380 



I T A L Y. 



Police. 



Poor. 



Statistics, ready mentioned; bu.t, for nn account of their re- 

 S ^Y"' spective politics, we must refer to the articles allotted 

 to them separately. It may only here be observed, 

 that, in those two last mentioned states, the govern- 

 ment is absolute, anil above all contronl. In the latter, 

 the sacred chnracter of the sovereign makes the su- 

 preme authority be exercised with mildness, and sub- 

 mitted to with respect ; and there are some appear- 

 ances of its being the intention of the present Pontiff, 

 as it is strongly the wish of the Roman public, to elect 

 a senate to share in the administration of affairs. _ In 

 the former, despotism prevails in its most degrading 

 forms, and ruinous effects, with little prospect of ame- 

 lioration, except where the progress of knowledge, and 

 the example of other more enlightened governments 

 may communicate. . 



The police throughout Italy is extremely defective, 

 especially in the two last mentioped states ; of which 

 the one is indulgent and the other indolent the papal 

 magistrates forgiving, the Neapolitan overlooking the 

 greatest criminals. During the recent unsettled state 

 of the country, the depredations of armed banditti have 

 been frequently and fatally experienced by the travel- 

 ler; and in some cases these outrages may fairly be 

 ascribed to the apathy of the rulers. The plunderers, 

 who inhabit the frontiers of the Pontine marshes, are 

 no other than the inhabitants of the neighbouring vil- 

 lages, who are employed in their usual labours, during 

 the greater part of the year, but, at other seasons, en- 

 list under the banners of a few chiefs for the pillage 

 of travellers. After making a predatory attack, they 

 disperse immediately, and, resuming their usual occu- 

 pations, appear as peaceable subjects under the pro- 

 tection of their curate and mayor, whose indulgence 

 and connivance are suspected to originate in no very 

 honourable reasons. A few of the leaders are generally 

 known ; and, being exposed to the constant search of 

 the gens d'armes, are occasionally apprehended and 

 executed ; but the evil is not thereby repressed. In 

 the vicinity of Naples, the brigands are said to have 

 been lately dispersed by the singular plan of the go- 

 vernment taking into its service two of the principal 

 leaders, who have engaged to make all their followers 

 quiet subjects. 



The poor are extremely numerous in Italy ; and, in 

 the southern provinces particularly, the most impoi cu- 

 nate mendicants beset the passengers at every turn. 

 Their numbers may be ascribed in a great measure to 

 the stagnating commerce, declining manufactures, and 

 narrow policy of many of the states ; and, ns no legal 

 provision is made for their support, their claims are 

 brought more obtrusively before the eye of the public. 

 The sufferings of the Italian poor, however, are greatly 

 mitigated by the mildness of the climate, as far as re- 

 gards the want of comfortable lodgings, and clothing; 

 and their other necessities are fully supplied by the 

 distributions at the numerous convents, and the aids 

 afforded by charitable institutions, as well as the alms 

 of private individuals. " Having now/' says Dr.Moore, 

 " crossed from the Adriatic to the Mediterranean, and 

 travelled through a considerable part of Italy, I ac- 

 knowledge I have been agreeablyjdisappointed in find- 

 ing the state of the poorer part of the inhabitants less 

 wretched than, from the accounts of some travellers, I 

 imagined it was ; and I may, with equal truth add, 

 that, although I have not seen so much poverty as I 

 was taught to expect, yet I have seen far more poverty 

 than misery. Even the extremity of indigence is ac- 

 oompanied with less wretchedness here, than iu many 



other countries. This is partly owing to the mildness Statistics. 



of the climate and fertility ofHhe soil, and partly to the s ^-^ ' 

 peaceable, religious, and contented disposition of the 

 people." 



The Church and Religion.' 



The established Catholic or Romish faith and worship 

 prevails exclusively over all Italy; and no where is its 

 authority and jurisdiction more complete. Over this The Pontiff', 

 church of Italy the Pope presides as primate, with the 

 same prerogatives which accompany that title and sta- 

 tion in other countries. But besides the peculiar of- 

 fice, which merely expresses his relation to the Italian 

 ecclesiastical constitution, he is also the chief pastor of 

 the Catholic church over the whole world ; and thus 

 po'ssesses, in the opinjon of that church, a spiritual su- 

 premacy and influence in every country, where any 

 portion of it exists. In this character, he is regarded 

 not only as bishop of Rome, metropolitan, and primate 



of Italy, Sicily, &c. and a patriarch of the West, enjoy- 

 ing all the privileges, and subject to all the controul, of 

 other bishops, primates, or patriarchs in their respec- 

 tive distiicts ; but also as the successor of St. Peter, 

 sitting as the first pastor of the Catholic church, by di- 

 vine right and appointment, and holding the primacy 

 of honour and jurisdiction over the whole Christian 

 church. To refuse him this name and honour, is deem- 

 ed an act of spiritual rebellion ; but, at the same time, 

 the precise rights and prerogatives connected with it 

 have never yet been defined ; and the exertions of pon- 

 tifical power in general are regarded, at least by mo- 

 dern Catholics, as only of human institution, which it 

 would-be neither heresy nor schism to resist. For an 

 account of the progress of this usurpation, and its sub- 

 sequent connection with a temporal sovereignty, we re- 

 fer our readers to the article ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORV, 

 chap. i. and must be considered at present as merely 

 stating the modern views and practice of the Catholic 

 church on the subject of its spiritual head. To this to- 

 pic also we must only allude by the way,- and confine 

 our account of the Roman Pontiff to his office as head 

 of the church of Italy and Bishop of Rome. He is, 

 howtever, at the same time, a temporal prince, and 

 sovereign of a considerable portion of the country ; and 

 thus comes to be noticed both under the political and ec- 

 clesiastical branches of this article. It is, nevertheless, 

 to the latter of these characters, that his dress, titles, 

 equipage, &c. are adapted ; and, in his own court, he is 

 exclusively addressed by the appellations of Holiness or 

 Holy Father. His robes resemble those of a bishop 

 in pontificals, excepting the stole and the ;colom, 

 which is white instead of purple. His vestments, wJien 

 he officiates in church, do not differ from those of other 

 prelates, and it is only on extraordinary occasions that 

 he wears the " tiara,'' or triple crown. Both in public 

 and private, he is encircled vith all the forms of ma- 

 jesty, and approached with the greatest reverence. A 

 prelate in full robes is always in waiting in his anti- 

 ehamber ; and, when the apartment opens, he is seen 

 sitting in a chair of state, with a small table before him. 

 The person who is introduced to this presence-chamber, 

 kneels first in the threshold, again in the middle of the 

 room, and, lastly, at the feet of the Pontiff, where he is 

 allowed to kiss the cross embroidered on his shoes, or 

 is raised by his hand, and, after conversing a sl.ort time, 

 commonly receives a slight present of beads or medals, 

 as a memorial, and then retires with the same cere- 

 monies of kneeling. In public, a large elevated silver 



