NOTES ON NEW BOOKS.

AN American was questioned about the climate of England. "Climate? They have no climate! They have only samples." Most of our modern books are made up of mere samples of the work which a full treatment of the subject would require. The old writers did not treat matters in this fitful and fragmentary fashion, but went at their leisure thoroughly through every branch of their theme, Witness Father Nieremberg's "Temporal and Eternal." As the latest editor of this very famous spiritual treatise is the editor of this magazine, "notre critique est condamnée au mutisme," and we are forced to borrow the following notice of it from The Freeman's Journal.

"One of the most useful departments to which the publishing firm of James Duffy & Sons of 15 Wellington-quay, Dublin, have for forty years applied themselves is the reprinting of certain solid works of piety which are guaranteed by their popularity among devout readers for hundreds of years. Hardly any of these is better known than Father Nieremberg's 'Temporal and Eternal.' The excellent translation by Sir Vivian Molyneux has been reprinted innumerable times with no change except the gradual addition of many typographical blunders. Many phrases, also, in each page were so quaint or so obscure as to interfere with the pleasure and profit of the ordinary reader. Some anecdotes, likewise were too coarsely expressed for the taste of a more refined but not more virtuous age. In the new edition which has just issued from the press of James Duffy & Sons, the Rev. Matthew Russell, S.J., has carefully set all these matters to rights, and he has also prefixed an interesting introduction which furnishes sufficient information about the author of this book and its translator. In its present shape Temporal and Eternal' is particularly well adapted for popular use, especially among the simpler classes of readers."

We are again compelled to postpone notices of some books announced already, and others that have joined them since. We may name together two very dissimilar publications-"The Augustinian Manual" (Dublin: M. H. Gill & Son), a new and very beautiful prayerbook, whose special character is indicated by its title, and cheap edition of the new Irish novel "Thy Name is Truth" (London: Maxwell & Co.), which we announced at its first appearance.

THE PRESENTATION NUNS IN NEWFOUNDLAND.

BY THE REV. M. F. HOWLEY, D.D.

IN the year 1875, the centenary of the institution of the Presentation Order, an interesting "Life of Nano Nagle" was published by Dr. Hutch of St. Colman's College, Fermoy. The learned author devotes the greater portion of one chapter to the history of the establishment and spread of the Order in Newfoundland, for which the children of that distant island are sincerely grateful. The Rev. Author will, however, it is to be hoped, forgive an ardent son of Terra Nova for setting him right in one statement, not, indeed, biographical but geographical. Dr. Hutch persists in the very common, but oftcorrected, error of speaking of Newfoundland as a place situated in the "far North." We can, of course, make some allowance for the poetical licence taken in the preface where the necessities of an eloquent antithesis make him speak of the "islands of the southern seas, where the orange groves perfume the air of Australia, and the tropic sun burns up the soil of India; as well as in the far north, where a mantle of almost perpetual snow covers the hills and forests of Newfoundland." The beauty of the picture helps us to condone the inaccuracy of the statement. But, then, in calmer moments of plain, simple narrative (e.g., p. 305), he speaks of the Newfoundlanders as "the hardy fishermen of the North." I hope the Rev. Dr. Hutch will pardon me if I inform him, first, that Newfoundland is not covered with an "almostperpetual mantle of snow "-the snow mantle endures generally for about four months out of the twelve-secondly, instead of being "in the far North" a glance at a map will show him that she is actually about three hundred miles nearer the Equator than he is himself! The latitude of Fermoy (whence Dr. Hutch writes) is a little more than 52° N., while that of St. John's, Newfoundland, is only 470 N., a difference of somewhat more than 4 degrees in favour of Newfoundland, or about 275 miles. In fact, we are situated exactly in the latitude of Versailles (a little south of Paris), and the most northerly portion of Newfoundland is further south than the most southerly point of Ireland.

Having made this correction of an error which is pardonable (if the fact of being constantly repeated can make it so), I again repeat our expressions of gratitude for the able chapter on Newfoundland on Rev. Dr. Hutch's book.

In that chapter (xix) is given an account of the Golden Jubilee of the Rev. Mother Magdalen O'Shaughnessy, which event was celeVOL. XII., No. 136. October, 1884.

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brated in 1873. The items of that account are taken by Dr. Hutch from an article in one of our local newspapers, contributed by the writer of this present memoir. Since that time another decade of years has been told off on Time's rosary. The venerable Mother Magdalen still survives amongst us, and had the honour of witnessing another jubilee, namely, that of her arrival, fifty years ago, upon the shores of Newfoundland.

There are many facts connected with the history of the Newfoundland foundation which have never appeared in print, but which have been handed down viva voce by Mother Magdalen, and which I here propose to give to the public, feeling certain that they will prove interesting to the members of this noble Order of religious all over the world, if not even to a wider circle of the readers of the "IRISH MONTHLY."

Mother Magdalen O'Shaughnessy was born in Galway, on the 12th of November, 1793. She is consequently now in her 90th year. She entered the Presentation Convent in that city, in 1821, and pronounced the solemn vows in 1823, being then in her 29th year. In 1833, the tenth year of her religious profession, she came to Newfoundland. The convent in Galway was, according to her recollection, a fine building, situated a little outside the town. The community consisted of 33 sisters. The superioress, Rev. Mother Mary John, was a most estimable lady, then 90 years old. She belonged to the family of the Powers of Silverstream, county Waterford. She had a brother in the East Indies, who was very wealthy, and who allowed her a handsome annual income. "I well remember," continues Mother Magdalen, "the morning of the 29th of June, 1833. A clergyman appeared at the convent gate, carrying a carpet-bag. He said he was an American bishop, and asked leave to celebrate Mass. This was the Right. Rev. Dr. Fleming, Bishop of Newfoundland. After Mass he asked to see the schools. I was appointed to show him through. I was young and smart then, you know, like a fly! I explained everything. I suppose I spoke a good deal. He was delighted with everything he saw, and seemed to take a particular fancy to me. He spoke to me in the most fervent tones of the desolation of his diocese. He said: 'You must come out with me to Newfoundland. That is the only way you can save your soul!' and much more to that effect. I told him I thought I could do no good by myself. He then asked me if I would come provided I could get some others to accompany me, and I said I would. When we returned to the community-room, he made his request to the Rev. Mother.

"Rev. Mother called all the sisters and placed the matter before them, but left it entirely to their own choice. Dr. Fleming said: ‘If you do not like the place, I will land you safe back in this parlour again, without a penny of expense to the house.' Four sisters immediately

consented to go, namely, Sr. M. Magdalen O'Shaughnessy, Sr. M. Bernard Kirwan, Sr. M. Xaverius Lynch, and Sr. Xavier Molony.

"Dr. Fleming then went to obtain the consent of Dr. Brown, Bishop of Galway, who was then away at the seaside, at a place named Renville. Dr. Brown immediately consented, and the two bishops came next morning to the convent. Immediate preparations were made for our departure. The retreat was anticipated, and Dr. Fleming left for Dublin to arrange about our passage out to the New World."

A

It must not be imagined that Dr. Fleming in his enthusiasm was so carried away as to forget the business portion of his project. letter from Dublin, dated Adam and Eve's chapel-house (the Franciscan community on Merchant's-quay, Dublin), July 17th, 1833, to the Mother Superior, shows how anxious he was to provide for the proper maintenance and comfort of the nuns, and how, amidst a multitude of business, and almost overwhelming difficulties, even the smallest detail did not escape his attention. He first excuses himself for so long a delay on account of the absence of Most Rev. Dr. Murray from Dublin, then "the press of duties connected with the spiritual retreat and ordination of the young men who volunteered for the North American mission.* He next states that he had a long conversation with his Grace on the subject of the foundation in Newfoundland, and that Dr. Murray "rejoices and thanks God with and for me." He then enters on the question of means "£1,500 were lodged in the funds by my predecessor for the benefit of the mission; this sum I intend shall be appropriated to that special purpose." Dr. Murray directed him as to the investment of the money and volunteered to become one of its trustees. "I also stated to his Grace my pledge to you that I would build a suitable dwelling-house and school without any infringement on this sum, and that I would guarantee £100 per annum for their support, which annuity should continue till their own funds would be adequate to all their domestic wants. But when I speak of £100, I must take leave to observe that when I consider that these, my dearest sisters, are to be my co-operators in the works of religion, in promoting the glory of that bountiful Redeemer we are destined to serve and adore, they may rest satisfied that my most earnest desire, my most strenuous exertions, will not be wanting to contribute not only that paltry sum but all and everything in my power to promote their happiness." He adds some glowing words of encouragement to the sisters, expressing his confidence in God and in the generosity of the good people of Newfoundland. The agreement was formally drawn up in Latin, and ratified by Dr. Brown on the 8th of August, 1833.

In the same letter Dr. Fleming speaks of the great trouble and These young men were five in number, and have since fulfilled their labour and gone to receive the reward of the faithful husbandman. They were the Revs. Bernard and James Duffy, McKenna, Ward, and Waldron.

difficulty he experienced in procuring a suitable vessel for the transport of the nuns. As this portion of the narrative is very fully related by Rev. Dr. Hutch (chap. xix.), I shall not dwell upon it. Suffice it to say that after two voyages from Dublin to Liverpool, the good bishop came to terms with the agents of Messrs. Brocklebank of Newfoundland to have the ship Ariel call, on her outward voyage, at Waterford to take up the nuns.

On the 5th of August he again wrote to Rev. Mother, from Adam and Eve's, where he had just arrived, and says that "after a continued round of uneasiness and disappointments he had at last lightened the load of care and trouble from his shoulders, having come to final arrangements about the vessel." He gives his reasons for not allowing the nuns to go in a lumber ship, then lying in Galway Bay. He asks Rev. Mother to make immediate arrangements for the departure of the sisters, and promises to go down direct to Galway after a day or two's rest.

"Dr. Fleming

Now to resume Mother Magdalen's narrative. arrived a second time at Galway on the 11th August, and we left next morning, the 12th, the Feast of St. Clare. We were all astir at an early hour. We had Mass at 4 o'clock, and all received Holy Communion.

"The mail-coach, by special request of the bishop, was sent over from Kilroy's hotel to the convent, and we all got in. There was, of course, great weeping and lamentation among the sisters, as they knew they should never see us again in this world.

"There were no other passengers in the coach. Dr. Fleming sat on the box by the driver, and used to come now and then to the window to ask how we were and to encourage us. Our first haltingplace was Ballinasloe. At Athlone we changed horses, and arrived at Dublin in the evening, after dark. We were brought to Ormond-quay, to the house of a lady from Galway, named Mrs. Hughes (owner of a large paper mill and factory). She knew me, and she had a hearty welcome for us all, and set a portion of her large house apart all to ourselves. We had Mass celebrated every morning in the house. A priest from the neighbouring convent of Adam and Eve was sent over to act as chaplain for us."

An amusing incident occurred in connection with this matter, which Mother Magdalen often relates with her peculiar naïvete. It happened that on one morning a very young friar was told off to celebrate Mass for the nuns. On the same morning a venerable father came over from the convent, not knowing that one had already been sent. When he saw the young priest he said: "Well, my boy, what do you know about nuns ?-you had better go back to your convent," &c. This young friar was no other than Father John Mullock, who was then in his 26th year, and had been only lately ordained,