27 SEPTEMBER 1873, Page 23

CURRENT LITERATURE.

it May Chaplet. By Kenelm Digby Baste, Priest of the Oratory of St. Philip Nori. (Washbourne.)—The interest of this volume, which consists in the main of translations from a book of French devotional verses, "Les Guirlandes do Mai," by Father Philpin de Rivieres, is theological rather than literary. Dr. Newman expressed himself shocked, if wo remember right, at some of the expressions which Dr. Pusey had gathered in his Eirenieon from Catholic books of devotion. We should like to know what he thinks of the extracts which we give below, extracts from a book which has the imprimatur of " Houricus E., Archiop. Westmonast." Every one, it must be understood, is addressed to or relates to the Virgin :- "All the wealth of thy Spouse is entrusted to thee."

"The eye of Mary soon was turning To where I had been roughly tost.— Her heart with love and mercy yearning. Or else for ever was I lost."

St. Bornardine of Siena ":—

. My heart is not mine any longer,

I confess it to you, dearest friends;

I love, and no love could be stronger, For my Loved One the whole world transcends,—

My heart is not mine any longer.

"'Rs useless to dwell on her beauty, She has utterly conquer'd my heart,—

To praise her 1 feel is my duty,

But her fairness excels all my art,— "ris useless to dwell on her beauty.

"I cannot endure life without her, Nor the length of the night and the day,- 'Tis life to be thinking about her, So I love her, and live in that way,— I cannot endure life without her.

" So now, need I name this fair maiden, And say, Mary, the Mother of God?

My bosom at last is unladen,

She should have every drop of my blood,—

So now, need I name this fair Maiden? "Oh ! Mother, do not pause, perform thy blest desire, Make body, soul, and heart completely, only thine What in us is not Christ-0 burn it, Sacred Fire! Consume it, Love Divine!"

God decreed thee Advocate Of mortals in their fallen state."

"If we wander like sheep, and our souls fall a prey

And here is a curious specimen of erotic devotion, the "Confession of