The College of Cardinals form the council of the Pontiff', and the senate of modern Rome ; and are also the officers of state, entrusted with the management of the church at large, and of the Roman territories in particular. They are seventy-two in number, including the six suburban bishops ; but some of the hats being generally kept m case of any emergency, the numbi.r is seldom full. All the Catholic powers are allowed to recommend a certain num ber ; but the nomination rests solely with the Pope. Their grand assembly is called the consistory, where they appear in all their splendour, and the Pope presides in person ; but less for the purpose of discussing than witnessing the rati fication of measures afrcady adopted in the cabinet of the Pontiff. Their principal prerogative is exercised in the conclave, where they are confined within the Vatican pa lace till they agree in the election of a Pope. The large halls are then divided into temporary apartments, of which each cardinal has four, with two attendants ; while, in order to exclude all undue influence- from the assembly, the dif ferent entrances are guarded by the senators of Rome, con servators, patriarchs, archbishops, and bishops, in the city at the time. The tickets, containing the votes of the cardi nals, are put upon the communion plates, and then into the chalice ; and the pope, as soon as elected, is placed on a chair upon the altar itself, where he receives the adoration or homage of those who are present. These two ceremo nies the more enlightened Catholics themselves consider as bordering on profanation ; but, perhaps, their intoxicating' influence is meant to be counteracted by another, which, to ensure its efli.ct, is repeated three times in succession. As the new pontiff advances towards the high altar of St. Peter's to be placed upon it, the master of the ceremonies, kneeling before him, sets fire to a small quantity of tow placed on the top of a gilt staff, and, as it blazes and vanishes into smoke, addresses his Holiness in these words : " Sancte Pater ! sic transit gloria munch." All the great cities, and some even of a secondary rate, have archbishops ; while almost every town, especially if it be of ancient name, is the see of a bishop ; a circumstance which confirms the fact, that primitive bishops were more like the first ministers of a parish than a diocesan. Besides the cathedrals, there are several collegiate churches, which have their deans and chapters. Every bishop has his diocesan college for the purpose only of ecclesiastical education ; in this seminary, under his own inspection, with the assistance of a few of his more eminent clergy, the candidates for orders in the diocese must attend three years in a course of preparation for their clerical functions, which course consists in hearing lectures on the Scriptures, and the scholastic systems of ethics and theology.
The parochial clergy are numerous ; pluralities are never allowed ; and residence is strictly enforced. These regular clergy are described as generally exemplary and active in the discharge of their duties ; but though their number has been considerably diminished by the alienation of church property during the French domination, they are acknow ledged to be still too numerous, especially the lower orders (Athena It is pleaded, at the same time, that the popula tion of the country is great, and all of the established reli gion ; that the priests are usually also the schoolmasters of every place, occupied in the instruction of children, and other departments of education ; that, by the forms of their church, they have a great multiplicity of services to per form, especially in visiting the sick, and administering the communion, which by many is received often, and by all at least once in the year. There is said also to be a class of persons in Italy who assume the clerical habit as a respect able dress, which gives them easier access to good' com pany, but who are no way engaged in the service of the church, and whose manners often bring an undeserved re proach upon the whole body.
The irregular clergy, so called from taking upon therri selves certain rules and statutes not connected with the cle rical profession, are still more numerous, and exhibit a great variety of costumes. They may be divided into two
great classes, namely, monks and friars, who arc bound in common by the three vows of poverty, chastity, and obe dience, but who live under very different regulations. The monks, under various appellations, follow almost univer sally the rule of St. Benedict, which is rather a treatise of morals than a set of statutes, enjoining various virtues, but prescribing only a few regulations respecting the employ ment of time, the order of the psalms, the practice of hos pitality, the duties of the officers of the abbey, the pursuit of manual labour, and the use of the library. These are said to have adhered more rigidly to the ancient practice, (except in dropping manual labour, and applying, or pro fessing to apply, themselves rather to science and tuition,) and to have taken little share in political or theological con tests. To the monks maybe added the canons regular, who take upon themselves the life and engagements of a con vent, while they bear the dress and discharge the dutiesof or dinary prebendaries. Several other congregations of clergy live together in communities, without taking vows, and de vote themselves to the instruction of youth and the educa tion of the poor ; such as the Theatines, Hieronymites, &c. a useful and unobjectionable class, who have produced many individuals eminent in literature. All these are supported by a regular settled income, derived from landed property or public grants, which contributes. much to their general respectability, and distinguishes them from the second class of irregular clergy, who subsist upon alms and donations, and are denominated Mendicants or Friars. These form a multitudinous and multifarious body, under a great variety of subdivisions, dresses, and observances; but the most prevalent are Franciscans, Dominicans, Carmelites, and Augustines. They were all intended to act as assistants to the clergy in their parochial duties ; but the auxiliaries have become the most numerous, and have encroached upon the prerogatives of the main body. In towns parti cularly, they draw the people away from the ancient litur gical service, to shews, images, and other abuses; while it is only in the distant and retired parts of the country that they are subservient and aiding to the parochial pastors. Between the Alps and Appennines particularly, and also in most parts of Italy, the lower classes are said to be well acquainted with religious duties, and the young of every parish are catechized in the churches by pious persons, under the inspection of the priests. An Italian translation of the Bible, not indeed very easily procured, is allowed and recommended ; but the greatest jealousy is shewn of every other version of the Scriptures being circulated among the people. Even Catholics, however, are compelled to ac knowledge, that many abuses and absurdities prevail in the religious system of the country, particularly the multipli city of ceremonies, the number of holidays, the infinity of monastic establishments, the extravagant and idle forms of devotion, the unmeaning and improper ornaments of the churches, the superstitious reverence for absurdities, and thr introduction of theatrical exhibitions and music into places of worship. See Eustacc's Classical Tour in Italy ; Swan:nine's Travels in the two Sicilies ; Spallanzani's Tra vels in Italy ; Condamytn'a Tour in Italy ; liar till's Tour through Italy ; Moore's Vim) of Society and Manners in Italy ; S:at he's Letters from Italy; De 'Sans' Travels through various Provinces of the Kingdom of Naples ; F••i'lti;'s Remarks on Antiquities. Arts, and Letters, during an excursion in Italy ; Lumbouth's Remarks on the Antiqui ties cf Rome ; Histoire Literaire d'Italie, par P. L. Gin g'. . e ; De la Literature du midi de l'Europe. par J. C. L. Si...oncle de Siniondi ; Tableau de l'Agriculture Toscane, par J. C. I,. ; Lettres ((Tiles d'Italie, en 1812, &c. par Frederic Sullin de Chateauvieux ; Italia et Sicilia Anti qua, Cluverius ; Descrittione dell' Italia, Alberti ; Analyse d' ; Vetus Latium, Corradino . La Via Appia riconosciuta, e descritta, Pratilli ; The Grand Tour, by Nugent ; Keyslcr's and Misson's Travels. (q.)