quite contrary, especially the English Jesuits, who favoured the Monastery of St. Benedict's, at Brussels, supposing perhaps, that the erection of this new house would hinder that other, by drawing of gentlewoman unto it, who otherwise would go there. Wherefore they came to the English nuns at St. Ursula almost daily, to persuade them earnestly to leave off their intended purpose, proposing unto them the many difficulties which were like to befall them if they went forward in their determination, promising withal faithfully that if they would stay still in that cloister, they would so provide, as they should want no corporal necessaries (for they thought this was their chief cause of parting). But the good religious would give no ear or consent hereto, because they knew it could not stand well to have particular relief among the Dutch and better diet than the rest, and that they, having received them into religion, might take it ill and tax them of daintiness and singularity. Then they persuaded them to disperse themselves into sundry cloisters, and they would provide for every one a part.

"This gave some of them a temptation to yield, but the most part stood firm in their resolution, especially the old Mother, who was not daunted with all this, as being accustomed to troubles and difficulties; but the more desperate the case seemed, so much the stronger and firm was her hope in God. Sister Shirley, that had the charge of things, went to her and made her moan when she was in any trouble, and asked counsel what to do, for she knew not what friend to make her recourse unto, it seemed they were wholly forsaken of all. And the good Mother counselled her to write unto her nephew, Dr. Clement, at Brussels (who had the dignity of Vicar-General of the army, and was Dean of St. Gudula's Church), and to commit herself and the whole cause unto him, entreating him to stand their assured friend by his good word and countenance. She did so, and presently received an answer that he would do them all the good he could; which, indeed, he per

formed faithfully, for many times he omitted his own great affairs to assist us, sometimes writing to Rome, sometimes into England in our behalf, and sometimes coming himself in person to Louvain for to persuade our adversaries to become friendly to us, as they might easily have done if they had liked of this new erection; but he could not prevail with them, God permitting it so, to show that what His Divine Majesty will have to be effected no opposition of men can possibly hinder, as also to teach us that although men may have good intentions in a thing, yet the Divine Wisdom forseeth it oftentimes after another manner."

We must defer to our next number the account of the foundation of the Convent of the Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, which, all difficulties having been at last happily surmounted, was accomplished by the English Sisters, with the full approval of ecclesiastical Superiors.

Essay Clubs.

It is possible to exaggerate the benefit of anything—and we are therefore not about to go into raptures over the advantage to the young of both sexes-and not the young only-of the help to mental cultivation and to knowledge which may be gained by the Essay Clubs which are now becoming so common, in which a certain number of friends combine to write under certain regulations on fixed subjects, a set of essays which are then submitted to a competent judge, who looks them over like the exercises which are "shown up" at school, and allots a certain number of marks to each, according to his or her -ideas of their relative excellence. The essays, unlike the exercises of a class at school, are then sent round among the circle of contributors, who are thus able to profit by the criticisms, or to find fault with the verdict as it seems to them most fitting. The advantage of this system, of course, is not far to seek. In the first place, it occupies the minds and the time of a number of young persons, who might otherwise have no inducement to spend their efforts upon anything so serious or so improving. In the second place, it adds the spur of emulation to other motives which exist, in any particular case, for steady reading and careful writing. In the third place, it brings criticism and public opinion, of a certain kind, to bear upon what might otherwise be uncorrected by any such influences. This kind of "Mutual Improvement Society" has often done a great amount of indirect good also in bringing together persons who might otherwise be unknown to one another, and in keeping up old

friendships. On the whole, we could wish that there were more among our Catholic young people who would give themselves to such ways of improvement. And it is for that purpose that we notice the subject in this short paper. The initiative in any such work must generally be looked for in some well-taught class, perhaps in a convent school, the members of which like to keep up their studies and their mutual acquaintance at once, in the manner here named. Of course, the members of such a little body have other friends of their own age, besides the original set of companions, and a few recruits brought in by each furnish the requisite number to make the competition interesting. For, like so many other things which make a greater show in the world, Essay Clubs flourish by competition. The number of marks which are allotted to each essay are reckoned by the secretary to the credit of each writer, and at the end of the year the modest contributions which are levied on the members furnish the money to buy the prize with which the fortunate or industrious aspirant after literary success is duly rewarded.

It may seem that the office of judge in arrangements of this kind may sometimes be a hard and a thankless office. But it has its rewards, in the case of persons who are interested in the advance of sound mental training and education of the highest sort. Such a person will often find great reason for rejoicing in the discovery of something even better than cleverness and mere facility of writing in the anonymous authors who submit their contributions to examinations. There is usually a good deal of research, and a good deal of composition which has on its surface too many marks of the influence of some writer of eminence, whose essay or line of general thought, has been too closely and servilely followed. Mr. Carlyle, for instance, or Lord Macaulay, is pretty sure to leave traces on the essays which have been mainly formed on a study of his works. It is well if we do not find ourselves in presence of some demi-semi-Carlylism s, in the style itself

But, on the other hand, there is not unfrequently real thought in some of these essays, which is quite enough to make up for a good deal of second-hand material.

Our own experience is not very large, but we should say that in a dozen essays there would usually be found three or four of considerable merit, and more than that number of considerable promise. The chief defect seems to be that of method. There is often a desultoriness which wanders about the subject, without grappling with it; a want of arrangement which leaves a very unsatisfactory impression on the mind, a want of proportion which begins the account, say of the "Battle of Sedan," in the third page out of the four which are allotted to the writer, while the former pages have been occupied in bringing the reader down to the point from which he ought to have started. Of course, descriptive and biographical sketches are the most easy. The more abstract the subject is, the more sure may we be that there will be a good deal of vagueness and unripe thought. For this reason the best essay will often not be the best bit of writing. Fluency is a terrible snare, whether to speakers, or writers, or talkers. The shallow minds will always mistake floweriness for beauty, and abundance of illustration for richness. Such writers, however, have often need of nothing more than discipline and severity to make them really excellent, and this little discipline it is the office of the judge of these associations to administer in due season.

In an age of so much frivolity as our own it is a great gain to know that any number of young persons are obliging themselves to study anything, and to write periodically about anything. We shall be glad to know that these Essay Clubs multiply among our Catholic families, and we shall show, if occasion serves, our own readiness to help in the good work, by printing some of the best essays that may be sent to us, or at least some extracts from them. The administration of these associations is usually in the hands of some of their members, and we