CHARLES WATERT0N, ESQ. 



XXI 



The celebrated Church of our Lady is most 

 magnificent ; whilst the Santa Casa within it, 

 surpasses all attempt at description. The inside of 

 the Santa Casa's walls are in their pristine state ; 

 but those outside are entirely covered with sculp- 

 tured marble, chiselled by the first artists of the 

 times. 



That Supreme Being, who can raise us all at the 

 last day, could surely order the Santa Casa which 

 was inhabited by the Blessed Virgin, when she 

 liv r ed in Nazareth, to be transported from Judea to 

 the place where it now stands ; if such were His 

 will and pleasure. There are authentic proofs of 

 its miraculous transition ; but the belief of it is 

 optional with every Catholic, as the Church has 

 pronounced nothing on the subject. Millions upon 

 millions of pilgrims have already visited it, and 

 millions in times to come, will, no doubt, follow 

 their example. I believe in the miracle. 



The road onwards, from Loretto to Rome, offered 

 us very scanty gleanings in ornithology. All that 

 we saw, was a few finches and carrion crows. The 

 pigs here are mostly black, and stand high on their 

 legs ; but not quite so high as those of Belgium. 

 The mules and asses seemed to be well taken care 

 of; and the oxen were beautiful. Although the 

 day was deliciously warm, and although I cast my 



