wards, the bag would contain none
but the governed, and that he would think it only fit to be flung into
the water. Such is the influence of ecclesiastical cajoleries over
even the most gifted minds.

What can the Romans hope from our diplomacy, when they see one of the
most notorious lacqueys of the Pontifical coterie lording it at the
French Embassy? The name of the upright man I allude to is Lasagni;
his business is that of a consistorial advocate; we pay him for
deceiving us. He is known for a _Nero_,--that is, a fanatical
reactionist. The secretaries of the embassy despise him, and yet are
familiar with him; tell him they know he is going to lie, and yet
listen to what he says. He smirks, bends double, pockets his money and
laughs at us in his sleeve. Verily, friend Lasagni, you are quite
right! But I regret the eighteenth century--there were then such
things as canes.

CHAPTER IX.

ABSOLUTE CHARACTER OF THE TEMPORAL POWER OF THE POPE.

The Counsellor de Brosses, who wished no harm to the Pope, wrote in
1740:--"The Papal Government, although in fact the worst in Europe, is
at the same time the mildest."

The Count de Tournon, an honest man, an excellent economist, a
Conservative as to all existing powers, and a judge rather too much
prejudiced in favour of the Popes, said, in 1832:--

"From this concentration of the powers of pontiff, bishop,
and sovereign, naturally arises the most absolute authority
possible over temporal affairs; but the exercise of this
authority, tempered by the usages and forms of government,
is even still more so by the virtues of the Pontiffs who for
many years have filled the chair of St. Peter; so that this
most absolute of governments is exercised with extreme
mildness. The Pope is an elective sovereign; his States are
the patrimony of Catholicism, because they are the pledge of
the independence of the chief of the faithful, and the
reigning Pope is the supreme administrator, the guardian of
this domain."

Finally, the Count de Rayneval, the latest and least felicitous
apologist of the Papacy, made in 1856 the following admissions:--

"_Not long ago_ the ancient traditions of the Court of Rome
were faithfully observed. All modifications of established
usages, all improvements, even material, were viewed with an
evil eye, and seemed full of danger. Public affairs were
exclusively manag