16 SEPTEMBER 1899, Page 3

The special correspondent of the Daily Telegraph, in Rome telegraphs

to Thursday's paper some curious gossip about the Pope. It seems that, though weak, the rumours about his health have been as usual very much exaggerated. It is announced, however, that the Pope will not in future receive the pilgrimages in private audience, but merely bestow the apostolic benediction. This shows, says the Daily Telegraph's correspondent, that the Pope's health must be really precarious, or he would not have yielded to the medical authorities. The correspondent adds that the first effect of the determination will be that the French working men's pilgrimage, "which is expected to take place next week, will not be received by Pope Leo in person, and conse- quently that Cardinal Rampolla will gain his desire that the Pontiff should not publicly deliver any comments on the Dreyfus affair." Can this insinuation be true ? If so, Cardinal Rampolla is doing a grievous injury to the Roman Churcb,—an injury which it may take a generation to efface