A GERMAN CATHOLIC ON ROME.*
THE writer of this little volume of letters was a kindly genial Tyrolese priest, the native freshness of whose pleasant mind remained to the last unwarped by any infection of that artificial film which is so apt to discolour the mental vision of Roman Catholic ecclesiastics, especially when they come to rise in rank. Flit was thoroughly free from all capacity for casuistry : a trustful cheerful devotion to the infallible truths of his Church without any asperity or persecuting tenets, coupled with a fund of recti- tude which always proved true to itself, were the chief character- istics of his simple, guileless, upright nature. The talents which he possessed were of a corresponding calibre. Flir was not an original thinker who breaks virgin ground, but he was a man who had a German sense for solid and serious acquirements, an unsophisticated love for truth, and be was endowed by nature with those gifts of fluent speech and pleasant clearness of expo- sition which set off second-rate parts to their greatest advantage. Amongst his fellow ecclesiastics Flir early distinguished himself by the really philosophical tone of several dissertations on purely literary subjects, particularly his lectures on "Faust." In 1818 he was sent to the Frankfort Parliament as deputy by a Tyrolese constituency. Here his eloquence attracted attention, especially on the occasion of a funeral sermon for the Austrian soldiers killed in Italy, and in 1853 Flir was named Rector of the German College All' Anima in Rome. The letters now published were written to his friends in the Tyrol during his. stay in Rome, which he never left again, being out off by a malignant fever in 1859. Their publication has caused much annoyance in Rome, for although Flir never uses an irreverent expression unbecoming the deference which a Raman ecclesiastic owes to his superior, the tone which pervades his observations on Roman doings is unmistakeably marked with a dissatisfaction, which acquires point from the writer's evident modesty of mind. As they now stand the letters are much clipped. It was announced that the suppressed passages would be inserted in the second edition, and we believe it to be due to especial influence that the intention has not been carried out. The letters are indeed well worth perusal, both for their own charm and their matter. Not that they contain piquant scandal of the About kind, but what is to be found is precious testimony—con- veyed often in half-suppressed ejaculations—to the anta- gonism which is perpetually at work in Rome between the genuine,' simple, and truly devotional nature of an intelli- gent Catholic who has not learnt to believe faith incom- patible with a regard for science, and the exacting pretensions of a hollow, ignorant, overbearing Curia, skilful only in its persistent manipulation of some threadbare formulas of casuistry and scholasticism. The unsophisticated German, with profound devotion to his Church and a sincere love for science, found himself here in presence of a state of things at which, in spite of his reverence for Rome, he could not refrain from secretly shaking his head in disapprobation, and which he could not but see would not square with what his fresh commonsense was too sound not to perceive to be right. Flir was a conscien- tious Churchman to the last. Protestantism remained ever separated from him by a gulf, and yet his whole existence in Rome is now shown by his own confessions to have been a period of inward turnings upon himself in his efforts to find a satisfac- tory mode of bringing into harmony a number of contradic- tions in the practical administration of the Papacy to which he could not shut his eyes. Much acquires its full meaning in his letters only by the aid of personal knowledge of Rome ; but there is also much (and there would be more but for editorial castra- tions) which is marked with all Flir's ingenious outspokenness of heart.
The first impression made on Flir by Rome was a painful sense of the slovenliness which-pervaded everything and everybody connected with the States of the Church. "To introduce even a strict rotation for serving mass is almost out of the question. The priest overleaps himself, he has still to attend in the confessional, he chats, and so he arrives a quarter or half an hour behind time." The truth is that Flir had a very different conception of his professional duties from what was common to the Roman priest, as is instanced by the arch irony of his advice on the following occasion :—" To-day," he writes, "I was Bent for to a lady. Her servant was a blackamoor, but the lady is not much whiter. She had to submit a case to me :—A gentleman from Mecklen- • BrUsfe ass Rom. 4101a Dr. Alois Flir. Second Edition. Ifluspruolc. 1864. burgh was sick, and still a Protestant ; whenever she tried to urge him to Catholicism he began to curse, what then was to be done ? I counselled her to abstain from giving him occasion for cursing." We can fancy the puzzled countenance of a Roman lady at these words. During the years of Flk's stay in Rome the promulgation of the dogma of the Immaculate Concep- tion, the condemnation of " Gunther's Philosophy," and the Con- cordat with Austria were the capital events, with all of which Flit had to do, and on all of which his letters afford interesting information. The manner of Gunther's condemnation was quite contrary to Flir's feeling. His opinion having been asked, he writes "that out of regard for philosophy and science I shall advise moderation ; that which an individual advances as his private view is not a doctrine or cathedra ecclesiastics". If Pius IX. were to mention Gunther honourably in a brief, with the remark that at the same time he did not mean to approve of all his opinions, but merely to honour his earnest striving, all would be done, I think, which is fairly requisite. The controversy could then be left to men of science to fight out. The Church would have much to do were she to judge with the highest authority all the writings of men of learning." To Monsignor Hohenlohe Flir said " that without sharing in many of the views of this philosophy, he could not but respect the scientific tendencies of Gunther's followers, and that he should hold a severe procedure against them to be highly dangerous to Catholic soience and a glaring triumph for Protestants." The influence of the Bishops assembled in Rome for the promulgation of the new dogma seems to have sharpened the Pope's intolerance. "The Holy Father's antipathy to philosophy has now become much greater. Six months, even three months ago, Pius IX. expressed himself in a considerate and even friendly manner about Rosmini ; but now his language even ou his account is much sterner. As a rule His Holiness speaks of philosophy with indignation." Yet in a letter written three years later Flir states his conviction " that Rosmini in all essential points had hit the true relation between philosophy and divinity as it should be in the Church." One more quotation we must make on this head, for in it we find the clearest expression of the difference between Flir's mode of look- ing at things and that which rules in Rome. "As regards tolerance my position is that in books treating of religion I dis- tinguish without reservation between what is of the Church and not of the Church, and modernized Catholicism I hold to be an altered one. On the other hand, I respect as much as ever conscien- tious striving after truth even in those who err, and I hold fast the opinion that such striving brings out the most splendid flashes of truth by a collision of thoughts and inquiries until they evolve themselves at last into the clear light of truth." A chief object of Flir's appointment had been the wish that he should superintend the restoration of the German College to the condition in which it had once stood. This brought a deal of labour on him, for he had to establish rights which had been allowed to fall into abeyance or had been usurped by other cor- porations. At the request of Cardinal Reisach, Flir applied himself to draw up a history of the college, and we recommend any stu- dent who may still be sanguine enough to fancy that through any degree of protection or influence ho will be allowed facilities in Rome for inspecting its libraries and archives, to take note of Flir's experience on this score. Where could there be an indi- vidual more legitimately entitled to confidence than an eminent prelate, rector of a papal college, Austrian Auditor of the Rota, and engaged on a literary work undertaken at superior request ? Flir begins by rejoicing at the friendly promises which he receives from Father Theiner, Keeper of the Records. " Father Theiner has promii;ed 'Ine every help for collecting all docu- ments which may be of use to me." In his confident reliance Flir actually announces that he expects shortly through the same father to inspect that notorious production, "kept in the Vatican like a bottled imp of evil," " The Diary of Alexander VI.'s German Master of the Ceremonies Burcard, the founder of Flir's Church All' Anima." Now Father Theiner is a man of really liberal mind, who, we are convinced, would himself readily com- municate literary treasures to students ; besides he was Flir's particular friend, especially "since he had obtained at Vienna not only the Emperor's acceptance of the dedication of the 'Annals,' but in addition the gift of a diamond ring." In spite of all these encouraging circumstances a few months before his death Mir writes, " Theiner keeps me dangling after pleasant promises ; from time to time he gives me indeed a book or a copy, but that which I really want, the 'Be: Gestce: he has never let me have. . . . Theiner promises to get copied for me whatever has reference to my subject, but the manuscript I myself am not to get ; it is prohibited?'" If any one applies in Rome for per- mission to see records he always receives the same assurance that' they are quite at his dispoial. Joyfully he comes therefore one morning and asks to avail himself of the favour, when he finds put' that there is a misunderstanding. Any. particular document in the Vatican which the student can indicate will be slibern to. hint 'but as regards searching the recordt, that can Only be done by the keeper, who then will tell the, student vihedier he has found anything bearing on his subject which he can communicate in copies ; " with which copies thq historian has to remain content !" exclaims Flir. Father Theiner is un- doubtedly a man of powerful intellect and great learning, who, by his continuation of Baronius with an appendix of documents out of the secret archives, deserves well of students. He is also the author of that "Life of Clement XIV." which gave such deep umbrage to the Jesuits. Flir gives in his letters many interesting notices relating to Father Theiner, his difficulties in the Vatican, and his deadly quarrel with the Jesuits. We are quite aware of the hostility which besets him, and on this account wil- lingly make allowances fdor his actions, being thankful that there is a man in charge of the Vatican treasures who can make use of them, and has done more than any of his predecessors towards letting the world have a peep into them. Yet the following extract shows what even this ecclesiastic is not exempt from :—" The impression of Theiner's new work ( The Acts of the Council of Trent') was already far advanced, when the Do minican Father Dose, member of the Revising Commission, suddenly put in a protest requiring explanatory notes to be put under the text; which notes he undertook to write. He succeeded in forcing through his view. Theiner has dismissed his work- men, is inwardly much hurt, but must bear himself calmly and obsequiously. He came to we repeatedly to pour out his heart. We see tolerably through the intrigue, but what is to be-done?" " The longer I know Rome the more I withdraw myself misan- thropically from the outer world. Had conscience not laid fetters on me and deprived me of liberty of action I could write inte- resting memoirs." Such was Flir's exclamation six months before his death.
We had marked many more passages for quotation from, these letters which space will not allow of insertion, but we hope to have given enough to whet the curiosity of the reader into turn- ing for himself to this collection of curious letters full of pregnant matter. All we can do is to close our serious extracts with a passage descriptive of an ecclesiastical interior marked broadly with Flies arch irony. The scene lies in the upper story of the Vatican, once Galileo's place of confinement, and the season was that of the famous negotiations for the Concordat, and while the before-mentioned feud with the Jesuits was at its height :—" I dined with Father Theiner in the Vatican Torre d'Ogni Vento during Carnival," writes Flir. "Amongst the seven or eight guests at the table there were some who are of the greatest influence, not only physically but also ecclesiastically. These gentlemen enjoyed their wine so much that they brought boister- ous toasts to Pope Clement XIV. and his reverendissimo elifensore.' The scene disgusted me. Very probably these gen- tlemen will drink somewhere else, and then will cry their evvivas for the opposite views."
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