Part 73 (1/2)

CHAPTER LVII

1854-1856

Dr Ryerson's Third Educational Tour in Europe

While in Europe in 1854 and 1856, Dr Ryerson, under the authority of the Government, commenced the collection of objects of art for the Educational Museum in the Education Department While there he met Hon

Malcolm Cameron, who after Dr Ryerson returned to Canada, wrote to him from London on the subject of his mission In a letter, dated 3rd of January, 1857, Mr Cameron said:--

I havewhich you h with in order to obtain the infors our young Canada can afford; things, too, of such a character and description as shall be useful, not only in elevating the taste of our youth, but of increasing their historical and ical lore, as well as inform them of the facts of their accuracy in size and forin, in so a few of Paul Kane's pictures in 1851--had been followed up by you in your universally-acknowledged enlightened efforts for education, which (in my bitterest moments of alienation from you, for what I esteeovernment), I have ever cheerfully admitted

Your determination to obtain a feorks of art and statuary, a few paintings, prints of celebrities, and scientific instruht, which I never would have conceived of had I not one with you, and seen your notes and correspondence

You have passed through many trials, and in most of them I ith you The period that presses on in said of Montreal), I do not want to rerant that we may see, in all matters for the rest of our few days, eye to eye, as we do now on all the subjects in which you are now engaged, publicly and privately I think God is with you, and directing you aright in that Conference matter which is nearest to your heart, and I anal triu account of a distinguished physician whom he met at Rome:--

One of the most remarkable men hom I became acquainted in Italy, in my tour there in 1856-7, was Dr Pantelioni, a scholar, physician, patriot, and statesman; to whose character and banishment from Rome the London _Times'_ newspaper devoted about three columns

Prefatory to the circumstances of my acquaintance with this reland in 1850-1, I had a good deal of correspondence with Earl Grey, as then Secretary of State for the Colonies, and through wholobes, and essential text-books for Canadian schools, at a discount of forty-three per cent fro prices Earl Grey was ood to the cause of public education in Canada; wrote to the English booksellers and got their consent to the arrangement, shewed me much kindness, and invited uished English states as Sir Charles Wood (afterwards a peer), and the late Marquis of Lansdowne, the Nestor of English statesmen, and beside whom I was seated at dinner The Countess of Grey shewed me many kind attentions, and the Marquis of Lansdowne invited me to call the next day at Lansdowne House, and explain to him the Canadian system of education, as he was the Chairman of the Privy Council Committee on Education, and wished to knohat had been done, and whatclasses I called at Lansdowne House, as desired, and explained as briefly and clearly as possible the Canadian school system, its popular comprehensiveness and fairness to all parties, its Christian, yet non-sectarian, character At the conclusion of my rereater blessing to England than the introduction into it of the Canadian school system; but, from our historical traditions and present state of society, all we can do is to aid by Parliaency of voluntary associations and religious denominations”

Five years afterwards, in another educational tour in Europe, hter spent some months at the Paris Exhibition in 1855 The Earl and Countess of Grey, seeing our names on the Canadian Book of the Exhibition, called and left their cards at our hotel We returned the call the following day, when the Earl and Countess told us they had an aunt at Roreat pleasure in assisting us to select copies of great masters for our Canadian Educational Museum; that they would write to her, and, if we left our cards with her on our arrival, she would gladly receive us We did so, and, in less than an hour after, we received athat she had been expecting and waiting for us for so, as she had invited a few friends[147] In the course of the evening, I was introduced to Dr Pantelioni with this remark, ”Dr Ryerson, if you should become ill, you cannot fall into better hands than those of Dr Pantelioni” I replied that ”I was glad to make his personal acquaintance, but hoped I should not need his professional services” But the very next day I was struck down in the Vatican while exauration and Dominichino's Last Coo and sciatica, rendering it necessary for four e, and from thence to my room in the hotel, where I was confined for so three e cannot describe the agony I experienced during that period Dr Pantelioni was sent for, and attended ed methat I was otherell, and had knowledge of government and civil affairs in Europe and America, he entered into conversation with enerally read and enlightened men that I had met with on the Continent

He frequently re with thened visits, Dr

Pantelioni related the following facts:

1st That he was one of the liberal party in Roovernment, and contributed to its overthrohen Garibaldi for a time became supreme at Rome

2nd That he, with overnurate, would be little better than a mob, and would be neither stable nor safe

(Garibaldi was a bold and skilful party leader, but no statesislature, then held in Florence; he could declaiovernment, and find fault, with individual acts; but he seeovernment in his own mind, and commanded little respect or attention after his first speech)

3rd Dr Pantelioni stated, that under these circuo confidentially to the Pope, as then an exile at Gaeta, and offer their offices and influence to restore him to power at Roovernreed to their propositions, but when they reduced theentlen his name; in consequence of which Dr Pantelioni and his friends felt they had no sufficient ground upon their own individual word, without a scrap of writing from the pen of the pope, to influence their friends, and risk their lives; they, therefore, retired from the presence of his holiness, disappointed but not dishonored

4th On my recovery Dr Pantelioni invited me to visit him at his residence I did so and found him possessed of the best private library I had seen in Italy, or even on the continent It filled three, large rooeneral history and literature, colish (published both in England and America), French, German, Italian and Spanish The second room was equally filled with shelves and books, beautifully arranged, on hest authority, in English, French, Italian, German, and Spanish, &c The third room contained a fine and extensive collection of the latest standard works which had been published in England and the United States, France, Spain, Germany, and Italy, on Civil Governe was so rich in political literature I selected the titles, and ordered several books in that language for myself

5th In the course of these conversations, Dr Pantelioni related the efforts of hiovern, as they did, of any coovernment A deputation (of whom Dr Pantelioni was one) went froht Honourable Richard shi+el, then the British Ambassador, or representative of the British Government, at Florence, as the British Government had no diplomatic relations with Rome Mr shi+el asked the more than the protection of the British Govern which tiovernovernreed to support their views, and Dr Pantelioni and one or two others of the deputation took letters from Mr shi+el on the subject to the late Viscount Paled their undertaking, entirely agreeing with the recoh a Roman Catholic, was a constitutional liberal But it unfortunately happened that on the very day on which Dr Pantelioni and his friends, after their land, had intended to carry their plans into operation, the French ar subdued the Garibaldi party at Rome, restored the Pope to the Vatican, with all his former pretensions and power

6th So of Italy overran the Papal territories, Dr Pantelioni was noislature for one of the new electoral divisions, but declined at once the acceptance of the nonation by the first post, well knowing the effect it ht have upon his personal safety and interests at Rome, which was still under the rule of the Pope But the partiality shown to Dr Pantelioni by his newly enfranchised fellow-countryed the Court of Rome, which banished him from his city and country on a notice of only twenty-four hours! The London _Times_ newspaper devoted some two articles to Dr Pantelioni's history and banishest terms

7th Dr Pantelioni then took up his abode at Nice, in the south of France, and there pursued his profession

So my last educational tour on the Continent in 1867, I stopped a day with my son at Nice, and learned that there was an Italian physician residing there, an exile from Rome I knew it must be my old physician and friend, and ihted to see each other again; and he invitedat his house, which we did He had, since I saw hilish lady, who seemed in every respect worthy of hi I expressed my sympathy with him in his exile, privation of his beautiful residence and fine library, he replied with energy, bringing his hand down strongly on the table, ”I have such faith in the principles on which I have acted, and in the providence of God, that I shall just as surely go back to Ro to you” Some one or two years afterwards I learned from the newspapers, that Dr