December 22, 1934

THE TABLET u4 W eek ly N ew s p a p e r a n d R e v i e w

DUM VOBIS GRATULAMUR ANIMOS ETIAM ADDIMUS UT IN IN CΠPT IS V E S T R IS CONSTANTER MANEATIS

From the Brief of His Holiness Pius IX to The Tablet, June 4,1870.

V o l . 164. N o . 4937. L o n d o n , D e c e m b e r 22, 1934.

S i x p e n c e .

R eg is tered at t h i General P o st Of f ic e as a New s p a p e r .

Page

New s and No t e s .................. 801 ’Merry C h r is tm a s !................. 805 Three Christmas Poems . . . 806 H.E. Cardinal Bourne . . . 806 “ With a New Offspring” 807 From The Tablet of Long

A g o ....................................... 809 R e v i e w s :

Sigrid Undset’ s ................. 810 Christianity is Christ . . . 810 De Vere Shakespeare . . . 811 Physics Without Tears:

And Without Accuracy 812 New Books and Music . . . 812

CONTENTS

Adven t P astorals :

Page

Plymouth ............................ 813 Leeds ............................ 814 Shrewsbury ................. 814 Clifton ............................ 815 Correspondence :

Rome (Our Own Corre­

spondent’s Weekly Letter from) ............................ 817 The Catholic Council for

International Relations . . . 818 St. Anthony the Abbot . . . 818 The First Annual Congress of Catholic Inaction . . . 819

Page

Et Cj e t e r a .....................820 Ob it u ary ............................... 822 L etters to the E d i t o r :

T h e Pronunciation o f

Latin ............................ 823 Animals in North Africa 823 Performing Animals . . . 824 “ Locking Children In ” 824 Coming Events ................. 824 Orb1s Terrarum :

England ............................ 824 Scotland ............................ 825 Ireland ............................ 825

Or b is T errarum ( Contd.) Page

Austria ........................ 826 Belgium ........................ 826 Brazil ........................ 826 France ........................ 826 Germany ........................ 826 India ........................ 826 Korea ....................... 826 Spain ........................ 826 Switzerland ............. 828 U.S’.A ........................ 828 So c ia l and P ersonal .. 828 Ch e s s ...................................... 828

NOTANDA

Christmas. The Tablet offers its patrons a variety o f Christmas reading (pp. 801, 805-9, 821).

“ W ith a New Offspring ” : a Tale o f Midnight Mass (p. 807).

Another “ anti-Stratfordian ” theory as to the authorship o f Shakespeare’s plays (p. 811).

Death o f the Bishop o f Shrewsbury. Dr. Singleton’ s endearing qualities as his own priests saw them (p. 822).

Christmas-cards. The Bishop o f Menevia’s draft upon the riches o f the Liturgy (p. 802).

H ow Birmingham University will honour the memory o f Sir Bertram Windle. A generous g ift and its purpose (p. 820).

Lord Listowel’ s flying visit to Oviedo, and the testimony o f an eye-witness (p. 802).

The Bishops to their flocks. Some further extracts from the Advent pastorals (pp. 813-15).

N EW S AND NOTES TT has been often said that Christmas is the

Feast of the Family. This is true ; because it is the Feast of a Mother, a Child, and a Breadwinner. In these days of “ the Flight from the Home,” the family character of Christmas is weakened; but it is still strong. The trains which carry too many men and women away from their own hearths to the more hollow pleasures of seaside hotels, carry far greater numbers o f hardworking exiles back from their lodgings in great cities to the homes of their childhood. The winter “ resorts ” may receive thousands ; but old-fashioned family dinner-tables will hear the chatter o f millions. To all our fellow Christians, we wish from our hearts a happy Feast.

There are other meanings and applications o f the word “ fam ily,” besides the usual groups o f parents,

N ew S eries. Vol. CXXXII. No. 4336.

children, uncles, aunts, nieces, nephews and cousins, to whom the late Dr. Thudichum gave the learned name of “ symbiotic companies.” There are those larger families called nations. As b lood is truly thicker than water, it is natural that we should think first of the great family called the British Commonwealth; and to every member thereof, The Tablet sends cordial greetings. W ith one partial exception, all of them will unite with us in spirit when His Majesty the King sends forth next Tuesday a paternal message to his people. We cannot mention our Sister Nations one b y one in this brief Note ; but we must make an exception in favour of South Africa, which has lately taken an impressive decision and bids fair to become one of the world’s great nations.

For all mankind, the Word was made Flesh and dwelt among us ; and for all the world He not only lived, but died. Therefore even the vast British Empire is too small and narrow for our Christmas goodwill, which must go out to all the peoples. Especially upon those nations for whom old feuds and new jealousies are perilous do we invoke blessings from the Prince of Peace.

Since the nineteen-thirties came in, less has been heard from those prophets who told us that Christmas-cards would soon be as hard to find as the old-style perfumed valentines. Such a laboursaving device as the Christmas-card is not likely to be dropped out of the social scheme. Even editors, who are impersonal in the minds of most readers, receive cards at this season from gracious correspondents whom they have never set eyes on ; and, so far as The Tablet is concerned, we say sincerely that such greetings are highly valued.

Without undervaluing such delightful and artistic cards as were praised in our Literary Supplement a fortnight ago, we confess to a strong liking for a card which is peculiar to the sender. But many friends have told us that they find it very hard to select a text, motto, legend, aphorism or quotation which shall be appropriate to Christmas and yet