elevation of thought which ought to make her volume welcome in every good Christian family. The poetic impulse with her is neither a morbid yearning to sing imaginary woes, nor a mere fancy for the jingle of sweet words. Her verses express genuine and healthy feeling, and their tone is most melodious when her harp is strung to sacred themes. There is at times a mild tinge of melancholy in the book-a melancholy as of one who has suffered and struggled; but through it all shines the radiance of religious happiness, as though it were not all imaginary which the author sings in the character of The Sacristan": "Within thine altar's shade, Lord, I my nest have made, No more to roam: Thine own abiding-place "The earth, the air, the sea The little poem entitled "Espousals is also full of real, unaffected piety: "Haste to thy nuptials sweet With glowing feet, "I see his coming light Disperse my night! "Lo! seraph tongues of flame And thus informs with sound "O happy ears! attend, And lowlier bend! I feel his noiseless pace Through heaven's blue space; The stars but strew his floor, And thus adore. "Celestial presence dear! Thou Godhead near! I yield my soul, my sense; Behold, prepared, thy throne; Oh! claim thine own!" In a different strain, but very pretty and delicate, is the following "Song of Welcome": "My lonely days grew lonelier, Sad tears, sad tears, my joyful cheeks, "The summer skies which o'er me bend In beauty so benign Are not so blue as the happy eyes Now beaming into mine! Heart's love, heart's love, what sun could cheer If thine should cease to shine!" We commend Miss Starr's little volume with all heartiness, and we rejoice that American Catholic literature has received so welcome an addition to its scanty poetical stores. We ought not to omit a word of compliment to the publisher for the liberal manner in which he has brought it out. The rich cream paper, the clear type, and the excellent binding are signs of a new era in the Catholic book manufacture at which we all must rejoice. FIRST HISTORICAL TRANSFORMATIONS OF CHRISTIANITY. From the French of Athanase Coquerel the Younger, by E. P. Evans, Ph.D. 12mo. Boston: W. V. Spencer, 1867. This is a very weak and flippant production from the pen of a French rationalistic Protestant, who imagines that he is a philosopher of history. He pretends to show us various forms which pure Christianity has been made to assume by the different apostles, doctors, or sects who in turn took upon themselves to be its expositors. Of course, as Monsieur Coquerel the Younger would think, they each and all made bad work of it, from St. Peter down to the last publishing medium of spiritism. It is truly deplorable that the pure Christianity which Monsieur Coquerel the Younger now sees in all its simplicity should have had the misfortune to be thus Judaized, Hellenized, Paulized, Peterized, Joannized, Romanized, and diversely ized by the Fathers of the church and heretics; and may we not also add, Protestantized and Coquerelized? Let us see what is the Christianity of Jesus according to Monsieur Coquerel's gospel: "In short, the whole instruction of Jesus can be included in the following formula: the work to be accomplished is the reign of God in all consciences; the universal motive through which this reign is to be established, the great Catholic Congress which is to meet at Malines next September. Our readers are already aware, from the article on Catholic Congresses in our last number, how much has been done by the Belgian Congresses for the diffusion of cheap Catholic literature. We trust Father Hecker may be able to derive much useful information from what he will see and hear at Malines, and turn it to good account for the furtherance of our own efforts in the same direction. We are much gratified to see that the project of a Catholic Congress suggested by our article has been warmly applauded on all sides. Several of our journals, among which we notice the Freeman's Journal, the Boston Pilot, the New York Tablet, and the Catholic Standard of Philadelphia, have noticeable editorial articles on the subject in its favor. It is important, in case a congress should be convened in our own country, that some one should attend this one in Belgium, in order to obtain a knowledge of the plan and method of organizing and conducting these assemblies. THE FIRST AGE OF CHRISTIANITY AND THE CHURCH. By John Ignatius Dollinger, D.D., Professor of Ecclesiastical History in the University of Munich, etc. Translated by H. N. Oxenham, M.A. Oxford. London: Allen & Co., 1866. 2 vols. 12mo. New York: The Catholic Publication Society. cerely loyal to the holy see. The con' These two volumes are worthy of the perusal of every scholar. They form the introductory portion of Döllinger's great work on Ecclesiastical History, now in course of preparation, and are replete with the results of his vast learning. At the same time, the reader of ordinary intelligence and education need not be afraid of them. They are not dry or pedantic, but written in a style of natural simplicity and freshness which makes them attractive and entertaining as well as instructive. The translation, by an excellent scholar and good writer, is extremely well done, and the mechani- P cal execution is in the best London style. Even the Dublin Review has condescended to praise this work, and therefore those who might suspect that it contains any peculiar opinions of what is called the Germanizing' school need not fear Dr. Döllinger anything on that score. is a sound, orthodox divine, and sin whe .an ated pproval chuyler, ew-York: . is to contrast s just passing › generation that old lords of the red by the inroads heir semi-savage life, ty of progress, intoxi✓ ideas of emancipation, g, the new habits, and ty which is fast breaking artar feudalism. We can he translator's assertion that as raised by the appearance of Russia. The portraits are flatneither generation, and they are ke that it is impossible to doubt substantially accurate represenboth. As a work of fiction, Faand Sons is particularly interesting Artistically speaking, it is a very rel indeed, and it is moreover alfirst glimpse we have had of the gs literature of a country toward Americans are, whether rightly or especially attracted. It gives us view of daily life in Russia than k of travel or observation with we are acquainted-better not only clearer, but also because it is of essential fact of this reign, is love, of which the twofold manifestation is pardon and new or eternal life; and these two manifestations presuppose two facts, whose certainty has no need of proof— sin and immortality. Thus reducing all Christianity to a single formula, it may be said that Jesus revealed to all sinners the eternal compassion of the God of holiness, their Father." (P. 65.) This cant about pardon and the new life in the mouth of one who rejects the divinity of Jesus Christ, who is unwilling to impose the belief in his miracles upon any sincere Christian, (sic,) and who thinks the doctrine of hell is rank nonsense, would need explanation, did we not gather from a previous sentence that Monsieur Coquerel the Younger is as shallow a theologian as he is a philosopher. Speaking of our Lord, he says: "He has such an absolute certainty of the power of God, and of the efficacy of the good and the true; such a full confidence in the perfectibility of guilty man; such a high esteem for human nature, wholly sinful as it is, that, in his eyes, the elevation, the healing, the salvation, the enfranchisement of every soul that is willing to return to God and love him are not an object of the slightest doubt." (P. 64.) Beside this we place one other quotation, which we think will suffice: "Liberal Protestants are constantly asked where they would fix the boundary which separates Christians from those who are not Christians. Each man has the right to solve this formidable problem in the light of his own conscience!" (P. 75.) And this man pretends to lecture the world for transforming Christianity to suit its own notions! We would advise Monsieur Coquerel the Younger to review his logic. CRITICAL AND SOCIAL ESSAYS, reprinted from the New York Nation. 12mo, pp. 230. New York: Leypoldt & Holt. It is a good deal to say of a newspaper nowadays that it is possible to collect from its columns in the course of two years a whole volume of essays passably well worth preserving. And many of the essays in this neat little book are much better than passable. Of course one does not look for deep philosophy or strikingly original thought in the ephemeral papers dashed off for a week's entertainment, and sent flying over the country on the wings of the periodical press. It is enough if the subject be attractive, the argument mainly just, the style fluent, and now and then striking. The essays from The Nation generally fulfil these conditions, and afford very agreeable recreation for odd intervals of leisure. The cold and almost cynical spirit of criticism, and the utter lack of enthusiasm and sympathy, which have done so much to deprive The Nation of that influence in public affairs to which its literary merit entitles it, appear in a more favorable light in the pages of a book than in the columns of a periodical. Book-readers have time to appreciate graces of style, and to roll sweet morsels of thought and phrase under their tongues; but the journalist in America must deal with a different public, and must serve them with coarser materials. His weapon must be not the scalpel or the lancet, but the axe and the bludgeon. FATHERS AND SONS. A Novel. By Ivan Sergheïevitch Turgenef. Translated from the Russian, with the approval of the author, by Eugene Schuyler, Ph. D. 12mo, pp. 248. New-York: Leypoldt & Holt. The object of this novel is to contrast the generation which is just passing away in Russia with the generation that is taking its place-the old lords of the soil, still half-bewildered by the inroads of civilization upon their semi-savage life, and the young party of progress, intoxicated with the new ideas of emancipation, the new learning, the new habits, and the new morality which is fast breaking up the old Tartar feudalism. We can well believe the translator's assertion that a tempest was raised by the appearance of the book in Russia. The portraits are flattering to neither generation, and they are so life-like that it is impossible to doubt they are substantially accurate representations of both. As a work of fiction, Fathers and Sons is particularly interesting to us. Artistically speaking, it is a very good novel indeed, and it is moreover almost the first glimpse we have had of the fictitious literature of a country toward which Americans are, whether rightly or wrongly, especially attracted. It gives us a better view of daily life in Russia than any book of travel or observation with which we are acquainted—better not only because clearer, but also because it is of necessity perfectly undistorted. But the picture is painful enough. For most of the characters in the story the author evidently has no love; but even the best of them are singularly unaimable. And we close the volume with the reflection that, if there is no better life in Russia than the life he paints; if the men and women whom he brings before us are fair types of the average culture and virtue of the empire; if the fathers have no intelligence, and the sons neither human affection nor religion, the future of Russia must be far different from what modern writers are fond of predicting. The morality of the story is bad, but its badness is so transparent that it can hurt nobody. There is an offensive tinge of sensualism in it, too, and this is less apparent, and therefore more dangerous. BARBAROSSA: A Historical Novel of the Seventh Century. By Conrad Von Bolanden. 1 vol. 12mo, pp. 486. Philadelphia: Eugene Cuminiskey. 1867. The historical novel is a difficult one to write. To strictly follow the bare facts of history will make the work dull to most readers of light literature; and to allow the imagination full play in working out its scenes and representing them as if they had been actual occurrences will offend the student of history. The middle ages, however, are full of matter for the historical novelist. We have too few gleaners in this prolific field. We can remember only one attempt of the kind in the English language within the last decade of years. William Bernard McCabe, in his "Bertha," has done good service toward making known, in a popular manner, the designs of the Emperor Frederick to become universal emperor, or Pontifex Maximus, as he hoped to be one day called. The present work is a translation from the German, and describes the political workings of Frederick's ambition; his conquests in Italy, and the capture of Rome; his attempt to set up and instal in that city his tool, the antipope Pascal, in opposition to the lawful successor of St. Peter, Alexander III.; all these events are well told. The interest of the story is kept up by introducing two lovers a knight, the follower of Frederick, and an Italian lady, who, of course, marry at the conclusion of the tale. The character of Frederick's prime min ister, Dassel, is well portrayed, and shows that, with all the emperor's strength of mind, he was, after all, only the puppet of his wily minister. A little more elegance might have been observed by the translator, especially in the first part of the story, where carelessness and incorrectness of expression occur several times. For instance, we are told in one sentence that "Suddenly Otho of Wittelsbach advanced hurriedly," which sounds too much after the fashion of a Ledger story. Again, news is brought to Frederick of the surrender of Cinola to the Milanese, when the following dialogue occurs: "What is the strength of the Milanese?" three hundred men." Have they burned the castle?" "I am ignorant of that fact, sire." "About But these are, after all, but slight defects, and do not mar the beauty of the tale. We can heartily recommend the work to the readers of light literature, as both instructive and entertaining, two things which are not always combined in the historical novel. APPLETON'S ANNUAL CYCLOPÆDIA for 1866. This volume is an improvement on the preceding one, in one respect at least, that is, in the summary which it gives of the progress of the physical sciences. It contains, as usual, a condensed history of the year, and is ornamented with fine, spirited engravings of three very notorious public characters: the King of Prussia, Bismarck, and Girabaldi. It is well worthy of a place in every library, and is, in fact, almost indispensable as a book of reference. NOTES ON DOCTRINAL AND SPIRITUAL SUBJECTS. By the late Frederick W. Faber, D.D., of the Oratory. Vol. II. London: Richardson & Son. New York: The Catholic Publication Society. With the character of Father Faber's writings most of our readers are well acquainted, and we have already given a special notice of them in a review of the first volume of this work. The present volume contains a large number of his hitherto unpublished writings, among which are sketches of discourses upon the notes of the church, treatises upon the sacrament, controversial lectures spiritual conferences, and various mis |