ST. JANUARIUS. 167 



German seed is, that the gardeners keep it some years before 

 they sell it. 



HENRIETTA. 



But how would that apply 1 ? 



ESTHER. 



In this manner; that by long keeping, the cotyledons or 

 seed-leaves, destined to nourish the infant plant, become 

 dried and injured, and give the less support to it. This 

 checking vegetation, restrains the over-luxuriancy of the 

 plant, which, instead of expanding itself in leaves, reserves 

 its energies for the perfecting of the flower. 



MRS. p.- 

 Here is an Onosma, which is interesting, because I have 

 read that it is by some chemical preparation of this plant that 

 the priests delude the Neapolitans, by the supposed liquefac- 

 tion of the blood of St. Jamiarius. 



ESTHER. 

 In what manner, mammal 



MRS. F. 



You are aware that, in a public annual ceremony at 

 Naples, the blood of the saint becomes spontaneously lique- 

 fied, and rises bubbling to the top of the bottle which con- 

 tains it. These illusions may be effected, by reddening sul- 

 phuric ether with orchanet (Onosma), and then saturating the 

 tincture with spermaceti; this preparation is solid at ten de- 

 grees above the freezing point, and melts and boils at twenty 

 degrees. To raise it to the latter temperature, it is sufficient 

 to hold in the hand a few minutes the phial which contains 

 it.* 



MARY. 



But do the priests really attempt to impose upon the people 

 by such a deception? 



* Salverte, (Jes Sciences Occultes des Anciens, 



