hip. But after mature
reflection, I think it best you should be in possession of an accurate
and conscientious account of the sentiments of His Holiness in the
present important juncture of affairs.

"Caro mio Russell," the Pope said, "you have been so long at Naples
that I was already thinking of sending after you to bring you back; we
do not like you to leave us, and the more so as I have heard you were
attached to the Mission of Mr Elliot,[62] who is a son of Lord Minto;
and if he entertains the same political views as his father, he is a
dangerous man to the peace of Italy. Now I knew Lord Minto here, and
although he may be a very good man, I do not think him a man of any
capacity, and his doctrines were calculated to bring on the ruin of
Italy."

I replied, "I cannot agree with your Holiness, for I consider Lord
Minto to be a very clever man, whose honest, sound, and liberal views,
had they been listened to, might have prevented the crisis which is
now convulsing Italy."

The Pope said, "Well, of course you belong to his party, but, _Poveri
noi!_ what is to become of us with your uncle and Lord Palmerston at
the head of affairs in England? They have always sympathised with the
turbulent spirits of Italy, and their accession to power will greatly
increase the hopes of the Piedmontese Party. Indeed, I well know what
the English Government want: they want to see the Pope deprived of his
temporal power."

I replied, "Again I regret to find your Holiness so entirely mistaken
with respect to the policy of England. We derive great happiness from
our free institutions, and we would be glad to see our neighbours in
Europe as happy and as prosperous as we are, but we have no wish to
interfere with the internal concerns of other nations, or to give
advice without being asked for it; least of all as a Protestant
Power would _we_ think of interfering one way or the other with the
Government of your Holiness."

The Pope said, "I do not doubt the good intentions of England, but
unfortunately you do not understand this country, and your example
is dangerous to the Italian minds, your speeches in Parliament excite
them, and you fancy because constitutional liberties and institutions
suit you, that they must suit all the world. Now the Italians are a
dissatisfied, interfering, turbulent and intriguing race; they can
never learn to govern themselves, it is impossible; only see how they
follow Sardinia in all she tells them to