Leaving Cannes, we travelled by the Cornice Railway to Genoa, and there renewed acquaintance with churches, palaces, and picture galleries, seen years before. Then tarrying at Spezzia, we saw some new specimens of Italian scenery and life. Pisa and Florence were again visited, cities in which I loved to linger; and at the end of about ten days we reached Rome.
I had an introduction to Cardinal Howard, who sent me an invitation to visit him. I was met by a Monseignor friend of his, with whom I had a good deal of conversation. We discussed several topics, and then touched upon the relations in which Catholics and Protestants stood to one another. He considered there was improvement in this respect, more social intercourse existing between them than was once the case.
Pio Nono had a Jewish friend, who became a convert. Seeing him one day depressed, “the holy father,” as this Monseignor called him, asked what was the cause.
“I have just lost my father, who died a Jew, and I am greatly concerned about the state of his soul.”
“But was he a good Jew, devout and acting up to the light he had?”
“Yes,” was the reply.
Then came the Pope’s rejoinder, “I will pray for him; and do you pray for him, and I doubt not that God will have mercy on him.”
These were his words as well as I can remember. The drift of the story and its application were intended to show that the deceased pontiff did not despair of a Jew’s salvation. He did not look upon those outside the Roman pale as beyond the reach of God’s mercy, though needing purification in a future state.
Whilst we were talking the Cardinal came in. The reception he gave me was singularly cordial, and we had a good deal of friendly chat relative to the Stanley family. The favours I asked he granted at once; one was a special introduction to the chief librarian at the Vatican, and the seeing more of its treasures than I had done when I visited the library many years before. He took me into his library, well furnished with books, in handsome bindings, and we had some talk about Thomas Aquinas, in whose writings I took an interest. He recommended to me some little books of analysis and comment. He also procured a papal permission for my daughter to see St. Peter’s Crypt, which is closed to ladies generally, on all days of the year except one. The Cardinal arranged with one of the Vatican librarians that I should have special facilities for seeing historical documents; and afterwards, on my reaching the Vatican by appointment, I was received by an officer, who accompanied me into one of the magnificent galleries, which I had seen years before, to find then all book-cases closed. Now some of them were opened, and I was permitted to take down any volumes I liked; and I at once luxuriated in the inspection of charming Aldine editions of patristic and other authors—the paper as white, and the printing as fresh, as when they were produced four centuries ago.
I was surprised to find that provision was made for the use of printed books, and certain MSS., by readers, admitted after the fashion in our British Museum. There are catalogues, giving titles and press-marks; and, by writing for what you want upon slips of paper, and handing them to an attendant, as in the British Museum, you attain the volumes desired, which you can use at desks provided for the purpose. A catalogue of much greater compass than exists at present, I was informed, is in progress; but the Cardinal told me, it might be a long time before it was finished, adding, that Rome is the Eternal City in more senses than one. He encouraged me to believe that even the archives of the Holy See might be accessible; but, far short of that, MSS. which I wrote for, and examined, were sufficient to convince me that there is abundant materials for extensive research, beyond what was formerly possible. Besides, in the vast Library of the Dominicans—who once had their monastery at Sopra Minerva—a library which is now open to the public, under certain regulations, there are the archives of the Roman Inquisition; the historical use which now can be made of them, appears in many numbers of La Rivista Christiana, in which I found many valuable extracts. Much interesting information respecting early Italian confessors may be found in those Inquisitionary records.