Page:The whole familiar colloquies of Desiderius Erasmus of Rotterdam.djvu/246

 stration. If the pope of Rome should throw a thunderbolt at all monks, then they will be all canons; and if he will allow all monks to marry, then they will be all monks. Me. These are new favours; I wish they would take mine for one.

Og. But to return to the matter in hand. This college has little else to maintain it but the liberality of the Virgin, for all presents of value are laid up; but as for anything of money or lesser value, that goes to the support of the flock and the head of it, which they call the prior. Me. Are they men of good lives? Og. Not much amiss. They are richer in piety than in revenue. There is a clever neat church, but the Virgin does not dwell in it herself, but ipon point of honour has given it to her Son. Her church is on the right hand of her Son’s. Me. Upon His right hand! which way then does her Son look? Og. That is well taken notice of. When He looks toward the west He has His mother on the right, and when He looks toward "the east she is on His left hand. And she does not dwell there neither, for the building is not finished; the doors and windows are all open, and the wind blows through it; and npt far off is a place where Oceanus the father of the winds resides. Me. That is a hard case; where does she dwell then? Og. In that unfinished church that I spoke of, there is a little boarded chapel with a little door on each side to receive visitors. There is but little light to it but what comes from the tapers; but the scent is very grateful. Me. All these things conduce to religion. Og. Nay, Menedemus, if you saw the inside of it you would say it was the seat of the saints, it is all so glittering with jewels, gold, and silver. Me. You set me agog to go thither too. Og. If you do you will never repent of your journey.

Me. Is there any holy oil there? Og. Simpleton, that oil is only the sweat of saints in their sepulchres, as of Andrew, Catherine, &c. Mary was never buried. Me. I confess I was under a mistake; but make an end of your story, Og. That religion may spread itself the more widely, some things are shewn at one place and some at another. Me. And it may be that the donations may be larger, according to the old saying, Many hands will carry off much plunder. Og. And there are always some at hand to shew you what you have a mind to see.

Me. What, of the canons? Og. No, no, they are not permitted, lest under the colour of religion they should prove irreligious, and while they are serving the Virgin lose their own virginity. Only in the inner chapel, which I call the chamber of the holy Virgin, a certain canon stands at the altar. Me. What does he stand there for? Og. To receive and keep that which is given. Me. Must people give whether they will or no? Og. No; but a certain religious modesty makes some give, when anybody stands by, who would not give a farthing if there were no witness of it, or give more than otherwise they would give. Me. You set forth human nature as I have experienced in myself. Og. There are some so devoted to the human nature, that while they pretend to lay one gift on the altar, by a wonderful sleight of hand they steal what another has laid down. Me. But put the case, if nobody were by, would the Virgin thunder at them? Og. Why should the Virgin do that any more than God himself does, whom they are not afraid to strip of His ornaments, and to break through the walls of the church to come at them? Me. I