ears afterwards that the
long-smothered hate of the Venetian people to that wisest and most
vigilant of all oligarchies, the Sparta of Italy, broke out in the
conspiracy under Marino Faliero.) which, beyond the Alps, has wakened
into visible and sudden life in Spain, in Germany, in Flanders; and
which, even in that barbarous Isle, conquered by the Norman sword, ruled
by the bravest of living kings, (Edward III., in whose reign opinions
far more popular than those of the following century began to work. The
Civil Wars threw back the action into the blood. It was indeed an age
throughout the world which put forth abundant blossoms, but crude and
unripened fruit;--a singular leap, followed by as singular a pause.)
has roused a spirit Norman cannot break--kings to rule over must rule
by--yes, that same Power is everywhere abroad: it speaks, it conquers in
the voice even of him who is before you; it unites in his cause all on
whom but one glimmering of light has burst, all in whom one generous
desire can be kindled! Know, Lord Vicar, that there is not a man in
Rome, save our oppressors themselves--not a man who has learned one
syllable of our ancient tongue--whose heart and sword are not with me.
The peaceful cultivators of letters--the proud nobles of the second
order--the rising race, wiser than their slothful sires; above all, my
Lord, the humbler ministers of religion, priests and monks, whom luxury
hath not blinded, pomp hath not deafened, to the monstrous outrage to
Christianity daily and nightly perpetrated in the Christian Capital;
these,--all these,--are linked with the merchant and the artisan in one
indissoluble bond, waiting but the signal to fall or to conquer, to live
freemen, or to die martyrs, with Rienzi and their country!"

"Sayest thou so in truth?" said the Bishop, startled, and half rising.
"Prove but thy words, and thou shalt not find the ministers of God are
less eager than their lay brethren for the happiness of men."

"What I say," rejoined Rienzi, in a cooler tone, "that can I show; but I
may only prove it to those who will be with us."

"Fear me not," answered Raimond: "I know well the secret mind of his
Holiness, whose delegate and representative I am; and could he see but
the legitimate and natural limit set to the power of the patricians,
who, in their arrogance, have set at nought the authority of the Church
itself, be sure that he would smile on the hand that drew the line.
Nay, so certain o