The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1869-08-29
rae Catholic Book world.

The following article is taken from the Lon
don Tablet, and although some of the points
made have merely local application, there
are others which are of equal force when APP
piled to ourselves. We fear it is but too true,
as the writer says, that body we do not
very greatly encourage Catholic literature, and
that as consequence the writing of Catholic
books is an expensive luxury, to be moder-
ately INDUCED in by the wealthy, but wholly
denied to him who cannot afford to lose. We
hardly think the writer is indulging in gentle
sarcasm when he says il may be questioned if
it is duty to buy wheR it is so much easier
tSborrow; for in these days of church building
and school-supporting, is it not righteous
economy which makes one celebrated maya
zine or other Catholic work spread itself over
several familiesf 1t would be unjust to apply
the Same prudent consideration.tto balls,
dresses or other necessaries of life, but with
unnecessary vanities like brains, thought and
learning, what can it matterf But to the ex-
tract:
We venture to think that the insufficient re-
ward Of Catholic thought among us matters
very much, and is very great hindrance to
the Catholic cause. 1t may be true that Milton
sold his paradise LOST for Eve pounds, and
that Goldsmith had a trick of perpetual indebt-
ednesa to his washerwoman. Spite of these
nfalklAnG examples We A0lu that lnipecunlO6lJy
is the worst possible stimulant for the brain,
and that il it be administered in large doses to
Catholic writers, 1t ia not possible that Htera-
ture should flourish among MS as 1t ought. 1t
is difficult for book or magazine TO be tiist-rate,
to be equal to the general run of Protestant
writing, 1T the writers cannot set to their work
with theyigor of an undivided mind. And rs
for these works OF deep thought, whirA Catho-
hcity tends to produce III a perennial stream,
they are simply impossible, save in the few
rare casea where high talent is Joined to sufi-
And that Catholic literature should flourish,
that Catholics should run in the race with
others, and should show themselves NO whit
behind their noR-Catholic fellows, as in the
senate, in the pnlpit, in the law courts, also
in literature, Is surely matter of no second
rate Importance. 1t may not matter to our
ourselves alone; and It is no doubt perfectly
correct and highly spiritual to say that BTidg-
ct, the apple woman, viii obtain heaven, as 1t
is to be hoped that many may, without study
ing the Dublin Rerielo but it does matter to
the Catholic cause ii by the Catholic cause we
mean the conversion of our cOuntrymen, or at
least the placing before their minds Catholici-
" as 1t is. IT may ks quite true that our minds
are called of in these days from literature ];
that II Catholics do not read as much as other
men, they not only pray more, but are i'm
merseds over head and ears, In q torrent OF ac-
tive work; that neither man nor woman can
devour essays and reviews and learned trea-
tises, or even light monthlies and lighter week
lies, while they are rescuing orphans, building
schools, begging for churches, founding con-
vents, lighting with guardians, and converting
their Protestant rotations. Nevertheless, we
take ii that the encourag ement of literature is
= work of 50 much fsnertance, so deeply af-
feoting the minds countrymen, that it
deserves not to b. taened to these other
works, or ut least Is - be wholly cast aside
for their sakes. Suck book, for instance, as
"The Formation of Chtisteadom" not only ap-
peaas directly TO the minds of many of orr
counSFyncnr but indirectly does good mission
airy work In the land by giving to our cnuse in
their eyes that dignity which belongs to deep