466 Account of the Life of Cardinal Stephen Borgia. [Dec. 1, 
place, that all those who had taken any 
active share in the former government 
were imprisoned. This severity did not, 
however, continue long, for they were set 
at liberty on the 28th of the same month, 
but on the express condition that they 
should leave the Papal territory. Allof 
them readily agreed to these terms; some 
of them retired to Sicily, while others 
went mito Tuscany. 
To defray the expence of the journey, 
Cardinal Borgia sold the greatest part of 
his moveable property, except his mu- 
seum at Veletri. Perfectly resigned; to 
his fate, he embarked in a small vessel, 
and landed with three of his companions 
at the port of Leghorn. 
Upon landing, numerous friends, eager 
to anticipate his wants, were ready to re- 
ceive him, but accustomed to a frugal 
and unostentatious mode of life, and un- 
appalled with the prospect of the mgo- 
rous privations, with which he was 
threatened, he refused all aid and re- 
served for himself only a small sum sent 
him by his steward, believing it sufficient 
to enable him to reach Padua. He in- 
stantly took the rout&, to Florence, to 
which place the companions of bis mis- 
fortunes had already repaired. 
The Museum of the Grand Duke of 
Tuscany, the public and private libraries, 
and the society of the most distinguished 
literary characters, diverted his mind 
for a few days, from the contemplation 
of his misfortunes. He afterwards went 
to Bologna, and from thence to Rovigo. 
Although he had the prudence to travel 
without pomp and retinue, he could not 
escape, during this journey, the insults 
of an enraged multitude, intoxicated with 
a false love of liberty. He nevertheless 
arrived in safety at Rovigo, where, shel- 
tered from all danger, he recovered his 
usual vivacity; what, however, probably 
“most contributed to produce this effect, 
was the company of the learned Arnold 
Speroni, Bishop of Atri, his early friend, 
at whose house he found a hospitable 
asylum. From Rovigo, he repaired to 
Venice, where he experienced the ge- 
nerosity of Frederick Munter. This 
celebrated Professor at Copenhagen, 
whom report had informed of the dis- 
‘tress of the cardinal, hastened to trans- 
mit to him a hundred ducats, through 
the medium of a Danish merchant, with 
the promise of farther assistance, 
Borgia, at last, reached Padua, where, 
in the palace of Arnold Speroni, he found 
himself perfectly at home. Free from 
all anxiety and care, he established as at 
4 
Rome, a sort of academy, where the 
learned men of all nations assembled. 
In the midst of them, he endeavoured 
to forget the injustice of fortune. The. 
time was spent in useful discussions, 
and literary conversation, which gave 
rise to many excellent works, several of 
which were dedicated to him, being re- 
garded as the Mecenas of Italy. 
Equally zealous for the support of 
the religion and the Holy See, as for 
the progress of letters and arts, he never 
lost sight of the affairs of the church. 
The Propaganda having been destroyed 
and its members dispersed, he was an- 
xlous to re-establish it under the auspices 
of Pius VI. then a prisoner at Valence; 
he wrote, with this view, to the priests 
educated in’ the congregation, intend- 
ed to be sent on oriental missions, 
and at that period scattered throughout 
Italy. He invited them immediately to 
assemble at Padua, where he also so- 
licited the presence of Cesar Brancadari, 
secretary tothe Roman Propaganda. His 
object was to maintain and support the 
former establishment of missions, which 
the circumstances of the times seemed to 
threaten with approaching ruin. This 
new congregation, animated with greater 
zeal and spirit than the former, eagerly 
seconded the intentions of the cardinal. 
He conducted every thing with such 
wonderful activity, that in less than a 
Jnonth, thirtcen new apostles of the 
faith were sent into different countries, 
and large suins of money. transmitted to 
Asia and Africa. By his cares and 
through his advice, they also created 
new apostolic vicars, and endeavoured 
to re-animate the courage of the former 
missionaries. It was thus that he endea- 
voured to maintain inthe Christian world 
that union of faith which he so much 
dreaded to see dissevered. 
From the moment in which Pius VI. 
was deprived of his territories and power, 
the government of Rome changed ac-> 
cording to circumstances; at first. the 
French, having become its masters, dicta- 
ted laws to it. Afterwards the people, 
seduced by the vain phantom of liberty, 
longed to re-establish the ancient form 
of the Roman republic. It was then, 
that questors and consuls were seen 
with their fasces. It is well known, 
what benefit the citizens’ experienced - 
under this precarious authority. In the 
train of these new masters, followed all 
the evils springing from anarchy; in a 
word, all the atrocious scenes, which 
had been committed in France, were 
re-acted 
