bodyofasoldieroftheeighthcentury。So，too，ImightmentionthebodiespreservedatthechurchofSt。ThomasatStrasburg，beneaththeCathedralofBremen，andelsewhereduringhundredsofyearspast；alsothecasesof“adiposeration“invariousAmericancemeteries，whichnevergrowlesswonderfulbyrepetitionfrommouthtomouthandinthepublicprints。But，whilesuchpreservationisnotincredibleorevenstrange，thereismuchreasonwhypreciselyinthecaseofasaintlikeSt。
FrancisXaviertheevidenceforitshouldbereceivedwithespecialcaution。Whatthetouchingfidelityofdisciplesmayleadthemtobelieveandproclaimregardinganadoredleaderinatimewhenfaithisthoughtmoremeritoriousthancarefulstatement，andmiraclemoreprobablethanthenaturalcourseofthings，isseen，forexample，insimilarpiousaccountsregardingthebodiesofmanyothersaints，especiallythatofSt。CarloBorromeo，sojustlyveneratedbytheChurchforhisbeautifulandcharitablelife。Andyetanyonelookingattherelicsofvarioussaints，especiallythoseofSt。Carlo，preservedwithsuchtendercareinthecryptofMilanCathedral，willseethattheyhavesharedthecommonfate，beingeithermummifiedorreducedtoskeletons；andthisistrueinallcases，asfarasmyobservationhasextended。Whatevenagreattheologiancanbeinducedtobelieveandtestifyinasomewhatsimilarmatter，isseeninSt。Augustine’sdeclarationthatthefleshofthepeacock，whichinantiquityandintheearlyChurchwasconsideredabirdsomewhatsupernaturallyendowed，isincorruptible。ThesaintdeclaresthathetesteditandfounditsoseetheDeCivitatedei，xxi，c。4，underthepassagebeginningQuisenimDeus。WiththiswemaycomparethetestimonyofthepiousauthorofSirJohnMandeville’sTravels，thatironfloatsupontheDeadSeawhilefeatherssinkinit，andthathewouldnothavebelievedthishadhenotseenit。So，too，testimonytothe“sweetodour“diffusedbytheexhumedremainsofthesaintseemtoindicatefeelingratherthanfact——thosehighlywroughtfeelingsofdisciplesstandingby——thesamefeelingwhichledthosewhovisitedSt。SimonStylitesonhisheapofordure，andotherhermitsunwashedandlivinginfilth，todwelluponthedelicious“odourofsanctity’pervadingtheair。Inpoint，perhaps，isLouisVeuillot’sidealizationofthe“parfumdeRome。”infaceofthefact，towhichthepresentwriterandthousandsofotherscantestify，thatunderPapalruleRomewasmateriallyoneofthemostfilthycitiesinChristendom。
ForthecaseofJulia，seethecontemporaryletterprintedbyJanitschek，GesellschaftderRenaissanceinItalien，p。120，note167；alsoInfessura，DiariumRom。Urbis，inMuratori，tom。iii，pt。2，col。1192，1193，andelsewhere；alsoSymonds，RenaissanceinItaly：AgeofDespots，p。22。ForthecaseatStade，seepressdispatchfromBerlininnewspapersofJune24，25，1895。
ThecopyofEmanuelAcostaIhavemainlyusedisthatintheRoyalLibraryatMunich，DeJaponicusrebusepistolarumlibriiii，itemrecogniti；etinLatinumexHispanicosermoneconversi，Dilingae，MDLXXI。IhavesinceobtainedandusedtheworknowinthelibraryofCornellUniversity，beingthelettersandcommentarypublishedbyEmanuelAcostaandattachedtoMaffei’sbookontheHistoryoftheIndies，publishedatAntwerpin1685。
ForthefirstbeginningsofmiracleswroughtbyXavier，asgiveninthelettersofthemissionaries，seethatofAlmeida，lib。ii，p。183。Ofothercollections，orselectionsfromcollections，ofletterswhichfailtogiveanyindicationofmiracleswroughtbyXavierduringhislife，seeWytflietandMagin，HistoireUniverselledesIndesOccidentalesetOrientales，etdelaConversiondesIndiens，Douay，1611。ThoughseverallettersofXavierandhisfellow-missionariesaregiven，datedattheveryperiodofhisallegedmiracles，notatraceofmiraclesappearsinthese。AlsoEpistolaeJaponicaedemultoruminvariisInsulisGentiliumadChristifidemConversione，Lovanii，1570。TheseletterswerewrittenbyXavierandhiscompanionsfromtheEastIndiesandJapan，andcovertheyearsfrom1549to1564。ThoughthesereferfrequentlytoXavier，thereisnomentionofamiraclewroughtbyhiminanyofthemwrittenduringhislifetime。