a few words of "thanks and excuse," spoken with spirit, by a young gentleman from the south of France.

Into this latter part there was also introduced an amusing dialogue, in Italian, which was well calculated to heighten the pleasure which all must have derived from this interesting entertainment. It was remarkable with what accuracy the four little boys who spoke this dialogue adopted the genuine comic manner and intonation of the Italian, though all were foreigners; one of them being from Copenhagen, two from Ireland, and the fourth from Zuk, in Mount Libanus. I must not forget to add, that some students sang their pieces in the style of their native countries, and though this added a little to the length of the performance, I am sure it increased in no small degree the attractive nature of the exhibition. A grace and dignity besides, were imparted to the entire proceedings by the distinguished company assembled on the occasion. Various members of the sacred college were present; and amongst other distinguished ecclesiastics might be observed the good and venerable Dr. Connolly, Bishop of St. John's, New Brunswick,* the kind and learned Bishop of Chicago, and the amiable and accomplished Dr. Hynes, Chief Pastor of Demerara. A great many of the fair sex also adorned the scene with a graceful display of all the fashion and beauty of the Roman ladies-sprinkled, not sparingly indeed, by the daughters of Albion, whose tall figures and fair com

* This learned and amiable prelate has been lately raised to the Archbishopric of Halifax, made vacant by the decease of Archbishop Walsh.

plexions distinguished them from the sun-browned maidens of the south. Some complaints, however, which I heard afterwards, lead me to believe that the ladies were rather ill-treated in this instance, having been inconveniently crowded into a few narrow galleries overhead, and denied admission to any other part of the church. Could this arrangement be in any way improved, the management of the Accadémia would be blameless, as the most fastidious could find fault with nothing else. And it were a pity that there should exist any drawback on the enjoyment which one derives from this unique spectacle, a spectacle presented only by that Church whose standard is fixed on every shore, and whose faith is preached in every language that divides the interests and the sympathies of the children of men-a spectacle which is one of the results of an institution unimagined, and scarcely practicable under any other system than that of Papal Rome.

But the Academy at the Propaganda was not the only treat which the philologist might enjoy at this time in the Holy City. During the Octave of the Epiphany nine sermons were preached in the Church of S. Andrea della Valle in seven different languages. On the festival itself, which was Wednesday, a French discourse was delivered by Père Felix, in the finest style of that distinguished Jesuit. And though I had often before admired the power of his eloquence, as he woke the echoes of the historic cathedral of Paris, and in his famous Lenten Conferences aroused the sinner to a sense of his danger, and recalled the erring to the way from which they strayed, yet never on any occasion did

his words sway my mind with such an influence as on this. The Rev. Peter Semenenko preached next day in the Polish language, and on Friday the most Rev. Dr. Connolly, Bishop of St. John's, delivered in English, a discourse, which for beauty of language and sublimity of idea could hardly be too much praised. On Saturday another French sermon was preached, but this time by Monseigneur de Merode, one of the private Chamberlains to his Holiness, and brother-in-law of the Count de Montalembert. It was like all that good prelate's discourses, touching and pathetic in an eminent degree. On Sunday Cardinal Reisach, the Archbishop of Munich, preached in his native German; the elegant figure of his Eminence, and his exalted position in the Church, lending additional attractions to the power and charm of his words. A priest of the Order of Discalced Trinitarians delivered on Monday a peculiarly eloquent discourse in the fair-sounding language of the Spaniard; and on Tuesday another sermon was preached in English, in which Dr. Cruikshank, of the Collegio Pio, displayed all the ability and erudition for which he is distinguished. In the afternoon of the same day Canon Racki followed in the Sclavonic tongue; and another German discourse, which was delivered on Wednesday by the Rev. Dr. Loberschiner, concluded the sermons of the Octave.

Thus it is that Rome provides for the spiritual wants of her children; supplying to them all within her own walls, the blessings and instruction of the same language which they have heard from childhood in the distant lands of their forefathers.

Every sermon, moreover, was preceded by a mass in

some one of the Oriental rites, a different selection being made every day, and the strange and interesting nature of these ceremonials largely contributed to the attraction which drew crowds every morning to San Andrea. Altogether, few portions of the year are more interesting in the Eternal City than whilst these lingual exercises are being performed here and at the Propaganda.

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The Irish College and Church of S. Agata-Pleasure of a Visit to this interesting Institution-Feelings on hearing the Irish Language spoken by some of the Students-Lament for the loss of our National Language Memorial to the Heart of O'Connell - The Festa of S. Agata The Irish Dominicans-Church of San Clemente-Interesting Features of this remarkable Church-The Irish Franciscans-Church and Convent of S. Isidoro-Festival of St. PatrickEstablishment of the Augustinians-The Graves of three remarkable Irishmen Quotation from the "Annals of the Four Masters"--The Elegy of Owen Roe Mac Ward-Selections from Clarence Mangan's Translation of this Poem.

PASSING by the Pontifical Palace on Monte Cavallo, which is the Pope's town residence in summer, and continuing your course in the direction of the Palazzo Rospigliosi, which contains Guido's celebrated "Aurora, you arrive by a short turn at a narrow street which runs steeply from the gate of the villa Aldo

* The Palazzo Rospigliosi was built in 1603, by Cardinal Scipio Borghese, on the site of the Baths of Constantine. The "Aurora," which is to be seen in the casino, is one of the most remarkable frescos in Rome. The rosy fingered goddess is represented scattering flowers before the chariot of the sun, drawn by four piebald horses. Seven female figures, in the most graceful action, surround the chariot and typify the hours. The composition is extremely beautiful, the colouring brilliant, the folds of the draperies light, and the clouds very finely rendered. During the siege of Rome in 1849, a twenty-fourpound shot, which is still preserved in one of the rooms, struck the roof of one of the lateral pavilions of this casino, and broke some of the wood work, without, however, doing any mischief to the works of art,

H