Pope Leo's Reading

The pope's favorite poets are Virgil and Dante. He knows a great part of both by beart and takes pleasure in quoting thëm. Wben Father Michael, the apostolic prefect to Erithrea, was taking his leave with the other Franciscans who accompanied him to África, his holiness recited to them with great spirit Dante's canto upon St. Francia. The pope reads the newspapers, passages of interest being ruarked for him by readers in order to save him time. He frequently writes letters to the bishops and encyclicals in a polished and Ciceronian style of Latin. The encyclicals are printed at the private press of the Vatican, an institution fotinded by him and furnished with all modern improvements. They are first published in The Osservatore Romano, the official daily paper of the Vatican, and then finally translated into Italian and other languages and sent out to the bishops abroad. Leo XIII writes excellent verses, both in Latin and Italian, and likes to see and talk with men of letters as well as to read their works. Two years ago he requested Professor Brnnelli of Perugia to buy for him the poetical works of the Abbe Zanella. The request is characteristic, for his boliness insisted upon payiug for the book like any one eJse. -