POPE LEO XIII.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3732, 2 July 1883, Page 4

POPE LEO XIII.

After his Mass, which lie says early, Leo XIII, gives audience to Cardinal Jocobini, Secretary of State and formerly Nuncio at Vienna, whose political learning is rare, even in those of his oflicial position. His placo is then taken by the Cardinal Secretary of Ecclesiastical Affairs and by the congregation of Cardinals, each of which has its fixed day. Tho several councils generally occupy the whole morning. The Pope's dinner consists of a pottage, one dish of meat, and some cheese. A few minutes suffice for its consumption. While he takes tho air iv the afternoon—generally in his carriage—he usually reads the bishops' reports, all of which come direct into his own hands, the despatches from the nunciatures, and especially any news from Belgium. That little kingdom, which has broken its diplomatic relations with tho Holy See, is particularly near his heart. For it is there ho himself was Nuncio from 1813 to 18-16, and there that he studied, at close quarters, a great politician, Leopold I. Towards four 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. regains the solitude of his own closet. Then, at, last, he is able to begin work. Tall, thin, spare, with his jiale and deeply lined face, tho Pope usually has delicate health, of which ho takes small care. His austerity is extreme. The spiritual sovereign of 200,000,000 Catholics does not. spend 100 francs a month for his tabic. Tho energy of a strongly developed nervous system alone enables him to resist the fatigue of las labour and vast responsibilities. At times those about him perceive v moment of exhaustion and collapse; but a little happiness, a piece of good news, or a pleasant telegram restores the life of his worn frame. Suddenly well again, ho takes up once more his heavy burden, and betakes himself to that work of reconciliation and peace-mak-ing to which he bos devoted himself. He is always grave, or, rather, solemn: always the Pope. The Italians call his maimers and surrounding ceremonious. Gravity is inherent in his nature, as those aver who have known him from his earliest youth, j Ho never abandons himself, laughs rarely. Ho might be thought stern did he not temper his severity by tho patient attention with which he listens—without interruption —to all who speak to him. His audiences are far less frequent than were those of Pius IX., but for that very reason they take up more time. He has not the brilliant side so noticeable in his predecessor, the genial case, the fino good humour which endured, notwithstanding the surprising vicissitudes of tho last pontificate, nor the frank, bold, and genial speech, full of witty and happy words, thrown off in that sonorous voice which Pius IX. retained in extreme old ago. Leo XIII. its as slow of speech as the Archbishop of Paris. But if neither the Pope nor the Cardinal has received the orator's gift, each have been en-

dowed with tho author's. Perhaps this similarity explains the special sympathy and esteem which the Popo entertains towards Mgr. Guibert. The pastorals in which the Archbishop of Perugia (this was Cardinal Pccci's office before his election as Pope) was wont to demonstrate the harmony of faith and reason, of religion and civilisation, "growing like tho flower and fruit from tho root of Christianity," W ere much noticed by Italian publicists. Tho priest loved to treat the question of the duy mid of modern society. Tlieillustrious Bought said to him that his was " one of the most finely balanced and vigorous of characters," that he was "a man who had realised the ideal of a Cardinal such as St. Bernard conceived it." Since the eighteenth century, since the time of Benedict XIV. and Clement XIV. Rome has not seen a Pope of so cultivated mind, so accomplished in Latin

and Tuscan verse, so familiar at once with classic and contemporary letters. At the present time, tho two qualities which Leo XIII. most prizes, and aims most constantly in securing in his writings, are simplicity and moderation. His letters, his encyclicals, all are submitted to the sacred college. Nothing is more admirable than the manner in which he elicits opinions aad weighs objections. Leo XIII. has his own hand in all—sees all with his own eyes, and directs all. Moderation, which, with austerity, is the dominant note in the sovereign's conduct, and which he has made into law for himself, has borne its fruits. At tho time of his accession the Diplomatic Corps accredited to the Vatican was reduced to about two embasssadors — those of France and Austria. At present he receives the Envoys or the embassadors of all the powers, save only Belgium and Italy. With regard to these two countries there aro no signs of any possible understanding, but the reestablishment of diplomatic relations between the Holy See and almost all States guarantees for the present the existence of the Pope at Rome and his spiritual independence. Nevertheless we must not suppose that the present moderation denotes a change or a backward movement from tho doctrines of the late pontificate saying of a dignitary of the Roman curia: "All that had to be said has been said. The church never changes."-—Catholic Review.