Page:The whole familiar colloquies of Desiderius Erasmus of Rotterdam.djvu/248

 good friend, you are hearing that which is miraculous; for what miracle is there in cold water quenching thirst? Me. That shift goes a great way in this story. Og. It was positively affirmed that this spring burst out of the ground on a sudden at the command of the holy Virgin.

I, observing everything very diligently, asked him how many years it was since that little house was brought thither? He said it had been there for some ages. But, said I, methinks the walls don’t seem to carry any marks of antiquity in them. He did not much deny it. Nor these pillars, said I. He did not deny but those had been set up lately; and the thing shewed itself plainly. Then, said I, that straw and reeds, the whole thatch of it seems not to have been so long laid. He allowed it. Nor do these cross beams and rafters that bear up the roof seem to have been laid many years ago. He confessed they were not. And there being no part of that cottage remaining, said I to him, How then does it appear that this is the very cottage that was brought so far through the air? Me. Prithee, how did the sexton extricate himself out of this difficulty? Og. He presently shewed us an old bear’s skin tacked there to a piece of timber, and almost laughed at us to our very faces for not having eyes to per- ceive a thing that was so plain. Therefore, seeming to be satisfied, and excusing our dulness of apprehension, we turned ourselves to the heavenly milk of the blessed Virgin.

Me. O mother like her Son! for as He has left us so much of His blood upon earth, so she has left us so much of her milk, that it is scarce credible that a woman who never had but one child should have so much, although her child had never sucked a drop. Og. And they tell us the same stories about our Lord’s cross, that is shewn up and down both publicly and privately in so many places, that if all the fragments were gathered together, they would seem to be sufficient loading for a good large ship; and yet our Lord himself carried the whole cross upon his shoulders. Me. And don’t you think this is wonderful? Og. It may be said to be an extraordinary thing, but not a wonderful one, since the Lord, who increases these things according to His own pleasure, is omnipotent. Me. You put a very pious construction upon it, but I ain afraid that a great many such things are forged for the sake of getting money. Og. I cannot think God would suffer any one to put these mockeries upon Him. Me. Nay, when both the mother and Son, Father and Spirit are robbed by sacrilegious persons, they don’t seem to be moved the least in the world, so as to deter wicked persons, so much as by a nod or a stamp, so great is the lenity of the divine being.

Og. This is true, but hear me out. That milk is kept upon the high altar in which Christ is in the middle, and his mother, for respect sake, at his right hand; for the milk represents the mother. Me. Why, is it plain to be seen then? Og. It is preserved in a crystal glass. Me. Is it liquid then? Og. What do you talk of being liquid, when it has been put in above?500 years ago. It is so con- creted, you would take it for beaten chalk tempered with the white of an egg. Me. But why don’t they shew it open? Og. Lest the milk of the Virgin should be defiled by the kisses of men. Me. You say very well, for I believe there are some who put lips to it, that