The creation on this occasion of 13 Cardinals, of whom only five were Italians, produced the Sacred College a balance between Italian and non-Italian members almost unprecedented in modern times, The Italians numbered 34, the foreigners 38, No one then foresaw thet the Conclave would so soon follow, but stil" less did anyone foresee the political complications which have hindered the participation of several of the foreign Cardinals.
But of the prelate whom the Assembly has no one has anything but good to say. The new Pope is of small stature, wiry and of active habit both of body and mind, His Holiness is at any rate not identified with the rather extreme attitude towards many questions of critical scholarship and devotional practice which has at times been made a ground of reproach against his predecessor.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.