The Sun.
London, England, 1864-08-15 00:00:00

TnE SUN, LONDON, MONDAY EVENING, AUGUST 15, 1864.

The Jew Child turned Christian,

The following statement as to the actual facts of
Ihe case appeared in the official journal of the 4th
instant :
" Giuseppe Coen, a boy 11 years old, had been
entrusted by his parents to a Catholic shoemaker,
who has a shop in the neighbourhood of the Ghetto,
in order that he might learn the trade. The inti-
macy which the young Jew, who has an enlightened
mind, contracted with his master and the Christians
who frequented the shop, made him conceive the
design of embracing our religion. With this view,
for upwards of a fortnight, he earnestly implored
his master to conduct him to the house of the
catecumeni ; and his master, determining to gratify
his desire, did so on the 25th of last month, and
conducted him there in company with one of his
own relations, a proprietor, and a Neapolitan priest,
who, by chance, were then in his shop. The rector
of the catecumeni was absent from the institution
when they arrived, but when he returned he found
the boy had been consigned, and heard from him
the motive of his spontaneous coming. The rector
having assured himself by a rigorous examination
of the boy's firm and decided will to remain in the
institution to embrace Christianity, could not, con-
sistently with the duties of his office, refuse to re-
ceive and retain him, informing the superiors of the
institution of the event. In consequence, one of the
very eminent cardinals who presides over the insti-
tution hastened to summon young Coen into his
presence at Frascati, to examine his will, and to
make sure of the force of his determination by a legal
act. Therefore, in the presence of the governor of the
town, a notary, aad two lawyers of kno Rn probity,
the young Israelite was heard. He declared to
them his decided will to become a Christian, de-
claring that he was not moved to such a step by
suggestions, fear, or promises, but solely by a pro-
fouud sentiment in his mind ; on which the persons
present, being invited to manifest their opinion
respeutiog what they had heard, declared—' That
it was evident that the boy had perfect use of his

I reason, and that they were intimately convinced of
his free will to embraca the Christian religion.'
After this the authorities do not desist from follow-
:ng up the acts which in circumstances of this nature
regulate the determinations to be taken,whieh, as well
in the mode of procedure as in every other respect,
have certain rules traced in the constitutions of the
Roman Pontiffs, of which the Israelites residing in
Rome cannot allege ignorance. It?garding the recla•
mations of the parents, which the above-mentioned
journals state to have been rEjected and repulsed,
it is to be remarked that it had been wished that
•.:ne free will of the boy should be recognised in the

presence of his father. Therefore, after the firs,

act which was performed at Frascati, it was settled
that another experiment and examination of the
boy should be held in the presence of his father and
the secretary of the Israelitic community. But the
latter alone presented himself on the incitation,
declared that the father had refused to come, and
refused also himself to assist at the examination.
However, if, especially
on account of the father,
the examination could not take place, other ex.
periments will certainly be made to prove the
persistence of the boy in the determination he
has already so often signified, and they will be
conducted with every legal guarantee, according
to the injunctions of Benedict XIV, in the con
stitution of Feb. 28, 1747. Such is the truth of
th© Coen affair. The lies, the calumnies, the
vituperations of the journals will never succeed in
turning the Holy See from the way which is accord-
ing to truth and justice, nor will they make any
impression on the minds of honest and wise men,
who know from experience what weight they are to
give to certain pretended Roman correspondences:,
Upon this incident Monde has observed:—

" The revolution wishes to make a noise, and give
a repetition of the Mortara affair, but it w:11 have
its labour for its pains. Pius IX. will maintain hie
rights to the last extremity, and the young Coen
will no more be restored to his family than was
young Mortara, who is still in the hands of the
clergy in spite of the intrigues at London and
Turin, the originators of which have already
seve-
ral times hired cut throats to carry him off. Let the
whole press give vent to its fury, and let diploma.
tists in their turn present their observations, Pius
IX. will resist with that indomitable energy NO"
he has already displayed against incredulous
Europe and official Europe united together; he
defend and save the aoui cf young Coen."

GROPING ABOUT FOR THE IDENTITY !—(PisiS-
tratus Caxton and Harry Lorrequer being so very much
alike Cornelius O'Dowd," whose contributions to
Blackwood have attracted such marked attention, was re-
cently stated, says the London Review, to be a nom de
plume of Sir Edward Bulwer Lytton. This, adds our
contemporary, is now denied, and the name of Chas. Lever
is given as the writer.

PENSIONS.—Tbe public annuity and pension list
naturally changes more or less with every
year.
The finance accounts recently issued for the year ending
with March, 1864, introduce for the first time the names of
the Prince and Princess of Wales for their respective an-
nuities of £40,000 and £lO,OOO a year. The other royal
annuities remain. the same as before; for the House of
Cambridge, £24,000; the Princess of Prussia, £3,006; the
Princess Louis, £6,000. The perpetual pensions, of course,
remain the same, the heirs of William Penn heading the
list with their £4,000 a year, to bo paid as long as time and
the Treasury shall last. The grant to the Canning family
disappears from the list, and so does the retiring pension of
Lord Lyndhurst; but there still remains four English ex-
chancellors receiving their £5,000 a year, and there are two
Irish ex-chancellors, four English retired judges,and a vice-
chancellor. A retired Irish judge, Mr Justice Crampton,
has place in the list no more ; but fate still spares the
housemaid of the Irish House of Lords to receive her
pension. From the list of retired county court judges, Mr
E. Cooke disappears, but two new names are added—Mr
Sergeant Manning and Mr W. Weikel. The diplomatic
pension list has received two new names, Sir J. Hudson
and Mr Christie. The compensation annuities make a
long list. Prominent in it by magnitude of amount stands
one peer receiving £7,700 a year, as formerly chief clerk of
the Court of Queen's Bench ; another £1,200, as once
registrar of the Irish Chancery ; and there is a reverend
pensioner with his £4,028 a year, as formerly Clerk of the
Hampers,
and £7,352 a year as once patentee of bank-
ruptcy,