he notorious
Queen Joanna II. of Naples. Aeneas Silvius Piccolomini, afterwards Pope
Pius II., however, seems to have thought Amalfi, ever dwindling in size
and importance, too mean a place to own so great a treasure, and he
accordingly transported the head of the Saint to Rome, where it is now
accounted amongst the four chief relics of St Peter's. Perhaps it was to
counterbalance the loss of so important a member of the Saint's anatomy,
that in the succeeding century there arose a report which spoke of the
rescue of certain relics of the Apostle Andrew during the headlong course
of the Reformation in Scotland. The most precious objects preserved in the
Cathedral of St Andrew's, says this legend, were secretly saved from the
expected fury of Knox's partisans and brought to Amalfi, where they were
reverently added to the store of remains that had survived the plundering
of Pius II. Whether or no there be any truth in this somewhat fantastic
theory, it is enough to state that St Andrew continues to be patron Saint
of this maritime city, for which office the character of the Galilean
fisherman who was called to be a fisher of men seems specially
appropriate. Nevertheless, despite the valuable additions made in
Reformation days, the sanctity of the shrine is not held so high as it
used to be. No longer do the venerated bones ooze with the sweet-scented
moisture that in medieval days was piously collected to be used for
purposes so varied as the curing of warts, or the scattering of Paynim
fleets! Yet so late as the days of Tasso, the great Apostle himself was
evidently connected in the popular mind with the performance of so bizarre
a miracle:--

"Vide in sembianza placida e tranquilla
Il Divo, che di manna Amalfi instilla."

But although the present times are too sinful to allow of the distillation
of the fragrant dew of Amalfi, we observe the kneeling forms of not a few
intent worshippers within the dimly-lighted crypt, in the midst of which
the Spaniard Naccarino's bronze figure of the Apostle uprises with
dignified mien and life-like attitude. Sant' Andrea is still "Il Divo,"
the tutelary god of the Amalfitani; he remains in the estimation of these
simple ignorant folk the special protector of the community. Times and
ideas change, but not the old deep-rooted feeling of a personal tie
between the Saint and his favoured people.

We were lucky in happening upon the great popular festival of Sant' Andrea
during our