Recollections of a Winter's Ramble on the Continent (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1867 Excerpt: ...the waters of the fountain were, comparatively speaking, warm; at the second, they were less so; and, at the third, they were quite cold. The monk who showed us over gave me some water out of each fountain to taste, and certainly there was a very slight but gradual decrease in the temperature between the first and last. This, however, I think, is easily accounted for by the fact that the last fountain is deeper than the centre one, and that again is deeper than the first, and it is well known that the temperature of spring water depends a good deal upon its nearness to the surface of the earth and the depth of its waters. At the Church of Santa Oroce I was fortunate enough to obtain permission from the Superior of the Monastery to see the relics, in company with two other gentlemen, both Roman Catholics. In a little chapel, adjoining the church, we found a priest in white and crimson robes standing by a little altar, on which were lighted candles and the relics. We knelt down, and were shown first the remnants of the Holy Cross, consisting of some very small pieces of very old brown wood, enclosed in crystal and set in silver. This we (I, because the others did) devoutly kissed. Then we saw SUPERSTITION. 163 a piece of wood on which were a few faint letters, supposed to be part of the inscription over our Saviour's head on the Cross; after that, a hair of our Saviour's head, in a crystal globe; then, one of the nails with which he was nailed to the Cross; and, finally, part of the bone of a finger of St. Thomas. The priest then said a prayer, we dropped a coin of some sort into a box conveniently placed for receiving donations, and departed. Of course, I don't believe that these relics are genuine; but, even if I did, I should not consider them entitled to ...