THE CHAIR OF ST. PETER.

New Zealander, Volume 7, Issue 548, 16 July 1851, Page 4

THE CHAIR OF ST. PETER.

The clever and witty Lady Morgan bas renewed the conflict in which she engaged Cardinal Wiseman when less "eminent" than now. In her work on Italy, published about twenty years ago, (as was stated in a paragraph lately copied into our columns,) she impugned, on the authority of a story told her by Denon, the French sayan, the genuineness of that most precious relic of the Vatican, St. Peter'a chair. When Bonaparte's armies were in possession of Rome, Denon, Champollion, and others, set to work scrutinizing the antiquities. The Pontifical throne was uncased, and, behold! on the Apostle's chair was discovered the inscription in Cufic characters, "There is but one God and Mahomet is his prophet." Dr. Wiseman undertook to vindicate the authenticity of the relic: the attempt is understood to have been his first literarj effort. The subject having been lately revived, Lady Morgan re-asseits the truth of the story of Denon, and taunts the Cardinal with his sudden rise and some of its antecedents : — Woman, my Lord Cardinal, has always been helpful and influential in the church from St. Prudentiana, ministering to the Prince of the Apostles, and the pious and magnificent Matilda, Countess of Tuscany, the ally of Gregory the Great, and the foundress of his power through her wealth and munificence, down to a recent convert of the active mission of the Propaganda in Pagan regions — the Begwn Sombre. The funeral sermon of this Princess was preached by your Eminence, when a bishop, with an earnest eloquence which recalled the Eloges Fun6hres of the Bnssuets and Massillons, over the biers of the La Villie>es and other fair penitents of the Court of Louis XIV. The Romans still talked, up to the time of Pio Nono's flight (when they had something 1 else to think about}, oi the magnificent Catafalque, sixty feet m height, reared in thp church of San Carlo della Valle ; of the 6tatue of . Religion, which stood at its head ; and of the commanding figure of your Eminence, who stood at its base, arrayed in your episcopal robes. You madp no allusion to the past tenor of the life of this ex-Bay-adere and recent sovereign of one of the richest principalities in India. The wealthy Magdalen found favour in the Church's pyes, and '• her sins were j forgiven her; for she loved much," and made large oblations. Tins Begum, here mentioned, bpqueathed large sums to various sects and churches, under the extiaordinary and profane notion that one or (he other of them might be able to aid her in the next world ! In defence of the sacrilegious French, Lady Morgan has nothing to say. " They show as little delicacy towards the Sngro Cateno, the most sacred lelic of the church of Sun Lorenzo, of Genoa, as they did to the chair of St. P°ter. Till the arriv.il of those meddling savans, ' gui se meeloient de tout,' the Sagro Cateno has pissed for a dish made ' of one entiie and peifect emerald,' which had served at the Last Supper, and was forbidden to human touch. The French first asserted it had been part of the spoil taken by the Crusadeis at Csesarea, in the twelfth century ; but when it was carnpd to Paris, and presented to the Institute, being subjected to the test of scientific scrutiny, it proves to be a piece of green glass — a pious fraud which had escaped the discovery of ages!" The pamphlet closes with a recommendation to the Cardinal to betake himself to Ireland, where he might replace the vulgar and pel verting oratory of the pnests-tribunes of the day, " who inflame the passions of their followers with those coarse but kindling appeals which come ' Warm from Ihe bog, and faithful to its fncs.'" The Daily Neus suggests that, to decide the question at issue, the chair be tried by a jury composed of equal numbers of Catholics and Protestants !

Pkotestant Woiishtp at Rome. — Several communications hive appeared in the daily papers relative to the accommodation allowed by the Papal Government for Protestant worship at Rome. The Rev. R. Burgess, who was chaplain to the English residents fiom 1822 to 1836, and his successor, the Rev. James Hutchinaon, have published letteia descriptive of the innumerable difficulties they have encountered. The granary first taken by the English congregation outside the Flatniman Gate, is thus described by Mr. Bur— gesi :— " In the upper part of a huge building, a space large enough to contain 700 or 890 persons vrat hired for 375 scudi a-year; it wai reduced to shape by means of lath and plaster j it bad a ceiling of canvas to hide the rafters and cob-webs, and carpets laid over straw for covering the mud fkor j the rats and mice ran races over the canvas above the heads of the worshippers j the pigs in great numbers Equalled in con* cert in the story below, and sometimes iho donkeys, laden witb sacks of corn, disputed the common staircase with the congregation." Some attempts have lately been made to prove (hat Rome lias grown tolerant, and the existence of a Protestant chapel is the proof; but, Mr. Burgess remarks, " if any one can believe that it would be psssible for tho English to erect an edifice either within or without the walls of Rome that ihonld have any appearence of an ecclesiastical structure, hia credulity can only be explained by hi- igno • ranee of Romanism at Rome. It seems the English people are to be persuaded tbat Protestants at Rome may do as Cardinal Wiseman does in London, or that a St. George's chapel mi^ht be erected in the Field of Mars with the same ticentia stipcrioium as in the borough of South vvark. Every one in England ought to know this— that ,by the existing laws of Rome any word or act tending to impugn a dogma of the Church, or to question the priest's authority, is a felony j and every time that English bury one of their dead near the Pyramid of Caiua Cestius they commit a felonious act, which it, however, commuted to a fine of eight dollars. How, then, is it possible for a Protestant place of worship, as iiicli, to be permitted at Home ?',

New Year's Day at Rome. — Rome, Jan. 2. Yesterday (New Year's Day), Lord Cainpden, eonoftlie Earl ofJGainsborough, and Lady Cainpden, made apublic recantation from the Protestant faitb ; and were received into the Roman Catholic Church. Lord and Lady Fielding, who have also lately come over, were present, ns well as several other persons who have preceded or followed their example. In fact, Rome is ciowded at this moment with English conveits from every rank in society, and the Roman nobility vie with each other in paying them the most marked attention. In all public ceremonies they obtain the best places, and the Pope and the Cardinals never fail to notice them in public. New-year's evening was distinguished by one of the most splenpkl fetes ever given at Homo. The Piince Caidinal Altien, Piesulent at Rome, and Comoroa, opened his magnificent palace in the Piazza del Jesn. Every person of consideiation, foreign and native, w.i(> invited and the numeious halom weie lesplemlpnt with

I beauty and diamonds. Among: the ladies most distin- ! guisbed for peisonal appeal ance and brilliant costumes was the princess Torloma, who was literally one blaze ofjewels, marry of which were said to have once belonged to the sbi me of our Lady of Loretto. A diadem composed ofbulliants and penils eclipsed everything in tbe way of ornament present, and it is said to be not only one of the most gorgeous, but the most costly jnniae belonging to any private poison in Europe. Tbe next personage who divided general attention with Madame Toilonm, was our much-admired, and 1 may add generally beloved countrywoman, tbe Princess Dona, daughter of the Earl of Shi ewsbury. On this occasion she produced, from caskets where they had long been hidden, the costly heirlooms of the Para fill family. The value of these jewels is almost inestimable, not only on account of their intrinsic worth, but their historical association, as many of tljpm are known to have belonged to tbe celebrated Derma Olimpia (said to be a daughter of Pope Innocent XL), and are lccojnisefl m Vala«quez's portrait of that lady. The Princess Boighete (a Rochefoucauld) was likewise splendidly atthed. The Princess Altieri, who did the honouis for her relative tbe caidinal, was als>o a star of the first magnitude. Her diamonds, in number and value, were scarcely surpassed by those abovenamed. In the same list 1 may place tbe Princess Lancelotti, whose magnificent ornaments would elsewhere have created geneial attention. Tbe foreign circle was completed by all the diplomatic corps and their Ladies, and by the JTiench General, Comman-der-in-Chief, and bis staff. In feboir, it is difficult to render justice to the brilliancy of this fate, as nothing was omitted to make it one of the most remarkable ever given at Rome. — Correspondent of a Mormvg Paper.

Disputed Legacies or tiji. Eiuprnon Napoleon. — The Prince de Piombino, bubband of one of the nieces of the Emperor Napoleon, (daughter of Eliza Bacciocchi, the Emperor's sister,) lately brought an action before^he Civil Tribunal against the Government to obtain payment of nbout 1,000,000f. under these circumstances :—ln: — In 1808 the Emperor gave to his niece 150,000f. i entes, under the condition that until she should be of age, lOf),OOOf. should he employed for the further purchase of rentes, in order to increase the income. In 1810 he reduced the sum for the purchase to 75,000f. After the Emperor's downfal all his gifts to bis family were annulled, and among them this to his niece. But the prince, in 1322, demanded, on behalf of his children, that the lentes which had been purcbaspd should be paid. The Goveinmmit however, refused. Law procedings took place, hut they led to no satisfactory result. After 1830 a demand was made to the Council of State, but rejected. In 1849 the Prince brought his action, and in June, 1850, the Civil Tribunal, after hearing lengthy arguments, declared it hud no jurisdiction, and dismissed the case. Against tbia decision the Prince appealed to the Couit of Appeal, and yesterday, after severaZ day's arguments, it was quashed, and the matter was referred anew to the Tribunal. — Galignani's Messenger.

Pay tour Debts. — 1. If you wish to secure the reputation of being an honest man, pay your debts. — -2. If you would avoid bringing disgrace upon tbe religious party you belong to, pay your debts. — 3. If you are anxious to get a good article, and be charged the lowest possible price for your goods, never delay to pay your debts. — 4. If you wish to obtain such credit as your business may require, be sure to pay your debts. — 5. If you would remain on terms of friendship with those you trade with, pay^your debts. — 6. If you would avoid embarrassing otbcis who are depending upon tbe settlement of your account, pay your debts. — 7. If you wish to prevent mistakes and litigation, beep your accounts well adjusted, and pay your debts. — 8. If you wish to aid in the circulation of money, never let cash remain by you, but pay your debt". — 9. If you would do to others as you wish them to do to ) ou, you ought to pay your debts. — 10. If you wish to stand clejir of the charge of lying, and making false excuses, pay your debts. — 11. If you desire to pursue your business with peace of mind, pay yourfdebts. — 12 If, in the expectation of death, you would like to leave your affairs in a satisfactory condition, pay your debts. — 13. If you wish to do what is ns,ht in the sight of God and man, you must pay your debts. — 14. Should your debts be ever so old, or should you have "taken the benefit of the Act," if you have the means you are not a just man unless you pay your debts. To enable you to pay, adopt the following advice : — Let your food, living, and equipage be pi n'n, and not costly ; avoid expensive clothing; abstain from wine and all intoxicating liquor, and never keep it in the house; do not sink your capital by purchasing plate or splendid furniture ; have as few parties as possiblo ; be careful as to speculations, and never extend your trade beyond your means ; never aspire to be shareholder in banks, lailways, &c. ; have as few men about you as is convenient, and none of a suspicious character ; be determined to refuse all offers of paitnerghip; be caieful as to lending money or being bound with others ; avoid all lawsuits ; keep your books posted, and look well to tbeaccountsof your customeis; biing up your family to economy and industry : if you observe all these things, you will ahvavs be able, with God's blessing, to pay your debts. — Newspaper Paragraph.

The Lion in Love— lt is fabled that the lion fell in love, and was sick of love ; so ho went to the father of the damsel, and demanded his daughter for a wife. But the father said he could not hear of such a thing 1 , unless tkp lion would consent to have his teeth drawn, and his claws broken. To this the lion, being s>o sick of lo>e that he was foolish, consented. Now, when his teeth were drawn and his claws were broken, the man fell upon him with a club and beat out his brains j and thus, his suit prospering, he lost bis life. Truth is of lion-like energy, and has lion-like defences. The world has a daughter named Favour, whom Truth loves. 'Give roe your lavour,' says Tiuth to the World. The World, to entrap the adversary, feigns consent. ' Lay aside your sternness and your strength, and my Favour shall be your. So lion-like Truth, sick of desire from the world's favour, yields up his defences ; and then, helpless against his despised enemy, is despoiled of his life.