New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-09-16
ITALIAN TOPICS.
LETTER FROM T. ADoLpHUs TRoLLoPE.

PApUA-rHE KINGS ARDOR FOR THE CHASE
HIS GOOD HUMOR ILLUSTRATED.
(YRon REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRiBUNE.l
ROME. Aug 2O-A recent circumstance has caused
somewhat curious computation and revelation to
be made of the incomes enjoyed by several OF the
members of the Sacred College And think that
after all the shrieks of despair and wrath which
have for so many months past filled the ears OF all
mankind with the lamentations of those purple
fathers of the Church over the "spolaton" which
has bcfallen them, the particulars which am going
to give the reader will occasion some little surprise
The incident in question was the subscription by
those Cardinals resident in the Vatican of the sum OF
10000 francs-about $2,00O-for the sufferers by
denominations in the South of France. The subscrp
ton is a handsome one, and their Eminences wouid
have had to submit to the consequences of letting
their left hands know very accurately what their
right hands We're doing, cheered by the considera-
ton that they were letting men see their good works.
that they might glorify their Father which is IN
Heaven. were il not that the clerical papers, and
especially the Toce della Veritd, raised song OF
glorifcation this act of charity performed by
men who bore their share in the glorious poverty
which has overwhelmed the Church. This somewhat
inopportune vein of laudation set some OF the pro-
faner of the "chiels amang u.s." who are " takin
notes" with view of printing them. on the enter
prise of nquiring little into the particulars OF the
the Sacred College; and here following you have
some of the results of the investigation. Among the
24 Cardinals resident at the Apostolic Court, four or
five at the outside suffer the bitterness Of poverty
entailed by an income of only $4,000 year. Ihese
arc mostly members of religious orders, whose no
lions of povery when they vowed their lives 10 the
practice Of it must have been somewhat diferent
one! Passing them by, however, we may begin WIN
Cardinal Patriz tho Dean of the Sacred College lie
Ii afo fnrtun beside
this he has at least $4,000 Vicar of Rome, and
fully as much more from sundry simple benches.
Cardinal Amat possesses 800, 900 a year from the
enormous prebends which he holds, besides his own
very considerable private estates Cardinal di Petro
draws $40 900 annually from the Bshopric OF
Albano, and as much more from the pension paid to
him by Portugal His Eminence, Cardinal SaccOni,
Bishop of Palestrina has a revenue of equal amount
Cardinal Asquini, Secretary of Briefs, enjoys
yearly income of $4,000 Cardinal de Lucas
yearly revenue amounts to $4,000. Cardinal Biz
zarri has from perquisites and fees alone $4,000
year. OF Cardinal Bonapartes poverty little need
be said Cardinal Berards revenues from ecclesiss-
teal and secular sources exceed 100000 a year.
Cardinal Franch receives over $12, 900 year from
the College of the Propaganda. besides rich pensions
payable on certain Spanish bishOprcs as an agree
able souvenir of Queen Isabella. Cardinal Oveglla
has $4,000 year. The poverty Of poor Cardinal
Antoneli is too well known to need mention. The
fees that come TO him on the promotions to the
purple and to all benefces bring him in secure
yearly income of 100000. Caterni and Chigi are
also night well provided for Sothat upon the whole
the Toce della Vriias lamentable cry of "Pity the
poor Cardinals" inspires us with but moderate
amo Int of sympathy.
The perusal of such statement Of the incomes en-
joyed by these purple princes of the Church. in these
miserable days of persecution, plage, and declen-
sion from their high estate while giving some
faint idea of what the wealth of the members of
the Sacred College was in their palmy day, affords
an ineligible explanation of some of the phenOm-
ena that strike strangers on first making acquaint-
ance with the streets of Rome. There is nothing
that surprises new conner more than the enormous
rate on which the Roman palaces are built. Let his
expectations have been raised by previously heard
accounts to what hight they may, the reality when
seen will exceed them. "What could have been the
fortunes which raised such colossal pIesp the
stranger asks himself But few of them date from
period anterior to the seventeenth century. Where
did the huge sums come from which it must have
cost to raise themi The statements given above 60
some way toward furnishing the reply to that ques
ton. What can single men, living for the most part
with only sober and moderate degree of state, ex
ercising no hospitality save occasional, perhaps
annual reception, when all the upper, not ten but
perhaps one thousand Of the Roman world were re-
called with ices and glasses of lemonade the cost
of perhaps franc head and cut off by the cOndi-
tions of their dignity from most of the costly pur
suits in which other men dissipate their incomes
what can such men have done with revenues counted
by the hundred of thousand francsf The colossal
palaces of Rome tell us what they did with their
money They built the huge edifces which still as
tonish strangers, and turn the course of streets
aside making Rome the most intricate and crooked
streeted city in the world.
Another member of the Sacred Coege-not one of
those enumerated above among the residents at the
Holy Apostolic Court-has just now signazed him
self by an act of generosity which will be more in
terestng to the world at large than the 1000 sub
scription to the sufferers by inundaton. His Emf
nence the Cardinal Di Silvestr has, by public act
before notary, given to the municipality of Padua
the house in Arqua which belonged to Petrarch and
in which the poet died. For generations past the
picturesque little village of Arqua, among the
Euganean hills to the south of Padua, has been an
object of pilgrimage to travellers from all parts of the
earth The notarial act rehearses the intention of
the Cardinal give to the City of Padua the house
situated in Arqua, in the district of Padua in which
the sublime poet and philosopher gave up his great
soul to God together with the relics of modest furn
ture, among which Petrareh meditated his last
immortal contemplations; as also the land annexed
to the same and the copy of all his works which
exist there with obligation on the receiver
of the gift never to permit any one to
dwell on either of the floors that constituted
the habitation of Petrarch-a mark of
spect demanded by veneration for the great
man who once lived in them; further to maintain
always discreet person. able to read and write, with
the title of guardian, who shall live in the village of
Arqua in order 10 be at all times ready to facilitate
the researches of our own people as well as OF