{8c} Of the “different virgins” who divide the adoration of the devout in Spain, (each individual choosing his favourite,) it would be difficult to say which has the pre-eminence in general estimation. I believe “our Lady of Montserrat,” in Catalonia, and “our Lady of the Pillar,” of Zaragoza, have amassed for their guardian friars the largest piles of wealth. {8d} As an instance of the fraud, the falsehood and the folly of those who sway the minds of the lower classes, I would quote, from among many examples, the “Centinela contra Judios,” a book of great popularity, introduced by several pages of inquisitorial praises. It gives the following account of the crimes and punishments of the twelve tribes: “The tribe of Judah treacherously delivered up our Lord, and thirty of them die by treason every year. “The tribe of Reuben seized our Lord in the garden, and therefore the curse of barrenness is on all they sow or plant, and no green thing can flourish over their graves. “The tribe of Gad put on the crown of thorns, and on every 25th of March, their bodies are covered with blood from deep and painful wounds. “Those of Asher buffeted Jesus, and their right hand is always nearly a palm shorter than the left. “Those of Naphthali jested with Christ about a herd of swine, since when they are all born with tusks, like wild boars. “The tribe of Manasseh cried out, ‘His blood be on us and on our children,’ and at every new moon they are tormented by bloody sores. “The tribe of Simeon nailed our Lord to the cross, and on the 25th of March, four deep and dreadful wounds are inflicted on their hands and feet. “Those of Levi spat on the Saviour, and the wind always blows back their saliva in their faces, so that they are habitually covered with filth. “The tribe of Issachar scourged Christ, and on the 25th of March blood streams forth from their shoulders. “The tribe of Zebulon cast lots for the garments, and on the same day the roof of their mouth is tortured by deep wounds. “The tribe of Joseph made the nails for crucifying Jesus, and blunted them to increase his sufferings; and therefore their hands and feet are covered with gashes and blood. “Those of Benjamin gave vinegar to Jesus; they all squint and are palsied, and have their months filled with little nauseous worms, which, in truth, (adds our author,) is the case with all Jewish women after the age of 25, because it was a woman who intreated the tribe of Joseph not to sharpen the nails used for the crucifixion of our Lord.” This is a fair specimen of a book of 220 pages.