of the world." It is itself a curious subject for speculation, how dull it often is, how little it interests, how sluggish and disgusted the mind becomes, how weak and distracted its efforts to employ itself in anything like sustained thinking. Sympathy is the greatest stimulus to thought and to its expression. Thought of every kind is evoked by it. A man of wit will be dull in company he is not in harmony with, who will overflow with good things as soon as ever he becomes conscious, that he is with those who understand him and whose minds and feelings respond to his. He will then be "not only witty in himself, but the cause that wit is in other men." It is the same with interesting talk, the talk that is full of little surprises from the uncommon way that old things are said and new views advocated. Nothing is a greater incentive to writing than to find out that it is appreciated, that there are readers who enjoy it and profit by it. In this way a lonely thinker feels he is not all alone. But he must be able to endure and prefer much solitude, and must be for the most part content with sympathy of the telepathetic kind. A genuine thinker is not necessarily eminent or much skilled in any branch of art or knowledge. Nevertheless he may do more helpful and more interesting work than men incomparably more erudite. But this is an aspect of the thinker's craft, which will require separate treatment. WILLIAM A. SUTTON, S.J. NOTES ON NEW BOOKS. 1. St. Augustine of Canterbury and his Companions. From the French of Father Brou, S.J. (Art and Book Company: London and Leamington). This is one of the most important and most satisfactory of the books inspired by recent commemorations-at least its publication in its present form was hastened in order that it might be in time for the centenary celebration of St. Augustine's mission to England. If it were not expressly stated on the titlepage, it would be hard to believe that it is a translation from the French, it is so full of minute antiquarian lore and written in such excellent English. Our wonder, however, is somewhat diminished when we learn that the author, though a French Jesuit, has lived for many years at Canterbury, and that his work in its English form has passed through the hands of Father Herbert Thurston, S.J. It is a solid and original work, far more valuable than histories of much greater pretensions; and the erudition it displays is set forth in a clear and agreeable style, in which, as we have said, it is extremely difficult to recognise a translation from the French. The Art and Book Company have brought it out with great taste and care. It has some good illustrations. The net price has been kept down to half a crown. 2. True Politeness: a Little Treatise addressed to Religious. From the French of Abbè Demore. By a Visitandine of Baltimore. (New York, Cincinnati, and Chicago: Benziger Brothers). Another translation from the French, but certainly not so well disguised as the preceding. No difficulty here in guessing what the French original may have been. The translation is cleverly done; but we are not sure that it was worth doing, and probably an abridgement and adaptation would have been more satisfactory. The translator has been much too conscientious in giving us every sentence and phrase, when many of them might have been shortened, made more English, or passed over altogether. Of course there is a great deal of useful and edifying matter in these letters of advice addressed to a religious community. Some of the hints about politeness will give a good deal of amusement; and one will occasionally be surprised that the good Abbé did not leave some points that he has touched to instinct, good sense, and oral instruction. 3. The Eucharistic Christ. By the Rev. A. Tesniere. Translated by Mrs. Anne R. Bennet-Gladstone. (Benziger Brothers: New York, Cincinnati, and Chicago). This volume of reflections and considerations on the Blessed Sacrament was specially written for the members of the congregation of the Blessed Sacrament founded by Father Eymard; but it will be useful for others whose vocation is similar, and even for the pious faithful. We do not know how far it was possible to turn the French Father's pious pages into readable English; but, though well translated, the work in its present form is still unmistakably French. The most useful part is the introduction prefixed to the American edition by the Rev. Dr. Mac Mahon, who is the General Director of the Apostolic Union of Secular Priests in the United States. The members of this holy Association will derive great profit from this book which to a certain extent has been written for them. 4. By Branscome River. By Marion Ames Taggart. Brothers: New York, Cincinnati and Chicago), (Benziger What we said lately in praise of "The Blisssylvania Post Office " will have led the judicious reader to expect that any story by Miss Taggart is sure of a warm welcome from us. Her name henceforth guarantees a pleasant story told very gracefully. By the way the artist who designed the cover represents the little nine-year-old boy who was rescued from the river as a woman of uncertain age. The same very active Publishers give us a new edition of that very holy and very beautiful little story by Cardinal Wiseman, The Lamp of the Sanctuary," which is almost worthy in its way of the Author of "Fabiola." 5. Notes on the Special Hygiene (Mental and Physical) of Childhood and Youth. By Thomas More Madden, M.D., F.R.C.S.E. (Dublin: Fannin & Co., Limited). The name of Dr. More Madden is a sufficient recommendation for this book, which with the largest type and the widest spacing occupies only sixty-eight pages. Any one to whom his high reputation in this particular department of medical science is not familiar may conjecture it from the enumeration of the professional positions he has occupied, given on the titlepage, or from the criticisms passed by medical authorities on his very numerous works, of which a list is furnished on the concluding pages of the present volume. 6. Saint Wilfrid, Archbishop of York. By A. Streeter. (London: Catholic Truth Society). This is another of the marvellous sixpenceworths provided for us by the Catholic Truth Society. No one can read the chronological outline of St. Wilfrid's career, which follows the introduction, without being eager to know the details that fill up that outline. It is indeed a most interesting narrative, told here extremely well. Dr. Luke Rivington has contributed a valuable introductory essay, bringing out the testimony of St. Wilfrid and St. Aldhelm against certain Anglican views of the day. 7. It is somewhat incongruous to join in one paragraph a new edition, very cheap and yet very neat, of "The Imitation of Christ" (London: Burns and Oates) and "A New Idea in the Life of Father Hecker," which is a short paper read at the recent International Congress at Friburg, by Monsignor D. J. O'Connell, advocating very earnestly what he calls " Americanism," not only in a political but in an ecclesiastical signification of the term. 8. Principles and Practice of English Composition, with Model Essays and Subjects for Composition. (Dublin: Fallon & Co., 16 Lower Sackville Street). This admirable treatise is the latest addition to the School and College Series edited by the Rev. Thomas A. Finlay, S.J.-for which pair of initials are substituted in the present context the initials of more academical titles, M.A. and F.R.U.I. Though the net price is only 1s. 6d., this book contains a vast deal more of useful instruction than was conveyed in the dignified octavos of auld lang syne like "The Elements of English Composition" by David Irving, which young people studied with faith and reverence at the end of the Forties. A person of mature years might study the present work with great pleasure and profit. While original, it is most sensible. The examples are fresh and good. The style throughout is excellentclear, unaffected, and anything but dull. We anticipate a very wide and lasting acceptance for this treatise. We know nothing of the sort nearly so good. 9. Notes on the Sacrifice of the Altar. By Thomas Arnold, M.A. (London: Burns and Oates). It is edifying to see laymen like Mr. Percy Fitzgerald writing such a pious book as "Jewels of the Mass"; and the present work, apart from the matter of it, has an interest for us in being written by a son of Arnold of Rugby and a brother of Matthew Arnold. It is a very pious and (within its modest compass) learned treatise on the Mass, which will enable many to take part in that great action with more profit and more of spiritual comfort by following intelligently the words of the sacred liturgy. 10. Blackthorn Blossoms. (Belfast R. Aickin and Co.) Irish Verses. By Thomas E. Mayne. Mr. Mayne's titlepage gives also the Irish of the name he has given to his verses, Blátha Droighin. They are Irish in spirit and feeling and in many of their themes. We prefer the poem that gets second place to the poem that is placed in front, after a very graceful little prelude in the metre of Hiawatha. The metre of "Matthias" seems somewhat original in refusing us the last rhyme of what the ear expects to be alternate triplets. Another good piece is "The Road-Mender." We do not care for many of the verses on conventional subjects. Mr. Mayne probably sets a high value on the concluding poem, which he dignifies with a titlepage of its own. Its poetry seems a little better than its philosophy, but it ends with the most prosaic line of the whole volume. The poet will allow us to end with the printer; the typography is quite excellent; Belfast need not call on the printing-press of Aberdeen. 11. Stories on the Rosary. By Louisa Dobree. (London; Longman and Co.) Miss Dobree's tales are pleasant and pious, but not too pious. We cannot perceive any natural or useful link with the various mysteries of the Rosary that give them their names. The style is good, but without any of that impalpable charm which is sometimes called "distinction." The eminent firm which publishes the book and which has now a special Catholic department, has brought it out very neatly for so low a price as 1s. 6d. 12. Canon Schmid's Tales of Good Fortune. Adapted by the Rev. Thomas Jefferson Jenkins. (Akron, Ohio: D. H. McBride and Co.) Father Jenkins gives us the very needful admonition that these make now their first appearance in English, for otherwise we might take them for very old friends. It is many a long year since two Maynooth professors, the Rev. Matthew Kelly, and Dr. C. W. Russell, first introduced Canon Schmid's Tales into these countries. The present Translator was right no doubt in often adapting rather than translating. This handsome little quarto has some blood-curdling illustrations which will add to its charm for some young eyes. 13. We must end for this month with two American publishers. One we have named pretty often already. Benziger sends us at the last moment an "Illustrated Explanation of the Commandmen s,' translated from Dr. Rolfus, with practical reflections added by Father Girardey, Provincial of the St. Louis Province of the Redemptorist Order. Though a thick, well-bound, illustrated book, it is given for 57 cents net. The other American Publisher is Herder of St. Louis, Missouri, who sends us a "Short Life of the Venerable John Nepomucene Neumann, C.SS.R., Bishop of Philadelphia," by Father Magnier of the same Order. It has the approbation of the Archbishop of St. Louis and of the Superior General of the Redemptorists. This venerable servant of God is likely to be the first canonized saint of the United States. His life is most holy and most interesting and it has been written with sincerity and simplicity, as a saint's life ought to be written. We must return to it again. DECEMBER, 1897. DENIS FLORENCE MAC CARTHY'S DAUGHTER. CHE PART II. HRISTMAS will hardly welcome any holier or prettier book than the one which is now passing through the press, containing the poems of Mary Stanislaus Mac Carthy. These poems must not be judged by the extracts given in this and the preceding paper; for here we are expressly confining ourselves to the pieces that are not likely to be thus preserved. Perhaps indeed those who are concerned will revoke their edict of exclusion against some of the little things that we are putting into print, such as this " Winter Thought: The winter's here, and, like an agèd crone, The shivering earth wraps close her foliage round; Nestle and leave their summer perches lone. Soon will earth's regal winter mantle, thrown When the snow melts, where will the dead leaves be? The lazy flowers! we cannot even see Yet they are there, and fresh and bright shall rise- The following sonnet is called "Uncertainty." The last word VOL. XXV. No. 294 45 |