The Sun.
London, England, 1868-01-20 00:00:00

perform in the streets. Berlin they find the most
restrictive city in Europe.
The English beer, too, seems to be remembered
with enthusiasm, and the English sheep has taken
a prominent place in their fancy. Their fabulous
recitals of its perfections contain the force of a
whole treatise on the way in which myths and
legends arise. London, with its noise and bustle,
seems to excite more surprise than admiration ;
but the big church, with a cupola " like that of the
Holy Father," did not escape their notice. " But
I didn't want to go into it," said one of them,
" when they said it was Protestant, and I found
plenty of good priests who could talk our language."
The large church of " 'atona gardenna " (unde
which appellation, after several repetitions, I re-
cognized Hatton-garden) they seemed to think as
fine as some in Rome, but that it was so very
white.

What 1 have said above of the Mazzinian move-
ments has been gathered from private sources.
The following is from a Roman paper of last
night: -
" We have received the following from Viterbo :
"The notorious A. L. has gathered together a
band of about 100 rapscalions, and stationed them
in scattered parties, in various localities along the
frontier, with orders to hold themselves in readi-
ness for action at a moment's notice. A few days
ago he entertained a score of Garibaldian officers
at the little village of Pecorone, and when the wine
had flowed a little freely they boasted of their con-
quest of the surrounding country as a proximate
event. The news of this has caused quite a com-
motion of alarm in Acqua-pendente, and fallen like
a bomb amid the merry family parties who were
keeping Christmas in peace and cheerfulness.
_ _

"Notwithstanding any masquerading of the
Italian Government, there is no manner of doubt
that it is secretly at work consolidating the party
of action, and encouraging it to be on the look
out for any opportunity to strike some decisive
blow. The heart of the movement is at Terni ;
number of pieces of woollen stuff have been received
there ready to be dyed red, or any other colour
(colore is used even more commonly than with us to
denote varieties of opinions) in which they may be
pleased to array the encamisados. (This word is
often used for the Garibaldians, because, though
it may be used to denote simply the wearer of a
shirt, it means one who fights under disguise, as the
Piedmontese soldiers did under Garibaldi.)

"Further several hundred Garibaldians are
posted in the various small towns all along our
border—at Castel Giorgio, Castel Vicardo,
Monterubbiano, Viceno, &c. They are, for the
most part, Lombards, and they are busy exercising
in the use of their arms; manifestly holding them-
selves in readiness for an order from their Go-
vernment, or from whoever is to pull the strings
for it this time."

P.S. —Since writing the above the most exact
particulars have been brought me respecting Mr.
Arthur W. Binny ; and, as his being a Garibaldian
is denied, it is important you should have them.
He,; was, then, in the 15th company of the Bth
Regiment of Garibaldians, and it was on the 3rd of
October'he was made an officer of the staff.

January 11.
It was rumoured that the fair of S. Eustachio
Would be ciosedthis Epiphany, lest its festivities
should be made a pretext for a disturbance ; it
went on as usual, however, and drew together the
usual good-humoured crowds.
Children's dreams here at this season are visited
by a certain deformed fairy they call la Befana
(a corruption, it will be observed, of Epifania),
whom they suppose to bring them gifts. The
conceit is analagous to " Father Christmas " of
England, St. Nicholas of Germany, the "Enfant
Jesus " of France, but is even more directly con-
nected with Christian history than these, as being
not merely like them, a pleasing mode of cele-
brating a holy season, but actually represents the
gifts of the Magi to the Child of Bethlehem ; the
rather that, by a pretty tradition, the eastern kings
are said to have brought among their offerings toys
and dolci, such as a child loves to receive.

The fair of S. Eustachio holds a very important
place in popular estimation, for it supplies the
cornucopia of Dame Befana, not only for the grati-
fication of infant minds, but also for the inter-
change of tokens of goodwill between children of a
larger growth. Colossal booths are set up all along
the streets running out of the Piazza of S. Eus-
tachio ; a cordon is established round the favoured
precincts, excluding all wheeled traffic for two or
three days ; if, as this year, a Sunday happens to
fall within the time, for that once in the year the
tradesmen of the neighbourhood are allowed, or
take leave, to keep their shops open—suchof them,
that is, as sell any matter or thing which could by
any possibility be made the object of a present ;
gigantic flambeaux keep up a brightness akin to
that of day, and far into the small hours the light-
hearted multitude troops by, spending, meeting
acquaintances, chatting, singing, laughing, eating
sweetmeats, drinking wine (but not often over
much), and making themselves very merry indeed.
The revolutionary party are much provoked that
they cannot disturb the even flow of the Romans'
spirits. Early in the season they issued the cir-
cular they have now been in the habit of putting
forth for some years, calling on the people to ab-
stain from attending the theatres as usual ; this
has had little effect, except in the case of the
principal opera house, which the timid have been
restrained from frequenting because they have
given out that they have mined its foundations,
and the proximity of the building to the river-bank
affords some reason for believing the possibility of
the report being true. Though the police are on
the alert, and will, no doubt, be able to prevent
actual mischief, the recklessness of the people
under the orders of such committees has been so
fully proved now, both here and in England,
that it is scarcely strange many are afraid to risk
their lives, even for the enjoyment of an opera.
The consequence can only be to deprive Rome of
one of her great charms and prerogatives. The
manager is almost ruined, and native talent is
driven out of its natural market. This is pa-
triotism !

Two individuals have been lately arrested whom
there is every reason to believe were concerned in
blowing up the Serristori barracks. A third,
similarly suspected, has contrived to escape.
The Consistory, for the creation of, I believe,
fifteen Cardinals (the vacant hats are, you know,
seventy-one) is fixed for the 16th of March. Every
one says that if the Archbishop of Westminster
does not receive one this time, it will not be delayed
later than the next, which is to be held in June.
The Archbishop of Cambrai, Mgr. de Merode,
Mgr. Ferrari, Minister of Finance; Mgr. Borromeo,
major-domo of the Pope ; Mgr. Barili, nuncio at
Madrid ; Mgr. Ferrieri, nuncio at Lisbon ; and
Mgr. Bonaparte, the Emperor's cousin, are spoken
of. There seems greater doubt again whether the
Archbishop of Paris will receive the purple. Mgr.
Chigi, nuncio at the Tuileries, also, it is thought,
will remain a little while longer at his own desire
in his present position. Mgr. Bonaparte, it ought
to be remarked, has always shrunk from receiving
any species of dignity from the Emperor. He is
living. in Paris, in the quietest way possible for
him.

The following is the published text of Cardinal
d'Andrea's retractation as signed by him the day
after Christmas Day. It is said he has since re-
ceive'd threatening letters from the Revolutionary
committee :

"The undersigned Cardinal, in obedience to the
orders of His Holiness, declares :

"I. That he asks pardon for disobedience com-
mitted by going to Naples contrary to the veto of
the Holy Father. _

" 11. That he deplores the scandal given to the
faithful by his attitude towards His Holiness and
the S. Congregations, by his writings and by his
relations with the Examinatore of Florence, the
doctrines of which he reprobates as being held by
the Holy Father to be heretical and schismatical.
" 111. That he gives his full adhesion to the
Address of the Catholic Episcopate assembled in
Rome in June, 1867.

" IV. That he reprobates the protest and other
his acts done, the publication of the Brief of the
.12th of June, 1866, notwithstanding.