OF PARIS , NOW AT COLWICH
431
of them finally found their way to their native country, which had formerly
proscribed them . After a short stay in London they went in 1795 to Marnhull in Dorset . In 1807 they moved to Cannington in Somerset, and finally settled in 1836 at Colwich . To them we are indebted for the first institution in England of the Perpetual Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, besides the other usual good works of the Convent life. We see that it was in contemplation duringthe brief priority of Mother Mary Clare Bond (LXXIII.) ; but inexorable events dissipated the holy project for many years . For an account of the Community, its migrations , etc. , the reader is referred to the sketch of the historyof the house to be obtained at the Convent at Colwich . When the nuns were driven out of France they had little left them of anything. Amongst books kept in the refectory for pious, public reading during meals was one, " The Lives of the Mother Beginners , " from which commemorations were read on the anniversaries of deaths, concluding with a De profundis " for each one's soul. This and the other books had been seized by the municipal officers and never recovered . Fortunatelya copy had been made a short time previously , and was brought over to England . the first book," and concludes with Sister Frances It is here printed.), asbut" omits , except for a brief notice at the end, one nun , Langworth(xxvI and another altogether , both being given in the later book. It occupies 199 pages , about three -quarters of the book, which is on paper 11 by 7 inches. It is thought to have been written by Sister Theresa of the The secondbook Infant Jesus (xxxvII. ), whose signature it agrees with . continues the series down to modern times, occupying 329 pages out of about 670, 13 by 8 inches . The foregoing paper gives particulars of the members, with some genealogical notes. Owing to a request having been made for brief notes these memoirs had been cut down to the most meagre necrology , omitting most oftheir interest. When it was pointed out that extracts from records were against the regulations of the Society , Mother Prioress directed a full transcript to be prepared. This necessarily entailed considerable loss of time over the whole volume , and the memoirs being transferred from their original chronological position to the last of this volume . Many circumstances of importance would otherwise have gone unrecorded ; but above all we must rejoicethat we are not losers of many witnesses of heroic , individual acts of Christian Faith and fortitude of these daughters of St. Benedict , in trying circumstances. They were written for the edification and emulation of the community, and we are now privileged to share them with their descendants. To meet a difficulty which arose these Editorial Notes are fittingly transposed from an introductory position to the last of all . Finally have to thank Mother Prioress and her community for patience in my own difficulties , and also for putting me in communication with the one she knew would be the most welcome correspondent . J. S. H.
"
"
"
I