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Bible A.-She was the mother of Jesus, and espoused to Joseph. (Matt. i, 21.)

Q. Who was the mother of the Virgin Mary? A.-St. Ann. (See Popish Calendar, July 26.) Q. Who is St. Ann?

A. She is the grandmother of God. (See Popish Calendar, July 26.)

Q. How old was the B. Virgin when she died? A. It is blasphemy to say she died. She was assumed up into heaven, accompanied by all the holy angels, and with great jubilee and exultation of the whole court of heaven, crowned by her son with the brightest diadem of glory. (See the Rosary of the Blessed Virgin, fourth mystery, in any Popish prayer book.)"

We should have judged that the source from which this article emanated, would have been sufficient to exclude it from the columns of a journal pretending to respectability, independently of the falsehoods which it contains and the stupidity which it evinces.

STRANGE LOGIC.-The Banner of the Cross intimates to its readers that the organs of the Church of Rome in this country are not so deficient in sagacity as in honesty, in the expression of their opinion relatively to the Oxford Tracts. This is one of those bold assertions which being altogether gratuitous are refuted by mere contradiction. No useful discussion can be pursued, while resort is had to expedients which Christian charity and courtesy equally reprobate. There are other ways of accounting for the opinions of the Catholic press than the imputation of crafty views. Why may not the Catholic journals in this country honestly and consistently differ in opinion about the tendency of the Oxford Tracts? Why does a portion of the Catholic press consider them a help to the propagation of truth? Because, judging from experience a multitude of Tractarians, and some of them clergymen, have gradually passed from their views to the orthodox faith. And why may not another portion of the press consider these tracts an obstacle to the progress of true principles? Because many may be deceived by the specious language which they use, assuming, as they do, an appearance of sound doctrine, while the doctrine itself is discarded from their belief. Do they not employ the terms Catholic, Real Presence, Church, in a way which may easily lead the ignorant or unwary to suppose that there is no material difference between the Anglican Church and the Catholic Church? There may be, therefore, an intelligent and well founded discrepancy of sentiment upon this subject; but there is one point in relation to which we do not hesitate to pronounce the Catholic journals in

this country unanimous, that is, in acknowledging no alliance with the Puseyite party, as a religious body, so long as it is separated from the centre of Catholic communion, the see of Rome. Every Catholic periodical here and elsewhere, is prepared to address the successor of St. Peter, at the present day, in the language of St. Jerom to Pope Damasus in the 4th century: "Whoever gathereth not with thee, scattereth."

In the same number of the Banner, we find the subjoined paragraph:

"THE CHURCH OF ROME SCHISMATICAL.It is an undeniable historical fact, that the Church of England, for many years after the accession of Queen Elizabeth, (when things were restored to the state they were in before the interruption of the Reformation by the bloody Mary), remained one united body in discipline and faith--until the followers of the Pope schismatically set up their rival communion in that country, of which the Roman sect in the United States is an off-shoot. We mention this, to introduce the following capital sentence from Mr. Gresley's Forest of Arden :-" It is a point very much to be regarded, that, during a considerable portion of Elizabeth's reign, THE REFORMED CATHOLIC CHURCH OF ENGLAND EMBRACING THE WHOLE NATION, WAS ONE AND UNDIVIDED."

We have not the slightest disposition to charge the Banner of the Cross either with crafty views or a want of intelligence; but we must confess that the article just cited did not appear to us indicative of a very attentive application of the intellectual faculties. If the reasoning which it contains has any force whatever, by the comparison of dates, the following argument, a fortiori, will be conclusive:

It is an undeniable historical fact that from the conversion of the Anglo-Saxons to the reign of Henry VIII, the Church of England was one united body in discipline and faith, united also with the see of Rome, until the kingdom was schismatically wrested from the centre of Catholic unity, by that monarch, who to gratify his lawless appetites, had no other expedient than to walk in the footsteps of Luther, by rising in open rebellion against the authority of the Church. OBITUARY.

Died at New Orleans on the 19th of September, Rev. Ferdinand D. Bach, Rector of the Cathedral of that city, aged fifty-three years.

On the 5th of the same month Sister Frede. rica (McDonald), who, at the age of twenty-one years, fell a victim to her heroic charity, while ministering to the sick in the yellow fever hospital at New Orleans.

NOTICES OF BOOKS.

The True Path for the True Churchman wandering in the mazes of Protestantism. By Richard Waldo Sibthorp, B. D. Oxford, late Protestant minister, Isle of Wight. New York: Casserly & Sons. pp. 51.

There can be but one opinion in reference to the worth of this admirable pamphlet, which has been issued from the press of the Messrs. Casserly. It is every where spoken of in the highest terms by Catholics, and, we can say, deservedly so, not merely from our own estimation of its merits, but from the ability that has been awarded to it even by those who are not of the Catholic Church. Witness the following expression of opinion from the Boston Courier:

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"It is the production of the Rev. R. W. Sibthorp, late a Protestant minister in the Isle of Wight, and consists of two letters, written to a friend, in answer to the inquiry, Why have you become a Catholic?' The writer, so far as the Church of England is concerned, makes out a good case-we should say, an unanswerable argument, but there is no argument that is unanswerable; at least, we have never met with one that did not admit of some sort of a reply. We fully concur with the author in his declaration respecting those who consider the doctrines of the Council of Trent reconcilable with open communion with the established Church of England- If Rome be right, these persons do not go far enough; but, if Rome be wrong, they have gone much too fur.""

The Third Book of Reading Lessons compiled by the Brothers of the Christian Schools. Philadelphia: Eugene Cummiskey. 12mo. pp. 322. This, as a reading book, is one of the best compilations that have come under our notice. The extracts are numerous and various and abound in useful instruction. The character of a large portion of its contents adapts it particu larly to the use of Catholic schools. The work is published in Mr. Cummiskey's usual style of excellence, and is for sale at J. Murphy's book

store.

An Address delivered before the Tulliphabian Society of St. John's Literary Institution, Frederick, Aug. 1, 1843, by John H. O'Neil, Esq. We have read with much pleasure this address, which traces in a strain of glowing thought the progress of philosophy from its origin to the present time. We regret that our limits do not permit us to place before the reader an extract from this beautiful sketch of the history of mind.

The Souvenir and other Tales; Baltimore: John Murphy, $2mo. pp. 179.

This is a charming little volume, forming No. 4 of the Cabinet Library. The excellent lessons which it contains, and the insinuating style in which they are delivered, should suffice to induce every parent to place this little book in the hands of his children.

EDITORIAL REMARKS.

The introductory article of this number, although the continuation of a subject that has already been presented to our readers, will amply repay its perusal. The extracts from Mr. Faber's work have been judiciously made by the reviewer, who is a gentleman of acknowledged literary taste, and show still more plainly the longing of the Oxford school for something more spiritual, more consistent, more allied to primitive times, than is to be met with in the Anglican Church.

The article on the Origin and Blessing of Bells was suggested by some remarks in a late number of the Presbyterian, whose attention we direct to it, as a much more authentic source of information, than a political print swayed by anticatholic prejudices.

As the far west is becoming an object of increasing interest, both in a political and religious point of view, the observations of Professor Ducatel on the Theory of the Western Prairies, will be read with considerable interest, not so much as a matter of curious speculation as of practical utility.

We have learned from various sources that some of our readers would be better satisfied with the Magazine, were a certain portion of its contents to consist of interesting narratives. With a view to gratify them and the public generally, we have made room for the very en tertaining history of Prascovia Lopouloff, a story of real life, not less instructive than pleasing. We shall not fail to introduce, when practicable, other narratives of a similar description.

THE

UNITED STATES

CATHOLIC MAGAZINE.

NOVEMBER, 1843.

TRUTHS AND FICTIONS OF THE MIDDLE AGES.

O voi eh' avete gl' intellet'i sani,
Mirate la dottrina che s'asconde

Sotto 'l velame degli vetsi strani.-DANTE.*

The Merchant and the Friar. By Sir Francis Palgrave, K. H., Keeper of the Records of the Treasury of her majesty's Exchequer.

MEN

EN are at length beginning to do justice to the middle ages. There was a time, and that no distant day,-when the very term "Middle Ages," arose to the mind of the readers of popular history, associated with the ideas of ignorance and superstition. They were taught to regard this period as one melancholy blank in the history of humanity, claiming by turns their pity and contempt. The veil is beginning to be withdrawn. Truth is allowed to vindicate her cause, and to claim her own. Atonement is being made for the injustice of the past, tardy it may be, but grateful, though tardy, we are content to realise the homely proverb, "Better late than never." We know of no person, who, from the character of his studies and pursuits, was better qualified to co-operate in this noble object than Sir Francis Palgrave. He was

* O ye of upright heart and judgment sound, Admire the skill, and learn the art to prize, Which veils home truths beneath a strange disguise.

VOL. II.-No. 11.

already known to the public by his learned researches in the field of Saxon literature; and when, under the reign of George IV, a commission was issued to examine into the state of the public records of England, and to print the most valuable of them, he was appointed one of the learned antiquaries to carry into effect the munificent and enlightened project.* The name of Sir Francis Palgrave appears as the editor of the following important contributions towards a full and authentic history of Eng

*The printed report of the committee contains a list of the members composing it, among which occur the following distinguished names: Lord Brougham, Henry Hallam, Cam Hobhouse, &c. In the same report is a statement which will be read with pleasure: "There have also been sent thirtyfive copies to the United States of America, and we have the satisfaction to report that they have been received every where with demonstrations of gratitude and esteem." By the term "sets," will of course be understood series of the printed records and other national documents. The value of the gift will be appreciated when it is known that each set already amounts to eighty-two volumes in folio, and thirty in quarto illustrated by numerous engravings of royal seals, autographs, &c. On the reverse of each title page is a printed memorandum, indicating the library to which the work is presented. The following is a copy:

RECORD COMMISSION, MARCH, 1840. THIS BOOK IS TO BE PERPETUALLY PRESERVED IN THE BALTIMORE LIBRARY.

CHARLES PARTON COOPER, Esq., Sec'y.

81

land: "Rolls and Records from the reign of Richard II, to the reign of Elizabeth,” "Proceedings and Ordinances of Privy Council, during the same period;""Ancient Kalendars and Inventories ;" and " 'Documents and Records for the history of Scotland."

On the subject of the volume before us, we beg leave to quote the British Critic. A lively writer in that able journal has the following remarks: "No one can fail to be pleased with this book, who is at all a lover of antiquity, and has any wish for information respecting the times of our ancestors,-information that he can depend upon. It contains a great store of interesting facts, relating to those times, which have the additional recommendation of being true. This is an important feature in the book, and deserves notice. Sir Francis is often humorous, often philosophical, but he never speaks off the book, though superficial readers might be deceived at first by his manner. His most lively sallies are certain to be based on Nos. 1, 2, 3, 4, &c. in the record office, or other documents of equal infallibility. And any one who, presuming on the free and imaginative form in which the author brings out his information, should choose to challenge the solidity of it, would shortly, we have no doubt, find himself dragged through black letter dormitories, and sepulchral repositories of all kinds; or perhaps be treated as the bear was by the Aristotelian student, compelled to swallow some venerable parchment, a treat in its way, but not of the palatable sort."

The manner in which the same reviewer describes the traditional process of transmitting error and misrepresentation, is too good to be omitted. "We have great respect for a writer who always keeps in this way within hail of his facts; especially if, like Sir Francis, he can manage to be authentic and amusing at the same time. It is well known that a contrary habit has prevailed among our historians for some time past; especially those who have treated on this subject-the middle ages. A few selected facts have served for all of them, one after the other, as one of the wittiest writers of the day [Macauley?] has most enter

tainingly shown us, in one or two remarkable instances. First, Mosheim produces a statement from some original source; isolated, perhaps, but still professing to be an original statement. This being done, it is done once and for all, they think. They go on swimmingly after it, and would go on to all eternity,

Labitur et labetur, in omne volubilis ævum.

It glides, and as it glides, forever will glide on, if there was no one like the writer we referred to, to call them to account. Robertson, Jortin, White [Blanco ?], all receive what Mosheim has given them, and hand it over, more or less accommodated to their own views. They show, no inclination to enlarge their number of facts; this would be contrary to their idea of philosophical history. No; they are quite satisfied, if they can refer to a note somewhere or other, which refers them back somewhere else, whence they would be directed to some other source, how far from or near the original truth itself, they neither know nor care. Meantime, in proportion to their ignorance of facts is their precipitate and unscrupulous use of the few they have. They are merciless in their application of them. One positively is not safe in one's chair from the inferences they are ready to raise on the most paltry and minute premise imaginable. A single fact, under their judicious management, will blow up and change the aspect of a whole world, ancient or modern, as the case may be; or, at any rate, play tremendous work with several centuries, with which it had no sort of connection. This is what we may call the historical lever. It shows what we can effect by the power of machinery, when applied to the manufacture of history; for history, it seems, is to be manufactured in this way, as well as articles of a grosser and more material character. Archimedes wished only for some ground to work from, and he would undertake to move the world with his lever. Two or three well-chosen facts supply this desirable ground to our modern historians. They do not desire Give them only these, and with their inferential lever, they will produce the

more.

most astonishing results. They will prove at once, without further ceremony, a whole series of ages to have been all dark, or all enlightened, as they may wish to make out; that all was dark up to a certain time; that then a sudden move took place, a spring was touched, and we became perfectly civilized and enlightened as we should be. In this way the whole history of mankind is speedily disposed of. All from the creation of the world downwards is arranged into three or four grand eras, which succeed each other very conveniently, and all entirely of one character or entirely of another, which makes them easy to remember. If the age be not enlightened, then it is dark; if it is not dark, why then it is enlightened. At this rate we get over the ground quick; in a hop, skip, and jump, we are brought from primeval chaos down to the nineteenth century, and Mr. Pinnock's catechism, which compresses all history into a nutshell, turns out to be no unfair or inadequate abridgement."

Now Sir Francis Palgrave is no reckless and wholesale historian of the class thus

graphically described. He is content to take a limited field for his observation, but to survey it well and accurately. He has no theory of his own to carry out, right or wrong; he is satisfied with having collected a suitable body of facts, and with so disposing them as to illustrate in a pleasing and intelligible manner the state of knowledge, government, religion, and society, in the age of which he treats.

Nothing can be more inartificial than the plan of the "Merchant and Friar," nor more simple than the grouping of the figures that compose the picture. The merchant is the famous traveller, Marco Polo, who has found his way to England upon some mercantile speculation; the friar is no other than the celebrated Roger Bacon. They fall in with each other at the hall of the regal abbey of Abingdon, where they are entertained by the abbot and his brethren with all the hospitality characteristic of the time. Marco and his party were travellers, and "travellers from Cathay," a strange land, the details of which are listened to with wonder and delight. A sym

pathy between intellectual men is natural; Friar Bacon accompanied Marco to London, where he takes him to the places and institutions worth seeing in those days. The heads of the chapters will indicate the principal objects that elicited inquiry ;-the "County Election," "Guildhall," "Parliament," and "the Friar's Study." The observations called forth in the visits to these places, are of a profound and striking character, showing that the writer is a philosopher when he chooses it, though he makes no parade of his philosophy. At times he is humorous, not to say satirical. Before proceeding to graver extracts, we may be permitted to entertain the reader with a quotation in a livelier vein. It is one of the "Fictions," spoken of in the title of the book, and the home-truths which it conveys will suit other political latitudes than those of the British Islands. The friar has accompanied Marco to Guildhall, where a criminal is placed at the bar. The accusation opens.

"William of the palace, thou art indicted as a felon, for that thou hast broken open and robbed the treasury of our lord, the king, at Westminster. How wilt thou be tried?' The culprit was about to speak, when Andrew Horne, a lawyer who had suddenly determined to retain himself for the prisoner, loudly took up the word, and silencing William of the palace by a wave of his hand, exclaimed, 'The culprit wages his law as a freeman of the city of London, as one of the burgesses, to whom it is granted by the conqueror that they should be worth' the same law as in the days of good St. Edward. Therefore is he entitled to refute the accusation by the declaration of his friends. Seven shall be the compurgators, chosen and named by the prisoner himself, according to our old Anglo Saxon law. If they all concur in testifying his innocence, if their oath declare him guiltless, he is quitted forever of the transgression which the king has laid to his charge. This franchise of our city bars the plea of the crown.""

Even as the candidate who now promises to advocate the abolition of imprisonment for debt, excites the warmest response from

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