New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1843-11-01

| THE POPE. DON MIGUEL. .MEZZAFoNTI.
| ROME, April, 1913.
To-day received an invitation to be presented
his holiness the Pope, but as l 70 und that
,.borts, and some other announcement et.ceteras
~e,e necessary declined. | regretted it after
r,,ds. as found | could have been presented in
aro ordinary dress. Whenever ladies are present.
j court dress is not required. \ lad y unex-
,.cedly became one of the number who were to
accompany our consul to his holiness, and could
,,re seen him without the inconvenience ! an
aGpated.
It was matter of very little consequence, how
rsr, as had on several occasions been within a
| sv feet of him an hour at time, and heard him
peak, and got, as l supposed, a very good idea
| 1.-THE Man, lie is nearly 50 years OF age but TO-
bust and healthy; he stoops considerably and walks
sowly yet when he mounts his throne his step is
| ightand elastic as that of a young man. He has
MARKED aquinc features, amid eye, and u very
sngnant countcnancc. He was a prclatc of no
4 sanction, and mounted to the chair of st. Peter
] snany others have done before him, by party
strife As soon as the Pope dies there commences
furious struggle between the rival families for
he throne The Cardinals are shut up in the
pones Palace OH the Quirinal, and are allowed to
0me out of their separate apartments only to cast
heir votes till Pope is elected. Two-thirds are
,scessary to constitute choice, subject once to
1 he veto of the Lord High Chamberlain The
mIyway often to reconcile the factions, and escape
INN their Imprisonment is to fall on some old and
Indifferent Cardinal and elect him. The present
Pone Gregory was elected under these clrcum-
4 Stances. He is not regarded as a very clever
man. although he bears an excellent moral char
acleT.
To-day. al some exercises in the Sistine Chapel,
/ saw Don Miguel. He is very good looking
man. He now lives at Albano, fifteen miles from
| Rome, whittier he has been banished by the Pope.
| While he was in power in Portugal, he lavished
| bis wealth on the Pope, who now, in return, sup
ports him on salary, 1t IS said, OF $50, 600. The
cause of his Punishment was an insult he offered
% the wife of Prince Borghese, one Of the first
amilies in the Papa dominions. She was the
| laughter Of the famous Catholic Earl Of Shrewe-
bury, and, with true English spirit resented deeply
he insult offered her. Borghese told his Holiness
either Don Miguel must leave Rome, or he The
Pope placed in this dilemma, eXlled Don Miguel
fifteen miles off, to the beautiful hill Of Albano,
hum whence he drives into town no oftener than
| he wishes.
] There is singular custom here during Holy
Week. Pilgrims from every quarter Journey on
loot during Easter to Rome, for which they are
entertained at the Church Of the Trinta their
let washed by distinguished individuals, who also
serve them at table, and finally put them nicely
A bed, They are the comple;est set Of ragamuf-
fms you ever behed and it is really revolving to
box at their nasty feet. Two nights since, Don
Miguel attended in one of the converts attached
TO the Church, and washed and served several Of
these lousy beggars. Great merit is attached to
ibis act and Don Miguel expects, doubtless, TO
wash out, in this way, some of his peccadllloes,
Of which there is any quantity. Last night,
some friends and myself Jumped into carriage
aSt. Peters, and rode down to sec the perform
snce The pilgrims all sat in row, on an clc-
rated bench, with each wooden dish under his
eet. There is no humbug about this washing,
a there is In the Popc's washing the disciples
ss. The dirt on these beggars is, as Carlyle
would say, well authenticated dirt, and it is no
oAe TO remove it. Two Cardinals were among
the pashers last night and, to my surprise, one
Of them observed to be Cardinal Messafonti,
The greatest inguist in the world. He speaks
hiy.two different languages. His requirements
alone have obtained for him Cardinals hat and
Post Mastership of Rome.
The Pope attributes his knowledge oflanguages
"a miraculous gift. Convcrsing to-day with a
Eest on the Subect--a friend of Mezzafonti-he
ad me that Mezzafonti himself attributes his
power IN acquiring languages TO the divine influ-
acs. He says that when an obscure priest, in
Ae North Of Italy, he was called one day to con-
less two foreigners condemned for piracy, who
were to be executed next day. On entering their
cell ne found them unable to understand word
Nuttered. Overwhelmed with the thought that
! ne criminals should leave this world without the
0eaehts o. religion he returned to his room
molved to acquire their language before morning.
accomplished his task, andncxt day confessed
hem IN their own tongue. From that time on
asays, he has had no difficulty in mastering the
most difficult language. The purity of his mo-
i've in the first place, he thinks, influenced the
Deity TO assist him miraculously. A short time
ance Swede, who could speak patos peculiar
oe certain province Of Sweden, callca on him.
md addressed him in that dialect. Mezzalonli
ad never heard it before, and seemed very much
Interested He invited him 10 cali on hun often,
Shch he did, while the conversation invariably
Sned on this dialect At length the Swede call.
lss one day, heard himself, TO his amazement, ad,