'apprehend more than cool reason ever comprehends'; he may be by
nature incapable of sifting evidence, or by predilection simply
indisposed to do so. 'When we were there,' wrote Newman in a
letter to a friend after his conversion, describing a visit to
Naples, and the miraculous circumstances connected with the
liquefaction of St. Januarius's blood, 'the feast of St. Gennaro
was coming on, and the Jesuits were eager for us to stop--they
have the utmost confidence in the miracle--and were the more
eager because many Catholics, till they have seen it, doubt it.
Our father director here tells us that before he went to Naples
he did not believe it. That is, they have vague ideas of natural
means, exaggeration, etc., not of course imputing fraud. They say
conversions often take place in consequence. It is exposed for
the Octave, and the miracle continues--it is not simple
liquefaction, but sometimes it swells, sometimes boils, sometimes
melts--no one can tell what is going to take place. They say it
is quite overcoming - and people cannot help crying to see it. I
understand that Sir H. Davy attended everyday, and it was this
extreme variety of the phenomenon which convinced him that
nothing physical would account for it. Yet there is this
remarkable fact that liquefactions of blood are common at Naples-
-and, unless it is irreverent to the Great Author of Miracles to
be obstinate in the inquiry, the question certainly rises whether
there is something in the air. (Mind, I don't believe there is--
and, speaking humbly, and without having seen it, think it a true
miracle-- but I am arguing.) We saw the blood of St Patrizia,
half liquid; i.e. liquefying, on her feast day. St John Baptist's
blood sometimes liquefies on the 29th of August, and did when we
were at Naples, but we had not time to go to the church. We saw
the liquid blood of an Oratorian Father; a good man, but not a