Sister Augustine, Superior of the Sisters of Charity at the St. Johannis Hospital at Bonn. Authorized translation from the German "Memorials of Amalie von Lasaulx." London: C. Kegan Paul & Co.

A

BOOK with the above title-page and with a vignette of Sister Augustine in the head-dress of a nun as its frontispiece, may well be mistaken for a volume of Catholic biography. Indeed, the copy before us was sent by unsuspecting friends as a feast-day present to an inmate of an English Convent. A word of warning may, therefore, not be inopportune. "Sister Augustine" is the biography of a German nun who was a strenuous opponent of the dogma of Papal Infallibility; "a pillar of the opposition," as the biographer delights to call her. By word and by letter she encouraged the opposition of priests and others; she persistently refused obedience even on her deathbed, being willing to die without the Sacraments rather than submit her judgment to the decrees of the Vatican Council. If to this we add that when a superioress who had been trying to win her to a better spirit asked her if she believed at least in the Immaculate Conception of our Lady, she replied, No, not as a dogma-we shall have said all that need here be said. Our regret for the stubbornness and sad death-isolated and without the hope of Christian burial-of this misguided lady does not of course oblige us to refuse admiration to her for her life of sacrificing self-devotedness to the sick; but there is nothing in this part of her life, so far as we can recall, that may not have been philanthropy as much as the dictate of religious vocation. We have an abundance of lives, in every language, of noble Catholic women, whose charity far excels that of Amalie von Lasaulx, and which are not under any such dark cloud as spoils hers. She is called a Sister of Charity, but the religious head-dress of her portrait is not the world-famous cornette, and readers learning that the maison mère of her order was at Nancy, will therefrom gather that Sister Augustine was not one of the "Sisters of Charity." Whatever the order to which she belonged, its Superiors treated her, as the biography abundantly shows, with great patience and consideration. They are not injured by her fault. But it would have doubly surprised us had she been a daughter of St. Vincent de Paul, at the Paris Novitiate of whose Order there is every day "perpetual adoration:" two of the novices constantly succeeding each other in their half-hour of adoration and prayer before the Blessed Sacrament for the welfare and intentions of the Pope, and where also devotions in honour of the Immaculate Conception of Our Lady are a conspicuous feature, and date from a long distant time before the decree was even dreamed of.

Christian Truths. Lectures by the Right Rev. FRANCIS SILAS CHATARD, D.D., Bishop of Vincennes. New York: Catholic Publication Society. 1881.

OUR

UR American cousins are an inquiring race. They love to ask questions, and are always most emphatically "wanting to know." They uniformly listen to any explanations vouchsafed them about our holy faith, with marked courtesy and attention. And if in result, conversions to faith are not more frequent-and they are frequent we have long known that though Paul may plant and Apollo water, it "is God who giveth the increase." Bishop Chatard's volume, "Christian Truths," is eminently likely to meet with acceptance and do great good amongst a people ripe for instruction and so readily reached by reason. The lectures are designed "to furnish our young Catholics with a manual which will be useful to them in meeting the vital questions of the day in a manner suited to parry the attacks against faith." Amongst the subjects of the lectures, originally delivered, some in America, others in Rome, are "The Personality of God," ," "Existence of the Soul," "Relation between God and the Soul -Revelation," "Faith and its Requisites," "Infallibility," "The Liturgy," "Penance," "Eucharist," and "Early Christianity." These lectures are admirably adapted to their purpose. Always logical in their argument, everywhere most effectively appealing to reason; in style clear and lucid, and though without any special aim at rhetorical effect, they have the eloquence of earnestness. Though primarily intended for young Catholic laymen, the lectures are full of matter which would be valuable to many a hard-worked priest. As a valuable help towards accounting for the faith which is in us, we trust this little volume will have a wide circulation, not only in America, but also here in Great Britain.

A Plain Exposition of the Irish Land Act of 1881. By the Very Rev. Canon W. J. WALSH, D.D., President of St. Patrick's College, Maynooth. Dublin: Browne & Nolan; and M. H. Gill & Son. 1881.

TH

THIS admirable analysis of the Irish Land Bill, which has just passed the Legislature, is already widely known and appreciated in Ireland. We cannot do better than recommend it to thoughtful readers in England and Scotland as well. Very few Englishmen have as yet grasped the idea of Mr. Gladstone's bold measure. Irish soil may now practically belong to the Irish people; and no landlord will be a whit the worse, or need part with anything except his pride. Dr. Walsh, with clear and patient exposition, follows all the intricacies of the Act, and puts its provisions into plain and intelligible language. He describes the new Land Court, and the way in which " statutory tenancy"-a really revolutionary creation-is to come into existence.

He sets forth the

provisions by which a tenant may be helped to become a proprietor; and he shows the effect of the Act in regard to the reclamation of land, to emigration, and the improvement of the condition of the farm labourers. Many of us are expecting a " Land Act" for Scotland and for England. It is well to be prepared and informed.

VOL. VI.—NO. II. [Third Series.]

PP

BOOKS OF DEVOTION AND SPIRITUAL READING.

1. Contemplations and Meditations on the Passion and Death, and on the Glorious Life, of Our Lord Jesus Christ, according to the Method of St. Ignatius. Translated from the French by a SISTER OF MERCY. Third edition. London: Burns & Oates. 1881. 2. Familiar Instructions and Evening Lectures on all the Truths of Religion. By Mgr. DE SEGUR. Translated from the French. Vol. II. London: Burns & Oates. 1881.

3. St. Bernard on the Love of God. Translated by MARIANNE CAROLINE and COVENTRY PATMORE. London: C. Kegan Paul & Co. 1881.

4. The Following of Christ. A New Translation. London: Burns & Oates. 1881.

5. Instructions for First Communicants. Translated from the German of the Rev. Dr. J. SCHMITT. New York: Catholic Publication Society Company. 1881.

6. The Three Tabernacles: a Golden Treatise. By THOMAS À KEMPIS. Edited by the Rev. M. COMERFORD. New edition. Dublin: M. H. Gill & Son. 1881.

7. The Will of God. Translated from the French by M. A. M. New York: Catholic Publication Society Company. 1881.

8. The Happiness of Heaven. By F. J. BOUDREAUX, S. J. Third edition. London: Burns & Oates. 1881.

9. Life of St. Frederick. By FREDERICK G. MAPLES, Missionary Apostolic. London: Burns & Oates. 1881.

10. The Confraternities, their Obligations and Indulgences. Compiled from authentic sources, by the Rev. W. J. B. RICHARDS, D.D., Oblate of St. Charles. Second edition. London: Burns & Oates. 1881.

11. Rules of the Associates of the Holy Angels. Dublin: H. M. Gill & Son. 1881.

12. Letters and Writings of Marie Lataste, with Critical and Expository Notes by two Fathers of the Society of Jesus. Translated from the French by EDWARD HEALY THOMPSON, M.A. London: Burns & Oates. Dublin: H. M. Gill & Son. 1881. 13. First Communicants' Manual: a Catechism for Children preparing to receive Holy Communion for the first time, and for the use of those charged with the Duty of instructing them. By Father F. X. SCHOUPPE, S. J. Translated from the French by M. A. CROSIER. London: Burns & Oates. 1881.

THE

1. THESE are very useful and effective meditations, not too diffuse, but well-expressed, and not without unction. The little work is in great part a second edition, but the writer or translator has added a fresh part to the book, containing meditations on the Risen Life of our Blessed Saviour.

2. Notwithstanding a little exaggeration and some fanciful explanations, Mgr. de Ségur's "Familiar Instructions" will be found both edifying to readers and useful to priests and catechists. The work, of which this is the second volume, is handy and attractive, and the translation is very fairly done..

3. Mr. Coventry Patmore, in finishing and editing the translation of the series of beautiful excerpts from St. Bernard, which his wife had begun, has presented his readers with a precious and welcome volume of spiritual reading. Some of the ardent language of the holy Doctor's Sermons on the Canticles, used indiscriminately and apart from its context, would no doubt be found in these days of disrespect to be rather too strong and suggestive. Some readers may be disposed to object to this little book on the same grounds. But, after all, we cannot lay aside the venerable works of saints because modern associations may have touched with their coarseness the spiritual purity of their contemplations. At least, if there are any for whom such associations are too strong, they are to be pitied, but their case is no rule for all.

4. A new edition, which is also a new translation, of the "Imitation of Christ," is proof, if any proof were needed, that whilst men dispute about its authorship they do not neglect to study its contents. This new translation is beautifully brought out, and enriched with woodcuts in the robust German style, which has grown so familiar during the last twenty years. Although it professes to be "new," the translation retains most of the old mistakes. For instance, in I. 1, we have "know the whole Bible outwardly," instead of "know" (it) "by heart;" in II. 9, the phrase, "does not fall back upon comforts," should be "rely upon," &c.; the curious sentence in II. 12, "ecce in cruce totum constat et in moriendo totum jacet," is very inadequately rendered." Behold in the Cross all doth consist, and all lieth in our dying;" whilst the phrase, “with the same equal countenance," (III. 25) is not English, and should be "indifferently."

5. We have in this translation of Dr. Schmitt's "Instructions" a well-meant and, to some extent, useful répertoire of matters connected with first communion. The form of the work is not attractive, however, and the style is heavy. The translation seems to be correct ; but there is in the greater number of German spiritual books a want of finish, which is always reflected in their translations. There are one or two inaccuracies of language. For instance, it should not be asserted that the institution of the Holy Eucharist in both kinds was necessary in order that it should be a Sacrifice (p. 127). And the reason given for this is almost more than misleading" these separated kinds, exhibiting to us the Body and Blood of Christ as separated, are emblems, &c. . . . . represent His Sacrifice upon the Cross." The same language occurs in pp. 93, 94, though the true doctrine is also stated. The reality of the Sacrifice of the Mass and its representative characters, are two different things.

....

6. We need do no more than note this new edition of one of the most genuine and beautiful spiritual books ever written. The translation is that of Dr. Willymott, a Cambridge University dignitary, and was first published in 1722. Father Comerford has done little more than efface the evidences of Protestantism.

7. "The Will of God" is a little book of edifying reading on the duty and advantages of resignation. But either the author or the translator has got into difficulties with the "form" of the exhortation. The first section begins as if our Lord were speaking to the faithful

soul, as in the "Imitation:" "My son, you know the prayer I addressed to my heavenly Father," &c.

At the end of the second

section, without warning, we come upon what seems to be a direct speech of the Eternal Father: "Giving up my only Son," &c. The rest of the book appears to be written, for the most part, in the author's own person.

8. Père Boudreaux's learned and exact treatise on "The Happinessof Heaven,” translated, is also a new edition. It is an excellent book of its kind, and ought to prove useful and suggestive on one of the most difficult of subjects. There are some who look forward to a carnal heaven, some to an insipid one, and many to a very vague one. Theology, and devout but accurate meditation, have here provided the means of correcting all such views.

9. One whose Christian name happens to be Frederick, naturally resents the question, which other people sometimes ask, "Was there ever a St. Frederick ?" Father Maples undertakes, in an attractive little book, to inform such persons that St. Frederick was a Bishop of Utrecht, martyred in 838 for his apostolic zeal. An interesting point is connected with the "Prayer" of St. Frederick, here printed (p. 28). It is evidently an (very brief) extract from the Athanasian Creed, with two or three phrases of a devotional character added, and was intended for popular use. We know that St. Frederick; assisted by St. Odulph, had to wage serious war against Arianism and Sabellianism. The discovery of the "Utrecht" Psalter, containing the earliest known text of the Athanasian Creed, and ascribed by some to the very century in which St. Frederick lived, has given us an interesting relic, which the Saint himself may have read or possessed.

10. In the day of a multiplication of Confraternities, such a guide-book as this little brochure by Dr. Richards is most welcome.

11. The Association of the Holy Angels" seems to be intended for the profit of young girls at school, who are to wear a "preparatory" ribbon, and then a ribbon of full admission; who are to draw a billet on the first Tuesday of every month, &c. The rules are simple and really edifying, and the devotions are touching and attractive.

12. There are many, especially of those who have read Mr. Healy Thompson's admirable "Life of Marie Lataste," who will welcome this companion volume of her "Letters and Writings," translated by the same accomplished scholar. The volume, however, is by no means equal in point of interest or value to the former one. Whatever a saint writes carries a weight and effectiveness of its own; and Marie Lataste, though not a canonized saint, may be prudently held as a woman of heroic sanctity. But, apart from this consideration, her utterances on the Christian mysteries and the spiritual life are not remarkable; and the notes of the good Jesuit Father who "explains" her, and vouches for her orthodoxy in one or two perilous collocations, weight still more heavily a book that can hardly be called attractive reading.

13. Father Schouppe has done much to bring exact theological science to bear upon popular religious instruction; and this translation, by a competent person, of his "First Communicants' Manual," will be found useful by priests and teachers.