SCOTLAND.

INVERNESS.-A large meeting of the friends of education was lately held here at the opening of the new Catholic school, at which the Rev. Mr. Mc Kenzie presided. Several excellent speeches were delivered.

KILMARNOCK.-A Catholic chapel is to be erected in this town.

FORT WILLIAM.-The Non-Intrusionists are doing good service to true religion, without intending to do so. The ministers of the Kirk are too much occupied with their own bickerings and recriminations, to have time to meddle with our affairs, and we have now some quiet from their molestations. All sober men have become quite disgusted with them; and the result is, that numerous persons are looking about them with the view of abandoning the Kirk. We shall doubtless have a full proportion of them, and it remains for the Catholic clergy to avail themselves of the favourable opportunity now offered, for bringing back the strayed sheep to the fold. The clergyman of Fort William we are happy to learn has been giving a course of lectures in his chapel on the Sunday evenings, and so desirous were the Protestant inhabitants of the town to hear them, that the chapel was crammed, and many could not obtain admission. To prevent disappointment, the lectures were continued on the Monday evenings, and were also well attended.

FRANCE.

PARIS. A French journal says, that the late Bishop of Hermopolis, M. Freyssinous, has bequeathed his library to the Duke of Bordeaux.

The Bulletin des Lois of the 11th January, contains a bull of His Holiness Pope Gregory XVI, erecting the bishopric of Cambrai into an archbishopric.

The Catholic Institute of Lyons states, that the Bishop of Algiers has obtained funds from the French government, for the erection of ten additiona! churches in French Africa, besides the sum of 350,000 francs for the completion of his cathedral.

Cheap literature is now the order of the day in France as it is with us; and we are glad to find that the friends of religion in that country are availing themselves of the circumstance, by issuing approved religious works at an extremely moderate price, to counteract the bad tendency of many of the productions of the French press. With this view, the publishers of the Bibliothèque Chrétienne du XIXe Siècle, are to issue a collection of excellent works under the direction of M. E. de Genoude. The collection, which will extend to between 100 and 150 volumes, will comprehend the most perfect works in philosophy and religious literature, selected from the stores of Christian antiquity, and the numerous productions of modern times.

L'ORIENT.-John M. Ensor, Esq. an English gentleman living at Port Louis, in the diocese of Vannes, abjured Protestantism on the 1st of December, before the venerable Curé of L'Orient.

EAST INDIES.

A community of nuns is about to be established at Agra, under the auspices of the Hon. John Baptist Filose, Colonel of Gwalior, who has already given to the Right Rev. Dr. Borgbi, as a residence for the nuns, a spacious puckabuilt house, with an extensive garden attached; and also a sum of money for supporting and educating poor girls, &c.-Correspondent of the Catholic Herald.

RICHARDS, PRINTER, ST MARTIN'S LANE, CHARING CROSS.

THE

CATHOLIC MAGAZINE.

VOL. VI.

APRIL 1842.

No. LXIII.

THE CHRISTENDOM OF NOVALIS.*

(Translated from the German.)

THOSE were bright and glorious days, wherein Europe formed but one Christian land; when one Christianity dwelt throughout the civilized part of the world, and one common interest bound together the most remote provinces of this wide spiritual empire. Without great worldly possessions, one spiritual head directed and united the great political powers. A numerous society, to which every one had access, existed subservient to this head and fulfilled his wishes, whilst it zealously endeavoured to strengthen his beneficent power. Every member of this order was universally honoured, and when from its hands the people sought comfort or relief, protection or advice, it amply provided for their various wants: from the powerful, each one received protection, respect, and attention, whilst all cherished those chosen ones-men endowed with such wonderful powers, as children of heaven, whose presence and good-will spread around them manifold blessings. A filial confidence closely united men to their instructions. How contentedly did each one fulfil his daily work, when by these holy men a safe futurity was prepared for him; when every transgres sion was forgiven him, and every unseemly blot in life effaced and beautified. These were the experienced pilots on the deep and unknown sea, under whose guidance we could despise every storm, and safely reach a secure landing on the coast of our own true country. †

* "Die Christenheit oder Europa." See" Novalis Schriften," page 161, ed. Paris, 1840.

Wie heiter konnte jedermann sein irdisches tagewert vollbringen, da ihm durch 13

VOL. VI.

The wildest, the most insatiable passions yielded reverence and obedience to their words. Peace went out from them. They spoke of nothing but of love towards that blessed and marvellous Virgin of Christianity, who, endowed with heavenly powers, was ready to save every true believer from the most frightful dangers. They spoke of heavenly men long since departed, who, through their confidence and attachment to this holy Mother and her divine Son, had been enabled to resist the temptations of the world, and to attain unto heavenly honours: and now being protecting and beneficent spirits over their brothers on earth, they have become willing helpers in their necessities, mediators for their frailties, and true friends of all men before the throne of God. With what serenity of mind did men depart from the beautiful assemblies in those mysterious churches, which were adorned with animating pictures, filled with sweet incense, and enlivened with a holy and soul-stirring music. There were gratefully preserved in costly shrines the sacred remains of revered and holy men, and there God's power and goodness were displayed in glorious signs and wonders-the effects of the great charity of these holy souls. And as loving individuals preserve lockets of hair, or autographs of their deceased lovers, and thereby nourish sweet flames of affection until death unites them, even so here were collected with devout care whatever belonged to these blessed souls: and every one esteemed himself happy if he could possess, or even touch, a part of such consoling relics. Heavenly favours oft descended upon some particular image or tomb. There, from all parts, men hastened, bearing costly gifts, and in return they carried back heavenly ones, peace of the soul and health of the body. Thus did this powerful and peace-making society zealously endeavour to make all men partakers of her heavenly faith; she sent her missionaries unto every part of the world, in order to preach the Gospel of life to all men, and to establish the Kingdom of Heaven as the only kingdom upon earth.*

diese heiligen Menschen eine sichere zukunft bereitet, und jeder fehltritt durch sie vergeben; jede mitzfarbige stelle des lebens, durch sie ausgelöscht und geklärt. Sie waren die erfahrnen Steurleute auf dem grotzen unbekanten meere, in deren obheit man alle stürme geringschätzen, und zuversichtlich auf eine sichere gelangung und landung, an der küste der eigentlichen vaterländischen Welt rechnen durfte.

* Quid enim præclarius esse potest, quàm lucem veritatis per maria et ignes et gladios ad remotas gentes ferre, solamque animarum salutem negotiari; interdicere sibi variis illecebris atque ipsa jucunditate colloquii convictusque, ut contemplationi abstrusarum veritatum ac divinæ meditationi vacetur; dedicare sese educationi

The wise head of the Church justly opposed the wild fancies of individuals, and unseasonable and dangerous discoveries in the department of knowledge, that were opposed to the welfare of the Holy See.* He therefore checked a bold thinker for openly asserting, that the earth was an insignificant comet: for he well knew, that when men lose all esteem for their earthly habitation, they also think less of their heavenly home, and its inhabitants; and that were they accustomed to prefer limited knowledge, before eternal faith, they would despise everything great and praiseworthy, as dead works of the law. At his court, the wise and the honourable assembled from all parts of Europe.

There were collected all the treasures by which Jerusalem avenged herself, as it were, after she had been destroyed; and Rome, herself, became a second Jerusalem; the holy residence of a divine Government. Princes referred their disputes to the Father of Christianity, and joyfully cast down their crowns and dignities at his feet: they even deemed it glorious to become members of the noble society, and to pass the evening of life in heavenly contemplation, within the walls of some retired monastery. How salutary, how conformable to the inward feelings of men, was this government, is sufficiently evident from the powerful expansion of men's powers; the harmonious developement of every talent; the wonderful height to which individuals arrived in all the departments of knowledge and of art; and, above all, the prosperous commerce that was carried on, in spiritual as well as temporal matters, from the confines of Europe to the remotest shores of India.‡

juventutis ad spem doctrinæ ac virtutis: miseris, desperatis, perditis, captivis, damnatis, ægrotis, in squalore, in vinculis, in remotis terræ auxilium ferre atque adesse, ac ne pestis quidem metu ab effusæ caritatis officio deterreri: quicumque hæc ignorant aut spernunt, hi nihil nisi plebeium et vulgare de virtute sapiunt, et hominum obligationum erga Deum solemnium qualicunque obitione et frigida, illa consuetudine vivendi, quæ vulgo sine zelo, sine spiritu in animis regnat, inepte metiuntur. (Leibnitz "Systema Theolog." p. 88, ed. Paris, 1819.)

* Novalis here perhaps alludes to Galileo, as if the Church had persecuted him, and watched his discoveries with an eye of jealousy and mistrust. But however fashionable it may be now to condemn the Catholic Church, in her connections with this great man, it cannot be proved that she acted cruelly or unjustly towards him. (See on this point, a learned article in the "Dublin Review," No. ix., p. 72, 1838). + Feürsten legten ihre Streitigkeiten dem Vater der Christenheit vor, willig ihm ihre Kronen und Herrlichkeiten zu Füssen ja sie achteten es sich zum Ruhm, als Mitgleiden dieser hohen Zunft, den Abend ihres Lebens in göttlichen Betrachtungen zwischen einsamen Klostermauern zu beschliessen.

What Novalis here merely asserts respecting the middle ages, has been proved by

These were beautiful and essential features of true Catholic, or Christian times. But mankind was not yet sufficiently formed for this glorious kingdom. There was a first love that died away amidst the pressure of worldly business, and whose recollections were scattered through self-interested cares; there was a bond of society, which afterwards appearing false and deceitful, according to the judgment of our times, was torn for ever from the greater part of Europe. The civil dissensions and destructive wars that followed, were a remarkable proof how injurious to the mind it is to seek after the invisible, at least, how injurious for a time, to a certain extent. The immortal mind, however, can never be annihilated: but it may be disturbed, enfeebled, or oppressed by others. A long intercourse of men with one another, lessens their affections, and all dependance upon each other, and accustoms them to turn all their thoughts and labours only towards securing their own individual welfare, and making, for their own satisfaction, those arts more perfect, with which covetous man takes so long to make himself acquainted. Hence, no time is allowed for the mind calmly to collect itself; no opportunity remains for the careful contemplation of the world that is within her. In the affairs of life, present interest seems to engage him most, and therefore, the beautiful flowers of his youth, faith and love, fall away, and give place to the solid fruits of knowledge and wealth. In the autumn, we think of spring as a childish dream, and with childish simplicity we hope always to have full ears of corn. Solitude, of one kind or another, appears to be necessary for one endowed with high powers; and hence, a too extended intercourse with men, must of necessity smother many a holy germ, and frighten away those God-like forms, which fly from the noisy tumult of a dissipating society, and despise every petty transaction that circumstances may bring about. In addition to this, we are to act according to times and periods. And is there not an oscillation-a change of opposite movements essential to these periods? Is not a limited duration, an increase and decrease, peculiar to their nature? But must we not likewise expect from them, with certainty, a resurrection, a renovation in a new and more suitable form? Extending and progressive revolutions are always matter for history. That which cannot be accomplished now, may afterwards be effected by careful and repeated experience and observation.

many learned and impartial historians of his own country, to be perfectly correct. (See Von Müller's "Travels of the Popes," p. 34. Also, F. Schlegel's "Modern History," p. 220.)