The Project Gutenberg eBook, Recollections of My Youth, by Ernest Renan

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Title: Recollections of My Youth

Author: Ernest Renan

Release Date: June 26, 2004 [eBook #12748]

Language: English

Character set encoding: US-ASCII

***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK RECOLLECTIONS OF MY YOUTH***

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RECOLLECTIONS OF MY YOUTH

BY

ERNEST RENAN

1897

[Illustration: Ernest Renan]

CONTENTS.

THE FLAX-CRUSHER.

PART I.

PART II.

PART III.

PART IV.

PRAYER ON THE ACROPOLIS

ST. RENAN

MY UNCLE PIERRE.

GOOD MASTER SYSTEME.

PART I.

PART II.

LITTLE NOEMI.

PART I.

PART II.

THE PETTY SEMINARY OF ST. NICHOLAS DU CHARDONNET.

PART I.

PART II.

PART III.

THE ISSY SEMINARY.

PART I.

PART II.

THE ST. SULPICE SEMINARY.

PART I.

PART II.

PART III.

PART IV.

PART V.

FIRST STEPS OUTSIDE ST. SULPICE.

PART I.

PART II.

PART III.

PART IV.

PART V.

APPENDIX

PREFACE.

One of the most popular legends in Brittany is that relating to an
imaginary town called Is, which is supposed to have been swallowed up
by the sea at some unknown time. There are several places along the
coast which are pointed out as the site of this imaginary city, and
the fishermen have many strange tales to tell of it. According to
them, the tips of the spires of the churches may be seen in the hollow
of the waves when the sea is rough, while during a calm the music of
their bells, ringing out the hymn appropriate to the day, rises above
the waters. I often fancy that I have at the bottom of my heart a city
of Is with its bells calling to prayer a recalcitrant congregation.
At times I halt to listen to these gentle vibrations which seem as if
they came from immeasurable depths, like voices from another world.
Since old age began to steal over me, I have loved more especially
during the repose which summer brings with it, to gather up these
distant echoes of a vanished