I was born in the year 1826, of noble and wealthy parents.  Our mansion contained a small chapel, with many images, sacred paintings, and a neatly furnished mass altar.  My father was a man of the world.  He loved the society of fashionable men.  As he lived on the rents and income of his estates, he had little to do, except to amuse himself with his friends.  My mother, who was of as mild and sweet disposition, loved my father very dearly, but was very unhappy the most of the time because my father spent so much of his time in drinking with his dissolute companions, card playing, and in balls, parties, theatres, operas, billiards, &c.  Father did not intend to be unkind to my mother, for he gave her many servants, and abundance of gold, horses, carriages and grooms, and said frequently in my hearing, that his wife should be as happy as a princess.  Such was the state of society in Italy that men thought their wives had no just reason to complain, so long as they were furnished with plenty of food, raiment and shelter.

One of my father’s most intimate friends was the very Rev. Father Salvator, a Priest of the order of St. Francis; he wore the habit of the order, his head was about half shaved.  The sleeves of his habit were very large at the elbow; in these sleeves he had small pockets, in which he usually carried his snuff box, handkerchief, and purse of gold.  This priest was merry, full of fun and frolic; he could dance, sing, play cards, and tell admirably funny stories, such as would make even the devils laugh in their chains.

Such was the influence and power this Franciscan had over my father and mother, that in our house, his word was law.  He was our confessor, knew the secrets and sins, and all the weak points of every mind in the whole household.  My own dear mother taught me to read before I was seven years of age.  As I was the only child, I was much petted and caressed, indeed, such was my mother’s affection for me that I was seldom a moment out of her sight.  There was a handsome mahogany confessional in our own chapel.  When the priest wanted any member of the household to come to him to confession, he wrote the name on a slate that hung outside the chapel door, saying that he would hear confessions at such a time to-morrow.  Thus, we would always have time for the full examination of our consciences.  Only one at a time was ever admitted into the chapel, for confessional duty, and the priest always took care to lock the door inside and place the key in his sleeve pocket.  My mother and myself were obliged to confess once a week; the household servants, generally once a month.  My father only once a year, during Lent, when all the inhabitants of seven years, and upwards, are obliged to kneel down to the priests, in the confessional, and receive the wafer God under the severest penalties.  Woe to the individual who resists the ecclesiastical mandate.