society, even kings who are Christians cannot be Christian kings (p. 152). Nay, anti-Catholic theories have been raised into a kind of dogmata, and consecrated as the principles of '89."

The Council's work will be doctrinal on one hand and disciplinary on the other. As to doctrine, the Syllabus will probably be adopted as the basis of its decrees (p. 187). Still (ib.) the assembled bishops will doubtless themselves handle the condemned errors "for the purpose of applying to them more precise and direct censures; and again, "for the purpose of setting forth more didactically and rigorously the various articles of our holy Revelation which those errors deny or disfigure" or place in peril. "It will be permitted to affirm, that no doctrinal monument ever raised by the Church's hands will have presented vaster proportions and more brilliant illumination to the adoration and gratitude of posterity."

...

But the most difficult task of the Council will be (pp. 188, 9) "the readjustment of ecclesiastical discipline and canon law. . . . The revolutions which have occurred during a space of three centuries in laws, governments, the constitution of empires,-the wounds inflicted by these revolutions on canonical law,--the numerous concordats "--the rebellion of governments against the Church and her privileges,-" all these causes united have established in the world a state of things, for which the prescriptions of ancient discipline are insufficient; and which demands, for new necessities, new rules and modifications." At the same time, the greatest care will be taken (p. 200), that all fresh legislation shall be in harmony, to the greatest practicable extent, 66 with the laws and usages of different countries."

Every possible human preparation has been made for the Council's succesful issue. The greatest thinkers in the Church have given their minds to the questions now imminent (pp. 190, 191); and the chief of them have been summoned to Rome by Pius IX. himself to give counsel (p. 193).

When the bishops meet, there will be the fullest liberty of discussion. "Notwithstanding the unfair insinuations which have been hazarded right and left, it will be no assemblage of puppets" (p. 200). Yet, on the other hand, it is quite possible that, in the very exercise of their freedom, the bishops may choose to define Pontifical infallibility by acclamation (p. 197). Since "all the bishops of the world hold convictions on this head which are fully enlightened and firmly established, why . . . should they not proclaim it without further controversy by a spontaneous cry of heart and of faith?" (p. 198). We are here, be it observed, exhibiting Mgr. Plantier's opinion, not venturing on any conjecture of our own.

Certain Catholics have a strange fear of some censure being passed on the modern "liberties." Why, they ask, should the Council concern itself with politics? (p. 208). The Bishop replies, that the "politics" here spoken of have the closest connection with dogma and with morals (p. 209). With dogma, because "liberty of worships ", maintained as a principle, "rests on dogmatic indifference"; and with morals, because the whole question concerns the duties of a civil ruler. Moreover, these "liberties" have already been condemned by the Church again and again; and the only possible question therefore is, whether the bishops shall formally declare, when assembled, what they teach when dispersed (p. 205

We conclude with the following quotation :

"How many statesmen have combined with so-called liberals to hint that a multitude of prelates have groaned under the condemnations pronounced; that in practising respectful silence towards that great Act [the Syllabus], interiorly they do not accept it otherwise than with serious reservations; and that in a council, if they were called on to consecrate them by definitions or censures, they would not fail, either to raise serious objections or to manifest very significant hesitation. Let us await the event. These suppositions of perfidy and malevolence will be falsified. Then it will be victoriously demonstrated, even to the blind, that in the body of the Church head and hands have one only lip, one only thought." "It will be shown that between the Holy See and the immense majority of the Episcopate there exists a full intimacy of heart, founded on an entire identity of views " (pp. 217, 8).

Theses dogmaticæ quas in Collegio Sancti Beunonis, Prov. Angl. Soc. Jesu propugnandas assumpsit F. Sylvester Joseph Hunter, ejusdem Societatis.

W

E notice these theses chiefly, because of their strong language on our Blessed Lady's Assumption: xciii. xcvi. Thesis xcvi. declares that this doctrine is certain and proximately definable; adding an earnest hope (toto corde expetimus), that it may be defined in the Vatican Council. We suppose F. Bottalla is the most learned (as certainly there is no more orthodox and loyal) theologian in England; and it is a very remarkable fact therefore, that such a thesis has been adopted under his auspices. The "Civiltà " mentions, that two or three works have appeared in Rome on a similar theme.

We will add the two following theses, as bearing on a controversy which has been very prominently discussed in our pages.

XXXII. Ecclesiæ magisterium directe et principaliter suâ amplitudine complectitur quæcunque a Deo revelata fuere: indirecte vero et secundario ad ea omnia porrigitur, quæ ad veritatem revelatam, sive asserendam, sive vindicandam, pertinent.

XXXIII.-Quum Ecclesia authentice Theologorum aliquam definit conclusionem, vel minoribus censuris aliquam, vel plures in globo, damnat doctrinas; sive illas brevibus proponat propositionibus, sive easdem exponendo tradat; suum semper infallibile exercet magisterium: cui nemo, nisi graviter peccando, assensum recusare potest.

Address of the Irish Bishops. August 18, 1869.

E place this very important document before our readers without

In our next number we hope to treat the whole subject of denominational education.

The Catholic Archbishops and Bishops of Ireland, assembled at S. Patrick's College, Maynooth, on Wednesday, the 18th of August, 1869, His Eminence Cardinal Cullen presiding, deem it their duty to place on record at this important crisis the following resolutions respecting the Education and Land question:

"I.-They reiterate their condemnation of the mixed system of education, whether primary, intermediate, or university, as grievously and intrinsically dangerous to the faith and morals of Catholic youth; and they declare that to Catholics only, and under the supreme control of the Church in all things appertaining to faith and morals, can the teaching of Catholics be safely intrusted. Fully relying on the love which the Catholics of Ireland have ever cherished for their ancient faith, and on the filial obedience they have uniformly manifested towards their pastors, the bishops call upon the clergy and the laity of their respective flocks to oppose by every constitutional means the extension or perpetuation of the mixed system, whether by the creation of new institutions, by the maintenance of old ones, or by changing Trinity College, Dublin, into a mixed college.

“II.—At the same time they recognize the right, as well as the duty, of Catholic parents to procure as far as possible for their children the advantages of good secular education. Justice demands that Catholic youths should enjoy endowments and all other privileges on terms of perfect equality with the youth of other persuasions; without which equality in the matter of education, religious equality cannot be said to have any real existence.

"III. The bishops, without any wish to interfere with the rights of persons of a different denomination, demand for Catholics Catholic education, which alone is consonant to their religious principles.

"IV. The assembled prelates, learning with pleasure that it is the intention of Her Majesty's present advisers to legislate for Ireland in accordance with the wishes of its people-and of this they have given good earnest— trust that the distinguished statesman now at the head of the Government will, with the aid of his able colleagues, give to Irish Catholics a complete system of secular education based upon religion; for it alone can be in keeping with the feelings and requirements of the vast majority of the nation.

"V. As regards higher education, since the Protestants of this country have had a Protestant University for three hundred years, and have it still, the Catholic people of Ireland clearly have a right to a Catholic University. "VI.-But should Her Majesty's Government be unwilling to increase the number of Universities in this country, the bishops declare that religious equality cannot be realized unless the degrees, endowments, and other privileges enjoyed by their fellow-subjects of a different religion be placed within the reach of Catholics in the fullest sense of equality. The injustice of denying to them a participation in those advantages except at the cost of principle and conscience, is aggravated by the consideration that whilst they contribute their share to the public funds for the support of educational institutions from which conscience warns them away, they have moreover to tax themselves for the education of their children in their own colleges and university.

"VII.-Should it please Her Majesty's Government, therefore, to remove the many grievances to which Catholics are subjected by existing university arrangements, and to establish one national university in this kingdom for examining candidates and conferring degrees, the Catholic people of Ireland are entitled in justice to demand that in such university, or annexed to it"(a.) They shall have a distinct college, conducted upon purely Catholic principles, and at the same time fully participating in the privileges enjoyed by other colleges of whatsoever denomination or character.

"(b.) That the university honours and emoluments be accessible to Catholics equally with their Protestant fellow-subjects.

"(c.) That the examinations and all other details of university arrangement be free from every influence hostile to the religious sentiments of Catholics; and that with this view the Catholic element be adequately represented upon the senate, or other supreme university body, by persons enjoying the confidence of the Catholic bishops, priests, and people of Ireland.

"VIII.-The bishops also declare, that the Catholics of Ireland are justly entitled to their due proportion of the public funds hitherto set apart for education in the Royal and other endowed schools.

"IX.-The bishops furthermore declare, that a settlement of the university question, to be complete and at the same time in accordance with the wishes of the Catholic people of Ireland, must include the rearrangement of the Queen's colleges on the denominational principle.

"X.-Finally, the bishops of Ireland, deeply sympathising with the sufferings of their faithful flocks, believe that the settlement of the Land Question is essential to the peace and welfare of the United Kingdom. They recognize the rights and the duties of landlords. They claim, in the same spirit, the rights, as they recognize the duties of tenants. They believe that the comparative destitution, the chronic discontent, and the depressing discouragement of the people of Ireland, are, at this period of her history, to be attributed more to the want of a settlement of this question on fair and equitable principles than to any other cause. Therefore, in the interest of all classes, they earnestly hope that the responsible advisers of the Crown will take this most important subject into immediate consideration, and propose to Parliament such measures as may restore confidence, stimulate industry, increase national wealth, and lead to a general union, contentment, and happiness."

The above resolutions were unanimously adopted at a meeting of all the Catholic Archbishops and Bishops of Ireland, held at Maynooth, on the 18th of August of the present year.-PAUL CARD. CULLEN, Chairman.

Acta ex iis decerpta quæ apud Sanctam Sedem geruntur. Jul.,* 1869. Roma: Mariotti.

E have more than once heartily praised this most useful monthly com

paid Dr. Ward the very high compliment of reprinting his whole pamphlet, "de Infallibilitatis Extensione", as an appendix. The Editor, in his introductory remarks, displays hearty sympathy with this REVIEW, and expresses a very kind opinion that it has really done service to the Church. God grant that the fact may be so !

We cannot but hope that the publication of Dr. Ward's pamphlet, in so influential and widely-circulated a periodical, may bring it under the notice of many theologians, who have never heard the author's name and who would never have otherwise have read his work.

* The word "Maio" is printed by mistake on the cover of this pamphlet, instead of " Julio."

A Critique upon Mr. Ffoulkes's Letter. By H. I. D. RYDER, of the Oratory. London: Longmans.*

IT

T is with very great gratification that we meet F. Ryder on the field of controversy, not as an opponent but as a fellow-labourer. And certainly his publication may be taken as a curious indication of the unanimity with which Catholics of every school repudiate Mr. Ffoulkes. For the two writers, who have hitherto most elaborately criticised that gentleman, have been two, who, little more than a year ago, were accidentally prominent as representing two antagonistic views-we must still consider vitally antagonistic-which exist among English Catholics. It gives us much pleasure however to remember, that on the last occasion when we had to criticise one of F. Ryder's works (July, 1868, p. 244),—in protesting (as we felt it our painful duty to protest) against his avowed principles, we spoke emphatically on the consistent loyalty of his tone towards the Church: adding, that it is his tone which evidently exhibits his true mind, and that our personal respect for him is most sincere and unqualified." And now for his very able and interesting critique on Mr. Ffoulkes.

F. Ryder does not waste time and space, by going again over ground which we had sufficiently covered: his remarks throughout are either supplementary or corrective of our own. It will be our natural course-and probably as convenient to our readers as any other-if we express our comments on the pamphlet from this point of view. It is divided into four sections of which the first is naturally devoted to the main count of Mr. Ffoulkes's indictment.

"Mr. Ffoulkes's main charge against the Roman Church, if I understand him rightly, is this: that some 800 years ago she introduced a new doctrine, the Procession of the Holy Ghost from the Son, into her materia fidei,' and inserted it, under the form of the Filioque clause, in the Nicene Creed, in direct opposition to the enactment of the Councils of Ephesus and Chalcedon; that she did this against her conscience, in servile submission to the Emperor of the day; that by so doing she then and there exposed herself to the full penalty denounced upon any who shall substitute another Creed for that promulgated at Ephesus, which penalty, as Mr. Ffoulkes understands it, involves nothing less than the loss of their orders in the case of the clergy; in the case of lay persons, of their communion. Such being the lamentable condition to which the Church of Rome has reduced herself, her members, he concludes, cannot, in common modesty, reproach Anglicans with their thirty-nine articles, or throw doubt upon their orders" (p. 4).

*We had actually sent this notice to press before we had the least notion that F. Bottalla's reply to Mr. Ffoulkes would appear this quarter: otherwise it might have been more convenient to notice the trio conjointly. As things are, we have thought it better to publish the present notice as it originally stood, without founding any change on the later pamphlet. We should add also, that for obvious reasons we were particularly desirous of doing every possible justice to F. Ryder's admirable essay; and we have treated it therefore at greater length than could be necessary in noticing a theologian of such established and eminent name as F. Bottalla. 2 K

VOL. XIII.—NO. XXVI. [New Series.]