Chapter X: A Tour In Germany

Father Ignatius left Rome with the Holy Fathers blessing on both his spiritual and temporal projects. On his way to Germany, whither he was bound for a twofold begging tour, he preached everywhere to religious, priests, nuns, people, and children, upon the conversion of England. He went further than mere exhortation, he tried to get the Bishops and religious to take up his ideas, now stamped with the approbation of Rome, and propagate them among those under their jurisdiction. He met with kindness and encouragement in every town and hamlet until he came to Laibach. Here the police seized him and sent him away. At Gratz he met with a better reception. Throughout, the priests and religious receive him with a something approaching to honour, and so do the nobility, but government officials and the like treat him rudely enough.

When he arrived in Vienna, he found a way of conciliating these officers of justice and their subalterns. Graf (Count) O'Donnel took him to the Secretary of Police, and procured him a safe-conduct, whereby this kind of annoyance was put an end to for the future. Great personages patronize him--among the chief were Prince Esterhazy, Counts O'Donnel and Litchenstein. Through their kindness and his own repute, he is favoured with interviews from the members of the royal family. A few of these in his own words must be interesting:--

"While at Rome, I heard one day the wonderful account of the _coup
d'état_ of the now Emperor of the French. I thought with myself that
moment, here is a man for me--perhaps _the_ man. If he survive the
assaults of his enemies, {429} and become established in power over
France, he is the man evidently for great designs; the people whom
he rules are the people to follow him in them; and he has a mind, so
I conceived, to understand how utterly insignificant are all
enterprises, in comparison with those which have the glory of God
and the salvation of souls for their end. But will he, can he, be
moved to take up the great cause? I got an introduction to the
French ambassador at Rome, in order to open my way to an interview
with his chief. This may be in reserve for me some future day; but I
was first to see another great man--the young Emperor of Austria.

"I think an account of this audience, and some accompanying
circumstances, will be interesting in more points of view than one.
After leaving Rome at the beginning of February, I went to Vienna,
and stopped there three weeks before coming home. The Emperor had
just left Vienna for Venice when I arrived, and did not return till
a fortnight after. In consequence of this, I sought for, and had
audience of all the other members of the royal family then in the
town. Many may not be aware of the circumstances under which the
present Emperor was raised to the throne. Everything connected with
this young man is to me full of a kind of poetic interest. He is the
eldest son of the Archduke Francis Charles and the Archduchess
Sophia, a princess of Bavaria. His father is brother to the
ex-Emperor Ferdinand.

"It is said that in 1848, at the time when the insurgents had gained
possession of Vienna, and the court was in flight, some one asked
the Empress Mary Ann, a Sardinian princess, 'Madam, have you ever
thought of an abdication?' 'I have, indeed,' answered she; 'but what
is to follow?' The Emperor had no children, and his next heir was
his brother the Archduke. Both of them have been always highly
respected as most amiable and religious men, but are not of
abilities or character to bear the charge of an empire under such
circumstances. The abdication, then, of the reigning Emperor would
not have been a remedy to existing evils, unless his brother joined
in the sacrifice of his claims, and made way for the succession of
his son. This {430} arrangement, however, was effected; and, if what
I gathered from conversations and observation is correct, it is to
the two ladies whom I have mentioned, that the empire is indebted
for it. Do not they deserve the admiration of the present and future
generations, and to have their place among the _valiant women_, for
renouncing the honours of an imperial crown, for the public good? Be
this as it may, the announcement was made to the young prince, then
eighteen years of age, that the crown was his. It is said that he
burst into tears at hearing it, and begged two days for reflection,
during which he went to confession and communion, to obtain light
from God, and concluded with giving his consent. His career has been
conformable with this beginning. Among other things, I may mention
that one of his first acts was, of his own mind, to repeal the
oppressive laws of Joseph II., and to restore liberty to the Church.
Could I do otherwise than long to interest such a soul as this in
the great cause I was supporting? Shall I succeed in the end? I had
an audience of the Archduchess Sophia, the Emperor's mother, before
his return from Venice. It is under her care and guidance, as I was
assured, that his character has been formed; and it was touching to
hear her make me a kind of apology for what might, perhaps, be taken
as a defect in his manner. I told her I was desirous of an audience
of his Majesty. She said, 'You will certainly obtain it;' and she
added, "You will perhaps think him cold, but he is not so.' This
corresponds with what she said to a friend of mine, a German
literary character, who was likewise about to have his first
audience from the Emperor. The Archduchess said to him, 'His manner
is not winning, like that of Carl [meaning her third son, the
Archduke Charles], but he has greater depth of character; from his
childhood upwards I never knew him say a word merely to please;
every word is from his heart.' These few words of his mother are to
me a most precious comment on what passed between the Emperor and me
when I had my audience. I was introduced into a large saloon on one
of the days of public reception. The Emperor stood alone in the
middle of it; behind him, to the left, was a small table, on which
was a pile of {431} memorials which he had already received. He was
in military uniform. I should be glad to convey the impression which
his appearance, and the few words he spoke, made on me. A young
emperor, I suppose, has great advantage in gaining upon one's
feelings, if he will in any degree do himself justice. In this case,
I say, that I never was more satisfied, not to say captivated, with
my observations on any person. His figure is not in itself
commanding; but there was in his air and manner and tone a union of
grace and affability, dignity, wisdom, and modesty, which I do not
remember to have seen equalled. I was greatly struck, on my
entrance, with what appeared to me such a contrast between what I
witnessed and the receptions usually given by great personages who
wish to be gracious. Ordinarily, my impression is that they
overwhelm one with many words, which often mean nothing. The Emperor
was perfectly silent. I had time to think with myself, after I had
approached him, 'Am I then to speak first? So it was. I have a very
clear recollection of what was said.

"'I have requested this audience,' I said, 'to represent to your
Majesty the object for which I am travelling. It is to move
Catholics throughout the world to interest themselves in obtaining
the return of my country to the Catholic faith. On this, I am deeply
convinced, depends entirely the happiness of my country; and, I
conceive, nothing would more contribute to the happiness of other
nations of the world.'

"The Emperor seemed to intimate assent to this, and said with great
grace: 'I am happy to hear that things go on better in England in
regard to religion than they have done.'

"'There is much,' I said, 'to encourage hopes; but we want great
help. I am come to ask the help of Austria. I do not take on me to
prescribe what your Majesty in person might do in this cause. As the
principal means to be employed is prayer, I am aware that it belongs
rather to Bishops to direct such movements; but I ask help and
sympathy from all. I thought it could not be anything but right to
ask your Majesty's.'

{432}

"He answered: 'I will interest myself as much at possible.'

"I added: 'I have said, I did not intend to propose any line of
action to your Majesty; but I may explain myself further. It is to
the Bishops that I make my principal appeal to interest the people
in this object. Now, I am aware that they would and must be averse
to any public measures which might seem to involve political
inconvenience: I would, therefore, ask of your Majesty, that if the
bishops are pleased to act, the Government should not object to it,
as I conceive there would be no reason.'

"The Emperor said something to the effect, as I thought, that he saw
no reason to object to what I said.

"I was aware that my audience could not be a long one, and I now put
my hand to the breast of my habit to take out a memorial, which I
had been directed to present on this occasion, for permission to
collect subscriptions in the empire.

"He thought I was about to offer him papers on the subject on which
I had been speaking, and said: 'You probably have some papers which
will explain your wishes.'

"I said: 'I have; but they are not in a becoming form to present to
your Majesty.'

"I had, in fact, two little addresses printed on poor paper, in
German, for distribution; and I brought them forward.

"He immediately put out his hand to take them, and said, with a
smile and manner of truly high-bred courtesy: 'Oh! I will read them;
'and he laid them on the table by him.

"I then presented my written memorial, and then, on his slightly
bowing to me, I withdrew."

Another letter says:--

"In my last letter I repeated the words in which that wise and
excellent Princess, the Archduchess Sophia, described the character
of two of her sons: 'The Emperor seems cold, but he is not so. He is
not winning and amiable like Carl, but he has more solidity and
depth.' I remarked that to me these words were a most interesting
commentary {433} on what passed in the short audience I had from the
young Emperor; and if I succeeded in my description of it, I am sure
others will think with me. I will now give some account of my
audience with the third brother, the young Archduke Charles. The
second brother, whose name I do not now remember, was not in Vienna
at the time. He is a seaman, and I suppose it is intended that under
his auspices the Austrian navy should be advanced to greater vigour
and efficiency, while the Emperor and Charles attend mainly to the
army. The empire possesses two splendid ports--Trieste and Venice;
and past history proves what may be done with the latter alone.

"I made acquaintance with a Swiss ecclesiastic in Vienna (Mgr.
Mislin), who bore a part in the education of all three of these
princes. I had told him what were my desires concerning them; that
is, to inspire them with ardent zeal for the great work of the
reunion of Christendom, but especially the reconquest of England for
the Church. One day the Abbé called to see me, at the palace of the
Pope's Nuncio, where I was staying; and as I was out, he left word
that he wished to see me without delay. He had to tell me, as I
found, that the Archduke Charles, with whom he regularly goes to
dine every Friday, had said to him on the last of these occasions,
'Do you know Father Ignatius?' 'Yes,' he answered, 'very well.' 'Do
you think,' added the Prince, 'I could see him? I wish it very
much.' 'Oh,' replied the Abbé, 'there will be no difficulty; 'and at
once an hour was fixed--two o'clock on the 11th of March. It
happened, however, that notice was received that at this very time
the Emperor was to arrive from Trieste, and the Archduke had to go
to the railway terminus to meet him. My audience was deferred till
half-past three; and I went with the Abbé to the private entrance of
the imperial palace to see them arrive. They were driven up from the
station in a light open carriage; and it was thus, side by side,
that I first saw them both. I may be mistaken, but in my poetic
recollections and visions of Vienna, if I, who am no poet, may so
speak, these two brothers are charmingly conjoined in my mind. At
half-past three, then, I went to {434} the Archduke's apartments in
the Burg, as it is called--a great mass of building, which includes
the Emperor's town residence, apartments for all the royal family,
several public offices, extensive quarters for troops, &c.--and was
immediately introduced to him in a large drawing-room, where he kept
me a good half-hour in lively conversation. My impression of him
was, of a bright, buoyant youth, full of shining prospects of his
future career; in which, though, perhaps, somewhat unconsciously to
himself, he is both qualified by circumstances and character, and
nobly disposed to exert himself for everything great and good. All
this, however, is yet to be developed and consolidated by age,
reflection, and experience. I should say, not so much that he
himself is eagerly grasping at facts with which to store his mind,
to be in due time digested, matured, and acted upon, as that
Providence is turning to account his natural youthful eagerness, and
shall we say, curiosity, to do this for him. May it prove that I am
not forming over bright and groundless visions!

"The Archduke was dressed in a plain cavalry uniform. He was then
about 19 years old, and very young-looking for his age. My object
was to impress him with the grand importance of the enterprise which
I was proposing as proper to form the dearest and constant aim of
his brother's reign; that is, the restoring union to Christendom,
having peculiarly in view the reconciling England to the Church. 'I
have no wish,' I said, 'to see him, the Emperor, less devoted to his
army: let him watch with constant care over all the interests of his
Imperial dignity; but let him be devoted, above all and in
everything, to the glory of God, and the repairing the losses of the
Holy Church; and if it pleases God he should live, he will have a
career more glorious, and leave a name greater than Charlemagne.' He
said, 'Surely what you propose is most important. It is a matter to
be deeply deplored that so many German states are cut off from the
Church.' ..... I do not remember clearly much more of what passed
in this conversation, and in truth it is not of so much consequence;
for his words are not all weighed, solid, and worth recording, like
those of his more {435} sage brother. All have not the same gifts,
natural or spiritual; and it is not well they should. Of course, it
is not well, because God has ordered it thus. But I could see in the
diversity of these young men what might be wonderfully combined for
doing great things. Charles would not be the one to govern and
control, and he has not this to do. The Emperor has; and he is cut
out for it. But then perhaps he is not one to win and conciliate
those who do not know how to value all superior qualities like his;
yet this is necessary in such times, especially when sound,
old-fashioned loyalty is not much known. But let the two brothers
work together; let their hearts be one, and let that one purpose be
directed to noble ends, and it will be well for them, for the
empire, and for Europe. Charles will supply what the other wants. I
asked Monsignor Mislin one day, with an anxious feeling, whether
they were really affectionate, loving brothers, and the answer was
satisfactory."

{436}