Page:MaryHelpOfChristians.djvu/185

 a charming  simplicity. At that  time,  when  the upper classes  did  not  yet  judge  themselves  too highly cultivated  to  share  in  the  Faith,  and  not too privileged  to  join  in  the  sentiments  and  affections of  the  people,  and  were  therefore  more  in harmony  with  the  lower  ranks  of  society,  these legends were  in  general  circulation  among  all classes: among  the  wealthy  in  manuscript,  among the poor  orally  and  in  the  form  in  which  they had become  acquainted  with  them  in  church  and elsewhere.

"In early  times  the  science  of  criticism  was  unknown; therefore  little  care  was  exercised  in separating  the  poetic  additions  from  the  authentic legends,  especially  as  the  Church  had  not  yet spoken  on  the  subject.  Faith  was  yet  of  that robust  sort  which  is  not  affected  by  miraculous occurrences.  Nearly  all  Europe  then  still  accepted the  adage  now  current  only  in  Spain,  'It is  better  sometimes  to  believe  what  can  not  be established  as  truth,  than  to  lose  a  single  truth by  want  of  faith/  But  later  the  science  of  criticism came  into  its  rights.  The  Church  established canonical  rules,  according  to  which  a  strict investigation  of  all  the  facts  submitted  to  her judgment  was  to  be  made,  and  rejected  everything that  could  not  stand  the  most  rigid  examination.

"Then Art  devoted  itself  to  that  legendary  lore