cause so much as enquiry. In striving to win back the people of England to Catholicity such publications are very valuable. Neither S. Paul nor S. Athanasius feared turbulent mobs. Had the apostles and mediæval missionaries-like the effeminate High Churchmen of Bristol, when the female Puritans of Clifton threatened a riot-shut themselves up at home, and discountenanced enquiry, many parts of the world would have remained in heathen darkness. Christian courage is far to be preferred to sentimental cowardice. Prudence is a virtue, but no time nor hour at the present day can be inappropriate for boldly proclaiming the truth, and so rooting out Protestant misbelief.

Mr. Ashley has done wisely and well to issue a translation of the Homilies of S. Thomas Aquinas from Trinity to Advent, (London: Church Press Company.) Being efficiently translated and cleverly edited, they will prove very acceptable to the Clergy. Here they get for eightpence the skeletons (and something more) of two dozen sermons. Mr. Ashley, as may be seen from this fact, is a benefactor to his brethren, who cannot fail through his instrumentality to appreciate the labours of a most holy and learned saint.

In a communion like our own where the Blessed Virgin's true position in the economy of grace is too frequently either ignored or forgotten, it does not become Catholic Churchmen to assume the cast-off clothes of Protestants who have lapsed into Deism. Mr. J. Hammond, of Sunbury, therefore, unless his parishioners have broken out into Italian excesses or taken to observe the Month of Mary, (which we doubt,) has done a work of supererogation in preaching and printing his sermon on The Connection of the Blessed Virgin Mary with the work of our Redemption, (Sunbury: Collett.) The old Puritan Bishop Hall of Norwich far outstripped him in devotion and reverence to our Blessed Lady. Continued meditation on the Incarnation might teach him not to herd with Protestants.

Dr. Oldknow's Letter on Anti-Ritual Proceedings (London: Masters) is a very dignified and well-written protest against the impertinent interference of certain clerical agitators at Birmingham, who, guilty of the grossest infractions of the law themselves, grumble to their bishop that t'e increasing school of which Dr. Oldknow is so reputable a member, are very careful to observe it accurately. There is much learning, great acuteness, and sound common sense in this pamphlet, which cannot fail, in conjunction with the pamphlets of Mr. Pollock, to illuminate the dense and the uninformed. We give a brief extract, so telling on account of its truth:"In the bestowal of patronage our most eminent men are passed over, and others, without a tithe of their qualifications, are raised above them. John Keble would have died unbeneficed, had not the

living of Hursley been given to him by a former pupil and private friend. Isaac Williams never received any preferment at all. And the most eminent ecclesiastical and liturgical Scholar of the day, a man of European, and even world-wide reputation [i.e. J. M. Neale, D.D.] has, to the disgrace of the Church, or, at any rate, of those who have the appointment to her rich benefices and high places, been left to languish as the Warden of an Alms-house, on an income, in addition to his residence, of twenty-eight pounds a year. Thus there is no inducement, except a conviction that the truth is with us, for any to profess our principles or join our ranks. Even they are against us, who confess that amongst us are to be found the most earnest and self-denying labourers for the good of the Church. And yet, in spite of all these discouragements, by the confession of yourselves, our position at present is better than at any former period since we arose as a party; and more are found willing to cast in their lot with us."

Father Henry Collins of S. Bernard's Abbey, Loughborough, has just issued an extremely well-written and interesting book called The Spirit and Mission of the Cistercian Order, (London: Simpkin, Marshall & Co.) It comprises the life of S. Robert of Newminster, and S. Robert of Knaresborough-both written in a spirit of deep charity and true devotion. The book, wellprinted, and illustrated by Brother Anselm with great taste and ability, is of very considerable general interest, and deserves a wide circulation. The respectful and kindly manner in which its author speaks of the Church of England and the Catholic Revival in it, is the reverse of that which is so popular with some Roman Catholic writers, and leads us specially to commend the book to our readers with sincere cordiality and unfeigned admiration.

In Mutual Conciliation Advocated, (London: Masters,) Dr. Oldknow gives advice to both sides in the Ritual Controversy, which the Puritans will certainly not follow. Enquiry concerning Catholic principles and toleration would be the death blows of Protestantism, and this, its decreasing adherents"seeing they have but a short time "-know too well. They make a great noise, therefore, incite the mob, abuse their betters, and piously appeal to a mongrel Parliament for a new and one-sided enactment to "put down" the Catholic Religion. Ten years ago they might have been successful. We are too strong for them now.

What the Rev. J. Ferrette calls respectively The Damascus Liturgy and The Eastern Liturgy (London: Parker and Co.) are exceedingly curious Liturgical jumbles of Prayers and Services. The compiler, we believe, once belonged to the Church of Rome, but joined the Greek Church, which he has since likewise

deserted. He is now, we understand, a Christian unattached." His compilations are partly Eastern and partly Anglican, with much in them that grates on the ears of Catholics. "It is proper that the Lord's Supper be administered every Sunday at the end of the day" is one of the rubrics. What possible good the publication of such books can be supposed to effect is beyond our power to imagine. As well-printed literary curiosities they will only be curious to a very few.

Those of our readers who remember the Dean of Canterbury in his Wymeswold days, before he had fallen down and worshipped the graven image of Liberalism, when he was a senti mental Tractarian of the old-fashioned Cambridge type, will be, no doubt, glad to possess themselves of his miscellaneous and other poems, which have been recently issued by Mr. Strahan of the Strand. The Poetical Works of Henry Alford is a goodly volume, in which some few of the pieces are remarkable for their tender feeling, Catholic sentiment, graceful ideas. and pleasant melody; but somewhat lacks in genere not only an unity of purpose, but that true poetic afflatus by which alone a volume of this character can be expected to live. "The Ballad of Glastonbury" is by far the finest poem, the "Hymns" being generally poor.

Under the quaint but striking title of The Death of Ezekiel's Wife, (London: Bosworth,) Mr. Purchas, of Brighton, has published three short sermons of more than ordinary merit, and of very unquestionable originality. They are, in fact, as far removed from common-place as the great majority of published discourses are intimately allied with it. The first points out how Ezekiel may be a sign to us in regard to the afflictions of life, the second touches on the effect of sin upon the soul in our present state, while the third treats of the effect of sin in the world to come on our Lord, with reference to His relation to the soul. Mr. Purchas not only analyses motives with great power, and sets forth the mystical teaching of Holy Writ with remarkable point and force, but continually brings Scripture to bear both upon the interpretation of dark passages, and the elucidation of difficult theories. While regretting our inability to quote a long extract in justification of this opinion, we most cordially recommend the book before us to our readers' immediate attention as one that is marked by deep thought, great ability and unquestionable literary and theological power.

There are certain minds-and we can, in some degree, sympathize with them--which will be greatly attracted by Mr. H. Rawes' "Tale of Redemption," entitled Homeward, (London: Knowles,) a mystical novel, or allegorical rhapsody, treating the religious life with some ability and much poetical taste. It describes in glowing language the progress of a soul from earth to

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heaven, "through the Valley," "under the shadow of the rock," by the palm trees,' ""before the Altar," into the presence of the Uncreated Light; and consists of descriptions, colloquial conversations, and poems. Of the first we shall give a specimen. The colloquies are framed on the Book of Canticles, while the poems are flowing, but somewhat redundant specimens of musical verse, containing, however, several most beautiful descriptions full of Christian feeling and lofty sentiment. From one of the prose passages, at p. 264, we quote the following:"She stood with her Love among the Lilies. The fragrance of the Garden rose up around Them: Trees, covered with white and pink Blossom, and laden with golden Fruit, waved above Them: the Birds amidst the bright-green leaves sang their sweetest songs over Them: as They stood in that fadeless Garden amongst the Lilies and Pomegranates. The deathless Amaranth grew there. She stood with the King, in the midst of His white-plumed Princes; with her Love in the midst of His fragrant Lilies. All the brightness, and sweetness, and blessedness of which He had told her so often in the Desert were now her inheritance for ever. The long journey, weary and dark, was ended. The long dreary road, sand-strewed, tear-bedewed, had led her to her Home. The Morning Star shone very brightly over the Cypresses, and Cedars, and Palms. A great love, a love fathomless and boundless, a love changeless and deathless, filled and overflowed the Hearts of the King and His Bride. The sweetness of the Garden hung round Them. And through the Flowers and in the Sunshine the starry River went down with melodious music to the Sea." The adjectives heré are many, the words, in comparison with the ideas, are rather multitudinous; but to some such a style of book is more than attractive. It cannot be wise, however the author will pardon our single sentence of warning-to feast too exclusively on this kind of spiritual barley-sugar.

We need only intimate that the second part of Mr. J. D. Chambers' Lauda Sion (London: Masters) has just appeared. For the first part was so valuable, and so generally and properly appreciated as a most acceptable contribution to Hymnological study, that many of our readers will be anxious to complete the volume by obtaining this-a step we advise them to take immediately.

The first half of a new edition of The Calendar of the Prayer Book illustrated (London: Parker & Co.) will be welcome to that increasing class of persons which is interested in the Ecclesiological portion of the great Catholic Revival. We cannot but regret, however, that the original plan of confining it exclusively to those Saints mentioned in the Prayer Book has been readopted, because on mere practical grounds its information is thus considerably curtailed. So many Saints dear to Anglo

Catholics have been omitted in the Prayer Book Calendar, and yet their memorials remain amongst us, that a book giving full and faithful accounts of their lives and labours, superadded to the historical and archæological data concerning them, must have proved an exceeding great boon. As it is, however, this new edition is a work of great interest and value. Many corrections have been made, much fresh information provided, and a large number of most original and beautiful woodcuts inserted, so that practically the book is new. It will be found to be a really valuable addition to the country library, as well as a practical hand-book to the archæological tourist. The third part, which treats of "Christian Emblems and Symbols," is full of well-compressed and clearly-stated information, interesting in the highest degree; while the curious facts provided under the head of "The Calendar," add considerably to its completeness. We recommend it very cordially as a really useful volume.

Mr. Lockhart has issued a Second Edition of his well-known Review of the Eirenicon, which can be obtained of Messrs. LongOur readers would do wisely to procure it, as being of no mere ephemeral interest to all Reunionists.

mans.

Mr. Shipley has never done a greater service to the Catholic cause than by publishing his most important book, The Church and the World, (London: Longmans.) Here is a volume of essays by men of ability and position, who have so written as that their various papers shall be intelligible and acceptable to the general public, and so promote the good work of extending and deepening the Catholic Revival. One part of the titleviz., the Church, is more considered than the other-viz., the World; for there is not a single utterance on Christian politics from end to end. "All power is given unto Me in Heaven and in Earth" is thus simply ignored; notwithstanding that Law and Order, in the present evil days, need more than ever that consideration which Catholic Christianity can alone provide. The fact that Religion and Politics have been recently divorced by the Anglican clergy, in order to satisfy the needful demands of a distinguished but not very consistent politician, should, now we are beginning to note the evils which have arisen from that policy, never be forgotten. There is an independent truth and a true principle in Christian politics, without a knowledge of which no end of difficulties must remain unsolved. The absence of sound teaching on such questions has tended very considerably to augment our present dangers. Nevertheless, though deficient on this point, the book in question deserves the most careful attention of our readers, and we strongly recommend them either to purchase it for themselves, or to procure it from some Library. It is rife with papers of singular ability and rare interest, each of which