The Sun.
London, England, 1859-03-26 00:00:00

GOSSIP FROM ROME.

A letter from Rome, dated March 19, says :
There appears to be no prospect for the present of
a realisation of Cardinal Antonelli's demand for the
departure of the French and Austrian forces from the
dominions of his Holiness. A rumour is now pre-
valent in Rome that, in consequence of this non-
acquiescence with his views, the cardinal has re-
solved to withdraw from the supreme direction of
State affairs, and that Cardinal Marini, a man able
and willing to take his place, is already destined
to be his successor; but this report has been perio-
dically spread ever since Cardinal Antonelli was
appointed Secretary of State, and it is my opinion
that it is as unfounded now as it was on previous
occasions. Anxiety is of course felt by the Papal
Government as to the result of all this agitation on
the Italian question, but no immediate danger to
the existing regime is to be apprehended on theii
part so long as the military occupation of the States
by the two great rival Powers is maintained.
Cardinal Millesi is getting out of the impending
scrape which threatened him at Bologna by aban-
doning the rule of that excitable province for the
quiet and wealthy archbishopric of Ravenna, from
which Cardinal Falconieri's health obliges him to
retire. Cardinal di Pietro, late Nuncio at Lisbon,
will, it is said, succeed Cardinal Millesi as Legate
at Bologna.
The Marquis Massimo d'Azeglio had an audience
of tho Pope on Thursday. The interview was of a
strictly private character, not even the Sardinian
Minister being present at it : but it appears that
the visit was merely one of respect to the position
of the Pontiff, and the conversation, from what has
transpired, was limited to commonplace observa-
tions. The marquis has not visited Cardinal Auto-
nelli. Indeed the two statesmen are said to be on
somewhat hostile terms, and evidently avoided each
other at the Queen of Spain's ball, where they
were brought into momentary contact.
Rome has lost quantities of visitors since the
carnival. The Austrian Archdukes have left the
city. Lord and Lady Bective and Lord Dillon
have gone to England. Naples and Florence are
full of foreigners from Rome.
The Prince of Wales is in no such feverish haste
to abandon the Eternal City. His Royal Highness
continues to make excellent use of his time, which
he divides between the study of art and antiquity
in Rome itself, and excursions to the most interest-
ing localities beyond the walls. Castel, Fusano,
and Ostia afforded him a charming trip last week.
This week has been in a great measure devoted
to the Vatican, through which the Prince is
going in a systematic manner, attended by the
director of the museum, Commendatore Fabbris.
He has thoroughly seen and enjoyed the frescoes in
the stanze, the loggie of Raphael, the picture gal-
lery, the Sistine Chapel, and the Etruscan Museum,
and he has taken a cursory glance at the sculpture ,
gallery, to the accurate examination of which he
proposes devoting a portion of the ensuing week,
under the guidance of Mr. Gibson, R.A.
The Prince showed his good taste and his good
feeling on St. Patrick's Day, by driving to visit