larity among the rustic population from its containing many charms connected with rustic pursuits. P.P.P. adds, La Pate-Nôtre blanche is referred to in terms of reprobation by Jean B. Thiers, who says; "La prière ridicule que l'on appelle La Pate-Nôtre blanche, dont les zélateurs, qui sont en assez grand nombre, et surtout a la campagne, promettent infalliblement le paradis à ceus qui la disent tous les jours."
P.P.P does not give any reference to this passage, which is, I presume, taken from that curious book of Thiers, Traité des Superstitions qui regardent les Sacramens, of which I have a copy in 4 vols., 4th edition, Paris, 1774.
Mr. Smith explained afterwards that he was perfectly aware that the book had no claim to be considered as a book of genuine devotion, and that it was essentially a magical work, his copy being followed by the Grimoire, a book of black magic, and full of diabolical incantations.
Let me refer such of my readers as may desire to know more of these curious specimens of French popular literature to Nisard's interesting Histoire des Livres populaires, ou De la Littérature du Colporteur, 2me ed. Paris, 1864. Le Grand Gimoire is described at p. 129 et seq. of the first volume, and the Enchiridion at pp. 148 et seq. of same volume.
At the risk of sharing the reproach levelled at Gratiano of "speaking an infinite deal of nothing, more than any man in all Venice," I must trespass upon my readers with another reference to Notes and Queries (1st S. viii. 613), not only for its version of the White Paternoster, in this case connected with Saint Peter's Brother, but for the curious charms illustrative of our Folk-Lore in the reign of James I., which the writer found on turning over an old book of Controversial Divinity, White's Way to the True Church, fo. 1624, and which all students of folk-lore will, I think, read with interest.
The extract is a long one, but I think as curious and valuable as it is long.
White is insisting upon "the prodigious ignorance" which he found among his parishioners when he entered upon his ministrations, and he proceeds thus to tell his own tale:—
