100. EUROPEAN CIVILIZATION.

BALMEZ.

ABBÉ J. BALMEZ, born at Vich, in Catalonia, Spain, in 1810; died, 1848. n lofty eloquence, sound philosophy, solid and profound erudition, this illustrious Spanish author of the present century stands unrivalled. His work on the Civilization of Europe," should be familiar to every intelligent mind. His more recent work on "Fundamental Philosophy" (ad mirably translated by Henry F. Brownson), is the best work on Christian Philosophy of which the English language can boast.

1. Ir is a fact now generally acknowledged, and openly confessed, that Christianity has exercised a very important and salutary influence on the development of European civilization. If this fact has not yet had given to it the importance which it deserves, it is because it has not been sufficiently appreciated. With respect to civilization, a distinction is sometimes made between the influence of Christianity and that of Catholicity: its merits are lavished on the former, and stinted to the latter, by those who forget that, with respect to European civilization, Catholicity can always claim the principal share; and, for many centuries, an exclusive one; since during a very long period, she worked alone at the great work. People have not been willing to see that when Protestantism appeared in Europe, the work was bordering on completion; with an injustice and ingratitude which I cannot describe, they have reproached Catholicity with the spirit of barbarism, ignorance, and oppression, while they were making an ostentatious display of the rich civilization, knowledge, and liberty, for which they were principally indebted to her.

2. If they did not wish to fathom the intimate connection between Catholicity and European civilization,-if they had not the patience necessary for the long investigations into which this examination would lead them, at least it woul have been proper to take a glance at the condition of countrie where the Catholic religion has not exerted all her influence during centuries of trouble, and compare them with those in which she has been predominant. The East and the West, both subject to great revolutions, both professing Christianity, but in such a way that the Catholic principle was weak and

vacillating in the East, while it was energetic and deeply rooted in the West; these, we say, would have afforded two very good points of comparison to estimate the value of Christianity without Catholicity, when the civilization and the existence of nations were at stake.

3. In the West, the revolutions were multiplied and fearful; the chaos was at its height; and, nevertheless, out of chaos came light and life. Neither the barbarism of the nations who inundated those countries, and established themselves there, nor the furious assaults of Islamism, even in the days of its greatest power and enthusiasm, could succeed in destroying the germs of a rich and fertile civilization. In the East, on the contrary, all tended to old age and decay; nothing revived; and, under the blows of the power which was ineffectual against us, all was shaken to pieces. The spiritual power of Rome, and its influence on temporal affairs, have certainly borne fruits very different from those produced under the same circumstances, by its violent opponents.

4. If Europe were destined one day again to undergo a general and fearful revolution, either by a universal spread of revolutionary ideas, or by a violent invasion of social and proprietary rights by pauperism; if the Colossus of the North, seated on its throne of eternal snows, with knowledge in its head, and blind force in its hands, possessing at once the means of civilization and unceasingly turning towards the East, the South, and the West, that covetous and crafty look which in history is the characteristic march of all invading empires; if, availing itself of a favorable moment, it were to make an attempt on the independence of Europe, then we should perhaps have a proof of the value of the Catholic principle in a great extremity; then we should feel the power of the unity which is proclaimed and supported by Catholicity, and while calling to mind the middle ages, we should come to acknowledge one of the causes of the weakness of the East and the strength of the West,

5. Then would be remembered a fact, which, though but of yesterday, is falling into oblivion, viz.: that the nation whose heroic courage broke the power of Napoleon was proverbially

Catholic; and who knows whether, in the attempts which the Vicar of Jesus Christ has deplored in such touching language,who knows whether it be not the secret influence of a presentiment, perhaps even a foresight, of the necessity of weakening that sublime power, which has been in all ages, when the cause of humanity was in question, the centre of great attempts ? But let us return.

6. It cannot be denied that, since the sixteenth century, European civilization has shown life and brilliancy; but it is a mistake to attribute this phenomenon to Protestantism. In order to examine the extent and influence of a fact, we ought not to be content with the events which have followed it; it is also necessary to consider whether these events were already prepared; whether they are any thing more than the necessary result of anterior facts; and we must take care not to reason in a way which is justly declared to be sophistical by logicians, post hoc, ergo propter hoc: after that, therefore on account of it. Without Protestantism, and before it, European civilization was already very much advanced, thanks to the labors and influence of the Catholic religion; that greatness and splendor which it subsequently displayed were not owing to it, but arose in spite of it.

101. ST. FRANCIS DE SALES' LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT.

ST. FRANCIS DE SALES.

ST. FRANCIS DE SALES, Bishop of Geneva, was one of the most accomplished noblemen of Savoy. Possessed of great personal attractions and brilliant talents, his friends saw the most distinguished worldly career opened for him; but deaf to their remonstrances and entreaties, he embraced the ecclesiastical state. He died in 1622, aged fifty-six. During his life he converted seventy-two thousand unbelievers. He was celebrated as a preacher. His writings are full of beauties. But his greatest work -the fruits of which we see around us in America as well as in Europs was the establishment of the Order of the Visitation. This religious order -so zealously devoted to the education of youth-is a true type of the piety, earning, and zeal of its saintly founder.

1. AFTER being beat about on the boisterous ocean of this world, and experiencing so many dangers of shipwreck, from storms, tempests, and rocks of vanity, I present myself before

thee, O my God! to account for the talents thy infinite goodness has intrusted to my charge. I am now within the sight of land. How I pity the lot of those I leave behind, still exposed to such imminent dangers! How treacherous are the attractions of life, how strong its charms, how fascinating its blandishments! Where are you, O devout souls? I could wish to have your company in this my passage, or to join you in your holy exercises. Prepare to go to the celestial Jerusalem.

2. Behold the effect of life! Life can produce no other work than death; while solid devotion produces eternal life. It is the autumn season, in which fruits are gathered for eternity. This plant, which has received its increase from heaven, will soon be removed, and mortals will see no more of it than its roots, the sad spoils of corruption. The flower, which the sun has decorated with such brilliant colors, speedily fades. Consider that life flies like a shadow, passes as a dream, evaporates as smoke, and that human ambition car embrace nothing solid. Every thing is transitory.

3. The sun, which arises above our horizon, precipitates his course to tread on the heels of night; while darkness solicits the return of light, to hasten the most beautiful parts of our universe to destruction. Rivers are continually rushing to the sea, their centre, as if they were there to find rest. The moon appears in the firmament, sometimes full, at other times decreasing, and seems to take a pleasure, as if her task and career were soon to end. Winter robs the trees of their foliage, to read us a lesson of mortality. No tie, no affection whatever, holds me now to this earth. I have resigned my will entirely into thy hands.

4. Thou hast, O Lord! long since taught me how to die. My inclinations to the world have been long dead. Mortifications have deadened my body, my soul wishes to shake off this coil, and I only value and esteem that life which is found in thee. In proportion as I feel my body weaken, my spirit grows stronger. I am ready to burst from my prison. I here see, as in a mirror, what beatitude is. How unspeak able are the delights of a soul in the grace of God! Sensual

pleasures being satiety and disgust, true pledge of inanity and imperfection; while pleasurable enjoyments of the soul are infinite, and never pall upon the palate. Let us then quit this world, and ascend through the aid of God's mercy, to heaven.

5. And you, Christian souls, are you not content to accompany me? Do you fear the passage? Are you not already dead to the world, that you may live to God? Can you fear the pains of dissolution, when you reflect what your Saviour has suffered for the love of you? Keep your conscience in a fit state to give a satisfactory account of your actions: imagine the judgments of God are at every hour suspended over your head; that life holds by a single thread, by a nothing; and that in the gardens of this world death lurks under every rose and violet, as the serpent under the grass.

6. Now that I am quitting this world, Christian souls, what legacy can I leave you? Earthly possessions you have renounced, and holy poverty you have embraced. I therefore bequeath to you humility, the true lapis lydius, or touchstone of devotion, which can discriminate piety from hypocriay; she is the mother of all virtues, ever occupied in reforming our lives and actions, and always walks accompanied by charity. Oh, devout souls! how much more difficult is the task of acquiring this Christian humility than the other virtues! Oh! how does nature suffer, when you are told to humble your mind, to make yourselves little, to pardon your enemies!

7. What a struggle does it cost to break down and totally destroy that tender love of self, the mortal enemy to humiliations and abjection. This legacy of humility, I trust you will both receive and practise. As for thee, my God! I shall not leave thee my soul; it has long been thine; thou hast redeemed it with the price of thy blood, and withdrawn it from the captivity of sin and death; it will be happy, if, pardoning its faults, thon wilt receive it into thy embraces! Now I must give in my accounts, the thought of divine justice makes me tremble, but the thought of divine mercy gives me hopes, I throw myself into thy arms, O Lord, to solicit pardon, I will