Chapter LVII

1854-1856.

Dr. Ryerson's Third Educational Tour in Europe.

While in Europe in 1854 and 1856, Dr. Ryerson, under the authority of the Government, commenced the collection of objects of art for the Educational Museum in the Education Department. While there he met Hon. Malcolm Cameron, who after Dr. Ryerson returned to Canada, wrote to him from London on the subject of his mission. In a letter, dated 3rd of January, 1857, Mr. Cameron said:--

I have myself witnessed the result of the labour and reading which
you must have gone through with in order to obtain the information
and cultivation of judgment necessary to get the things our young
Canada can afford; things, too, of such a character and description
as shall be useful, not only in elevating the taste of our youth,
but of increasing their historical and mythological lore, as well
as inform them of the facts of their accuracy in size and form. I
was much flattered to find that my humble efforts to begin, in some
degree, a Canadian gallery--by securing a few of Paul Kane's
pictures in 1851--had been followed up by you in your
universally-acknowledged enlightened efforts for education, which
(in my bitterest moments of alienation from you, for what I
esteemed a sacrifice of Canadian freedom, and right to
self-government), I have ever cheerfully admitted.

Your determination to obtain a few works of art and statuary, a few
paintings, prints of celebrities, and scientific instruments, has
cost you much labour, anxiety and thought, which I never would have
conceived of had I not met you, and gone with you, and seen your
notes and correspondence.

You have passed through many trials, and in most of them I was with
you. The period that presses on my mind (as Lord Elgin said of
Montreal), I do not want to remember. God grant that we may see, in
all matters for the rest of our few days, eye to eye, as we do now
on all the subjects in which you are now engaged, publicly and
privately. I think God is with you, and directing you aright in
that Conference matter which is nearest to your heart, and I am
confident that you will have a signal triumph.

Dr. Ryerson has written the following account of a distinguished physician whom he met at Rome:--

One of the most remarkable men with whom I became acquainted in
Italy, in my tour there in 1856-7, was Dr. Pantelioni, a scholar,
physician, patriot, and statesman; to whose character and
banishment from Rome the London _Times'_ newspaper devoted about
three columns.

Prefatory to the circumstances of my acquaintance with this
remarkable man, I may observe, that when in England in 1850-1, I
had a good deal of correspondence with Earl Grey, who was then
Secretary of State for the Colonies, and through whom I was able to
procure maps, globes, and essential text-books for Canadian
schools, at a discount of forty-three per cent. from the published
selling prices. Earl Grey was much pleased in being the instrument
of so much good to the cause of public education in Canada; wrote
to the English booksellers and got their consent to the
arrangement, shewed me much kindness, and invited me to dine at his
residence, in company with some distinguished English statesmen,
among whom was Sir Charles Wood (afterwards a peer), and the late
Marquis of Lansdowne, the Nestor of English statesmen, and beside
whom I was seated at dinner. The Countess of Grey shewed me many
kind attentions, and the Marquis of Lansdowne invited me to call
the next day at Lansdowne House, and explain to him the Canadian
system of education, as he was the Chairman of the Privy Council
Committee on Education, and wished to know what had been done, and
what might be done for the education of the labouring classes. I
called at Lansdowne House, as desired, and explained as briefly and
clearly as possible the Canadian school system, its popular
comprehensiveness and fairness to all parties, its Christian, yet
non-sectarian, character. At the conclusion of my remarks, the
noble Marquis observed, "I cannot conceive a greater blessing to
England than the introduction into it of the Canadian school
system; but, from our historical traditions and present state of
society, all we can do is to aid by Parliamentary grants the cause
of popular education through the agency of voluntary associations
and religious denominations."

Five years afterwards, in another educational tour in Europe,
myself and daughter spent some months at the Paris Exhibition in
1855. The Earl and Countess of Grey, seeing our names on the
Canadian Book of the Exhibition, called and left their cards at our
hotel. We returned the call the following day, when the Earl and
Countess told us they had an aunt at Rome devoted to the fine arts,
who would have great pleasure in assisting us to select copies of
great masters for our Canadian Educational Museum; that they would
write to her, and, if we left our cards with her on our arrival,
she would gladly receive us. We did so, and, in less than an hour
after, we received a most friendly letter from Lady Grey, saying
that she had been expecting and waiting for us for some time, and
writing us to come to her residence that evening, as she had
invited a few friends.[147] In the course of the evening, I was
introduced to Dr. Pantelioni with this remark, "Dr. Ryerson, if you
should become ill, you cannot fall into better hands than those of
Dr. Pantelioni." I replied that "I was glad to make his personal
acquaintance, but hoped I should not need his professional
services." But the very next day I was struck down in the Vatican
while examining the celebrated painting of Raphael's
Transfiguration and Dominichino's Last Communion of St. Jerome,
with a cruel attack of lumbago and sciatica, rendering it necessary
for four men to convey me down the long stairway to my carriage,
and from thence to my room in the hotel, where I was confined for
some three weeks, requiring three men for some days to turn me in
bed. Language cannot describe the agony I experienced during that
period. Dr. Pantelioni was sent for, and attended me daily for
three weeks, and never charged me more than a dollar a visit. After
two or three visits, finding that I was otherwise well, and had
knowledge of government and civil affairs in Europe and America,
he entered into conversation with me on these subjects. I found him
to be one of the most generally read and enlightened men that I had
met with on the Continent.

He frequently remained from one to three hours conversing with me;
and in the course of these frequent and lengthened visits, Dr.
Pantelioni related the following facts:

1st. That he was one of the liberal party in Rome that opposed the
despotism of the Papal government, and contributed to its
overthrow, when Garibaldi for a time became supreme at Rome.

2nd. That he, with many other liberals, became convinced that the
government which Garibaldi would inaugurate, would be little better
than a mob, and would be neither stable nor safe.

(Garibaldi was a bold and skilful party leader, but no statesman. I
witnessed his presence in the Italian Legislature, then held in
Florence; he could declaim against government, and find fault, with
individual acts; but he seemed to have no system of government in
his own mind, and commanded little respect or attention after his
first speech.)

3rd. Dr. Pantelioni stated, that under these circumstances, he,
with several liberal friends, agreed to go confidentially to the
Pope, who was then an exile at Gaeta, and offer their offices and
influence to restore him to power at Rome, provided he would
establish a constitutional government, and govern as a
constitutional ruler. The pope agreed to their propositions, but
when they reduced them to writing for his signature, and those of
the gentlemen waiting upon him, he declined to sign his name; in
consequence of which Dr. Pantelioni and his friends felt they had
no sufficient ground upon their own individual word, without a
scrap of writing from the pen of the pope, to influence their
friends, and risk their lives; they, therefore, retired from the
presence of his holiness, disappointed but not dishonored.

4th On my recovery Dr. Pantelioni invited me to visit him at his
residence. I did so and found him possessed of the best private
library I had seen in Italy, or even on the continent. It filled
three, large rooms; one of which contained books (well arranged) of
general history and literature, comprising the latest standard
works in English (published both in England and America), French,
German, Italian and Spanish. The second room was equally filled
with shelves and books, beautifully arranged, on medical and
scientific subjects of the latest date, and highest authority, in
English, French, Italian, German, and Spanish, &c. The third room
contained a fine and extensive collection of the latest standard
works which had been published in England and the United States,
France, Spain, Germany, and Italy, on Civil Government. I was not
before aware that the Italian language was so rich in political
literature. I selected the titles, and ordered several books in
that language for myself.

5th. In the course of these conversations, Dr. Pantelioni related
the efforts of himself and friends to establish a constitutional
government, despairing, as they did, of any competence of the
Garibaldi party to establish such a government. A deputation (of
whom Dr. Pantelioni was one) went from Rome to Florence to consult
the Right Honourable Richard Shiel, then the British Ambassador, or
representative of the British Government, at Florence, as the
British Government had no diplomatic relations with Rome. Mr. Shiel
asked them what they wanted? They replied, nothing more than the
protection of the British Government for twelve months, during
which time they could establish a just and safe government, if
protected from the interference of other governments. Mr. Shiel
agreed to support their views, and Dr. Pantelioni and one or two
others of the deputation took letters from Mr. Shiel on the subject
to the late Viscount Palmerston and Lord John Russell, who
encouraged their undertaking, entirely agreeing with the
recommendations of Mr. Shiel, who, although a Roman Catholic, was
a constitutional liberal. But it unfortunately happened that on the
very day on which Dr. Pantelioni and his friends, after their
mission to England, had intended to carry their plans into
operation, the French army landed at Civita Vecchia, and having
subdued the Garibaldi party at Rome, restored the Pope to the
Vatican, with all his former pretensions and power.

6th. Some time afterwards, when the King of Italy overran the Papal
territories, Dr. Pantelioni was nominated to the Italian
Legislature for one of the new electoral divisions, but declined at
once the acceptance of the nomination, and sent his resignation by
the first post, well knowing the effect it might have upon his
personal safety and interests at Rome, which was still under the
rule of the Pope. But the partiality shown to Dr. Pantelioni by his
newly enfranchised fellow-countrymen enraged the Court of Rome,
which banished him from his city and country on a notice of only
twenty-four hours! The London _Times_ newspaper devoted some two
articles to Dr. Pantelioni's history and banishment, eulogizing him
in the strongest terms.

7th. Dr. Pantelioni then took up his abode at Nice, in the south of
France, and there pursued his profession.

Some years afterward, when making my last educational tour on the
Continent in 1867, I stopped a day with my son at Nice, and learned
that there was an Italian physician residing there, an exile from
Rome. I knew it must be my old physician and friend, and
immediately called upon him. We were, of course, both delighted to
see each other again; and he invited myself and son to spend the
evening at his house, which we did. He had, since I saw him at
Rome, married an English lady, who seemed in every respect worthy
of him.

When in the course of the evening I expressed my sympathy with him
in his exile, privation of his beautiful residence and fine
library, he replied with energy, bringing his hand down strongly on
the table, "I have such faith in the principles on which I have
acted, and in the providence of God, that I shall just as surely go
back to Rome, as that I am sure I am now talking to you." Some one
or two years afterwards I learned from the newspapers, that Dr.
Pantelioni had been recalled to Rome by the King of Italy, and
appointed to the head of all the Roman Hospitals.

* * * * *

In a letter from Dr. Ryerson dated London, 30th October, 1857, he said: "On the 28th inst. we witnessed the consecration of Dr. Cronyn as Bishop of Huron, and were afterwards invited to lunch with the Archbishop of Canterbury. Several bishops were present. Afterwards we went with Dr. Cronyn to Woolwich, and dined with him at his son-in-law's (Col. Burrows)."

FOOTNOTES:

[147] These evening parties are conversazioni on a small scale. There were no suppers, but cups of tea and biscuits, chiefly for ladies; the gentlemen did not take off their gloves or sit down, but kept their hats in their hands or under their arms. We were introduced to, and conversed with various parties. Lady Grey seemed to be ubiquitous, and to know everybody, and to make all feel at home. She is the widow of General Grey, and is said to have been in early days a belle and bright star in the highest London society.