bosoms of the rising generations those two most precious
attributes of youth,--modesty and a teachable mind. Listen to my prayer, O
Lord, and bestow upon this congregation, on this city and all people, Thy
most precious blessings."

Appropriate gesticulations added to the power of words. Another influence,
also, came in aid,--an influence peculiar to Pius IX.,--that indescribable
expression of goodness which lighted up his countenance as he spoke. The
people, whose feelings are naturally fine, were moved even to tears and
sighs. The occasion itself was well calculated to move the minds of a
Catholic audience. It was an element, no doubt, which, together with the
eloquence of the preacher, and the power of apostolic preaching, could not
fail to produce a profound impression. And, indeed, the whole congregation
were filled with enthusiasm.

Whilst thus finding consolation in the exercise of his sublime ministry,
the benevolent Pontiff was destined to encounter formidable attacks on the
part of political opponents. On the one hand, the ultra-Conservatives, who
held in abomination the mere idea of reform, endeavored by every means to
confound in the popular mind the beneficial measures which the Pope was
introducing into the economy of the State, with radical changes in the
most essential points of religion itself. The Socialists, on the other
hand, studied to excite the people and increase their impatience by
misrepresenting all the acts of the ministry, and causing it to be
believed that, by the delay which was unavoidable in labors of such
magnitude and importance, they were only abusing the confidence of the
sovereign and betraying the cause of reform. Some remains of chivalry
might have been expected in the ranks of the high Conservative party. But,
alas! too truly the age of chivalry was gone, and these sticklers for the
usages of a bygone age, only showed by their modes of proceeding that they
clung to an empty and inanimate form of things from which life and
substance had departed. As was related at the time, they stepped down to
the depths of calumny and published a cruel libel, in which the Holy
Father was held up to the scorn of all right-thinking men as an
"intruder," "an enemy of Religion," "the chief of _Young Italy_." In the
estimation of such men discretion is the better part of valor. But whilst
they fought with the coward's weapon--slander--they could not wholly escape
detection. Their libel was seized in