ing, that it was guarded by St Peter. Procopius observes, that the event answered expectation; for that the Goths, during a tedious siege, never once attempted that weak part. He adds, that the wall remained in the same runious state at the time of his writing. Here is a curious conceit,-Peter created a tutelar deity, able and willing to counteract the laws by which God governs the material world. And for what mighty benefit to his votaries? Only to save them five or fifty pounds in rebuilding the crazy part of the wall.

It is no less inconsistent with the regular course of Providence, to believe, as many formerly did, that in all doubtful cases the Almighty, when ap→ pealed to, never fails to interpose in favour of the right side. The inhabitants of Constantinople, ann. 1284, being split into parties about two contending patriarchs, the Emperor ordered a fire to be made in the church of St Sophia, and a paper for each party to be thrown into it; never doubting, but that God would save from the flames the paper given in for the party whose cause he espoused. But, to the utter astonishment of all beholders, the flames paid not the least regard to either. The same absurd opinion gave birth to the trial by fire, by water, and by single combat. And it is not a little remarkable, that such trials were common among many nations that had no intercourse one with another: even the enlightened people of Indostan try crimes by dipping the hand of a su

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spected

-spected person in boiling oil. In cases of doubtful proof, they recur in the kingdom of Siam, as in

many other countries, to artificial proofs. One is to walk barefoot through fire. As the Siamites are accustomed to walk barefooted, their soles become hard; and those who have skill have a good chance to escape without burning. The art is to set down their feet on the fire with all their weight, which excludes the air, and prevents the fire from burning. Another proof is by water. The accuser and accused are thrown into a pond; and he who keeps longest under water is declared to be in the right.Such uniformity is there with respect even to superstitious opinions. Pope Gregory VII. insisting that the Kings of Castile and Aragon should lay aside their Gothic liturgy for the Romish, the matter was put to trial by single combat; and two 'champions were chosen to declare by victory the opinion of God Almighty. The Emperor Otho I. observing the law-doctors to differ about the right of representation in land-estates, appointed a duel; and the right of representation gained the victory. If any thing can render such a doctrine palatable, it is the believing in a tutelar Deity, who with less absurdity may interpose in behalf of a favourite opinion, or of a favourite people. Appian gravely reports, that when the city of Rhodes was besieged by Mithridates, a statue of the goddess Isis was seen to dart flames of fire upon a bulky engine, raised by the besiegers to overtop the wall... Historians

Historians mention an incident that happened in the island Celebes, founded on a belief of the same kind with that above mentioned. About two centuries ago, some Christian and some Mahometan missionaries made their way to that island. The chief king, struck with the fear of hell taught by both, assembled a general council; and stretching This hands towards heaven, addressed the following prayer to the supreme Being. "Great God, from

thee I demand nothing but justice, and to me “thou owest it. Men of different religions have "come to this island, threatening eternal punish❝ment to me and my people if we disobey thy laws. What are thy laws? Speak, O my God, who art the author of nature: thou knowest the "bottom of our hearts, and that we can never intentionally disobey thee. But if it be unwor

thy of thy essence to employ the language of "men, I call upon my whole people, the sun "which gives me light, the earth which bears me,

the sea which surrounds my empire, and upon "thee thyself to bear witness for me, that in the "sincerity of my heart I wish to know thy will;

and this day I declare that I will acknowledge

as the depositaries of thy oracles, the first mini*sters of either religion that shall land upon this "island."

It is equally erroneous, to believe that certain ceremonies will protect one from mischief, the dark ages of Christianity, the signing with the

In

figure of a cross, was held not only to be an antidote against the snares of malignant spirits, but to inspire resolution for supporting trials and calamities for which reason no Christian in those days un. dertook any thing of moment, till he had used that ceremony. It was firmly believed in France, that a gold or silver coin of St Lewis, hung from the neck, was a protection against all diseases: and we find accordingly a hole in every remaining coin of that king, for fixing it to a ribband. In the minority of Charles VIII. of France, the three estates, ann. 1484, supplicated his Majesty, that he would no longer defer the being anointed with the holy oil, as the favour of Heaven was visibly connected with that ceremony. They affirmed, that his grandfather Charles VII. never prospered till he was anointed; and that Heaven afterwards fought on his side, till the English were expelled out of his kingdom *. The high altar of St Margaret's church

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"The

*That ridiculous ceremony is kept up to this day; such power has custom. Take the following sample of it. "Grand Prior of St Remi opens the holy phial, and gives "it to the Archbishop, who with a golden needle takes some of the precious oil, about the size of a grain of "wheat, which he mixes with consecrated ointment. The 86 King then prostrates himself before the altar, on a violet"coloured carpet, embroidered with fleurs de lys, while "6 they pray. Then the King rises, and the Archbishop "anoints him on the crown of the head, on the stomach, "on the two elbows, and on the joints of the arms.

Af

"ter

church in the island of Icolmkill, was covered with a plate of blue marble finely veined; which has suffered from a superstitious conceit, that the smallest bit of it will preserve a ship from sinking. It has accordingly been carried off piece-meal; and at present there is scarce enough left to make an experiment. In the Sadder, certain prayers are enjoined when one sneezes or pisses, in order to chase away the devil. Cart-wheels in Lisbon, are composed of two clumsy boards nailed together in a circular form. Though the noise is intolerable, the axles are never greased; the noise, say they, frightens the devil from hurting their oxen. Nay, so far has superstition been carried, as to found ng a belie belief, that the devil by magic can controul the course of Providence. A Greek bishop having dreamed that a certain miracle had failed by magic, the supposed magician and his son were condemned to die, without the least evidence but the dream. Montesquieu collects a number of circumstances, each of which, though all extremely improbable, ought to have been clearly made out, in

T

"ter the several annointings, the Archbishop of Rheims, the

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Bishops of Laon and Beauvais close the openings of the shirt: "the High Chamberlain puts on the tunic and the royal mantle "the King then kneels again, and is annointed in the palms of "his hands." Is this farce less ludicrous than that of an Eng lish King curing the King's evil with a touch?