The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1857-10-07
A Papai Progress in the Nine
teenth Century.


FLORENCE, Aug 25, 1857.
The six days ado with the Pope ter.
inmates this morning in SURPRISING stir.
Oddly enough, ho goes with beartior
welcome than he came The arsenals
and bolfries fairly stun the ear with their
joy. Curious multitudes certainly crowd
ed to the sumptuous municipal reception
this day week, but they made no sign,
not even the common civility Of lifting
the hat. Tho windows along the sa-
cred way" hung out the usual festal dra
pcries with gaudy look, and here and
there solitary might have been seen
kneeling in tho stubborn crowd, but an
ominous calm prevailed throughout
Even the waiting thirty thousand in the
piazza Pitt stood their ground as the
imposing oortege entered and then re-
ceived the apostolic benediotioD from the
purple balcony without uncoveriDg, tho
the liveried guards fell to the knee, as in
duty bound. 50 through all the courtly
shows of the week, the people, balancing
between certain sentiment of regret
for the Head of their Church, and a
deep disgust with his political complica-
tions, looked on in respectful silence
There has not been the slightest show of
popular feeling. The prescribed illumi-
nation was brilliant, particularly that
part of it mirrored in the flowing Arno,
but the Pontiical procession passed
through the streets without cheer.
Nevertheless, the personal bearing of
tho man. a rarely featured, courteous
gentleman like St. Paul, noue the less
a oourtier for being a saint-bis remark
able assiduity ih business, his patient en-.
durance, for every hour Of every day,
from sunrise to bed time, has been siren.
uously occupied with the appointed Sc.
ries of receptions and fetes. visitations
and ceremonies, have wonderfully served
to concilato personal regard, Men seem
10th to believe that portly gentleman,
so apparently unused to the meaner arts
of the priesthood, with brow not born
to shame, throne where honor might
be crowned, can be the mere catspaw of
Legitimacy and charitably hope that the
most corrupting post in a disparaged
profession, has not wholly deprevel the
generous qualities Of Pho Nono. Such
was the effect of his appearance 10 the
magnificent old City Hall, at the per.
formance of grand original Otatorio
by six hundred trained voices and instru,
ments, on Thursday morning. The au.
gust as'emblagc, twelve hundred of the
noblesse and gentry rose as he entered
at the head of his suite, invested in q
simple white kerseymere cassock, and
proceeded bowing with infinite dignity
and grace through the long avenue to
the purple throne. A connoisseuI in
music ho complimented the performances
with an expression of satisfaction to the
persons about him.
But it should be remarked that this
sort of homage is mostly confined to the
polite and easier classes, who have also
been profuse In richer offerings 1t was
pleasantly remarked the other evening
in diplomatic circle, in reference to tho
presents constantly flowing in upon him,
that no is the richest of the whole line
Of pontiffs. AS chief Almoner of the
| church, he has received enormous sums
during the present tour the first of his
| Ponti6cate The Duke of Modena, pro.
badly the richest sovereign in Europe,
though one of the sma lest, for example,
gave him 100000 after mass in his
cathedral At Bologna he rereived va
rous donations in sums from ten to six.
ty thousand dollars; and the Grand
Duke of Tuscany placed $40, 600 at bis
disposal after the conservation Of the
Archbishop on Sunday. His son, the
heir apparent made similar offering
after the Pontifcal mass the next day
in his Cathedral Of the Annunciation :
Among numerous private gifts received
here is a gold cruoifx, gllttering with
precious stones, valued at $4,000, from
the Russian Prince Demidoff the repu
dated husband of the Princess Matilde
OF Paris, who has the most sumptuous
palace in Italy.-Cor' Of Ne'oarA Ad
VertiSer