it. Mr. Law explained to her the distinction between the University and the separate Colleges at Oxford, and told her that what I had really brought was a letter of recommendation from the President of my College. But to return.

CHAPTER L.

Interview with Princess Potemkin and Prince

M

Galitsin.

ADAME POTEMKIN made me explain my

object, asking what mission or approbation of superiors I had, &c., and among other questions she asked whether we had any ecclesiastical dress, and had I brought mine with me? and she told me to come often to their house, and to come in my dress; they had a church, and I could go to the services in it when I did not go elsewhere. She seemed to understand at once what I meant by asking to be admitted to Communion, so as to disclaim any voluntary separation. She misused the word Catholic like all the rest. She said she had once been under the influence of Evangelical Protestantism, and had still some tenderness towards it; but she sees now that their use of words is not always correct, and adheres to Orthodoxy. reply to some remarks on the general indifference and acquiescence in separation, she observed, "That is true,

S

In

the Catholics have much more zeal, and we are deficient in that respect." She said, "Your bishops live quite like gentlemen and men of the world; but though rich, they have not that spiritual character which ours have, nor the veneration attaching to it; and for this reason I have supposed that they must be a new creation of Protestantism."

While we were talking, Prince Galitsin' (the same that had been minister under the Emperor Alexander) came in. Mde. Potemkin was saying that the confession of all sins, venial and mortal alike, was required, but he cut short that discussion by observing that anciently matters of discipline varied, and Churches required from one another only agreement in essentials: "but now they are so fixed, each in its separate customs, that neither the Catholics nor we, nor the Anglicans I think, will yield a jot." Mde. Potemkin on my persisting in speaking only of the "Papists" or "Romanists" in England, objected, "But you do not deny the Churches on the Continent?" "Certainly not," I said. She said, "I, like you, would be most willing to communicate with the Catholics in those Churches, but I know that they would insist upon impossible conditions."

The Prince had heard that Catholicism is increasing rapidly in England, and that even the most prejudiced Protestants are changing and favouring Catholicism.

1 [Vide supr., pp. 138, 207.]

"I fear," he repeated, "that existing divisions are now so fixed that the only possible unity of the Church now is the inner unity of Christian feeling, &c., &c. Rome will never recognize the Anglican Church, except on terms of absolute submission. All depends on the political calculations of the court of Rome rather than on any force of truth or of Christian feeling: and the same may be said of the Greek Church too." Mde. Potemkin told him that I did not seek to effect any change, but, being convinced that the faith is one, and that my Church recognizes theirs, and that so we must be really agreed in all essentials, I sought communion without either changing my own or seeking to change their Church in other secondary things: and she added, "On conçoit facilement que les choses devraient être ainsi, et qu'elles en etaient ainsi au commencement." The Prince said, "No doubt it must be difficult to renounce the Church in which one has been baptized and bred up," &c., &c. Also he told the following story, from what source I know not.

When Napoleon had the Pope with him, the Pope besought him to give up the Gallican Liberties. Napoleon referred him to the bishops. The Pope said it was of no use to talk to them, and produced an old discoloured paper on which was a retraction of those same liberties obtained from Louis XIV. on his deathbed. Napoleon asked him why nothing had ever been

heard of this, nor any use made of it? The Pope answered that it would not have been prudent in him to attack the Gallican Church; that might have caused a schism; but that the paper had been signed and given for the quieting of the king's conscience, and if he, Napoleon, would sign such another, he would keep that likewise, and make no untimely or inconvenient use of it. Napoleon replied, "C'est une bêtise."" The Prince supposed that all the Gallican Liberties are now also in full force, and that the king nominates simply the bishops, the Pope only confirming them.

We talked about the definition of the visible Church, and of the word Catholic, which is in a manner sacramental; of the influence of De Maistre's writings, and of his attempt to give the Eastern Orthodox Church a new nickname, calling it "l'Eglise Photienne," or "la secte Photienne." The Prince said, "Ah! yes, he was a very bigoted Papist."

...

[This story seems to have risen out of an inaccurate version of what is told us by Comte de Maistre. "Louis XIV. écrivit au Pape, Innocent XII., le 14 Septembre, 1693 . . . 'J'ai donné les ordres nécessaires afin que les affaires contenues dans mon édit du 2 Mars, 1682, à quoi les conjectures d'alors m'avaient obligé, n'eussent point de suite.' . . . La pièce demeura cachée pendant plusieurs années. Elle ne fut publique en Italie qu'en l'an 1732, et ne fut connue, ou plutôt aperçue en France que . . . seulement en 1712. . . . Louis XIV. avait bien accordé quelque chose à sa conscience et aux prières d'un Pape mourant (Alexandre VIII.)." Euvres, t. 4, pp. 162-163.]