THE LAND OF PARDONS.
The Land of Pardons. By Anatole Le Braz. (Methuen and Co. 7s. 6d.)—Not the least interesting fact in connexion with this fascinating volume is the description by the translator of the way in which she discovered the original work. While on the way to the Pardon of Saint Yves she stumbled at a little wayside junction in a pouring rain at a poor little stall on a small volume "standing between One Hundred Ways to Cook Eggs' and a very objectionable novel that I had sampled before." For three- francs-fifty she secured the book, and in doing so obtained the utmost pleasure. " I liked my book before I had cut through the introduction. I loved it as I finished the Pardon of the Poor." So she hastened to translate the work which had given her such exquisite pleasure. And certainly this volume on the various Pardons of Brittany—the Poor, the Singers, Fire, the Mountain, and the Sea—with its fascinating introduction, deserves all the enthusiasm Miss Gostling has bestowed upon it. Delightful French has, in fact, been rendered into delightful English. It is not necessary, and is hardly possible, to enter into details ; that would involve a minute consideration of each chapter. But apart from its interest as a full revelation of the religious life of France, it is of great sociological value. Take, for example, what it tells of the poor fishing-clans scattered along the coast :— " In their villages, comfort is almost unknown. The men are away for five or six months of the year toiling among the difficult and dangerous fisheries of Iceland and Newfoundland ; and many never come back. Then their families, falling into distress, go to swell the ranks of the chercheurs de pain. Now it is well known that in Brittany begging, far from being considered a disgrace, is almost looked upon as an honourable occupation. The poor, like the witless, are regarded as sacred beings ; whoever fails to show them respect runs the risk of eternal damnation. So every one treats them with the greatest consideration, and they have their bowl on the dresser, their mattress in the barn or the stable. In the district of Treguier they form a regular society, and
proudly style themselves the clients of Saint Yves The Pardon of Saint Anne is one of the safety-valves through which these rough creatures blow off the superfluous steam of their repressed spirits. I have heard grave, respectable people and officials reproach them for the almost brutal impetuosity with which they rush to any merry-making. And it is true ; they fling themselves at it head lowered, joyous, heedless, wasteful, scattering the savings of weeks or months."
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