the Imitation, and he to the world, dead in a sense absolutely repudiated by the first principles of the Christian faith. Christianity to be herself must shake off indignantly, not only the barbarism, the vices, but even the virtues of the Mediæval, of Monastic, of Latin Christianity."

The novelist Thackeray wrote in a somewhat similar strain, with similar shallowness of view: “The scheme of that book carried out would make the world the most wretched, useless, dreary, doting place of sojourn. There would be no manhood, no love, no tender ties of mother and child, no use of intellect, no trade or science-a set of selfish beings, crawling about, avoiding one another, and howling a perpetual Miserere."

Such a view as this, our author shows, can be entertained only by a man who has failed to grasp the spirit of the Imitation, and who has not even understood some of its iterated maxims, and, as a set-off to the opinions of the two abovementioned writers, he quotes the views of a number of men distinguished in the world of letters. Making the fullest deductions with regard to the reservations that we have mentioned, we believe this work deserving of an honorable place in the immense library that has grown up around the Imitation.

No complaint of niggardliness can IRISH SONGS AND LYRICS. be laid against the editor of these

two handsome volumes, which constitute the largest extant anthology of Irish verse-songs, lyrics, ballads, and short poems. We find here all that are to be found

* in almost every previous collection, and a great many that now for the first time take their place in a general anthology. Among the latter there is a good number of pieces, chiefly translations or imitations of Celtic poetry, that have appeared since the beginning of the present Gaelic revival. The editor has arranged the names of authors alphabetically, grouping together the selections from each author. Reference is facilitated by two indexes, one of the authors' names, another of first lines. A third index arranges the contents into groups according to the various subjects, such as Home, Conviviality, Legend, History, etc., etc. Those familiar with other collections will be surprised at some of the numbers in these volumes, and, perhaps, will ask with something approaching to indignation why so many poems that have not the remotest reference to anything distinctively Irish, and do not possess anything of the peculiar quality of the Irish inspiration, have found their way in here. Nor will the editor's announcement of his plan in the preface provide an answer. He says that the anthology “aims to present some of the best examples of Irish songs and lyrics from the bards who wrote in their mother tongue, when Ireland was the island of saints and scholars and the school of the West; the folk songs, street-ballads, the great wealth of patriotic poetry called forth by the suppression and oppression of centuries, the humorous and convivial verse with which Irish literature abounds, the pathetic, romantic, and sentimental poetry for which the Irish have always been famous." This is a broad plan, yet it does not cover all the ground. The fact is that Mr. Welsh must have tacitly assumed that everything is Irish poetry that has been written by any one born in Ireland or having Irish affiliations. So Bishop Berkeley, Richard Flecknoe, and the author of the "Mourning Bride" find themselves admitted to the Celtic Parnassus; Mrs. Alexander's beautiful hymn “There is a Green Hill,” her “ Burial of Moses," and Lady Maxwell's “Bingen on the Rhine," along with many other equally incongruous pieces, are here placed under the auspices of the shillelah and the shamrock. This feature is rather a drawback to the character of the work. But Mr. Welsh has given us in such generous measure all that he promised, that it would be ungracious to grumble because he has thrown a lot of odds and ends into the bargain.

The subject of this biography * was A MARTYR OF OUR OWN a young French priest who was DAY.

martyred in Corea in the year 1866,

during the last of the fierce persecutions which the Corean empire waged against Catholic missionaries and converts. This persecution lasted from 1866 to 1870. It has been estimated that, at its close, over eight thousand persons had been put to death. These figures cannot be more than conjectural. But it is certain that a great number of persons suffered death all over that unhappy country which had the terrible distinction of being the last or latest of the persecutors of the Church. However we may sympathize with the

A Martyr of Our Own Day. The Life and Letters of Just de Brentenières. Adapted from the French by Rev. John Dunne. New York : Society for the Propagation of the Faith.

Corean, from a political point of view, as we see his national independence crushed in the grip of the Japanese, we cannot but rejoice that the supremacy of Japan promises a reign of liberty for missionary effort. Thence will come the abundant harvest of which the seed is the blood of the great host of martyrs that has consecrated the soil of Corea since 1781.

A hearty welcome from grateful Sodalists will undoubtedly be the response to the new Sodality Manual which Father Mullan, S.J., has compiled, with every care and zeal, for the Children of Mary. The Manual is a valuable guide, complete in its instruction, in its rules and prayers for private devotion,

, and has every quality to help the Sodalist who aims at a perfect and loyal devotion to our Lady. The publishers have taken every care to present a neat and attractive book, and we wish it a wide sale.

Another valuable publication, † Father Mullan's latest contribution to the work of furthering and fostering zealous devotion to the Blessed Virgin, has just come to us. These Hints and Helps -as the work is modestly titled- will be found invaluable to all those who have charge of Sodalists. In its scope it covers, in a thorough, practical way, the many points pertaining to the organization and management of a Sodality. It cannot but be of much use and aid to those for whom it is intended. Again, the make-up of this book is neat and attractive.

The Tablet (3 Aug.): The Roman correspondent writes of the

reception given by Pius X. to the Japanese Ambassador.
The Holy Father expressed his thanks to the ambassador
for the favor shown to the Church in the flowery king-
dom: “We wish to express our gratitude and our sincere
good wishes that Providence may for long years grant all
prosperity to the august Sovereign of Japan.”—In ac-
cepting the dedication of Professor Minocchi's translation
of the Book of Isaias into Italian, the late Cardinal Svampa
wrote a most complimentary letter to the author. “In
accepting," the Cardinal writes, “there is a gratification
in offering to you and to all sincere and able students of
Holy Scripture in your person, a slight testimony of my
attachment and good will."
(10 Aug.): Fr. John Gerard, S J., combats the idea
that Sir Tobie Matthew was a crypto-Jesuit, or a Jesuit
of any kind. - In a leading article the present unenvi-
able position of the English Prime Minister with regard
to Catholic Training Schools is exposed. Some weeks
ago Campbell- Bannerman, speaking to a Catholic depu-
tation, who interviewed him on the subject, insisted that
he was sympathetic with all Catholic voters, and added
that he thought the Catholic life of a Catholic college
would be improved if salted with the presence of Non-
conformists. A week later, speaking to the representa-
tives of the Free Churches, he showed his real colors.
Speaking of the recent legislation regarding the Training
Schools, he remarked that “the government would have
liked to do something more drastic."
(17 Aug.): The Archbishop of Dublin writes that he is
in favor of changing the canon of obedience, making it
compulsory to abstain from alcohol instead of meat on
all days of fast and abstinence. This stand is taken in
view of the fact that, in proportion to population, Ireland
suffers to a most deplorable extent from the drink evil.
-The establishment of Apostolic Bands for mission-
ary purposes in the United States—how they work and
the results achieved-forms the subject matter for an
article.

(24 Aug.): The Roman correspondent writes that the
Holy Father is about to issue a universal decree which
will practically nullify the Tametsi Decree of the Coun-
cil of Trent. The law regulating sponsalia will also be
greatly modified. They will not be considered an im-
pediment to marriage, unless contracted with specified
formalities and consigned to writing. Recently the
“Catholic Settlements Association" was formed to stem
the tide of indifferentism in the slums of London. A
start is to be made in Hoxton district of London next
autumn. The hopes and plans are discussed at length

in this issue.
The Month (Sept.): Apropos of the revision of the Vulgate,

now being undertaken by the Benedictine Order, the
Rev. Sydney F. Smith writes on the nature of its author-
ity in the Catholic Church and the nature of the revis.
ion it requires.-Fr. Herbert Thurston contributes a
study on the “Baptism ” of Bells.

Baptism” of Bells. The denunciation, by
the Reformers of the sixteenth century, of the ceremony
of the consecration of church-bells, was particularly vio-
lent. The popular designation of the rite as " baptism,”
accounts for the vehemence of the attacks, for such an
apparent parody on a sacrament was considered intoler-
able. However, as Cardinal Bellarmine pointed out at
the time, neither the words of blessing in the Pontifical,
nor the manner of the ceremony itself, justified the pro-
test. The use of the word “baptism” is purely popu-
lar and arbitrary.--"The Society of Jesus and Educa-

tion," is the subject of discussion by Rev. Alban Goodier. The Irish Ecclesiastical Record (Aug.): The opening article in

this number, from the pen of the Rev. R. Fullerton, deals
with the Origin of Religion. The subject is introduced
by insisting on the unity of morality and religion, and
on the definition of religion as belief in God or gods and
relations of some kind existing between him or them and

The paper is principally concerned with the theory
that all religions had their origin in Phantoms of the
Night. This theory, as held by Mr. Tylor and his school,
is fully explained and the position of those who defend
it outlined. Many flaws are detected by the writer.
“This ingenious theory," he notes, “it will at once be

man.