85 The following description of this little idol is given by a well-known French writer of last century:—“This morning, when I was quietly walking along a street towards the capitol, I met with a carriage, in which sat two Franciscan monks, holding on their knee something which I was unable to distinguish. Every body was stopping and bowing in a most respectful manner. I inquired to whom were these salutations directed? ‘To the _Bambino_,’ I was answered, ‘whom these good fathers are carrying to a prelate, who is very ill, and whom the physicians have given up.’ It was then explained to me what this _Bambino_ is. It is a little statue, meant for Jesus, made of wood, and richly attired. The convent which has the good fortune of being its owner has no other patrimony. As soon as any body is seriously ill, the _Bambino_ is sent for, in a carriage, because he never walks on foot. Two monks take him and place him near the bed of the patient, in whose house they remain, living at his expense, until he dies or recovers. “The _Bambino_ is always driving about; people sometimes fight at the gate of the convent in order to get him. He is particularly busy during the summer, and his charges are then higher, in proportion to the competition and the heat, which I think is quite right.”—_Dupaty, Lettres sur l’Italie_, let. xlviii. The _Bambino_ continues to maintain his credit; and I have read not long ago in the newspapers, that an English lady of rank, who had joined the communion of Rome, was performing the duties of his dry nurse on a festival of her adopted church. _ 86 Insolitam imaginem._ I have made use in the text of the English Roman Catholic translation of the canons of the Council of Trent, by the Rev. Mr Waterworth. 87 “Omnia hæc impia sunt et cultus idolorum, alloqui ipsas statuas aut ossa, aut fingere Deum aut sanctos magis in uno loco, seu ad hanc statuam alligatos esse quam ad alia loca. Nihil differunt invocationes quæ fiunt ad Mariam Aquensem seu Ratisbonensem ab invocationibus ethnicis, quæ flebant ad Dianam Ephesiam, aut ad Junonem Platæensem, aut ad alias statuas.”—_Respon. ad Articul. Bavaric_, art. 17, p. 381. 88 Middleton’s “Miscellaneous Works,” vol. v., p. 96, edition of 1755. 89 Ibid., p. 97. 90 Hospinian, “De Origine Templ.,” lib. ii. cap. 23; _apud_ Middleton, _loco citato_. 91 Beugnot, vol. i. p. 231, on the authority of Sosomenes. 92 There are some Protestant writers who attach great value to the apostolic canons, as, for instance, Dr Beveridge, Bishop of St Asaph, who wrote a defence of them. 93 “Institutiones Christianæ,” lib. vi., cap. 2; apud, “Hospinian de Origine Templorum,” lib. ii., cap. 10.