No doubt, as during this transition period the voice is particularly tender, special care should be taken with it, and anything like a strain on it cautiously avoided. But with such care no harm need be anticipated from training it during those years. Part the Fourth deals with the Various Studies Necessary for Composers, and the Fifth Part is on the Means of Rectifying a Musical Education that has been ill-directed at the beginning. Finally, Part the Sixth considers Various Kinds of Instruction: Individual, Class, and Conservatory Instruction, embodying a lot of interesting information on nearly all the important music schools of Europe and America. The translation is, on the whole, satisfactory, and the publishers' part leaves nothing to be desired, except that, personally, we hate books bound without being cut. H. B. JOURNAL OF THE CO. LOUTH ARCHEOLOGICAL SOCIETY. Established 1904. Vol. I., No. 1. LOUTH, so famous in early Irish history, ecclesiastical as well as profane, has at last awoke to a sense of its duty to the past, and, following the lead of Cork, Kildare, Waterford, and Galway, has established its Archæological Society with its Archæological Journal. The Society was formally established on the 8th September, 1903, and the inaugural meeting took place in the Town Hall, at Dundalk, on 1st January, 1904, when an exceedingly interesting address was delivered by the well-known antiquarianhimself a Louthman-Mr. J. R. Garstin. The objects of the Society are briefly set forth in the Appendix of the present volume. They are: (1) To preserve, examine, and illustrate all ancient monuments and memorials of County Louth and adjoining districts; (2) To study the arts, manners, and customs of the past to which these monuments belong; (3) To find out all that is ascertainable about the history of Louth and surrounding districts; (4) To establish a museum or museums in the County, where objects of antiquarian interest may be preserved. The first President of the Society is Joseph T. Dolan, M.A., Ardee. The present number of the Journal contains many interesting papers and items of information relating principally to County Louth. Amongst the rest we might be allowed to specially mention the Inaugural Address' of J. R. Garstin, Early Legends of Louth' by J. T. Dolan, 'Tara Brooch' by Henry Morris, 'Souterrains of Louth, by Rev. J. Quinn, C.C., Knockbridge, and Monasteries of Louth' by Mr. Laurence Murray. The first effort does great credit to the Louth Society, and we are confident that it is only the herald of better and more perfect work. We wish the Society and the Journal every success. It was badly wanted, and, as far as we can see, is being developed on the right lines. We trust that the number of their supporters, especially in the ranks of the clergy, will increase day by day and year by year. It would be a shame if it could be said, with any shadow of foundation, that Irish Catholics, especially Irish priests, are not interested in what concerns them so specially. We know that in the past this reproach could not be levelled at the Catholics or clergy of Louth, and we feel still more confident for the future since the establishment of this Society and the publication of the Louth Archæological Journal. J. MACC. LIFE OF VENERABLE GABRIEL POSSENTI, of the Congregation of the Passion. By Rev. N. Ward, C.P. Dublin, 1904. THE little work, for which his Eminence Cardinal Gibbons has written an Introduction, is a readable and interesting account of the saintly member of the Passionist Order, Gabriel Possenti. The wonderful miracles wrought at his grave in the year 1892 helped to make public the sanctity of a life till then little discussed. In 1895 Cardinal Gibbons, in company with Cardinals Parocchi and Vaughan, petitioned the Holy See for Gabriel's beatification. Similar petitions were afterwards presented to the Holy Father by twenty-nine Cardinals, and by many of the Bishops. The Holy Father yielded to such representations, and in consequence the present life has been given to the public. We can highly recommend it as an interesting and useful spiritual work. J. MACC. EADMERI TRACTATUS DE CONCEPTIONE S. MARIAE, olim S. Anselmo attributus, nunc primum integer ad codi cum fidem editus a P. H. Thurston, S.J., et P. T. Slater, S.J. Herder. 1904. In this dainty little book we have presented to us for the first time the full text of the earliest treatise in defence of the Immaculate Conception of Our Lady. The editors have taken their text from MS. 371, in C.C.C., Cambridge. This is the oldest known manuscript of the work, and in all probablity it dates from the first half of the twelfth century; moreover, as Father Thurston shows, it was written in the monastery of Christ Church, Canterbury, during the lifetime of its author, or shortly after his death. Other manuscripts in the British Museum and in the Bodleian Library have been collated for the work, and we may hope that now we have a satisfactory text of this interesting and beautiful little treatise. Father Slater in a short preface gives us a brief outline of the influence which the treatise exercised on the controversy concerning the dogma of the Immaculate Conception; and Father Thurston discusses, and in our opinion settles, the question of authorship. A number of documents belonging to the same period as the treatise itself are added in an Appendix, which will enable the reader to form his own opinion as to how far back the celebration in England of a Conception Feast goes. Several of these documents are now given to the public for the first time in full. We heartily recommend every priest and every aspirant to the priesthood to buy a copy of the book and to read it as a preparation for the coming celebration of the fiftieth anniversary of the definition of the Immaculate Conception. SUMMULA PHILOSOPHIAE SCHOLASTICAE in usum Adolescentium Seminarii Beatae Mariae de Monte Melleario, concinnata. Vol. II. COSMOLOGIA ET PSYCHOLOGIA. Dublini Browne et Nolan, Ltd. Price 4s. net. IN the I. E. RECORD of January, 1903, we had occasion {to notice the first volume of the above Philosophy-the volume containing Logic and Ontology. There still remains to be published a third volume on Natural Theology and Ethics. We trust it will soon appear. When the gifted author has completed his work he will have written a handbook of philo sophy which, if we are to judge from the two volumes already published, we candidly think it would be hard to excel. All the qualities that have recommended the first volume to us are equally in evidence in the second. It is clear and simple in its expositions, convincing in its proofs, and candid in its treatment of difficulties. It is sufficiently copious in its doctrine, even for the more advanced student. It illustrates and clears up many of the more obscure and difficult questions by its copious wealth of footnotes and quotations from the most approved and up-to-date sources. By these and by its numerous references to recent philosophical literature it puts the student in a position to extend the sphere of his studies with the least expenditure of labour and the very best results. The appearance of such a text book at the present time will give a new impetus to the study of Scholastic Philosophy on modern scientific lines, and its introduction into Catholic schools cannot fail to facilitate and to lighten the work of the student. P. C. GREGORIAN MASS (Missa de Angelis). In Staff and Tonic Sol-Fa Notation. With Gregorian ‘O Salutaris' and 'Tantum Ergo.' Edited by a Catholic Priest. Dublin: Browne & Nolan, Ltd, Price Id. net. We have much pleasure in bringing under our readers' notice this admirable, and necessary pennyworth of Gregorian chant, according to the edition of Solesmes. In the new state of things created by our present Pontiff's action with reference to choirs throughout the world, our boys must be everywhere trained to sing at least the Ordinary of the Mass in the solemn functions which occur sometimes in almost every church. Our people, too, silent almost since the Reformation, are at last to be allowed to join in those same chants which their ancestors sang through all the ages of Faith. A handy book, clear, authentic, portable, and cheap, is the very thing we could have wished for in the circumstances, and with singular promptitude the reverend editor has perfectly supplied our wants. We trust that the success of this first instalment of Solesmes chant will encourage him to do something similar for the Benediction Service on the same lines. P. S. JULY 'As you are children of Christ, so be vou children of Rome." Ex Dictis S. Patricii, In Libro Armacono, fol 9. $351996 The Ecclesiastical Record A Monthly Journal, under Episcopal Sanction. Very Rev. P. Boyle, C.M., Irish College, Paris. The Black Castle of Wicklow.-I. Thomas Fitzpatrick, Esq., Carrickmacross. Patron Saints of the Parishes of the Diocese of Elphin. The Origin of the Scapular.-A Criticism. Rev. Herbert Thurston, S.J., London. Documents. Catholic Clerical Managers' Association. Motu Proprio' of His Holiness Pope Pius X. Notices of Books. Horae Semiticae. Compendium Sacrae Liturgiae Juxta Rituum Romanum. Brevia- SUBSCRIPTION: Twelve Shillings per Annum, Post Free, payable in advance, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED, ZLF |