WELD Charles Richard - A Vacation in Brittany - GrandTerrier

WELD Charles Richard - A Vacation in Brittany

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These Pardons are indeed Cupid's chief field-days in Brittany, and to be prevented attending them is the greatest punishment that can befall a girl. Married, the scene changes, and then her lord and master is said to merit by his behaviour the character given to him of contempt for the weaker sex. A Breton song sung by peasant brides, touchingly alludes to maiden pleasures and married woes:—" Farewell! farewell, dear friends of my youth! I have thrown myself away, and exchanged a life of joy for one of pain. Sorrow and grief await me: I am but a servant now, for I am married. Then hasten, O ye who are free, to Pardons, and enjoy life while ye may! Farewell! dear friends of my youth, farewell !". These Pardons are indeed Cupid's chief field-days in Brittany, and to be prevented attending them is the greatest punishment that can befall a girl. Married, the scene changes, and then her lord and master is said to merit by his behaviour the character given to him of contempt for the weaker sex. A Breton song sung by peasant brides, touchingly alludes to maiden pleasures and married woes:—" Farewell! farewell, dear friends of my youth! I have thrown myself away, and exchanged a life of joy for one of pain. Sorrow and grief await me: I am but a servant now, for I am married. Then hasten, O ye who are free, to Pardons, and enjoy life while ye may! Farewell! dear friends of my youth, farewell !".
-The great desire to attend Pardons, which possess other attractions besides those of religion, was strikingly exemplified by a terrible catastrophe that happened on the Sunday preceding that of the Pardon of St. Kerdevot when another Pardon was held at Benodet, eighteen miles south of Quipper. Thirty young persons of that town having set their hearts on going to the Pardon, took advantage of the ab fence of a gentleman to carry off a boat which he had secured to a chain, in consequence of the bark being no longer seaworthy. In this frail craft the party,+The great desire to attend Pardons, which possess other attractions besides those of religion, was strikingly exemplified by a terrible catastrophe that happened on the Sunday preceding that of the Pardon of St. Kerdevot when another Pardon was held at Benodet, eighteen miles south of Quimper. Thirty young persons of that town having set their hearts on going to the Pardon, took advantage of the ab fence of a gentleman to carry off a boat which he had secured to a chain, in consequence of the bark being no longer seaworthy. In this frail craft the party, <small>"Youth at the helm, and pleasure at the prow,"</small> started on their ill-fated expedition. About half the trip had been accomplished when the boat was found to be rapidly filling. Presence of mind and coolness might have saved the unfortunate company; but shriek succeeded shriek, and in their terror they hastened their destruction. The boat speedily sank, and only six contrived to reach the shore, the rest perished; and as successive flowing tides cast up the bodies, the great cathedral bell of Quimper rang out for many days the awful tale of woe.
- +
-"Youth at the helm, and pleasure at the prow," started on their ill-fated expedition. About half the trip had been accomplished when the boat was found to be rapidly filling. Presence of mind and coolness might have saved the unfortunate company; but shriek succeeded shriek, and in their terror they hastened their destruction. The boat speedily sank, and only six contrived to reach the shore, the rest perished; and as successive flowing tides cast up the bodies, the great cathedral bell of Quipper rang out for many days the awful tale of woe.+
The long procession had now made the prescribed rounds; the banners were restored to their resting places, the relics carefully placed in the shrine over the high altar, the last blessing was said, and the multitude were let loose to run up a fresh score of sins. The long procession had now made the prescribed rounds; the banners were restored to their resting places, the relics carefully placed in the shrine over the high altar, the last blessing was said, and the multitude were let loose to run up a fresh score of sins.
Ligne 140: Ligne 138:
Ces Pardons bretons sont les lieux de Cupidon par excellence, et être empêchée d'y assister est la pire des punitions qui puisse arriver à une fille. Une fois mariée, la situation est différente, et alors son seigneur et maître est réputé être méritant s'il manifeste du mépris pour le sexe faible. Une chanson bretonne, chantée par des chanteuses paysannes, fait une discrète allusion aux plaisirs de jeunes filles et aux malheurs des femmes mariées : — " Adieu ! adieu, chers amis de mon enfance ! J'ai jeté mon passé par dessus bord, j'ai échangé une vie de joie contre une vie de douleurs. Malheurs et regrets m'attendent : je ne suis plus qu'une servante, car je suis mariée. Donc hâtez-vous, vous qui êtres libres, d'aller aux Pardons, et appréciez la vie comme vous l'entendez ! Adieu ! chers amis de ma jeunesse, adieu !" Ces Pardons bretons sont les lieux de Cupidon par excellence, et être empêchée d'y assister est la pire des punitions qui puisse arriver à une fille. Une fois mariée, la situation est différente, et alors son seigneur et maître est réputé être méritant s'il manifeste du mépris pour le sexe faible. Une chanson bretonne, chantée par des chanteuses paysannes, fait une discrète allusion aux plaisirs de jeunes filles et aux malheurs des femmes mariées : — " Adieu ! adieu, chers amis de mon enfance ! J'ai jeté mon passé par dessus bord, j'ai échangé une vie de joie contre une vie de douleurs. Malheurs et regrets m'attendent : je ne suis plus qu'une servante, car je suis mariée. Donc hâtez-vous, vous qui êtres libres, d'aller aux Pardons, et appréciez la vie comme vous l'entendez ! Adieu ! chers amis de ma jeunesse, adieu !"
-<u>The great desire to attend Pardons, which possess other attractions besides those of religion, was strikingly exemplified by a terrible catastrophe that happened on the Sunday preceding that of the Pardon of St. Kerdevot when another Pardon was held at Benodet, eighteen miles south of Quipper. Thirty young persons of that town having set their hearts on going to the Pardon, took advantage of the ab fence of a gentleman to carry off a boat which he had secured to a chain, in consequence of the bark being no longer seaworthy. In this frail craft the party,+L'attirance des Pardons, qui sont dotés d'autres attractions que celle de la religion, a été illustrée par une terrible catastrophe qui a eu lieu le dimanche précédant le Pardon de St Kerdévot, car ce jour-là un autre Pardon était organisé à Bénodet situé à 30 km au sud de Quimper. Trente jeunes gens de cette ville, ayant planifié d'aller au Pardon, profitèrent de l'absence d'un quidam en prenant son bateau qui était attaché à une chaîne pour raison de non étanchéité. Sur cette frêle embarcation le groupe, <small>"Youth at the helm, and pleasure at the prow,"</small> entama son expédition malheureuse. À la moitié de leur traversée l'embarcation prit rapidement l'eau. La présence d'esprit et un peu de calme auraient sauvé ces aventureux malchanceux ; mais les cris s'enchaînèrent, et leur panique accéléra leur naufrage. Le bateau coula à pic, et seulement six d'entre eux réussirent à rejoindre la rive, les autres périrent ; et après que les corps furent découverts à l'occasion de plusieurs marées successives, la grosse cloche de la cathédrale de Quimper sonna pendant plusieurs jours de son horrible timbre funèbre.
-"Youth at the helm, and pleasure at the prow," started on their ill-fated expedition. About half the trip had been accomplished when the boat was found to be rapidly filling. Presence of mind and coolness might have saved the unfortunate company; but shriek succeeded shriek, and in their terror they hastened their destruction. The boat speedily sank, and only six contrived to reach the shore, the rest perished; and as successive flowing tides cast up the bodies, the great cathedral bell of Quipper rang out for many days the awful tale of woe.+<u>The long procession had now made the prescribed rounds; the banners were restored to their resting places, the relics carefully placed in the shrine over the high altar, the last blessing was said, and the multitude were let loose to run up a fresh score of sins.
- +
-The long procession had now made the prescribed rounds; the banners were restored to their resting places, the relics carefully placed in the shrine over the high altar, the last blessing was said, and the multitude were let loose to run up a fresh score of sins.+
Strolling through the scene, my attention was attracted by a crowd round a half-ruined house. Wedging my way to the entrance, I saw a man standing in the middle of a room armed with a formidable pair of scissors, with which he was clipping the hair from a girl's head with a rapidity and dexterity bespeaking long practice. For not only was the operaImage performed with almost bewildering quickness, but when the girl was liberated her head assumed the appearance of having been shaved. There was great laughing among the peasants as she emerged from the house, leaving the long tresses in the hands of the hair-merchant, who, after combing them carefully, wound them up in a wreath and placed them in a basket already nearly half-full of hair. For, as I heard, he had been driving a highly profitable trade all the day; and girls were still coming in willing, and in some cases apparently eager, to exchange their fine chevelure's—which would have been the glory of girls anywhere but in Brittany—for three poor little handkerchiefs of gaudy hues, scarcely worth a dozen sous! This terrible mutilation of one of woman's most beautiful gifts distressed me considerably at first; but when I beheld the perfect indifference of the girls to the loss of their hair, and remembered how studiously they conceal their tresses, my feelings underwent a change, and I looked at length upon the wholesale cropping as rather amusing than otherwise. Strolling through the scene, my attention was attracted by a crowd round a half-ruined house. Wedging my way to the entrance, I saw a man standing in the middle of a room armed with a formidable pair of scissors, with which he was clipping the hair from a girl's head with a rapidity and dexterity bespeaking long practice. For not only was the operaImage performed with almost bewildering quickness, but when the girl was liberated her head assumed the appearance of having been shaved. There was great laughing among the peasants as she emerged from the house, leaving the long tresses in the hands of the hair-merchant, who, after combing them carefully, wound them up in a wreath and placed them in a basket already nearly half-full of hair. For, as I heard, he had been driving a highly profitable trade all the day; and girls were still coming in willing, and in some cases apparently eager, to exchange their fine chevelure's—which would have been the glory of girls anywhere but in Brittany—for three poor little handkerchiefs of gaudy hues, scarcely worth a dozen sous! This terrible mutilation of one of woman's most beautiful gifts distressed me considerably at first; but when I beheld the perfect indifference of the girls to the loss of their hair, and remembered how studiously they conceal their tresses, my feelings underwent a change, and I looked at length upon the wholesale cropping as rather amusing than otherwise.

Version du 22 mai ~ mae 2020 à 15:25


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Site : GrandTerrier

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WELD (Charles Richard), A Vacation in Brittany, Chapman and Hall, London, 1856, ISBN N/A
Titre : A Vacation in Brittany
Auteur : WELD Charles Richard Type : Livre/Brochure
Edition : Chapman and Hall Note : -
Impression : London Année : 1856
Pages : p. 212-223 Référence : ISBN N/A

Notice bibliographique

Couverture

Charles Richard Weld (1813–1869), écrivain historien de la Royal Society, a écrit une série de récits de ses voyages de touriste-vacancier au Canada, Irlande, et de plusieurs régions françaises dont celui-ci « A Vacation in Brittany » ("un séjour de vacance en Bretagne").

Autres lectures : « BROUSMICHE Jean-François - Voyage dans le Finistère en 1829-1831 » ¤ « CAMBRY Jacques - Voyage dans le Finistère en 1794-95 » ¤ « Le pardon de Notre-Dame de Kerdévot » ¤ « Souvenirs du pardon de Kerdévot par Pierre Roumégou » ¤ 

Les pages du pardon de Kerdévot


Transcription et traduction

Among the many strange customs which mark the Breton peasants, there is none more remarkable than that of wearing the hair ; for while the men cultivate long tresses hanging down to their waists, and of which they are very proud,* the women do not show a single lock, and the girl who might be tempted by the beauty of her chevelure to allow a ringlet to escape from beneath her closely-fitting cap, would not only lose all chance of obtaining a lover, but would be regarded by the young men as a fille perdue, that is, a coquettish girl unworthy of their affections. To this strange custom many London and Paris ladies are indebted for the magnificent hair which adorns their heads, but which was grown in the wilds of Brittany.

Such were the living features which presented themselves to me ; but besides these, tents, booths, and stalls displaying refreshments, principally of an intoxicating nature, were ranged in semicircular lines round the meadow, while the background of the picture was filled by the church, a large handsome structure, with a small chapel contiguous to it, and a rich Calvary representing the death and passion of our Lord. Crowds of peasants were passing in and out of the sacred edifice, attracted by the relics of St. Kerdevot, consisting of fragments of bones, which my limited knowledge of comparative anatomy did not enable me to identify as human.

These relics, which were in a handsome reliquary, were exhibited by a priest to the people, who pressed eagerly forward to kiss the crystal shrine. At a convenient distance stood St. Kerdevot's money-box, into which silver and copper coins rained unceasingly, and the oblation being offered, the high priest gave absolution for past sins.

Seeing these things, who could wonder that the priests lauded the miraculous power of the Saint, to whose crumbling bones such reverence was paid? Truly the Breton, believing as he does in saints innumerable, whom he is taught to believe are perpetually interceding at the gates of heaven for his admission into Paradise, must be happier than the despairing man portrayed by Coleridge,—

"Sad lot, to have no hope! Though lonely kneeling,
He fain would frame a prayer within his breast,—
Would fain entreat for some sweet breath of healing,
That his sick body might have ease and rest."

"Jetez une boule dans le bourg; où elle s'arrêtera vous trouverez un honnête home." This is reported to have been the answer of a Breton priest to an inquiry respecting the probity of his parishioners. Did he imagine the ball would ever stop at his door? for can that man be called honest who exacts money from his poor neighbours for ecclesiastical purposes by the sale of prayers and the exhibition of rotten bones? How admirably Béranger hits these gentry in his song, beginning —

"Satan dit un jour à ses pairs,
Qu'on veut à nos hordes,
C'est en éclairant l'univers
Qu'on éteint les discordes
Par brevet invention
J'ordonne une mission :
En vendant des prières,
Vite, soufflons, morbleu !
Eteignons les lumières
Et rallumons le feu !"

§ Next ~ But the interior of the church ...


Notes :

  • * The custom among men in Brittany of wearing long hair is very ancient. Lucian represents the Amoricans with flowing hair :— "Quondam per colla decors Crinibus effusis."
  • ** Les Derniers Bretons.
 

De toutes les coutumes étranges qui caractérisent les paysans bretons, il n'y en a aucune de plus notable que celle de la chevelure ; depuis longtemps les hommes ont ont l'habitude de les faire tomber dans le dos, et d'en être fier, * les femmes ne portent aucune mèche, et les filles tentées pour montrer la beauté de leur chevelure de laisser s'échapper une bouclette de leur coiffe serrée sur leur tête, perdraient du coup toutes les chances d'avoir un amoureux et seraient regardée par les jeunes gens comme une fille perdue, et donc comme une fille coquette qui ne mérite pas leurs attentions. De nombreuses femmes parisiennes ou londoniennes pratique cette coutume étrange cachant leurs magnifiques cheveux et qui provient de cette Bretagne sauvage.

Ainsi étaient les éléments concrets qui se sont présentés d'eux-mêmes à moi ; mais en plus de tout ça, des tentes, kiosques et stands affichant des rafraîchissements, principalement alcoolisés, étaient disposés en lignes semi-circulaire, sur tout le placître, et l'arrière-plan du paysage est repli par la chapelle, une grande bâtisse élégante, avec une petite sacristie adossée, et un calvaire impressionnant représentant la mort et la passion du Christ. des foules de paysans entraient et sortaient de l'édifice sacré, attirés par les reliques de St Kerdévot, constitués de fragments d'os, que mes connaissances anatomiques limitées ne me permettent de qualifier d'origine humaine.

Ces reliques qui étaient dans un joli reliquaire étaient exhibées par un prêtre aux gens qui se pressaient pour embrasser le coffre funèbre en verre. À une distance pratique était l'urne des offrandes à St Kerdévot dans laquelle ruisselait sans cesse les pièces d'argent et de cuivre, et l'offrande fait le prêtre délivrait son absolution pour tous les pêchés passés.

Voyant ces choses, doit-on s'émerveiller d'entendre le prêtre louer le saint dont les os effrités font l'objet d'une telle dévotion ? Véritablement le Breton, vénérant autant de saints qui, comme on lui enseigne, sont perpétuellement occupés à intercéder aux portes célestes pour son admission au Paradis , serait plus heureux que l'homme en désespérance de Coleridge, —

"C'est triste, de n'avoir aucun espoir ! Bien qu'agenouillé et seul,
Il voulait formuler une prière dans sa poitrine, -
Voudrait implorer un doux souffle de guérison,
Afin que son corps malade récupère et se repose."

"Jetez une boule dans le bourg; où elle s'arrêtera vous trouverez un honnête home." Ceci est considéré comme la réponse d'un prêtre breton à une enquête sur le probité de ses paroissiens. S'imaginait-il que la boule puisse s'arrêter à sa porte ? pour que cet homme qu'on dit honnête et qui soutire de l'argent de nature ecclésiastique à ces prochains contre la vente de ses prières et l'exhibition de ces os putréfiés ? Quelle merveilleuse façon de décrire ces notables dans la chanson de Béranger [1] commençant par —

"Satan dit un jour à ses pairs,
Qu'on veut à nos hordes,
C'est en éclairant l'univers
Qu'on éteint les discordes
Par brevet invention
J'ordonne une mission :
En vendant des prières,
Vite, soufflons, morbleu !
Éteignons les lumières
Et rallumons le feu !"

§ Suite ~ Mais l'intérieur de l'église ...


Notes :

  • * La tradition bretonne de porter de longs cheveux est très ancienne. Lucian décrit les Armoricains avec des chevelures abondantes :— "Quondam per colla decors Crinibus effuses."
  • ** Les Derniers Bretons.

Annotations

  1. Chanson « Les Missionnaires », 1819. [Ref.↑]
  2. Bragoubras, pl. : grande culotte bouffante encore portée par les hommes au XIXe siècle, mais commençant à être remplacée par le pantalon à la fin des années 1840. [Terme BR] [Lexique BR] [Ref.↑ 2,0 2,1]


Thème de l'article : Fiche bibliographique d'un livre ou article couvrant un aspect du passé d'Ergué-Gabéric

Date de création : mai 2020    Dernière modification : 22.05.2020    Avancement : Image:Bullgreen.gif [Fignolé]