and of all those things which make the blood of a real, true boy leap and surge and tingle through his veins. It tells the Irish adventure of Jerry and Terry Wentworth in the reign of Charles I. Terence and Gerald Wentworth were the twin sons of Colonel Gerald Wentworth, of Castle Dunnone, in the County of Cork and in the Province of Munster, Ireland. The reader meets them in the Irish school, in a smuggler's cave, on a pirate ship, in the slave market of Algiers, and, finally, at the Court of St. James. We doubt whether Oliver Optic or James Fenimore Cooper ever wrote anything more thrilling to boys. OVER OCEANS AND CONTINENTS WITH THE SETTING SUN. By Tiscar This is a book of Western travel charmingly written. The journey begins at Chicago and ends in Manila. It was a journey of uncommon interest and one abounding in events that are described in a masterly manner. The fact that the little book is now in its second edition is a substantial and unmistakable tribute to its worth. NEMESIS, AND OTHER SHORT STORIES. By S. A. Turk. R. & T. Washbourne; Benziger Bros., American Agents. 12mo. pp. 180. 60 cts. net. If there is one thing more than another which has the vogue in current literature it is the short story. And the demand has brought the short story of modern times to a degree of perfection never before attained. To be sure, the short story, as such, is not a modern invention; it is at least as old as the Bible, for in the Book of books are con tained some very excellent examples of the short story, for instance the Book of Ruth, Esther and others. In the little volume before us we find ten stories of excellent conception and execution. They are all Catholic in tone and each emphasizes some fine. Catholic principle and points unmistakably some moral of helpfulness in the most perfect conduct of life. The stories, therefore, while not at all mawkish, cannot fail to influence the reader for good, while serving to beguile a weary hour. We commend the collection to our readers. THE DARK NIGHT OF THE SOUL. By St. John of the Cross. Translated by David Lewis, with corrections and introductory essay by Benedict Zimmerman, O. S. D. Benziger Bros. 8vo. pp. 182. $1.50 net. This book will not be intelligible to the general reader for it is deeply mystical and by the author, St. John of the Cross, is manifestly written and intended for the use of the director of mystical souls. Mysticism is well enough, but indeed it requires a peculiar temperament and a special grace of God. To the average reader all the works of St. John of the Cross, and particularly “The Dark Night of the Soul,' would prove rather discouraging than otherwise. He abounds in phrases which have a special significance, a meaning which even many very spiritual persons in the religious state do not grasp. It requires a special vocation to be a contemplative, and unless we have this vocation it is best to give ourselves to the faithful observance of the commandments of the Church and the councils of the spiritual life and leave mysticism to those who are undeniably called to lead such a life. and of all those things which make the blood of a real, true boy leap and surge and tingle through his veins. It tells the Irish adventure of Jerry and Terry Wentworth in the reign of Charles I. Terence and Gerald Wentworth were the twin sons of Colonel Gerald Wentworth, of Castle Dunnone, in the County of Cork and in the Province of Munster, Ireland. The reader meets them in the Irish school, in a smuggler's cave, on a pirate ship, in the slave market of Algiers, and, finally, at the Court of St. James. We doubt whether Oliver Optic or James Fenimore Cooper ever wrote anything more thrilling to boys. OVER OCEANS AND CONTINENTS WITH THE SETTING SUN. By Tiscar This is a book of Western travel charmingly written. The journey begins at Chicago and ends in Manila. It was a journey of uncommon interest and one abounding in events that are described in a masterly manner. The fact that the little book is now in its second edition is a substantial and unmistakable tribute to its worth. NEMESIS, AND OTHER SHORT STORIES. By S. A. Turk. R. & T. Washbourne; Benziger Bros., American Agents. 12mo. pp. 180. 60 cts. net. If there is one thing more than another which has the vogue in current literature it is the short story. And the demand has brought the short story of modern times to a degree of perfection never before attained. To be sure, the short story, as such, is not a modern invention; it is at least as old as the Bible, for in the Book of books are con tained some very excellent examples of the short story, for instance the Book of Ruth, Esther and others. In the little volume before us we find ten stories of excellent conception and execution. They are all Catholic in tone and each emphasizes some fine Catholic principle and points unmistakably some moral of helpfulness in the most perfect conduct of life. stories, therefore, while not at all mawkish, cannot fail to influence the reader for good, while serving to beguile a weary hour. We commend the collection to our readers. The THE DARK NIGHT OF THE SOUL. By St. John of the Cross. Translated by David Lewis, with corrections and introductory essay by Benedict Zimmerman, O. S. D. Benziger Bros. 8vo. pp. 182. $1.50 net. This book will not be intelligible to the general reader for it is deeply mystical and by the author, St. John of the Cross, is manifestly written and intended for the use of the director of mystical souls. Mysticism is well enough, but indeed it requires a peculiar temperament and a special grace of God. To the average reader all the works of St. John of the Cross, and particularly “The Dark Night of the Soul,' would prove rather discouraging than otherwise. He abounds in phrases which have a special significance, a meaning which even many very spiritual persons in the religious state do not grasp. It requires a special vocation to be a contemplative, and unless we have this vocation it is best to give ourselves to the faithful observance of the commandments of the Church and the councils of the spiritual life and leave mysticism to those who are undeniably called to lead such a life. |