The rumours as to the dangerous condition Of the Pope's
health have this week reappeared. According to the Roman correspondent of the Times, supported by other more sensational correspondents, his Holiness had an attack of some kind from which he lost for some days the use of his legs. This was supposed at first to be paralysis, and the alarm among the Cardinals was very great, but
the Pope rapidly recovered, and his illness is now ascribed, as usual, to a cold. All the necessary arrangements for holding an election in the Vatican have now been elaborated, and it is under- stood that should a vacancy occur, the Italian Government will take stringent precautions to maintain the freedom of the Con.
clave from any approach to popular interference. Great Govern- ments almost always make themselves felt, but as far as direct
pressure is concerned, the next election ought to be the freest on record, the Cardinals not being embarrassed by the reflection that in electing a spiritual head they are ale& electing a temporal master, who, as was once said by a Cardinal; "Can send me to prison."
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