BOOK NOTICES.

In the February number of the BULLETIN, page 209, in Dr. Butin's review of Tillman's DER MENSCHENSOHN (Freiburg, Herder, 1907), a typographical error occurs, which makes Dr. Butin seem to countenance Dr. Tillmann's severe criticism of Father Rose's Etude sur les Evangiles, whereas in fact the reviewer meant quite the contrary. In place of justified (line 7 from end of page) read unjustified.

The house of Herder (Freiburg and St. Louis) is rendering a notable service to the cause of theological literature by its reprint of the classical works of Catholic ascetic theology (BIBLIOTHECA ASCETICA MYSTICA), edited by the well-known Jesuit scholar, Father Lehmkuhl, and the first volume of which, the "MEMORIALE VITAE SACERDOTALIS " of Claude Arvisenet, we noticed in the BULLETIN for 1907 (XIII, 304). We have now to chronicle the publication of several of the ascetic master-pieces of Blosius, his "Canon Vitae Spiritualis," "Piarum Precularum Cimelarchion," "Tabella Spiritualis," "Speculum Spirituale," and "Monile Spirituale." The volume is entitled "MANUALE VITAE SPIRITUALIS CONTINENS LUDOVICI BLOSII OPERA SPIRITUALIA SELECTA" (Herder, Freiburg, 1907) and deserves a place in the library of spiritual works that every ecclesiastic is continually adding to.

Many persons will welcome the little work of D. J. Scannell O'Neill, DISTINGUISHED CONVERTS TO ROME IN AMERICA (St. Louis, B. Herder, one dollar). It is an alphabetical list of 3,000 names, from the most distinguished walks in life. It is significant that of the 372 Protestant clergymen to enter the Catholic Church in the United States, 142 became priests, 4 of whom reached the episcopal dignity, while of the female converts 260 became nuns. It would have been well to give more frequently the approximate date of conversion in each case, also the relative figures of men and women. No doubt this American edition of "Rome's Four Hundred" will soon appear in a new and revised edition, on which occasion various improvements might be added. The compiler deserves and will reap gratitude for a task that was not accomplished without considerable difficulty.

We recommend to our readers the very handy little "HANDBOOK OF CEREMONIES FOR PRIESTS AND SEMINARIES," translated from the German of Fr. J. B. Muller, by Andrew P. Ganss, S. J., edited by W. H. W. Fanning, S. J. (B. Herder, St. Louis, 1907, one dollar).

It is doubtless a labor of love that the gifted editor of the Boston Pilot, Miss Katherine E. Conway, has accomplished in the tasty volume entitled, "IN THE FOOTPRINTS OF THE GOOD SHEPHERD, 1857-1907" (New York,

Convent of the Good Shepherd, East Ninetieth street, 1907). Fifty years of the purest and sincerest devotion to the reformation of the weak and the protection of the imperilled members of the female sex are a theme that might well tempt one of the modern historians of the sociological school. In the meantime we are permitted to enjoy the very readable and full description (taken from the convent's domestic annals, supplemented by the writer's personal observation) of the five decades during which these Sisters have labored in the great metropolis. We can all agree with Miss Conway's closing words. Many changes are before us, but of one thing we may be sure; no matter how great our social and scientific progress, the sad old fashions of sin and sorrow and death will not pass away while time endures. And while they last there will be work for the Nuns of the

Good Shepherd."

The Christian code of happiness, its divine origin, its possibility, equity, and sweetness, are well set forth by Mgr. Henry Bolo in his work entitled "THE BEATITUDES: THE POOR IN SPIRIT, THE MEEK AND HUMBLE" (translated from the French by Madame Cecilia, Benziger, New York, 1906.) It is a pity that so useful a commentary on Christian "felicity "should be without an index, all the more necessary because of the aphoristic style of the learned and pious writer.

The life of the first bishop of Manchester (New Hampshire) is the story of a laborious and saintly priest whose elevation to the episcopate simply enlarged his opportunities for self-sacrifice in the quality of a pioneer Catholic bishop amid surroundings that were always far from encouraging ("THE LIFE OF DENIS M. BRADLEY, FIRST BISHOP OF MANCHESTER," by M. H. D., Guidon Pub. Co., ibid., 1906). Yet he held on his way with great faith and abundant charity and left to his successors and his people the ever efficient encouragement of a saintly memory. It is at all times eminently proper to preserve some record of men of such simple religious uprightness and thoroughness; they constitute the brightest pages of the domestic annals of our American Catholic life, while at the same time they reveal to the entire Church a vision of ordinary sacerdotal perfection that enthuses and uplifts.

Every ecclesiastic can read with pleasure and profit the small brochure of Rev. Patrick Boyle, C. M., entitled A HOMILY of Saint GregORY THE GREAT ON THE PASTORAL OFFICE (New York, Benziger, 1907). It adds a useful supplement to the well-known English translation of the "Regula Pastoralis of St. Gregory" by H. R. Bramley (London, 1874); in this connection we may mention another work of Fr. Boyle, his valuable English translation of St. John Chrysostom's classic treatise "On the Priesthood" published a few years ago (Gill, Dublin; Benziger, New York).

The old and meritorious publishing house of Victor Lecoffre (J. Gabalda et Cie, 90 Rue Bonaparte, Paris) continues its excellent series of "LES SAINTS," most of which have been already described in the BULLETIN.

Among the latest volumes are Saint Martin (316-397) by Adolphe Regnier (1907); Sainte Hélène (about 248-328), by A. M. Rouillon (1908); Sainte Eloi (590-659), by Paul Parsy (1907); Saint Pierre Damien (1007-1072), by Dom Reginald Biron, O. S. B. (1908); Sainte Mélanie (383-439), by Georges Goyau (1908), and Les Martyrs de Gorcum (1572), by Hubert Mueffels, C. M. (1908). These volumes are all commendable for their brevity, good order and proportion, select bibliography, moderate and critical temper-above all for their habitually excellent literary quality and correctness of form. Without depreciating the other volumes, it may be said at once that the Sainte Mélanie of M. Goyau is a little “bijou” of historical exposition and right Catholic feeling that will be highly appreciated by all who have not time or occasion to read the larger and more costly "Santa Melania" of Cardinal Rampolla.

Among the lives of Jesus Christ that we have read none appeals to us for its good method like the work of the Abbé Verdunoy published by the Lecoffre house (L'EVANGILE: SYNOPSE, VIE DE NOSTRE SEIGNEUR, J. Gabalda et Cie, Paris, 90 Rue Bonaparte. 1907). It presents at once those facts which are narrated by all the evangelists, weaves them into a continuous life, and deals briefly with the principal difficulties. The work is especially useful to the parochial clergy, whether as material for sermons, or a little encyclopedia of answers and explanations, or a book of spiritual reading. A useful introduction (pp. 1-33) gives an outline of the gospels in general (nature, inspiration, formation), manuscripts, translations, brief notes on the character of each gospel, especially of the synoptic gospels. A large map of Palestine and smaller maps of the City and the Temple of Jerusalem add to the value of the work, which is in every way a desirable one, and is based on the best and latest Catholic researches (Jacquier, Lepin, Rose, Calmes, Lesètre, etc.)

In the thirty odd years of its existence the Institut Catholique of Paris has rendered notable services to the cause of French Catholicism, particularly by the formation of a corps of learned ecclesiastics who have shed no little lustre on their fatherland. One of the most promising of its students, the Abbé Gustave Morel, was suddenly taken off (1905, by drowning) during a brief vacation in Russia. He had just been called to teach Patrology and Positive Theology, after an excellent training in the Institut, and a period of special preparation in Germany (Tübingen, Würzburg) and two journeys to England in consequence of which, and his close relations with M. Portal of the "Revue Anglo-Romaine," he took a deep interest in the question of Anglican Reunion. Withal, he was a priest of pronounced piety and spiritual earnestness, and gave the greatest hopes to his Alma Mater. His friend the Abbé J. Calvet has written a pleasing sketch of the young and brilliant professor too soon snatched away by the hand of death (L'ABBE GUSTAVE MOREL, Paris, Librairie des Saints Pères, 1907, pp. 336).

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We owe to the piety and gratitude of Mr. Percy Fitzgerald, F. S. A., the distinguished author of Fifty Years of Catholic Life and Social Progress (London, 1901), a brief sketch of the famous Jesuit orator FATHER GALLWEY (London, Burns and Oates, 1906) together with a number of interesting letters written to the author in the early fifties while he was yet under the guidance of this distinguished Stonyhurst teacher, and revealing, with a fine literary taste and a delicate flavor of classicism, the personal authority which a beloved master can wield over a grateful pupil, even when the latter has entered on his own independent career.

Many of our readers are doubtless already acquainted with the new and luminous exposition of the ancient controversy concerning the personal orthodoxy of Pope Honorius published in the Dublin Review (1907), by Dom John Chapman under the caption CONDEMNATION OF POPE HONORIUS. It is now reprinted by the English Catholic Truth Society (69 Southwark Bridge Road, London, S. E., 32mo., pp. 116, threepence).

It was a happy idea to compile from the Latin Vulgate a First Latin Book for schools (DELECTA BIBLICA, compiled from the Vulgate Edition of the Old Testament, and arranged for the use of beginners in Latin, by a Sister of Notre Dame, London, Longmans, 1907, 80, pp. 79). In this way the Christian child faces but one difficulty, that of the language, the matter or content being already familiar from its religious training. The fifty-six brief chapters seem well chosen; a preface, introduction, and vocabulary contribute to the usefulness of the little class-book. Perhaps it would add to the value of this Christian Latin Reader if a brief description of the Latin Vulgate were inserted, its origin, character of its latinity, religious and literary influence, etc.

The Roman house of Fr. Pustet (Piazza San Luigi, Rome) has undertaken the publication of a series of apologetic brochures under the general title of "FEDE E SCIENZA," now in its fifth series, and embracing some fifty subjects. Though not so old, and, therefore not so rich, a collection as that of "Science et Religion" (Bloud et Barral, 4 Rue Madame, Paris), it is called to render great service to the reconciliation of Christian Faith and Modern Science. Among the latest numbers likely to interest our readers we may call attention to the brochure (1905) of the late Cardinal Cavagnis on Free Masonry (La Massoneria, quel che é, quel che ha fatto, quello che vuole); a study (1906) of the Biblical Canon by Professor Francesco Mari (Il Canone Biblico e gli Apocrifi); a little treatise (1906) on the Discourse of Christ at the Last Supper (Il Discorso Eschatologica di Gesù), and a brief sketch (1907) by Giulio Salvadori of the youth of Frederic Ozanam (La Giovinezza di A. F. Ozanam). Each series (ten booklets) forms a volume; the brochures are sold for about 20 cents each. The (foreign) subscription to each series or volume is 8 lire ($1.60).

Among the valuable curios of modern theological literature is the defence of the Catholic doctrine concerning St. Peter by Rev. Paul James Francis,

S. A., and Rev. Spencer Jones, M. A. The former is editor of “The Lamp" (Graymour, Garrison, N. Y.), a periodical "destined especially to the cause of Corporate Reunion with the Apostolic See," while the latter is president of the Society of St. Thomas of Canterbury, author of "England and the Holy See," etc. Their work is entitled, "THE PRINCE OF THE APOSTLES; A STUDY," and deserves praise for the fullness and point of its scriptural and historical defence of the primacy of St. Peter. We recommend to our readers the two chapters (pp. 135-166) on the "Witness of the British Church" and the "Pre-Reformation Witness of the Ecclesia Anglicana." They are a "catena" of genuine historical evidence, irresistible to an honest and open mind; the latter chapter in particular amply bears out the thesis of the writers (p. 156) viz, that "no intelligent student will be found to maintain in our day that England was anything but what we now term a Roman Catholic country from A. D. 1066 to 1534." This is substantially the thesis of Frederick Maitland, the great Anglican historian of mediæval law, in his "Roman Canon Law in the Church of England." These earnest writers deserve more than praise; they deserve, with all sympathy, our prayers that they may not wait too long for an improbable turning of a tide whose headway, according to the best signs, is in the wrong direction.

Constant and earnest repetition of the great fundamental truths of religion is at all times necessary in order to offset the equally persistent propaganda of all the irreligious forces of our time. Among these truths none are at present the subject of more opposition than the existence of God, the soul, another life; the necessity of religion; the claims of Christianity and the truth of the Catholic religion. These subjects are treated, briefly but pointedly, by M. Lepin in his little brochure POURQUOI L'ON DOIT ETRE CHRETIEN (G. Beauchesne et Cie, Paris, 1907, pp. 61, 50 centimes). Fr. Lepin is a Sulpician priest, and author of other excellent works, among them "Jésus Messie et Fils de Dieu" and "L'Origine du quatrième évangile," the latter already noticed in the BULLETIN (XIII, 281).

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Thomas à Kempis, in his own way, has so influenced all succeeding centuries of Christian life that we need not wonder that his "COMPLETE WORKS in English translation have found a hearty welcome, even in our un-mystical age. The fifth volume, containing his "Sermons to the Novices Regular" is now offered to the public (B. Herder, St. Louis, 1907, 80. pp. 255), translated from the critical edition of Dr. M. J. Pohl by Dom Vincent Scully, C. R. L., author of a "Life of the Venerable Thomas à Kempis.” An introduction describes briefly the novitiate at Windesheim, to whose members these elevating discourses were preached; incidentally their entire authenticity, doubted to some extent by Kettlewell, is defended by Dom Scully (p. XXVI) who says that in the University Library at Louvain he was privileged to see and handle the autograph volume of à Kempis that contains the sermons."

THE EDITOR.