CURRENT LITERATURE.
The Visible Unity of the Catholic Church. By M. J. Rhodes. 2-vols. (Lengmans.)—Mr. Rhodes' work bears the imprimatur of Archbishop Manning; and has, as he tells us, as far as regards certain portions, re- ceived a favourable judgment from the editor of the Civilth Cattolica. It may be supposed therefore to take up a line of argument to which -we can scarcely assent. Briefly, it is a re-statement, not particularly dis- tinguished by vigour, and not containing, as far as we can see, any novel or forcible reasoning, of the Roman side of the controversy on the subject of "The Church." We see, as wo shall probably see often again, the old stock arguments, the old stock quotations, and, we may add, the old • want of a candid and discriminating criticism. We cannot follow Mr. Rhodes into the intricacies of this discussion. We feel inclined to take our stand on the threshold, and demand proof that St. Peter was at Rome, proof never given in a quite satisfactory way, and without which the wholo of the historical argument topples over. Or, putting this aside, we want to be convinced that St. Paul believed St. Peter to be infallible. One thing, however, we gladly say of Mr. Rhodes, and that is, that he always writes in a kindly and courteous tone. So far his book may be read with pleasure, and in his second volume there is collected some curious learning about the Celtic and Saxon Churches of Britein, which will be found interesting. It is impossible to help giving Mr. Rhodes a hint that his style is, to Protestant tastes at least, somewhat gaudy. Here is a specimen :—"Heap together all the goodness, all the virtues, all the sanctity that exists, or over has existed, throughout the globe, apart from tho Church of Peter ; and, not at its utmost, could the accumula- tion be compared with the heroic, eagle-soaring holiness, and transcen- dental unearthliness of life which reveal the presence of the living God in the person of any single one of these superhuman miracles of His grace, who arc are to be found in communion with the Apostolic See of Rome, and whom she recognizes as His Saints, shining in glory like tho glittering stars of heaven."
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