CHAPTER XX..

NEAR our lodgings is the College of the Propaganda, and we seldom pass it without seeing a Cardinal's carriage at the door. It was founded by Gregory XV. in 1622, and has since been justly regarded by the Church of Rome as her right arm of strength-the school in which are trained her missionaries for every foreign land. The building is vast― supplied with a magnificent library-and with a press by which books are printed in almost every known language. It is particularly rich in Oriental characters, and has produced many works celebrated for their typographical beauty. The number of students-as I mentioned when speaking of the Epiphany services—is about eighty. It is of course a cherished and favored Institution.

When in Naples we saw a branch of it, devoted entirely to the instruction of young Chinese youths. It was an extensive establishment, but bearing marks of decay, and evidently not kept up as it once had been. The saloon into which we were first shown was painted with representations in fresco of the martyrdom of some of the Jesuit missionaries in China. It was once a handsome apartment, but now had a dingy, unfurnished appearance. The pries who was at its head treated us with great politeness, senaing for all his pupils to introduce to us, and at his request they showed us the articles and utensils they had brought from their native land-read aloud to us from a Chinese book—and gave us our names written in the characters of their own language.

The number at one time was large, but for some years has been gradually diminishing, and now only amounts to eight. One of these young men had been in the Institution thirteen years, and one had just arrived. After some years' training they generally go to Rome for a short time, and then return as missionaries to their own country.

The Examination has recently taken place at the Institution in Rome, and was followed by an Exhibition very much like those of our College Commencements. It consisted of ssa ys, Poems, and Colloquies by the students, among whom were two from the United States. The Catholic character of the Institution is shown by the fact, that these compositions were in fifty-nine different languages and dialects. Cardinal Mezzofanti has since given me a programme of the exercises, and I will copy the list of languages in which they were delivered, to show the wide reach taken by the missionary operations of this Church:

I. Ebbraico Letterale.
II. Samaritano.

III. Etiopico.

IV. Caldeo Letterale.

V. Siriaco.

VI. Sabeo.
VII. Copto.

VIII. Greco Letterale.
IX. Armeno Letterale.

X. Ode Saffica Latina:

XI. Arabo.

XII. Kurdo.

XIII. Persiano.

XIV. Indostano.

XV. Turco.

XVI. Maltese.

XVII. Giorgiano.

XVIII. Norwegiano.

XIX. Dialogo Cinese Letterale,

(by two students from Siam.)

XX. Esametri Latini.
XXI. Sanscrito.

XXII. Concanico,

(by a student from Goa.)

XXIII. Singalese,

(by a student from Ceylon.)

XXIV. Amarico.

XXV. Angolano.
XXVI. Caldeo Volgare.
XXVII. Ebraico Rabbinico.
XXVIII. Armeno Odierno.

XXIX. Greco Oderno.

XXX. Sonetto Italiano.

XXXI. Svedese.

XXXII. Dialogo Peguano,

(by two students from Pegu.)

XXXIII. Inno Italiano.

XXXIV. Illirico.

XXXV. Albanese.

XXXVI. Polacco.

We often hear of the many

I copy this as a curiosity. languages spoken by the students in this College from all parts of the world, and here is an exhibition of what is really done. When shall our own Church be thus prepared to go forth with the pure Gospel to "all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues!"

There are probably few communities in the world which can equal that of Rome in charitable associations. They are called Confraternities, and are formed by the voluntary union of individuals, often of high rank, who in the midst of all the wretchedness around them, devote a portion of their time to its relief. Many of these are never seen by the mere traveller, or their existence even suspected, for their sphere of labor is private, yet it would be difficult to estimate the amount of happiness they must diffuse.

One Fraternity, for example, is intended to seek out humble but respectable families who would not be likely to apply for alms, and in some delicate way to relieve their ne

cessities. The members of another visit the hospitals, learn the situation of the patients, and often personally attend to them. Others visit the jails, and furnish comfort and support to prisoners who are without friends or means. Others by voluntary donations pay debts which the poor have unavoidably contracted, and thus relieve their minds from trouble. Others seek the sick through the abodes of wretchedness in the city, supply them with food, medicine, and professional assistance, and attend them through their illness. Others come in when the last hour is over, defray the expenses of the burial, attend to the performance of the religious rites, and themselves bear the body to the grave.*

Such are their self-denying labors for the relief of suffering Humanity. The wretched need no other claim upon them, except that they share in a common nature. No "Anniversary" is required to awaken their flagging zeal-no "Report" is sent out on the wings of the press, to trumpet forth their doings to the world—no "List of subscribers" publishes their charities through the land. The members indeed scarcely know each other, for their visits are made in the dress of the fraternity, so that none can recognize the individuals. But year after year they labor on-uncheered by the voice of human praise—their good deeds known only to their Father who seeth in secret.

Those who attend to funerals, we have frequently seen when engaged in the performance of this duty. They form that "Ancient Brotherhood"—as Rogers calls it—which extends over all Italy. Men of the highest rank-laymen as well as priests-belong to it, and when summoned to this charitable work they go forth shrouded in white dresses, with high pointed cowls on their heads, veiling their faces, and leaving only holes for the eyes. There is something peculiar. ly ghastly in their whole appearance, so that when they

*Eustace Class. Tour, iii. p. 263.

walk behind the dead, "they seem❞—says Corinne "like the ghosts of those they follow."

"There is much solemnity in funerals abroad, where the Church steps in at once, and takes possession of the deceased as under its protection, under the sanction of its religious authority; and if it makes an exhibition, it is with authority -and this proclamation has holiness in it. All that is not ecclesiastical is kept out of sight. There is nothing intermediate betwen the deceased and the Church. The undertaker inteferes not, intrudes not here to spoil all. is true, reigns for the hour, but religion triumphs. The Church certifies the triumph, and the resurrection.”*

Death, it

We have often had these feelings while in Rome, for there is nothing more striking there than their funeral processions. They always take place at night, when the darkness seems in unison with the service, and we have never met them passing through the streets, without being arrested by the solemnity of the scene. The corpse is generally borne upon an open bier-the head exposed, ghastly and white as marble-the feet too uncovered-and the light pall thrown over the body, showing plainly its shape and outline. The hands are clasped upon the breast, as if the departed had died in prayer, and the attitude had been left unchanged.

Every thing in the service is intended to be significant of the hour when the Dead shall rise again from the dust. The priests bear lights, to signify that immediately before the general Resurrection, "the stars shall fall from Heaven -and the Cross, to denote that then "the sign of the Son of Man shall be seen." The mournful notes in which they sing the Penitential Psalms, declare that in that hour "all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of Him"-while the bells, which are heard ceaselessly ringing, call upon all

* Prof. Wilson's Miscellanies, v. iii. p. 79.