The Sun.
London, England, 1864-03-08 00:00:00

The Pope and his Visitors.

Sir George Bowyer, in the following letter to our
chief contemporary, contradicts the absurd and
ridiculous paragraph which has been going the
round of the papers, and which was given as a
curiosity in 71w San of yesterday. The hon.
baronet writes :.
Sir,—Under this heading I see in the Times of this day,
an extract from a French paper comaining some gross mis-
takes. The Pope presents not his slipper, but his hand, to
be kissed at audiences in every case. The ceremony of
kissing the foot (derived from the ceremonial of the ancient
Imperial Court) is only performed on certain occasions. At
audiences you kneel, or rather genuflect on one knee, but
you do not remain kneeling until the Pope motions you to
rise. His Holiness never keeps any one kneeling, and I
believe no nun ever knelt before her confessor except in the
confessional. Ladies, both Protestants and Catholics, are
received at audiences by the Pope as well as women of
humble condition. It is not true that " everything is pre-
pared to astonish and disconcert the visitor." On the con-
trary, everything is plain and unpretending. There are
the half dozen Swiss guard and footmen in the hall, the
chamberlain in waiting, and one of the noble guard in the
antechamber, and the Pope receives visitors without any
attendant, as the chamberlain retires after announcing the
visitor or visitors. In fact, the Holy Father gives audiences
more like a bishop than like a sovereign, and no sovereign
gives so many audiences to persons of all classes, from the
highest to the lowest, as the Pope. It is absurd to suppose
that M. J. Merode always speaks to the Pope kneeling. His
Holiness often gives audiences in his private room, sitting
at his writing table. I shall be much obliged if you will
publish this letter.—Your obedient servant,

GEORGE BOIN'YER.

MR. FERRAND is thus described in the Court
Journal by the Parliamentary Sketcher, who says
—He is one of those downright haters whom Dr. Johnson
loved. lie speaks with such intense feeling, and pummels
his antagonist with such vehemence, that you admit him to
bo thoroughly in earnest, though you cannot always ad-
mire his taste or endorse his statements. Most people re.
member him as he was, when he had his bout with Sir
James Graham. Most people thought he would toned
down a little with age, and that his views of men and things
would have become more moderate. But this is a mistake.
He is now what ho was at the beginning of his Parlia-
mentary career, and what it. is clear that ho ever will
of very great ferocity, very honour-
be—a politio,an
able and wtill-meaning, but awfully inclined to be-
lieve anything to the prejudice of the Whigs, and of Whig
officials, and proclaiming it to all the world upon very
shallow evidence which convinces few besides himself. As
you listen to him, even without looking at him, you can read
his character—the character of a self-asserting, obstinate
man, with plenty Af good feeling for poor men, and no
end of enmity for sk mie powerful men who have thwarted
him and whom be bt lioves to be always bent on grasping
or retaining favour at the expense of principle. This is
Mr. Ferrand's doctriut): he fears the Whigs even when they
offer gifts; and as to Whig Admirals, Whig Controllers
and Surveyors of tho. Navy, Whig Lords of the Ad-
miralty, both Junior Ind First, he holds them in utter
abomination. This yo u hear proclaimed from a ringing,
sonorous voice, which now and then approaches a bellow.
If you look at the speak er, your eyes light om a rugged face,
with moustaches which uld to its ruggedness ; bright, fierce
eyes, which glare upon. the Ministerial benches; hands
which seem to long to throttle the Junior Lord and the
Admiralty Secretary at till very least; and a well-set, well
knit frame which towers :up from behind the front Oppo-
sition bench, and seems the embodiment of a tenacious,
dogged purpose. It is thitt member wbo now declaims
against Admiralty officials for interference at Devonport
elections, Devonport being tho place which enjoys the
honour of having Mr. Ferrand as a representative.

THE CONTENTS OF A PRINCE'S—PURSE.—The
Due d'Aumale was ont hunting, between Chudbury
and Evesham, and lost his purse, containing £9 in gold,
20s. in silver, and a few shillings' worth of postage stamps.
William Stait, groom to Mr. C. Ra ndell, of Chadbary, was
going to Evesham on horseback the same morning, and
found the purse and its contents, which he delivered to the
Duke, who rewarded him with a mvereign for his honesty.