"The Emperor said something to the effect, as I thought, that he saw no reason to object to what I said.
"I was aware that my audience could not be a long one, and I now put my hand to the breast of my habit to take out a memorial, which I had been directed to present on this occasion, for permission to collect subscriptions in the empire.
"He thought I was about to offer him papers on the subject on which I had been speaking, and said: 'You probably have some papers which will explain your wishes.'
"I said: 'I have; but they are not in a becoming form to present to your Majesty.'
"I had, in fact, two little addresses printed on poor paper, in German, for distribution; and I brought them forward.
"He immediately put out his hand to take them, and said, with a smile and manner of truly high-bred courtesy: 'Oh! I will read them; 'and he laid them on the table by him.
"I then presented my written memorial, and then, on his slightly bowing to me, I withdrew."
Another letter says:—
"In my last letter I repeated the words in which that wise and excellent Princess, the Archduchess Sophia, described the character of two of her sons: 'The Emperor seems cold, but he is not so. He is not winning and amiable like Carl, but he has more solidity and depth.' I remarked that to me these words were a most interesting commentary on what passed in the short audience I had from the young Emperor; and if I succeeded in my description of it, I am sure others will think with me. I will now give some account of my audience with the third brother, the young Archduke Charles. The second brother, whose name I do not now remember, was not in Vienna at the time. He is a seaman, and I suppose it is intended that under his auspices the Austrian navy should be advanced to greater vigour and efficiency, while the Emperor and Charles attend mainly to the army. The empire possesses two splendid ports—Trieste and Venice; and past history proves what may be done with the latter alone.
"I made acquaintance with a Swiss ecclesiastic in Vienna (Mgr. Mislin), who bore a part in the education of all three of these princes. I had told him what were my desires concerning them; that is, to inspire them with ardent zeal for the great work of the reunion of Christendom, but especially the reconquest of England for the Church. One day the Abbé called to see me, at the palace of the Pope's Nuncio, where I was staying; and as I was out, he left word that he wished to see me without delay. He had to tell me, as I found, that the Archduke Charles, with whom he regularly goes to dine every Friday, had said to him on the last of these occasions, 'Do you know Father Ignatius?' 'Yes,' he answered, 'very well.' 'Do you think,' added the Prince, 'I could see him? I wish it very much.' 'Oh,' replied the Abbé, 'there will be no difficulty; 'and at once an hour was fixed—two o'clock on the 11th of March. It happened, however, that notice was received that at this very time the Emperor was to arrive from Trieste, and the Archduke had to go to the railway terminus to meet him. My audience was deferred till half-past three; and I went with the Abbé to the private entrance of the imperial palace to see them arrive. They were driven up from the station in a light open carriage; and it was thus, side by side, that I first saw them both. I may be mistaken, but in my poetic recollections and visions of Vienna, if I, who am no poet, may so speak, these two brothers are charmingly conjoined in my mind. At half-past three, then, I went to the Archduke's apartments in the Burg, as it is called—a great mass of building, which includes the Emperor's town residence, apartments for all the royal family, several public offices, extensive quarters for troops, &c.—and was immediately introduced to him in a large drawing-room, where he kept me a good half-hour in lively conversation. My impression of him was, of a bright, buoyant youth, full of shining prospects of his future career; in which, though, perhaps, somewhat unconsciously to himself, he is both qualified by circumstances and character, and nobly disposed to exert himself for everything great and good. All this, however, is yet to be developed and consolidated by age, reflection, and experience. I should say, not so much that he himself is eagerly grasping at facts with which to store his mind, to be in due time digested, matured, and acted upon, as that Providence is turning to account his natural youthful eagerness, and shall we say, curiosity, to do this for him. May it prove that I am not forming over bright and groundless visions!