MONTSERRAT, a celebrated monastery of the Benedictines, in Spain. It is about nine leagues to the northwest of Barcelona, being situated on the right bank of the river Llobregat, on an insulated mountain nearly eight leagues in circumference, and raising its head above the surrounding hills till it reaches the height of 3300 feet. It appears, from the road to it, like a huge pile of most enormous bowls, the bitumen which joined the stones having been decomposed. As the traveller ascends, he observes vegetation gradually decreasing, till towards the top, when it entirely ceases, and nothing is presented to the view but naked rocks, separated like pillars, forming various pyramids, varying in height from 20 to 150 feet. The ascent, though steep and fatiguing, is not dangerous, as far as the church, which is large and richly ornamented; but the constant smoke of upwards of eighty lamps lighted with oil has sullied the statues and pictures, and dimmed the brilliancy of the silver. The number of monks and lay-brothers residing here amounts to upwards of one hundred; besides which, there are twenty-five boys who officiate in the choir, with a physician, surgeon, and servants. Besides those who reside in the convent, there are several of the monks who live in a kind of hermitage or oratory on the pinnacle of several of the insulated rocks. These hermits are supplied with food twice in the week, and their gardens yield some
Montser- fruits. They are not permitted to eat meat, or to con-
rat. verse with each other, but live a life of perfect solitude, possibly of devotion, during the whole day, excepting when they descend to the general service, which is performed in the church of the convent. The term of the noviciate for the ordinary monks is six months; but those who wish to live in one of the hermitages must pass six years of very severe probation before they can be allowed to reside in them. Although the romantic situation, the extensive and varied prospects, and the natural curiosities of the place, draw to it many travellers who are not infected with any devotional feeling, yet the number of real votaries is very great. These come to say prayers, to pass a few days in devotion and contemplation, to kiss with reverence the hand of a miraculous image of the holy Virgin; and, what is of most importance to the institution, to deposit votive offerings, which are eagerly accepted by the recluse inhabitants. By the rules of the order, they are bound to maintain for three days every pilgrim who comes to pay his devotions to the sacred image. The devotees are allowed bread in the morning, broth at noon, and bread again at night. Although this parsimonious kind of hospitality is not very expensive for each individual who arrives, yet the number is so great that the annual cost is considerable; and although the presents from the rich far exceed the cost of their maintenance, yet these presents are preserved carefully till they are quite spoiled by age. Their original endowment was only the mountain; but by rigid economy they have, in the course of ages, been enabled to purchase considerable estates in the vicinity. Some of these, indeed, have been appropriated by the government to its own use, and probably at no distant period the remainder may share the same fate.
It is singular that there should be always a number of candidates, both for the cells of the monks and for the hermitages of the recluses. They make a vow never to quit the mountain, and they are not allowed to enter into holy orders. This may perhaps account for the continuance of those who are once admitted; but it is not easy for Protestants to understand that state of mind which induces men in the full vigour of their bodily and mental faculties to withdraw from the world, and abandon every pursuit but that of inactive devotion and the tiresome repetition of prayers, with no variety to amuse and no excitement to animate them.