THE

PUBLISHED WEEKLY,

UNDER THE INSPECTION OF CATHOLIC DIVINES.

No. 38. DUBLIN, SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 1834. VOL. I.

LIFE OF REV. ALBAN BUTLER.

ALBAN BUTLER was second son of Simon Butler, Esq. of Appletree, in the County of Northampton, who was married to Anne Birch, daughter of Thomas Birch, Esq. Gorscot, County of Stafford. His family, for property, descent, and alliances, had vied with the noblest of England: but had been reduced at the period of his birth, which took place about the year 1710.

At a very early age Alban was sent to a school in Lancashire, and there applied himself to his studies, with that unremitting application, which, in every part of his life, he gave to literature. Even at this early period he used to repeat, with surprising accuracy, the most noted facts in chronology, and what was remarkable in the lives of the Christian heroes, particularly those of the Saxon era. When only eight years old he was sent to the English College at Douay, having then lost his father and mother. His conduct whilst in college, was remarkably correct, there practising every virtue, and avoiding every vice. As he advanced in years, he advanced in learning and virtue. He generally allowed himself but four hours sleep, and spent little time in mere animal enjoyment. "When alone he read-when in company he readwhen at meals he read-when walking he read-when in carriage he read-and when riding he read." He generally made abridgments of the principal works he perused, and copied the most noted passages, and thus ever afterwards remembered their contents.

After Alban Butler had completed his studies, and received the sacred order of the priesthood, he was appointed professor of philosophy, and after teaching a course, was made professor of divinity. His mode of life was most exact, and he divided his time into due parts. He discharged all the duties of a priest, professor, and confessor, with great zeal and piety. He was always at morning meditation, said Mass daily with heavenly composure, sweetness and recollection, dictated to the students with the greatest clearness, and heard the confessions of his penitents with peculiar humility and meekness. He frequently attended the military hospital, to instruct, exhort, and hear the confessions of the Irish soldiers, and told them, for their consolation, that there were more saints of that profession than of any other. He was always ready to relieve the poor, particularly the Irish. He animated by word and example the young priests, and even edified by his modesty and virtue the most aged. He communicated with the learned men of his time, particularly Dr. Challoner, Dr. Walmesly, &c., maintained, with strictness, the principles of Catholic morality, defended, with firmness, the truth of the Catholic faith, and asserted against all, the obedience that is due to the centre of Catholic unity, in the person of the successor of St. Peter. Accordingly, his first publication was "Letters on the History of the

Popes," published by Mr. Bower, an apostate, whose falsehoods were not only ably exposed by our author, but by Dr. Douglas, Protestant bishop of Salisbury. The letters display great depth of learning, and show a powerful mind for criticism and judgment. In 1745, the Rev. Alban Butler accompanied the Earl of Shrewsbury, and the Honorable James and Thomas Talbot, in their "Travels through France and Italy," an interesting account of which he published.

On his return he was sent on the English mission, and was anxious to be settled in London, that he might the more effectually complete his work on the "Lives of Saints," in which he had been for some years engaged.

The Vicar of the Midland District, however, claimed him as his own, and appointed him to the mission of Staffordshire. From thence he removed to Warkworth, the seat of F. Eyre, Esq. a most intelligent Catholic gentleman, who successfully sustained a public discussion in defence of his religion. The Rev. Alban Butler was subsequently chaplain to the Duke of Norfolk, and superintended the education of Mr. E. Howard, his nephew, and presumptive heir. After some years he conducted his pupil to Paris, where he completed and sent to the press, his immortal work on the "Lives of the Saints." He had qualified himself for this stupendous performance, in every possible way that a man could. He was a perfect master of the Greek, Latin, Italian, Spanish, French, and English languages! He knew many of the Oriental languages. In Biblical knowledge, Moral and Dogmatical Theology, Canon Law, writings of the Fathers, ecclesiastical antiquities, universal history, and modern controversy, he was deeply read! He was skilled in heraldry, philosophy, botany, medicine, and ancient and modern geography. He devoted himself in a peculiar manner to the study of the acts, martyrologies, calendars, menologias and lives of saints, written in almost all languages. He read the acts of the beatification and canonization of the saints; he perused the most judicious critics and historians, ancient and modern; he examined original monuments, and authentic records, in various libraries, and for thirty years spared no labour nor expense to render his work the most perfect of the kind ever published.

Mr.

This work was soon printed in almost every language in Furope. The edition published in Ireland under Dr. Carpenter, Catholic Archbishop of Dublin, contained notes and documents which ren dered the work still more useful to the Catholics of Ireland. Murphy, an Irishman, gave a splendid stereotype edition of the work in London, in 1815. A new edition with a preface by the late illustrious Dr. Doyle, has been just published in two elegant books, by Mr. Coyne. There is only one thing to be regretted that the learned author had said so little in general, on the Irish saints.— This ought to have been attended to in the last edition. We think

that this valuable work should be published in cheap numbers, that the great mass of the people might be able to procure it.

The Rev. Alban Butler wrote many other learned works, all full of piety and unction. "The Life of Mary of the Cross," conveys great instruction on various duties of a religious life. His book on the "Moveable Feasts," (left unfinished,) though prolix is a most learned work. His "Discourses," published after his death, form a most admirable work, and should be republished in a cheap form. He wrote a "Short Life of Sir Toby Matthews," published by Mr. Charles Butler. A short "Treatise on Prayer," by him has also been published by the same author.

The Rev. Alban Butler was chosen President of the English College at St. Omers, originally founded by the Jesuits, in which office he remained until his demise. He was for several years Vicar-general to the Bishops of Arras, St. Omer's, Ipres, and Boulogne, which established his reputation in every part of France.— The number of letters by him, it is stated by his biographer, exceeds belief, and contain an immense mass of interesting matter, on most important topics of religion and literature.

Having enjoyed, through life, good health, but somewhat impaired by study, some years before his death he had a slight attack of the palsy, which affected his speech. He died on the 15th of May, 1773, in the 63d year of his age. A monument of marble was raised to his memory in the chapel of the English College at St. Omers.

B.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE CATHOLIC PENNY MAGAZINE

SIR,-I congratulate you and Ireland on the success of your undertaking. I know nothing likely to do so much good as your unpresuming work, or one which conveys so much solid information at so cheap a rate!

From my knowledge of the country, I rejoice to find that its circulation is rapidly extending in all parts, and by the co-operation of our zealous clergy, of members of religious societies, and proper agents in each parish, (the clerk or schoolmaster, I should consider the most efficient,) scarcely a Catholic family in Ireland will be without it.

At first there was some difficulty. Some who always wait to do good until every one else does it, said it would not stand, but now they find it getting on prosperously: others, who thought it "too insignificant," now see, that like the mustard seed, which grew into a great tree, it has almost imperceptibly extended itself to five hundred pages, containing something on almost all subjects. Every one finds that thousands who could not afford to buy a book at even six-pence, can soon have twenty books at a higher rate, by only a penny a week! In fact, as the penny-aweek plan filled the coffers of the Catholic Rent, and thus contri

buted to Emancipation, and as the same plan supports thousands of destitute orphans in our metropolis, so the poorer classes as well as the more elevated will advance themselves and their children in knowledge, by laying out for the Magazine less than most of them hitherto have spent unprofitably each day.

You will now find hundreds, on Sundays and holidays, collected in parishes reading the Magazine, who formerly employed their time in public houses, at wrestling or boxing, or in reading vile publications. In many parts where our exemplary pastors cannot exhort, from sick calls, and the immense districts over which they have to travel, the Gospel, and approved commentary on it, from your Magazine, are read with peculiar profit. Others privately retire, and read the short but excellent Meditations given for each day. A third class are delighted with the "History of the Church," appended to the work, which I consider the most edifying and instructive history ever published! While a fourth class peruse, with equal pleasure, the diversified pages of the Magazine, where lives and portraits of our great men, scriptural illustrations, remarkable conversions, views and descriptions of our churches, colleges, nunneries, &c., state of religion throughout the world, interesting anecdotes, lessons of wisdom, original poetry, religious sketches, lists of saints, calendar for each week, and a hundred other matters are given.

Under the patronage of our venerable clergy, supported by the various societies, and particularly by having efficient agents in each parish, who will have zeal, and let me add, an interest in supplying the Magazine weekly, in each district; I should expect, considering the number of parishes, if cach do its duty, that at least 100,000 copies of every number should be circulated, and at least 500,000 individuals be better informed than ever they were before.

We beg to offer our acknowledgments to our correspondent for his information, and are convinced that his suggestions are most useful and practical. If each parish do its duty we shall be enabled to give still greater value for one penny a week! Our correspondent, we are sure, will be glad to hear that the circulation of our Magazine is not confined to Ireland. Already several thousands are sold in England, and even Scotland is not behind hand in the good work; nay, America, the land of freedom, gets our little publication.

We feel extremely grateful to those learned ecclesiastics, and other pious persons who have already forwarded, or promised to forward not only valuable articles for our Magazine, but original and