£vtl Days at Rome—Literature ^ Art^ and Society
— yournal at Rome — A Wealthy Madonna —
Churches and Ruins^The Cardinal and the
Lambs at St. Agnes' — Feet~washings — St, Peter^s
Illuminated^Excursions : r. To Subiaco and its
Convent : 2. To Valombrosa : 3, To the Painted
Tomb of Veii,

;^ELIGHTFUL Bengal, who, alone of commenta-
^J tors, knows how to say nothing where nothing is
. necessary and to stop when he has got through,
gives us to understand that we are apt to put a mistaken
interpretation on that text, " See that ye walk circumspectly,
not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days
are evil." Instead of an exhortation to activity, it is rather
a dissuasive from too much eagerness to work in unfavor-
able times, and a counsel to manage circumspectly, that
is, with a regard to circumstances,' and let work wait, some-
times, for better and more hopeful days.
Thus Mrs. Gould, finding herself placed, at Rome, in
evil days — the wretchedly evil days just before the eman-
cipation of the city, while the Papal Government was fast
(60)



Redeeming the Time. 6i

>

filling up the measure of its iniquities — "redeemed the
time." On the side of the oppressor there was power —
the power of French bayonets and cannon. But on the
side of the oppressed there was omnipotence, slowly pre-
paring the complete and hopeless overthrow of the tyranny.
" He that believeth shall not make haste."

Accordingly she worked with her might at what her
hand found to do, not at things which she did not find.
