The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1883-03-28
Pope Leo XIII.

1AltcI LIS AudSS, WulCu uS say
early, Leo XIII. gives audience to
Cardinal Jacobini, Secretary of State
and formerly Nuncio at Vienna
whose political learning is rare, even
in those of his official position. His
place is then taken by the Cardinal
Secretary of Ecclesiastical Affairs
and by the congregation of Cardi-
nails, each of which has it's fixed day.
The several councils generally occu-
py the whole morning, until one
hour after midday. The Pope's din
ner-a potage, one dish of meat and
some cheese. A few minutes suffice
fol its consumption. While he takes
the air in the afternoon-generally
in his carriage-he usually reads the
bishops reports, all of which come
direct into his own hands, the dis
patches from the nunciatures, and
especially any news from Belgium.
That little kingdom, which has
broken its diplomatic relations with
the Holy See, is particularly near
his heart. For it is there that be
himself was Nuncia from 1843 to
1916, and there that he studied, at
close quarters, great politician,
Leopold I. Toward o'clock the
Pope gives his private and public
audiences, and the evening hours are
devoted to the reception of bishops.
This long day over, Leo XIII. re-
gains the solitude of his own closet.
Then, at last, he is able to begin
work. --s..s,
Tall, thin, spare, with his paleA1d
deeply lined face, the Pope usually
has delicate health, of which he takes
small care. His austerity is extreme.
The spiritual sovereignty of 2O0, ,OOO,-
900 Catholics does not spend 100
francs a month for his table. The
energy of a strongly developed ner-
vous system alone enables him to
resist the fatigue Of his labor and
vast responsibilities. At times those
about him perceive moment of
exhaustion and collapse; but little
a piece of good news, or a
pleasant telegram restores the life of
his worn fralne. Suddenly well
again, he takes up once more his
heavy burden, and beIakes himself
to that work of reconciliation and
peace-making to which he has
DEVOTED himself.
He is always grave, or rather SOL
emn; always the Pope. The Italians
call his manners and surrounding
Gravity is inherent
in his nature, as those aver who have
known him from his earliest youth.
He never abandons himself, laughs
rarely. He might be thought stern
did he not temper his severity by the
patient attention with. which he
1istens-without any Interruption
to all who speak to him.
His audiences are far less frequent
than were those of Plus *, but for
that very reason they take up more
time. He has not the brilliant side
so noticeable in his predecessor, the
genial ease, the fine good humOr
which endured, Notwithstanding the
vicissitudes Of the last
nor the frank, bold and
genial speech, full of witty and hap
py words, thrown off in that sonorous
voice which Plus TX. retained in bis
extreme old age. Leo XIII: is as
slow of speech as the Archbishop of
Paris. But if neither the Pope nor
the Cardinal has received the orators
Gift, each has been endowed with the
authors. Perhaps this similarity ex-
plains the special sympathy and es-
TEEN which the Pope entertains to-
ward Mgr. Guibert.
The pastorals in which the Arch
bishop of Perugia (this was Cardinal
Pecci's office before his election as
Pope) was wont to demonstrate the
harmony of faith and reason. of reli-
gion and civilization, growing like
the flower and fruit from the root OF
were much noticed by
Italian publicists. The priest loved
to treat the questions of the day,
and Of modern society. The illus
trious Bonghi said Of him,
that his was lone of the most
finely balanced and vigorous OF
that he was "a man who
had realized the ideal of Cardinal
such as st. BerDard conceived it. "
Since the eighteenth century, since
the time of Benedict XIV. and
Clement XIV, Rome has not seen a
Pope of so cultivated a mind, so &C.
in Latin and Tuscan
verse, so familiar al once with classic
and contemporary letters. At the
present time, the two qualities which
Leo XIII. most prizes, and aims
most constantly in securing in his
writings, are simplicity and modera,
ton. His letters, his encyclicals, all
are submitted to the sacred coll llege.
Nothing is more admirable than the
manner in which he elicits opinions
and weighs objections. He has been
known to completely rewrite, after
grave debates, encyclicals which he
had already completed. AS he suf-
fers from sleeplessness, it is generally
in the night hours when he com
poses his most immortal work.
Catholic RevicaU.