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    406 The Leader and Saturday Analyst . [ April 28 , I 860 .

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    grand ; but , in the first place , it comes when your patience is exhausted—and in the second , it lasts so long , that you begin to wonder whether it will ever end . The slavery to conventional rules in England , which causes one to shrink , from the charge of not caring about music as zealously as one could , and from pleading guilty to personal cowardice , makes Englishmen , and still more Englishwomen , profess to be delighted with the Misereres ; but , in their heart of hearts their feeling is much such as I have given utterance to . i , The ceremonies in St . Peter ' s itself are , as sights , much better , but yet I often think that the very size and grandeur of the giant edifice increases the mesquin-ness ( for want of an English word I must manufacture a French one ) of the whole ceremonies . At the exposition of the relics , for instance , you see in a very lofty gallery , two small figures , holding up something—what you cannot tell—set up ma rich framework of gold and jewels . It may be a piece of the cross , or a martyr ' s finger bone , or a horse ' s tooth . —what it is neither you nor any one else can guess at that distance . If the whole congregation knelt down in adoration the artistic effect would unquestionably be fine , but then not one person in seven does kneel , and therefore the effect is lost . So it is with the washing of the high altar . If one priest alone went up and poured the wine and oil over the -sacred stone / and then cleansed the shrine from any spot or stain , the grandeur of the idea would not be marred by the monotony of the performance ; but when some four hundred priests : and choristers defile past , each armed with a chip besom , like those of the ¦ ' ¦ " buy-a-broom" girls of bur childhood , arid each . gives a dab to the altar as he passes , the whole scene becomes tiresome , if not absurd . The same fatal objection applies to the famous washing of the feet at the Trinitadei Pellegrini . As a mere matter of simple fact there is nothing very interesting in seeing a number of old women ' s feet washed , or in beholding a number of peasants * who would be much better if the washing- extended above their feet , engag-ed in gulping down an unsavoury repast . The whole charm of the tiling rests in the idea * and this idea is quite extinguished by the exti-esme length arid tediousness of the whole proceeding . The feet have too evidently been washed before , and the pilgrims are too palp ably got up for the occasion . # ^ . The finest ceremony I have ever witnessed in Home is the High Mass ait St . Peter ' s on Easter-day , but as a theatrical spectacle , in which light alone I am now speaking of it , it is marred by many palpable defects . Whenever I have seen the Pgp 3 E carried in his chair in state , I can never help thinking of the story of the Irishman , who , when the bottom and seat of his sedan chair fell out , remarked to his bearers , that "he might as well walk , but for the honour of the thing . ' One feels so strongly that the Pope might every bit as well walk as ride in that ricketty top-heavy chair , in which lie sits or rather sways to and fro , with a sea-sick expression . Then the ostrich feathers are so very shabby , and , the whole get-up of the procession is so painfully " " regardless of expense . You see Cardinals , with dirty robes , under the most gorgeous stoles , while the surplices are as yellow as the stained gold-worked bands which hang across them . There , is , indeed , no sense of congruity or the inherent fitness of things about the Italian ceremonials . A priest performs mass and elevates the host with muddy boots on , while the Pope himself , in the midst of the grandest service * blows his nose on a common red pocket-handkerchief . The absence of the organ detracts much from the impressiveness of the music in English ears , while the constant bowings and genuflexions , the drawling intonations , and the endless monotonous psalms , all utterly devoid of meaning for a lay worshipper , added to the utter listlessness of the congregation , and even of the priests engaged in celebration of the ) service , destroy the impression the gorgcousness of the seehe would otherwise produce . The insuperable objection ^ however , to the impressiveness of the whole scene is the same as mars all Papal pageants—I mean the length and monotony of the performance . One chant may be fine , one prostration before the altar may be striking , one burst of the clioral litany may act upon your senses ; but , when you have chant . after chanti , prostration after prostration , chorus after chorus , each the twin brother to the . other , and going on for hours , without apparent rhyme or reason , you cease to take thought of anything * ovdev to speculate idly when , if ever , there is likely to be on end . There is w > variety , and little change , too , about the ceremonies . When you have seen one you , have seen all , and when you have seen them onee , yon can understand how to the Romans themselves these sights have become stale and dull , till they look upon them much as I fancy the musicians in the orchestra of the old Princess's must have looked upon one of Kean ' s Shaksperian revivals when the season was far spent .

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    Tubin , April 21 , 1860 . A LX other political events and public affairs are cast into the shnde jl > . for the time being by the onthusiasti q reception given to our beloved King 1 during 1 Ins progress through his new states . Nothing could be bettor calculated to strengthen those bonds of reciprocal affection and mutual confidence , in virtue of which , it may be said , that for the past' ten years "Victor EJounubi . has governed the whole of Italy . ' , In one view t )« o dispossessed princes are perfectly rigj ' jt Xn , deplnvihg < that VroxoB HmManxjbi- bop fl « pplantod them , and substituted his own -Tor their government . But the arts and ¦ methods adopted by the King * of Piedmont have nil been open , straightforward , and , loyal . It hap been by honesty of intention , decision Of pwpos 0 , and , the maintenance of su 6 h oaths and promises os the other princes made only to break , that lie has won the p lace « the heart of Jtaty which ho now holds . Xf joy-bells , addresses ,

    fireworks , and illuminations afford any real test of a people ' s secret feelings , our King has surely reason to be content . Pisa was too impatient to offer the homage of her ancient university to her new king to wait until he should honour her historic towers -with his presence . The students , . mindful of the patriotic traditions of their Alma jifater , and the glorious examples of the past , and no less strongly , impressed with the political necessities of their country at the present time , and confiding in Victor Emmanxjel for the future , were determined to express their thanks and aspirations without delay . They wished that at his first entrance Tipon the Tuscan soil he should receive the spontaneous and fervid salutations of the generation which is growing up in the culture of science , and which is the hope of the nation for the future . With this view , a deputation was despatched to Leghorn , composed of twelve young men , who were chosen from different Italian provinces and colonies , in order to make thedemonstration . completely national . This eonluvissiort presented an address through Baron Kicasoli . His Majesty received it with every testimony of joy and gratification at the moment when / setting foot in Tuscany , he was greeted by the populace with , exulting shouts as Jring of Italy . The good city of Pisa has outdone itself in its preparations to welcome the king . Never was such an illumination witnessed there before , and never did the magnificent Lung Arno appear so enchanting in its nocturnal splendour . Genoa has sent a municipal deputation to restore to Pisa her famous chains . The deputation , consisting of the Syndic and six councillors ^ embarked on board tile royal steamer , the Goverriolo , placed at their service by the Government for the purpose . This demonstration of friendly regard is most acceptable to Pisa , who , on her part , lias spared , no pains to give the Genoese deputation a hearty arid fitting reception . The chains were to be suspended in the Campo Santo , where those are already hung which Florence , moved by . equally noble and kindly 'sentiments , in like manner restored to Pisa . It is but natural that this once flourishing and famous Republic should like to gain possession 6 f these badges of servility , now that brighter days have dawned for all the former rivals , and that they realize how completely it is for the interest of each to lay aside the municipal jealousywhich distracted them during the micMle ages . It was about 1070 that the wars between Genoa and Pisa began . They continued , with various interruptions , for more than two hundred vears , and ended in the downfall of Pisa . In the course of time , she regained a portion of her former prosperity , but in 1282 another vyar begun between her and her Genoese rival . The result was , that so large a proportion of the inhabitants of Pisa were carried prisoners to Genoa , that a proverb became current throughout Italy to the effect that if any one wished to see the former city he must visit the latter . While Genoa attacked Pisa by water , Florence assailed it by land . Between wars with these neighbouring cities and internal feuds , Pisa knew little pence , until ; at-the beginning of the sixteenth century , she became permanently subject to Florence or merged in the rest of Tuscany . The present Minister of Public Instruction , Count Mamia > i , is devotingmuch time and attention to the modification arid improvement of the course of studies . He has just issued a circular to the provincial directors stating the conditions to be observed by those who would pass through the inferior schools and universities . _ The Minister is making * every effort to bring the studies to the highest possible point of perfection : With ihis view , he has proposed examinations to test the progress and scientific acquirements of tho students ; and to give a still greater impetus to study , he suggests that the most assiduous and talented should be supplied with the funds necessary to complete their studios abroad . There is reason to believe that the various literary and scientific academies throughout the kingdom will be merged in a single national institution by means of an organisation which , while avoiding excessivo centralization , will serve as a permanent fraternal manifestation of the intellectual activity of the now Italian kingdom , The Minister U acting wisely and" well in seeking" the aid of men who have a practical acquaintance with university education . An exlract is in circulation hero from a new work now in course of publication by Chevalier Bunsen . It has afforded great pleasure , as showing the interest taken in the Kalian cause by the great German writer and statesman . On this account I send it yoti :- ^ " In all great undertakings having in view the redemption of the masses , it wiirbo observed that there has invariably boon co-operation between a great chief , or more than one , and the people . Without this nothing 1 great can be achieved . The chiefs in Israel showed the way and the people wore ready to follow it , as it is said in the song of , Deborah . She had witnessed timos in which the chiefs were unable to guide others , and when the disheartened people showed no inclination for any self-sacrifice . The co-operation in redemption of which wo speak always embrace ^ two elements , one of w ^ ich is purely national , and goes no further , than the effort to obtain freedom from foreign oppression and vain glory and honour ; while the other is more noble , more elevated , more humanitarian . Chiefs and peoples who feel within them a divine vocation , which leads them to risk life and property for that which is more noble and sacred for all the human raoo , have in themselves a power which cannot be explained by the calculations of even a just and wise solf-rospoot . This was the cneo with the . Greeks nt Marathon ; ' so with the Hebrew Maccabees ; so with the English and the J ) utch in their conflicts with the Spaniards ; so with those nobly enthusinBtio men who apponroa during 1 the French Involution of 1789 ; ho with the people and the army <> f Prussia , in 18 J $ ; so with the Greek population in thenstrnpfglee for' independence from 1820 to 1827 j so jlmlly , with tho Italians in the gfariow insurrection of the wrosont year ( 1850 ) .

• Citation
  • Leader (1850-1860), April 28, 1860, page 406, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2345/page/18/