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April 21, 1860.J The Leader, and Saturda...
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Tunis, April l-li,18(W. None of the gron...
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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
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Tiokeigx Correspondence. Kome, 14th Apri...
to grow the thorns on which St . Benedict rolled himself to quench the passions of manhood , and where now grow the roses nvto which St . Francis transformed the said thorns , in honour ot his . brother saint . The monk who showed me the building talked-muchi about . the misery of- the surrounding poor . At the . convent footsies a . little wood ' of dark green ilexes , of almost unknown age ,, valued on account Of some tradition about St . Benedict , and perhaps still more as formiriffalrind of oasis on the desert mountain side . Armed guards have to be placed at night round this wood , to save it from the depredations to the conventand t
of the peasantry . Every tree belonging ^ no guarded , was cut down at once . No one—so my informant told me —would believe the sums of money the convent had spent ot late on charity , and how , for this purpose / even their supplies of daily foffd had been curtailed ; but alas ! it was only like pouring water into a sieve , and the people were poorer than ever . I own that when the old priest pointed out the number Of convents and churches you could see in the valley below , and spoke in regret of the time-when there were twelve convents round Siibiaco alone , I felt that the cause of this hopeless reisery was not far to seek . halfdozen sk
On my way homewards to the town I beheld the - yrockets which composed the display of fire-works , and also the two rows of oil lamps on thepontices over the church floor which tormed the illuminntions . Neither sig-ht seemed to collect much crowd nor create much excitement . As the dusk came on the streets emptied fast , and by night the town was empty , ami , except that the wine shops were still filled with a few inveterate topers , every sig-n of the fair had vanished . There was not , however , even a trace of drunkenness apparent .. The next morning the same scene was repeated , with little difference , save that the crowd was rather greater , and . a band of music played in the -marketplace .. About noon the Jioly procession was seen coming down the winding road which leads from the convent to the town . I had taken my position on fi roadof
side bank , and enjoyed a . perfect view . There were a number shabby flags and banners , preceded by a hundred able-bodied men , dressed in dirty . white surplices , rather dirtier than the colour of their faces . A ' number of rasped choristers followed , swinging incense pots , droning an linintellijrfbte- chant , and fighting with each Other . Then came a troop of monks and scholars , with downcast eyes and bare heads . All these walked two and two together , and carried one or two crucifixes raised aloft . The monks were preceded by a pewter-looking bust , which I suppose represented St . Benedict , and the bust was followed by a .. ninl . e , on which , m . a . snuftcoloured coat , black tights , white neckcloth , and Beefeater ' s hat , all surmounted by a green umbrella , rode the governor .- By his side wnlked his secretary , the Svrnlic of Subinco , four gensdarmes , and three brokeii-dowii old livery-clad beadles , who carried - . the umbrellas of these hi « rh dignitaries , in truth , had it not been for Ihe unutterable shabbincss of the whole affair , I could have fancied I saw the of
market , scene in " Martha , " and the " Inst rose summer rose unbidden to my ears . Not a score of spectators accompanied the procession from the convent , and the interest caused by it seemed to be small—the devotion absolutely none . Indeed , the fact which strack-me most throughout was the utter apathy of the people . JSot a person in the place I spoke to—and I asked several—had any notion who the governor was . The nearest approach that I got to an answer was from one of the old livery beadles , who . answered , C / a set ? e nna roba da contano , and with this explanation , that tho governor was " sv thing that came from a distance , " I was ob liged to rest satisfied . When tho procession reached the town the band joined in , the governor descended , and so with banners flying , crosses waving , drums beating , and priests , boys , nnd choristers chanting , we marched in a body into tho church , where a good portion of the crowd and nil the beggars followed us . I had now , however , had enough of the " humours of the fair , " and left thu town without trying my luck at the tombola , which way to coinc ofT directly alter mass .
April 21, 1860.J The Leader, And Saturda...
April 21 , 1860 . J The Leader , and Saturday Analyst . 383
Tunis, April L-Li,18(W. None Of The Gron...
Tunis , April l-li , 18 ( W . None of the gront questions which nro now agitating Italy fioetn to have made any marked advance during the past week . Iho principle of Legitimacy is making its last dying effort . but its every act is a defeat . The Vovm , tho Grand Duke of Tvsimny , tho Duke of Mo Dim a , nnd tho Ducliess of Parma have issued protests explanatory of thq causes nnd circumstances by which they wore deprived of tfioiv riphts . Tlmt they should do so is perfectly nutural , and whether these protests appear in Latin , Italian , or French , or nKPiuno tho form of excommunication or of wciuorunduni , is or little moment ; thoy nil agree in attributing tho loss of their power and territory to Piodinontcso influence anil artifice . Picdrnouteso influenco has had undoubtedly a largo share in producing tho _
rocent events of Italy , but hns not employed the menus nsonbod to it by tho pvincefl , namely , oonpnirncy nnd corruption . Tho irresistible influence which Piodmont has exercised has been that ot her Italian policy , boldly confessed nnd vigorously maintained by anus , of tho enligntoncd liboi-nlinm by which all her nets wore inspired , and bv which she grndunlly ( lifliivmed all opposition , nnd blended into one tho generous but conflicting aspirations nurtured by Italian * during tho past twelve years . Those . who attribute any other tlinn mornl inflnqnoo to Piodmont , and talk of corruption and intimidation , forgot thnt thoir assumption must bo mmufcutly nb ,-suvd to nny one who considers tho proportion botwoon tho oorruptor nml tho corrupted , tlio intimidntor and tho h-itthttsnod . Ij 8 po « ks for itself , and is a thing physically impossible that four millions ot Italians could corrupt nnd intimidate twice their own mimboi' . Tho princes who hnvo put forth these , protests , and doclnrcd tlmt
they reserved their rights intact , have riot taken the smallest trouble to justify their past conduct or abjure a single one of their errors . The people , to whom their honied words are addressed , tnay judge for themselves what would be the -effect of their restoration , now happily become impossible . It would be a return to systematic Oppression , to foreign domination , and to Jill the sufferings , injustice ; and discontent of the past . Though the princes seem to have wholly forgotten that they joined the ranks of the enemies of their country , they need never expect that their late subjects will become oblivious of the fact , that , after voluntarily abandoning their thrones , they fought at Sol ferino .
Our parliament is now constituted and ready for work , though not much business is likely to be transacted until after the return , of the Tting from his visit to Tuscany and the Romngna . He will be accompanied by so many of the deputies , that it is not probable a sufficient number will remain behind to constitute a legal house , and parliament must consequently be prorogued . Count Gavouk accompanies his Majesty , arid Chevalier Fajrini is to meet him at Bologna . The Chevalier Boncompagni has lately given proof of extraordinary modestv , and freedom from personal ambition He has declined the Presidency of the Chambers . , on the ground of being too much occupied to accept it / and has addressed to Count TEEE . vzro Mamian-i , the Minister of Public Instruction , the followincr simple unassuming letter : —
" ifost illustrious Minister , —I am desirous of establishing a private class for instruction in constitutional law . My : age . and habits of life render me unwilling to submit to the examination referred to in Arts . 07 , OS of the law , rehitin < r to public instruction . I do not know whether the work which I have written upon legal sciencethe fact that lam a member - of the Royal Academy of Science—and my past political career , will entitle me to the exceptional permission mentioned in Art . 06 . " I submit the question to you , sir , not with the presumption that your answer must be favourable to . my-wish , hub with the desire to attemptan ¦ undertakingwhich may prove advantageous to study and to the country . ' " Accept , -most ' illustrious Minister-, the assurance ot my esteem . "C JiONCOMVACSI . "
Count ' Mamtaxi ' s . reply was exactly such an Uoncomvagni ' s letter was calculated to . call .-forth . ' After declaring'it to be one of the most ' flattering- ' events of his life , that a man of historic name , . conspicuous for every virtue , like the Onmiioulctlurc ]> oncom > I'Arixt . ' should write to him for the permission in question ; he declares that no examination whatever will be required , and merely begs to know when the lectures are to commence , that the rector of the University may make all needful arrangements . " This return to quiet , " he says , " and indulgence , in congenial studios , after you have maintained a dignity almost regal with the applause of all Europe , iV a proof of modesty , perhaps unique in our tiiries , and verv rare even in ancient days . " . .....
The French ecclesiastics ' Father Lacoup . ukk , Iras published a , tract bearing the title , J ) e la Llberte da I'Untie ft do I'Jfylise . The illustrious preacher devotes pages of -eloquence to tho defence of Italy . " Italy , " he says , " is a great and unfortunate country ; great in that it ' once governed the world , and many times revived it by its radiance ; unfortunate , i" that for . many ages-and ospecitilly during the last fifty years , it has been compelled to Riihinii to a foreign yoke . The cause of Italy against Austria is just under the aspect of reason , how much more just under the aspect of Christianity ! It is Christianity which has exalted right above force , and given to conscience . that % ht and energy which lfc never possessed before the time of Jksits Cijiust . " Tho wnlor remarks that the opposition which the Italians are now manifesting latte them
a"niiiat foreign domination is ? . flint , because the r deprives of thoir country , without giving them nny other in exchange , which is one of ' the most enormous of crimes . " Hut , if iha eauao of Italy ngainst Austria is just , is Hie cause of Italy agmnsL tho Papacy equallv , so ? " asks Iho Father , in n tone which betrays considerable nnxiely . Is Italy ngiunst the Papacy V Js not tlio Papacy against Italy much rather ? Who has excited a struggle between Italy nnd tho . Pnpnoy P Who has inndo ( ho Court ol homo tho ally of Venice and the enemy of indupondenco suirt Hiilionnl liberty ' ? . The accusations made by Italy against ; tlio Pupiicy are Borioiis , but ho believes them to bo urtf » ii . iid « cl , bocnuso thu rapnl power exists , and has boon lnninlulned in tho world for above i \ thousand years . But if wo thus accept tho work of ngos , wo may justify ovorv iniciuity that ever lias boon or over will be committed , llio oi aim eb
dominion of tho Sultan over Greece was tlio work ages , p our author , with self-contradiction , praises CirAiu . KS ¦ X . lor havingcreetoil tho kingdom of Greece ; because fima onh / mM * f"' «" * to injustice , ami , far from dhmnisUhu / , iiwroaso * - . t / w d < M . II then ; the work of nges -is not valid t . nl ^ s if ; . 8 uph «; ld by justice , how can it bo said tlmt tlio ncciwiitioiis brought n ^ unst the Court of Homo nro unfounded , only bt-onimo tho temporal power la the work of ages ? To got rid of tho dlfflculty thu (•• lover writw describes tho Pnpnoy as tho bulwark of Italian indopondonco to htor boouiiHO
dnri ., K tho middle ngos , and , in opposition . « , y , Dantb was n Ghibollino , coiwidtrH him iim a pnHiHiin oi loreiffiiora . Tho Pnnaoy lind Holcly in view tho dofgneo of itH temporal proton-HionH nnd iovorolH-ntv in tholong . struggle which it ina . nta . nod with tho Binporoi-H ot 6 ermnny , in the obHtmato and ferocious wur ngninBtJlKNUv IV . nnd tl . u Hohknbtauitkicn . Jli oi-dor ; to « .. Huro succoHH , it noooplod nny nllinnco which prdsentod itHoli j th t ol tlio Sonnmi Vrinoofl iip-aifist Hbn « y IV . nnd tho Lon . bnrd . aii Mtios Sf hk : ? Ja « bauos » a . While tho only euro of tho Papacy was to ciiiiho its » upr « inney to prevail , thu CJcrimui prl .. co » thought
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), April 21, 1860, page 19, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_21041860/page/19/
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