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concentration against the barbarians he used his life and strength in conflict with his colleagues in East and West. His was a singular, interesting reign; it saw by anticipation the figures of those great movements which re-appeared later and filled the world's stage-as, e.g., the division of the Empire, which was a prelude of that realized thirty years later under Diocletian; religious peace, fifty years before Constantine; barbarian inroads in East and West, forecasts of the coming cataclysm that transformed Europe in the fifth and sixth centuries, and destroyed Roman Asia in the seventh. And under Gallienus none of these events produced their full effect; all remained incomplete. Yet, crowded on one another into the brief space of ten years, they offer a moving spectacle. They manifest in advance the causes of weakness of the Empire, they point already to the remedies that might yet have been applied. Such is the rapid sketch of the period here treated in a lengthened article, a period which M. Allard considers is too little studied. He traces the condition of the State in Italy and the Central Empire, the value and actuality of the peace granted by the Emperor to the Christians and the influence of his wife in their behalf; next, the condition of the East and how far there the Christians suffered the influence of Zenobia; then, lastly, the condition of Gaul, and the relations of State to the Christian society in Gaul, Britain, and Spain. In the central provinces the edict of Gallienus brought peace, but not absolutely everywhere; the weak character of the Emperor could. not secure it in distant regions, where in one place perhaps it was flagrantly infringed, and in another scarcely respected in the letter, whilst violated in spirit where rulers hated the Christian religion. In the East persecution was open and bitter. In Gaul the Christians lived tranquilly. M. Allard considers that history has judged the character of Gallienus severely as to his incoherence, tyranny, and softness, and has not sufficiently reproached him for his greatest errorrefusing to see the necessity, both political and military, of the two Empires founded in the East and West of the Roman world: en revanche he gave peace to the Christians under his rule: a peace which unfortunately did not endure; to establish it permanently demanded a firmer hand than his.

In the same number of the Revue M. Fustel des Coulanges has, under the title "De l'Analyse des Textes Historiques," a severe criticism of M. Monod for his reading into the text of Gregory of Tours, by way of pretended analysis, Tacitus, the Salic law, and what not, with results as unjust to Gregory as unfair and misleading. M. Alfred Brandrillart has a paper, very interesting to students of French history, on "The Pretensions of Philip V. to the Throne of France," which is entirely based on unedited documents; M. L. Pingaud writes, also instructively, on "Le Commerce du Levant sous Louis XVI. ;" and, lastly, we may mention a very useful, analytical account of M. l'Abbé Duchesne's new edition of the "Liber Pontificalis," from the pen of M. Paul Fournier.

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The Year of SS. Peter and Paul's Death.-Dr. Kellner, Professor of Ecclesiastical History in the University of Bonn, contributes to the January and February numbers two thoughtful papers on this intricate question. The prince of the Apostles, it is generally said, shed his blood for the faith, together with S. Paul, at Rome, on the 29th of June, A.D. 67. The first question to be met, on this important point, is: What say the historical documents? And in his first article Dr. Kellner is mainly occupied in gathering together from the most ancient authors of Christian antiquity whatever seems to bear thereupon. These number no less than forty-two; and we shall not attempt to reproduce them here. We will only mention, in passing, that both Furius D. Philocalus, secretary to Pope Damasus, and St. Leo the Great in his Sacramentarium (Migne, t. 55, col. 60), assign the death of St. Peter and St. Paul to the same day, but of different years. St. Augustine does the same (Migne, Op. S. Aug. iii. 1049, v. 1683). The result of Dr. Kellner's solid articles may be thus summed up:-1. The two Apostles were martyred on the same day of the month. 2. But not in the same year, since St. Peter died in Rome, his episcopal city, June 29, A.D. 55. 3. Hence, the years of his apostolate amount to 25. 4. It was likewise in Rome that S. Paul died, but two years later than S. Peter-viz., on June 29, A.D. 57. That the tradition of later centuries could have arisen and been accepted can be due only to a confusion of these dates supported by the most ancient authorities.

Dr. Schmitz contributes two rather lengthy articles, "On the Sixth Canon of the First General Council of Nicea, A.D. 325, and the Gallican Church." "On the Causes of Unbelief in Our Time" is the title of a suggestive paper from the pen of a bishop, who does not give his name. Let me call the attention of Christian artists in England to a very able and carefully done pamphlet, just issued by Dr. Reichensperger, on the eminent painter Edward von Steinle, who died in Frankfort last year. He and Herr von Führich may be styled most faithful scholars of Overbeck; and typical representatives of the revival of Christian art in the nineteenth century.

2. Stimmen aus Maria Laach.

Buddha's Opinions on God, the Soul, and Immortality.Father Christian Pesch follows up his suggestive papers on Buddha's religious opinions, and, in this article, brings out the striking difference between Christianity and Buddhism. Indeed, an prejudiced reader after perusing this paper will readily accept the author's conclusion: that the Oriental philosophy, whose exponent

appears in Buddha, is the very denial of what God, the soul, and immortality mean to a Christian mind.

Father Kneller starts a series of articles on the two first persecutions of Christians, and in the first one puts aside the two very divergent opinions nowadays held concerning them by German, French, and Italian archæologists. A contribution dwelling on Irish affairs by Father Zimmermann (who is familiar with all questions regarding Irish Catholics) will not fail to attract the attention of wide circles in Catholic Germany. Basing his remarks on Mr. R. Barry O'Brien's work, "Fifty Years of Concession to Ireland," he very ably traces the history of those both unjust and abortive exertions of the Irish Established Church to force an anti-Catholic education on Catholic Ireland. It is only to be regretted that the author did not set himself to describe the present state of higher education in Ireland. Notwithstanding numerous concessions, Irish Catholics are still far from being on an equality with Protestants in the department of University education. Father Baumgartner is always brilliant. Last year, to recruit his health, he went to Norway, and to this excursion we owe the article headed "The Hanse-town Bergen in Norway," which, for its style and matter, has already attracted general attention. In this he is not only a brilliant prose writer, but shows his claim to be reputed a poet by his most successful translation of Swedish poems into German. Father von Hammerstein wages war on "Modern Ideas of State and School," whilst Father Lehmkuhl inveighs against the barbarous custom of duelling.

3. Historisch-politische Blätter.

"Ireland and England" is the heading of a paper in the January number, contributed by a German priest living in Ireland. Next follows a general survey of the books, papers, and pamphlets, all but innumerable, which have appeared on the anniversary of Heidelberg University. The brilliant volume brought out by the Hungarian bishops, under the title "Monumenta Vaticana. Relationes Cardinalis Buonvisi," deserves mention. It contains the despatches sent from Vienna to Rome in 1686, and received from thence by Cardinal Buonvisi, Nuncio at that time at the Emperor's Court. The defeat of the Turks in 1686 in the Hungarian capital, the second centenary of which was celebrated last year, never could have been achieved by the Emperor Leopold I. without the constant subsidies of Innocent XI. and the energy manifested by the sagacious and indefatigable Nuncio, who supported the Emperor's waning courage, and traced the course to be followed in Hungary. Father Stevenson's able book on "The First Eighteen Years of Mary Queen of Scots" seemed to me too important a vindication of the honour of the unjustly calumniated Princess to be passed over without a somewhat lengthened notice; and I was happy to contribute it to the February number, appropriately, too, for the third centenary of the Queen's glorious death.

ITALIAN PERIODICALS.

La Civiltà Cattolica, 1 Gennaio, 1887.

Hypnotism. The interesting series of articles on Hypnotism have been continued. In the number for January 1, of this year, the reviewer applies the Christian theory, in the light of which the more advanced stages of mesmerism have been already regarded by him, to the more restricted sphere of hypnotism, at least to that to which it pretends to confine itself-viz., as it supposes, the sphere of the natural and physical powers. Concerning the former-namely, transcendental mesmerism-there can, as he has proved, be no doubt of the intervention of diabolical agency. He has applied to its manifestations the criteria laid down by Catholic theologians in judging such questions, and he is prepared to adopt the same test with reference to hypnotism, and to make it clear that its apparently most inexplicable facts are to be fully explained by the presence of Satanic influence. Some men think it strange that in Christian times the devil should have so much freedom to mix himself in human society. But the wonder ceases when we remember the power which Satan naturally possesses over pagans. Now, pagans abound at this day in the bosom of Christianity, or rather unbelievers and apostates worse than pagans, to whom must be added a still larger number of Christians sunk in indifference, and more or less culpably ignorant, who in no way shrink from contact with infernal influences. Satan wants to recover the sovereignty of the world. He will not succeed, for the gates of hell shall not prevail against the Church, but nothing hinders him from setting up a little India in Paris, London, or Florence. The reviewer tells us that already a society adoring "Giove Ottimo Massimo" has been founded in Italy. This he learned from a gentleman, a distinguished writer, who had been requested to give the support of his name. In a village where masonic civilization flourishes, a good number of persons had also been induced to join in worshipping the sun. It is a well-known fact, moreover, that in certain assemblies of the initiated, Satan is adored with impious rites and sacrifices. It was only the other day that the Masons even made bold to invite the public to the Gerbino Theatre, to hear and applaud Carducci's hymn to Satan. Others are surprised that the devil should make such an open show of his power in hospitals and in public assemblies; heretofore he has jealously concealed his machinations. But such concealment has existed only where his instruments have been watched and punished; where he is honoured he is glad to come forward and display himself. Under masonic rule he can do as he pleases, so it is only natural that he should give free scope to his hatred of God or man in public, just saving appearances, in order not to alarm the conscience of the people, who are better than their rulers..

The reviewer proceeds to show the new light which Christian science throws on those strange phenomena of hypnotism which

natural science is powerless to explain; as, for instance, how an eye fixed on the eye of another is sufficient instantaneously to produce in a perfectly healthy man a host of morbid and marvellous phenomena, or, instead of the fixed eye, the ticking of a clock, the looking at a shining object, the sprinkling of a little water, or the simple command "Sleep"-anything, in fact, at the choice of the operator. But all these absurdities, inexplicable as efficient causes by physiological science, become intelligible to one who is conversant with demonology, and who recognizes in these tokens, however ridiculous, the conventional sign of diabolical influence of which the reviewer spoke at length in a previous article. At the concerted signal the devil fulfils the pact, as St. Thomas calls it, or the contract as St. Augustine has it, in which view all Catholic theologians coincide. Nothing can be easier to Satan, with his natural angelic powers, of which he has not been deprived, than to produce through the action of physical causes, when he is not divinely hindered, the mesmeric sleep at any given moment, with all its accompaniments. But it will be said, when was this pact made, since neither the hypnotizer nor the hypnotized ever thought of dealing with the devil? All doctors, however, agree that this pact need not be explicit or express. It is sufficient that it should be tacit, and, in fact, there is a tacit agreement when the hypnotizer demands of what in itself is an impotent cause, such as a look or a word, a revolution in the whole hygienic condition of a human body. It is clear that he believes in and virtually invokes the intervention of some agency capable of producing these preternatural effects. It was thus in pagan times that auguries and omens were invoked by sacrificial rites. We are not, however, to suppose that all are equally guilty in these acts; human ignorance and inadvertence are extraordinary. Thus, simple people will go on using a sign for some medical or other purpose, and by God's permission will even obtain what they seek, with little, or perhaps, through their extreme ignorance, no personal guilt. We have not infrequent examples of this in the practice of many popular superstitions.

If the poor doctors would candidly confess it, they must be utterly bewildered by the hypnotic manifestations which they are called to witness, manifestations produced by the sole power of the operator's will, and, as has been abundantly proved, even at a distance. It is all very well to talk of suggestion and predisposition, but these are mere words, themselves needing explanation. Moreover, how can any medical man explain, not only the instantaneous production of these states, but the deliverance of the hypnotised in the midst of their paroxysms by a mere puff in the face? What malady was ever so cured? And how explain after such paroxysms the entire absence of a stage of convalescence ?-a circumstance, be it added, in no way embarrassing to the Catholic theologian, well acquainted with the usually temporary effects of the most violent obsessions. As for the sight of covered objects on the vision of them through opaque bodies, or, again, the so-called transposition of the senses, to account for

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