The Monastery, it is evident from the remains of
its ruins, and from the boundary wall, still entire, must have been of
prodigious extent. M. Boderie informed me, that the plan, of which
he had seen an engraving, showed it to have been one of the most
considerable in the kingdom: some idea may be formed of its former
celebrity and extent by the remains of six hundred fire-places being
still traceable. A colonnade surrounded the whole, forming an oblong
square, in the centre of which was a jet d'eau, with several smaller
ones, the basins of which are still to be seen; the space within
formed a garden, with delicious walks, resembling those in the Palais
Royal.
The gate-way remains perfect, excepting only that the images over the
side doors have been mutilated. The one in the centre (over the great
entrance) is still in excellent preservation, and appears to be finely
executed: it is the figure of the Virgin Mary in gray marble, the
size of life, seated, with the infant Jesus in her arms. On a scroll
beneath are these letters:--
ECCE MATER
TVA.
1760.
Several old chesnut trees and elms still remain, which once formed
a fine avenue in front of the building, from whence the prospect is
strikingly beautiful. The eye passes over rocks, rugged, broken, and
abrupt towards their summits, crowned and darkened with wood; and the
narrow road winding between the trees, until it loses itself in the
forest, forms a feature very gratifying to the traveller.
Pages:
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40