THE JESUIT'S MICROSCOPE.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume IV, Issue 178, 25 August 1876, Page 15

THE JESUIT'S MICROSCOPE.

The ' Southern Cross/ a journal published in the Argentine Republic, relates the following : — A curious fact is related of what happened not long since at the death of a German Jesuit. The Jesuit, whose name was Tanner, a man both pious and learned, was going from Prague to Innspruck, in hopes that his native air -would re-establish his health. Unable, however, to bear the fatigue of the journey, he died in a village upon the road. The magistrate of the place immediately repaired to the house, and in taking an inventory of his luggage found a little box, the extraordinary structure of which made it appear mysterious and suspicious, for it was .black and composed of wood and glass. But how great was the surprise of the first who looked through the glass at the top. He drew back with affright, exclaiming : " I renounce thee, Satan I" The same effect was produced upon all who were hardy enough to look through the glass. The fact was, they saw in the box a living animal, black, enormous and frightful, of immense length, and armed with threatening horns. The terror was universal, and no one appeared to know what to think of so terrible a monster j when a young gentleman, who had just finished his course of philosophy, observed that the animal which was in the box was much larger than the box itself ; that in the present instance the contained was larger than the container, which was contrary to every principle of philosophy, and could not be according to the order of nature ; whence he concluded that the animal hi the box was not material, but that it must be a spirit in the form of an animal. This observation was received with universal applause, and every one was persuaded it was the devil himself who was in the box. Of the person who had carried the box with him it was concluded with the same evidence, that he could not have had it but for some evil end, and that he could have been nothing but a sorcerer. The report of this circumstance spread far and wide, and immense crowds of people came to the house for the purpose of having a peep into the box, and each one said to all he met : " I have seen the devil to-day." The judge condemned the deceased to be deprived of Christian burial, and left an order for the priest to perform the exorcisms of the Church for the purpose of expelling the devil from the box and driving him out of the country. The sentence of the judge extended no further, but the politicians of the village carried their reflections to a prodigious length. The witchcraft of Father Tanner, according to them, was common to all the confraternity, and therefore they thought it right and just that a sweeping sentence of banishment should include them all. Whilst each one was busy in giving this wonder, or rather scandal, his own interpretation, and the minds of all were in inexpressible agitation and ferment, a Prussian philosopher happened to pass through the village. The inhabitants did not fail to entertain him with the news of the day; but when he heard them mention the Jesuitical conjuror, and the devil confined in a box, he laughed heartily at both the news and the newsmongers. Being, however, visited by the principal inhabitants, and earnestly pressed to come and see with his own eyes the wonderful thing he would not believe on their relation, he yielded to their wishes ; and on the magic box being shown him, wondering, he exclaimed : "Is it possible that the invention of the microscope should not be heard of in this part of the country ? This is a microscope — a microscope, I tell you." But nobody knew what he meant. The term was as little understood as the thing itself. Some even began to suspect him also of being a sorcerer, and would have condemned him as such had he not quickly destroyed the charm and dissipated the illusion. Taking the box, he removed the cover in which the lens was enclosed, and turning the box upside-down out came a little horn beetle and crawled upon the table. The philosopher then explained this optic mystery in a manner suited to their comprehension. New admiration now succeeded their fears, and the animal appeared as laughable an object on the table as it had been frightful in the box. All suspicion was now banished, the good name of the Father was restored, and each one returned laughing to his home.