IRISH PEASANTRY. (From the Percy Anecdotes.) AMONG the virtues which distinguish the Irish peasantry, there is none which shines with more brilliaucy than their filial piety. No nation can pay mose respectful attention and implicit obedience to their parents. As there are no parish workhouses in Ireland, the country would abound with destitute old people, were it not for the gratitude of their progeny. The Irish peasantry, especially the mountaineer, protects his parents in the decline of their years. The mothers assist in carding, spinning, or nursing; the fathers hobble about directing the young men at their work. At night the best and easiest seat is appropriated to the ancient father or mother; and the best food in the house is served up to them. "It is really," says a traveller who had seen much of the habits of these people, "an edifying and lovely sight to behold the respectful attention paid by these peasants to their aged parents, while the grand-children are taught to address them in the most endearing language, nay, to crave their blessing, and supplicate the Deity for them in prayer." Nor does the filial love of the Irish mountaineer expire with its parents. He closes their eyes, attends their remains to the humble tomb with grateful sorrow, and occasionally visits the grave of those who gave him being, bedews it with his tears, and breaths a pious requiem for their departed souls. From such disposition, what excellent virtues might be produced with proper cultivation, Poetry. ON CHILLINGTON HALL. The Seat of the late Thomas Giffard, Esq. Sequester'd on a beauteous plain, An ancient mansion stands : England can boast of few such names, Aud fewer still can tell the fame, That has befel its lot.. A remnant of the Norman race, In it we do behold: We see in this once happy place, Giffard's name we know did grace, The annals of their reign will shew, Oft has the Church assistance found, Their glory too did clearly shine, Their ancient race has oft supplied, Glorious prelates too have graced, This worthy parent chain : Who many noble structures blest, And many poor maintained. No wonder then such pious souls, To make their joy complete. Their loyalty has likewise shone Which proves them never to have gone, o join the rebel's rage. No clash of arms, no dread of war, Did Giffard ever fear: Defiance bid the victor's car, And royal cause endear. When England saw good Stuart's race, Firm stoood bold Giffard in his place, True to king and church's laws, The brave defender stands : Hurling defiance on his foes, In history long shall Giffard's name And echo it around. AUTUMN.-A SONG. (Written for German Music.) Now the Autumn sun is shining Smiling on the spacious plain, We've sown and we've planted, Now the clustered grapes abounding, Not a brow but wears a smile, CHORUS.-We've sown, &c. H. H POPE PIUS VIL As the news of the death of his holiness the late pope did not reach us until a very short time previous to the publication of our last number, we could do no more than briefly notice the melancholy event. We shall therefore now enter more fully into the subject. Gregory Barnaby Chiaramonte was born on the 14th of August, 1740, at Cesena, of noble and virtuous parents, who were allied to the family of Pius the sixth. After the death of his father, his mother took the religious habit and died in the odour of sanctity in 1777, At the early age of sixteen he himself joined the congregation of mount Cassin, which is a branch of the Benedictine order; and here he made his religious vows. He soon acquired a reputation for his ferveut piety, and for his profound knowledge of theology and of canon law; both of which he taught for some tune with considerable applause. But he quitted his professor's chair, when promoted to the bishopric of Tivoli. He was afterwards on the 14th of February, 1785, declared cardinal, and transferred to the bishopric of Imola. During the subsequent troubles in which Europe was involved, he conducted himself with the greatest prudence and circumspection, and escaped all molestation. He attended at the conclave which was held at Venice, in consequence of the death of Pius the sixth, and was himself elected pope on the 14th of March, 1800. He was crowned on the 21st of the same month, but was prevented from making his public entry into Rome until the 3d of July following. The long discussions entered into between his holiness and Bonaparte, relative to the French and Italian concordats of 1801, and the journey which the holy father made into France, are in the recollection of most of our readers. These, instead of producing the hoped for effect, ended in the forceable possession of the ecclesiastical states by Napoleon in 1818, and in the imprisonment of the pope, who was taken from Rome on the 6th of July, and was carried by hasty stages into France, and again removed to Savona, where he was detained a prisoner until 1812, when he was conducted to Fontainbleau; and did not recover his liberty until January 1814, when he immediately commenced his journey towards Rome, and reached his capital on the 24th of May in the same year. From this time the holy father has led a life of comparative tranquillity, incessantly engaged in promoting the interests of the church, and the good of religion; by negociating with, and by forming many ecclesiastical arrangements with several of the princes of Europe, by filling up many of the vacancies in the sacred college; and by supplying an incredible number of vacant diocesses with virtuous and zealous bishops; and by re-establishing the order of Jesus, he has essentially promoted a religious and enlightened education among the youths of a great part of the continent, and has furnished the means of providing the distant missions with pious and indefatigable labourers. For a considerable time past his holiness was unable to assist at any public ceremony, the swelling of his legs and other infirmities brought on by age, and by the hardships he had endured, obliged him to lead a life of retirement. To take the air, he was drawn about his garden in a small chair. The king of France sent him after his accident a mechanical bed, which seemed to afford him some relief; but his strength daily diminished, and on the 15th of August all hopes were given up of his recovery, 'when cardinal Consalvi intimated the situation of his holiness to the cardi. nal dean, and to the cardinal vicar; and as first cardinal of the creation of the holy father, he informed the sacred college of the same unfavourable news. All the cardinals assembled at the Quirinal palace, to see the dying pontid. On the 16th he was affected with as light delirium. On the 17th he expressed a desire to receive the holy eucharist, which was administered to him in form of a viaticum at five o'clock on the following morning, by cardinal Bertazzola, his ancient almo ner. From this moment the holy father appeared dead to the world, and occupied alone with the thoughts of futurity, and at half-past one on the morning of the 19th he received extreme uuction, His voice shortly af ter failed him, although he still ap peared absorbed in prayer, and at six in the morning of the 20th he breathed his last, in presence of cardinals Galeffi, Bertazzoli, and Consalvi, who attended him during his agony and recited prayers for him. According to ancient custom the obsequies of the pope take place nine days after his decease, and on the following day, the cardinals, after assisting at the mass of the Holy Ghost, enter the conclave two and two, while those who are absent from Rome enter afterwards as they arrive. The present time of the year is very unfa vourable for holding this assembly; as fevers generally prevail at Rome in the autumn; and the cardinals are accustomed to quit the city, and reside in the country during the unhealthy season. The sacred college is at present composed of fifty-three cardinals, six of whom are of the or der of bishops; thirty-six of the order priests; and eleven of the order of deacons. Cardinals Julius Maria de la Somaglia, dean; Joseph Ferrao, and Fabrius Rnffo, are the chiefs of the three orders. Cardinals Somagalia and Ruffo are the only cardinals remaining of the creation of Pius the sixth, and the rest are of the creation of the late pope. There are in the sacred college two Germans-the archduke Rodolph, archbishop of Olmutz, and cardinal Haeffelin, the Bavarian minister at Rome; three French cardinals, de Bausset, de Clermont Tonnere, archbishop of Tolouse, and de la Farre, archbishop of Sens; one Spanish cardinal, Denis |