The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-10-09
The "AutobIography Of st. Ignatius.

To THF EDITION or THE SUS-Sf~ In THE
Sun Of oct 3, Friday, there appeared a letter signed
Charles j. White" he makes the following state
ments: "a short time ago there appeared an English
translation OF the Autobiography Of St %lgnauus'
edited by the Rev. J. F. Y O'Conor, s. j., Of this
CITY," "In some places" Mir White Sta'eS, this
edition changes the meaning so as TO be cuntradic-
tory OF The genuine passages"
This on, sentence 4, false and unethlcal In one " no
shows much anxiety about ethics. secondly II Is un.
scholarly 10 make a broad statement, SOME and
genuine passages" without quoting any Of the same
OF showing whether or where they differ from the
genuine" passages. Does his simple literary man
mean The Latin, or the Spanish, or another
English translation he myy have used when
he speaks Of genuine paSsagcs'" From the
whole tone OF the foregoing one might con
clude that the statement comes from ignorance
did not the malice evident show that II was unethiCal
as well. Win Mr. Charles J. white. supporter Of
ethics and champion Of accuracy In literature. give
''some places where the meaning is cha n-ed so as To
be contradictory Of the genuine passages, whatever
this profound scholar may mean by genuine
passages" For II IS TO be assumed that
one who takes this h,gh.Sounding righteous
position OF correcting literature and ethics
has oonsclsntlously coIla,ed these various texts
with THE original" n b" does not produce
some passages and prove them contradictory to tho
original, there are two charges from which this clhl-
cal person must free himself. one Of false -tattment.
another Of malicious charge againsi his ~nelghbor.
and We may add a third. TIE very non literary and
unethical position OF assuming and implying tina, h,
has examined the original tItand compared II with
the translation and found the one contradictory 10 the
other In Some passages"
Again he says: ION examination | md thatthis
edition takes great liberties with the original text"
ask this simple literary person" what he means by
examination" and original text" lie poses as a
scholar: let him state which "ohglnal text he ex.
AHMED. the Spanish or the Latin. or II another Eng.
Iish translation. " Is that the original eNt1"
lie says 1T cuts out a considerable amount Of the
story as told by the saint himself" This statement
l challenge, both as 10 the statement itself. "a con.
siderable amount and as to the ethics of making
the s.atemen. in one who is rather delicate about
ethics
Not "a considerable amount" but incidents lrele-
want in themselves were p~urpoSely and wisely omit
,ed for reasons that any sane mind would approve In
a book intended for general circulation among the
young and especially for ethical reasons which
ough TO be Of high value to this simple ethical per
son.
Mr.. White wishes some thcologlan TO inform 'slm.
ri. literary people" like him whether such methods
are defended by Catholic thcoloVians and especially
by the school Of the writer. as he is attached 10 A
school which recently conducted a post graduate
course in ethics"
would say W BIZ that a man who. because Of the
omission Of certain passages by an editor. strives
" convey the impression that the text Is falSined and
contradIc,ed Is following the liue OF questionable eth.
les sbSolu,oly contradictory TO the post graduate
course to which he refers. and TO that Of every sound
theologlan as well as to the judg ment u every right
minded man who has respect Tor the natural law
II NJ Whit, had taken one. hundr@dth part Of the
care the editor did In giving an honest translation
and the presentation Of the HE Of st IguAtIus. he
would no, now be under the obi auon, as in sound
ethics he Is bound, In reference to coniTadlctlng and
f~alsfying the original text to recall his false aud dts
homes, Misrepresentation.
j. r. y. O'CoNoR. s. j.
ST. FRANCIS XAvIER's COLLEGE Oct q.