The interest attached to this extraordinary place is of so popular
a character as fully to justify its introduction to our pages. It is
situate at the southern extremity of the ancient province of Normandy,
a district of considerable importance in the early histories of France
and England. The "Mount" is likewise one of the most stupendous of
Nature's _curiosities_, it being _one mass of granite_, and
referred to by geologists as a fine specimen of that primary or
primitive rock; or, to speak untechnically, of that rock "which is most
widely spread over the globe in the lowest relative situation," and
which contains no remains of a former world.[1] St. Michael's therefore
stands pre-eminently in the sublime philosophy of Nature. It figures
also in the page of man's history: its early celebrity is recognised in
the chronicles of olden France and England; and it promises note in the
history of our own times; since to this monastic spot will the political
balance of France, in all probability, exile the person of the ambitious
Polignac, ex-minister of France. The reader will perhaps suspect the
political concatenation of Lulworth Castle, the Hotel de Ville, and the
Palais Royal in our last volume; and the Prison of Vincennes and Mount
St. Michael in the present. Instead of catching "the manners living as
they _rise_," we appear to be looking out for crowns and ministers
headlong as they _fall_.
St. Michael's is in that portion of Normandy which is not often visited
by English tourists. One of its recent visitors was Mrs. Charles
Stothard, wife of the distinguished artist, who, in 1820, published
a narrative of her journey in, the autumn of 1818. Mrs. Stothard's
description of the "Mount" is dated from Avranches, a coast town of some
consequence, not far from Caen. Speaking of the delightfully situated
town of Avranches, the fair correspondent says,
"Beyond, in the midst of the sea, arises 400 feet above the surface of
the water, the majestic rock of Mount St. Michael, and near it another,
but smaller rock, called the Tombalaine. In the distant and blue horizon
appears the long and extending land of Britanny, mingling with the
surrounding atmosphere, from which it is alone distinguished by
a faint and uncertain line, that, like the prospect of our future
years, impresses the mind with a deeper interest from its distant and
impenetrable form. Mount St. Michael is a league in circumference; in
some parts of the rock is perpendicular; it is flooded entirely at high
water, but when the tide is out, the rock may be approached by the
sands; some danger, however, attends the passage to those who are not
perfectly well acquainted with the track, as many quicksands intercept,
where travellers have frequently been lost.
"There is a small town on Mount St. Michael. The castle, which stands at
the top, is accessible by steps cut in the solid rock. In the year 708,
St. Aubert, Bishop of Avranches, here first created the chapel dedicated
to St. Michael; in 966, Richard the first Duke of Normandy, established
a convent of monks of the order of St. Benoit, and in 1024, Richard
the second Duke of Normandy, built the church, which still exists. The
provisions that supply the fortress, are sent up in a basket drawn by a
machine. Tradition says, that there was in this castle an obligatory, or
concealed trap-door, where, in feudal times, persons were taken, whom
the state directed should be secretly put out of the way. Under pretext,
of showing them the castle, they were conducted into a remote chamber,
there they soon met their destined fate, for chancing to step upon the
concealed door, they were precipitated into the abyss, many hundred feet
below. They still exhibit at this fortress the sword and shield of St.
Michael, and some cannon left by the English, when they made a fruitless
attempt to take possession of the rock. Here it was that in former
times, the Kings of France and the Dukes of Britanny made frequent
pilgrimages, and performed penance at the shrine of St. Michael."
The lofty situation of the church appears to be peculiar to the churches
dedicated to St. Michael. In many parts of the world they are built on
very lofty eminences, in allusion, it is said, to St. Michael's having
been the highest of the heavenly host. St. Michael's, in Cornwall, is
another confirmation of this remark.
We have the pleasure of acknowledging the original of our Engraving
from an elegant Print Scrap Book, now in course of publication by Mr.
H. Dawe. It consists of well executed mezzotinto prints which are worthy
of the album of any fair subscriber.
[1] Primary rocks are supposed by geologists to constitute the
foundation on which rocks of all the other classes are laid;
and if we take an enlarged view of the structure of the globe,
we may admit this to be the fact,--but the admission requires
certain limitations.--Bakewell.
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