Sir Arthur looked upward, as if hoping to be inspired with an answer--Oldbuck shoved back his wig--the clergyman was of opinion that his parishioners were too deeply impressed with the true presbyterian doctrine to preserve any records concerning the papistical cumberers of the land, offshoots as they were of the great overshadowing tree of iniquity, whose roots are in the bowels of the seven hills of abomination--Lovel thought the question was best resolved by considering what are the events which leave the deepest impression on the minds of the common people--"These," he contended, "were not such as resemble the gradual progress of a fertilizing river, but the headlong and precipitous fury of some portentous flood.

The eras by which the vulgar compute time, have always reference to some period of fear and tribulation, and they date by a tempest, an earthquake, or burst of civil commotion.

When such are the facts most alive, in the memory of the common people, we cannot wonder," he concluded, "that the ferocious warrior is remembered, and the peaceful abbots are abandoned to forgetfulness and oblivion." "If you pleashe, gentlemans and ladies, and ashking pardon of Sir Arthur and Miss Wardour, and this worthy clergymansh, and my goot friend Mr.
Oldenbuck, who is my countrymansh, and of goot young Mr.Lofel also, I think it is all owing to de hand of glory." "The hand of what ?" exclaimed Oldbuck.
"De hand of glory, my goot Master Oldenbuck, which is a vary great and terrible secrets--which de monksh used to conceal their treasures when they were triven from their cloisters by what you call de Reform." "Ay, indeed! tell us about that," said Oldbuck, "for these are secrets worth knowing." "Why, my goot Master Oldenbuck, you will only laugh at me--But de hand of glory is vary well known in de countries where your worthy progenitors did live--and it is hand cut off from a dead man, as has been hanged for murther, and dried very nice in de shmoke of juniper wood; and if you put a little of what you call yew wid your juniper, it will not be any better--that is, it will not be no worse--then you do take something of de fatsh of de bear, and of de badger, and of de great eber, as you call de grand boar, and of de little sucking child as has not been christened (for dat is very essentials), and you do make a candle, and put it into de hand of glory at de proper hour and minute, with de proper ceremonish, and he who seeksh for treasuresh shall never find none at all." "I dare take my corporal oath of that conclusion," said the Antiquary.
"And was it the custom, Mr.Dousterswivel, in Westphalia, to make use of this elegant candelabrum ?" "Alwaysh, Mr.Oldenbuck, when you did not want nobody to talk of nothing you wash doing about--And the monksh alwaysh did this when they did hide their church-plates, and their great chalices, and de rings, wid very preshious shtones and jewels." "But, notwithstanding, you knights of the Rosy Cross have means, no doubt, of breaking the spell, and discovering what the poor monks have put themselves to so much trouble to conceal ?" "Ah! goot Mr.Oldenbuck," replied the adept, shaking his head mysteriously, "you was very hard to believe; but if you had seen de great huge pieces of de plate so massive, Sir Arthur,--so fine fashion, Miss Wardour--and de silver cross dat we did find (dat was Schroepfer and my ownself) for de Herr Freygraf, as you call de Baron Von Blunderhaus, I do believe you would have believed then." "Seeing is believing indeed.

But what was your art--what was your mystery, Mr.Dousterswivel ?" "Aha, Mr.Oldenbuck! dat is my little secret, mine goot sir--you sall forgife me that I not tell that.

But I will tell you dere are various ways--yes, indeed, dere is de dream dat you dream tree times--dat is a vary goot way." "I am glad of that," said Oldbuck; "I have a friend" (with a side-glance to Lovel) "who is peculiarly favoured by the visits of Queen Mab." "Den dere is de sympathies, and de antipathies, and de strange properties and virtues natural of divers herb, and of de little divining-rod." "I would gladly rather see some of these wonders than hear of them," said Miss Wardour.
"Ah, but, my much-honoured young lady, this is not de time or de way to do de great wonder of finding all de church's plate and treasure; but to oblige you, and Sir Arthur my patron, and de reverend clergymans, and goot Mr.Oldenbuck, and young Mr.Lofel, who is a very goot young gentleman also, I will show you dat it is possible, a vary possible, to discover de spring, of water, and de little fountain hidden in de ground, without any mattock, or spade, or dig at all." "Umph!" quoth the Antiquary, "I have heard of that conundrum.