to his mind, or if he were surprised by one of his frequent outbursts of passion."

Cardinal Ginetti, of Velletri, the next on the list, was born in 1585, and was therefore eighty-five years old. The large experience of Courts which he had acquired from a long residence at the Court of the Emperor as legate from Urban VIII., his well-known industry, the blamelessness of his life, are all strongly in his favour. "Nor will his reputation for parsimony injure him in an age when there is need of a Pontiff who will repair the too reckless liberalities of the past." He has a nephew, too, the most eminent man among the body of Roman prelates, who is a clerk of the Papal Chamber-a thoroughly well-conducted man, liberal and open-handed, and in this respect might be a useful complement to the qualities of his uncle. Cardinal Ginetti has, in Conclave language, the exclusive of nobody, and the inclusive of Barberini-which means that no cardinal nor any sovereign has declared that he shall not be Pope if they can help it, and that Barberini has declared him one of those whom (failing perhaps other combinations) he would willingly see Pope. It is known that the Medici would make no difficulty in acquiescing in his election, and Cardinal Caraffa, one of the Chigi group, is a family connection of the Ginetti. The Spaniards would be very willing to accept him; and Cardinal Chigi would, in case he should not be able to bring about the election of any of the "creatures" of his uncle, Alexander VII., probably consent to his election rather than to that of any other outside the circle of his own faction, because his great age would still leave

Chigi the hope that he might place one of his uncle's "creatures" on the throne at the next election. On the whole, it was thought that Ginetti's chance was a very good one.

Third on the list is his Neapolitan Eminence Brancacci, born in 1592. He is a man of decent character and studious habits, and attentive to business, and his nephew, a prelate, if not distinguished in any way, is inoffensive, good-natured, and well-liked. He is put forward by Barberini as one of his uncle's "creatures," and Chigi, if obliged to seek a Pope beyond the circle of his own faction, would not object to him. He has some friends among the "squadrone volante," which still exists and is influential. The French would be well contented with his election; and Cardinal Rospigliosi, the last Pope's nephew, would vote for him if he should fail in securing the election of a Clementine cardinal. But all these favourable circumstances are probably more than neutralised by the fact that he is specially excluded by the Spaniards, which might possibly not suffice to render his election out of the question were it not that the Spaniards have named to Chigi four of Alexander's creatures, in the election of either of whom they would be willing to concur. Still it was on the cards that Brancacci might become Pope as the result of a failure of other combinations.

Fourth is Carpegna of Urbino, about seventy years of age. He is not a man who has much to recommend him in point of intelligence or political knowledge; but he is a very good sort of man, who would be content to live and let everybody else live in peace. He has

exactly that in his favour which Barberini has against him-nobody would be afraid of him. He would be safe to avoid all innovations and novelties; and for this reason the crowned heads would be well content with his election, which is especially desired by the Grand Duke of Tuscany. On the whole, however, his chance is a very poor one.

Fifth comes the Bolognese Facchinetti, born in 1608; and he is the man whom Barberini will strive with all his power to place on the throne. Facchinetti had been nuncio in Spain under Urban VIII., and had been thought to acquit himself well upon that occasion. He had made himself agreeable to the Spanish Court, notwithstanding which, however, the Spanish interest in the Conclave would be opposed to him merely on the ground of his age, sixty-two years only, the maxim of that Court being in favour of electing an older man. Medici, if unable to have either D'Elci or Carpegna, would vote for Facchinetti. Cardinal d'Este also would vote for him from private friendship. The "squadrone volante" would be divided concerning him. "But," says the conclavist, "Chigi, if he be well advised, will oppose him with all his power, nor take any heed of whatever promises may be made to him; for besides that Cardinal Facchinetti is of such an age and constitution as to make it probable he may outlive all the Alexandrine creatures (and so prevent for ever the hope of raising a Chigi cardinal to the throne), it would come to the same thing as making Barberini himself Pope, since Facchinetti recognises him as the sole author of his fortunes. The loud report of this cardinal's (Facchi

netti's) amiable qualities," the conclavist goes on to say, "resounds everywhere; for he has made it his special aim to gain universal popularity, after the fashion of Cardinal Giulio Rospigliosi, who, by being hail-fellowwell-met with everybody who sought him, and by never failing to answer the letters of even the most obscure and low persons (filling his letters, too, with all the same courteous expressions that he used to persons of quality), found the means of winning everybody's heart in such sort that he made everybody believe that he was his special confidant and friend. In the same manner, Facchinetti has as many friends as Rospigliosi had adherents; but as these tricks are generally played off by persons more ingenious than ingenuous, it might be feared (were it not for his well-known virtue) that if he should ascend the throne his confidants and friends might find themselves deluded and neglected." That last parenthesis is delicious, and one fancies that one can see the expression of the sly old conclavist's face as he wrote it; but I think it may be assumed, without much fear of mistake, that the writer was not one of those whom Facchinetti's popularity-hunting had captivated.

Next came, sixth on the list, the Genoese Cardinal Grimani, who was born in 1603. The conclavist says that he was injured as a candidate for the Papacy by the belief that he was French in his sympathies; but that, if the truth were known, that would be found so far from being the case that the Spaniards would understand that he is the man they would most wish for. Indeed, says the conclavist, "the Church, the State,

nay the whole world, could desire nothing better than the exaltation (i.e. election) of this great man."

Gabrielli, a Roman cardinal, is the seventh of the papabili. "And if St. Paul had been Christ's Vicar, he might justly pretend to be his successor by reason of his personal likeness to that apostle. He is," continues the writer, "of Portuguese origin, and his sordid mode of life gives testimony to that fact in the most remarkable manner." Barberini names him as papabile merely as being one of Urban's creatures. Medici is favourable to him "with a superficial adherence." But his Eminence Gabrielli has no acquaintance with state affairs, and he does not enjoy either esteem or favour in public opinion. "And this is all," concludes the conclavist, "that there is to be said about him!"

Odeschalchi comes next, the eighth. His "rare excellencies in point of holiness of life would make him an excellent Pontiff, if he were in other respects fitted to the present needs of the Church." In the first place, he is only fifty-eight, and in such robust health that if he were elected a long Papacy might reasonably be counted on; and this alone is sufficient to make the crowned heads hostile to him. He is a great lover of study, of excellently good intentions, charitable to the needy to the utmost limit of his means, and if the people of Rome had votes he would be Pope to a certainty; but he is reserved and ungenial in his manners, and scrupulous to excess in matters of conscience, which stands much in his way. The Spanish faction object to him on various grounds; and the French would be very sorry to see a Pope so austere, both in reality and in appearance, as