In answer to this exhortation, the Choir prays to the "Creating Spirit to descend, and fire their "breasts; and to give back its pastor to the "flock it defends."

ROME and the GENIUS then sing together, "Great God, if it pleased thee to found the "throne on the banks of the Tiber, remember "the gift, have pity on us."

RELIGION and TIME prudently take to themselves this observation, by " requesting a pilot, "and pity for the beloved ship, alone on the sea.”

After a few more prayers from the Choir, imploring the descent of the "Creating Spirit," ROME and the GENIUS cry out, "Living Sun, "that fires our souls, ah! tear aside the veil of "darkness, and let thy serene light shine again "in heaven."

What this Sun may be is not specified; and the first part of the cantata concludes after a few more prayers for the restoration of the pastor to the flock.

The second part opens with a rather too poetical description of the manner in which the Spirit of the Lord had descended on the Council; and with the anxious inquiries of ROME, "whe"ther the flock will hear the accents of its new

"pastor?" She then, with the GENIUS and RELIGION, laments, that "since the grief of the

just and of the temple was of such short dura❝tion, the impious do not immediately return to 66 respect the God:" each, probably, giving his particular interpretation to the word God"Nume."

"But," cries the GENIUS, "what festive ap"plause resounds around, and what harmonious “chime of the sacred bronzes* strikes the air?" ROME.

"Oh! instant-listen, those are the joyful "bolts of pacific Mars." Pacific Mars! alias the cannon of S. Angelo: and this in the mouth of Rome!

RELIGION.

"Ah! yes, all assures our hearts that the "monarch and the pastor has been chosen." Hereupon the Choir sings some stanzas. TIME then enters, and tells "Rome to exult; "and do thou,+ honour of Umbria, rejoice fully "in so happy a moment!"

ROME.

"What sayest thou?

Ah! what unusual

• Subauditur bells.

"Spoleto, country of his Holiness."

pleasure is awakened in my breast!

Per

haps the illustrious descendant of ancient "heroes-the splendour of Genga*

TIME.

"Ah! yes, this one is the unconquered hie❝rarch chosen by God. He has named himself "Leo: so fine a name is of joyful augury to us; "and in every shore the impious will shortly "hear its lion-roar."

Much exultation is then shewn by all the dramatis persona; and the poem ends with two similies the first sung by ROME and the GENIUS:

"A cloud hostile to the sun may indeed arise "from an obscure valley; but it does not darken "the orb, the giver of light."

The other by RELIGION and TIME:

"A rock oppressed by the waves seems buried "in the sea; but soon the waves lick the foot of "the self-same rock.”

Is the Roman empire here represented by the sun and the rock? If so, the remainder of the simile is easily applied.

"Feudal property, from which the most noble family of the "Pope takes its name. These two notes are copied from the Italian text. I have before mentioned to you what I hear from other Romans concerning the family of his Holiness.

This cantata was performed in presence of the Cardinals, and most of the first people in the town; and was much applauded. I believe it to express the lingering hopes of the Romans, though they were unable to declare their sentiments as to their present situation. This situation they feel most strongly: in speaking of the ancient Romans, they generally add, “gli antichi "s'intende, non quelli d'oggi—the ancient be it "understood, not those of the present day." Of their descent from these Romans they make a bitter joke. The Duchessa was expressing to me a wish that she had been born a subject of any other country, rather than a Roman: "What!" cried a Roman nobleman, "are you "not proud of being a Roman, a descendant of "the heroes of Troy, of the conquerors of the “world?" "Oh, bah! que c'est beau-pshaw ! how 'grand!' was the only answer; and the conversation continued, turning on what had happened "du tems des Romains-in the time of the Ro"mans." It was well understood what Romans were meant.

They-the modern Romans-often lament to me that the only field open to their ambition, the only carriere' in which they can hope to gain

advancement and riches, is that of the clergy;

unless, indeed," they add,-for they always mix pleasantry with their lamentations-" unless "we make ourselves brigands; for when a man "has gained renown as a chief of robbers and "assassins, he is certain that on giving up the "business, and capitulating with the govern

ment, he will be immediately pardoned, and "will have a pension settled on him for life."

Such is their condition. They complain, and with reason, that every branch of the administration is intrusted to the clergy; the chief of the government being of that order. But why not admit his secular subjects to secular charges? The Pope is, indeed, head of the church, and, as such, chief of a religious government; but he is also, temporal sovereign, and, as such, head of a secular government. These reflections are, however, of no avail to the laymen who want places; and they pass their lives as best they may. Adieu.