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

The Pope and his Visitors,

Sir George Bowyer, in the following lotter 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 Vie San of yesterday. The hon.
baronet writes :

Sir,—Under this heading I see in the Time: of this day
an extract from a French paper containing some gross mis-
takes. Tho 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 ono knee, but
you do not remain kneeling until the Popo motions you to
rise. his holiness never keeps any ono 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 Popo as well as women of
hum'ole condition. It is not true that " everything is pre-
pared to astonish and disconcert the visitor." Or 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 tho chamberlain retires after announcing the
visitor or visitors. In fact, the Holy Father given 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 Popo 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 BOWYER.

MR. FERRAND is thus described in the Court
Journal by the Parliamentary Sketcher, who says
—lie 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
be thoroughly in earnest, though you cannot always ad-
mire hie 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 ago, and that his views of men and things
' would have become more moderate. But this is a mistake.
Ile is now what he was at the beginning of his Parlia-
mentary career, and what it is clear that ho ever will
be—a politician of very great ferocity. very honour-
able and well-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
wan, with plenty of good feeling for poor men, and no
end of enmity for some powerful men who have thwarted
him and whom be believes to be always bent on grasping
or retaining favour at the expense of principle. This is
Mr. Ferrand's doctrine : ho fears the Whigs even when they
offer gifts; and as to Whig Admirals, Whig Controllers
and Surveyors of the Navy, Whig Lords of the Ad.
miralty, both Junior and First, he holds them in utter
abomination. This you hear prw•laimed from a ringing,
sonorous voice, which now and then approaches a bellow.

If you look it;, the 'speaker, your eyes light om a rugged face,
with moustaches which add to its ruggedness ; bright, fierce
eyes, which glare upon the Ministerial benches; hands
which seem to lung to throttle the Junior Lord and the
Admiralty Secretary at the very least; and a Ivoll-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 this member who now declaims
against Admiralty officials for interference at l)evonport
elections, Dovonport being the place which enjoys the
honour of having- Mr. Ferrand as a representative.

THE CONTENTS OF A PniNciesPunsE.—The
Duo d'Aumalo was out hunting, between Chadbury
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. ltandell, of Chadbury, was
going to Evesham on horseback the same morning, awl
found the purse awl its contents, which ho delivered to the
Duke, who rewatdcd him with a boverei6u for his hollesty,