have been incapable of effecting what he has attempted, but that none of them have had his objects precisely in view.

Having thus stated the motives which have induced him to write, his next duty is to develop his plan; and in this he presumes that he may lay claim to originality. Most books of instruction already in the hands of the public are in the form of question and answer, a form, undoubtedly, of all others the most simple, but in one respect liable, he conceives, to a serious objection. There is, perhaps, no child of common parts, that has attained its seventh year, that might not in the space of three or four months be taught to answer every question in the catechism; and yet, from merely having been taught to answer the several questions, it would have acquired little or no idea of the truths and duties of religion. The reason of this is, because the catechetical form merely calls for the exercise of the will and memory, without exacting any thing from the understanding. Children, even of three or four years of age, possess memories as retentive of what they learn, as do the generality of adults, whereas they are almost incapable of religious instruction, because they have but little judgment or understanding: hence it is only in proportion to the advances which they make in understanding that they acquire capacity for instruction: when they have attained a partial use of judgment or reason, they are capable of understanding the principles and duties

of religion to a partial extent; when they have arrived to the full use of reason, they are capable of complete instruction. A nearly similar mode of reasoning is applicable to adults, whose minds have never been introduced into the field of religion. Now, as it can be of little service to a person to have his memory charged with a form of words which is not understood, the compiler has adopted a plan, which, whilst it retains the familiar form of question, calls forth the exercise of the judgment. By this means a child or other person, with due application, will always acquire a degree of real knowledge proportioned to his capacity. The plan is, first, to expound the principles of the faith and morality of the catholic church, in an easy and familiar style; and, at the end, to subjoin a series of questions, with numerical references to the chapter and paragraph where the answer to each is to be found. These answers are very easy to be discovered, yet necessarily require the exercise of the judgment, and when discovered, must convey to the mind a partial understanding, at least, of the subject. The improvement, therefore, which the writer thinks he has effected, is briefly this: that, whilst, on the old plan, a person may easily learn, without understanding, on his, he is almost compelled to understand what he learns. Let it not, however, be supposed, that he wishes the use of the catechism to be discarded, for, although by itself the catechism will seldom give a person an adequate idea

of religion, yet it is eminently useful as a groundwork for instruction, and tends also to preserve uniformity of thought and expression on religious subjects.

The method, also, or arrangement of his matter, is a point to which the writer has paid particular attention, convinced as he is, that from a want of due regard to this, the minds of many under instruction are confused. The method which he has adopted, although not new in itself, is so to the English reader. The work is divided into two parts:- -in the first part is explained what all are obliged to believe; in the second, what all are obliged to practise. The first part, after detailing what relates to the Deity, takes an historical review of the creation of the angels and of man, and of the state of the world from its commencement to the present time, as well as of what the scriptures inform us will happen until the consummation of all things in eternity. Under this are comprised the principle articles of faith respecting our redeemer, his church, the sacraments, &c. The second part treats of the vices and virtues, the commandments, the practical duties appertaining to each of the sacraments, prayer, &c. The compiler, being fully sensible of the paramount necessity that every christian should have a thorough knowledge of what relates to the eucharistic sacrament and sacrifice, and the practical part of the sacrament of penance, has devoted to them particular attention and although those treatises are comparatively long, he feels convinced that, on examina

tion, they will be found to contain nothing which is not either essential or very useful.

Such are the writer's motives for introducing himself to public notice such are his plans of instruction and his arrangement of matter. He hopes, however, that the polished or well instructed reader will bear in mind, that he has not written for him. All his wish is, to be of assistance to pastors of large congregations in the instruction of their flocks, and to furnish a book that may be of utility in sunday schools. If his work prove to answer these ends, he will have attained his object, and consider that his trouble is amply repaid.