BOOK NOTICES.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XVI, Issue 45, 1 March 1889, Page 31

BOOK NOTICES.

" Our Golden Days' is a publication edited by the students of St' Joseph's College, Hunter* Hill. Sydney, and containing a record of the year's work done by their institution. It is greatly to the honour of the good Marist Brothers that they have been able to inspire who ■uch a spirit the youths intrußted to their care, and who have evidently, in bringing out this very interesting brochure, performed a labour of loTe. Such a spirit of itself alone testifies well to Die various successes recorded. Another very pleasing feature in the work is the affection expressed towards the caaplain of the college. the Eey. Father Tresallet, S.M., of whose devoted services grateful mention is made. On the whole it would be difficult to find a more croditible or a more pleasing record oi" college labours and col-ege successes. It speaks volumes for both professors and students, in every possible way. " Our Aluia Miter : " A school journal edited by the students of 61. Ignatius college. B.J. Riverview.— This is a very cleverly edited publication containing several interesting and some extremely amuf - ing papers. Among: ttu- chief of these is one by the Bey. Joseph O'Malley S.J., entitled " History as eheiPtaupht," in which the writer claims preference for the system known as " mnemonics. 1 ' Father O'Malley gives some pleasant examples of the results so obtaiued as shown by the proficiency of the boys under his care — holding up to •special admiration a young gentleman whose want of a nose, as duly recorded, seems sufficiently accounted for by hie being all brains and dates. Father O'Malley complains that there is a prejudice against mnemonics, — and if the uninitiated cannot quite dearly understand how history may be taught through ihe medium of gibberish, they may. it appears to us, claim some measure of excuse. The great thing is, however, that the good Father himself understands the method thoroughly, and is apparently able to produce by its means admirable fruits among his pupils. The article in question is both instructive and thoroughly enjoyable. The style is the man, they say, and here we find Faiher O'Malley in one of bis happiest moods, which is saying a great deal. Another amusing paper is a desenption of a day's excursion by Master W. Page.in which we are given an account of an adventure at a skating rink— that reminds us of the famous experiences, though not of the pretensions of Mr. Winkle on a somewhat similar occasion. '• The Oeelong Race,'" a poem by Hans Boatman, is aIBO remarkably gx>d, and, on the whole, the publication is well worth reading. Its tone, moreover, is thoronghly cultured and refined, and full of the urbanity which that noted critic the late Mr. Matthew Arnold so highly priced in literary mark. St. Ignatius' College is evidently fulfilling the great duty Uid ■£t,for it by the lament«l Mr. D«lley in a speech made somo time f^o by him to the students, and quoted in this magazine. " From such an institution as this we may look for young men who will serve nociety by cultured intelligence, by a noble liberality of thought, by •A tutiiQ Unjelfiabneti ; who will adorn oar public life by a boldness

of speech and action, tempered by a perfect courtesy, who, while mainlining their own opinions with unshaken courage, will reject the honest convictions of, and carry themselves wiiU a chivalrous politeness towards, even their bitterest opponents," This is the character of the culture! gentleman in his best form such a 9 this college is evidently training its studentß to be. The Catholic Magazine for Januiry quite fulfils the promise of the first number. An able and appreciative paper on Ointe by the Very Rev. Dr. O'Brien is one of tae principal contributions, as is also a brief but comprehensive sketch of one of Cal l-roa'a plays, wittt same fine translations, by the Rev. W. Kelly, S.J. A poem, "The Cose of a Summer's Day," by the Riv. M. Watson, S.J., gives a beautiful and faithful descriptor nof evening in Australia. Tha Veo. Archdeacon Slattery continues his instructive paper on Toleration, and the Rev. Father OM*lley his sketch of Joan of Aro. Several other contributions also aid in making the magazine a very interesting and creditable publication, which deserves the hearty support of th« Catholic public.