Is England to depend on the bon plaisir of the Pope whether he will use or abuse that power? Do you think the Pope has acted against the wish of Austria and France in this business? Do you not see Austria giving up all the old principles of the Emperors to the Pope, in order to propitiate the support of the Church of Rome? Do you not see Montalembert supporting the French President who reinstated the Pope? Do you not see a war preparing against the Protestant cantons in Switzerland? Do you think that the conduct of the Pope against the King of Sardinia is wholly from religious motives? Did Wiseman come back from Rome by Vienna as the most direct way? I told you before the Catholic Emancipation that you would regret your trusting the priests, and you laughed then; that you should laugh now is astonishing. Depend upon it, you will find that the storm will not soon be over, and that your philosophers will learn at their own dear cost what the Papal Power is.

It is not such milk and water measures that will stop the torrent as those contemplated. England must prepare for a struggle of greater moment and importance than any in which she has been hitherto embarked. Keep this well in mind; it will not be over either in your time or mine.

Yours ever,

A. Panizzi.”

Probably, Panizzi, before the day of his death, learnt to understand why the events in other countries should not be considered a precedent in this, and how the case of Santa Rosa would be hardly likely to occur in the British Parliament. His underestimate in this letter of the numerical superiority of the Anglican body to the Roman Catholics in England is manifestly due to his mixing up the three kingdoms together; a confusion especially misleading in any consideration of the Papal Aggression, inasmuch as that movement was not extended to Scotland (where, however, it has a short time since been carried out peaceably and quietly enough), and in Ireland the titles of the Romish prelates have been always the same with those borne by their rivals of what may be called, without offence, the Colonial Church.

More interesting, perhaps, than this letter, is another document put forth by Panizzi on the same matter; its length, we regret, must prevent us from offering it to our readers; however, he recommends a curious if not altogether original prophylactic against ecclesiastical invasion from abroad. His remarks on the foreign character assumed by an Englishman who takes Roman orders, and of the allegiance (it can hardly be called divided) by which he thereby becomes bound are remarkable. The remedy which he proposes for ecclesiastical defection from patriotism would be, if carried thoroughly into effect, a little too drastic; and, if used short of thoroughly, might work a little more to the disadvantage of those who applied it than of those on whom it should be inflicted.

It has been thought best, at the risk of interrupting the proper sequence in order of time of this history, to continue and finish in this place the account of Panizzi’s connection with and views on the Ecclesiastical questions which sprang up at home and abroad in his time. For this purpose a few years must be skipped, and the reader referred to the year 1854. Perhaps some apology should be offered for the introduction here of a correspondence in that year on Serjeant (afterwards Justice) Shee’s Bill on the Temporalities of the Irish Church, inasmuch as that Bill obtained but little notoriety at the time, and the Serjeant’s proposed reforms were never carried into effect by legislation. But the following letters bear witness to the variety of questions on which Panizzi was habitually consulted, and the frequency with which his opinions were sought by his friends and acquaintances, and it may be interesting to some to know what judgment he may have formed upon a point relating to the much vexed question of Irish Church property, a question which even yet remains to be thoroughly solved. Moreover, to those who knew Justice Shee, the tone of the letter first quoted may serve to recall the unaffected modesty and simplicity which distinguished the character of him who may truly be called one of the best of men:—

“Serjeants’ Inn, May 31st, 1854.

“Dear Mr. Panizzi,

Our conversation yesterday made me think that I might be, what I have always wished to be, useful in mitigating the evils which we regretted.