have had certain intimations. His brother Gabriel, Rosmini, and Montanari, who held themselves in readiness, had no inkling of it until the next morning, when they set out after the fugitives, without well knowing what route to take.

Pius IX. reached Mola di Gaeta in the sacerdotal habit only, just as he had quitted Rome; and halted at a mean inn. It is said he was vexed not to find the Spanish vessel, which Martinez della Rosa had ordered to be off the coast. Spaur forthwith started for Naples: and, as is reported, conveyed to King Ferdinand a letter from the Pontiff, in which he requested hospitality for a short time. The King flew to Mola, and with every sort of reverential attention entreated the Holy Father to accept of entertainment within his Castle of Gaeta. The Pope assented, stating at the same time, that he was about to set out shortly in the direction of the Balearic Isles. If we are told that this prompt appearance of King Ferdinand, his ample proffers, and his devout homage, sprang from Catholic zeal, still it should not be forgotten, that he is as wily as other folks, and that he may well have had it at heart to gain the countenance of the Chief of Catholicism, and to rear his head anew as an absolute Sovereign under the very eye of the Vicar of that Triune God, whom he had invoked in the solemn adjuration of the Constitutional Statute. Much more has been reported, respecting the communications he held beforehand with Spaur and Antonelli, as well as about his opening conversations with the Holy Father, and the arts he employed

to detain him; and the ensuing circumstances might lead us to give credit to many of those rumours, which however, as we are without the means of proof, it would be idle to repeat.

It has been supposed, that the Protest dated at Gaeta on the 27th of November was adopted in concert with the King; but in point of fact it was arranged in Rome with the Foreign Ministers before the escape. With reference to it, I think fit to observe, that it was sent to Cardinal Castracane, not by any means, as was then given out and believed, without accompaniment, but, on the contrary, with directions and plans abundantly precise and definite. In fact, there was an Ordinance proroguing the deliberative Councils: authority was conferred upon the Provisional Executive Commission to sanction the new Treasury Bonds to the amount of 600,000 crowns; they were empowered to act by a quorum of three, in case of necessity to carry the seat of Government out of Rome, and lastly, to nominate other persons in lieu of, or in addition to, their own body, or for filling the public offices, provided they were not those whom the rising of November the 16th had placed in power.

It is not true, then, that the measures of the Court at Gaeta were so giddy, as was alleged at the time: and if they wore that aspect, it must be ascribed to the Commissioners present in Rome, who did not make them known, nor endeavour to put them into execution. While, however, instructions and plans were thus forwarded to Cardinal Castracane, to the other Commissioners there was simply sent a letter

apprising them of their nomination. Its form was as follows:

,

"The undersigned Cardinal, by express command of the Holy Father, has the honour to acquaint Signor that our Lord's Holiness has been pleased to appoint him a member of the Executive Commission, instituted by the Proclamation of the 27th current. The Holy Father is convinced that the said Signor will proceed to discharge with his well-known fidelity an office so weighty, and will thus warrant the especial confidence reposed in him by his Holiness.

"Gaeta, Nov. 28.

"G. CARD. ANTONELLI."

While such letters were being sent, through the Nuncio at Florence, to Bevilacqua, Zucchi, and Ricci, the Deputies from the Roman Parliament and Municipality were on their road to Gaeta. When they had reached the frontier of the kingdom of Naples at Portello, an Inspector of Police presented himself, and, having acquainted himself with the purpose of their journey, apprised them that the orders he had received would not authorise him to permit any Deputation, on its way to the Holy Father, to enter the kingdom. The Deputation were accordingly obliged to return to Terracina, from whence they addressed themselves to Cardinal Antonelli, to induce him, as Prefect of the Sacred Palaces, to afford them facilities for the fulfilment of their duty. To this the Cardinal replied, that his Holiness deeply lamented his inability to receive the gentlemen who had been specially commissioned to entreat him to come back to the Capital. The Deputies, hereupon, returned downcast towards Rome.

Those, now, who bear in mind that they were persons commissioned to convey the tribute of allegiance to the Sovereign in the name of the most authoritative bodies in the State, and were likewise individually devoted to the Throne and solicitous for concord, will be readily disposed to censure this unexpected repulse. The course of events was sinister, and the Revolution was by this time about to break all bounds; so that every prudent man, every citizen feeling for his country, should have contributed to raise, as far as might be, barriers against it. If the dignity of the Sovereign would not comport with a prompt acceptance of the entreaties of those who represented the State and the city, yet the affection of the Pontiff might have towered higher yet, reflecting the Divine love of Him, Who by stooping and by pardoning ransomed the world. It is hard to judge whether, supposing the Deputation had been received at Gaeta, and supposing some measure of conciliatory settlement, or of prudent adjournment, had been devised, whether, I say, the Revolution could then have been curbed, and the country kept in repose; but the very possibility is harrowing. Radical subversion in civilised societies is but too fatal, not only to the prosperity but to the religion of a community; and corrupts its tone both for a length of time, and in such a degree, that the very suspicion of having in any manner promoted it ought to weigh upon every conscience. And my fear is that History, as she can flatter neither Sovereigns nor subjects, but must be the champion of reason and of justice, which are often

times trodden down by the one and by the other, cannot hold guiltless the decision of the Court of Gaeta to repel the supplicatory Deputation. There is a doctrine which pretends, that good may be reached through the medium of evil, and that sometimes the former is expedited by giving free course to the latter: but it is a doctrine neither civilised nor Christian; or rather it is no doctrine at all, it is blindness in the understanding, it is meanness or treachery in the will. Even submission to evil can never be a virtue, except after every effort has been made to hinder and to combat it.