TOUR OF INQUIRY THROUGH FRANCE AND ITALY. CHAPTER I. Celebration of Louis Napoleon's coup d'état at RomeGrand religious procession-An American's opinion of the Britishers-Anecdote of an English fanatic -Opinions of foreigners respecting the conversion of England-Remarks on the Roman Catholic religion -The Inquisition at Rome-Singular discovery— The Jesuits in England-Their colleges and places of residence. THE brilliant sun of an Italian winter, suceeding a sharp night's frost, shed its bright effulgence over the auspicious day, announced by the Vicar of Christ as a day of public thanksgiving to celebrate the successful termination VOL. II. B of the coup d'état achieved by the nephew of the first Napoleon, his triumph over the enemies of social order, by which it was hoped the priests and their allies, the despots, would be secured a little longer in the peaceful enjoyment of their reign. France, ever restless France! so long the hot bed from whence spring those delusive notions respecting the rights of man, equality, fraternity, and other fantastic fancies, equally visionary, was bound in chains, and the event was hailed by these men of the past, as one of the most important that had occurred since the advent of Christianity. How the times are changed! The same man who was excommunicated in 1831, for having impiously taken up arms, with the intention of deposing the Pope, and taking possession of his throne as King of Rome, in right of his uncle, was now admitted to be the saviour of the Church! equally worthy as Saint Louis to be sovereign of France! equally worthy of canonization! It is but just to his Holiness to record, that he appeared truly grateful for the service that had been rendered him: as his government omitted nothing wealth could supply, or good taste suggest, to commemorate with princely splendour the victory of so excellent a son of the Church. Hundreds of scavengers were to be seen employed for several days previous, in cleansing the streets, and covering them with clean red sand, the whole line of procession; numerous carpenters were also busied in erecting temporary booths, chapels and altars for some favourite Madonna or saint; at the same time all the gardeners in the environs, had full occupation in procuring evergreens, laurels, and bouquets of flowers, for decorating the houses of the citizens, and the various stations and resting-places at which the procession would pause. At length when everything was prepared, the élite of the French army of occupation in all the panoply of glorious war, with drums. beating, music playing, and colours flying, made their appearance, and lined the whole extent of the route, from the Vatican to the church of Santa Maria della Pace, where it was intended his Holiness in person should celebrate Divine Service, assisted by the cardinal princes and the other high dignitaries of the Church. In The brilliant uniforms and glittering bayonets of the military added increased splendour to the solemn pageant with which the Roman hierarchy so well knows how to impress mankind with a due sense of its dignity and magnificence. addition to this grand display, the scene was further enlivened by the equipages of the Roman nobility, and all the world of Rome, orthodox, or heterodox, on foot, on horseback or in carriages, hurrying to and fro, in eager haste to obtain a full view of the brilliant spectacle. We were fortunate in procuring a position à l'equestrian, in the vast piazza of San Pietro, opposite the Vatican and the church of St. Peter, already occupied with the gorgeous carriages of the princes of the Church. At the moment appointed by authority, a burst of cannon from the castle of Sant' Angelo and the solemn tolling of bells from all the churches, announced that the grand ceremony was about to commence. The procession opened by the children of the various charitable institutions of Rome, boys and girls in regular order-the latter dressed in white muslin frocks and white veils, all singing psalms, were the most conspicuous. To these followed in gloomy silence the various files of monks and friars, black, white and grey. You could scarcely imagine that hypocrisy and want of charity was concealed beneath such downcast looks and vile attire. The sober black dresses of the foremost distinguished them as the disciples of Saint Augustin; then came the Franciscans, with their shaven crowns and rope girdles, appearing from their devout looks and humble garb, as if they had bade an eternal adieu to all earthly wants and cares. Next to these we had the Dominicans, in white woollen dresses, the founders and ministers of the Inquisition. What a frightful page has history recorded of their acts in every part of the world. These were succeeded by their celebrated rivals, the Jesuits, the eloquent preachers, the zealous missionaries, the teachers and confessers of princes and noble ladies. A fraternity that has |