THE POPE.

Westport Times, Volume II, Issue 315, 4 August 1868, Page 2

THE POPE.

A correspondent of the Hlvenement Ilhislre, who was admitted some days back to the audience of the Pope, gives in a letter from Rome to that jonrnal, some interesting details about the Holy Father. He avs : The Pope is pretty tall and stout, without being obese. The furniture of his private room is a square table, with two chairs, and an arm chair for himself. The room is very small with a low ceiling, no curtains, and the walls covered with paper of the cheapest sort. Those of the grand official saloon are covered with silk. His bedroom has yellow curtains, no carpet, and a brick floor, with a little bedstead of iron, without curtains. He is very neat in his person , his hands which are half covered with v/hich mittens are particularly attended to. He rises at 6 o'clock, shaves himself, and says his mass in a little private chapel; and then hears another. At 8 o'clock he takes a small cup of chocolate, and at half-past 8 receives his Ministers. Cardinal Antonelli comes every day to the Vatican, and when prevented from doing so, Under-Secretary of State, Monsignor Marini, takes his place. The other functionsries in their turn transact business with him. At half-past 10 the Ministers withdraw. The audiences then begin, and are not over till one. At two o'clock the Pope dines in his private apartment. His repast is of the most modest kind, and

it always ends with a sweetmeat of which all Italians are foud. From half past two to three ho takes his siesta, at three he reads his Breviary, and at halfpast five goes out for a drive in a carriage with four horses, accompanied only by two young priests. If the weather permits, he alights and walks in the most retired parts of the city; nevertheless, he is followed by upwards of 2000 persons, who walk after him in silence. When it rains, his Holiness proceeds to the galleries of the Vatican when the visitors have retired. He is a great. lover of antiques, as proved by the researches and restorations he is continually making. On his return home, at six o'clock, the audiences recommence and last till ten at night, when he retires to sup. He goes to bed ait eleven, and the next day goes through the same routine. Though advanced in years, he sings very well, and, what is quite unknown even to many .Romans, plays well on the violincello. When I was received with iny companion, the chamberlain plucked me by the sleeve to make me kneel. The Pope, perceiving the movement, spared us the genuflection, and made us approach the tableat which he was sitting. « So, then," his Holiness said, " you are two journalists, friends, going together to Naples ?" He spoke about Naples, and asked asked us how we liked Rome, adding that people found themselves very free during their stay. He then took two photographic likenesses of himself, one for each of us, and with a sly smile said, " I am going to write something for the journalists," and in a firm hand traced these words :

" Diligite veritatem. filiam Dei;" after which he held out his hand to us. His affability is extreme. He speaks French with as much accent as Eossini, and the impression he produced on me was that of a pleasant and tranquil old man who appears to be but little occu pied with external matters.