— 69 — . 



v< Numero potius vel ardori studionim, qiiae tota dedi investigationi mouiimento- 

 riim atque rerum civiliiim Almae Vrbis Komae, per mediam aetatem, non paucitati 

 ingenioli mei lume summnm honorem eontiibuit Tua liberalitas, Vir Praeclare, Lyn- 

 ceorum Princeps, nec non insignis vestra erga me benevolentia, Viri Clarissimi, bona- 

 rum literarum et liberalium artium, inter Italos, duces atque antecessores. 



« Amoris non infriictuosi, quo dilesi et colere non desino Italiam Vrbemque 

 Aeternam, pulcherrimuni praemium tuli, comprobantium votorum vestrorum munus 

 gratissimam, Viri illustres, qui me, hominem exterum, socium salutastis Academiae 

 vestrae inter doctorum virorum societates Europae laudibus celebratae, non minus 

 ob venerandam suam vetustatem, quam propter longam seriem Sodalium illustrium, 

 qui, devicta invida morte, nominibus suis atque operibus genus humanum exornant 

 nunquam perituris. 



« Gratias vobis persolvo quam maximas. Optata offerant Dii propitii vobis, summi 

 decoris Italiae custodibus, qiù, post recuperatam patriae libertatem, scientiae sacra in 

 excelsum Vrbis Capitolium reduxistis, iterum sollemniter consecrata, auspice ipsa 

 libertate. 



« Vigeat, exopto, novis studiorum opibus Italia, omnium scientiarum et artium 

 fons perennis, quo perfusus oHm orbis terrarum, postquam Graeciae ingenia occi- 

 derunt, ad novum yitae intellectualis ordinem erat evectus atque splendorem. 



« Exoriatur per novas Italorum virtutes Alma Vrbs talis, qualem avi vestri 

 constituerant, templum supremum humanitatis; et cum libertate resurgat Koma, pul- 

 crior quidam atque praeclarior illa, quam, licet in servitutem redactam, aetate sua 

 inter renatas per Italorum ingenia literas mirifìce extulit magnus Erasmus, ipsam 

 praedicans patriam comunem literarum et literatorum altricem et evectricem. 



« Valete, et favete ! 



« Dabam in urbe Monacensi Kal. Martiis MDCCCLXXVL 



« Ferdinandus Gregorovius ». 



«London. March 11. 1876. 



« Gentlemen 



« The diploma and accompanying lettor, informang me of my election to foreign 

 membership of the Roman Academy, reached me a few days since. 



« That this recognition by the countrymen of Galileo, and by the members 

 of a leamed body which dates from bis time, is a source of gratifìcation to me — 

 a gratifìcation in large measure due to the implied fact that the fiews with which 

 I am identified are obtaining attention — scarcely needs saying. 



« Of course along with this satisfaction of an impersonal kind, there is joined 

 some personal satisfaction; it is impossible for me not to receive pleasure from a 

 mark of esteem given by so select a society. This espression of pleasure I desire 

 to emphasize the more, because I must join with it the explanation that I bave, 

 up to the present time, not availed myself of any scientific distinctions, or marks 

 of honour of a kindred kind. I entertain the belief that ali titles which are not 

 descriptive of functions, are, in the end, injurious — that the effects which seem 



