parliamentary provision for this institution, from 80007. a year, to 30,000l. a year, and to make this sum no longer contingent upon an annual vote. Besides thus liberally providing for clerical education, parliament also voted in the session of 1845, funds for the establishment and endowment of three new Irish universities, to be placed in the south, west, and north of the country, respectively. These institutions are not to be of a theological character; but in the south and west of Ireland, where Romanism is altogether the predominating religion, education in them is likely to be sought by few who do not profess it. The whole scheme is, therefore, no mean concession to the Romish creed. Its prelates were, however, disappointed because the new colleges are not to be placed under them, and a violent clamour against the new institutions was excited in the country; which the new pope abetted, by expressing a formal disapprobation of them, and a wish for a regular Romish university in their stead. England was, however, very far from quiescent even under the prospect of extended facilities for educating merely the Romish clergy of Ireland. The proposal of an increased and permanent, instead of an annual grant, to Maynooth, proved highly unpopular in the country, although it encountered in parliament, no very serious opposition. By this grant, by the foundation of new colleges, and by the Bequests' act of 1844, the British legislature has, undoubtedly, made concessions to Rome, which she may fairly set against her mortifications on the continent. There she has not only to watch, in sorrow and alarm, the rising German Catholic Church. Her most able and uncompromising defenders, the Jesuits, have become odious to the Romish body generally, and in consequence, the present pope decreed the dispersion of their order, in 1848. This act, and other late events, chiefly of a political nature, can scarcely fail to cripple the energies of Romanism; and it may be reasonably doubted whether increased facilities for education in Ireland may ultimately prove in its favour. Most of the students in the three new colleges will necessarily come from the middle classes; exactly, therefore, from that section of society which is now leaving Rome in Germany, and which shook Paganism, by its desertions, under the Roman empire. Additional means of information may, therefore, gradually weaken Romish prejudice in Irishmen of this class. Nor are altered views unlikely with a better educated clerical body. Upon the

whole, therefore, the position of Romanism, even in the British isles, does not seem to be really improved. Its adherents have, indeed, been delighted and surprised by advances, towards portions of their creed, made within the church of England; but none of these movements have succeeded in gaining favour from the English nation generally. Nor have arguments and statements advocating Romish views, or principles that make approaches to them, shaken England's value for the Reformation. Thus the attention now generally fixed upon religion may merely serve to purge it of errors and abuses. Infidelity has been tried, and men are grown ashamed of it. The world knows better, and will, probably, in time, admit no articles of faith which cannot safely plead infallibility, from having places in the recorded oracles of God.

§ 29. Human progress towards a theological position so well secured, will, probably, be aided by that eclipse which has overtaken papal greatness. On the first of June, 1846, died Mauro Cappellari, who called himself Gregory XVI. A conclave, unusually short, provided a successor for him, on the 16th of the same month, in John Maria Mastai Ferretti, who took the designation of Pius IX. The new pope immediately found himself in a very difficult position, from the inveterate imbecility and consequent unpopularity of the papal government. His own talents for settling its affairs upon a more satisfactory footing soon appeared to be very questionable. He seems to have imbibed the old Italian hatred of German domination, which might be wise and patriotic, if Italy were an united country, tenanted by a manly people. As that interesting peninsula is really situated, animosity towards imperial power beyond the Alps, can merely explode in idle declamation and petty violence. Of all the Italian states, however, that which is least fitted for self-dependence, is the popedom. Austria had, accordingly, long supplied the strength required for sustaining the decrepitude of Rome. Pius could not see this, but was rash and vain enough to dream of delighting and astonishing Europe by the spectacle of a liberal pope. The penalty of this delusion was his flight from the Quirinal, in November, 1848. Like the nuncio who fled from London, on the downfall of James II., he seems to have been disguised as a livery servant. His ostensible master was the Bavarian minister, on whose coach-box he rode, until he reached that personage's house, where he habited

himself clerically, and then he proceeded as his chaplain to the Neapolitan territory. It is true, that the revolutionary leaders, whose conduct drove him from Rome, were overthrown, in July, 1849, by the French, who thus violently wrested from a foreign people that liberty of cashiering an obnoxious sovereign which they had just assumed themselves. But Pius has hitherto wanted either the power, or the disposition, to return. Nor is he likely, at any time, to regain the proud position which has been occupied by former popes.

§ 30. In theology, Pius has made no advance. An encyclical epistle of his, dated November 9th, 1846, denounces Bible societies, and recommends invocation of the sainted dead, just as if the world were standing still. A divinity, however, which cowers before the Bible, and sets up mediators without knowing any thing of their power even to hear an earthly suppliant, has hitherto been indebted largely to monastic and political aids. If these advantages be withdrawn entirely, or to a great extent, the system which they have so importantly befriended, may prove unequal to maintain its ground. But however events, within the last twenty years, may affect religion upon the whole, those years have been, not enlightened only, but religious too. Hence the seed sown in them can scarcely fail of so growing to maturity, as to spread sound information upon heavenly truth.

Name and Surname.

Alexander de' Medici.

Official Designation.

...

Accession.

.........

Death.

Leo XI.......... April 1, 1605 Ap. 26, 1605 Camillus Borghese ... Paul V.......... May 16, 1605 Jan. 22, 1621 Alexander Ludovisi. Gregory XV... July 8, 1623 Maffei Barberini...... Urban VIII.... Aug. 6, 1623 July 29, 1644 John Baptist, Pamfili. Innocent X. Sept. 15, 1644 Jan. 7, 1655 Fabius Chigi ...... Alexander VII. Julius Rospigliosi ... Clement IX.... Emilius Altieri .... Clement X. Ap. 29, 1670 July 22, 1676 Benedict Odeschalchi. Innocent XI.... Dec. 10, 1676 Aug. 12, 1689 Peter Ottoboni ...... Alexander VIII. Oct. 6, 1689 Feb. 1, 1691 Anthony Pignatelli... Innocent XII. . July 12, 1691 Sep. 17, 1700

...

April 8, 1655 May 22, 1667
June 20, 1667 Dec. 9, 1669

John Francis Albani. Clement XI.... Nov. 3, 1700 Nov. 19, 1721 Michael Angelo

Conti

}

Innocent XIII.

Mar. 7, 1724

Vincent Maria Orsini. Benedict XIII. May 29, 1724 Feb. 21, 1730 Laurence Corsini Clement XII... July 12, 1730 Feb. 6, 1740

...

By this convocation the canons of the Church of England were authorized.

• Then were enacted the Irish articles incorporating those of Lambeth.

VOL. IV.

3 This convocation received the thirtynine Anglican articles as the terms of conformity in Ireland.

This synod ranked Calvin among heretics.

K K

Official Designation. Accession.

Benedict XIV. Aug. 17, 1740 May 25, 1758

Hannibal della Genga Leo XII.

Castiglioni. Pius VIII.....

Maurus Cappellari... Gregory XVI. Feb. 2, 1831 June 1, 1846

......