the serainary by coraing up through one
of their own trap-doors !
I have already reraarked, that the cellars in general were used
for store-rooras. In one of them into which I descended through
a trap-door, I found a number of large stone jugs. Recollecting
that Maria had spoken of some vessels, which frora her descrip
tion, raust have been carboys of sulphuric acid, used, as she inti
mates, with lime, to destroy the reraains of the raurdered victims, I
examined these jugs. From the odor of the corks, and the scent
ofthe jugs themselves, I presumed their contents had been syrups,
essences, and medicinal decoctions for the sick and the apothe
cary. The only lime that I discovered, was in a hot-bed the
gardener had been making, for radishes, I believe.
Thus ended this examination, in which we were most actively
engaged for about three hours. The result is the most thorough
conviction that Maria Monk is an arrant impostor — that she was
never a nun, and was never within the walls ofthe cloister of the
Hotel Dieu — and consequently that her disclosures are wholly and
\

29
unequivocally, from beginning to end, untrue — either the vagaries
of a distempered brain, or a series of calumnies unequalled in the
depravity of their invention, and unsurpassed in their enormity.
There are those, I am well aware, who will not adopt this con
clusion, though one should arise from the dead and attest it —
even though "Noah, Daniel, and Job" were to speak frora the
sluraber of ages and confirm it.
These will ask why, if the " disclosures" were not true, the
nunnery was not at once thrown open to the pubhc — why its doors
were so long closed, and why did silence as to those charges so
long reign within its walls 1 There are several reasons: In the
first place, the tales were so improbable of themselves, and the
character of Maria Monk herself so utterly worthless and detest
able, that it was not deemed necessary to pay the least regard to
thera. — They did not suppose in Montreal, either within or with
out the convent, that there could be found in the United States,
or elsewhere, persons so weak and so credulous as to lend the least
credence to thera. But the best answer is found in the sensible
reraarks of the nuns themselves. "You see," said Miss Weeks,
" how irapossible it would be for us to conduct this establishment,
if visiters were usually admitted into the cloister for no other ob
ject than the gratification of their own idle curiosity — more
especially such crowds of visitors as we should have had after
the publication ofthe work." Proceeding with her conversation,
she added — " We are constantly employed, and each has her
portion of occupation. If our labors are interrupted, our sick must
suffer, and the whole business of the establishment come to an
end." And besides all this — a raan's house is his castle, and what
man or woman among us — or which of our hospitals, or public
institutions, would consent to suspend their labors, and relinquish
all their coraforts, to gratify successive swarms of Canadians or
others, whose curiosity might be stimulated by the scandalous tales
of one of Mr. M'Do well's pupils?
In answer to my objection, that the drawnings furnished by
Maria Monk do not, so far as I or any one else has yet been able
to discover, correspond with the internal fixtures and localities, it
has been said, and will be said again, and again, that great altera-

30
tions have been made in the nunneyy — that masons and carpenters
and painters, have been at work these nine months; and that the
n ewly escaped nun— (Frances Partridge) declares that so many alter
ations have been made during that period, that she should scarcely
recognize the flaws herself. To this I answer, most emphatically,
IT IS NOT TRUE. There have been no such alterations, either in
the building within, or the vaults beneath, or the walls without.
All things remain as they were. Let it here be borne in mind
" that whatever alterations may be attempted, there are changes
which no mason or carpenter can make and effectually conceal."
Impressed with this truth ; and it is almost the only one I have
been able to discover in the book, I went prepared upon this
point. I thought it not unlikely that I raight be raystified by
paint and whitewash. But it was not so. There is not an out
ward wall, nor a cellar, nor a vault, that has been whitewashed.
The mason-work is all, every where, of stone-work, ancient and
massive. The mortar, moreover, has become every where so in
durated in the lapse of time, as to be impenetrable as the stone it
serves to cement together. No builder could break up an old
stone wall, or partition, and reraove it, or stop up a vault, or
build up agate- way, without leaving indubitable evidence ofthe new
work, and the alterations. Gould any builder in New York build
up the doors and windows of the Bridewell, without the use of
paint or whitewash, so as to prevent detection, or so as to raake
the new work in all respects correspond with the old ? The
thing is irapossible.
Again ; Maria Monk has laid down the track by which she says
she escaped, and has given a narrative of the way she proceeded
to get out, which, in the first place, the walls she raust have
chmbed, prove to have been irapossible, and to which the internal
regulations ofthe house, as I believe, give a positive contradiction.
By the course she has marked out on the raap, she raust have
come first to within a few feet ofthe broad gate, always open in
the day time, leading into St. Joseph street. In the yard where
s-ie then was, there are various doors opening into several parts
of the buildings. Well— having been near the broad gate, she
says she wheeled round to the right, almost crossed her track in

31
turning a wing, and finally escaped through the garden grounds
into Jean Baptiste street. Now tbis whole tale is not only im
probable, but absolutely impossible. There is no passage that
way. She raust have leaped a succession of walls ; the outer
wall some twenty feet high ; walls which no unaided mortal, man
or woraan, could have surmounted.
When reminded of these facts by Messrs. Jone? and Le Clerc,
gentlemen from Montreal who had an interview with Maria at
Messrs. Van Nostrand & Dwight's book store, in August, she
resorted to the usual subterfuge, that there were a door and a gate
there then ; but intimating that they had been altered ! Again I
say it is not true ! The walls have stood a century ; there was
no gate, and no passage-way has been filled up. As well might Al
derman Woodruff send a bevy of masons to build up the portals of
the City Hall, and the people of New York not know it, as that
such works could have been executed in Montreal, and the people
of Montreal kept in ignorance of the fact. But whence this great
difficulty of escaping ? There are plenty of doors and gates, and
every nun has a key at her side. Their restraint is voluntary, and
they can break their vow and retire if they please. Or, if their
health will not bear tbe confinement, they can leave after the
white veil, and before taking the black. Such instances are not
rare. The whole tale is one of falsehood.
Again, as to the secret passage under ground to the Seminary.
Whence its necessity, since the gate is always open, and the
hospitals with coraniunicating doors to the cloisters always acces
sible .'' If such passage had ever existed, it raust necessarily ha^^e
led under the present foundation of the stupendous cathedral before
described. , The foundations of this structure were laid broad and
deep. — They dug until they carae to water, and h&d such a path
way existed, it would have been discovered then. Mr. Froth
ingham, and hundreds of others, passed the spot daily, and viewed
the progress of the workmen continually. Yet no such passage
was ever seen or heard of. And there has been no filling up.
There was indeed an old passage way to the river— perhaps from
the old French church in Notre Dame-street, now pulled down,
constructed according to tradition, for wse in time of war— per-

32
naps for the procurement of water— but that has long years ago
been filled up. It was probably some reminiscence of this old af
fair, that gave the hint for the story of the passage to the seminary.
But no such passage exists.
Again, as to the births and murder of children : In the first
place, the whole tale is improbable, both as to the murder of
nuns and infants. Do murderers cluster in nurabers to perpetrate
their butcheries, and thus purposely furnish the raeans of convic
tion 1 — Would they be so foolish, and so mad, as to keep a written
record of their murders ? And would so many mothers consent
to strangle their own offspring ? Can a woraan forget her suck
ling child 1 It is not so ! The voice of indignant nature rises up
to proclaira the falsehood I And raoreover, as to the number of
novices and infants : Miss Monk states, that on a certain occasion,
she discovered a book in the Superior's custody, containing the re
cord of the admissions of novices, and births of infants who were
murdered. And twenty-five of these pages were written over,
containing about fifteen entries on a page. " Several of these
pages," she says, were occupied vvith the records of the births of
the 'murdered infants. And all the records were either of admis
sions or births. Now, we will allow twenty pages for the records
of admissions of novices, and five for the births of the raurdered
children. Fifteen entries on a page, twenty pages, will give
us the number of three hundred admissions in two years. — Now
there are but thirty-six nuns in all, and seldora raore than four
or five novices, and postulants. — Again, as to the infants — if we
allow Ave pages to have been devoted to these records of births,
we have seventy-five births during the same period ! ! Now, as I
have already said, there are but thirty-six nuns : more than
half are " past age," Certainly not more than fifteen of them
¦could " in the natural course of human events," become mothers.
Taking Maria's stateraents, therefore as correct data, and each of
these fifteen nuns — striking the average — must give birth to two
and a half children every year I ! A most prolific race, truly ! !
What nonsense, and how great the popular creduhty to swallow it!
But I weary in the exposure of impossibilities. — Nor is it ne
cessary to proceed farther with them. I might indeed write a vo-

33
lume as large as her own, in the exposure of the multitudinous
inconsistencies, and contradictions of the " awfjl disclosures."
But " the game would not be worth the candle." And besides,
with tho ample refutation I have given the groat and essential
features of her work, the minor and less important fabrications
fall to tho ground of course. I will therefore now close this pro
tracted narrative, by expressing my deliberate and solemn opi
nion, founded not only upon my own careful examination, but
upon the firmest convictions of nearly the entire population of
Montreal — embracing the great body ofthe most intelligent evan
gelical Christians, THAT MARIA MONK IS AN ARRANT
IMPOSTOR, AND HER BOOK IN ALL ITS ESSEN
TIAL FEATURES A TISSUE OF CALUMNIES. How
ever guilty the Catholics may be in other respects, or in other
countries, as a man of honor and professor of the 'Protestant faith,
I MOST SOLEMNLY BELIEVE THAT THE PRIESTS
AND NUNS ARE INNOCENT IN THIS MATTER.
New-York, October 8, 1836.

INTERVIEW
With Maria Monk and Frances Partridge.
After the copy of the foregoing narrative was placed in the
hands ofthe printer, at the urgent soheitation of some ofthe friends
of Maria Monk, I have had an interview with her, together vvith
the newly escaped nun, as she calls herself, Frances Partridge,
who has arrived in season to confirm all Maria's statements, and
add divers other tales of terror of her own. The result is, that,
so far from giving me reason to alter a single line that I have
written, I would add to the force of my contradictions ofthe ca
lumnies contained in the " Awful Disclosures," if language would
allow of it ; for if I before had entertained the least lingering
5

34
fragment of a suspicion, that I could in any respect have been de
ceived, the interview would have done all away. The friends ot
Maria have looked upon the arrival and confirmatory statements
of Miss Partridge as a god-send : but if they are ever brought to
their right minds upon this subject, they will lament in bitterness
of heart, that they ever had any thing to do with either. In order
that the public may be enabled to judge as to the credibility of
those wretched woraen, from their own testimony, I proceed to
give a succinct account of tbe interview referred to. We met
by my own appointment, (after repeated invitations,) at the house
of the Rev. Doct. Brownlee, at half past 4 o'clock P. M. of Friday
last. The two pretended fugitives were attended by the Rev.
Messrs. Brownlee, Bourne, and Slocum, and by three lay-gende-
men, who feel a deep interest in this controversy, and of whom
one was the writer of Maria Monk's " Awful Disclosures." There
was also another lady present. — The pretended nuns were
seated side by side, in close proximity, able and willing, as the
event proved, to aid and assist each other by suggestions if neces
sary. After an introduction and a pause of a moment, the conver
sation was commenced, I believe, by the Rev. Mr. Slocum, the
guardian of Miss Monk, and with whom Miss Partridge is also
now residing. Mr. S. began by a series of prelirainary questions,
to the following effect.
" You have recently been in Montreal, I am told ?"
"Yes."" How were you pleased ?"
" Very well."
" Did you see the Rev. Mr. Clary ?"
" Yes."
" I am surprised that he has not written to me : I have been
expecting letters from him for some time. Did you see much of
himt" " I saw him three times."
" Did you visit any nunneries ?"
" I did."
"Which of them 1"
" Two ; the Grey Nuns, and the Hotel Dieu."

35
" Which is the largest of the two ?"
" The convent ofthe Grey Sisters occupies the most ground, I
believe." " Are you not mistaken ? The Black Nunnery is very large."
" True : but I beheve the grounds of the other are of the
greatest extent."
" Well : where did you go next ?"
" To the Hotel Dieu."
" Which way did you enter it?"
" Through the broad gate, in St. Joseph street."
By Miss Monk. " You found yourself araong a nuraber of out
buildings there 1"
"Yes: Several." ^
Thus far I had submitted to the questioning, because the pre
liminaries were not material. Another question was now put to
me, I think by Mr. Slocum, the effect of which would have been
to make me open the doors of the convent to them. This was
not the plan I had adjusted in my own mind, to bring the veracity
of the pretended nuns to the test. My reply to the question was
as follows: —
" Gentleraen, I did not corae here to be catechised. I have
answered thus far cheerfully. But I am neither a party in this
raatter, nor a witness. I came hither on invitation, to meet these
ladies, and hear what they and you have to say. My only object
is to' arrive at the truth as to the matter in hand."
To which there was a general reply frora the gentleraen, that
that was also their only object.
After a pause, and a few indifferent remarks as to the embar
rassment of the position in which we were all placed, Maria Monk
spoke up quite pertly : —
" I should think that such an old man as you, Mr. Stone, would
not be afraid to speak to such giris as we [or before us upon this
subject, I am not certain as to tho words.]
" Not so very old. Miss Monk : how could you say so 1 I have
not a grey hair yet !"
Miss Monk : But can't you tell us how you found the nunnery t
We should like to know something about it, as you have been there
so long since we have. ,

36
So I suppose. But I don't choose to be questioned about it

now.

Another brief pause then ensued. The truth was, I had resolved
in ray own raind, if called to examine the pretended nuns, to take
thera upon two or three definite points, so simple that they could
not be misunderstood, and of such a nature as would most likely
test the question at once, whether or not they were acquainted
with the institution. It would indeed have been a pretty affair for
me to have given a lecture upon the inter.nal structure and police
of the institution, from which these women — impostors as I
doubted not they were — raight derive facts and bints for im
proving tbeir plausibility, and thus serve to aid them in keeping
up the deception. It was a trap in which I was not to be caught.
Hovvever, after looking at each other a few seconds, and the in
terchange around the circle of a few words of no importance —
finding that the interview was likely to result in nothing, I told
them, if it was their desire, I would break the silence by asking a
few, questions ; to which ^11 assented. The following is the spirit
ofthe examination that ensued, and nearly in the very words.
Question by Mr. Stone. Miss Partridge, you are lately from the
Hotel Dieu I
3Iiss Partridge. I am.
Qu. Well, Miss Partridge, about these alterations that hav^
been going on in the nunnery ; I am told that-you say they have
been so extensive, and tho place is so much changed, that you would
hardly know it yourself}
Ans. Yes, it is so.
Qu. Very well: Be so good as to tell me which of the walls
in the cellar has been built during this season ?
Ans. A wall across the East side of the cellar.
Qu. The East side 1 You are quite sure. Miss Partridge 1
Ans. Yes.
Qu. What kind of a wall is it ?
Ans. It was a wall 
Qu. Of stone, I suppose t
Ans. Yes.
Very well ; all tho walls are of stone, of course.

37
Qu. Now as to the plastering of the ceiling— Do you know-
any thing of that 1
Ans. The ceiling was all newly plastered, and pardy down on
the wall, where it broke off You could see a blue or green
streak where the new plaster was joined on.
By Dr. Broii^nlee. Was it light in the cellar so that yon
could see ?
Ans. Yes : perfectly light.
By Mr. Stone. The cellars are all very well lighted. Doctor.
Qu. Miss Partridge, you aro quite certain of all this 1
Ans. Yes.
Geildemen, it is important to pay attention to these points.
Question by Miss Partridge Did you go up all the stairs 1
Ans. I believe I did.
Qu. by Miss P. Did you go up the long stairway leading frora
Notre Dame Street?
Ans. The stair way, did you say, leading from Notre Darae
street ! Are you quite sure 1
At this instant Maria Monk jogged her, and interposed — " The
congregational nunnery, you raean !"*
Mr. Stone. I ara talking to Miss Partridge, Miss Monk. You'
are certain. Miss Partridge, that it is the long stair-way leading from
the Hotel Dieu into Notre Dame street ?
* The convent of La Congregation de Notre Dame, is in Notre Dame street,
and forms a range of buildings 234 feet in front, and 433 in depth, alone St.
Jean Baptiste street; besides the principal edifice, it contains numerous de
tached buildings, and a large garden. The Hotel Dieu stands on the South
or South East corner of a large block, formed, by St. Paul street on the East,.
St. Jean Baptiste street on the North, Notre Darae Street'Onthe West, and St.
Joseph street on the South. The Congregational nunnery stands on the North,
or north west corner of the block fronting on Notre Dame street. Thus the two
nunneries are on the opposite sides ofthe block, and at diagonally opposite cor
ners — one fronting to the East, and the other to die West. The Congregationai
nunnery is composed of sixty Sisters, and the object ofthe institution is female
instruction in its different branches. The business of the Sisters is giving in
struction ; and they often send missionaries into diff'erent parts of the District
to take charge of parish schools. It has formerly been the unwise practice
of many protestants in the United States, to send their daughters to this nun-'
nery for their education.

38
Ans. Yes — that is the one. [or words equivalent.]
Gendemon, these inquiries are important, and must be kept in
tnind. Question by Mr. Sione.- Well, Miss Partridge, we will come
to the cellars again : Pray tell rae which of the cellars under the
hospital has been the latest whitewashed, during the present
season 1
Ans. Why — they have all been whitewashed this summer.
Qu. What — all the vaults and cellars t Are you quite sure.
Miss Partridge ?
-4ns. Yes : all of thera have been thoroughly whitewashed.
Qu. Are you not raistaken about all being whitewashed 1
Ans. No : I know it, for I helped to whitewash them myself.
Why, (turning to Miss Monk) Maria, you have helped mo to white
wash thera, hav'nt you 1
To which I understood Maria to assent.
This examination of the latest pattern of an escaped nun, was
sufficient. I told her that that was enough, and turning to her
friends I remarked — Gentleraen, that woman has not been in the
Hotel Dieu at all. She is an impostor. She is imposing false
hoods upon you. I assure you, upon my honor, and frora my
own personal knowledge and observation, that all she has told us
here is false. There has been no new wall built where she de
scribes, or in any other place. I have examined every inch of
ground. There have been none of the alterations of which she
speaks — not the reraoval of a wall, a partition, or a board. She
does not know, gentleraen, even where tho Convent is situated,
for she has located it on the wrong street, and .on the wrong side
of a very large block. Three times has she said there is a large
stairway, and a passage frora the Convent directly into Notre-
Dame street, — whereas the Convent is far away from that street,
without any opening or communication thither. But, more than
all, gentleraen, on the subject of the whitewashing. All that she
has said is false. Not a single cellar, or vault, of that Convent,
has ever been whitewashed! The walls are as dark and bare of
lirae as when they were first buik, a century ago. This fact I
know, from having just examined every one of them with the

39
closest scrutiny. And yet she says she helped to whitewash them,
and Maria, too, says she has formerly helped hor I It is all false,
gendemen. Question by Dr. Brownlee. — But, Miss Partridge, how many
stories are there, underground?
Ans. Only two, underground. Oh, I believe the lower one
underground has not been whitewashed.
By Mr. Stone. — That does not help the matter at all. Doctor.
In the first place there is no such tbing as two stories underground.
And in the second, the first and only story underground has never
been whitewashed at all. It is all false.
Having thus spoken. Miss Partridge drew back with affected
dignity, intimating that she would say no more to me, if I presumed
to deny her having been in tbe Nunnery. I thereupon turned to
Miss Monk.
Qu. Well, Miss Monk, how happened it that when you escaped
froiTi the Nunnery, after coming round the wing into the yard,
and within a very few feet of the wide gate into St. Joseph street,
you turned so short about, almost crossing your track, and
finally went out across the grounds, and into Jean Baptiste street 1
By Mr. Slocum. — We have never supposed that the drawing
was laid down exactly right ; the poor girl was so frightened that
it is no wonder if she did not know exactly how she did get out.
Qu. You are quite sure. Miss Monk, that you passed out across
the [garden] grounds, into Jean Baptiste street ?
Ans. Yes.
Qu. But, Miss Monk, there are several high walls in the way — ¦
all solid stone walls — and the outer wall is some twenty feet high.
 Pray how did you get over these obstacles 1
Ans. I went out through tbe .gates.
Mr. Stone. — But there are no gates — the walls are solid, mas
sive stone.
Miss Monk.— It was so then : I don't know what alterations
have been made since.
I now turned, and reraarked to the company—" Gentleraen,
this is utterly untrue. There is no passage in that direction.
There are no gates. The wall is as solid as when built a cen
tury ago."

40
¦ Sorae general remarks were made by the circle, about the
possibility of the alterations having been made, and yet the spec
tator, or tlie public, being kept in ignorance of thera. I replied to
these objections much in the manner of my reraarks upon that
point, in the preceding narrative of my visit to the Convent. " Mr.
Dwight," I remarked, " Dp you suppose it would be possible for
a builder to send his workmen to the Park and build up tbe por
tals of the City Hall, with sohd mason work, without the work
men being seen, or the alteration attracting the public notice ? And
do you suppose that by the day after such an alteration had been
made, the people would forget that there had ever been such a
porta) there t The thing is impossible : and equally impossible
would it be for the priests and nuns to make the alterations for
which you contend, without the knowledge ofthe people of Mon
treal, wbo are passing and repassing the Convent every hour and
moment ofthe day.
I now resumed the examination of Maria Monk.
Qu. Miss Monk, in your book you speak of finding a certain
book in the Superior's room, containing a record for two years,
of the entrance of novices into the Convent, and the births of
children, all of which were murderpd?
Ans. Yes.
Qu. How many pages did that book, contain 1
Ans. I do not reraeraber.
Qu. Can you not recollect how many pages are stated in your
bookl Ans. No— I told Mr. Dwight as near as I could recollect, and
he put it down.
Mr. Stone. — Very well: I will help you. Your book says
there were about one hundred pages. Now, Miss Monk, how
raany pages did you say were written over 1
Ans. I don't recollect. I told Mr. Dwight as near as I could.
By 3Iiss Partridge, and Miss Monk — We could never have
time to count the pages of such a book — We should not dare to
look at such a book more than two minutes, and how could we
count the pages ?
Mr. Stone. Very well : I will help you again. You sav in

41
your book, that one quarter of the book was written through —
making twenty-five pages. Now, Miss Monk, can you tell how
many entries there were on each page 1
Ans. I do not recollect.
Mr. Stone. — Then I will assist you again. You say there were
about fifteen entries on a page. Now, Miss Monk, can you inform
me how many of these twenty-five pages were devoted to record
ing the entries of novices, and how raany to the births of infants,
all of which were murdered 1
Ans. No. I don't reraeraber the exact number. I told Mr.
Dwight as near as I could.
Mr. Stone. — Very vyell : your book says " Several of these
pages" were devoted to recording the births of infants. Now,
how raany do you raean by "severail"
Ans. Why, that's a strange question. Of course more 'than
one. Mr. Stone. — But that will not answer. If what you say is true,-
those were deeply iraportant records — nothing less than the births
and murder of children. — We must endeavor to arrive at some
degree of precision. About how many do you mean by several?
Surely you can forra some opinion.
Miss Monk hesitated ; and several of the gendemen intimated
that I was pursuing an unfair method of examination ; to which I
replied, " Not at all, gentlemen : this is an iraportant point. It
must be pushed home to get at the truth."
Mr. Dwight. — You might as well ask her how large is a piece
of chalk.
Mr. Stonc-r-That will do very well for a get-off, Mr; Dwight.
But I must have an answer of some sort. Now, Mr. Dwight,
what do you understand by several, inthe sense you have used it
in writing the book 1 Suppose a book of one hundred pages —
twenty-five of which were written over, and " several" of which
were devoted to a particular subject. In such a case you would
suppose that " several" would imply as many as five or six, would
you not 1
Mr. Dwight.— I should think that about right.
Mr. Stone  Very well— we will take five. (To which Miss
6

42
Menk assented.) We have now five pages of the records of births
of infants, which have been born and murdered within two years
—fifteen on a page. Now, gentlemen^ I remarked, there are but
thirty-six nuns in the convent 
Miss Monk turned round, smihng at my assertion, and said
there were raany raore.
No, gentlemen, (I continued) there are but thirty-six nuns, and
some four or five novices.*
Dr. Brownlee. — We say there are more. How can you prove
that there are but thirty-six 1
Mr. Stone. — Nay, Sir, the proof does not rest upon me. I as
sert the fact.
Several Gentlemen.-^Yon must prove there are no more.
Dr. Brownlee. — Miss Partridge, you were in tbe Nunnery
when Mr. Perkins, with the committee, made their examination,
were you not 1
Miss Partridge. — I was. '
Dr. Brownlee. — How many Nuns were in the Convent that
dayl How many were sent off before tbe comraittee came?
Miss Partridge. — I don't know how many were sent away.
There were only nineteen in the nunnery that day. A good many
were sent offi
Mr. Stone. — Gentlemen, this is all nonsense. That woraan
has never been in tbe Nunnery at all, and there were none sent off
on the occasion referred to — it's all folly to suppose any such
thing. Several.— But the proof rests with you.
3Ir. Stone. — No, gentlemen : not at all. I assert the fact, that
there are, and have been but thirty-six nuns in the Hotel Dieu
That was the original number of the foundation — it has always
been the nuraber, and no raore. For the truth of this assertion, I
can appeal to the history of the institution — to the whole people
of Montreal — to ray own observation. I then added 
" Gendemen, there are but thirty-six Nuns in that Convent 
* There are, in fact, but thirty-four nuns at present in the Convent— thirty-
'eix being the full number.

43
more— considerably more— than one half of those Nuns are too
far advanced in life to become the mothers of young children. And
yet we have, by Miss Monk's statement, five pages of records.
fifteen births and murders to the page, and all whhin the period
of two years, and not raore than twelve or fifteen nuns who would
probably bear children." Then turning to Maria, I asked—
" Pray, Miss Monk, will you be so good as to inforra rae how
many children a-piece those Nuns have every year ?"
There was no direct answer.
I next adverted to her plan and drawings of the interior of the
Nunnery, and asked how it happened that every thing was so un
like, that we found it irapossible to trace any reserablance ? Re
ference, in reply, was again made to the alleged alterations. These
I of course denied, from my positive knowledge that none such
had been made.
Mr. Slocum. We never supposed they were put down exactly
correct. They were according to the best of her recollection.
We never supposed they were correct as to feet and inches.
Mr Stone. — I care nothing about feet and inches. I merely
ask for some remote similitude — sorae distant resemblance —
which there is not. And I asked them — Gentlemen, do you be
lieve it possible that any woraan of common intelligence, could
have 'resided in any building, no raatter what, for a series of years,
without being able, on leaving it, to retain sorae distinct irapression
concerning the location and general appearance of some one apart
ment ?
Miss Monk. But I am willing to go to Montreal. All I want is
to go, and prove what I say on the spot.
Mr. Stone. — Still you appear to be dreadfully afraid that the'
priests will kill you.
Mr. Slocum. It is not so. She is not afraid, and is anxious to go.
Mr. Stone. — Very weU. It may be so. I have only her own
word for it. It is so stated by herself half a dozen times in the
pamphlet giving an account of your interview whh the Canadian
Gentleraein at Mr. Dwight's book-store.
To'my own personal knowledge it was objected that the time
occupied by me in the exploration was altogether inadequate to
a thorough exaraination. I replied that they were raistaken ; and

44
assured Doc^. Brownlee and Mr. Dwight that if they would only
go to Montre^il, and visit the Hotel Dieu, they would see in twenty
minutes tirae how. utterly raistaken they were in all tbis matter.
They would see the utter impossibility of the ridiculous and
baseless tales of these women. But Dr. Brownlee said he would
not venture to place himself there, nor would he think of making
an examination unless he went with masons and carpenters &c. &c.
But I had yet one point raore in reserve, and proceeded —
Qu. Miss Monk, about those said trap-doors — how many are
there 1
By Several. — What do you call trap-doors ?
Mr. Stone. I mean the old-fashioned trap-doo,rs — such as were
formerly common in farm-houses — raised up from the floor on
opening, and leading to the cellars : How many were there. Miss
Monk ?
Ans. One,
Qu. Only one ?
Ans. I never saw but one.
Qu. Where was that 1
Ans. In the cellar, leading to the secret passage of the priests.
Gendemen, (I remarked,) it is very clear that this woraan has
never been in the cloister of the Hotel Dieu. Thefe are quite a
number of trap-doors, opening from the principal apartments into
the vaults and store-rooms below. These could not have been
unseen and unknown by a resident. I have opened thera all and
examined the vaults below, l certainly opened from four to
six, and there can be no mistake. As to the one trap-door of
which she speaks, I know there is none there — and never was. I
mean where she has laid down the secret passage— which also does
not exist. These, gentlemen, are facts upon which it is not possible
that I should be mistaken, '
I had now proceeded far enough, and attained my object. The
proof was as clear as though written with a sun-beam, that the
woraen were both impostors, and had never been inmates of the
cloister. I rose, and in taking my departure, once raore earnestly
appealed to the gentlefnen present, to discard them at once. I
told them it was high time that they should cease listening to the
alsehoods — as falsehoods their stories we're, from begloiiing to

45
end,---fl,na it was high time, moreover, that this community should
be disabused of their impostures. They urged me to remain
longer— saying that they were not half through with tbeir proofs.
1 replied that no farther proofs were necessary. I had proved
them to be impostors from their own lips; and with such aban
doned woraen I could have nothing raore to do. Nor would I re
main longer with them. Perceiving, moreover, as I thought, that
the gentleraen were so blinded by their prejudices, as to be inchned^
to believe thera rather than rae, I was the more deterrained to depart.
Dr, Brownlee attended me to the door, and urged rae to return, I
still decHned— and reraarked to the good Doctor, at the door, that it
was high time that men of sense should give up this business, —
that within my own knowledge, those women were iraposing on
them a pack of lies, — whereat the Dr. waxed rather warm ; and
said —
Dr. Brownlee. — I have as much right to call you a liar, as you
have them.
Mr. Stone. — Very well, if you choose to do so;
Dr. Brownlee. — In the same sense in which you say they lie,
I may say you lie. You say they have not been in the Nunnery.
I have a right to say you have not been there.
Mr. Stone. — But I have been there, and from ray own know
ledge I know that they are telling you falsehoods.
Dr. Brownlee. — Your story is all a humbug ; and if you go to
publishing any thing,' recollect that we have got a press too 1
Mr. Stone. — I shall take my own course. Doctor, [or words
equivalent.] Dr. Brownlee. — In the sarae sense in which you say they lie, I
[raay] say you have not been there, and that you lie, [or are a liar,]
Mr. Stone. — Good afternoon, Dr, Brownlee !
Such is a faithful account of my first and only interview with
the pretended Nuns, and their special friends. I have endeavored
to write it out with all fairness and impartiality — preserving all
that was essential to the case, and, as far as possible, in the Words
that were used. The sense, certainly, has been faithfully pre
served  for my memory is rarely at fault, when I have the busi
ness of reporting in hand.

46
The reader will probably agree with me, that it was time to
close the interview; and it would, I fear, have been terminated
with less of courtesy on ray part, had it not been for the cloth, and
for the personal regard which I have ever entertained for the re
verend genderaan. I well understood that in his honest zeal
againit the Papal cause, he had become niore excited than he^
was aware of, and I took ray departure, only pained that men of
sense should show such a spirit, and allow themselves to be made
such egregious dupes of, by two ofthe most shallow impostors that
I held ever seen. One of the apostles speaks of certain men in
latter days, who among other things, were to " raake captive ?illy
women." The case is here reversed — "Silly woraen," are
" making captive'' men of sense. How melancholy, methought,
while wending my steps homeward, to see grave theologians, and
intelligent laymen thus pinning themselves to the aprons of such
women! -,.\<-
Maria Monk has now been sufficiently long in New York, to
enable all who raay have desired the honor, to form an estimate
of her character frora a personal interview. I am inforraed that
she has for most of the tirae been easy of access, and has not been
backward inexhibiting herself in our churches, and at other public
places, nor in visiting among those of our citizens who have
opened their doors for ber reception. She has been frequently
seen in the stores and offices of her several publishers, and espe
cially in the houses of that small portion of our clergy who have
taken a benevolent interest ii) her welfare, regarding her, as they
probably have done, as a penjitent and reformed profligate — a lone
and desolate female, who needed sympathy and counsel. Her
character in Montreal is notorious. She was a vicious profligate
" on the town," and was taken into a Magdalen asylum, in 1834,
with the hope of reformation. It was a Catholic establishraent —
the rites, ceremonies, discipline adopted by Mrs. M'Donell, were
those of conventual life, and it is from these that she has borrowed
what her book contains upon that subject, and by an inaccurate
representation has attempted to palra off upon the world a carrica-
ture of the same, as the observances of a convent of which, it is
as clear as any established truth whatever, that she was never an
inmate. Several of the persons whora she has represented as

47
sister nuns, were merely sister Magdalen*, of whom tbe celebrated
Jane Ray was one. Persisting in her sinful and impure propeu'
sities, she was dismissed frora the asylum in a state of pregnancy,
and thence, connected, probably, in sorae way with Mn Hoyte,
a Protestant Jesuit, in no good odour among the truly religious
people of Montreal, she found her way into this city. She is not
very old, and is pert, brazeh and rather pretty.
Since her residence in this city, there have been many atterapts
to reawaken interest in her behalf, by marvellous tales of attempts
to spirit her away, and several times, for longer or shorter periods,
she has been fpund among the missing. At one time, it was said
she had been abducted and was kept in mysterious durance at
Brooklyn. At another time, as I have been informed, she was
concealed by the Rev. Mr. Bourne, in Springfield, (N. J.) — pro
bably at her own request, to escape the importunities and annoy
ance of Mr. Hoyte, whose presence and interference in her affairs
had then become offensive to her. But albeit Mr. Bourne took
her to Newark in one conveyance, and to Springfield in another,
with all possible secresy, the jealous eyes of Mr. Hoyte were too
sharp for him, and he dogged them all the way. And when the
latter found that he could not gain access to her, because of the
discreet protection ofthe lady whose bouse had become her place
of retreat, — ascertaining, moreover, that his numerous letters,
conveyed to her by artifices reserabling a lover's ingenuity, and
betraying all the ardor of another youthful Romeo, remained un
answered — he contrived by tbe aid of some ladies in his own
interest to decoy her again into his power — thus defeating the
vigilance of the faithful matron to whose care she had been con- ^
fided, as well as the plans of her friend Mr. Bourne.
» There have also been some " quarrels," not only of " authors,"
but of printers and publishers, and booli sellers, &c. in regard to
the copyright of her " Awful Disclosures," a relation of which
might contribute more to the amusement than the edification ofthe
reader. I therefore pass thera over, for the benefit of some
future D'Israeli, who may desire to write the history thereof for
the benefit of posterity. Some of the suits, moreovbr, are still
pendigg ; and respect for the eonstituted authofitieg forbids the

48
discussion of such delicate matters mbjudice. Of her hook, how
ever, many thousand copies have been sold, from which the book
sellers have made a good deal of money, while as yet poor Maria
has probably made very little. Indeed she is a fitful credulous
creature — a child of freak and impulse — who has probably been
as rauch of a dupe herself, as the public have been dupes of her-
Moreover her sanity is seriously questioned bjr raany, and sorae res
pectable physicians who have met with her, have declared that
upon their professional oaths, they would pronounce her to be non
compos mentis. There is said at tiraes to be a wildness in her
eyes — an unsteadiness and spasraodic starting of her nerves, an
incoherent raving, and an absence of mind, which lead her fre
quently to fly off in a tangent from one subject to another ; — and
dwelling upon sorae circurastance connected with real or imagi
nary wrongs, and an imaginary conspiracy against her life, of
the Popish priests, she is sometimes suspicious of the raotives and
designs of every one she meets. These, and other peculiarities
have induced, in some scientific men, the opinion that she is of
unsound mind. If such be the fact, she is doubly an object of
compassion. Certainly she is a subject of great mental imbe
cility ; and it is not impossible that her criminal courses have
been more her misfortune, than her fault — and that the guilt of her
sins will lie at the door of others whora God will judge.
Having fallen into the hands of Mr. Hoyte, after her disraissal
from the asylum of Mrs. M'Donell, that gentleman, knowing the
blind zeal and credulity of the anti-Papists, par excellence, hit upon
the expedient, as it is believed, of eliciting the public sympathies
in her favor, and bringing out a book, from which great profits
were to be realised. When her case became known in New
York, certain Protestant clergymen, morbidly credulous in relation
to every thing concerning Popery, convents, priests and nuns,
becarae greatly interested in her story — the fancy-work, probably,
of more imaginations than her own. Her tales were all endorsed
by Hoyte, and the houses, Jiearts, and purses of all were opened
to the supposed nun and her guardian. It was soon discovered,
however, that Hoyte had " seven principles" upon the subject,
viz : " the five loaves and two fishes ;" and his judicious advisers

49
caused his dismission from her affairs, and as her protector. The
Rev. Mr. Slocum became her guardian, and a very estimable and
conscientious literary gentleman, Mr. Dwight, was employed to
write her narrative from her own verbal recitals.
In due tirae the volume was ushered forth to the public, and
then came the scramble already referred to, among ministers and
writers and printers, for the division of the spoils— each party claim
ing to favor the interest of Maria, while she, poor creature, knew
not whom among the whole she ought to trust. Her ancient
predelictions for Hoyte, had induced her to give him a legal
claim to the copyright, and yet her distrust having been
awakened, she gave similar powers of attorney, to one or more
of the other parties — revoking the forraer; and when the
stereotype plates were prepared, it was found that more than one
or two claimants were awaiting their delivery, all having written
orders under the sign manual of Maria Monk. Again, when the
book was published, there were injunctions granted and rescinded,
and divers other tribulations, giving a brisk business to the pro
fession, from the Chancellor himself to the Attorney, until there
was danger that the whole of the profits would be swallowed
up by htiga,tion. To end the difficulties, it was agreed, as I have
been informed, that Maria should receive eight cents per copy
from the sales. These sales have been great, notwithstanding
the manifold internal evidences of the imposture contained, in the
work itself. The reason is found in the mystery which hangs
about a Convent, and in the fact that it is a tale of lust and blood
— essential ingredients in but too many of the anti-popery pub
hcations of the day. So much for Maria Monk. And now —
Who is this Frances Partridge, the newly arrived nun, who
has recently arrived araong us not only to confirm the " Awful
Disclosures" of Maria Monk, but freighted with disclosures more
awful still ? The following is an extract from an account of her,
published in this city by her friends, and contained in a ridiculous
appeal wbich these enthusiasts are making to the venerable Chief
Justice *Sewell, of Lower Canada, founded upon the stories of
Maria, and this her new ally : —
" On the sixteenth of August, 1835, verbal intelligence was
7

50
'received in New York, that a nun from the Hotel Dieu Convent
' of Montreal, had taken refuge in a Protestant's house, in the
' interior of the siaie of New York, and on the 22d day of that
' raonth, a letter arrived frora a getitleman, confirming that state-
• raent. Measures were iramediately taken to ascertain all the
' circumstances which are connected with that unexpected and
' surprising event ; and on the 26th of August, that nun arrived
' in the city of New York. I have thus been minutely explicit,
* that if any person can invalidate my exposition ofthe occurrence,
' they may have every facility to detect its incoherence.
" The nun's conventual name was Sainte Frances Patrick.
' Some raonths ago, five nuns in connection with two of tbe priests,
'all of whora had becorae in a measure disgusted with the hypo-
' critical mummery and the inordinate dissoluteness of their
' habitual course, agreed to escape from their horrible bondage.
' By some means, which it is unnecessary to detail, their plot was
' discovered ; and the vengeance of that prelatical inquisitor —
' Monsiegneur Jean Jacques Lartigue, Eveque de Telmesse en
' Lycie," S^c. ^c, was effused upon those rebels to Papal author-
' ity. One ofnhe priests has been raurdered ; two ofthe nuns also
' have been despatched into the eternal world — and Frances
' Patrick herself was immured in one ofthe " dungeons of despair,"
' attached to that raelancholy habitation, where " owls dwell, and
' satyrs dance," — Isaiah xiii, 21. There she was imraured six
' weeks and three days, and was finally released through the in-
' tercession of some of her canonical relatives ; upon the implied
' engagement, to exert aU her ingenuity and to devote all her en-
' ergies to the destruction of Maria Monk, and her " Awful Dis-
' closures." " For this purpose Frances Patrick, oV Partridge's, departure
' from the Convent was tacitly permitted ; that she raight aid, as
' the Jesuits designed, in trepanning Maria Monk into l?heir power.
" She departed from the Convent on July 20 ; and it was in-
' stantly suspected by the priests, that as the result of her eraanci-
' pation frora their thraldora, she would add her testiraony *to that of
'Maria Monk, and thus seal the deathless infamy ofthe Canadian
' nunneries. Having raade all needful arrangements to escape into

51
'the United States, she left Montreal on July 21; but she had
' travelled a few railes only, ere her flight was discovered, and two
' Roraan priests, Joseph Marcoux and Louis Dibla followed in
' pursuit, and traced her from one place to another, until she was
' upon the very point of being recaptured, at Turin, N. Y.
" It is proper also to state to you, that Frances Patrick, or
' Partridge, has been an inmate ofthe Convent during twenty-three
'years; that she is now about 27 years of age ; and that nearly ten
' years ago, she assumed the veil. These circumstances are thus
• minutely detailed, that the utmost exactitude raay be attained, and
' that her personal identity raay be defined so as to preclude all
' mistake." G. B.
" G. B," written out in full, undoubtedly means the Rev.
George Bourne. And a most probable tale, truly, has he made
of it!! Two ofthe priests agreed with five nuns, to escape from
their horrible bondage. Pray who had imprisoned the priests? Surely
they must have imprisoned themselves, and had plotted a plot to
escape from theraselves ! But the plot was not well plotted — they
were found out; and one of the priests and two ofthe nuns, have
been already murdered ! Surely both priests and nuns raust be
very fond of being butchered, else they would hardly remain where
they are killing each other off at that rate ! St. Frances was next
taken from the dungeon where she had been placed as a punish
ment for attempting to run away, and employed as the hopeful
agent of the priests to inveigle Maria Monk back into the Convent !
Most wise and sagacious priests, to employ such an agent, upon
such an enterprise ! But after the bird had flown, they bethought
themselves that instead of protesting the paper of Maria, she
would endorse it — and instead of bringing her back, would stay
away herself! I And so they repented of what they bad done,
and went in pursuit ! Most wise disciples of the Society of Jesus !
Most sagacious descendants of Ignatius Loyola 1 ! If wisdom don't
expire with those sapient priests, she will yet live a long time ! —
Only think of these poor priests locking themselves up in grated
dungeons, which nobody but Maria Monk, and Frances Partridge
ever saw, and crying like Sterne's Stariing — "¦Let me out P""
Well : being pursued, and nearly taken, the flying saint finds her
self in the town of Turin, deep in the woods about half way be-

52
tween Utica and Sackett's Harbor,— and about as convenient a
place to stop at on the way frora Montreal to New York, as East
Greenland would be in going frora New York to Charieston !
But even this is not all. St. Frances Partridge don't know ex
actly whose daughter she is, but she thinks her paternity belongs
to a genderaan in Vermont, — who, forgetting to marry her
mother, sent her to the Hotel Dieu, at a particular season, where
she, the said saint, first opened her eyes upon that interesting
comraunity ! After having been a nun twenty-three years, she es
caped as aforesaid, on the 21st July last past. She raade the first halt
at Turin— from thence she says she went to Rorae, and was there
engaged in teaching a school, and was nevertheless in New York
within about four weeks of her pretended flight! It seeras certain in
deed that she has been in Rome during the late suraraer, for she did
contrive to open a correspondence with one of wisdom's own sons
who is pressing into his goblet the grapes of wisdora that cluster
around the tongue of Doctor Beriah Green, of the Oneida Insti
tute. The ingenuous youth addresses her with deep and awful
reverence, as a superior being to hiraself, and counts upon her
¦Well-stored arraory, I believe, for weapons to use in an effort he
intends making to overturn the papal throne, and hush forever the
thunders of the Vatican I
Nor yet is tbis all the personal history of Miss Saint Frances
Partridge. She declares that she was deputed among the Sisters
ofthe Hotel Dieu, to accompany the comraittee, of which the Rev.
Mr, Perkins was one, in the exaraination made by thera of the
cloister on the 15th of July — six days before she eloped, — and she
relates with great glee, raany arausing instances of the manner in
which that committee was duped and laughed at by the nuns,
Araong other things she declares, that in one of the rooras which
this committee examined in her presence, there was a\closet which
the assistant superior invited the comraittee to exaraine, but which
they politely declined doing as unnecessary. In that closet, at
that precise raoment, as she affirms frora her personal knowledge,
lay the bodies of two dead infants — the victims of clerical adultery
and maternal infanticide ! Now according to this modern Saint, if
this committee had only accepted the invitation of the acting Su
perior to open that closet, they would have discovered this twin

53
evidence, though not living witnesses, of the truth of the " Awful
Disclosures," with which Maria Monk has edified the world, and
which that coraraittee have pronounced to be false! She also
states, that while dissembling with the priests for the purpose of
raaking her escape, she was employed by them to write a volume
in reply to that of Maria Monk, which work she executed ; and
that after she had restored Maria to their power, she herself was to
have been sent to Spain. And yet, such is the invincible blind
ness of the partisans of Maria Monk, that they swallow these most
wretched and preposterous inventions as sober matters of verity !
In regard to the story of the dead infants in the closet, while the
committee was there, — although it may be true that priests and
Nuns live in the indulgence of illicit amours-T-(though we saw
nothing in either of the Nunneries to lead us to question their
moral purity) — although, I repeat, it raay be true that children
have been born and murdered in nunneries — yet, never since the
world began, was a raore absurd and incredible story fabricated
than this, that a coraraittee who were searching the estabUshment
fbr the express purpose of finding the evidences of lust and raurder,
should be introduced by the nuns into the very roora, and pointed
to the closet, containing the double proof of their daraning guilt,
and requested to exaraine it, cannot be believed by any effort of
faith of which a sober mind is capable, To credit it implies that
the inraates were not only daily repeating their deeds of infaray
and blood, but that these murdered diildren were left there at the
hazard of detection and exposure, under circumstances indicative
of downright insanity. Yet, astonishing as it may seem, there are
Christian men and rainisters in the city of New York, who greedi
ly swallow the whole, and regard this "awful disclosure" of the
latter Nun, as " confirraation strong as proofs of holy writ" of
the forraer.
It would seera, indeed, as though these people had yielded thera
selves to this species of monoraania, until from mere habit, they
yield a willing credence to any story against the Roman Catholics,
no matter what, or by whomsoever related, so that it be sufficiently
horrible and revolting in its details of licentiousness and blood. It
is melancholy to be obliged to contemplate such credulity, and
such deplorable fanaticism ; and yet the instances are muUiplied

54
wherein such delusion has been wrought by the passionate appeals
of the anti-papist presses. Nor is it to be denied, that such pub
lications as are now deluging the country, fomenting the popular
prejudices and appealing to the basest passions of our nature —
teeming, as they do, with loathsome and disgusting details of crimi
nal voluptuousness, under the garb of religion, are ominous of
fearful results, especially frora their influence upon the rising ge
neration of both sexes. No patriot, philanthropist, or Christian,
if not already inoculated with the virus of fanaticism and intoler
ance, can reflect upon this subject, under its present aspect, with
out painful forebodings of the future.
But I am not even yet ready to conclude this appendix to my
narrative of my visit to the Convent of the Hotel Dieu. In conse
quence ofthe occasional dash of pleasantry with which the mono
tony of the visit was relieved, and which was preserved in writing
out the account of the visit, remarks have been raade which have
already reached my ears, insinuating that I am disposed to coraraend
the monastic system. It has been kindly hinted that I have becorae
" semi-papist," and that in putting down the wretched imposture
of Maria Monk, in disproving her " disclosures," I have writtai* a
panegyric upon the life of the nuns, as led in the cloister of the
Hotel Dieu, the tendency ofwhich will be to attract novices within
its gloomy walls. Others have intiraated that now that the pleas
ures of a monastic life have been attested by a protestant eye
witness, there is danger that our wives and daughters will elope
from their husbands and parents to enjoy the domestic sweets of
the nunnery !
The infatuation ofthe public raind upon this subject, and the
necessity of remonstrance and expostulation, can scarce be ren
dered more apparent, than by this simple relation of the fact, that
I have been thus misrepresented even in circles of intelligent pro
testants. In self-vindication, I have only to say to those not thus
bewildered, that, in my view, a sense of justice and common ho
nesty, requires the truth to be spoken ahke of popery and nunne
ries, though we may have no fellowship with the one, or design of
approving the other. Far be it from rae to contribute in the re
motest degree to the vindication of the system of popery, in any
of its forras, from the charges justly made against it by Luther and

55 i
the Reformers ; nor has my visit to Montreal in any measure
weakened my protestant faith, or diminished my hostility to the
manifold corruptions of the Church of Rome. On the contrary,
stronger than ever, if possible, is my belief, that the celibacy of
the priesthood, and of the female recluses, is contrary to the laws
of nature and of God ; and I can but attribute the vows and pri-
vatijpiis voluntarily assumed by the Nuns, as the effects of misan
thropy or delusion, to which Christianity is unalterably and irre
concilably opposed.
Still, however, I have been asked, " Cui bono ? Why should
you defend the Romanists? Even if the "Awful Disclosures" of
Maria Monk are untrue in relation to the Hotel Dieu at Montreal,
is there not ample evidence that such practices have prevailed in
other nunneries, and other countries? And is it not the legitimate
fruit of the system of monachism, that corruption and crime may
easily exist under the concealment of the cloister 1" To which I
reply with the christian sentiment uttered by a heathen — Fiat
justitia, ruat cmlum." There is, moreover, an essential difference
between taking sides with satan, and defending even him from
false accusation. The question I have been examining, is not
whether Popery be true, or the priests of Rome holy, or the nuns
virtuous, but simply and only this : Whether the loathsome reve
lations of Maria Monk, and Frances Partridge, are true or false,
in regard to the priests and nuns of Montreal ? The iraportance
of a correct decision of this question, grows out of tljp extensive
credit which her book has obtained, and the interest which every
man, whether Protestant or Catholic, has in the suppression of
vice, fhe prevention of crime, and the maintenance of truth. The
fact already confessed, that I was, myself, at times, alraost if not
quite a believer in her book, in common with multitudes of others,
of perhaps less credulity, led to the desire of an opportunity of
examining for myself; and as circumstances favored the gratifica
tion of this desire, I entered upon an inspection of the premises,
with a determination of making a rigid and impartial scrutiny.
The result is before the reader ; and having ascertained from the
evidence of their own declarations, and ray own senses, that nei
ther Maria Monk nor Frances Partridge has been an inmate of
the Convent from which they pretend to have escaped, I cannot.

66
and will not, withhold the public expression of my deliberate con
viction, that the book of Miss Monk is a vile and infamous fabri
cation ; that she and the pretended St. Frances are both arrant
irapostors ; both of which if not protected by the convenient plea
of insanity, deserve to be punished by the laws ofthe land.
f^\ cannot but laraent, in common with all Protestants, the crimes
/ and corruptions of the Church of Rome ; especially do I deplore
L,the increase of tbe professors of that creed, in our own country.
l^ut still I cannot as a professing Protestant, withhold the evidence
in my possession to protect them from calumny and falsehood.
At the sarae tirae, I am free to confess that I have yet another ob
ject in view, viz : the emancipation of my own countrymen from the
bondage of prejudice, superinduced by the raost flagrant iraposture.
This task I have atterapted to perform, honestly, and according
to the best of ray ability, without fear, favor, or affection. In so
doing, I have believed rayself to be likewise performing a
duty to Protestant Christianity in the light of truth ; since I be
lieve the most sovereign antidote to the march of popery will ever
be found in that divine attribute ; and if the Papal power can only
be overthrown by fraud, falsehood and imposture, I say, for one,,
let it stand.
And now, having thus acquitted myself in this matter, I have
litde anxiety how many or how few among my fellow citizens,
choose to believe what I have written. I shall not be surprised,
or persona,lly afflicted, if the whole tribe of the believers in Maria
Monk, should believe in her still ; since, in this free country, every
man has a right to the enjoyment of his own opinion. Still, for
, the sake of the public morals and the public tranquility, I could
/ heartily wish that no more of this description of anti-popery litera-
j ture should be thrown from thoi Araerican press. The evils in
flicted upon our whole population, by such publications, are not
j properly appeciated, or they would long since have received the
; stern rebuke of our moralists. They are extensive and to a de-
'^ree irreparable. Among the raost prominent of these evils is tbe
increase of Popery itself — the certain result of intolerance and
persecution — more especially when such persecution is founded in
' falsehood and imposture.
New York, Wednesday, October 12, 1836.

3 9002 00577

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