a second foundation, for two sisters of charity, called "Sœurs Grises," to instruct female children, and attend the sick. For this purpose, the founders erected a building in the middle of the town, "où la charité se fera tous les jours." Well, indeed, did the Thillet family employ their rich possessions. They cast their bread upon the waters: we may hope it has returned to them with interest.

Every nation in Christendom, so long blessed with faith and civilization, boasts the possession of venerable remains of religious edifices. England is justly proud of Westminster Abbey, York Minster, and the cathedral of Winchester; the French dwell with fond eloquence on the gothic grandeur of " Notre Dame de Paris," the cathedrals of Rouen, of Amiens, with a host of others; of Italy it were superfluous to speak, for does it not contain Rome, the "Mother of the Churches,"-the cradle of westeru Christianity? Throughout the length and breadth of the land, the various edifices of religion constantly remind the observer that he treads on holy ground. The northern nations too, though unhappily gone astray into the cold and negative system of Protestantism, have still remaining worthy temples, where their Catholic ancestors offered up their prayer and praise. In Ireland, does not the traveller continually meet with the ivy-clad ruins of church and monastery, their aisles and cloisters dilapidated and fallen? One thousand years and more have rolled over the metropolitan church of Munster, and still the venerable ruins of the "Rock of Cashel" stand out in bold relief on the broad horizon, an enduring memorial to the Irish Catholic. But it is not my intention to form a catalogue raisonné of all the resting places of the sacred spirit of ancient piety; the wanderer over the old world will find his reminiscences full of such scenes. In truth, the indomitable spirit of Christian charity, which alone could give them birth, has left her traces everywhere. Well may she exclaim :—

"Quæ regio in terris nostri non plena laboris."

Although the Church, in the preservation of her admirable unity, has frequently expressed her formal wish for uniformity in liturgy and ritual, and passed several excellent laws to that effect, she still permits, and has permitted, several local usages, venerable both for their great antiquity and their origin. Even in this permission of an exception to generally received discipline, the Church has been led by her reverence for tradition. In Spain, where ecclesiastical laws were so strictly enforced, the antique Mozarabic rite was retained, in reverence to its reputed author, St. Isidore. It had its church at Toledo, richly

endowed by Cardinal Ximenes, its distinct liturgy, its canons and privileges. Before the Council of Trent, these local usages were far more numerous than since; for the greater number have given way to the progress of a uniform discipline. The admirer of Catholic antiquity and its remains, may still find his taste gratified, by alighting, in his continental tour, on some ancient diocese, with its gothic cathedral grey in age, with its seemly religious pomp still attempted to be maintained, and that indescribable air antique pervading the whole.

The diocese of Auxerre (à revenir à mes moutons) furnishes an instance in point. It is one of great antiquity: already 1395 years have passed, since the death of its great patron St. Germanus. Auxerre has its breviary different from the Roman one; the psalms of the small hours are different for each day, and the little chapters are taken from the decrees of councils. Its missal, too, is different from the Roman ; and I was particularly struck with the large number of bishops who succeeded to the sanctity, as well as to the see of St. Germanus, and, like him, are enrolled in the calendar of the Saints. The following table was attached, each Holy Thursday, to the paschal candle, and remained so until Ascension Thursday, for the information of the people :

A missione Sti. Peregrini computantur anni 1583
A transitu Sti. Germani

anni 1395

A liberatione urbis de manu Hæreticm, anni 276

This document, with the golden number, epact, &c., and the moveable feasts, and fasts, was calculated for each year; the numbers annexed are for the present year 1843 A.D. It appears that St. Peregrine preached the Gospel to the inhabitants of Auxerre in the middle of the third century; but it is St. Germain the faithful of Auxerre look on as their father in the Lord.

It is to be regretted that, by the concordat between Pope Pius and Napoleon, the ancient see of Auxerre has been annexed to that of Sens, the archbishop of which now governs both dioceses. It still retains its ancient usages,-a solace for its bereavement; although, from a late movement for still greater uniformity made by the French prelates, it is difficult to determine how long these shall be retained.

SACRED MUSIC.

"I Do not much approve of the Canto figurato used on grand occasions in the Italian churches. How much more impressive is the ordinary service, and the singing of vespers throughout the year, when the fine voices with which Italy abounds arise in solemn chorus, accompanied only by the swelling peals of the organ. The Canto Gregoriano is so well adapted to religious sentiments, so much in unison with the sublime effusions of sacred poetry! It soothes the heart, it elevates the mind above the selfish concerns of men; it gives us a foretaste of joys more pure,—of an existence beyond the limits of this visible world:

'C'est là que finiront un jour tous nos malheurs,

Car l'habitant des cieux ne verse point des pleurs.'

Man comes out from the sacred ceremony refreshed and renovated, his feelings softened by religious melancholy; and the effects of this disposition must be beneficial to himself and to his fellow-creatures.”*

These lines convey my sentiments on sacred music. Correct taste and genuine piety are outraged by the present state of sacred (?) music. Gorgeously theatrical and military, it vies with the performances of the opera-house and the ball room. The poet has said of some, that they "who came to scoff, remained to pray;" but I fear much the case is often reversed now-a-days: many who come to pray in our principal churches, are forced to join the fashionable herd. The divine art of music is never so truly divine, as when it sings of GOD and His wondrous works. Sacred music is meant to be ancillary to the high and solemn duty of public worship; to raise the mind of the worshipper from earth to heaven; to soften the sinner's hardened heart, to warm the cold, to soothe the afflicted, to embody, and reveal in its own expressive language, the whole conduct of GOD to man, and man's relation to GOD. How noble its objects! to render us wiser, better, happier beings. Are these ends attained by the nine-tenths of modern sacred music? Alas! no. What with meretricious decorations, with diffi

* Italie, &c.-A. Viesseux.

culties of artistic execution, " sleights of hand," with a total want of the living soul of sacred song, it not only wholly fails as an aid to the exercises of religion, but is positively opposed to them. There are playgoers,-yea, there are churchgoers,-who go to hear what they (in their ignorance) call fine music! What Catholic, aye, or Protestant, acquainted with the lions of London, has not heard of the vulgar appellation by which our solemn rites are profanely designated?

It is a solemn mockery of holy thoughts and feelings to unite them to sounds wholly inexpressive of them,-directly antithetic to them. But with whom is the crying abuse of these profanities? Alas! with many. With the priest, with the people, with the musicians, both composer and performer. The composer, partly because he has not the inward soul of his high art, and finds its language an unknown tongue; partly because he desires to pander to the prevailing rage, and for fame and lucre,-bah!-betrays his sacred trust. The people follow in the wake of the fashionables who give the tone to church society; who wish to catch occasionally, in the music of the choir, some favorite passage of a French or an Italian air, which haunts their memories with visions of brilliant scenes in the world. And the priest, who, from his severe sacred studies, from the fresh recollections of the simple, sublime Gregorian chaunt of his college life, should know better, allows such things to be. "Video meliora, proboque, deteriora sequor." Some clergymen may say, they are forced to submit to the wishes of their congregations; to suit a part of the sacred service to their tastes, or lose their hearers, and sundry receipts. But were the leading clerics to exclude all profane music, to invite the exercise of true art, meet composers and performers would soon come forward, and the people too would cordially approve. Yes; there is a heart of truth in the great "people"; I mean not the little great of the world. The congregations would appreciate and applaud the holy efforts of their minister; and under the spiritualizing influence of music wedded to devotion, would worship in spirit and in truth.

All places have their associations, and their influences on the mind. Perhaps the noble edifices raised in the Ages of Faith, filled with GOD'S majesty, their lofty vaults, their sculptured Saints, their stained windows of storied Christianity, their "dim religious light," and all the meet appliances of divine service,-naturally produced in priest, choir, and people, sacred music of the true style. E converso, perhaps these hybrid structures miscalled churches, erected in later times, in a confusion of styles, or no style,-like a meeting-house, a lecture-room, a