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office being demonstrated, then the sole and exclusive occupancy of said office being with the Roman Pontiff, he is the inheritor of St. Peter's

privileges, and consequently the divinely constituted head of the Church on earth.

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WORDS.

WORDS are lighter than the cloud-foam
Of the restless ocean spray;
Vainer than the trembling shadow
That the next hour steals away.
By the fall of summer raindrops
Is the air as deeply stirred;
And the rose-leaf that we tread on
Will outlive a word.

Yet on the dull silence breaking
With a lightning flash, a word
Bearing endless desolation

On its blighting wings, I heard.
Earth can forge no keener weapon
Dealing surer death and pain,
And the cruel echo answered
Through long years again.

I have known one word hang star-like
O'er a dreary waste of years,
And it only shone the brighter

Looked at through a mist of tears;
While a weary wanderer gathered
Hope and heart on life's dark way,
By its faithful promise shining
Clearer day by day.

I have known a spirit calmer

Than the calmest lake, and clear
As the heavens that gazed upon it,
With no wave of hope or fear;
But a storm had swept across it,
And its deepest depths were stirred
Never, never more to slumber,
Only by a word.

I have known a word more gentle
Than the breath of summer air,

In a listening heart it nestled,

And it lived forever there.

Not the beating of its prison

Stirred it ever, night or day:
Only with the heart's last throbbing
Could it fade away.

Words are mighty, words are living: Serpents with their venomous stings, Or bright angels, crowding round us With heaven's light upon their wings: Every word has its own spirit,

True or false, that never dies; Every word man's lips have uttered Echoes in God's skies.

NEW PUBLICATIONS.

TIGRANES. A tale of the days of Julian the Apostate. Translated and abridged from the Italian of Father John Joseph Franco, S. J. Philadelphia: P. F. Cunningham & Son, 29 South Tenth Street 1874.

This beautiful work of the great Jesuit novelist of Italy first appeared, if we are not mistaken, in the great organ of the Papal party of Europe, La Civiltà Catol ica, and it now comes from its wellknown American publishers as "No. 6" of their "Messenger Series" of Catholic romances, and has, we are happy to add, received already an unusually warm series of greetings from the Catholic press of the United States, to which encomiums we now desire to add a welcome on our own part no less cordial because it comes somewhat late. In the first place, the translation is remarkably good, so, unexceptional, in fact, as to run with the chasteness and fluency of an original composition, and the fine diction and sentiment have afforded the translator a brilliant opportunity, of which he has not failed to avail himself. As a literary effort it possesses the mingled massiveness of an historical work, with the delicate grace of a captivating novel, and if at times the narrative seems somewhat to drag, it redeems itself for the temporary contretemps by numerous passages remarkable for brilliancy of description or startling vividness in the plot. Among these we have only space to enumerate the description of ancient Athens, with which the story opens, and the chapter entitled The Sacred Liturgy, though there are many others equally worthy of special mention. The historical and saintly personages of the period are finely delineated, while the development of the hypo

critical character of the great Imperial Apostate is a masterly piece of pen-painting. We feel disposed to regret that the original has been somewhat abridged, though doubtless it has been done judiciously, and this certainly will not materireaders whose name we confidently hope ally mar the pleasure in store for those will be LEGION, not only on account of the interest and pleasure its pages will awaken, but more especially for the admirable lessons of self-repeating history which it teaches the "liberal" Catholics of our own times. The typography is clear and beautiful, and the binding richly chaste.

THE LIFE OF ST. THOMAS OF VILLANOVA, Archbishop Valencia and Augustinian friar, with an introductory sketch of the men, the manners, and the morals of the sixteenth century. First American edition. Philadelphia: P. F. Cunningham & Son, 29 South Tenth Street. 1874.

Some years ago there hung in the parlor of what was then the Jesuit College of Philadelphia, but now known as La Salle College of the Christian Brothers, a large picture representing St. Thomas of Villanova distributing alms to the poor. The painting was, we believe, the property of a sister of the late General Meade, U. S. A., residing in New York, but we have often wondered since if the large number of persons who gazed so earnestly upon the beautiful masterpiece of art during its temporary exposition in our city, had failed to take away with them a heartfelt admiration and love for him whose form and character it so graciously portrayed. One of the great galaxy of the CHURCH'S REFORMERS in

the sixteenth century; one of the most shining lights of the Church in heroic old Spain; one of the master minds that illuminated her grand intellectual centres of Alcalá and Salamanca; one whose rare combination of all virtues, but especially his charity, not merely towards the professed mendicant, but more especially towards those whose position in life would only permit of their destitution being relieved with the delicacy of thoughtfulness and circumspection of charity which only a refined mind could administer, have merited for him the honor of canonization among the most brilliant saints in the court of heaven. Messrs. Cunningham & Son seem to delight in publishing but two classes of books, Catholic tales and biographies of the saints. We have just reviewed their newest issue of the former series, TIGRANES, and we now take up with pleasure a companion publication and their latest addition to the latter class in the life of this glorious son of St. Augustine. The biography itself is simply a republication of the Oratorian life by Father Faber, but it is enriched in this, its first American edition, by the historical introduction referred to on the titlepage, and which is from the pen of Rev. T. C. Middleton, O. S. A., of Villanova College, Delaware County, Pa. This introduction is in itself a volume of research and thought, presented in a neat and flowing language, which claims most promptly the attention of the reader, and holds it in a charmed grasp of interest till he finds himself not only through the introduction but almost unconsciously at the end of the entire work. We hope that the publishers will allow us just one word of indirect disapprobation, and that in the form of a suggestion, that in future editions the present pictorial frontispiece be either entirely omitted, or its place supplied by something equally appropriate and decidedly better.

AN ESSAY CONTRIBUTING TO THE PHILOSOPHY OF LITERATURE. By B. A. M. Philadelphia: Claxton, Remsen & Haffelfinger. 1874.

Although there are no direct pretensions to Catholicity about this work, yet it bears with it the indisputable characteristics of a Catholic treatise, the aim of which, in the language of the preface, is to embody in a united whole the laws and principles of literature in its most general relations; again, the author properly tells us that his work is too succinct throughout to be anything more than suggestive of thought on the subject treated, while the essay being intended

for young men of advanced classes, he has suited his otherwise attractive style to their comprehension, to the detriment perhaps of the interest of general readers. We confess that when we took up the book we felt somewhat prejudiced against it; closer, though by no means thorough inspection, has decidedly softened our prejudgment. The work is pre-eminently scholastic, and, we believe, thoroughly orthodox. His chapter on Literature and the Reformation will need careful reading, in a class where students are not thoroughly acquainted with the history of that eventful period, for he seems to us as leaning unduly towards the Protestant version of the history of that time. Undoubtedly many if not all the scandals to which he alludes, did exist in the sixteenth century, within the pale of the Church, but that they existed as a rule rather than as exceptions, which we think he would incautiously lead untutored minds to infer, we most emphatically deny. We regret that lack of time has prevented us from giving the book a more thorough investigation, and nothing but close examination should allow an opinion to be expressed, but from the cursory review we have made of its pages, we would at present draw no harsher inference than that some of its passages might be beneficially toned to a more judicious key, if its author meant it for extensive use in Catholic colleges.

In justice to the writer, we say that the book is evidently not intended for the weak-kneed students to be found in the greater part of our colleges. It is meant for such as have learned to think, by having been taught to study. It is better for our students to learn something which will require real thought, be it ever so little, than any amount of mere memorizing.

To use this essay properly, both teacher and student must be in earnest, and we need more such books, with the improvements, however, that we mention above.

FOR HUSKS, FOOD. By the author of

Lascine. New York and Montreal : D. J. Sadlier & Co. 1874. Received through Cunningham & Son.

The author of Lascine is, as we presume every one knows by this time, an Oxford convert, and a Catholic gentleman of London, now sojourning in this country. In a review of his first work, which we find in our December number, the writer stated, "We can safely say if it does little good, it will do no harm," a sentiment which we must repeat with regard to the present volume. The au

thor certainly possesses a refined and cultivated mind, which is about the largest meed of compliment we feel like paying him, for when an author gifted with common sense, and possessing as excellent literary abilities, as richly stored and devotional a mind as some

of these pages would indicate, wilfully drops his tone of manliness, we cannot excuse him for marring an otherwise praiseworthy effort, by adopting a style of writing indicative only of talents for the art of intellectual simpering. The very nonsensical title is an excellent index of the style. We do not wish to be too severe, but it is absolutely irritating to find some really exquisite word pictures set in such a ridiculous framing, while the "talk" of some of the characters

would rather serve to nauseate us with the "husks" of poetical piety, than to strengthen us with the "food" of solid devotion.

SIN AND ITS CONSEQUENCES. By Henry Edward, Archbishop of Westminster. New York and Montreal: D. J. Sadlier & Co. 1874. Received through Cunningham & Son.

A new volume of Sermons, by Dr. Manning, and if possible better than even their predecessors from the same source. We need not of course recommend them, but we cannot refrain from thinking, that from the practical nature of the themes here presented, they will prove more acceptable to readers generally, than the other works of England's prospective cardinal, which usually savor very strongly of the theological tendency of the author's mind. They are eight in number, six treating of the various kinds and degrees of Sin, Penance, and Temptation, the latter being especially applicable to almost every one who is willing to read it. There are likewise two on The Dereliction of the Cross, and the Joys of the Resurrection.

THE PIONEER; a poem by William Seton, author of the Romance of the Charter Oak, the Pride of Lexington, &c. New York: P. O'Shea. 1874.

Seton of writing good prose ought to be Any one as capable as Monseigneur poetry. If he be a poet we can find no eviwilling to forego the risk of inditing poor

dence of the fact in the neat little volume before us, which presents a very brilliant cover as the sole equivalent for the purchaser's money. The Pioneer is an exceedingly simple and not uninteresting narrative, told on a few tinted pages of smooth and elevated blank verse. What might have been made of the theme in hands more habituated to handling a poet's pen we are scarcely prepared to brought out of it by any writer of repusay, but certainly not much less could be

tation.

ADELINE DE CHAZAL; or Six Months' Experience of the World after Leaving School. Translated from the French by a Sister of St. Joseph. Philadelphia: P. F. Cunningham & Son. 1874. The title of this publication sufficiently indicates its theme, which is treated in a series of letters combined in the form of a plotless narrative. It seems to be much more solid and practical in its dictations than such works usually are, and will be read, we imagine, with much interest. We feel, however, somewhat inclined to take exception to the chapter treating of balls and theatres, which, though quite sound in theory, is, we think, just a little too severe in its application, thereby exciting a tendency to scrupulosity in persons of a position and age peculiarly liable to that unmitigated evil.

CATHARINE HAMILTON; a Tale for Little Girls. By M. F. S., author of Tom's Crucifix, and other tales. New York: Catholic Publication Society. 1874.

A very creditable little juvenile, which we cordially recommend."

THE

CATHOLIC RECORD.

VOL. VII, No. 40.-AUGUST, 1874.

WHAT ARE THE WILD WAVES SAYING?

IT is an old, old story, yet one ever new with the beauty of truth, that anecdote of Canute, the Danish King of England, sitting upon the seashore at Dover, surrounded by flattering courtiers, who tell him in their deceitful words, that he is lord of all things by his royal power, while he, penetrating the spirit of their lying adulation, confounds their disgusting sycophancy by commanding the ocean to pour its tide no further; yet breaker after breaker, unheeding his royal command, casts, as if in mock submission, its wealth of foam nearer and nearer at his feet, till the king and his company are obliged to retreat to save themselves from the engulfing billows; when he, king in soul as well as in power, turning upon his attendants, reproves them in scathing tones, for that blasphemous and false courtesy which would attribute to a mortal man, albeit a crowned conqueror, the prerogatives which belong alone to Him who is KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF

LORDS.

VOL. VII.-13

People do not see things either by mental or optical vision all alike in this world, nor do some of them, unfortunately, "read life's lessons all aright." There is indeed a

beauty and utility in diversity, when it is ordained by the divine economy, but when this variety of vision and sentiment is not regulated by that line of beauty traced according to the laws of TRUTH, unfortunate mistakes are made in the calculation, both of present facts or possible results; thus, for instance, almost every man or woman boasting of the smallest amount of education, has read in his or her juvenile days, the aforesaid story of King Canute; and while all have drawn therefrom a beautiful moral, yet not all have applied its teachings rightly. Among these latter, Mr. Thomas Nast, the dubiously celebrated, yet not the less able, cartoonist of Harper's Weekly, saw proper, while looking around some months since for new allegories wherewith to recuperate his pencil, exhausted in its active carica

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