“istheVirginunwillingtolistentoyourprayers？““TheVirginiswillingenough，“saidthedisconsolatewife，“andwilldowhatshecanforme；butIshallneverhaveanymorechildren！Thepriest！thepriest！——HeisgonefromHalle，andnobodyknowswheretofindhim！“
Itiscurioustoremarktheaviditymanifestedinallages，andinallcountries，toobtainpossessionofsomerelicofanypersonswhohavebeenmuchspokenof，evenfortheircrimes。WhenWilliamLongbeard，leaderofthepopulaceofLondon，inthereignofRichardI，washangedatSmithfield，theutmosteagernesswasshowntoobtainahairfromhishead，orashredfromhisgarments。WomencamefromEssex，Kent，Suffolk，Sussex，andallthesurroundingcounties，tocollectthemouldatthefootofhisgallows。Ahairofhisbeardwasbelievedtopreservefromevilspirits，andapieceofhisclothesfromachesandpains。
Inmoremoderndays，asimilaraviditywasshowntoobtainarelicofthelucklessMasaniello，thefishermanofNaples。Afterhehadbeenraisedbymobfavourtoaheightofpowermoredespoticthanmonarcheverwielded，hewasshotbythesamepopulaceinthestreets，asifhehadbeenamaddog。Hisheadlesstrunkwasdraggedthroughthemireforseveralhours，andcastatnight-fallintothecityditch。Onthemorrowthetideofpopularfeelingturnedoncemoreinhisfavour。Hiscorpsewassought，arrayedinroyalrobes，andburiedmagnificentlybytorch-lightinthecathedral，tenthousandarmedmen，andasmanymourners，attendingattheceremony。Thefisherman’sdresswhichhehadwornwasrentintoshredsbythecrowd，tobepreservedasrelics；
thedoorofhishutwaspulledoffitshingesbyamobofwomen，andeagerlycutupintosmallpieces，tobemadeintoimages，caskets，andothermementos。Thescantyfurnitureofhispoorabodebecameofmorevaluethantheadornmentsofapalace；thegroundhehadwalkeduponwasconsideredsacred，and，beingcollectedinsmallphials，wassoldatitsweightingold，andworninthebosomasanamulet。
AlmostasextraordinarywasthefrenzymanifestedbythepopulaceofParisontheexecutionoftheatrociousMarchionessdeBrinvilliers。ThereweregroundsforthepopularwonderinthecaseofMasaniello，whowasunstainedwithpersonalcrimes。ButthecareerofMadamedeBrinvillierswasofanaturetoexcitenootherfeelingsthandisgustandabhorrence。Shewasconvictedofpoisoningseveralpersons，andsentencedtobeburnedinthePlacedeGreve，andtohaveherashesscatteredtothewinds。Onthedayofherexecution，thepopulace，struckbyhergracefulnessandbeauty，inveighedagainsttheseverityofhersentence。Theirpitysoonincreasedtoadmiration，and，ereevening，shewasconsideredasaint。Herasheswereindustriouslycollected，eventhecharredwood，whichhadaidedtoconsumeher，waseagerlypurchasedbythepopulace。Herasheswerethoughttopreservefromwitchcraft。