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cy of Italy could be made to revolve round the Popedom and never surrender one valuable privilege of liberty or sacrifice an item of freedom for the alliance. When Italy turns from questions of foreign war and foreign aggression, and addresses herself to the hard task of international organization, she will have great need of the Pope. With those rude uncivilized populations of Sicily and Calabria, a whisper from the Vatican will do more than a clank of a hundred battalions. You want the priest, and bear in mind that he is of no value to you, when he has conformed to your views and adopted your opinions. You want him in all his ignorance and bigotry; you want him full of all the prejudices of his caste. It is then that he sways the masses. It is then that he is a power and a force.

pence that would purchase the rusty bit of iron of which it is formed;" and another, as well informed upon the subject of its bistory as the first was upon that of its materials, feelingly observes that "it is impossible to contemplate without emotion the last de scendant of the Cæsars handing over to a stranger the ancient hereditary diadem of his illustrious house."

The last descendant of the Cæsars" is of course Francis Joseph. Yet, if he be at all the descendant of the Cæsars, why is he to be the last? There is, we thought, an Austrian Prince Imperial, who has, we presume, "descended from the Cæsars (if this is the proper phrase for being born in the Imperial family) later than his father. We say nothing of the collateral branches, in which there seems to be no fear of the race of Cæsars becoming extinct. The stranger is "Victor Emmanuel," and the

It will be many a long day before the enlightenment of free institutions shall penetrate through the darkness of the barbarism" hereditary diadem" of the House of Hapsof lower Italy. It is not in one or even in burg is the iron crown. By what strange two generations that free speech or free fatality is it that, even among well-educated thought, trial by jury, or liberty of the men, nine out of ten cannot venture either press, will appeal to these wild disciples of to speak or write upon any subject connectthe stiletto and the knife. The one linked with "the Holy Roman Empire" withthat ties them to any semblance of civilization is the Church: take care how you relax this. Woe to you if you break it asunder before you have found a safe and trustworthy substitute for it!

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I am not blind to the difficulties of treating with Romanism, and I know what a hopeless task it is to approach by "reason those who meet you only. with a conscience;" but, I repeat, Pio Nono is better than Mazzini, and the choice is between them.

From the Saturday Review.
THE IRON CROWN.

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out falling into errors as absurd as that
which regards the iron crown as the heredi-
tary diadem of Francis Joseph.
Of the "iron crown a very small por-
tion is iron. The crown, like most other
crowns, is made of gold and precious stones.
Inside it is encircled with a narrow iron rim
which derives its value and its sanctity from
a tradition that it is actually made out of
some of the nails of the Cross. Helena, the
mother of Constantine, is said to have
brought them from the Holy Land upon the
occasion of the visit in which she ascertained
the true place of the sepulture of Christ.
By her an iron rim formed of these nails
was given as a precious gift to the first
Christian Emperor. There is no very clear
or distinct account of the manner in which
this iron rim got into possession of the Lom-
bard kings. But unquestionably at a very
early period the "iron crown formed a
part of the regalia of the sovereignty which,
under the name of the Italian Kingdom, had
been constituted in North Italy by Albon,
the chief of the Lombard invaders.

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THE handing over of the "Iron Crown" to Victor Emmanuel is unquestionably an event of singular interest in connection with the ancient traditions of Italian history. Like most matters connected with Italy, it About the middle of the sixth century has given to sensation writers in newspa- the Lombards or, as the original name pers an opportunity of displaying an amount was, the Long-bearded Men - had wrested of ignorance almost more sensational, cer- from the feeble hand of the Emperors a tainly more amusing, than the high-flown district occupying nearly the northern half periods in which it is exhibited. One writer of the Italian peninsula, with a small terrisentimentally informed his readers that tory in the south. Pavia was the capital of "this precious remnant of the past" was, in this monarchy, and, by whatever means the point of actual value, "worth only the few | Lombards may have acquired the sacred

crown.

Italian Kingdom.
the daughter of the last king of the Lom-
bard race. Ultimately, he divorced his wife
and deposed his father-in-law, crowning him-
self in the Cathedral of Milan with the iron
To the title of King of Italy, which
he thus acquired, the Pope and the Senate
almost immediately added that of Emperor
of Rome. But, though the dignities were
thus united in one person, they were per-
fectly distinct, and were held in distinct
rights. Charles was, in fact, King of the
Franks, King of Italy, and he was also Ein-
peror of Rome.

relic, the iron crown was the crown of the German institution under the control of Charlemagne married a German Diet, and wholly separated from Rome. The somewhat shadowy prerogatives which had belonged to the Italian monarchy became, like the Imperial title, attached directly to the German sovereign, without any assumption of the Italian crown. The princes of the House of Hapsburg acquired at last possessions in Northern Italy in their own right. In all the later settlements or divisions of Italian territory the .• old Italian Kingdom had wholly disappeared. Its iron crown, however, remained at Milan; and because Milan was under the rule of the sovereign of Austria, the sovereign of On the extinction of the descendants of Austria became the keeper of the crown. Charlemagne, native princes seized, one In 1806, as our readers know, the Emperor after another, on the Italian crown. Some Francis laid down the Imperial crown then of them succeeded in obtaining the title of erroneously called that of Germany, and Emperor of Rome. No family, however, the Holy Roman Empire came formally to succeeded in firmly establishing its title, an end. From that hour there was no one and after some years of civil war, the Kings who could put forward any pretensions of Germany were invited to the sovereignty, to wear the iron crown of Alboin and the and finally it was settled that the Kingdom old Lombard kings. There was neither of Italy should be appendant to the German crown. The King of Germany (there never was an Emperor) was elected by the chiefs of the German tribes. By virtue of that election he became King of Italy, and entitled to wear the iron crown; and, as King of Italy, he acquired an inchoate right to be Emperor of Rome a right, however, which required confirmation by the Roman Pontiff and Senate. Under this Imperial system three perfectly distinct sovereignties were united in the successor of Charlemagne. Elected King of Germany, he was crowned at Frankfort with the silver crown which was worn by the chief of the German nations. From this he proceeded either to Milan or Monza, where he was crowned King of Italy with the iron crown; afterwards he presented himself at Rome, and received from the Pope the coronation without which he had no claim to any Imperial title. He never was Emperor until he was crowned Emperor of Rome, and for centuries no King of Germany ever ventured to assume the Imperial title until he had re-appendant to the silver crown of the elected ceived coronation from the Pope.

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King of Italy nor Emperor of Rome. Napoleon had some shadow of claim to it when he declared himself King of a so-called Kingdom of Italy, and mimicked Charlemagne by placing it with his own hands upon his head. After the downfall of Napoleon the Congress of Vienna established a Kingdom in Northern Italy in favour of Austria. But, with the most persevering obstinacy, the Emperor, acting on the advice of Metternich, refused to permit his new dominion to be called the Kingdom of Italy; it was, indeed, as a concession to his Italian subjects that he condescended to be crowned with the old iron crown as King of the realm, to which he gave the outlandish title of "the Lombardo-Venetian Kingdom."

Such were the vicissitudes of this celebrated "iron crown." Originally it was the royal symbol of the Lombard sovereigns of the old Kingdom of Italy established by Alboin 1,300 years ago. Passing with that kingdom to Charlemagne from the monarchs of the Lombard race, it became in time

German kings. Surviving the realm which This Imperial system really ceased with it represented, it remained through many a the election of Rudolph, the founder of the long year an unused and almost forgotten House of Hapsburg, to the Germanic crown. relic of the past. It was brought from its. The Popes denied the Emperor all author- obscurity by Napoleon, in order, if possible, ity at Rome. The German Diet asserted to connect with old titles a revolutionary the title of their chief to be Emperor with- throne. It became then the diadem of one out any assent or coronation from the Pope. who was indeed a stranger. It is at last Gradually the "Empire," although it never restored to an Italian prince. Possibly no legally bore the title of German, became existing dynasty can show a perfect approGerman, and not Roman. "The Holy priateness in the wearing of that crown. Roman Empire" became exclusively a The authority and the royalty it represents FOURTH SERIES. LIVING AGE. VOL. III. 52.

solve the difficult problem, whether a study of elaborate pictures of all the tortures which the human mind can conceive forms, on the whole, a healthy religious exercise.

are things of the long-forgotten past, of thor's good intentions; and we need not which there is no representative in the present. Victor Emmanuel might probably find it hard to make himself out the successor of the "long-bearded" Alboin, or the inheritor of his crown. All that can be said is that the King of Italy has a better title to wear the iron crown than any other living man. Certainly the most sensitive sentimentalist may be spared any anguish he might feel in the thought that poor Francis Joseph, "the last descendant of the Ca"in giving up the iron crown of Alboin, is parting with "the ancient hereditary diadem of his house." Until after the erection of the newfangled "Lombardo-Venetian Kingdom in 1815, not one of his ancestors ever had it on his head.

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From the Saturday Review.
LETTERS FROM HELL.

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We may say at once that the book, considered merely as a work of art, is rather better than the ordinary run of second-rate novels. There is indeed no proof of much imaginative force, and still less is there much power of the grotesque, although that power is almost a necessary relief to the painful impression made by a constant dwelling upon horrors. Some sort of grim humour is desirable as a contrast to the prevailing gloom, and to show that the pictures presented to us are to be taken rather symbolically than literally. What there is of the grotesque is an involuntary result of the attempt to produce a lifelike effect by prosaic details. Thus the letters are supposed to be conveyed from the writer to the receiver by the agency of ghosts, some of them "very estimable ghosts." One night the receiver happens to lay his pen aside so as to form a cross with his pencil. The ghost is so much startled at this symbol that "he dropped the letter in the spittoon and fled away." It will be seen from this that the author's conception of hell includes a very is, in fact, the main principle of the book; strong resemblance to our own world. This tions and passions is described with some and the ghastly mimicry of human occupaliterary force. The hell of the letters is by no means the hell of Dante-a place of rather an expansion of the admirably deinfinitely varying physical tortures. It is scribed scene in Redgauntlet, where the adventurous piper finds Claverhouse and his repetition of their earthly revels. Human companions employed over a diabolical ion; and we are the more careful to avoid a rash excursion beyond our proper sphere, as nature, the author oddly remarks, is much we find that hell is peopled to a great extent letters are pretty much after the manner of the same everywhere - even in hell. The by reviewers; for reviewers, we are told, those of a newspaper correspondent, except are sarcastic, greedy, and sordid to a de- that a large part of them is naturally degree." Not only are there in hell "a goodly voted to personal reminiscences; they innumber of professional reviewers," but even clude accounts of excursions to different the damned avoid them as if they were mad dogs, "for they are as snappish as ever, parts of hell, of conversations with many and form one of the worst plagues in hell." distinguished characters, and remarks as to Moreover, all the malicious reviews are there. Thus we find that there is a great the way in which business is transacted read by the damned as soon as they appear deal of society, sometimes of an exclusive on earth. We have no desire for such an kind; but all the mirth is unreal; "that extension of our circulation, and will confine ourselves to the mere literary merits of person is not to be found in hell who can the work. We shall thus be free, at any give utterance to a really refreshing, amusrate, from the crime of sneering at the au

THE author of this ingenious work informs us, in a very solemn preface, that if any one entertains any doubt of the authenticity of these letters it will be the worse for the doubter. He adds that he hesitated for long time before publishing them. "The assurance that they might prove the salvation of many, and the perdition of a few, did not satisfy me. The case of these latter lay heavily on my mind." The book, as it will be seen, is therefore not a mere novel, but is intended to effect the collateral purpose of frightening a great many people into ⚫ salvation. Of its success in this direction it is scarcely our province to form any opin

66

*Letters from Hell.' By M. Rowel. London : Richard Bentley. 1866.

witticism." There is a public promeing nade, where people are to be seen dressed in the fashion of every country and century; but all the dandies know that they are as

ness, and only regret that he is no longer able to find satisfaction in it. Instead of this, we find this lost soul constantly expressing sentiments which would be credit

ridiculous as the rivals at whom they are compelled to scoff, and that, gorgeous as their dresses may be, they do not really hide their nakedness; for, in hell, "nakedness is the universal law." There are beg-able in any position of life. Perhaps they gars in hell; the most troublesome are the may be suspected as being rather too uncmissionaries, who have made false reports of tuous in tone. The overflowing of love to their successes, baptizing without being par- all mankind, the absence of any repining ticular as to conversion, and who still go against the justice of his punishment, and about "beseeching people in the most impor- the desire to draw useful morals from every tunate way to be baptized." There are point of the story, are exhibited with an balls and social gatherings of all sorts, where eagerness calculated to throw doubt upon every one talks scandal of the worst kind their sincerity. His tone rather unpleasantly about his neighbours, and is irresistibly im- reminds us of the convicts who are trying to pelled to listen to scandal about himself. get on the weak side of the chaplain. The There are churches in hell which are throng- interstices of descriptions of life in hell are ed with worshippers, who, when they try to filled with such matter as this::166 It is still. sing hymns, break out into lewd and blas- vouchsafed you, late though it be, to begin phemous songs, and where the preacher a new life. But delay not to enter upon makes hideous grimaces, and pours out a that blessed road which leads from star to flood of abominable balderdash. There are star into the Kingdom of Glory. Oh, only towns and palaces and theatres, for when- do not delay!" And there are many other ever a number of spirits unite to desire any- remarks of a still more decidedly religious thing, their wish is at once accomplished; character. From this we must infer that the result, however, is a mere phantasm, and one of the incidental occupations of persons is incapable of giving real pleasure. Sol- in the unfortunate position of the letterdiers can still carry on imaginary wars, and writer is to produce raw materials for tracts. sensualists seek for illusory gratifications; We do not argue as to the intrinsic probabiliin short, the chief horror of hell is that every ty of such an hypothesis; but its dramatic one is doomed to act in accordance with his propriety seems, to say the least of it, to be old propensities, but finds that they never doubtful. An evil spirit whose chief punishgive him more than a shadowy image of ment it is that, although unable to gratify his pleasure. A short conversation with one earthly passions, he is constantly possessed. ghost brings out the continuity of worldly by them without the capacity for resistance, associations. The writer sits down beside should not be constantly overwhelming us a young lady of admirable beauty and mod- with pious advice. It tends to convince us esty, dressed all in white, and asks her, that the section of society to which he belongs "Are you the White Lady?" "I don't know is by no means wanting in persons of very what you mean," she replies. "I am Emily excellent character, though in a very unFlemming." Flemming and Sparkman, comfortable position. To be just, indeed, Glasgow, Trentbury Square? I blurted we must confess that the author seems to out." The ghost nodded her head in assent, accept this conclusion. He takes great and proceeded to tell a story which, but for pains to tell us that not only is hell paved her peculiar situation, we should have been with good intentions, but that it is actually tempted to describe as a wilful fabrication. filled by a large number of persons distinThere is one obvious difficulty in the guished by exemplary qualities. There is, he way of working out this conception. It says, a general opinion that a man must is of course necessary to represent the be exceedingly wicked to find himself in damned as suffering from the continuance hell; but it is really inconceivable how of their evil desires, which they have little can send a person there. He meets, become incapable of even attempting to for example, a young woman, whose worse resist. A sort of impotent recollection of fault is "an excessive devotion to her husattempts to repent is all that remains. band." She is punished by his arrival at the The writer, for example, endeavours to say same destination with his heart occupied by the Lord's Prayer, but after trying it twen- another passion. One of the sins for which ty or a hundred times, he only gets through the author himself is punished is that he the first two words, and then tries to say it had been merciful to a certain evildoer, not backwards with equally ill success. Hence, from pure mercy, but from the feeling that to be consistent, it would seem that he he had previously been too severe. should express sentiments of a kind befitting these good deeds," he exclaims, "how many his position. He should glory in his wicked-have they brought into misery?" Another

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"noble-hearted" artist, who had died in principal persons described are an old defence of his country, is damned because aunt, whose efforts to improve the charac he had been too much disposed to make an ter of her nephew were singularly thrown idol of his profession. We are not, there- away; and a virtuous young woman fore, surprised to hear that, as most persons named Lili, who is so obtrusively holy die unawares, "most of them awaken in and innocent, and disposed to adminis hell." Of the theological value of this ter good advice, as to be not a little of a opinion, we can of course say nothing; but, bore. There is another young woman, artistically, it weakens the effect, for a rea- whom the writer has been guilty of seduson like that which interferes with the dra- cing; and it is a source of very just annoymatic propriety of Paradise Lost. We be- ance to him, though some of the details are gin, in fact, to feel our sympathies enlisted rather disagreeable, that he cannot tell what on the wrong side. It is true that there are has become of their illegitimate child. Of a great many murderers and other evildoers these recollections, which he is very fond of encountered by the author, some of whose bestowing upon us at considerable length, crimes are recounted at considerabe length. we grow rather tired, as they are obviously We are introduced, amongst other historical a mere device for introducing a great quancharacters, to Pontius Pilate, who is always tity of sermonizing, which would not come endeavouring to cleanse his hands from the with equal grace from the mouth of a damnstains of blood; to Judas Iscariot, who tries ed spirit. The truth is that the author's incessantly to get behind other ghosts and description of hell, whether it is or is not a hang round their necks, his intention in legitimate mode of insinuating good advice, which, we are told, "is not quite clear"; is considerably spoilt by all this infusion of to Joe Smith, the Mormon prophet, and to feeble advice. If the author had been conMahomet, who is rather unfairly classed tent simply to depict its horrors as forcibly with so contemptible an impostor; and to a as he could, and to leave us to draw our own Spanish king, who gives out a notice that conclusions, there are some proofs that he he will allow himself to be burned alive, might really have drawn an effective, though after having most graciously submitted to a horrible, picture; there are many passages trial by torture in extenso. About six hun- which are not wanting in the power suitable dred heretics will most respectfully wait to such a purpose. But, as we have said, upon His Majesty, and will, pro formâ, ac- the mixture of inferior sermonizing very company His Supreme Highness to hell." much spoils the effect. It reminds us rather And, besides these monsters, there are a of the "spheres" imagined by spirit-rapvariety of fancy murderers and perpetrators pers than of the forcible, if gross, pictures of various crimes. Of the propriety of the sen- produced by the imagination of the middle tence passed upon such offenders there can ages. Hell, as here described, has been so of course be no doubt; but it only renders much refined away, by a compromise with more questionable the poetical justice of in- certain modern prejudices, that it loses its termingling them with ladies who have been reality. It is good neither to amuse philostoo fond of their husbands, and with noble-ophers nor to frighten the ignorant; there hearted and patriotic gentlemen who have is a feeble attempt to fit it for the age, which been too zealous in the pursuit of their art. If there were any gradation in the tortures to which they are subjected, we should not be so much shocked. As it is, we cannot help feeling a certain sympathy with the sufferers which detracts very perceptibly from the desirable unity of effect.

66

We have said nothing of the character of the supposed author of these revelations. Interwoven with the description of the place of torment, there are a great number of personal recollections. These are, on the whole, of a very feeble character. The

only makes it a washed-out representative of the hell of bolder and coarser fancies.

We must add that one rather incongruous effect is produced by the extreme interest taken by the spirits in the Schleswig-Holstein question and the events of the Danish war. It is due to the fact-unnoticed in the title-page- that the book is a translation from the Danish; but it interferes not a little with the harmony of the picture. Perhaps, however, the Schleswig-Holstein question is not an inappropriate subject for meditation in such a region.

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