The following day was
Sunday, when the college is closed, and on Monday the new medical
professor was to deliver his inaugural lecture. It was expected that the
students would take this opportunity of venting their dissatisfaction,
and the government actually resolved to send the Roman gendarmes into the
lecture-room in order to suppress any expression of feeling by force. At
the time this act was considered only a piece of almost incredible folly,
but the events of St Joseph's day shewed clearly enough that the Vatican
was anxious to bring about a collision between the troops and the
malcontents. A little blood-letting, after Lord Sidmouth's dictum, was
considered wholesome for the Pope's subjects. Fortunately the intention
came to the knowledge of the French authorities, who interfered at once,
and said if troops were required they must be French and not Papal ones,
as otherwise it was impossible to answer for the result. On the Monday
therefore a detachment of French troops was sent down to the college. The
lecture-room was crowded with students, who greeted the new Professor on
his entry with a volley of hisses, and then left the room in a body. The
French officer in command was appealed to by the authorities to
interfere, but refused doing so, and equally declined receiving an
address which the students wished to force upon him.
Pages:
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125