hypothesis, furnishing an explanation, verifying a fact, abolishing a falsehood, unveiling a discovery. The principal sub-divisions of the work are: "The Primitive in Presence of Nature," "The Primitive and the Family," "Belief,” “Morality,” “Worship," "Magic," "The Religions of the Primitives Compared," "Christianity in Presence of Human Religions," "The Catholic Religion Coming in Contact with the Primitive Religion.” It is to be hoped that this excellent work will have a large circulation, not only in its original French garb, but also in the many other languages spoken by the missionaries of various nationality who belong to the religious society governed at present by Mgr. Le Roy. A considerable number of the Holy Ghost Fathers exercise their missionary zeal on the American continent. Very probably some amongst them will be found to devote himself to the very useful task of translating into English this deeply interesting and instructive work of the superior general of their society. REGESTA PONTIFICUM ROMANORUM Jubente Regia Societate Gottingensi Congessit Paulis Kehr. Vol. I., pp. xxvi.+201. Pr., 6 marks. Vol. III., pp. lii.+482. Pr., 16 marks. Berolini apud Welmannos. The Royal Society of Göttingen is certainly providing a most effective instrument of historical research by undertaking the publication of these "Regesta" of the Roman Pontiffs. Hitherto the student of history, ecclesiastical or profane, pertinent to the field thereby covered, if unable to consult the original documents, has had to depend upon Jaffé's well-known work on the same subject (Berlin, 1851)-a work which though meritorious and serviceable in its time, leaves much to be desired both as regards comprehensiveness of material and its mechanical make-up-deficiencies which have been in a measure, but by no means adequately made good in the more recent edition gotten out by Wattenbach (1885-88). In the work at hand the editor has endeavored to complete and perfect what Jaffé and the subsequent curators were not in a position to accomplish. The improvements lie in the first place in the insertion of a considerable number of documents which have only recently come to light through the opening out of the archives; and in the second place in the disposition of the material-the chronological order followed by Jaffé being abandoned for that of locality, thus greatly facilitating the task of searching for documents. These features are further perfected by the addition of various indexes and summaries, while the bibliographical references likewise extend the usefulness of the work in no small degree. Three volumes, the first and third of which appear in title above-the second has not reached the present reviewer-have thus far been published. The scope of the entire undertaking embraces the regesta issued by the Holy See down to Innocent III. The first volume contains the concessions of privileges, the letters and other pontifical acta addressed to the various churches, monasteries and individual persons of Rome-the city-during that period-namely, from Pius I. to Celestine III., inclusive. The third volume comprises the corresponding documents addressed to the dioceses of Etruria, i. e., Tuscany. The limits of mediæval Tuscany it is difficult to define. It seems to have embraced more than twenty different dioceses. The abundance of the Papal documents relating to the territory is so great that Dr. Kehr has been obliged to distribute them over several volumes. Those concerning nine of the dioceses have been given in the second volume (Latium); those referring to twelve other of the Tuscan dioceses appear in the third volume (Etruria); the remaining are reserved for the fourth volume. It should be noted that the work makes no appeal to the general reader. It interests exclusively the historical student, the one who knows the value of "facts and dates." Such an one it furnishes with an immense amount of minute original material critically and scholarly edited and authenticated a source of reference that should find a place in every historical library. LEIBNIZ par Jean Baruzi avec de nombreux textes inédits. Paris: Bloud et Cie, 1909. Pp. 386. Pr., 311⁄2 francs. In view of the numerous editions of the collected works of Leibniz, published between Dutens' "Opera Leibnitii," which appeared in Geneva so long ago as 1768, and "Die Philosophiechen Schriften," edited by Gerhardt, which were completed so recently as 1890 (7 vols., Berlin, 1875-1890)—and M. Baruzi quotes at least four intervening editions to say nothing of the countless republications of special works of the great philosopher, together with the immense literature appertaining to him in view, I say, of all that has been given to the world, whether by or concerning Leibniz, during the past two and more centuries, it may seem somewhat surprising to be told that prior to 1900 Leibniz was not fully understood. Yet that is what the author of the book at hand affirms-"Leibniz en sa vie totale et en la multipli manifestation de sa pensée était ignoré encore en 1900" (p. 4)-and he rightly signalizes the fact as unique in the history of philosophy. The actual personalities of the other great thinkers-Kant, Descartes, Spinoza-have, it is true, been late to come to their true recognition. The process, however, in their case has been gradual, whereas in the case of Leibniz it was comparatively sudden. The reason of this has been that Leibniz's correspondence, consisting of some fifteen thousand letters, is practically still unpublished; and it is but recently that serious efforts have been made even to arrange and catalogue the vast material, which has remained almost in its primitive class in the Hanoverian archives. Of those who have done most to make the real Leibniz known by a thorough study of the original data M. Baruzi must be given a prominent if not the first place. His preceding work on Leibniz in Alcan's well-known series ("Les Grandes Philosophes," Paris, 1907) is a monument of scholarship as solid as it is expressive. His recent book-the one here presented-while much smaller, is more general and affords a fuller portrait of its subject than its predecessor, which deals mainly with one special aspect the philosopher's ideas on the religious organization of the world. Rather, we should say that the present volume happily combines the general with the special. The introduction, which comprises more than a third of the book (pp. 1-135), presents quite an elaborate study of the philosopher's life and mind and work. The remainder of the volume is made up of extracts and fragments, some of them now published for the first time. The material thus gathered together serves to illustrate principally the religious side of the Leibnizian thought and character. This specialization falls in with the relation of the volume to the series to which it belongs, "La Pensée Chrétienne" a series to which the REVIEW has previously alluded as a scholarly and timely apparatus at the service of the student and the enlightened reader. Like its predecessors in the collection, it happily combines the double effect of both instructing and interesting-rich in its matter, it is equally attractive in its form. THE REVIVAL OF SCHOLASTIC PHILOSOPHY IN THE NINETEENTH CENTURY. Some two years ago the literature of philosophy in English was enriched by a translation of Dr. De Wulf's, the eminent Louvain professor's "Introduction à la Philosophie Néo-scolastique" (Dublin, 1907). The translation was made by Dr. Coffey, of Maynooth, and the academic position of both author and translator assured the merit of the production. The book has doubtless done not a little to make the scholastic philosophy, especially in its recent development, more widely known, certainly amongst Catholics, and, it may be hoped, has served to remove some misunderstandings and dissolve some prejudices amongst non-Catholics. In the volume here introduced we are glad to welcome another auxiliary in the same field-a welcome which is none the less warm from the circumstance that the book emanates from the press attached to Columbia University, a source from which we have not been accustomed to expect works expository much less laudatory of Catholic philosophy. It may also be added that the book is all the more welcome because it develops its subject from a viewpoint somewhat different from that of its predecessor before mentioned. Professor de Wulf has dealt more at length with the constitutive materials of mediæval scholasticism and has indicated the lines of its development present and prospective. Dr. Perrier has dwelt less upon that side of the subject and has given more in detail the story of the recent revival and growth of scholasticism. After delineating the several parts of the system-Logic, Metaphysics, Cosmology, Psychology, Theodicy, Ethics-he follows the neo-scholastic movement in the various European countries, in the United States and in Canada. The delineation is suggestive both from a critical and a constructive standpoint; the narrative succinct, yet fairly comprehensive, and at the same time sympathetic in tone. On the whole the most valuable feature of the work is the bibliography. The list extends to eightyseven pages about one-third of the volume. It would be difficult to find anywhere else so comprehensive a catalogue of the best pertinent books and papers. Indeed, the list if anything is too abundant; it would suffer nothing by some eliminations, while here and there a title might well have been added. This minutia, however, as also a few infelicities of diction and typographical oversights, will no doubt be provided for in a future edition. The book is one which no serious student of philosophy will care to be without, and it certainly should be found in the library of every Catholic seminary and college. Will it get a place in the public libraries? It ought to. HANDBOOK OF CANON LAW. For Congregations of Women Under Simple Vows. By D. I. Lanslots, O. S. B. 12mo., pp. 280. Frederick Pustet & Co., New York. The internal discipline of the Church is receiving unusual attention in recent years. It is a healthy sign. It makes for better order and better results, and it indicates a permanent growth. The makeup of the book before us is thus explained: "Religious communities are the chosen portion of the fold of Christ; in them Christian virtue and evangelical perfection should shine forth in all their splendor. The Church has at various times adopted suitable measures to enable them to continue on that high plane. The multitude of laws and regulations affecting them became, however, in course of time, a source of doubts and difficulties. It was, above all, necessary for the preservation of order and harmony, which must prevail in every society, that the authority of the superiors of the congregations and that of the Bishops over them should be well defined. In order to respect each other's rights both should know the law. "In order to prevent all future conflict, Pope Leo XIII. promulgated on December 8, 1900, the constitution, 'Conditae a Christo,' in which he determines on one hand the rights of the Bishop in regard to institutions of simple vows, whether diocesan or nondiocesan, and on the other hand the rights and duties of superiors towards diocesan authority. This document, of the greatest importance, fixed the canonical legislation as applying to congregations of simple vows, but only in its main outlines, and needed a supplement to regulate the details of a practical organization. This supplement we find in the 'Normae' or rules which the Sacred Congregation of Regulars is wont to follow in the approbation of new congregations of simple vows. "The 'Handbook' principally rests on this double foundation. We have not failed, however, to give the latest decisions of the Roman Congregations. Although written for congregations of women, the 'Handbook' applies also to congregations of Brothers with simple vows, with the exception of the articles concerning postulants, examinations of candidates by the Bishop before taking the habit and before profession, dowry, extraordinary and ordinary confessors, the enclosure, the parlor, the dwelling of the chaplain, the presidency of the Bishop at the general chapter." The work is well arranged and easily consulted. Everything is clearly stated, which adds very much to its value, for it is not for canonists only or principally, but rather for those who are not supposed to have any technical knowledge of canon law. THE LIFE OF ST. MELANIA. By His Eminence Cardinal Rampolla. Translated by E. Leahy and edited by Herbert Thurston, S. J. 12mo., pp. 164. Benziger Brothers, New York, Cincinnati, Chicago. When this book first came from the Vatican Press, with contemporary documents and notes, with Latin and Greek texts, and with facsimiles, etc., it was a work of such erudition as to cause not only admiration, but surprise. Admiration because it was a model of its kind; surprise that its author should possess literary ability equal to his diplomatic power. To translate the whole monograph in its entirety just as Cardinal Rampolla has given it to the world would require a volume of more than a thousand octavo pages, neither would the vast array of biblio |