anta, denotes the chapel of the holy virgin at Loreto. The Santa Casa is properly the house, or rather chamber, in which the blest virgin is said to have been born, where she was betrothed to her spouse Joseph, where the angel saluted her, the Holy Ghost overshadowed her, and by consequence where the Son of God was conceived or incarnated. Of this building the Catholics tell many wonderful stories too childish to transcribe. The Santa Casa, or holy chamber, consists of one room, forty-four spans long, eighteen broad, and twenty-three high. Over the chimney, in a niche, stands the image called the great Madonna or Lady, four feet high, made of cedar, and, as they say, wrought by St Luke, who was a carver as well as a physician. The mantle or robe she has on, is covered with innumerable jewels of inestimable value. She has a crown, given her by Louis XIII. of France, and a little crown for her son.