ne les croyons pas même faits pour nous instruire. Mais quel a pu être le dessein de Dieu en suscitant dans tous les siècles, de ces pénitents fameux qui ont édifié l'Eglise? n'est-ce pas de nous faire comprendre de quoi notre faiblesse, soutenue de la grâce, est encore capable? De plus, je vous demande pourquoi ces grands exemples de pénitence nous paroissent-ils si éloignés de nos devoirs et de notre état ? Est-ce parcequ'ils ont vécu dans des siècles fort éloignés des nôtres ? mais les devoirs ne changent pas avec les âges. Est-ce parce que les Saints ont été des hommes extraordinaires? mais les Saints ne sont devenus parmi nous des hommes extraordinaires, que parceque la corruption est devenue universelle. Est-ce parceque les mortifications et les saintes austérités ne forment que le caractère particulier de quelques Saints? mais lisez les histoires; tous ont fait pénitence; tous ont crucifié leur chair avec leurs desirs ; et partout où vous trouverez des Saints, vous les trouverez pénitents. Nous avons donc beau nous rassurer sur l'exemple commun ; si les Saints l'avoient suivi, ils ne méritoient pas aujourd'hui nos hommages. L'Evangile est fait pour nous comme pour eux ; et comme il n'a rien qui nous ressemble, il n'a rien non plus qui doive nous rassurer.” Massillon, Sermons.

Under the part of the cave which opens upon this garden all the monks are buried, and when corruption has passed away their bones are taken up and placed in an open chapel in the rock, where they are visible to all. To obtain a general view of the convent of the Sacro Speco, it is necessary to follow the lower path which diverges just beyond Santa Scholastica. A succession of zig-zags along the edge of the cliffs, amid savage scenery, leads into the gorge, which is closed in the far distance by the rock-built town of Jenne, the birth-place of Alexander IV. and of the Abbot Lando. We cross the river by a bridge, whence a pathlet, winding often by staircases up and down the rocks, allows one to see the whole building rising above the beautiful falls of the Anio. We emerge close to the ruins of a Nymphæum belonging to Nero's Villa, and nothing can be more imposing than the view from hence up the gorge, with the great rock-crest

ing monastery on the other side, and all the wealth of rich verdure on the nearer steeps, which take the name of Monte Carpineto from the hornbeams with which they are covered. The little chapel above the Sacro Speco is that of San Biagio (S. Blaise), who is invoked whenever any catastrophe occurs in the valley. Here, once every year, mass is chaunted by the monks of Santa Scholastica.

The castle, called La Rocca, built by the warlike Abbot John V., was long a summer residence of the popes. One of its towers, still called "Borgiana," recalls the residence here of Cardinal Rodrigo Borgia, afterwards Alexander VI. Magnificent views may be obtained from the windows of the rooms, which contain a few good pictures.

The town formerly professed the utmost devotion to the papacy, and the waggon-load of its wild-flowers was one of the most suggestive and attractive of the presents to Pius IX. on his anniversary, sent by “La sua divotissima Subiaco," yet now the names of the streets are all changed, and we have the eternal "Via Cavour, Via Venti Settembre, &c." Costumes still linger here, but are less striking than further in the mountains. The men all wear bunches of flowers in their hats on festas, the women wear spadoni, ending in a hand, an acorn, or a bunch of flowers in silver. Beyond the Albergo della Pernice (see above), and the gate built in honour of Pius VI., is a curious old bridge with a gate-tower over the Anio. One of the best views of the town is just across this bridge.

The path which is approached by the bridge leads to the beautifully situated Convent of the Cappuccini. In its portico is a very quaint fresco of S. Francis, the beloved of animals, "vir vere catholicus totusque apostolicus," shaking hands with a wolf, much to the horror of his attendant monks.* Endless other paths lead up the hills in different directions, through woods by rushing brooks, and along mountain ledges, and indeed the whole of the Valle Santa, as the district of Subiaco is popularly called, is well worth exploring.

The road to Tivoli is one of the many benefits which Subiaco owes to its having been so long the residence of Pius VI. It follows, first the Via Sublacensis, constructed

*This was at Gubbio. A wolf who had long ravaged the surrounding country was rebuked by S. Francis, who promised it a peaceful existence and daily food, if it would amend its ways. The wolf agreed to the compact, and placed his right paw in the hand of S. Francis in token of confidence and good faith. "Brother Wolf," as S. Francis called him, "lived afterwards tamely for two years at Gubbio, in good fellowship with all, and finally died, much regretted, of old age."-From the " Fioretti di S. Francesco."

by Nero, and then the Via Valeria, which was the work of the censor Valerius Maximus, in the year of Rome 447. In spring, when it is chiefly visited by foreigners, the country here strikes one as bare, and the chief interest is derived entirely from the villages which crest the hills on either side.

But in summer, when the chestnut woods are in full leaf, and the luxuriant vines leap from tree to tree along the valleys, the scenery is unspeakably lovely.

"Les montagnes rapprochées forment une suite de vallées étroites et singulièrement accidentées, où, à chaque détour du chemin, le charme saisissant de l'imprévu vous découvre une source toujours nouvelle d'émotions. Sous la voûte épaisse de ces bois, au milieu des gorges profondes de ces montagnes, on croit errer dans les forêts primitives que les anciennes traditions nous représentent pleines de ténèbres, de mystère et d'horreur, et qui couvraient le pays, quand les colons sicules et pélasges vinrent s'y établir long-temps avant la période romaine.

“La silence de ces retraites inhabitées n'est troublé que par le mur

mure de ruisseaux nombreux qui, roulant sur des pentes rapides, y forment des cascades et se précipitent ensuite dans l'Anio, dont les chutes retentissantes dominent ça et là tous les autres bruits. C'est toujours le même cours d'eau impétueux, aux ondes froides et transparentes-'Frigidas atque perspicuas emanat aquas'-comme le peint Saint Grégoire le grand, en décrivant la contrée montagneuse où le jeune Benoît trouva une solitude si bien appropriée à ses desirs. Aujourd'hui encore la nature vivante n'y décèle sa présence qu'à de rares intervalles. Parfois seulement un troupeau de chèvres à demi sauvages apparaît suspendu sur la crête d'un niamelon recouvert de broussailles. Au vêtement grossier, à la figure étrange du pâtre qui les conduit, il semble qu'on retrouve quelque berger arcadien, descendant des compagnons du bon roi Évandre. Assis sur la pointe du roc d'où il paraît écouter la bruyante harmonie produite par les chutes de l'Anio, ce berger rappelle assez fidèlement celui que Virgile dépeint, dans une attitude semblable;

stupet inscius alto

Accipiens sonitum saxi de vertice pastor.'

En. ii. 307.

pretant l'oreille aux bruits sinistres qui s'élèvent d'une campagne dévastée par l'inondation d'un torrent."—Alphonse Dantier.

A continuous avenue of mountain villages lines the way. First we have, on the right Cerbara, and on the left Rocca di Canterano, its long lines of old houses cresting the declivity. Then, on the right we have Agosta, and on the left Marano. A road on the right now turns off to the Lago Fucino, and, only two miles distant, we see Arsoli, the ancient Arsula, containing the handsome, still inhabited castle of Prince Massimo. Here the apartment once occupied by S. Filippo Neri, founder of the Oratorians, is preserved with religious care. Though he frequently staid with the Massimo family, he lived here almost as a hermit, eating only bread, with a few olives, herbs, or an apple, drinking only water, and lying on the bare floor. There is a small Picture Gallery at Arsoli, but it is almost always locked up.