markable contrast which we have lately observed. On a certain day, some weeks ago, we wrote two notes, one addressed to the Rev. Dr. Barnard, S.T.D., president of Columbia College; the other to the Rev. Father Shea, S.J., president of Fordham College. The purport of one was exactly the same as that of the other-a request to be allowed the privilege of being present at some of the recitations of the students, as we wished to have something to say in our next number on one or more of our local institutions. This was nothing new on our part; it was in accordance with the promise we made in the first prospectus we ever issued, as may be seen from the following paragraph which we copy from it:

"Education in every form, including art and science, will receive prominent and friendly attention; and whatever seems calculated to retard or vitiate it, whether under the name of a text-book, a painting, a seminary, a gallery, or a college, will be subjected to fearless but fair and temperate criticism."

Personally, both gentlemen were equally unknown to us. We had not long to wait for the reply of Dr. Barnard, which was all we could have desired, and all that should have been expected from an experienced and accomplished educator; but to this day Father Shea has not deigned even to acknowledge the receipt of our communication. We are not in the least offended at this, but speak of it in perfect good humor, sine ullo maleficio; if we have any feeling in regard to it, it is one of pity.

Perhaps it is natural enough that, in certain cases, those who are criticised—no matter how mildly the thing has been done should think, or at least pretend to think, that the critic has been actuated by some wicked motive or other. Well, it may be remembered that we once ventured to express the opinion that if the good professors of Fordham paid less attention to billiards and other gaming apparatus, and more to books, those who send them their sons to be educated might have more reason to thank them. We had also been once guilty of visiting the college incognito; but there were extenuating circumstances in our case. We went without saying anything about reviews or any other publications, because we were informed that nobody

known to be in the habit of publishing his opinions would be allowed to see the curiosities of that institution, without being armed with a document, from some orthodox person, certifying that there would be nothing but praise-and that in the superlative degree. We were assured that even to hint that there was any other college superior, or even equal, to Fordham was an unpardonable offence, and we did not relish the notion of asking any one to certify for us that we would stultify ourselves in this manner.

It is due to Father Shea, who, we doubt not, is a good clergyman, that we should confess these little matters, but we think he should have remembered in our favor that even when we did visit his college incognito we gave the institution full time to improve its reputation before we published one word on the subject. At least twelve months had elapsed from the day of our visit before we even alluded to the facts which we learned from it; although we admit that the chief reason of our reticence was that it seemed almost a pity to blame pious, wellmeaning men for not doing what it was evident they were utterly incapable of. This faculty, thought we, may have superior faculties for sending people to heaven; but their faculties for teaching even the ordinary branches of education are very slender indeed, although it is fair to say that we met with two exceptions to the general barrenness-one was the professor of music, the other the champion billiard-player. Both these gentlemen seemed highly accomplished, and we have since been informed by much more competent judges than ourselves that they have few if any rivals in their respective spheres among the numerous professors of American colleges.

It was in vain we assured Father Shea that we would do no injury either to student or professor from the time we entered the college until we left it; to this we added that we were very willing to believe that he had made important improvements in the college, as somebody had lately affirmed; and that it would afford us pleasure to estimate those improvements at their full value. But all would not do; it seems the good father was reminded of the fable of the fox and the goose!

St. Xavier's College in this city has not quite so great a

horror of criticism as Fordham. Father Loyzance, the president of the former, is more polite as well as less timid than Father Shea. It is true that he also seems unwilling that his students should be seen at their ordinary recitations by a journalist who might possibly criticise their intelligence, but he has no objection that those selected and drilled for the purpose may be seen at their semi-annual exhibitions. We have been favored with tickets of admission to several of these, including the last. On two or three occasions we have gone, accordingly, hoping that each succeeding exhibition would exhibit an improvement, nor did we forget to attend the recent one; but we realized, once more, that the path of knowledge is both steep and thorny, especially where there is not much of it to be found!

We really have no disposition to find fault, but those exhibitions have always seemed to us very much like boyish theatrieals. Judging from the large crowds that attend them and the manner in which they behave themselves, a considerable proportion of the public-especially that part known as our "help"-must regard them as having some connection with the theatre. That ladies and gentlemen of the highest respectability and intelligence are present on those occasions, far be it from us to deny; but for one of this class there are at least fifty who have no conceivable business in such a place* except it be regarded as their business to crowd every seat, and, apparently, vie with each other in making all the noise they can with hand and foot as well as tongue, in and out of season. As if for the especial entertainment of this highly enthusiastic and appreciative class, Daniel O'Connell and George Washington, St. Patrick and Pope Pius, "Garryowen" and "Hail Columbia," are jumbled together in a manner which, we fear, must make both saints and angels weep; for whenever one of them is mentioned the "help" seem to think that, in order to show how fully they understand everything, how highly they value education, religion, liberty, etc., they must pound away at the floor until they are tired!

* Genus hominum atque mulierum agresté, sine moribus, quod exhalit odorem saponisque patinarum, sed quod multa fide imbutum est.

It will not do to say that we criticise these two colleges because we are opposed to the Jesuits or to the Catholic church; as well might it be pretended that, because one points out a decayed or stunted branch in the oak which has flourished for ages, he condemns or seeks to degrade the king of the forest! Every intelligent Jesuit or Catholic who knows anything of ourselves or our journal is aware that there is no foundation for any such statement. Had we found Columbia College or the University of New-York making a burlesque of itself in the manner alluded to above, nothing would have prevented us from presenting the facts to our readers, so far as we understood them. Upon the other hand, there are no colleges in the United States of which we have spoken in higher terms than of the two Jesuit colleges of Georgetown, D. C., and Worcester, Mass. Both of these institutions have a well-earned fame. But has this rendered them stiff or exclusive, or caused them to surround themselves with mystery? This question, we think, is sufficiently answered by the fact that in their palmiest days, when under the control of the most learned and accomplished Jesuit educators in America, we were cordially invited to visit them, and afforded every facility to enable us to form an estimate of their system of teaching, in order that we might publish such views of it as we thought fair and proper. At the Worcester college we were urged and prevailed upon to remain at night in order that we might be the better able to form an opinion of the discipline of the institution; and never were we treated with more frankness or kindness anywhere. Nor was Georgetown a whit less courteous, frank, and hospitable to us. Both presidents were fully aware that we had criticised the Jesuit colleges near home; but it is well known that superior intelligence as well as superior morality inspires courage, and we are informed on the best authority that "the wicked flee when no man pursueth, while the righteous are as bold as a lion."

"Degeneres animos timor arguit."

So much, then, for our prejudice against the Jesuit fathers as educators. If our regarding some fathers as very indifferent educators be a prejudice, it is like that which we have against the ill-bred nag as compared to the thorough-bred, highspirited Arabian charger. But let us be just to Father

Shea and Loyzance; they have not acted coarsely or rudely, which is more than could be said of some of their predecessors. Their resistance to criticism has been but passive, whereas that of some of their predecessors had been active and belligerent. Thus, for example, a professor of St. Xavier, wrote us an abusive letter, in execrable English-half Canadian-French-some six years ago, for no better reason than that we expressed the opinion to our readers that Manhattan College, conducted by the Christian brothers, was far superior to any other Catholic college in the vicinity of New-York.*. This was our sincere conviction after having been present at several of the ordinary recitations of Manhattan, with the cordial permission of its president, who was just as willing that we should hear every class and examine every department as Dr. Barnard of Columbia has recently proved himself; and we did not think it would be a mortal offence to any one to say that one Catholic college was better than another, when it was evident to any intelligent person that such was the fact.

But we soon found that this was a grave mistake, and seldom did any epistle surprise us more than the document alluded to. This, we thought, is from some junior member of the faculty; surely the president will promptly disclaim, if not condemn it. Under this impression we addressed a note to that gentleman, respectfully and faithfully stating the facts, but we never received any answer. It will be understood, then, that Father Shea and Father Loyzance have acted in a manner comparatively mild, polite, and Christian-like, although we think they-especially the former-have still an immense amount to learn in order to qualify themselves for the rectorship or government of a college; more, we fear, than it will be ever possible to put into their heads by any process yet discovered.

*It is still more superior at the present day; and some of the more enlightened Catholics evince their appreciation of the fact by withdrawing their sons from Fordham as well as St. Xavier's, and placing them at Manhattan.

This gentleman has since been made provincial of the order in America, as a reward of his enlightened and successful efforts in favor of collegiate education; and it is sufficient to say of the gentleman who succeeds him, that he is imbued with the same laudable zeal for the thorough education of the students which has distinguished his predecessor.