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CONSECRATION OF BELLS.

To the Editor of the Times.

It has occurred to me that the following description of the practice of baptizing bells, used by the Roman Catholics, may not be unacceptable to your readers. This account is a true translation from a book, entitled, Pontificale Romanum, Auctoritate Pontificiâ, impressum Venetiis, 1698. Lib. ii. Cap. de Benedictione Signi vel Campana." I have run parallel with their method of baptizing children and bells, in twelve particulars, as follows:

public prayers made.

there are more prayers used, and (excepting salvation) greater

things are prayed for, and more blessings on the bell, than on the child. But for the better proof of this point, I shall here give part of one of the very curious prayers put up for the bell at its baptism:

Lord, grant that wheresoever this holy bell, thus washed (or baptized) and blessed, shall sound, all deceits of Satan, all danger of whirlwind, thunders, lightnings, and tempests, may be driven away, and that devotion may increase in Christian men when they hear it. O Lord, sanctify it by thy holy Spirit; that when it sounds in thy people's ears they may adore Thee! May their faith and devotion increase, the Devil be afraid, and tremble and fly at the sound of it. O Lord, pour upon it thy heavenly blessing! that the fiery darts of the Devil may be made to fly backwards at the sound thereof; that it may deliver from danger of wind and thunder, &c. &c. And grant, Lord, that all that come to the Church at the sound of it, may be free from all temptations of the Devil. O Lord, infuse into it the heavenly dew of thy Holy Ghost, that the Devil may always fly away before the sound of it, &c. &c.

The doctrine of the Church of Rome concerning bells is, first, that they have merit, and pray God for the living and the dead; secondly, that they produce devotion in the hearts of believers; thirdly that they drive away storms and tempests; and, fourthly, that they drive away devils.

Sept. 11, 1815.

I am, &c.

R. H. E.

BAPTISM OF BELLS.

On November 26, 1816, the principal bell of the Church of Notre Dame, at Versailles, was baptized according to ancient usage; it received the names of the Duke and Duchess of Angoulême, who were represented by the Prince de Poix, Governor of the Palace of Versailles, and the Duchesse de Demas.

MADAME VICTOIRE'S FOOD IN LENT.

Madame Victoire, aunt of Louis XVI., was very fond of good living, but had the most religious scruples respecting dishes, which it was allowable for her to eat at certain seasons. She was one day exceedingly tormented by her doubts about a water-fowl, which was often served up to her during Lent. The question to be determined was, whether it was fish or flesh. She consulted a bishop. He informed her, that it had been resolved that, in a similar case of doubt, after dressing the bird, it should be pricked over a very cold silver dish; that if the gravy of the animal congealed within a quarter of an hour, the creature was to be accounted flesh; but if the gravy remained in an oily state, it might be eaten at all times without scruple. Madame Victoire immediately made the experiment; the gravy did not congeal, to the great joy of the Princess, who was very partial to that sort of game.

MIRACLES OF KING FERDINAND VII.

We have been (says the Morning Chronicle), through the favour of a Correspondent, in possession of the authentic document, setting forth the holy and miraculous works performed by Ferdinand. The document is a Sermon preached by Don Blaz de Ostoloza, Chaplain Major of his Catholic Majesty, and his Confessor. The following is an extract.

The Confessor begins, by giving a picture of the life of the King at Valency :—

"The King," says he, "rose at eight o'clock, heard mass, breakfasted, made afterwards a party at billiards, entered his closet to read his letters, or some portion of holy writ, embroidered at the tambour till two o'clock, at which time he took a short airing in a carriage-he dined on his return-made a short prayer, received his brothers, or those who were admitted to pay their court to him, supped, and before going to bed recited with all his household the Litanies, which he toned himself.

"An agent of Napoleon, whose impious presence he was forced to endure, employed all means of seduction to draw the infant from his holy occupations. He brought a troop of female dancers from Paris, and even his own wife, to endeavour to charm the king: but I perceived by certain signs (adds the Confessor, whose words we translate literally), that the breasts of these women, indecently exposed, were beginning to have a dangerous effect on the prince, who was ready to fall