, and the executioner was
compelled to release his victim, acknowledging the miracle. The thief
retired into a monastery, which is always the termination of these
deliverances.

At the monastery of St. Peter, near Cologne, lived a monk perfectly
dissolute and irreligious, but very devout towards the Apostle.
Unluckily he died suddenly without confession. The fiends came as usual
to seize his soul. St. Peter, vexed at losing so faithful a votary,
besought God to admit the monk into Paradise. His prayer was refused;
and though the whole body of saints, apostles, angels, and martyrs
joined at his request to make interest, it was of no avail. In this
extremity he had recourse to the Mother of God. "Fair lady," he said,
"my monk is lost if you do not interfere for him; but what is impossible
for us will be but sport to you, if you please to assist us. Your Son,
if you but speak a word, must yield, since it is in your power to
command him." The Queen Mother assented, and, followed by all the
virgins, moved towards her Son. He who had himself given the precept,
Honour thy father and thy mother, no sooner saw his own parent approach
than he rose to receive her; and taking her by the hand inquired her
wishes. The rest may be easily conjectured. Compare the gross stupidity,
or rather the atrocious impiety of this tale, with the pure theism of
the Arabian Nights, and judge whether the Deity was better worshipped at
Cologne or at Bagdad.

It is unnecessary to multiply instances of this kind. In one tale the
Virgin takes the shape of a nun, who had eloped from the convent, and
performs her duties ten years, till, tired of a libertine life, she
returns unsuspected. This was in consideration of her having never
omitted to say an Ave as she passed the Virgin's image. In another, a
gentleman, in love with a handsome widow, consents, at the instigation
of a sorcerer, to renounce God and the saints, but cannot be persuaded
to give up the Virgin, well knowing that if he kept her his friend he
should obtain pardon through her means. Accordingly she inspired his
mistress with so much passion that he married her within a few days.

These tales, it may be said, were the production of ignorant men, and
circulated among the populace. Certainly they would have excited
contempt and indignation in the more enlightened clergy. But I am
concerned with the general character of religious notions among the
people: and for this it is better to take su