The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1870-02-06

Ten Years in Rome.

+ The January number of the GALAXY contains
an article with the above title. With some of
the hippancy which makes up much of mod
crn criticism on things but little understood,
tho writer tells some home truths, which it
would be we'll for tourists to ponder and lay to
heart. We give an extract:
| OF course, there are in Rome as in New York
and London and Paris, certain houses where
yOu must go if you wish to be thought Sin soci-
ety." Into these no parren" can enter. Mere
wealth will not entitle to recognition This is
| n great chagrin to foreigners, especially our
dear American and English friends. Will they
permit me friendly word! TO all we'll
persons, purse pride is most offensive. What
do understand by n well-bred person l
fear he is rare. A man whose sense of delcacy
is acute that intuitively he knows what will
| be offensive to his neghbor: who, if he is talk
ing to a half educated person, tries to make
him feel he knows something by talking on
subjects upon which he possesses information
who does not boast of his ancestry and reveal
antique blazonry before one whose forefathers
were tallow chambers only: who is not awe
struck by>titles, and does not consider peer
tails. These ara, 6ft.repeatcd maxims: but
travellers to Rome will do well to remember
them There you meet an aristocracy that not
| only traces its orig in to tho CAESARS but whose
old, heroic names recall magnificent scenes of
history. grand deeds of bravery, triuInphs in
art and science or dsplomacy. An>aristocracy
| the proudcst in the world, yet the best bred;
| ing to ii /; recognizing the dignity of art aud
letters; doing honor With delight to talent,
So, when John Bull and Uncle Sam come to
| Rome, ignoring these peculi1rIties of society,
and fancying large income, a name powerful
on Change will secure ready recognition, they
are painfully undec-vcd. They are received
| by persons of like tastes and inclinations, but
they do not get society. brute who
laughs mt Romans bad English while he HIM
self slaughtcrs Italian harbarously, cannot be
! tolerated. The result is many go away and
81 there is society in Rome.
Really, the mistakes Americans and the Eng
fish make are too amusing to be anyt hing but
subjects of mrtlI. Sometimes it is ultra-Pro-
tcstantism that is ut fault. person inlamcd
| with zeal once armed himself with u bundle of
| fierce mo Popery" tracts TO cOnrcrt the Pope He
Went into the presence with Bishop Hopkins.s
work, "The Pope Antichrist," and tract emit
| tied, 1.-The Pope the Man of SIM" but he had
not the courage to deliver them. At the solemn
Corpus Christi procession, an Englishlnan
would persist in keeping on his hat as the Pom
tiff passed, carrying the Host. A guard adj
monishcd him, but he only squeezed it on the
tighter Was it likely that he, Il free born
| EngIishman, belong ing to n liberal minded
country, should show the least respect to the
cigious opinions of others +! The guard look
ed III his firmly set face, then stuck his halbert
in the beaver and sent it dying over the heads
of the crowd. Now what would he thought of
party of Italians going into Grace Church or
Trinity during divine service, and behaving rs
| have seen party of English and Americans
do in ST. Peters, at the Popes Mass! They
chatter talk small talk, crticise the cardinals,
tell anecdotes sometimes, like Mr.. Culp cot II
warm coInnleNon' and behave in the most
scandalous manner In the most solemn part
of the Grand Mass, on Easter Day, while the
assembled thousands were a,oring the elevated
Host, and far up in the lofty dome there pcaled
) forth sweet mclOdious notes, from silver truni-
5 pets, swelling in waves of richest music, then
) melting away into the vast sublime, once
heard a ady-well size had ,O0Oa year-say
to the footman in gorgeous livery, ''Whle that
man in violet the writer) is not looking,
Jeames, bring out the luncheon" And lunch
con they had, as have since seen them eat it
!, ut Exeter Hall, during the speech that dear
man. DIR. Cummings, the Earl of Shaftcs-
bury. Now, some people can discuss lobster
salad and champagne anywhere. But it may
be permitted us to ask what would be the feel
; ings of DIR. Morgan Dix DR. Potter if any
attempt of the kind was made at Trinity or
+ Grace Church
: A little Italian, in going to Rome, will lie
found very useful. Also slight acquaintance
with the usages of the Catholic Church will
prevent person from making an exhibition of
, himself Thus, at Pontitical ceremonial,
where the cardinals wore plain mitres of white
: : silk, n lady asked me why they wore those
! queer paper caps" 1t may convey an idea to
5 the reader what opinion an ultra-Protestant
has of Roman Catholic religious ceremonial
when l inform him that l once offered an
, order for reserved place to n dean of the
Church of England, for Easter Day, when
> places very difficult to obtair.-He seemed
really shocked, and replied, 81 never go to any
r place of amusement on Sundays" 1t was just
n the same the Argentine or any of the
theatres.
These and many other points, such de-
termination to merit in anything not
: American and English, deter people fromiget-
ting correct IDEAS of Roman society. Nothing
is distressing than this disposition. a
, man starts with the belief that his own cnun,
try is All" OF course, after that everything
he sees is second rate. Soft was that the Amer
lean gentleman from out West, when he saw
= Nesuvius, exclaimed, to- the horror of every
= body, Il guess we'd make IA better than
IL that Mt homc.' So, the Englishmau who Went
n NiaUarn briutr Totally uunbl, tn ~ " nv H.,
II people h"ckcd ther" in such eager crowds
~ ASKED II byStaudcr whats the sight p Don't
, You see that vast volume of water rushing over
!, the rocks - the reply. WE'LL said lie
u land W hats to hinder II -
{ The 'road to ruin" is through the wilder.
II ness of loose habits.
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