Animation service
Here you are : » Saint Augustine Schoeffler » Seminary of Nancy
Letter 7 - To the Misses Schoeffler and Klein,
Nancy, 30 March 1844
I am writing to you earlier than I had planned, a fortuitous circumstance having presented itself, and here it is: Father Berman has provided the address of the ladies whom he has proposed to you, but a little too late, since the last one which I wrote to you had already gone. And yet, Father Berman is pushing me and tells me: “It is absolutely necessary to send this message.” But in the end, it matters little that I write to you either a week earlier or a week later as long as my letter finds you in good health. You were much too much upset, my dear friends, concerning the mild ailment which hit me some time ago. If I had known that it would cause you such concern, I would, to be sure, not have talked about it to you, because as it turned out, it was only a mild stomach-ache arising undoubtedly from some imprudence — but who doesn’t commit any? That was the matter of eight or ten days and right now I am completely well and ready once again to work. The waters of Nancy had an equally good effect on me as if I had been watered in the springs of Wiesbaden. You’re talking to me about my coming to Wiesbaden. There is no doubt that I would really like to go there, but duty before all. I already told my dear Élise last year when she came to see me (a happy day!) that I was willing to get a bachelor diploma, but this is not earned without work. I find myself forced to dedicate myself to it during my next vacation so as not to be deprived of this diploma which I frankly hoped for — even though it would perhaps be of a completely secondary usefulness. But when you get down to it, I am young, and woe to the young man who does not know how to sacrifice his pleasures to gain knowledge. Such a young man would not be acting wisely. But even so it is not certain that I will present myself to take this baccalaureate exam. Later on, we shall see; perhaps it could well happen that I have the pleasure of seeing you this year. Be assured that the happiness which I will experience in seeing both of you would not be any less grand than yours, as you clearly state in your letter — in spite of the fact, however, that I am greatly unworthy of all the solicitude which you show towards me.
My examination in theology has not yet taken place. I think that tomorrow I will have the honor of presenting forcefully my theological thesis, provided that I not be a quia — it is so easy to be so. My theses, however, are well prepared, and I am armed 1 d to the teeth, armored as the old knights of ancient Germany when they headed to tournaments, attracted by the glances of their noble Lady, and receive from her the trophy of victory. To be sure, we do not receive similar rewards, because for all our feats of arms, we have only the testimony of a clear conscience, so that conquered or victorious, one always has the same glory. Besides, these exams last but a short time; only for an hour is one obliged to sit on the hot seat, and after he has been worked over thoroughly, one is always sure of having won the tourney and carrying at the tip of his lance the helmet of his enemy. (I hope that these words provide you with some romanticism and entertainment.) In fact, it seems, my two dear ones, that the inhabitants of Wiesbaden are very disagreeable, as I am beginning to believe. How is it that they did not allow you to have sung the small compositions which I sent you? No doubt they don’t know Latin, because in this case they would have seen clearly that they are not musical compositions that are sung at papal coronations because these never saw Rome — which, however, is what I presume since it is profane music sung some three or four years ago in Paris theaters, and which was arranged by a gentleman from Paris using Latin words. But, in the end, what can you do: there are biases everywhere. But what surprises me is that Protestants would be the ones who harbor a similar hatred of our popes, since I have read histories of popes written by some Protestant ministers — stories in which these men, illustrious writers, speak with more enthusiasm and ardor in favor of the popes, which until now, no catholic has done. On this point, I can cite for you, Mr. M. Voigt : Histoire du pape Grégoire VII, 2 , wherein he points out how unjustly the Pope had been treated until recently; Haller, minister from Switzerland; Ranke3: Histoire de la papauté, etc. — works that are admired in France. It appears that all Germans do not share the opinions of these illustrious writers. This need not discourage you, however, my dear “lady” friends; if you desire some other music, I will send you some in the French version, that is to say, whose words will be French. In your latest letter, concerning the up-coming ordination ceremony on the feast of the Holy Trinity4, you mention . . .
[— item not named - Trans.]. I strongly presume why you are bringing it up: it is to see if, like you, I still think of the promise which my aunt made last year to make me a beautiful surplice. Ah! I do think of it, to be sure, and I rely on you totally since I have not had a new one made, even though I need one. If you are unable, however, to make one for me, write to me quickly so that I will know and therefore will have the time to have another one made, because there is so little time between now and Trinity – seven weeks, that’s all. Ah! How happy I will be on that day to wear on my shoulders and to present to my bishop the surplice that my friends from Germany have made for me. Yet, don’t make it too fancy because I would not dare wear it, – nor too long either, because you know that I am not very tall. Write me immediately and tell me about your intentions on this matter. And do as I do, write to me letter for letter.5 But I must always wait for your news; I am so pleased, however, when I do receive some. Yet I must tell you in advance that from now until vacation time, I will be able to write you barely one or two letters: one at the feast of the Holy Trinity, soon after my ordination, and the other after having prayed for you at the chapel of Notre-Dame de Bon-Secours — because I foresee that I will have hardly any time left from now until the end of the year. Here, as well as in Germany, the rivers are overflowing, yet without causing as much destruction as where you are. I have not received any news from home for quite some time. My uncle André has written; he is well, but always has much work to do. Compliments from all your seminarian acquaintances. Don’t be surprised that my father doesn’t write to you; ou; he has too much work with his cuttings6 and his other occupations.Goodbye, my dear friends; in a week or two, a letter from you in Germany and I will be happy. Goodbye, yours
Schoeffler
1 One who is in the impossibility of responding.
2 Johann Voigt, whose work on Gregory VII had been translated into French by Jager (priest-historian, native of the diocese of Nancy) in 1838, an edition held by the seminary library of Nancy along with the original German edition. It is the era of apologetics. These references to readings display an opening of the spirit in the librarians and in Augustine himself. As to Haller, Augustine will not know all! The father, Carl-Ludwig, minister from Berne, was a convert to Catholicism. . . The son, Albert, also converted in 1826. He became a priest and would be consecrated bishop in 1858.
3 Léopold Ranke: Histoire de la papauté pendant les XVI et XVIIe siècles, Paris, 1838-1848, 4 volumes [History of the Papacy during the XVIth and XVIIth Centuries] which are in the catalog of the library of the Nancy seminary which Augustine used. Certainly, the history of the popes was studied. But the teachingof pontifical infallibility in seminaries was still forbidden at the beginning of the XIXth Century by the 24th Article of the 77 Organic Articles of the [Gallican] Declaration of 1682. [See article in Catholic Encyclopedia - Trans.] And in Nancy, one generation later, the Gallican camp was represented by Marguet, while Rohrbacher, disciple of Lammenais, was the champion of the Ultramontanes. See:Dictionnaire d’apologétique, A. D’Alès, tome III-2, col. 1517.
4 He would receive the tonsure with 23 other seminarians on 1 June 1844.
5 Either he is joking — the last preserved letter is dated five months earlier — or else some mail has been lost.6 Reference to the cutting of lumber which the inhabitants practiced in the communal forests. It is the affouage system [the communal right of cutting wood - Trans.].
