On the evening of that day an incident occurred, of which I took the following memorandum.

February 2nd-about half past four P.M. J- L-, a nailer overtook me in the street. He said, "I have just met Mr. Foley going out, and he told me he had a communication from your Reverence, and that he was surprised at it, for if one of your children were sick you would not like to be (questioned)* in this way." I then asked him if Mr. Foley gave him any message for me? He replied, "He did Sir. He bid me tell you that he received your communication, and that his vindication would appear in to-morrow's paper, and if that did not satisfy the public, he did not know what would."

J. A.

The results of the correspondence with Mr. Foley, so far as Mr. Drew is concerned, will appear from the annexed memorandum.

On Friday the 3rd of February, I was permitted to see the two females in Mr. Foley's establishment, who exhibit the stigmata or wounds of OUR LORD. They lay on beds in their ordinary clothes, their eyes shut, and every limb motionless. On the backs of their hands and insteps, (one on each) were what appeared to be old sores, a little raised above the surface, and open as if blood had recently flowed from them; and on the palms of the hands, and soles of the feet were others corresponding, as if an instrument had gone through. These last resembled rather the cut

of a pen knife, and appeared more healed and less bloody than the others. Their foreheads also were smeared with blood, and exhibited a single small puncture. I saw no inflammation about any of the sores. Their limbs were quite stiff as in death; and I was informed that they then represented OUR LORD when dead: and that they were unconscious of every thing earthly.-Yet, they did not feel quite cold, nor look ghastly: and on putting my hand under the head of each, as near as possible to the crown, so as to throw pressure on the neck when lifting it, I felt evident resistance, occasioned of course by the effort to keep the neck stiff; and this exertion on their parts produced a visible increase of colour in their cheeks; which, on noticing, I was told, proceeded from some Vision they were then enjoying, which caused that blush." Mr. F then called to one of them to sit up, which sne instantly did, still keeping her eyes shut. I asked, did not this betray consciousness? and was told, it was "Obedience to the voice of the Church, and no inconsiderable part of the Miracle"-but it only proved to me, still more, the grossness of the imposition. It was also admitted, that one of them at least received the occasional sustenance of a little milk and water, while representing our Lord in his sufferings and state of death.

In short, I saw nothing but what any person wicked enough to attempt it, could easily accomplish after some practice: and I believed it all to be a most profane and impious effort at deception, which can never stand the test of fair and proper examination.

(Signed)

PIERCE WM. DREW, Curate of Youghal. * I think this was the word. It was the meaning of the expression.

It will be perceived that in his message to me, through J—— L—, the Rev. Mr. Foley referred to an intended letter as a sufficient and satisfactory explanation for the public.

This appeared in the Cork Examiner, of February the 3rd, as follows:

(FROM THE COrk examiner.)

"We may remark, in the present stage of this singular affair, that the Catholic Clergy of Youghal have not come to a final judgment upon the point, whether the appearances on the bodies of the females subjected to such periodical visitations are natural or supernatural, and their caution and reservedness upon a point so important are wise and judicious."

"Youghal, February 1, 1843.

'Defend the Faith-you'll conquer by this † sign.'

"MY VERY DEAR REV. SIR-Don't be sorry for all you have said publicly and privately of the miracles of Youghal. Don't calumnies, es, falsehoods, and false brothers seem to be the burning coals of this fiery furnace in which we are all to be purified before we appear in the presence of Christ our Lord? The miracles are now shining brighter than ever in Youghal. Our charitable reporters have done great good. If the attack had not been made, there would have been no victory. Where is the use to go into the field to fight, if there be no enemy before us? It is good to have calumniators. All I have told you before is perfectly true. I could add a great deal more to it. now.

"But among the many wonders I have seen at the Castle, this seems not to be the least; it is that this dear virtuous girl, who is a near relation of my own, and who is now so much calumniated, predicted the night beforehand, that a certain class of persons would come to visit her on the following morning, that they would, &c., &c., &c.

«The five of us who had heard the prediction, were much surprised to see it on the next morning verified to the letter. Something similar had happened to the afflicted Addolorata of Caldaro, when she said 'there is now a Physician on his way to see me, who will annoy me very much.' These gentlemen whom you have mentioned to me have seemed displeased as they had not witnessed the wonders they wished to see, as if the Almighty should how to us and gratify our curiosity by exhibiting things so plainly to our view as not to leave a shadow of doubt upon our minds. They went off, I am told, discontented, and thought themselves authorised to pronounce without scruple, that all the work was pure imposition. What will they think when they hear that many witnesses are ready to prove upon oath, that upon that very same day, after these curious persons had gone off, there was blood visibly seen upon this woman's head, upon her hands, upon her feet, and upon her side. I know a man can be found who will say perhaps she had a nail or needle with which she could perforate her hands, feet and side. I leave the judgment of that man to the judgment of an enlightened public, and to the awful judgment of an angry God.

"To resume, in a word or two, the question is this, Father Foley, though a pious Priest, as they say, is one of the greatest dupes that ever

stood on ground. He has been selected by the Bishop of the diocese to direct a pious community of Nuns in Youghal. Many, and very many persons have always thought him to be an enlightened director of souls, yet with all his science and sanctity he is now the fool of fools, he is credulous beyond conception. For months, nay, for almost years, he has two persons in his establishment that are practising under his eyes the greatest villainies that were ever practised by a woman, and yet he cannot detect them. The author of such opinions must add too, yes! he is deceived by a woman, a near relative of his own, an always pious girl, whom he saw elevated over ground in prayer, whom he often saw in ecstacy-from whose hands he often saw the blood flowing at the hour of holy communion, and from whose lips he has learned many things regarding the passion of Christ, the suffering of his blessed mother, things which are not to be told now, but which will be related in their proper time. I have, dear Rev. Sir, written to the Bishop of this diocese, and invited his Lordship to come and see what I have witnessed; I have written to the Court of Rome and given a fair statement of the Estatica at Youghal,

"I now write to the public at large, in addressing this letter to you through the press, and give only a faint account of what I know. In conducting myself thus, if all that is said be true, it is evident that I consent to be the ridicule of the world from this hour henceforward until the world is no more. I consent, furthermore, that if it can be found out, that any cheat, deception, roguery, or villainy whatever be practised in this Asylum-let, I say, every man in the surrounding parishes come and level every stone in the Castle with the ground, and put an end to its existence for evermore. It is now sufficiently proved by me, that there is no such imposition. My testimony ought to be preferable to the testimony of the man who got only two peeps at the humbug. It rests now with the Bishop of the diocese or with those whom he shall depute to examine, if there be fraud, impiety, or hypocrisy here. The public then it is expected will be silent. But the public will not be silent or satisfied. They will say it is now the work of the devil. The proved villain and destructor of souls will feel highly honoured at the news. But Jesus Christ, the lover of the Catholic Church, and the lover of his sacred passion, will never permit the infernal spirit to meddle with the representation of his glorious stigmata, nor with the representation of the pains of his ever glorious Virgin Mother.

Another clerical personage too, of sounding titles and high pretensions, now appeared upon the scene. A gentleman of foreign mien and confident bearing, had been noticed for some time as an inmate of St. Mary's Catholic College, Youghal; and now he appeared as public apologist for the miraculous attestations to the claims of his establishment for liberal support.

"One of her brothers is a Capuchin Friar at Bruniken, and a Sister is an Ursuline Nun, at Clagenfurth."-Letter to A. Phillips, Esq., page 12.

The following letter appeared in the Waterford Chronicle, of 4th February.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE WATERFORD CHRONICLE.

"St. Mary's College, Youghal, January 31st, 1843. "SIR,-Last Saturday, the 28th inst., there appeared in your Journal, an article headed "The age of reason versus the Estatica of Youghal;" against which I believe it my duty to protest in the most formal manner, on account of its falsities, its calumniating insinuations, and its anticatholic spirit. I must first confess how much I have been surprised to see so delicate a question fallen into the hands of a journalist, who, although versed in other matters, is by no means qualified to treat of such a subject. Confine yourself, sir, to what concerns your profession. Speak of politics and news, but leave theological questions to those to whom they belong; and above all, beware to interfere by an unjust criticism with the most profound questions of divine science, which theologians handle with much reserve and with the greatest discretion, otherwise you expose yourself to the danger of falling into grievous errors, in proof of which, I need only adduce your incomplete, or rather erroneous, description of an estatica. Shall I add, sir, that I could not but feel afflicted to read such an article in a newspaper, which I suppose to be edited by a Catholic. The Protestant editor of the Cork Constitution has had more delicacy. He did not speak about the same facts, but in a general manner and in vague terms; which shows he has understood better than you, the duty of a public man in such an occurrence. You deserved, sir, to receive this lesson from a Protestant publisher. Now, as you have thought it your duty, to put forth your reflections upon the extraordinary facts of Youghal, I think that justice and impartiality require you to give publicity to the following observations, in order to set the question in its true point of view.

"I say, first, I protest against your article, on account of its many falsities. For you attribute to one of these two pious girls what concerns the other-you confound evidently one with the other, although some striking differences exist between them both, without, however, any shadow of contradiction. It is equally false that the blood does not flow from the punctures of the crown of thorns, but after she has applied the nails to her head. It is also false that there are three girls besides in the same extraordinary state. It is moreover false, that the inmates of the house may be excited by their example to do the same, as they are forbidden to hold any communication with them. In fine, your whole statement is altogether incomplete and full of falsities, and if called upon, I am ready to give further particulars in proof of this assertion. See then, sir, the consequence of judging such a question by mere hearsay, and of giving blind credit to an ill-informed correspondent. I think my testimony will be free from any such objection, and nobody can refuse to admit what my eyes have witnessed. I must tell you that I am qualified better than any other, to attest these facts, by my residence at the College of the Rev. Mr. Foley. Several times have I seen the punctures of the crown of thorns, the stigmata of the hands and feet, and the blood flowing from them in a manner which could happen neither by nature nor by art.

"I say, secondly, I highly protest against your article, on account of the calumniating insinuations it contains. It would require no deep penetra

tion, from the manner of your expression, to discern that you intended to exhibit the asylum founded by Mr. Foley, as a house of wretched victims of illusion, who impose on the public credulity, by pretending to be favored with extraordinary graces. But I say that is indeed a serious accusation, and before denouncing such a respectable establishment, prudence, justice, and charity would have required that you had better proofs than the ungrounded assertions of an unfaithful informant. But that is not all, you go farther; your attacks fall at last upon the Rev. Mr. Foley himself; for the natural consequence to be deduced from your reflections is, that this worthy Priest is either an impostor or the dupe of imposition. I will not qualify such an insinuation against a Clergyman well known by his true piety and his learning, and whose reputation is above all attempts of calumny. I will leave to your readers to do you justice. But in order to let them judge the delicacy of your proceedings, I will inform them that the same Mr. Foley is a subscriber to the Chronicle, which speaks so charitably of him. In fine, I must say a word on the spirit of your article: it is quite evident that you do not admit the reality, or, at least, the supernatural and divine origin of any facts, such as those which have taken place at Youghal. The similitude with the Fakiers of India and the name of the Earl of Shrewsbury, which you have adduced, leave no doubt of your opinion on this subject. You are at liberty, sir, to range yourself amongst those pretended philosophers, who glory in rejecting all miraculous things, and consider it as superstition and weak-mindedness to believe in the interposition of Divine Omnipotence in the things of this world. You would have done better by paying more respect to the religious feelings of your readers, who, I am sure, have not swallowed so strong a dose of that philosophy. For my own part, although I do not pretend to decide the present question in its theological view, I will openly confess, I rather range myself with St. Thomas, St. Bonaventure, Suarres, St. Ligorio, and the Doctors, the most celebrated by their science and their virtues, who have admitted the reality of such extraordinary favours, than with some impious, heretical, and bad Catholic writers, who have attacked and ridiculed them. I know well that is not a defined article, but the opposite opinion is evidently against the sentiments of our holy Mother the Church, which approved in many saints, the truth of these extraordinary graces, and which has even established a particular festivity to honour the day on which St. Francis of Assisium received the Stigmata of the Passion of our Saviour. And who would be the man so daring as to say that God is no longer powerful enough to work such wonders? Who would be so rash as to pretend that the time for these favours of the divine goodness is no more? Could the reason of this enlightened age set limits to the unbounded omnipotence of the Most High, or perhaps the sanctity of our times is so perfect as to have no further need of these extraordinary marks of the mercies of the Lord?

"I have the honor to be, sir, truly yours,

"CIR AUBERT, P.R., O.M., T.M., D.D.,

"Lately Professor of Divinity at Marseilles."

Thus sufficient facts were afforded, to prove that a miracle was attempted to be palmed upon the public, by Two MINISTERS OF THE CHURCH OF ROME, of high pretensions and extensive