The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1874-06-21
NEW PUBLICATIONS.

Elder.
Each enc of these is in every sense of thu
word, n Christian story; the actors of which
prefer duty to pleasure and realize that it i.
nobler and better to please God than man
Love, which in too many novels is only q vile
passion or a selfish, Irresistible impulse is here
delineated as a pure, ennobling feeling, found
ed upon virtue and growing equally with con
tdence and esteem. Madame Agnes, although
translation from the French of Charles Du.
Bots, retains the charming simplicity of the
original, while the easy flow of it's sentences
makes us forget that it was frst written in an.
other language.
Its pen-sketches of wedded-life are very
beautiful, and will find admirers in all happily
married couples. For example, how prettily
told is this simple record of two loving hearts
persuaded Victor to devote part of each
day to physical exercise, as well as mental re-
pose. Our conversation always gave a fresh
charm to these walks. And yet we did not
talk much; but we infused our whole souls
into word or two, or smile. How often 1
dreamed of Heaven in those delicious hours p,
Muiceron is a more lively story than Madame
Agnes, but resembles it in making vice repul-
sive and virtue to be desired. The story pur-
peculiar idioms of the peasantry, with the un-
tutored reflections of SIMPLE honest mind
make the narrative very agreeable and enter
tanning, while all of its quaint, country say
ings are replete with wit and wisdom
1t is also an old fashioned story intoxicating
old-fashioned ideas, as may be seen by the fol-
loving quotation from its pages: Formerly,
my boy, when parents reproved their children,
they did it oftener with the hand than with
the voice, and things were not the worse for
it. My father used to give US blows with his
cudgel without counting them in his opinion
it was a language easily understood, and which
he preferred to reasoning as it saved his time
We rubbed our backs and it was over; none
of us thought of losing our appetites, still less
of crying. But nowadays, children must be
handled with gloves, and even with that they
think themselves martyrs"
Woven into the threads of the main story
are several charming little anecdotes, or short
tales, which are, in every case, exceedingly
entertaining and instructive. Both of these
tales may be placed in the hands of our Catho-
lie youth, who will derive from their perusal
this most excellent conviction-that the teach |
lngs OF our Faith, when implicitly obeyed, add
to the dignity of manhood, the beauty of
womanhood and to the grace and charm of
every age and condition.
Life Of st: Catherine Of Genoa New York: Ca |
tholc publication Society. New Orleans
G. D. Elder.
While the former volume is one calculated |
TO charm the heart and entertain the mind
this offers rare food to the intellect and soul.
1t is a translation from the Italian and conf
prises the life of the Saint, and the famous
re loo pt,rr WI, ol loa
by competent judges foremost place in
spiritual literature. The introduction to this
wonderful book is written by the Rev. T. J.
decker-a fact which makes the volume doubly
precious; for in itself alone, it is a valuable de-
ence OF truth and a beautiful tribute to those
whom the Church calls Saints. He makes us
understand how that which the Church holds
Up as the sanctity of its memb ers, means entire
owe for God alone, accompanied by an unfail-
Dg devotion to all His suffering creatures.
st. Catherine attained perhaps to the high
st degree of sanctity known to our humanity;
md yet her whole time, talents and zeal we're
lone given to her neighbors' spiritual and
emporal advancement.
" Idle monks and nuns were they 7" he ex-
laims, and then continues thus: " They were,
8 class, men and women who ate less. work
u anu ulu more Tor intellectual pro- ,
ress, civilization and social well-beiug than
ny other body of men and women whose
ecord can be found on the pages of history or
Tho can be pointed out in this nineteenth CEN
ury. Monks were famous as founders of col
eges and seats of learning. They were the !
ioneers in agriculture, and in many industrial 7
nd mechanical arts, while their monasteries ,
ecame the centres of great cities, many of g
hich still retain their names, They were the ,
overs of those seeds which, being developed q
= time, men of our day claim all the honor of :,
lie results, under the modest title of modern =
vilization." Of course, in the few pages of 4
introduction Father Hecker does not bring q
rward all the historical data and statistics :
prove bis assertions, which he is so well
Die to do; but the Life before us is the elo-
1ent witness of the truth of all that he adj
ances In it's pages we find extraordiparv
nctity, exalted talents and humble nm r
cared devotion to the sick, the poor. the =