of Me." And so the whole of his beautiful after-life, what was it but one constant passing from martyrdom to martyrdom, until at last, "torn and scourged, and bruised," "his legs broken in the torture," "his whole body one wound," weeping, not for himself, but for the poor pagans around him, he gave his soul to God, and his blood for the conversion of the Corea. We purposely abstain from giving any further extracts, for we would wish all our readers to obtain the work for themselves, for their own sakes as well as for the sake of the poor heathen for whom the servant of God laid down his life. We may point out, however, that his letter, written when in Tonquin, at the command of his superiors, in which he describes his arrest, interrogations, and imprisonment, is said by Mgr. de Carcassone, who pronounced his funeral eulogy in his native place, to be "one of the grandest and most touching pages in the history of the Church." Nor can we refrain from quoting the following from Lady Herbert's preface :—

"Throughout, the servant of God seems to be fearful of robbing God of the honour which is His due, by attributing to himself the least of the extraordinary graces he received. God alone, indeed, could have given our poor human nature the strength and the courage to bear without a word an amount of physical agony the very recital of which makes one shudder. The executioners being at last weary of tormenting him, be was thrown into a horrible dungeon, where he remained for months, exposed alternately to intense cold and heat, without shelter, without clothes, and nearly dying of hunger, What does he do? He composes a hymn of praise, of which the refrain is, "Vive la joie toujours,

Vive la joie quand même.'

'Hilarem datorem diligit Deus.' 'God loves those who give themselves with joy.' Such was eminently the spirit of this great servant of God." (Preface, pp. iv.-v.)

The Crusade, or Catholic Association for the Suppression of Drunkenness London: Washbourne.

THIS

1873.

HIS Crusade, placed as it is, with the approbation of His Grace the Archbishop of Westminster, under the protection of our Blessed Lady of the Immaculate Conception, can hardly require any further recommendation in our pages. We may perhaps, however, be allowed to say a word or two upon the little work which contains and explains the rules of the "Crusade." This most useful little book has a twofold merit. First, it is entirely free from the exaggeration so frequently met with amongst the friends of total abstinence outside the Church. Secondly, it contains rules for partial as well as total abstainers. Amongst non-Catholics there are some who hold that to take any alcoholic drinks at all is a sin. This of course is simple Manichæism. condemned by the Church. But there are others, who without going so far, maintain that all alcoholic drink is poison. This, too, no Catholic can hold, except with regard to cases where such drink cannot be taken without danger of intoxication, because then it becomes a real poison-for the inspired Scriptures, in the midst of its most solemn warnings against drunkenness, is careful to point out that "wine taken with sobriety is equal life to men; if thou drink it moderately, thou shalt be sober.... Wine was created from the beginning to make men joyful, and not to make them drunk. Wine taken with moderation is the joy of the

soul and the heart. Sober drinking is health to soul and body." (Eccles. xxxi., 32-7.) These passages, coming as they do from a DeuteroCanonical book, will be of no authority to Protestants, but to Catholics they are the words of God. The "Crusade," therefore, in no way interferes with those who can safely take alcoholic drinks in moderation, although even they are invited, for the sake of their weaker brethren, or for self-justification, to embrace its rules for partial abstinence, and thus "to deny themselves something, either in quantity or quality, or place or time."

But how many are there who cannot take a little without being led on to take too much? The simple fact that drunkenness is perhaps one of the greatest evils of the present day is the sad, but too-convincing answer. To all such there is but one course open, and that is to abstain altogether, not trusting in their own strength, but placing their good resolutions under the guardianship of the Mother of God, and strengthening them by the Sacraments of the Church. We earnestly trust, therefore, that the "Crusade" will under the Divine blessing become a powerful means of lessening the fearful evil which is destroying so many thousands of our people.

But the Crusade must not be allowed to work alone. Every earnestminded Catholic must aid it by every means in his power; by our prayers, by tender and considerate treatment of all who have fallen under the influence of the fatal habit, by trying to remove, so far as lies within his reach, the anxiety, and misery, and poverty, and degradation, which too often are the causes of drunkenness. We do not believe that any drunkard was ever yet reclaimed by harsh words about his having "fallen below the level of the brute," or other similar expressions. We have seen many instances in which words like these have hardened men in their drunkenness. We should bear in mind that it is not true that it is always men of the lowest natures or the most sensual, but very often men—yes, and if we may believe recent statements, women too-of the most delicate organization and refined character, who out of love of excitement give way to the excessive use of stimulants. Nor should we forget that in many more instances a craving for drink is hereditary, and therefore inborn, handed down to them, perhaps, from father and grandfather, and that this craving can only be distinguished by something higher than nature. In such cases contempt and harsh words are altogether out of place. So in like manner we must aid each one in his own sphere. The efforts of the Crusade, by endeavouring to provide happier, and brighter, and more inviting homes for the poor of Christ, to raise their social position, and to drive away anxiety, and want, and misery, and temptation far from their doors. We must try to bridge over the fearful gulf between the very rich and the very poor, which is the hateful inheritance bequeathed to us by Protestantism, and which is so utterly contrary to the spirit of Christianity. Not until we are thoroughly in earnest in all these respects shall we succeed in stamping drunkenness out of the land.

The Illustrated Catholic Magazine. November and December, 1872. New Series. London: S. Joseph's Press.

E are sorry to say that we cannot praise the present number of our

are "sensational" in the extreme; indeed, on first opening the number, we thought that some penny illustrated work had taken shelter by mistake under a Catholic cover. One of the illustrations, representing an escape from a prison at Toulon is worthy of the "Life of Jack Sheppard." We need hardly point out that of all those into whose hands this magazine may fall, by far the greater number will look at the engravings without reading the story, which might perhaps be supposed to qualify their bad effect. In the present instance, however, the chief illustrated story is itself objectionable, for in the five short chapters contained in this number we are entertained with such matters as forgery, suicide, seduction-not dwelt upon, it is true, but hinted at-murder committed in will, if not as yet in deed; and the conversation is of as thorough a ruffian as ever succeeded in making a highly sensational escape from prison. Surely this is not a story to be placed in the hands of our Catholic boys and girls.

We are grieved indeed to speak so severely of one number of a magazine to which we wish all success, as having a great work to do, especially amongst the young, and which in many ways has done important and valuable service. Would it not be also possible, we may ask, to introduce a little more instruction and distinctively Catholic information in this magazine ? Certainly this can be done without making its pages either uninteresting or heavy.

The Catholic Family Almanack, 1873 .New York: The Catholic Publication Society.

THIS is a very neatly got up illustrated almanack, containing valuable in

of the lives of Bishop Milner, Archbishop Hughes, Archbishop Spalding, Father Mather, Mother Seton, and others. The illustrations of the Rock of Cashel, and of the Cathedrals of Vienna, Cologne, and Chartres, are especially good. There are at present seven Archbishops and fifty-five Bishops in the United States.

S. Helena; or, the Finding of the Holy Cross. A Drama for Girls, in Three Acts. Translated and Re-arranged from the German by the Rev. T. A. BERGRATH. Baltimore: Kelly, Piet, & Co.

E have no doubt that in the original German this little drama is well

Wadapted for the purpose for which it has been written. We cannot,

however, say the same for the translation, and are therefore unable to recommend it, at least in its present form, for the use of our convent-schools. Take, for example, the following (act iii., sc. iii.), where a dead woman (Claudia) has been raised to life by means of a towel which has touched the Holy Cross :

"LYDIA (Claudia's daughter) (takes her mother by the hand, and leads her up to the Empress).-Fear not, my lady. It is my mother, well and strong. Our Lord has given her back to us again in honour and by virtue of His holy Cross!

"HELENA. His name be praised for that. It helps to make our joy more perfect, and adds a special crown to grace this day. Allow me, Claudia, to offer my congratulations.

“CLAUDIA,—I thank you very much indeed!”

We pity the audience, and still more the young ladies who may have to listen to or utter the words we have placed in italics; words suitable enough, perhaps, on the lips of young ladies when congratulating one another upon their approaching marriage, but ludicrously out of place at such a solemn moment as that of raising the dead to life.

The English also is in some places very faulty. What, for instance, are we to think of the following: "The likes of you certainly should not trouble me much in that case"? (Act i., sc. v., p. 16.)

Fleurange. By MADAME AUGUSTUS CRAVEN. Translated from the French by M. P. T. New York: The Catholic Publication Society. 1872.

A

N American translation of Madame A. Craven's beautiful story, although hardly, we think, worthy either of the original or of the excellent magazine in the pages of which it first appeared (the "Catholic World"). Madame Craven's works are of such a kind that, even in a good translation, although their essential qualities are preserved, the exquisiteness, so to speak, of their bloom is lost. How much more then is this the case, when the translation is but an indifferent one? We feel it however only just to state that in the present instance the translation improves as it goes on.

The circulation amongst us of such purifying and elevating works as "Fleurange" can be productive only of unmixed good, teaching as they do the merciful tenderness of God's providence through all the changing scenes of life, and how all human love not founded upon Him, and therefore unsanctified by Him, must sooner or later bear bitter fruit.

Whither shall We go? From the German of Dr. ALBAN STOTZ. London and Derby Richardson & Son. 1872.

A

NOTHER pamphlet from the pen of the same author, in defence of
Papal Infallibility.

"I did not take part in the war with the French, because it is not in my line to shed blood, and exterminate Frenchmen. But I should like to have a share in this spiritual war, not only because my pen is accustomed to contention, but because it could not be altogether honourable if, in this loud tumult about matters of faith and the affairs of souls, I were to sit quietly behind the bush and look quietly on. Indeed, I have been told that readers and lovers of my writings would like to know what my opinions are respecting Papal Infallibility; nay, it has already reached my ears that I am suspected of being an opponent of this article of faith." (P. 5.)

The little work must have done a great deal of good amongst German readers, and we have no doubt that it will also do good in England.

Filiola: a Drama in Four Acts.

Earnscliffe Hall: a Drama in Three Acts.

For Young Ladies.

London: Washbourne. 1873.

The Reverse of the Medal: a Drama in Four Acts.

F these three little dramas the last is decidedly the best, although a

to

us to cling in a hopeless manner about almost all plays intended for young ladies.

The Heart of Myrrha Lake; or, Into the Light of Catholicity. By MINNIE MAY LEE. New York: Catholic Publication Society. London: Burns, Oates, & Co.

A

1872.

BRIGHT, sparkling, clever little tale, brimful and running over with what we once heard a good Roman priest describe as the “gaudium Catholicum." It is simply the story of the passing of a young girl from the gloom of Puritanism and education at "Science Hall," into the light of Catholicity and the joy of the cloister, as well as of the conversion of her mother, lover, and old Methodist uncle; and all this brought about by the religious practices, sound Catholic sense, and good example of a poor Irish servant. Yet everything happens so naturally, and the controversy is introduced so pleasantly, that the reader's interest in the tale is maintained to the end, without his ever finding it either extravagant or wearisome. This is a rare merit in a controversial story. We heartily recommend the work, and consider it well suited for distribution.

Maxims of the Kingdom of Heaven. Second edition. London: Washbourne. 1873.

HIS is simply a collection of maxims taken entirely from the Holy classed under different heads, alphabetically arranged. The work seems to have been appreciated, and has already reached a second edition. To the first edition a note was prefixed with the well-known initials "J. H. N.," in which we are told that the writer gladly availed himself of the opportunity which a friend had presented to him, of having a share, however small, in a work directed in so pious a spirit towards the promotion among Catholics of a habitual reverent meditation upon the sacred words of Him who spake 85 man did never speak."

66

The Confessional Unmasked; or, the Revelations. A Farce in two Acts, adapted from Shandy Maguire," by Sen Columbeus. London :

R. Washbourne.

OT devoid of a certain degree of Irish humour, but to our mind the

innocently, in the form of a farce.

We doubt whether such works are not more productive of harm than good. The best that we can say for the work before us is that it is well intended.

The Witch-Mania of the Learned World. By Dr. ALBAN STOTZ. London and Derby Richardson & Son. 1872.

WE

E never read any of Dr. Stotz's writings without being reminded of William Cobbett. The present little pamphlet is, in fact, a defence of the Society of Jesus, which will prove most useful at the present time when more perhaps than they have ever done since their temporary dissolution, the fathers of the illustrious Society are suffering persecution for justice sake.