CONCLUSION.

Qu'elle allume en mon cœur un remords salutaire,

Qu'elle fasse couler les pleurs du repentir;

Et que des passions l'ivresse téméraire

Se calme à votre souvenir.

523

These Fathers, who had renounced mundane love for themselves, taught it to their young pupils

Je veux que le devoir puisse approuver ma flamme.
Je ne veux aimer qu'une fois;

Ainsi dans la vertu ma jeunesse formée
Trouvera toujours un appui tout nouveau,
Sur l'océan du monde une route assurée
Et son espérance au tombeau.

A son dernier soupir, mon âme défaillante
Bénira les mortels qui firent mon bonheur;
On entendra redire à ma bouche mourante
Leurs noms si chéris de mon cœur.

An English clergyman,' who recently went to Rome 'with feelings of extreme and intense distaste for the Jesuits'. . . . which only 'became more rooted and inveterate,' nevertheless declares, I am bound in all candour and honesty to say that I found them polished, refined, wellinformed, learned, . . . . courteous, obliging, zealous; and, while I feel they are utterly in error in all their principles,' he writes, he closed his intercourse with them, with many regrets at parting with men whose talent and zeal commanded my respect, and whose character had won my regard.' And he goes on to speak of their greatly exalted character for science, theology, and literature, . . . . zeal for religion, unimpeached morality, . . . . pre-eminence in influence and respectability, . . extraordinary ability, zeal,

and learning.' 'However prejudiced against them,' he adds, 'still one is constrained in spite of all to yield respect to the Order. . . . . Wide extent and range of learning, large amount of talent, zeal for religion (as before); and there is the appearance of the strictest morality in their lives.' He thinks it impossible for any observing man at Rome not to be impressed with the high position of the Order, and, in despite of all, to respect a Society which yet he considers so

1 The Rev. Hobart Seymour.

'utterly erroneous in all its principles '-a rather singular instance of persistency in believing that these excellent figs are gathered from mere thistles.1

A Protestant gentleman (Charles Macfarlane) travelling in Italy in 1849, describes the regrets of his Roman landlord, and two or three other Trasteverini, at the banishment of the Jesuits. Let them say what they will of the Padri Gesuiti, they were the friends of the poor, the best friends we ever had. Who took our children out of the streets, and clothed them and taught them? Who always gave us good advice when we were in trouble? Who attended the sick, and gave us medicines, when the hospitals were all full and we could get nothing? When the cholera was here, who came among us, stood at the bedside of the sick, and comforted the dying, and said the prayers for the dead? The Gesuiti-'e sieno benedetti dapertutto si trovano '-'and God bless them wherever they are!'

The Rev. Percival Ward, who witnessed the expulsion of the Jesuits from Naples in 1848, says, that when he left England he was as prejudiced as any of his countrymen against them. Many things in the Roman system I admired, but the Jesuits I thoroughly detested.' In travelling slowly through Europe, Mr. Ward observed that they seemed the favourite Confessors and teachers of the poor; good men spoke well of them, bad men spoke ill; and he was told by a good and sensible Protestant' at Berne, The cry against the Jesuits is a cry against the Christian religion and all order.' At Naples their very great intellectual superiority' made him seek the conversation of

1

Carlyle puts these words into the mouth of Frederick the Great, who protected and sheltered the Society when the Brief of Clement XIV. had banished it from most of the Catholic countries:-'Why have they destroyed the depositaries of the graces of Rome and Athens, those excellent Professors of the Humanities, and perhaps of Humanity, the ex-Jesuit Fathers? Education will be the loser by it. But as my brothers, the kings most Catholic, most Christian, most Faithful and Apostolic, have tumbled them out, I, most heretical, pick up as many as I can. "Perhaps one day I shall be courted for the sake of them, by those who want some." I said, counting my stock the other day, "a Rector like you, my Father, I could easily sell for 300 thalers; you, reverend Father Provincial, for 600; and so the rest in proportion. When one is not rich, one makes speculations!'

the Jesuits; he became familiarised in their convent, he saw their way of life, system of education, clear-sighted patriotism; and the result is, that he describes them as 'men of high thoughts and humble toil; of lofty intellect and patient labour; of noble courage and gentle charity; faithful priests, who, having taken up their cross daily, and followed Christ strictly, have shared with him the world's despite and scorn; patient and loving instructors of youth, champions of Christendom, noble bearers of the standard of the cross through an age of self-indulgence, lax morals, and wavering faith.'

And he, this Church of England clergyman, concludes with words like those repeated by Mr. Macfarlane: '

'Wherever they go God's blessing will go with them: the blessings of the poor, who were fed daily at their gates; of the prisoners, whom they daily visited; of the young, whom they instructed for this world, and guided to happiness in the next; of all that vast multitude which had heard from them the soundest and most glorious gospel truth.'

Very easy it would be, and very pleasant to add many more such loving expressions as these; but it is time to make an end. Those who have dwelt longest on the noble character and achievements of Ignatius will probably admire them most. Those who best know his living disciples will be the most ready to revere their predecessors, as amongst the greatest benefactors and highest examples of humanity that the world has yet seen.

1 I wish that I could give the whole of Mr. Ward's pamphlet; it is exceedingly interesting, and might help to form the judgment of some doubters respecting the tyranny of liberalism, the cruelty of philanthropists, and the bigotry of men who profess to despise religion altogether.