“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。
InEnglandmanypersonshaveasingularlovefortherelicsofthievesandmurderers，orothergreatcriminals。Theropeswithwhichtheyhavebeenhangedareveryoftenboughtbycollectorsataguineaperfoot。GreatsumswerepaidfortheropewhichhangedDr。Dodd，andforthosemorerecentlywhichdidjusticeuponMr。Fauntleroyforforgery，andonThurtellforthemurderofMr。Weare。ThemurderofMariaMarten，byCorder，intheyear1828，excitedthegreatestinterestalloverthecountry。PeoplecamefromWalesandScotland，andevenfromIreland，tovisitthebarnwherethebodyofthemurderedwomanwasburied。Everyoneofthemwasanxioustocarryawaysomememorialofhisvisit。Piecesofthebarn-door，tilesfromtheroof，and，aboveall，theclothesofthepoorvictim，wereeagerlysoughtafter。Alockofherhairwassoldfortwoguineas，andthepurchaserthoughthimselffortunateingettingitsocheaply。
SogreatwastheconcourseofpeopletovisitthehouseinCamberwellLane，whereGreenacremurderedHannahBrown，in1837，thatitwasfoundnecessarytostationastrongdetachmentofpoliceonthespot。Thecrowdwassoeagertoobtainarelicofthehouseofthisatrociouscriminal，thatthepolicewereobligedtoemployforcetopreventthetablesandchairs，andeventhedoors，frombeingcarriedaway。
Inearliertimes，asingularsuperstitionwasattachedtothehandofacriminalwhohadsufferedexecution。Itwasthoughtthatbymerelyrubbingthedeadhandonthebody，thepatientafflictedwiththeking’sevilwouldbeinstantlycured。TheexecutioneratNewgate，sixtyorseventyyearsago，derivednoinconsiderablerevenuefromthisfoolishpractice。Thepossessionofthehandwasthoughttobeofstillgreaterefficacyinthecureofdiseasesandthepreventionofmisfortunes。InthetimeofCharlesIIasmuchastenguineaswasthoughtasmallpriceforoneofthesedisgustingrelics。
Whenthemaniac，Thom，orCourtenay，wasshot，inthespringof1838，therelic-hunterswereimmediatelyinmotiontoobtainamementoofsoextraordinaryanindividual。Hislong，blackbeardandhair，whichwerecutoffbythesurgeons，fellintothehandsofhisdisciples，bywhomtheyaretreasuredwiththeutmostreverence。A
lockofhishaircommandsagreatprice，notonlyamongsthisfollowers，butamongthemorewealthyinhabitantsofCanterburyanditsneighbourhood。Thetreeagainstwhichhefellwhenhewasshot，hasalreadybeenstrippedofallitsbarkbythecurious，andbidsfairtobeentirelydemolishedwithinatwelvemonth。Aletter，withhissignaturetoit，ispaidforingoldcoins；andhisfavouritehorsepromisestobecomeascelebratedashismaster。PartiesofladiesandgentlemenhavecometoBoughtonfromadistanceofahundredandfiftymiles，tovisitthesceneofthatfatalaffray，andstrokeonthebackthehorseofthe“madKnightofMalta。“Ifastrictwatchhadnotbeenkeptoverhisgraveformonths，thebodywouldhavebeendisinterred，andthebonescarriedawayasmemorials。
AmongtheChinesenorelicsaremorevaluedthanthebootswhichhavebeenwornbyanuprightmagistrate。InDavis’sinterestingDescriptionoftheEmpireofChina，weareinformed，thatwheneverajudgeofunusualintegrityresignshissituation，thepeopleallcongregatetodohimhonour。Ifheleavesthecitywherehehaspresided，thecrowdaccompanyhimfromhisresidencetothegates，wherehisbootsaredrawnoffwithgreatceremony，tobepreservedinthehallofjustice。Theirplaceisimmediatelysuppliedbyanewpair，which，intheirturn，aredrawnofftomakeroomforothersbeforehehaswornthemfiveminutes，itbeingconsideredsufficienttoconsecratethemthatheshouldhavemerelydrawnthemon。
Amongthemostfavouriterelicsofmoderntimes，inEurope，areShakspeare’smulberry-tree，Napoleon’swillow，andthetableatWaterloo，onwhichtheEmperorwrotehisdespatches。SnuffboxesofShakspeare’smulberry-tree，arecomparativelyrare，thoughtherearedoubtlessmoreoftheminthemarketthanwereevermadeofthewoodplantedbythegreatbard。Manyapieceofalienwoodpassesunderthisname。ThesamemaybesaidofNapoleon’stableatWaterloo。Theoriginalhaslongsincebeendestroyed，andarounddozenofcounterfeitsalongwithit。Manypreservethesimplestickofwood；
othershavethemcutintobroochesandeveryvarietyofornament；butbyfarthegreaternumberpreferthemassnuff-boxes。InFrancetheyaremadeintobonbonnieres，andaremuchesteemedbythemanythousandswhosecheeksstillglow，andwhoseeyesstillsparkleatthenameofNapoleon。
BulletsfromthefieldofWaterloo，andbuttonsfromthecoatsofthesoldierswhofellinthefight，arestillfavouriterelicsinEurope。Butthesameingenuitywhichfoundnewtablesaftertheoldonewasdestroyed，hascastnewbulletsforthecurious。Manyaonewhothinkshimselfthepossessorofabulletwhichaidedingivingpeacetotheworldonthatmemorableday，istheownerofadump，firstextractedfromtheoreadozenyearsafterwards。LetallloversofgenuinerelicslookwelltotheirmoneybeforetheypartwithittotheciceronithatswarminthevillageofWaterloo。
FewtravellersstopatthelonelyisleofSt。Helena，withoutcuttingatwigfromthewillowthatdroopsoverthegraveofNapoleon。
ManyofthemhavesincebeenplantedindifferentpartsofEurope，andhavegrownintotreesaslargeastheirparent。Relic-hunters，whoareunabletoprocureatwigoftheoriginal，arecontentwithonefromthese。SeveralofthemaregrowingintheneighbourhoodofLondon，moreprizedbytheircultivatorsthananyothertreeintheirgardens。
Butinrelics，asineverythingelse，thereistheuseandtheabuse。
Theundoubtedrelicsofgreatmen，orgreatevents，willalwayspossessattractionsforthethinkingandrefined。TherearefewwhowouldnotjoinwithCowleyintheextravagantwishintroducedinhislines“writtenwhilesittinginachairmadeoftheremainsoftheshipinwhichSirFrancisDrakesailedroundtheworld:“——
AndImyself，whonowlovequiettoo，Almostasmuchasanychaircando，WouldyetajourneytakeAnoldwheelofthatchariottosee，WhichPhaetonsorashlybrake。
Asepidemicterroroftheendoftheworldhasseveraltimesspreadoverthenations。ThemostremarkablewasthatwhichseizedChristendomaboutthemiddleofthetenthcentury。NumbersoffanaticsappearedinFrance，Germany，andItalyatthattime，preachingthatthethousandyearsprophesiedintheApocalypseasthetermoftheworld’sduration，wereabouttoexpire，andthattheSonofManwouldappearinthecloudstojudgethegodlyandtheungodly。Thedelusionappearstohavebeendiscouragedbythechurch，butitneverthelessspreadrapidlyamongthepeople。[SeeGibbonandVoltaireforfurthernoticeofthissubject。]
ThesceneofthelastjudgmentwasexpectedtobeatJerusalem。Intheyear999，thenumberofpilgrimsproceedingeastward，toawaitthecomingoftheLordinthatcity，wassogreatthattheywerecomparedtoadesolatingarmy。MostofthemsoldtheirgoodsandpossessionsbeforetheyquittedEurope，andlivedupontheproceedsintheHolyLand。Buildingsofeverysortweresufferedtofallintoruins。Itwasthoughtuselesstorepairthem，whentheendoftheworldwassonear。
Manynobleedificesweredeliberatelypulleddown。Evenchurches，usuallysowellmaintained，sharedthegeneralneglect。Knights，citizens，andserfs，travelledeastwardsincompany，takingwiththemtheirwivesandchildren，singingpsalmsastheywent，andlookingwithfearfuleyesuponthesky，whichtheyexpectedeachminutetoopen，tolettheSonofGoddescendinhisglory。
Duringthethousandthyearthenumberofpilgrimsincreased。Mostofthemweresmittenwithterroraswithaplague。Everyphenomenonofnaturefilledthemwithalarm。Athunder-stormsentthemallupontheirkneesinmid-march。ItwastheopinionthatthunderwasthevoiceofGod，announcingthedayofjudgment。Numbersexpectedtheearthtoopen，andgiveupitsdeadatthesound。EverymeteorintheskyseenatJerusalembroughtthewholeChristianpopulationintothestreetstoweepandpray。Thepilgrimsontheroadwereinthesamealarm:——
Lorsque，pendantlanuit，unglobedelumiereS’echappaquelquefoisdelavoutedescieux，Ettracadanssachuteunlongsillondefeux，Latroupesuspenditsamarchesolitaire。
[Charlemagne。PommeEpique，parLucienBuonaparte。]