tain spot, about a thousand yards beyond Como, a singular phenomenon was witnessed before sunset: an immense multitude of dogs, of a red colour, amounting to about 4000, were seen to pass along the road towards Germany. This, which seemed the advanced guard, was followed by a great number of cattle and sheep: after this, horse and foot, divided into troops and companies, some armed with shields, some apparently without heads -last came a man of gigantic stature, mounted on a lofty horse, and leading with him a large troop of camels of different kinds. The procession lasted nearly three hours, spreading over a very large space, and was witnessed by a great many spectators, who approached close for that purpose. With the setting of the sun, the whole disappeared.

XVIII. HOW TO PAY FOR A HORSE.

A Florentine wanted a horse; he found a person who was willing to let him have one for 15 ducats. "I will pay you 5 down," said he to the owner, "and I will be your debtor for the rest." The horse-seller consented. Some days afterwards, however, he came to demand his 10 ducats. "No," said the purchaser, "we must stick to our bargain. I told you I should be your debtor for the rest, and I could not be your debtor if I were to pay you."

XIX. WORDS AND WORKS.

A preacher wishing to make his auditors under stand, that in order to judge of the conversion of another, it was necessary to look to works and not to words, related this fable. A man who had caught some birds in an aviary, was strangling them with his fingers. He happened to hurt himself by accident, and began to weep with the pain.

One of the birds who saw him, said to his comrades, "Let us take courage.' "Oh," said the oldest, and most experienced among them, "do not look at his eyes, my children,-look at his hands."

XX. THE TESTAMENT OF THE DOG.

A Priest in Tuscany, possessed of some property, had a dog which was a particular favourite with him, and which, when dead, he buried in the church. The Bishop happened to hear of it, and having an eye to the Priest's money, immediately called him before him to answer to the charge of sacrilege. The Priest, who had a tolerable idea of the Bishop's motives, put fifty gold pieces in his pocket, and went to the Bishop, who, after charging him with the funeral of the dog, ordered him to prison." Holy Father," said the Priest, "if you only knew the admirable qualities of the dog, you would not be surprised that I thought him deserving of Christian burial;-for in his life, and still more in his death, he was more excellent than most men." "How so?" said the Bishop. "Why," replied the Priest, "while he was making his will, recollecting your poverty, he has left you fifty pieces of gold, which I have brought with me."The Bishop immediately ratified both the will and the funeral, took the money, and dismissed the Priest.

1

LUTHER'S COLLOQUIA MENSALIA.

[The singular work from which the following Extracts, are taken, contains the record of the familiar conversations of the Reformer with his friends Melanchthon, Cruciger, Jonas, Eberus, and others, on points connected with Theologyand Church Government. It is said to have been originally collected from the mouth of Luther himself, by Dr Anthony Lauterbach, and afterwards digested into its present form by Dr John Aurifaber. The main subjects of discussion are Idolatry, Auricular Confession, Mass, Excommunication, Clerical Jurisdiction, General Councils, the Nature of Spiritual Beings and of the Devil in particular, Celibacy of Churchmen, and all the other topics agitated by the reformed Church in those early periods. With these are intermixed many diatribes against Antichrist and Cardinals, and much sarcasm on popish miracles and relics. But the book is principally valuable, not on account of its merits, which, though they appear at one time to have procured for it the title of Divine Discourses, are sufficiently doubtful, but for the singular light which it casts on the character of the great reformer; and the picture of mingled superstition and daring speculation; of abject credulity on some points, and the boldest spirit of investigation on others, which it presents. The short extracts which we have selected from the chapters on angels and the devil, will enable our readers to judge how far Luther was entitled to smile at the superstitious observances of the Romish Church, retaining, as he did, a belief in many opinions more absurd and monstrous than those he rejected.

The translation from which these extracts are taken, was executed under circumstances as singular as the character of the book itself; and the account of the matter given by the translator, Captain Henry Bell, is so curious, that we must make use of the words of the gallant captain himself. The work had been nearly suppressed by Rodolph the Second, at the instigation of Gregory XIII., from the extensive effects it had been supposed to produce in the propagation of the

*The translation bears the date of 1650.

Lutheran doctrines. It was even declared, that any one who should be found with a copy of the obnoxious work in his possession, should be liable to capital punishment. Notwithstanding the vigilance of Rodolph, however, one copy escaped the flames in a singular manner. A German, named Caspar Van Sparr, a friend of Captain Bell, happening to dig on the foundation of an old house, found a copy carefully wrapped up in a strong linen cloth, covered over with wax, and perfectly uninjured. Sparr was unwilling to run the risk of publishing the work in Germany, during the reign of Ferdinand II., whose enmity to the Protestants was too well known, and accordingly he transmitted the book to his friend the captain, in England, requesting him to translate it. 66 Whereupon," says Captain Bell," I took the said Book before mee, and manie times began to Translate the same, but alwaies I was hindered therein, beeing called upon about other business; insomuch, that by no possible means I could remain by that work. Then, about six weeks after I had received the said Book, it fell out, that I beeing in bed with my wife one night, between twelv and one of the clock, shee beeing asleep, but my self yet awake, there appeared unto mee an antient man, standing at my bed's side, arraied all in white, having a long and broad white beard, hanging down to his girdle-steed, who, taking mee by my right ear, spake these words following unto mee: 'Sirrah! Will not you take time to Translate that book which is sent unto you out of Germanie? I will shortly provide for you both place and time to do it.' And then hee vanisht away out of my sight. Whereupon, beeing much thereby affrighted, I fell into an extreme sweat, insomuch, that my Wife awaking, and finding mee all over wet, shee asked mee what I ailed? I told her what I had seen and heard; but I never did heed nor regard visions nor dreams, and so the same fell soon out of my mind.

"Then about a fortnight after I had seen that Vision, on a Sundale I went to White-hall to hear the Sermon, after which ended, I returned to my lodging, which was then in King's Street at Westminster, and sitting down to dinner with my Wife, two Messengers were sent from the whole Council-board, with a warrant to carrie mee to the keeper of the Gatehous, Westminster, there to bee safely kept until farther Order from the Lords of the Council, which was don without showing mee any caus at all wherefore I was.committed. Upon which said Warrant I was kept there ten whole years close Prisoner, where I spent five years thereof about the Translating of the said Book: insomuch as I found the words very true which the old man in the foresaid Vision did saie unto mee, I will shortly provide for you both time and place to Translate it.'"]

COLLOQUIA MENSALIA.

XXI.

THAT FAITH OVERCOMETH THE DEVIL.

THE devil (said Luther) is a spirit, and a founder of presumption; he will not be driven away by an unbelieving, a wild, or a rude Christian, but it is faith that overcometh him. I knew a doctor of physic (said Luther) who beheld the baptising of a child in the church, and diligently hearkened to the words of the institution in baptism, out of which he drew a strong faith, insomuch, that with great joyfulness, he said, “If I knew that I was baptised with these words, like as this child is, then I would stand no more in fear of the devil." Now, as the godfathers, and the rest standing by the christening, told him, that he was' even so baptised, and that the same words were also spoken at his christening; then the said doc-" tor apprehended so great a courage and spirit, that he feared no misfortune. Now, not long after this, it happened that the devil appeared to this doctor in the shape of a goat with long horns, and showed himself in such manner upon a wall. The doctor well marked, that it was the devil, plucked up a good heart, took the goat by the horns, and pulled him from the wall, struck the goat upon a table, kept the horns in his hands, and the body vanished. Another person, beholding the same, thought with