Pius IX. and his times: a series of sketches made ... in Rome. To which are added Souvenirs of travel in other parts of Europe, etc

Front matter

PIUS IX. and HIS TIMES: A SERIES OF SKETCHES MADE DURING A PROLONGED RESIDENCE IN ROME; THE SUBJECTS BEING ANTIQUARIAN, ARTISTIC, SACRED, SOCIAL, AND POLITICAL, ALL ILLUSTRATIVE OF THE PRESENT PONTIFICATE, TO WHICH ARE ADDED SOUVENIRS OF TRAVEL IN OTHER PARTS OF EUROPE, WITH MISCELLANEOUS JOTTINGS, BI THOMAS O'DWYER, M.D., M.R.C.S., (Late English Physkian at Rome). LONDON : BURNS, OAT ES, AND COMPANY, 17, Postman Street, W .; & 63, Paternoster Row, E.C. 1876. TO THE READER. The sketches which form the chief portion of this volume were written between the years 1862 and 1866, as the " Roman Correspondence" of the London Weekly Register, then under the editorship as well as proprietorship ofthe late Mr. H. Wilberforce. Though thrown off currenti calamo, they7 have had need of little revision, and while the records they contain will be found to be accurate, the anticipations they offer as to forthcoming events, in most cases, have accorded with the actual results.

It is no falsification of the predictions made as to the impossibility of reaching Rome by moral means, that it should now be the metropolis of the Kingdom of Italy, seeing that that object was accomplished by treachery, deceit, and violence ; and by such means, as " brigandism " in its worst form, would have hardly dared to employ. How long that coerced and heterogeneous aggregation of States shall hold together, is among the mysteries which time alone can reveal. The " diary " of a residence at Munich preceded them by several years, but may prove interesting not only as illustrative of continental travelling in the ante-railway days, but as con taining some important details bearing on the state of religion in Bavaria at that period. The incidents of an autumn in Naples and its vicinity were written in 1853, while the Bourbon dynasty was still on the throne.

Pantasaph, N. Wales, November, 1875. TO HIS EMINENCE THE CARDINAL -ARCHRISHOP OF WESTMINSTER It cannot be matter of surprise that a Catholic, and moreover an Irishman, on becoming a literary debutant, should wish to secure for his undertaking the paramount ad vantage of y7our Eminence's exalted patronage. This remark holds a fortiore when the work in question has mainly reference to Rome, where your Eminence has for so many y7ears resided. But while the Author's chief motive in begging your acceptance of the dedication of his unpretending volume is that of paying homage to, and testifying his great respect for, your Eminence, he can hardly disguise from himself that an undercurrent of vanity may prompt him, thereby to put on record the fact of his having for many years enjoyed the privilege of your friendship at the centre of Catholicity.

Letter X

Resumption of Fausti's trial— His history. How Fausti yielded to the Revolutionary Committee P«0e 118—120.

LETTER XL

Marks of demoralisation in the Italian States. Robbery of a picture of the Madonna. Restoration of the stolen picture of the Madonna. Anniversary of the Coronation of Pius IX I20--125.

Magnificence of Roman sunsets. Prince Carlo Barberini— Origin of his family. Sir George Hudson's departure from Turin 155—159.

Letter XXII

Lady Wortley Montague's Letters from Rome. Her impressions as to the matrimonial facilities of a winter at Rome. Disturbances at Naples and Sicily The great question of the Temporal power. Singular unanimity of the Hierarchical voting. Pilgrimages to Vicovaro. An English Monsignor's impressions 159—166. LETTER' XXIII. His Holiness as a humourist. Festival of St. Edward at Monte Porzio. . . . 166—168.

Expulsion of Mr. Home, the "Medium." New Church of St. Thomas a Beckett. Festival of the Chair of St.^eter 200—202.

Letter XXXVI

Address to the Pope at the Festival of the Chair of St. Peter. Death of the Marchesa del Barolo, Silvio Pellico's friend. Address to His Holiness from the Catholics in Rome. The Pope's reply. Beatification of Pere Canisius, S.J., Apostle of Germany. Expected canonization of a martyred Polish Bishop. Fidelity of Neapolitan Bishops. Detention of Englishmen at the gates of Rome. Academia of the Prop.oganda— Prizes won by Negroes. Grand marriage ceremony. The Sclavonian prospects of their re-conversion. Census of Rome, and statistics of the population. Results of the enquiry into the military riots at Albano. Atrocious conduct of a French officer. Three murdered .and several wounded at Castel G.andolfo 203—219.

Letter XXXVII

The National Committee and the Carnival. The National Committee's Address to the Romans. Arrest of two members of the Revolutionary Committee 219—221.

Letter Xxxviii

A brilliant carnival. Impious outrage followed by speedy retribution 221—224.

Letter XXXIX

Conclusion of carniv.al. Discovery of the authors of the murder. Diabolical and cowardly outrage. Interesting discoveries at the church of St. Clement. An ancient fresco. The burial of St. Cyril. Another picture of the martyrdom of St. Clement. Presentation to Monsignor Dupanloup 224 — 230.

Deoth of the Roman correspondent of the "Register." Approach of carnival.— Sinister rumours. Sad effects of the revolution in Italy. The Russian Minister rebuked by the Pope. Deiith of Gibson the sculptor 276—280.