The Sun.
London, England, 1848-01-14 00:00:00

PROM THE PRIVATE LETTER OF A DISTINGUISHED

TRAVELLER.)
On the 3d of October, Sunday (a feast day), at half-
past ten o'clock in the morning, I was at the Quirinal
Palace, and crowds of people had already assembled
at Mount Cavalho ; the Garde Nobile, the troops of
the line, and the halberdiers, all ranged themselves as
for a great feast. At half-past eleven I remarked
several carriages enter the court of the Quirinal
Palace, containing the cardinals and principal per-
sonages of the Pontifical Court. At length the
magnificent carriage of his Holiness arrived, drawn
by eight milk white horses, of rare beauty, superbly
caparisoned, and a few minutes after the august
Pontiff, Pius IX., entered the vehicle to proceed to
celebrate the mass at one of the principal churches.
At the very moment the Pope mounted the steps of
the carriage the halberdiers commenced their march,
then the pages of his Holiness, all dressed in the cos-
tume of Henry of France, to the number of thirty or
forty young men, preceded by music ; following them
came infantine pages carrying baskets of beautiful
flowers, which they strewed from the Quirinal to the
church; then appeared his Holiness, surrounded by
the Garde Noioil ; and as his carriage advanced
slowly, the great Pontiff dispensed his benedictions to
'his adoring people. The cortege was closed by the
splendid retinues of the court.
At the church the ceremony was, as usual upon all
occasions when the Pope officiates at the mass, most
imposing, and many of the spectators were moved even
to tears. The same order of representation was
adopted on the return of his Holiness to the Quirinal
Palace. By special sanction I obtained a most ad-
vantageous position in the Palace, opposite to the
Piazza di Monte Cavalho, whence I had a full view
of the balcony from which the Pope was to give his
saintly benediction to the people. One after another
the different companies of the civic guard arrived
with their banners and music, the crowd became im-
mense, and the Monte Cavalho filled. As each com-
pany assembled I observed. its distinctive banner.
" Viva Pio Nono I" "Viva la Liberta Italiana !"
" Viva le Commerce I" " Viva Inglielterra (Eng-
land)!" " Viva gl' Inglesi (the English) I" were
amongst those which created the greatest sympathy.
Each of the Roman States was represented by her
banner. At the same time the personage who gave
me the carte d#s pays pointed out to me the renowned
Cicerovacchio with the banner " Viva Pio Nono I"
The cries and enthusiasm redoubled as each suc-
cessive company arrived on the Plaza, and all eyes
were directed to the balcosy where the immortal Pio
Nono was to appear. At length the great and beloved
Pontiff advanced into the balcony with the baldequin
over his head, and with the cortege usual on these
occasions All unanimously rent the air with
their acclamatioss, and then, as if the whole
people were animated but by one soul,
every knee was bent, and every eye fixed,
even respiration seemed momentarily withheld
whilst the sublime Vicegerent of God on earth gave
his benediction to all around him. With his hands
uplifted to heaven, he then chaunted some pious
ejaculations, and the people responded; and then the
Pope, again giviag his benediction, and extending his
arms as if to press his beloved people in one embrace,
retired from the balcony; but as he retreated, like a
tender father who gives one lingering glance to his
dear children, Pius IX. again turned to look at his
people, which the multitude, impressionable to every
fine feeling of the heart, understood, and, as if electri-
fied by a burst of filial attachment, the cries for their
beloved Sovereign were redoubled beyond all descrip-
tion, and Pio Nono again returned to the balcony,
and again blessed his faithful subjects.
The Pope then withdrew, and this dense multi-
tude went tranquilly to their homes, with joy and
gratitude in their hearts, for the benefits dispensed to
them by their Sovereign Pontiff. No demonstration
whatever of force was necessary, nor indeed did any
sort of control exist to ensure the public order—all
seemed to be the children of one great family united
in the bonds of sympathy.and attachment to their
idolized parent.
No tongue could relate or pen describe the intensity
of the feelings which predominate between the Pope
and his people, and cold indeed must be the heart in
this land of liberty that would not respond to the
unanimous cries of " Viva Pio Nono !" " Viva Com-
merce with England !" " The English for ever !" Let
us then aid to the utmost this great regenerator in the
wise reforms he finds it necessary to make for his