well acquainted with the literature of her subject, and advances no statement of importance for which she might not quote respectable authority. The proportions, however, that she has given to the various elements of her narrative, sometimes suggest the historical novel as much as they do strict history. She loves to linger with feminine tenderness, over a pathetic incident, or a romantic tableau; and she frequently embellishes her account with details of the feelings, emotions, motives, and behavior of her characters, for which, sometimes, she must have drawn upon her imagination. These features are, however, not out of place here; for Mrs. Huddy's purpose has evidently been to provide a volume of instructive, popular reading, rather than a book for the student. Edification, too, is her object; and she finds in the brilliant virtues of Matilda, and still more in those of Pope Gregory, ample resources to set off the depressing pictures of vice, violence, cruelty and greed which the chronicler of this stormy period of Italian history is obliged to recall.

The Catholic Church in America has suffered a distinct loss in the death of Dr. Patrick Cronin, the editor of The Catholic Union and Times, of Buffalo.

Dr. Cronin was one of the best known and most influential Catholic editors of the country. For over thirty years, through The Union and Times, he was the fearless and watchful defender of the Church; a sincere patriot; a lover of American institutions; and a ceaseless champion of liberty. He was learned. In writing, he was facile and powerful. Personally, Dr. Cronin was a man of splendid presence; genial and attractive in his manner; large-hearted and sympathetic.

These lines are but an unworthy tribute to his life and his work. The apostolate of the press mourns because of his death, and Catholic journalism is so much the poorer. But may the reward in its fulness be his, and may his soul rest in peace.

The Tablet (18 Nov.): Mgr. Avesta has left Rome for his

Apostolic Delegation in Cuba. He succeeds Archbishop Chapelle, who died recently at New Orleans. The Pontifical Commission for the codification of Canon Law has resumed its meetings. It is hoped that in five years a complete code of ecclesiastical legislation will be published. An effective speech against the Separation Bill was made recently by M. Charles Dupuy, a former Premier.

(25 Nov.): Mgr. James Connelly gives some interesting impressions on Germany and Church Music. He says that, thirty years or so before the "Motu Proprio," the German Catholics had, of their own free will, reformed themselves. The principles enunciated in the Pope's pronouncement are neither more nor less than those of the "Cäcitia Verein," of which Dr. Franz Witte is the apostle. Special tribute is paid to the reverence and devotion of the Catholics in Germany.

The Month: In the first of a series of articles criticizing Edmund Campion's History of Ireland, Rev. J. H. Pollen deals entirely with the early life of Edmund Campion, from the time of his apostasy from the Catholic faith, in 1536, until the year 1571. Between those two periods. it was that the afterwards famous Jesuit, in collaboration with one J. H. Stanihurst, who enjoyed court favor under Elizabeth, wrote the History of Ireland.-The Chinese problem in the Transvaal is also the topic of an article, in which we obtain a clear insight into the present labor conditions in that country. According to the writer, under the present Chinese Labor Ordinances, the Chinaman is merely a slave, and as such is a menace to the community; if he is to be more than a slave, he must have his own Chinese environment, and this is just what will never be permitted in South Africa.

The National Review: Contains its usual full summary of the episodes of the month. Sir John Strachey and Sir Richard Strachey contribute an article against the policy that upheld Lord Kitchener against Lord Curzon in India. The policy "may lead to consequences disastrous to the

-Will

peaceful maintenance of our Indian dominion.".
Crooks, M.P., writes on the growing power of the Labor
Movement in England. An unsigned article of un-
questionable significance and of surprising data is "The
German Navy League."The Rev. B. J. Campbell
writes in favor of temperate biblical criticism.—Special
Commissioner writes on "The Counter Revolution in
Russia," in which he says: "If the moderates, who are
for going to work cautiously, considerately, and without
wounding the susceptibilities of the masses, are worsted
in the struggle that has just commenced, the Black
millions will rise up in fury and wipe out the political
element which is hostile to their God and their Czar."
J. W. Welsford writes on Frédéric Bastiat, Cob-
den's teacher.--Sir Gilbert Parker gives his views on
"Canada after Twenty Years." "The American," he
says, "is not going to Americanize Canada."

La Quinzaine (16 Nov.): It is the opinion of Max Turmann that the present state of the works of popular education should be a source of hope and an incentive to action for all Catholics. He has arrived at this opinion after examining the rapid spread of educational works started by Catholics, and the stand taken by those who are inclined towards Christian views. All art, and most especially literature, has for its object, if we may depend on the authority of Comte J. du Plessis, the realization of a beauty capable not only of charming the senses, but of placing the soul, snatched from earth, in communication with the invisible, the infinite beauty. Such was the aim of the literary men of the Middle Ages. Such now seems to be the opinion of a very few of the latest writers. But the gap from the Middle Ages to the present moment was filled with writers whose sole purpose was the gratification of the senses. No Christian influences pervaded their thoughts and works. Now a return to a thoroughly Christlike conception has been begun. That all writers may join in this movement is the ardent desire of the author of this article.-Georges Fonsegrive explains the conflict between the laws of the social life of man and those of his moral life. The moral is wholly interior, is governed and directed by

the will, depends constantly on the individual, and is purely spiritual. The social, however, is almost directly opposed to this, and depends on the body. "It is created by the communication of bodies and dominated entirely by the laws of mechanics." Still it must be remembered that the social acts of man are not exclusively corporal, for they are conditioned by the state of the soul. Social acts are social, inasmuch as they are realized exteriorly, but they are also antecedently interior, in so far as they spring from moral decisions. Le Correspondant (10 Nov.): There is much that should be helpful to French readers of this magazine in an article contributed by Patrick Boyle, entitled: "Church and State in Ireland." The condition of the Church in Ireland is shown, so that French Catholics, in case their Concordat is abolished, may learn just how to construct a new "modus vivendi." The different points recommended by Mr. Boyle are: The election of bishops by the clergy; the support of the Church by the voluntary offerings of the faithful; civil freedom in regard to rights of property and rights of education. These obtain in Ireland at the present day. The Church is free from subjection to the State and finds its legitimate office in ministering to the spiritual needs of the faithful. (25 Nov.): With reference to Les Origines de la Réforme, M. Imbart de la Tour studies the development of Gallican principles during the fifteenth century and up till the eve of the Reformation. He thinks that "C'est beaucoup au gallicanisme que la France Catholique a dû de traverser les tempêtes de la Reforme sans se détacher." M. Rodolphe Müller surveys the active colonial policy pursued by Germany for the past ten years, in which great stress has been laid on the stimulation and protection of missionary enterprise.The efforts made by the organizations for the social amelioration of working women, towards aiding girls to finding employment as clerks and needleworkers, are discussed by M. Louis Rivière, who points out the care that must be taken to make such help a stimulant to self-reliance. -The recently published volume containing the correspondence of the Comte de Jaucourt with Talleyrand,

during the Congress of Vienna, is the subject of a critical article written by M. De Lanzac de Laborie. A second series of the brilliant, gossipy letters of M. Edmond Rousse to his friend covers the events and topics that afforded Paris subjects for conversation during the years 1848-1849.

L'Action Sociale de la Femme (20 Nov.): In a conference delivered, in the first instance, to a congress of ladies engaged in the "mouvement féminin," M. J. Lerolle discusses the causes of the waning of faith among French Catholics. He assigns three: First, the substitution of various petty practices of piety for the Church's own devotions-we have the Mass and the Eucharist, yet we must go off and make to ourselves a religion of ribbons and medals; the second is a tendency to reduce religious duty to external observances; the third, defective catechetical instruction for the young. There is a chronicle of the work accomplished in various centres by the organization of "L'Action Sociale," A scheme for starting popular libraries, for the diffusion of religious instruction is submitted.

Études (20 Nov.): There is in preparation a work entitled: Le Jesuite de la Legende, by Alexander Brou. This number contains an extract of that work. Here the writer limits himself to Pascal, his Provincial Letters, their effect on religion and their influence on the Jesuit order. Henri Chérot makes a few remarks apropos of the publication of the Memoirs of the Jansenist Feydeau, by Jovy. The author of that book, he thinks, has rendered a great service to the history of Jansenism. Demain (27 Oct.): This is the initial number of this weekly. paper, which is to devote itself to the lifting up of France's fallen faith, and to help Catholics to meet the momentous crisis which now stares them in the face. The following words are translated from its salutatory: "Catholic France is drawing its last breath. But it is dying, not so much through the attacks of enemies without, as through the blunders and deficiencies of its own children within. Catholicity among numbers of our co-religionists is nothing but a habit of forms and rites, the deeper meaning and richness of which have dropped