"For what, Christian brother, is more worthy of pursuit by the young? Or what is more valuable to be possessed by the old than the knowledge of the Holy Scriptures, which, guiding the ship of our souls without shipwreck through perils and storms, will land us on the beautiful shores of Paradise, amid the unending joys of the angels? Wherefore, if Almighty God will, whenever on my way I return to those parts, as I purpose to do, I promise to be a faithful friend to thee in all things, and a devoted help, as far as my powers go, in the study of the Holy Scriptures."

On his second visit to Rome S. Boniface was ordained Bishop by Pope Gregory II., who gave him a special association with Rome. The account of his interview with the Pope, his oath on S. Peter's relics, and Gregory's prophetic words [chapter vii], must be read at length to be fully enjoyed. In 732 A.D., S. Boniface received the Archbishop's pallium from Pope Gregory III., and on his third visit to Rome met with a crowd of English pilgrims: Ina, who was founding his school, the English College, the Abbess S. Eadburga, and, above all, first S. Winibald, and then his brother, the pure, gentle, and most loving S. Willibald, the nephews of S. Boniface, who gave themselves up to their uncle, and both eventually laboured with and under him in Germany.

Every one knows the story of S. Boniface's martyrdom, when he was past his seventieth year, by the pagan Frisians, but every one has not heard it so stirringly set forth as in her twenty-second chapter by Mrs. Hope, of which we cannot attempt even a brief account. As he drew his daily strength and spirit of love from the Holy Scriptures, so he died with the book of the Gospels in his hands,—and, lifting them up Heavenward as his last gesture, the Book was nearly severed in two by the blow which released him to receive his crown.

More than his missionary work had been done, for S. Boniface had prepared the way for Charlemagne and his strong Christian empire; and when it broke up, at the great emperor's death, it did not, as Mrs. Hope admirably observes, fall back into anarchy and Paganism, because of the spiritual unity the apostle of Germany had breathed into it.

While following the beautiful and life-like narrative of his labours, we are keenly aroused to invoke the martyred apostle that his spirit may finally awaken the Teutonic race of our own day to the vital need of loyal love to the Church. With this keystone secured, the future greatness of Germany can scarcely be measured, while, failing this, its newly-built empire will break up and perish, as the race of Merovingian kings crumbled and decayed, and its place was found no more.

Historical Sketches. By JOHN HENRY NEWMAN. London: Pickering.

HIS is the last volume which has appeared of F. Newman's reprinted

THIS is telts chief content is a collection of essays, published in 185

on the "Office and Work of Universities," but now called more appropriat

1

"Rise and Progress of Universities." The Catholic reading world is thoroughly well acquainted with them, and we need not speak of their interest and importance.

They are succeeded by two magnificent essays on "the Northmen and Normans in England and Ireland," which appeared in the two numbers of the "Rambler" edited by F. Newman. They are probably much less familiar to Catholic readers, than those last mentioned; but we think them on the whole even superior. They lead us keenly to regret the fact, that the series was never completed.

The volume closes with two dissertations of very inferior interest, first published when the author was a Protestant.

Directorium Asceticum; or, Guide to the Spiritual Life. By JOHN BAPTIST SCARAMELLI, S. J. Translated and edited at S. Beuno's College. Vol. IV. Dublin Kelly. 1871.

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LTHOUGH we have once or twice already drawn attention to the excellent English edition of Scaramelli's most useful manual of asceticism, we have great satisfaction in noticing its concluding volume. The first three parts or treatises of the original work, with which correspond the first three volumes of the English translation, are taken up, as we need scarcely remind the reader, with what may be called the preliminaries of Christian perfection. The consideration of the moral virtues, of the vices and the passions of human nature, and of the various means of acquiring the former and getting rid of the latter-in a word, of all that belongs to what the scholastics would call the material side of perfection is merely introductory to the treatment of the theological virtues of Faith, Hope, and Charity. These are the Christian virtues properly so called; in which essential perfection is found. This concluding volume, therefore, has a lofty theme; and, although the author treats it in his usual practical and catechetical way, it does not fail to impress the attentive reader with its grandeur. If we wished to name a portion of the volume in which he is eminently successful, we should point to the treatise on the Love of Conformity. This noble and fundamental aspect of charity is treated with a fulness and clearness such as we expect from F. Scaramelli, and at the same time with an eloquence and unction which he does not so uniformly exhibit.

We are bound to say that in this volume there are slips and errors, which seem to show that both translator and editor have been somewhat remiss in their work. We do not refer to mere clerical mistakes, although there are one or two of these that make nonsense of the passages in which they occur: as, for instance, the substitution of "seriously" for "curiously" in page 39; and the omission by which it is said that a person who falls into mortal sin has grace and charity, instead of "has lost" grace, &c. (p. 142). And perhaps, in times like these, when Church history is so carefully canvassed, the translator should have declined to follow his author in canonizing Eusebius of

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Cæsarea (p. 96). But the following sentence has suffered a derangement which can hardly be the result of a slip of the pen: ". . . . it is one and the selfsame good which charity possesses by union with hope, although hope aspires to the good sought for, but as yet from afar" (p. 94). What the author really says is this: " . . . . it is one and the same good that charity possesses by union, and that hope aspires to afar off." The sentence immediately following is even more hopelessly distorted; and a sentence a few lines higher up, about Fénélon's error in the matter of disinterested love, is not English, or

even sense.

The volume contains a very complete series of skeletons of sermons, such as was given in the second volume. These, and the copious index at the end, will add very much to the usefulness of an admirable manual.

Pax: Monastic Gleanings. No. I. The Rule of Our Most Holy Father S. Benedict, &c. Translated by a Monk of S. Augustine's Monastery, Ramsgate. Burns & Oates. 1872.

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VERYTHING that can stimulate research about the varieties of religious life, or increase the sense of its value, should be welcomed among us. And this, not only for our own advantage, but for the sake of those outside the Church who are just now striving and toiling at many kinds of imitative monastic establishments, and making sacrifices by doing so which must win them a reward. It has often been observed that S. Benedict's Rule would suffice to govern a kingdom, and the vast armies of his children might indeed have formed no inconsiderable state. "Like another Moses," says S. Oddo, "God chose him to lay down the statutes of the Monastic Rule," and every one of these statutes is marked by wisdom and a special largeness which distinguishes the Benedictine Rule with a majestic benignity peculiar · to itself.

"We intend, therefore," says the Prologue," to establish a school for God's service, wherein we trust we shall set down nothing harsh or over-burthensome. But should anything be laid down with seeming harshness in accordance with the biddings of justice and reason, either for the keeping up of charity or for the rooting out of our vices, let not thy fear cause thee to fly at once from the path of salvation, whose beginning must needs be strait. But as we go onward in holiness and faith, we begin, with expanded hearts and an unspeakable sweetness of love, to run in the way of God's commandments; we forsake His guidance no more, but persevere till death in the monastery under His leadership, and so become partakers of His kingdom." (p. 9.)

"Concerning the old and the children," S. Benedict's distinctive largeness is very beautiful :

"Their weakness must at all times be taken into account, neither must the strictness of the Rule be at all kept to as regardeth their food; but lec a kind forethought be used with them, and let them take their meals earlier than the regular hour." (p. 93.)

With guests, who are to "be welcomed as Christ Himself," the Abbot is even to break his fast for their sakes, unless it be a solemn fasting day." (p. 123.)

It would have added to the interest of this valuable little translation, if a very short summary of S. Benedict's life had been given, with the dates, places, and chief leading points, and the greatest and present extent of the Benedictine foundations. A certain repetition of actual knowledge is always useful, for it is often either forgotten or has never been acquired.

Sancti Alphonsi Doctoris Officium Parrum: Novena and Little Office in honour of S. Alphonsus Liguori, &c. &c. Washbourne. 1872.

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ERY little need be said by us as to the benefits of spreading a devotion to S. Alphonsus Liguori, and we ought therefore to be among the first to welcome the publication of a separate Office and Novena in his honour, to be used by those who have been accustomed for years to arouse or sustain their devotion by his Visits to the Blessed Sacrament, or Way of Salvation. The Novena will be particularly acceptable to all who frequent the churches, or have profited by the retreats of the Redemptorist Fathers, whose zeal and great experience of the habits, and temptations, and struggles of the poor, have earned them such eminent success in large towns.

There are several deficiencies in the volume which might be supplied in a second edition. We should have liked the Office printed in English as well as in Latin in a double column, especially as a little trouble would have given a pleasing translation of the popular and devotional hymns. It is a pity also to return to the defective and foreign "You" instead of "Thou" in invocation, and in at least one instance we find--what was often the case in former days of Catholic publications---the confusion of the two, "Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, love You,-never permit me to become an apostate from Thee." (p. 70.) Equal carelessness is shown in correcting the press in the next page—

"Hail! Christ's own chosen servant,

Hail! rose of fairest hue,

Sweet lily, pure and blameless,

All bright with Heavenly due" (dew).

We feel the more inclined to be merciless on this point, because, as Mr. Washbourne spares no pains in the admirable type, paper, and general "get-up" of his books, he should deal severely with his writers and compositors, in order to secure the full co-operation he deserves.

Thoughts on some Passages of Holy Scripture, &c. &c. Edited by JOHN EDWARD BOWDEN, Priest of the Oratory of S. P. Neri. Burns & Oates. 1872.

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LTHOUGH a passing notice was given of this volume in our last number, we return to it to point out other of its merits, and first, that

it exactly answers to its name, and therefore fulfils its object. It neither preaches nor dogmatizes; it lays before the reader a number of thoughts leading to thoughtfulness, which are exceedingly fruitful and pleasant to take in hand one after another, and consider at leisure. We greet this little book with the more pleasure, seeing in it signs of hope for an increase of such studies among cultivated and reflecting laymen. There is an intense want of purely scriptural books of devotion among us, which, without ponderous learning, or a great array of the bones and skeletons, or what may be called, in brief, the anatomy of religion, should clothe scriptural story, characters, and types in affectionate, simple language, and raise up a deeper and wider taste among us for studying and making them our own. Newton continually put a thought before him to work out and see what became of it, in this way sounding the depths of some great scientific truth which in his day had never been approached; and if such a course has been found of essential service in intellectual knowledge, what might we not hope from a more widely-spread habit of taking some "word of the Word of Life" and bringing out of it for ourselves some of the riches it contains? "The Good Shepherd" and "the Prodigal Son" are good instances of what might occur to many good, thoughtful Christians in this simple kind of meditation. "See My Hands and My Feet," again, though less fully carried out, suggests food for the meditation of many weeks. There is no doubt whatever that these "Thoughts,' which Father Bowden has done well in giving to the public, may be a means of teaching many people to meditate who would never to the end of their lives be able to make the preludes, and points, and other additions of S. Ignatius's method. We are a little sorry that Father Bowden has not carried his editorship to the length of changing some of the foreign wording of this excellent little book: “adorable goodness" might surely have been better rendered (not translated) by "marvellous" or "unspeakable"; " Paradise anticipated" by "a foretaste of Heaven"; "God deigns to offer us" by "vouchsafes to offer us"; "Christ our Model" by "Christ our Pattern," &c. We sincerely hope that many books of this kind may be spread among us.

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Great Truths in Little Words. By the Rev. FATHER RAWES, O. S. C. Third edition. Burns & Oates.

PR

ROBABLY many people have often been reminded of Father Faber's books while listening to Father Rawes; and there is much in these little lectures, or instructions, which brings Father Faber before us. There are the orderliness and method in distributing the subject, the rapid, vivid sketch of multiplied detail, and the exceeding clearness with which the given truth is set out, going to a certain depth and not beyond, which makes any of the subjects handled attractive and popular, while they are full of instruction and interest. Take, for instance, the opening passage of "Mortal Sin," which is an excellent example of his style :