334 



THREE YEARS IN THE PACIFIC. 



Catholics. Here is the tribute of homage which he renders 

 them. ' Few Popes have ascended the Papal throne, who were 

 not endowed with more intellect and talents than are common 

 amongst men. Consequently, the Pontiffs of Rome have very 

 often shown great examples, and have appeared, in the highest 

 degree, protectors of the sciences, of letters, and of arts ; hav- 

 ing, as ecclesiastics, devoted themselves to those studies which 

 were interdicted to the laity, or despised by them. So that 

 we must consider them in general as superior to the age in 

 which they lived; and the philosopher may justly celebrate 

 the eloquence and force of Leo L, that saved Rome from the 

 fury of the barbarian Atila ; and he may admire the candor, 

 the beneficence, the paternal solicitude of Gregory I. ; he may 

 wonder at the diversity of the knowledge of Silvestre 11. ; he 

 may, in fine, praise the ability, penetration, and wisdom of 

 Innocent III., of Gregory IX., of Innocent IV., and of Pius 

 II., as well as the munificence and love of letters that distin- 

 guished Nicholas V.^ 



"Why is it that Villanueva, Pradt, and others, whom the 

 Desenganador follows and imitates, do not weary with accusing 

 the Popes generally, of ambition and avarice ; of pride and 

 indolence ; of interest and false zeal ; of injustice, of usurpa- 

 tion, of violence, &c. ; it appears, to listen to them, that from 

 the time they belted on the ' tiara,' they laid down every sen- 

 timent of morality, to follow no other rule than that of their 

 interests and passions ! Why do they spread through their 

 writings the bitterest bile against their persons, and swear 

 against them a hatred so incarnate, a rage so implacable — as if 

 they had received from them a personal injury of the most 

 atrocious and unpardonable nature?* Does this agree with the 



* "It is true, that there is not wanting a personal motive, sufficient to excite 

 the eternal babble of Pradt, and stir up the black bile of Villanueva against the 

 Pope. The first cannot forget, that by Pius VII. refusing the bulls of con- 

 firmation to the tyrant Napoleon, while held captive in Savona, he was de- 

 prived of the Bishopric of Mahnas, to which he had been named ; hence his 

 complaints, and his endeavor to despoil the Pope of the right of installing the 

 bishops ; availing himself for this purpose of all the sophisms that he can 

 imagine. (See Concord, de la Amr. con Roma, cap. 12. y nota 23 — .) Nor 



