ODE TO PROSPERITY. YOUR head erect in haughty port,. Fires on your front an Opal's blaze, Which none with steady look survey; Altars, to you, unnumber'd stand, Where holocausts for ever burn; (Though oft you stretch the averting hand, And costliest rites disdainful spurn ;) While conquered Justice yields up life, And Honour feels the fatal knife; Nor Truth oppressed, nor altered Faith is heard, Nor sacred Friendship, of recoiling victim, spared. 'Tis yours to give the wide domain, The high-arched dome's stupendous pile, And oft received the traitor's smile. Soft Luxury, at his sumptuous board, Nor feel another's pain, nor wish another's Assiduous in thy walks are found Warm Pleasure, bathing in her stream, And vacant Noise' offensive scream; Were human bliss in wandering from the mind e'er found. Thy gay train sparkles to the crowd: Disgrace's pangs, and faded Care, And Disappointment's gloomy air; The flames of long Desire, the sleepless night See WOLSEY, raised to sudden state, power, Nor feared the scorn of royal hate, Nor drunk with pomp, the changeful The Sun, bright-shining in the morn, By coming clouds obscure, his glorious rays Give me, kind Heaven, nor WOLSEY's rise, Nor Prince's frown upon me wait. J. C. 1811. CATH'LICS ROMAN-A DUET. OUR great Forefathers forc'd from Tyrant Fam'd Magna Charta, freedom's choicest And they were Cath'lics Roman: To Britons dear, And they were Cath'lics Roman. From Gallia's brow the regal Crown they tore, And Gallia's fields they drenched with native With sturdy battle-axe or skilful bowman, Old England's fame, But England's children of reform now heed Depress the cause Of faithful Cath'lics Roman. By foes oppress'd, by specious friends be- Man; For we are Cath'lics Roman. The toast then be, Our Clergy free, For we are Cath'lics Roman. 481 EPITOME OF INTELLIGENCE. THE THE intelligence which has transpired since the publication of the last number of the Journal, though not various in its kind, is the most important that has occurred subsequent to the famous Rescript of Mons. Quarantotti. Since the departure of the London Vicar Apostolic, the Vetohunters have been in full cry, and paragraphs have appeared in the public papers, in order to amuse the Protestant part of the community, announcing that the Veto will very likely be granted so far as concerns England; while letters are privately circulated among the Catholics, conveying the same information, to which is moreover added, that the pensioned agent of the Vetoists at Rome has written to a dignified ecclesiastic in this country, assuring him that no alteration will be made in Quarantotti's Rescript! This piece of news has set the party all alive, and they seem determined to have a merry Christmas upon the strength of it, which they might, probably, have enjoyed without interruption, had it not been for their cowardly, unmanly, and unfeeling persecution of the virtuous females residing in this country who have dedicated themselves to the service of their Creator in religious communities. The sensation created amongst Catholics by this order was greater if possible than that occasioned by the arrival of Quarantotti's Bull; nor has this surprize been confined to Catholics alone, but many of the most respectable of our Protestant brethren have also expressed their astonishment at the measure. Indeed, so great and so general has been the indignation expressed against this dastardly attack upon the defenceless sex, that many of the abettors are now ashamed of the business, while others of the Catholic body are unwilling to believe that such a mandate was ever issued by a Prethe late of the Catholic church, especially as there is no law existing by which our temporal rulers could have enforced the bigotted and intolerant measure. The fact, however, seems to be placed beyond contradiction, as the following instructions were communicated to a convent by a third person, at the desire of Dr. Rigby, the religious of which have laid aside their habits in consequence of it : at "Dr. Rigby, now governor of the London district, is ordered to communicate the Right Rev. Dr. Poynter's official orders to the that the religious must absolutely lay aside their habits, and all other marks of being religious; the limit fixed is Christmas, or the close of the year. Government will have it so; first on account of the Catholic education in the convents-secondly, the danger of conversion to the Catholic church. These two reasons come from very high authority: the orders are absolute." This order is declared by some of the Vetoist gentlemen to be a forgery: for the honour of the Catholic church and her Ministers, it is to be hoped that it is so. But, then, how comes it about that the ladies have acted upon it as if it was a genuine official document? Why is not the matter explained, and the forgery detected? It is certainly incumbent to ascertain whether the order is real or fictitious, and the Catholic public will, no doubt, be happy to find that the latter is the case; and that the persecuted females in question are allowed to resume their religious habit. With respect to the rescript and M. Quarantotti, it may be necessary to say a few words on the former; but as to the latter, the less we say of him, perhaps, the better: time will best discover the merit due to his great | oath which is imposed upon us, and and wonderous deeds. "No altera- not require us to submit to an authority which we are solemnly compelled to disown, so far as regards temporal concerns-and the subject in question, be it again observed, is purely ▲ CIVIL ONE. That the Ministers would be very happy to have an influence over the Catholic Clergy of these realms is very likely, because their power would thereby be increased. But is there any probability that the Catholic religion would be benefitted by such an arrangement; or that the liberties which we seek would be secured by our consenting to such a measure ? No; the greater chance is, that we should in a few years expe rience the contrary effect; and the religion which we now consider our honour and our glory to profess, would become a mere nominal name, and our liberties (should we have the good luck to be placed on a level with our fellow-subjects) not worth enjoying. Was not this the case in the reign of Henry the Eighth? Had the bishops in that reign been as pure and disinterested as the present hierarchy of Ireland, had they been as zealous for the interest of the spiritual kingdom of their divine master, as they were to secure the temporalties they then possessed, is it probable we should have witnessed such a falling off of the people from their faith as took place in those days. And is it not equally as probable, if we find the prelates of our own days siding with the wealthy and powerful, instead of strictly adhering to the precepts of our divine Saviour, who de Consequently, the appeal to the Court of Rome was uncalled for and unnecessary, and moreover, ill-timed; be-clared that his kingdom was not of cause it involved that Court in a discussion which, at the present moment, there is no doubt, it did not wish to be engaged in. But it is the wish of Government that the Veto should be granted. This is very probably the case; but it is no reason why the Catholics should coincide in the proposition.-Besides, if such is the desire of Government, ought it not then to release us from the obligation of the this world; that the flock will become disgusted with their conduct, and thus that attachment which now subsists, and which ever should subsist, between the pastor and his flock, will become weakened, and a total indifference to the practices of religion inevitably follow. May God, in his infinite goodness, shield us from these dreadful consequences! In the mean time, it is necessary that the laity should exert themselves to avert the dangers which threaten their holy faith, by petitioning for unrestricted rights. The Catholics of Cork have already begun to act upon this principle; and those of Dublin are to have an aggregate meeting in the course of the next month, when similar measures, it is expected, will be adopted. France has taken the lead in the adoption of unrestricted toleration; Germany has seconded the measure; and by an united effort on the part of the people, there is no doubt but the inhabitants of this united kingdom will soon taste the enjoyments of religious freedom, as they are now likely to reap the blessings of universal peace. Lucien Bonaparte, who long resided as a prisoner in this country, has published an Epic Poem, entitled Charlemagne, since his return to Rome, and dedicated it to his Holiness Pope Pius VII. in the following words : "MOST HOLY FATHER,-Providence, after four years of captivity, brings me back to the feet of your Holiness. During this period of adversity I have completed the long Poem of which you have deigned to hear the first Cantos with such benignity. I can now, therefore, lay once more this work at the steps of the Pontifical Throne at Rome. My long residence at Rome has made your Hol ness sufficiently well acquainted with my sen❤ timents; your honouring us with your remembrance, and your estimable letters have sup ported, in our adversity, myself, my partner, and our children, even while the hope of seeing you again seemed lost for ever! Restored to our asylum, under your paternal protection, what do we not owe to you. By allow ing me to speak of the benefits you have crowded on us for the past ten years, and by deigning to accept the dedication, your Holi gratitude. Permit me, Holy Father, to offer ness still gives, if possible, new claims to my you anew the assurance of a fidelity and devotedness which shall terminate only with my life, and to kiss your feet, while imploring with fervour your sacred benediction. Your Holiness's most faithful and devoted Son in LUCIEN BONAPARTE. Jesus Christ. Rome, May, 1814." Accounts from Vienna state that the Committee of Ministers charged with the new Constitution of the German Empire, has commenced the discussion of ecclesiastical affairs. It has been, in the first place, unanimously adopted that the three religions, Catholic, Calvinist, and Lutheran, shall in future enjoy a perfect equality of rights through the whole extent of the empire. All kinds of prerogatives, privileges, or exclusive rights, are suppressed, and the Committee will undertake, as soon as possible, the organization of the Bishops and ArchIt has been bishops of Germany. agreed to consult upon this subject Cardinal Gonsalvi, and several ecclesiastics, distinguished for their wisdom and virtues, who are now at Vienna. The Bishop of Chimsee, administrator of the diocese of Salzburg, is dead. The Archbishops and Bishops of Co-present Earl's family. logne and Treves, Wurtzburg, Bamberg, Passau, Fulda, Munster, and Osnabruck, no longer exist. All these churches are without a first pastor. We see how much the church has suffered. Doctor Troy lately waited on the Lord Mayor, who gave a passport to a Curate, as the Representative of the Parish Priests of Dublin, who left Dublin on Wednesday, to regulate several matters respecting the Catholic Clergy of Ireland at Rome. Cork Chr. DIED.-At his seat, Slindon-house, Sussex, on the 28th of November, the Right Hon. James Anthony Radcliffe, Earl of Newburgh. His Lordship was grandson of James Radcliffe, seeond Earl of Derwentwater, by Lady Mary Tudor, natural daughter of Charles the Second. Dying without issue, the title devolves on his first cousin, Francis Eyre, Esq. of Hassop, Derbyshire, whose mother, Lady Mary Radcliffe, was sister to the deceased Earl's father. The whole of his Lordship's estates, on the Countess of Newburgh's death, descend to the ADDRESS OF THE EDITOR. To close this volume without some acknowledgment to my Correspondents and Subscribers, would be a piece of ingratitude which I do not wish to be considered guilty of. To the former, I beg to offer my sincere thanks for their favours, and to the latter, I present the homage of an honest heart, for the liberal and increasing support they have given to my labours. Notwithstanding the exertions which have been made to injure the | Indeed! but pray, good gentlemen, do say BY WHOM it is reprobated, and WHAT it is censured for.- Is it for my political sentiments; cr is it for my religious principles? If the former, you know very well that Rome has no more authority over them than the Ottoman Porte; and what must the public think of your love for our free Constitution, when they find you en at Rome over the press of an English subject! Take care, good Veto-hunters, or you will be found out. If the latter, why do you not make public the erroneous doctrines I have disseminated, and publish the official document condemning them with the same avidity and, notoriety as you did the famous Rescript? Really, gentlemen, you honour me too much. Were I disposed to be vain of my abilities, of which 1 am not, this measure of my opponents would be sufficient to justify me in thinking that I was a person of some consequence. So, then, the efforts of an obscure individual, who two years ago was not known beyond the circle of a limited acquaintance in his native city, have rendered it necessary for the wealthy and powerful of the body to which he belongs to call in the auxiliary aid of ROME to intimidate and suppress his exertions in defence of the principles of his Religion, and the privileges of the Constitution of sale of my Journal, its progress has been increasing throughout the year, which sufficiently evinces the estimation it is held in by the Catholic pub lic. Mortified at the failure of their efforts to suppress my work, and fretting and foaming with anger at the probability of seeing themselves discomfitted, by the voice of public opinion, my opponents have now re-deavouring to establish a censorship course to another stratagem, and they think to put an extinguisher over me, by the aid of the spiritual power! Bless us! nothing will do with these gentlemen now but the spiritual authority! By letters which I have received from various counties, I find that insinuations are industriously circulated among my friends, stating that my Journal is reprobated at Rome; and that it has done more harm to religion than any other publication whatever. These are hard words, but I am confident my friends will not be frightened at them; and if my opponents had as much modesty about them as they have duplicity, they would, at least, have added "THE BLUE BOOKS EXCEPTED. How far my labours have injured the cause of my religion I shall not pretend to determine; my sentiments are before the public, and let the public decide. But I cannot refrain from observing, that the insinuations of these Blue Book gentlemen differ very widely from the opinion of some of the most disinter-his Country, which are alike in danested and exalted members of the Irish Hierarchy. One of these illustrious Prelates, in a letter sent to me in the course of this month, says, "Your very able and spirited exertions in the Orthodox Journal, in opposition to the torrent of calumnious misrepresentution which now bursts from the bigotted presses of the empire, claim the support as well as the admiration and gratitude of the body proscrib ed." What will my opponents say to this encomium upon my undertakings? Will they be satisfied in replying, But your work is reprobated at Rome! ger of being undermined by their jug- will WM. EUSEBIUS 'ANDREWS. Dec. 31, 1814.. END OF THE SECOND VOLUME. ANDREWS, Printer, Orange-street, Red Lion-square. |