the deepest interest in all that concerns Maynooth-that noble College which Dr. Newman has described with literal truth as "the largest and most important ecclesiastical seminary in Catholic Christendom;" which Cardinal Manning calls "the great Alma Mater of the Priesthood of Ireland;" which the Archbishops and Bishops of Ireland, assembled in National Synod, have declared to "have deserved well of successive generations of the clergy and people of Ireland ;" and which has been styled, in words of less authority, "the focus and centre of the Irish Church-the very heart out of which flows, and flows never to ebb, the tide of Ireland's sacramental life." We have used the expression "literal truth" in reference to Dr. Newman's superlatives, because many might suspect that there was some generous exaggeration in attributing to our poor Ireland so proud a boast. But in France and other continental churches the grands seminaires are almost as numerous as the dioceses, and many of them hardly merit the epithet prefixed to their name; whereas la petite mais féconde Irlande (as Pére Fèlix called her once in the pulpit of Notre Dame de Paris) has one really "great" seminary for all her young Levites, in which she is able to concentrate all that she has of best for the worthy accomplishment of this greatest apostolic work. Considerations like these, which we must restrain ourselves from pursuing further, lend a special solemnity to the occasion, of which a beautiful souvenir is here presented to the clergy and the faithful. The Bishop of Kerry interpreted eloquently and with consummate skill the feelings of all who took part, by actual presence or in spirit, in laving the foundation of the new College Church of Maynooth; and it is well that his discourse is preserved in this elegant form. Of the remaining pages of this little memorial there is only one of which it would be becoming in us to express our appreciation: and we do so by venturing to print here also the hymn which sounded so triumphantly through the College quadrangle as the long white robed procession drew near the fortunate block of granite which one poet has thus apostrophised:

III. Tales from the German of Canon Schmidt. Newly Translated by H. J. G. (Dublin: M'Glashan & Gill, 1876.)

THE good German priest, who rightly thought he was doing a holy work in satisfying usefully that craving of the child's heart: Tell us a story!--Canon Schmidt, filled very many large volumes with tales and plays and poems, all specially composed for the young. The fullest and best translation of his Tales is that published first by James Duffy, nearly thirty years ago. The present volume contains a new and excellent version of "The Canary Bird," "The Forget-me-not," "The Rose Tree," "Trust in God," "The Dove," and some others. They read very freely and pleasantly in this version, and there can be no doubt of the wholesomeness of the lessons which they teach and of the impressions which they convey. The type is clear, large, and open; and the numerous engravings will still further attract youthful readers, and finally "precipitate the decision" of many a child hesitating in the choice of a Christmas Story-book.

IV. Critico-Biblical Disquisition on the Time during which Christ lay in the Tomb. By FRANCIS DE HIERONYMO JOVINO, S. J., Professor of Sacred Scripture and Oriental Languages in Woodstock College, Maryland. (Woodstock College Print. 1875.)

THIS book, which has travelled to us across the Atlantic, belongs manifestly to the second class of books included under our title"Other Books." It is very different indeed from the pretty Christmas tomes by which it finds itself surrounded. The author dedicates it to Father Beckx, General of the Society of Jesus, as the first fruits of the printing press established at Woodstock, the Theological College of the Jesuits of the United States. One does not need to be so learned as the American Professor of Scriptural and Oriental Languages to be able to perceive that this is an extremely erudite disquisition, exhausting all that history, archæology and hermeneutics have to say on the subject. For the benefit of others besides those who (as has been written of some one) have a consciousness of knowing Latin in general, but whose knowledge of any particular Latin passage is not so precise as might be desired, the treatise is given in Latin and English on alternate pages; and our comparison of some pages leads us to believe that the English version has been skilfully executed.

V. Enlarged Edition of MISS MULHOLLAND'S Prince and Saviour. With Illustrations in Gold and Colours. (Dublin: M'Glashan & Gill.) THE popularity at once acquired by the sixpenny edition of "Prince and Saviour; the Story of Jesus, simply told for the Young," has suggested this new and beautiful issue. To make the original issue possible at such a price, the printing and get-up, though the one was legible and the other neat, were still very far from worthy of a little book which approached so near to being worthy of its theme. In the form in which it is brought out now, just in time for Christmas, the

paper and typography are even sumptuous. But this is not all. There are more important additions than the illustrations in gold and colours. The Month, in commending warmly "this very gracefully written little book," said it would be "useful for reading to children, the teacher being able to supply many details which the brevity of the work forced Miss Mulholland to omit." But, fortunately, Miss Mulholland has herself undertaken to supply these omissions in the present edition which may indeed be regarded as a new work, though it has been thought well to make use of the old name already in so short a time known so familiarly and affectionately. As we are entering on the month which leaves us adoring the Child of Bethlehem, we deem it our duty to do our part in placing in the hands of as many children as possible the book which we consider the best fitted to make them know and love their Infant Saviour. No better way of doing this occurs to us at present than to quote here the excellent notice which appeared quite recently in the Munster News :

"Miss Mulholland in her tales for youthful readers has been no less successful than in her works for maturer minds. This success, we presume, has induced her to contribute the valuable book hefore us to a department of Catholic literature very scantily supplied-the child's library. We venture to predict that the success of this little work will be equal to that of the most popular of her already published books. It will, we hope, become a text-book for the education of Catholic children; nowhere will they learn so easily and so agreeably the story which it most imports them to know. By the labour which she has bestowed on it, Miss Mulholland has deserved well of religion, and has added considerably to her literary reputation. It is a difficult thing to write a book which will fix the attention of children, and the difficulty increases when the book must treat a religious subject. Miss Mulholland has long since shown that she was equal to the former task, and we think that she has now successfully accomplished the latter. The incidents of our Lord's life are told in the simple language which has made us familiar even with the adventures of Puck and Blossom." The interest of the young reader in the well known facts of the Scripture history is excited by the same lively and graceful story-telling style which interests him in the fortunes of the author's good and evil fairies, and the narrative is invested with the charm which a vivid painting of local seenery throws round a tale of romance. Told in her words, and seen by the light which she has cast about them, the details of the Saviour's life will have a reality for the young mind which they had not in the language in which it has been the custom to relate them. She has simplified the task of religious education for Catholic parents. To them, as well as to all who are charged wth the instruction of youth, we heartily recommend her book. The fact that the price is fixed at sixpence is sufficient indication that it has been the author's aim to make the benefit she confers upon Catholic children as wide-spread as possible."

It is hardly necessary-but things which are hardly necessary are often very useful-and therefore we may add that the issue of this édition de luxe by no means abolishes the cheap issue which might be appropriately styled in the same language an édition de propagande.

VI. The New Testament. Large Quarto Edition, Illustrated with Full-page Engravings. (Dublin: M'Glashan & Gill.)

We are used to the words "A Family Bible;" the work before us may be called "A Family Testament." This splendid presentation edition of the New Testament is in many respects more suitable for

this season of gifts than a copy of the entire Holy Scriptures. In place of the microscopic type with which many editions of the New Testament are printed, we have in this ample quarto one of the finest productions of the Dublin Press, of which all the parts, paper, printing, binding, and illustrating, are excellent, each in its kind, Ireland claiming the credit of all except the beautiful designs for the pictures which we believe are specimens of German art. This is a proper occasion for the remark which has often been made, and must be often made again, that we here in Ireland do not do half enough to encou rage Irish talent and industry, and that we are quite too ready to bestow our little patronage on those who would never think of returning the compliment. This is particularly the case with regard to Catholic literature. Our good people and, above all, our good priests might make it one of their New Year resolutions to do something towards setting this matter right, through themselves or others whom they may influence.

WINGED WORDS.

1. Being patient is the hardest work that any of us has to do through life. Waiting is far more difficult than doing. But it is one of God's lessons all must learn, one way or another.-Mrs. Gaskell.

2. “I'd rather," said John Barton, "see her earning her bread by the sweat of her brow, as the Bible tells her she should do, ay, though she never got butter to her bread, than be like a do-nothing lady, worrying shopmen all morning and screeching at her pianny all afternoon, and going to bed without having done a good turn to any one of God's creatures but herself."-The Same.

3. Many a hasty word comes sorely back on the heart when one thinks one shall never see the person whom one has grieved again.— The Same.

4. The fangs of a bear and the tusks of a wild boar do not bite worse and make deeper gashes than a goose quill sometimes. — Howel.

5. Thought means life, since those who do not think do not live in any high or real sense. -Alcott.

6. It is best not to dispute where there is no possibility of convincing. Whitefield.

7. The voice of conscience is so delicate that it is easy to stifle it, but it is also so clear that it is impossible to mistake it.-Madam de Stael.

8. Kindness is the turf of the spiritual world whereon the sheep of Christ feed quietly beneath the Shepherd's eye.-F. W. Faber.

9. Many great saints could have been made out of the graces which have made us only what we are.-The Same.

10. All grace leaves us worse if not better, harder if not softer.The Same.

11. Religion has no ally one-half so valuable as common sense.F. W. Faber.

12. Pride is a statue whose pedestal is ignorance-take away the pedestal and down falls the statue.-Father Burke.

13. No man ever did a designed injury to another without doing a greater to himself.

14. There are women who live all their lives long in the cold white moonlight of other people's reflected joy. It is not a bad kind of light to live in after all. It may leave some dark, ghostly corners in the heart unwarmed; but, like the other moonlight, it lets a great deal be seen overhead that sunshine hides.-A. Keary's " Oldbury." 15. Life can never be completely happy, for it is not heaven, nor completely wretched, for it is the road to heaven. - Mdme. Craven.

16. Heaven knows we need not be ashamed of our tears, for they are rain upon the blinding dust of earth, overlying our heard hearts.Dickens.

17. Even if life were long, time should be husbanded carefully in order to suffice for necessary things: but what folly to apply one's self to superfluous things, now that time is so scanty! [Some will prefer Cicero's own words: "Etiamsi longa homini vita suppeteret, tempus parce dispensandum esset ut sufficeret necessariis; nunc autem quæ dementia est supervacanea discere in tanta egestate temporis!"]

18. How oft the sight of means to do ill deeds makes ill deeds done.-Shakspeare.

19. There is no such word as "too late" in the wide world—nay, not in the universe. What! shall we whose atom of time is but a fragment out of an ever-present eternity-shall we, so long as we live, or even at our life's ending, dare to cry out to the Eternal One: "It is too late!"-Dinah Muloch Craik.

20. In the morning of life, work; in the noon, give counsel; in the evening, pray.

21. Saintly souls are exceptional and beautiful appearances, colouring and brightening, like Alpine roses, the upper summits of human life.-Anon.

22. [Speaking of trials that are worst in apprehension]-The Juggernaut on his car towered there, a grim load. Seeing him draw nigh, burying his broad wheels in the oppressed soil, I, the prostrate votary, felt beforehand the annihilating craunch. Strange to saystrange, yet true, and owning many parallels in life's experience-that anticipatory craunch proved all-yes, nearly all the torture. The great Juggernaut in his great chariot drew on, lofty, loud, and sullen. He passed quietly like a shadow sweeping the sky at noon. Nothing but a chilling dimness was seen or felt I looked up. Chariot and demon charioteer were gone by: the votary still survived.—Currer

Bell.

23. Happiness is a glory shining far down upon us from Heaven. She is a divine dew which the soul, on certain of its summer mornings, feels dropping upon it from the amaranth bloom and golden fruitage of Paradise.-The Same.