Catholic Quarterly Review This periodical has now completed the first year of its existence, and has unquestionably, to say the least, made good its right to a continued existence. What place it occupies in Catholic periodical literature is sufficiently manifested by the commendatory notices of the non-Catholic, as well as Catholic press, extracts from which we have published from time to time, and a synopsis of those which refer to the last (October) number, will be found below. The publishers and conductors of the American Catholic Quarterly Review did not expect to be able to make it from the start all that they hope it will eventually become. They labored under no such delusion. They were well aware that a Review must grow; grow not only in the estimation of the public, but also in its hold upon its readers, and in its influence upon their opinions. They knew well that it was impossible at once to create a staff of regular contributors, or to realize at once the conception on which the Review is based. But they believed that, as there was an urgent necessity for such a publication as the Review aims at becoming, and to some extent has already become, they would not fail to receive the required literary, as well as financial support. In this belief they have not been disappointed. And, as regards the future, they hope that as the usefulness of the Review comes to be more clearly perceived, and its character as an able and dignified exponent of Catholic principles, in their relations both to the fundamental, unchanging truths of Catholicity, and also to the practical applications of those truths to the momentous questions of the day, comes to be more widely known, both these forms of support will be enlarged. Of one thing the patrons of the Review may rest assured. That is, that the publishers and conductors will continue their efforts to obtain as contributors to the pages of the Review the ablest and most eminent writers they can possibly secure. That they have measurably succeeded in this during the first year of the Review's existence is ground not only for encouragement to persevere, but also for expecting a still greater degree of success in the future. The following extracts are taken from some of the many notices by our contem'poraries of the October number of the Review: [From the Southern Cross, Savannah.] This number is more than usually replete with highly interesting articles. [From the Boston Pilot.] The fourth number of the American Catholic Quartesly has been published. From what we have read of it we think it is the most interesting number yet published. . . . [From the Chicago Pilot] The October number of this able Quarterly Review is at hand and it fully confirms the promises held out by the pub. lishers.... It merits not only the support of our people, but our separated brethren, who desire to give a candid hearing to the arguments advanced in favor of Catholicity, would be very much benefitted by perusing its exhaustive articles. [From the Irish-American.] WITH the October number the American Catholic Quarterly Review closes its first volume, presenting probably the most interesting and valuable number yet published. The success of the first volume of this model publication augurs well for it a glorious future. [From the Catholic Visitor.] We have received the American Catholic Quarterly Review for October, which is filled with good things and replete with interest to the reader. Its perusal to any Catholic would be instructive, as many of its articles treat of subjects intimately connected with our holy religioņ. . . . [From the Catholic Journal, Pittsburgh.] THE AMERICAN CATHOLIC QUARTERLY REVIEW.-The October number of this meritorious and solid Review completes the first volume. We earnestly urge upon our Catholic fellow-citizens, and all our readers, the very great claims which the Quarterly has upon them for their pecuniary support. [From the Texas Catholic.] We are in receipt of the October number of the Review, which fully sustains the high character that that most excellent periodical has established among educated Catholics. It supplies a place long vacant in the Catholic literature of America, and will be a welcome visitor in every intellectual Catholic family in the land. . [From the Pittsburgh Catholic.] These are all excellent articles, and should be carefully perused by all who can appreciate the beautiful and truthful in literature. The present number closes the first volume of this much esteemed periodical, and we trust that the incoming one will meet with a more extended patronage than the one just brought to a close. [From the Lake Shore Visitor.] This periodical, undoubtedly among the most meritorious contributions to American Catholic literature, which the present century has produced, has now completed its first volume. The current number is already in the hands of subscribers and will be found to contain carefully written, and learned articles on subjects of pressing importance at the present time. [From the Catholic Mirror.} The October number of this Review completes the first volume. Looking back at the work already accomplished, we can only express our wonder and great gratification at the excellence of the contributions, characterized as they are by sound logic, incisive vigor of thought and expression, timeliness and profound erudition. From the past we augur a brilliant career for this much-needed Catholic periodical, and we earnestly urge upon Catholics the necessity of a hearty sup port... [From the New York Independent. J The American Catholic Quarterly Review (published by Hardy & Mahony, Philadelphia), has completed its first year and has proved to be a worthy successor of Brownson's Quarterly. It is a large periodical of 200 pages and the type is large and clear and pleasant to the eye. As the medium of the best thought of the best minds of the Roman Catholic Church, the Review has an interest for those outside that great body. The articles, while of a sectarian type, are always candid and courteous in their references to Protestant men and matters. . . [From the Lockport Visitor.] This number completes the first year, and, if we may judge from the words of praise bestowed upon it from all quarters, the past twelve months have demonstrated that the American Catholic Quarterly Review meets a want in the literary world, and that its future is assured. The publishers have evidently spared no pains to make the Review acceptable to the public. In paper, typography and general appearance it is much superior to any Catholic periodical which has come under our notice. It deserves, and we hope will receive, a generous support. [From the Toronto Globe.] The American Catholic Quarterly Review for October is the fourth issue of an exceedingly able publication, designed to bring before the intelligence of the country the views and ideas of the Catholic Church, or, at least, of leading Catholics in the Church, on the great questions of the day. The first number was issued in January last, and the one now before us is the closing one for the year. . . . . Such an able Review as this is must be generally read by intelligent Catholics, and cannot fail to greatly benefit the Church, as even intense Protestants will take pleasure in perusing the views on the great questions of the day of candid, earnest and educated Catholics. The typographical appearance of the Review is in keeping with its high literary tone. [From the Chicago Post.] The American Catholic Quarterly Raview for October affords a fair representa tion, we presume, of what Catholic scholars are capable of accomplishing in periodical literature. Typographically the Quarterly is one of the handsomest publications in the country. Its contents, though made up of subjects treated too broadly from a denomi national standpoint, are scholarly and interesting. They show a depth of research and a force of scholarship that make the work of more than ordinary value. There is the best of reasons why Catholicism should have a quarterly. It has able scholars and an inexhaustible fund of literary resource, almost inaccessible to ordinary writers, from which to draw. Let all be made available for uni versal information. ... [From the Montreal True Witness.] When the prospectus was issued announcing the intention of publishing the Review, knowing the literary ability of the contributors, we had no hesitatian in recommending persons to become subscribers. Now that by the unanimous verdict of the press it holds a high position among the best periodicals in the land; with greater confidence we recommend it to such Catholics, whether lay or clerical, who have not as yet become subscribers. It has won this high position by its calm, dignified and scholarly manner of discussing subjects. It is needless to remind our readers how necessary a periodical of this kind is, to explain and defend truth and to refute the sophistries of error. The necessity being admitted, it is the duty of all who have the welfare of religion and society at heart, to support it by large subscriptions. [From the Cleveland Herald.] "The October number of the American Catholic Quarterly Review is the fourth since its commencement and completes the first volume. In these four numbers it has amply vindicated its right to existence.. The articles have been scholarly, and generally treated the subjects with great breadth of view. The interest in these articles is by no means confined to members of the Roman Catholic Communion. Indeed we question whether Protestants of liberal views will not find as much to interest them in the pages of the Catholic Quarterly as will the most devoted Catholic. It is of importance sometimes to get the Roman Catholic side of a disputed question, and in such cases it is satisfactory to get the best presentation of that side. Such as can generally be depended on will be found in the pages of this periodical. [From the Toronto Tribune.] The Centennial year in the United States, so pregnant with great events, has been rendered memorable to the lite rary world by the establishment of the American Catholic Quarterly Review. It is one of those events whose far reaching influence for good embraces both the present and the future; for the impress which such a publication leaves upon the minds of men to day will ripen into golden fruit and be reproduced in rich and varied abundance by generations of men yet unborn. A Truth once uttered, like a ray of light, bounds ever onward and in its course sheds its radience to dispel the clouds of error which Heresy throws around the pathway of Science and over the citadel of Religion. We congratulate the publishers, Messrs. Hardy & Mahony, of Philadelphia, on the success which has attended their efforts to supply a magazine which has no superior in the English language, and we wish them a measure of prosperity commensurate with their public spirited enterprise. .... [From the Cleveland Catholic Universe.] NUMBER four of this new Catholic periodical is issued, and the number more than redeems the promises made by its publishers, and more than realizes the expectations and hopes indulged in by those Catholic Americans who desired to see Catholic intellect have an opportunity to make itself felt in the periodical literature of the day in this country, and to have this intellect utilized for the benefit of the American people. All this is well done by means of this American Catholic Quarterly Review, which has already taken by its merits an enviable position among the periodicals of the day.. We are in receipt of the October number of the American Catholic Quarterly Review, the last number of the first volume. . . . This is an excellent periodical, and its present number increases its former high reputation. [From the Catholic Telegraph.] .. A periodical of this kind cannot be reviewed; all we can do is to notice it and most earnestly recommend our readers to subscribe for it. It would be a crying shame should the Review be discontinued for the lack of support. It cannot be gainsaid that the "American Catholic Review" and the "Catholic World" places the Catholics of the United States second to none in periodical literature of the highest order. Let us hold our own, at least, in this one thing. If, in our apathy, we are not superior or even equal to all denominations in other departments, let us be thankful to those editors and writers who vindicate the honor of the Church, and assert her rights at the sacrifice of many comforts. The Review may be considered as a successor to the deeply lamented Brownson's late Quarterly. The Doctor himself took a prominent part in its inauguration. It has the sanction of that great man. It may be considered as a legacy of his loving heart and ardent soul to his companions in the Faith and to his countrymen, to the nation he admired so highly, served so faithfully, and loved so ardently. Nor can it be denied that so far the American Catholic Quarterly has proved itself superior to the defunct Brownson's Quarterly. Nor can it be otherwise, considering the talent that has been summoned to contribute to its pages. Let every priest subscribe to it, and every layman who can, do the same. In fact we do not see how any Catholic layman of culture can well forego the pleasure and the necessity of reading it. As for our clegy, we would leap over the limits of our duty were we to give the reasons why we say that they must sup. port it. We have said it is impossible to review this Review, unless we undertook to write a vol ume three times the length of the original matter-a work surely nostris non æquam viribus. But it is a source of painful reflections to find the motives of some of the contributors misinterpreted. A semi religious paper has had the bad taste-to use the mildest terms -to qualify the concluding remarks of Very Rev. E. Jacker's article on the "Catholic Indians in Michigan and Wisconsin," as malicious. We shall not enter into a defence of the article in question. The writer is very well able to take care of himself, although the best reply we can make, in our opinion, is to let facts speak for themselves. For there are others who are well acquainted with the history of what has been done, and what has not been done, and what should have been done for the poor Catholic Indians. This class of gentlemen need not draw their conclusions from the inspiration of any young knight of the quill, who hopes by running a tilt in a barnyard to curry some favor. While we are penning these lines, the Very Rev. Edward Jacker, although unfit for work from illness and exhausted physical powers, has yielded to the pressing invitations of his brother priests, who, not knowing the several admixtures of the various Indian dialects, are unable to do what they would be prompted to do by their honest zeal and love of their spiritual children. He is laboring night and day, catechising, lecturing, hearing confessions, far away from his home in a pure labor of love. Little will he care for such aspersions from ob scure-we almost said mysterious-sources (for is there not something mysterious in attacks of this kind?), strong in and wellassured by the gratitude and approval of priests and prelates. It is lamentable that his endeavors should have been deemed worthy only of a slur, and what he has uttered as the honest conviction of a mind, supported by many years of missionary experience, such as none but himself could have had, should be qualified as either an accidental or malicious ignorance of facts. The language is both outrageous and silly, hence difficult to qualify. But, after all, is it not an instance of history repeating itself? Just so, many centuries ago, the good deeds of the Master were attributed to the malice of Beelzebub. [From the N. O. Morning Star.] "The fourth number of this sterling Review has reached us in good season, and is freighted as usual with scholarly articles, replete with important considerations. Father Thebaud's article on "The Church and the People," owing to the limited space allotted him, is not exhaustive of its subject, but is so suggestive in its management that the reader is furnished with unlimited food for reflection. The fine irony which gleams, at times, in all his writings, is not absent from this magnificent essay; but the questions discussed are in themselves too grave and important to admit of any but the most serious elaboration. There is an indescribable charm about this writer's style; he leads the mind irresistibly along his train of thought and unfolds his meaning unequivocally before you. Every word bright and incisive as the electric needle, writes out its startling message in language not to be misunderstood by any man of mind. The picture drawn of the French "people" is fearful in its vividness and unmistakable in its coloring. We wish it might be seen by those whom it represents, and serve as God's messenger to bring them back to faith and happiness. "What the Popes have done for the Science of Geography," by John Gilmary Shea, is exceedingly interesting and valuable, and, we have no doubt, will be largely quoted by our Catholic press, so as to bring its excellent lessons before the minds of many readers. The third article is by Rev. H. Formby, and is an able exposition of Father Thebaud's work on Gentilism. Those who read the review will we hope, be induced to procure the book itself, but in the meantime Father Formby's thoughtful article is in itself a rare treat-"Gentilism" being the inexpressibly rich mine in which lie untold treasures. Father Formby is one of the patient delvers to bring these treasures up to sight; and, as we take them one by one from his hand, we are able to form a just appreciation of the value of the whole. "A Plan for the Proposed Catholic University," by Bishop Becker, is an article so full of activity, of sound views, of noble ambition for the youth of our country, that we are sure his zeal and learning will yet see the commencement of that higher education which he so much desires, and in which cause every impartial mind must sympathize. The other articles are of the very highest interest to man, conveying solid information to the reader, and relating in almost every case to some noble work of charity or humanity. Rev. Edward Jacker's article, for instance, on "Who is to Blame for the Little Big Horn Disaster?" is an apostle's earnest cry for laborers in one of the most neglected parts of the Lord's vineyard, and those who read his earnest article will surely feel like doing something, no matter what it be, to forward the interests, spiritual above all, of our InIdian brothers. Mr. McMaster has lately sounded his clarion notes in behalf of this same race, and we know of nothing so appropriate to be studied together as Father Jacker's learned paper and the Freeman's practical suggestions on this subject. We are also particularly pleased with the "Book Reviews" in this number, uniting so much erudition with so much courtesy, so much good sense with so much charity, that we recognize the modesty belonging to genius and the gentleness of the true Christian scholar. la our opinion, this American Catholic Review has a grand mission before it, one peculiarly appropriate to this second Centennial of American freedom; for, under Providence, it may so enlighten the minds of our people, both in and out of the faith, that while the ones cling closer to the unchangeable Mother Church, the others may yearn for her maternal consolation, and find therein their true happiness and greatness. But when America is Catholic, then only will we fully appreciate the incalculable good done in their turn by such writers as those that form the American Catholic Quarterly Review.... |