pricked with an awl; in consequence of which the aqueous humour dropped out, and he became blind of that eye.

His sight was re

addresses to the

stored, whilst he paid his Abbé. But that a puncture in the cornea of the eye will often heal of itself, and that the aqueous humour, after it hath been quite lost, will be recruited, and consequently, that the faculty of vision will, in such a case, be recovered, is what every oculist can assure us of. The loss of the watery humour, is the constant effect of a very common operation in surgery, couching the cataract. Hence we may learn, how we ought to understand these words of the author, "The curing of the "sick, giving hearing to the deaf, and sight "to the blind, were everywhere talked of, as "the usual effects of that holy sepulchre.' As therefore the alleged miracles were all of the second class, it is only from the attendant circumstances we can judge, whether the facts, though acknowledged, were miraculous

or not.

In order to enlighten us on this point, I observe, fifthly, That none of the cures were instantaneous. We have not indeed the same hold of the deceased Abbé, as of a living pro

phet, who pretends to work miracles. Those who attend the latter, can know exactly, to whom he grants the benefit of his miraculous aid. They can judge also, whether the supplicant's recovery be coincident, with the prophet's volition or command. In the former case, we have not access to judge of either; and consequently, there is much greater scope for fancy and credulity to operate. No voice was ever said to have proceeded from the tomb of the blessed deacon, as his votaries styled him. They obtained no audible answer to their prayers. There are, however, some circumstances, by which a probable conjecture may be made concerning the efficiency of the saint in the cures ascribed to him. One is, if the cure instantaneously followed the first devotions at the tomb. Supernatural cures differ, in this particular, as much as in any other, from those which are effected by natural means, that they are not gradually, but instantly, perfected. Now, of which kind were the cures of St. Medard? From the accounts that are given, it is evident, that they were gradual. That some of them were sudden, is alleged; but that any of them were instantaneous, or immediately followed the first application, is not even pretended. All

the worshippers at the tomb, persisted for days, several of them for weeks, and some for months successively, daily imploring the intercession of the Abbé, before they received relief from their complaints; and the relief which was received, is, in most cases, acknowledged to have been gradual.

I observe, sixthly, That most of the devotees either had been using medicines before, and continued to use them, during their applications to the saint; or, that their distempers had abated, before they determined to solicit his help. That the Spanish youth had been using, all the while, a mcdicine prescribed by an eminent oculist, was proved by the depositions of witnesses; that Gautier had begun to recover his sight, before he had recourse to the sepulchre, was attested, not on

by his uncle, but even by himself, when, as the Archbishop of Sens informs us, he signed a recantation of what he had formerly advanced. With regard to the rest, it appears at least probable, from the circumstances of the proof, that they were using the prescriptions of the physicians, whom they had consulted before applying to the deacon, and

testimony, concerning the nature and malignancy of the different diseases.

The seventh observation is, That some of the cures attested were incomplete. This was manifestly the case of the Spaniard, who was relieved only from the most inconsiderable Even the cure of part of his complaint. Mademoiselle Thibault, which was as great a subject of exultation to the partisans of the Abbé as any other, was not complete. Not only was she confined to her bed, for many days, after the decrease of her dropsy; but she still remained incapable of moving two of her fingers. Silva, physician to the Duke of Orleans, attested this; adding expressly, that he could not look on her as being cured.

The eighth and last observation I shall make on this subject, is, That the relief granted some of them was but temporary. This was clearly proved to be the case of the Spanish gentleman. That soon after his return home, he relapsed into his former malady, the prelate I have often quoted, hath, by the certificates and letters which he procured from Madrid, put beyond controversy. Among these, there are letters from a Spanish grandee, Don Francis Xavi

er, and from the patient's uncle, besides a certificate signed by himself.

After the above observations, I believe, there will be no occasion for saying much on this subject. The author has, in a note, artfully enough pointed out his aim, that it might not be overlooked by the careless reader.* "There is another book," says he," in three volumes (called Recueil des "Miracles de l'Abbé Paris), giving an ac "count of many of these miracles, and accompanied with prefatory discourses, which " are very well wrote." He adds, " There

* P. 196.

+ I am surprised that Mr. Hume hath taken no notice of the profound erudition displayed in the Recueil, as I imagine its author is much more eminent for this, than for his talent in writing. Besides, his learning deserves our regard the more, that it is of a kind rarely to be, met with in the present century. Where shall we find in these dregs of the ages, to adopt his own emphatical expression, such an extensive knowledge, as he hath exhibited, of all the monkish and legendary writings of the darkest and most barbarous, or, according to him, the most devout ages of the church? Or whence else, but from those productions, could he have selected such admirable materials for his work? The lives and writings of the saints are an inexhaustible treasure for a performance of this kind. It is true, S. Matthew, S. Mark, S. Luke, and St. John, have said