; it, because the monks, our confessors, tell us that
those are excommunicated who reveal what passes in the Order!

"Poor creatures! they think they are leaving the world to escape dangers,
and they only meet with greater ones. Our fathers and mothers have given us
a good education, and here we have to unlearn and forget what they have
taught us."

Page 118.--"Do not suppose that this is the case in our convent alone. It
is just the same at St. Lucia, Prato, Pisa, Perugia, &c. I have known
things that would astonish you. Everywhere it is the same. Yes, everywhere
the same disorders, the same abuses prevail. I say, and I repeat it, let
the superiors suspect as they may, they do not know the smallest part of
the enormous wickedness that goes on between the monks and the nuns whom
they confess. Every monk who passed by on his way to the chapter entreated
a sick sister to confess to him, and...!"

Page 119.--"With respect to Father Buzachini I say that he acted just as
the others, sitting up late in the nunnery, diverting himself, and letting
the usual disorders go on. There were several nuns who had love affairs on
his account. His own principal mistress was Odaldi, of St. Lucia, who used
to send him continual treats. He was also in love with the daughter of our
factor, of whom they were very jealous here. He ruined also poor
Cancellieri, who was sextoness. The monks are all alike with their
penitents.

"Some years ago, the nuns of St. Vincent, in consequence of the
extraordinary passion they had for their father confessors Lupi and
Borghiani, were divided into two parties, one calling themselves Le Lupe,
the other Le Borghieni.

"He who made the greatest noise was Donati. I believe he is now at Rome.
Father Brandi, too, was also in great vogue. I think he is now prior of St.
Gemignani. At St. Vincent, which passes for a very holy retreat, they have
also their lovers...."

My pen refuses to reproduce several things which the nuns of Italy have
published against their father confessors. But this is enough to show to
the most incredulous that the confession is nothing else but a school of
perdition, even among those who make a profession to live in the highest
regions of Roman Catholic holiness--the monks and the nuns.

Now, from Italy let us go to America and see again the working of auricular
confession, not between the holy (?) nuns and monks of Rome, but among the
humblest classes of country women and priests. Gr