DE PRESSEXSÉ ON MEN AND PAIITIES. 197 



Notre Diinic l»y Father Felix, who preaches there re.u^ularly diir- 

 iu;;; Lent. Fatlier Felix is the voiee of Jesuitism, a thin, i)ene- 

 trating voice, hut not deficient in flexibility. lie puts at the 

 service of the Roman doctrine a clear, precise mind, trained to 

 sophistry, capable of taking many an agreeable turn in one di- 

 rection or another, but always bringing up, at last, with the same 

 genuflexions before the authorit}' of the Pope. Last year he gave 

 two lectures against Protestantism full of gall and injustice, re- 

 producing all the old calumnies. Certainly there is a great con- 

 trast between such preaching and tlie generous accents of Father 

 Hyacinthe; but this contrast is characteristie of the Catholicism 

 of the period. 



"We should have been glad to open here the chapter of Catholic 

 piety. It would be a very interesting study to trace, in this re- 

 gion of practical life, the two currents which have been conflict- 

 ing before our eyes in the domain of thought and of the Church. 

 We should liave some admirable figures to introduce upon the 

 scene, like some of those, for instance, which are depicted in 

 one of the most afTecting books of the day, " A Sister's Story" 

 {Les Récits cViine JSœuj'), hy ^ladame Craven ; the beautifully 

 poetic figure of Eugénie de Guérin and that young Catholic theo- 

 logian the Abbé Péreyvc, lately evoked before us l)y Abbé Gra- 

 try, and certainly one of the noblest types of a deep and fer- 

 vent Christian piety. On the other hand, we should see these 

 ■waters, so pure at the mountain springs, becoming altered, viti- 

 ated, and mingled, in the plain, with the most abject supersti- 

 tions, such as the pretended miracles of the Virgin of La Sal- 

 lette and the Virgin of Lourdes— ridiculous but lucrative prodi- 

 gies, worth}- of the charlatan priests of the last days of pagan- 

 ism. We should have to dwell on the development of a new- 

 worship, just now in great vogue — the adoration of St. Josei>h — 

 which is growing every day, as witness a whole literature of silly 

 devotional writings. Here is something not to be overlooked by 

 those who seek to understand the Catholicism of the present day. 

 In this interesting studv, we should have for guide an excellent 



