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might nave shown himnself a little more authoritative in dealing with the Voltairean . . . perhaps patience was wanting in his treatment of the monk . . . he seemed to listen too willingly to the dévote’s tales . . . ” and so on. This exercise, though highly comical, if properly prepared by the characters, is also of great and undeniable value to the Catholic priest. It certainly seems at first sight irreverent; but then, let such as are shocked at the idea of “making game” of confession remember that by no other means can a priest, on account of the inviolable secrecy of that sacrament, discover either his own defects, or the remedy to them. Other priests cannot hear him while he confesses, and he is not allowed to hear others. The penitent may not correct him when he is wrong, and no one else is there to set him right. Long experience will of course help him, but at the cost of the penitents; and besides, time and age too often only confirm a bad habit of undue sternness or leniency.

After the Catechism, half an hour of manual work. I pass rapidly over the rest of the day, in which the exercises are of less importance. A writing lesson, French grammar class, reading of the ‘Imitation of Christ’ and the ‘Life of a Saint,’ a short meditation, the recital of the Rosary, and the preparation of the Meditation for next day, bring the novices down to supper before they have time to think about it. Busy hours fly swiftly.

At supper the Menologium is read—a short biographical notice of the most remarkable Fathers who died on the following day. I do not mean to call in question the good faith of the author of these notices; but, really, some facts, when read, always excited my feelings of curiosity as to how far they could be properly authenticated. For instance, the life of Father Anchieta, a missionary in Brazil, deals in the marvellous to a very great extent; and without questioning the possibility of miracles, we very naturally inquire by what evidence these miracles are corroborated. Father Anchieta commanded the birds of the air, and they came and perched on his shoulder, or hovered over a sick companion to shade him from the burning sun. He walked out in the forest at night, and returned accompanied by a couple of “panthers,” to which he threw a cluster of bananas to reward them for having gone with him. He took most venomous serpents into his hands and placed them on his lap, and they did not bite him. Many other similar and still more extraordinary things are related of him, probably first made known to the world by his Indian converts, whose truthfulness was not equal to the occasion, and collected by some Father who never thought of suspecting others of falsehood of which he was himgelf incapable. Such Fathers, dove-like in simplicity, if not serpent-like in wisdom, do exist, as I well know;—whether my supposition as regards the Indians is likely, the reader wmay judge for himself.

The evening Recreation, from 7.30 to 8.15, is enlivened by several interesting incidents. One is the arrival of a new Brother, who, having gone home after his retreat to bid his relations farewell, is rather low-spirited and dejected, and will remain so for about a week or two; but there is great jubilation over him for all that. Another is the visit of the Father Minister, who has to take charge of all temporal affairs in the house; an