CHAPTER XX.

1848-1852.

THE JESUITS IN AND AFTER 1848.

Italy the Seat of Jesuitical Power after the Re-establishment of the Order—State of the Peninsula before the Pontificate of Pius IX.—Auspicious Beginning of his Reign—The Jesuits Oppose his Acts of Benevolence—The Romans decide upon Depriving the Priests of all Civil Authority—Resistance of the Pope—Death of Grazioli, the Pope’s Confessor—Pius falls back to the Errors of former Popes—Hatred of the Romans to the Jesuits—_Il Gesuita Moderno_—Gioberti in Rome—The Pope’s Menaces against the Enemies of the Order—The Jesuits forced to leave Rome—Mortal Hatred vowed by the Pope against the Liberals—Flight of the Pope to Gaeta—Moderation of the Romans—Plots of the Jesuits and Cardinal Antonelli—Crusade to Replace the Pope on the Throne—Louis Napoleon, who fought in 1831 against the Pope, sends an Army against the Roman Republic—Why—General Oudinot—His Jesuitical Conduct—Gallantry of the Romans in Defending their Country—They are obliged to yield—Reproaches against England for having Abandoned the Cause of Civil and Religious Freedom—Serious Consequences which followed—Whether England could with justice have Interfered in the Affairs of Italy—The French enter Rome—Oudinot goes to Gaeta—Receives the Pope’s Blessing—Acts of Revenge of the Clerical Party after their Restoration—Miserable Condition of the Roman States—The Executions at Sinigallia and Ancona—Political Assassinations in those Towns—The Jesuits suspected of being the Instigators—How State Trials are Conducted in the Papal Dominions—a Note upon Simoncelli—The Pope grants £40,000 to his native Town for erecting a Jesuit College—Reception of the Jesuits on their Re-entering Naples—Ridiculous Addresses—The Jesuits All-powerful in the Two Sicilies—Abominable Conduct of the Neapolitan Government—Jesuitism invades Tuscany—Its Effects—Religious Persecution—Jesuits Introduced into Lombardy—The Jesuits Excluded from Piedmont—The Clergy refuse to submit to Equality of Rights—The Priest considers himself a Superior Being—Why—Intrigues and Hatred of the Piedmontese Clergy against the Government—Ominous Influence possessed by the Jesuits in France at the present moment—The Laws of Providence—Popery can never again be the Religion of the Italians—Abject Flattery of the Jesuits to Louis Napoleon—His Character—The Priests help him to grasp the Imperial Crown—His Marriage—Why we do not speak of the Actual State of the Jesuits in England, 469

CONCLUSION, 493

INDEX 497

ILLUSTRATIONS.

1. PORTRAIT OF LOYOLA (_Frontispiece_).

PAGE

2. ” XAVIER 98

3. ” LAINEZ 133

4. ” BORGIA 145

5. ” ACQUAVIVA 210

6. ” LACHAISE 270

7. ” RICCI 357

8. ” GANGANELLI 413

INTRODUCTION.

When I first intimated to some of my friends my intention of writing the History of the Jesuits, most of them dissuaded me from the enterprise, as from a task too difficult. I am fully aware of all the difficulties I have to encounter in my undertaking. I am sensible that to write a complete and detailed history of the Jesuits would require more time and learning than I have to bestow: neither could such a history be brought within the compass of six or seven hundred pages. It will be my endeavour, however, to give as faithful an account of the Society as I can, to furnish an accurate narrative of facts, and an outline of the principal members of the order. Thus much, at least, with the aid of time, patience, and study, may be achieved by any one.

I confess, too, that I am encouraged by a sense of the intrinsic interest of the subject itself, which may well do much to cast a veil over my own imperfect treatment of it: for, amidst the general wreck and decay of all human things, amidst the rise and fall of dynasties, nay, of empires themselves and whole nations of men, the inquiry may indeed give us pause—_Wherein lay the seeds of that vitality in the original constitution of the Jesuits, which has served during three centuries to maintain the ranks of the Society, under many shocks, still unbroken?_ A sufficient answer to this inquiry will, I trust, be developed during the course of my narrative.

The main difficulty of my subject, as will be readily understood, lies in discovering and delineating the true character of the Jesuits: for, take the Jesuit for what he ought or appears to be, and you commit the greatest of blunders. Draw the character after what the Jesuit seems to be in London, and you will not recognise your portrait in the Jesuit of Rome. The Jesuit is the man of circumstances. Despotic in Spain, constitutional in England, republican in Paraguay, bigot in Rome, idolater in India, he shall assume and act out in his own person, with admirable flexibility, all those different features by which men are usually to be distinguished from each other. He will accompany the gay woman of the world to the theatre, and will share in the excesses of the debauchee. With solemn countenance, he will take his place by the side of the religious man at church, and he will revel in the tavern with the glutton and the sot. He dresses in all garbs, speaks all languages, knows all customs, is present everywhere though nowhere recognised—and all this, it should seem (O monstrous blasphemy!), for the greater glory of God—_ad majorem Dei gloriam_.

According to my opinion, in order to form a correct estimate of the Jesuits, we must, first, study their code, and, disregarding its _letter_, endeavour to discover the spirit in and by which it was dictated; secondly, we must be ever on our guard against the deception of judging them simply by their deeds, without constant reference to the results flowing from them—for we may rest assured that, in their case, it will be too often found that the fruit which externally may be fair and tempting to the eye, yields nothing at its core but vileness and corruption.

It is under the guidance of such principles of criticism as these that I shall write my history.

My readers, however, must not look to find my book thick-sown throughout with nothing but vehement and indiscriminate abuse against the order. Such is not the vehicle through which, in the judgment of the impartial, I shall be expected to manifest my disapproval, whenever the occasion for such disapproval shall present itself. It will be my endeavour not to be led astray by any feeling whatsoever, but to give every one his due. Whatever I shall advance against the Jesuits, I shall prove upon their own authority, or by notorious, incontestable facts. Alas! these will prove to be too numerous, and of too dark a character, to require the addition of anything that is untrue; and the Society numbers among its members too many rogues to prevent its historian (if, indeed, one so unjust could be found) from making creditable mention, for poor humanity’s sake, of the few honest, if misguided, ones he may chance to meet on his way.

I hope my readers will be indulgent to me, if I promise that I will spare neither trouble nor exertion to surmount all the difficulties that lie in my path, and to present in as true a light as possible the crafty disciples of the brotherhood of Loyola.

HISTORY OF THE JESUITS.