sent to Savona the Archbishops of Nantes, Bourges, Treves, and Tours, to endeavour to bring about a reconciliation with His Holiness.  But all their endeavours were unavailing, and after staying a month at Savona they returned to Paris without having done anything.  But Napoleon was not discouraged by this first disappointment, and he shortly afterwards sent a second deputation, which experienced the same fate as the first.  Cardinal Fesch, Napoleon’s uncle, took part with the Pope.  For this fact I can vouch, though I cannot for an answer which he is said to have made to the Emperor.  I have been informed that when Napoleon was one day speaking to his uncle about the Pope’s obstinacy the Cardinal made some observations to him on his (Bonaparte’s) conduct to the Holy Father, upon which Napoleon flew into a passion, and said that the Pope and he were two old fools.  “As for the Pope,” said he, “he is too obstinate to listen to anything.  No, I am determined he shall never have Rome again. . . .  He will not remain at Savona, and where does he wish I should send him?”—­“To Heaven, perhaps,” replied the Cardinal.

The truth is, the Emperor was violently irritated against Pius vii.  Observing with uneasiness the differences and difficulties to which all these dissensions gave rise, he was anxious to put a stop to them.  As the Pope would not listen to any propositions that were made to him, Napoleon convoked a Council, which assembled in Paris, and at which several Italian Bishops were present.  The Pope insisted that the temporal and spiritual interests should be discussed together; and, however disposed a certain number of prelates, particularly the Italians, might be to separate these two points of discussion, yet the influence of the Church and well-contrived intrigues gradually gave preponderance to the wishes of the Pope.  The Emperor, having discovered that a secret correspondence was carried on by several of the Bishops and Archbishops who had seats in the Council, determined to get rid of some of them, and the Bishops of Ghent, Troyes, Tournay, and Toulouse were arrested and sent to Vincennes.  They were superseded by others.  He wished to dissolve the Council, which he saw was making no advance towards the object he had in view, and, fearing that it might adopt some act at variance with his supreme wish, every member of the Council was individually required to make a declaration that the proposed changes were conformable to the laws of the Church.  It was said at the time that they were unanimous in this individual declaration, though it is certain that in the sittings of the Council opinions were divided.  I know not what His Holiness thought of these written opinions compared with the verbal opinions that had been delivered, but certain it is though still a captive at Savona, he refused to adhere to the concessions granted in the secret declarations.