St. Ignatius Loyola and the Early Jesuits. By Stewart Rose.
(Burns and Oates.)—This is a very handsome volume, full of in- teresting matter, and admirably illustrated. We cannot say that Mr. Stewart Rose is a critical historian. He would disclaim the
character if we were disposed to give it to him. He does not pre- sume to judge of his subject's deeds and words. The authorita- tive stamp of canonisation has been put upon them, and a biographer has nothing to do but to approve. St. Ignatius, indeed, was a severe critic of himself. The sobriety of his later life, for instance, implicitly condemned the extravagant austerities of his earlier years. Of all the interesting matter in the volume, nothing is more striking than the resemblance between the Jesuits and the Methodists. The story of how Ignatius was driven away from one Spanish University to another, reminds us forcibly of the evil days when enthusiastic followers of Wesley and Whitefield were expelled from Oxford for the offence of holding prayer- meetings. Rome has commonly known how to retain such powerful forces under her allegiance. Paul III., though not by any means a model Pope, and not particularly fitted to appreciate the pecu- liar virtues of Loyola, was favourable to him from the beginning. The story of the Saint's management of the newly founded Society—his sagacity, prudence, and unfaltering determination— make an exceedingly interesting study. One remarkable point is his steadfast refusal, after his early experiences, to undertake, or allow his associates to undertake, the direction of women. Mr. Rose defends the rules which Ignatius drew up for his Order. The famous comparison of its members to " a corpse which has neither will nor understanding," in their unquestioning submis- sion, was borrowed, he tells us, from the formula used before by the founders of monastic orders. It would be interesting if he had quoted. Anyhow, Loyola continued to make his rules binding as none other has done,—and, we must add, to set up a Society which has excited more hatred, if it has done more work, than any other.
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