Ireland: they whisper thoughts that fall like
corrosive poison into the sanctuary of young hearts, destroying
the only jewels that are worthy of being there enshrined--bright
faith and pure morals.

[Side note: What the Londoner saw]

An Irishman residing in London, after visiting his native country
in 1900, records his impressions:--

"I have been amazed during recent visits to Ireland at the
display of London weekly publications, while Dublin publications
of a similar kind were difficult to obtain. I have seen the
counters of newsagents in such towns as Waterford, Limerick,
Kilkenny and Galway piled as thickly, and with as varied a
selection of these London weekly journals as in Lambeth or
Islington. . . . I was so impressed with the phenomenon that I
endeavoured when in Dublin to obtain some accurate information in
regard to its extent. At Messrs. Eason's I was told that within
the past ten years the circulation of these journals in Ireland
had almost quadrupled, although the population had diminished
within the same period by one-eighth."[2]

[2] Mr. MacDonagh in "Nineteenth Century," July, 1900.

This is the offal the national mind is feeding on, and yet people
express surprise that we are becoming West-British and losing
Catholic thought and character.

It is estimated that, without counting the book or parcel post,
every week there are three tons of this literature discharged on
the quays of Dublin alone. If this is even approximately true it
reveals a startling condition of things.

It may well be questioned whether the bayonets of Cromwell or the
plantations of James threatened more destruction to all we hold
dear. I believe they were as toy armies compared with the silent
foe now encamped upon the soil.

Out of these three tons it would be easy to count, not the
volumes, but the pages, devoted to a defence of the Ten
Commandments. Works of open or professed assault on faith or
morals are as yet few, the time is not ripe just yet, their
forerunners are here, however, the ground is being prepared. The
advance guards have come, and it is only a question of time till
the heavy ordnance is planted in our midst.

[Side note: Cardinal Logue]

Our present danger has been admirably described by an eminent
prelate:--"A mass of literature which professes to be innocent,
and ostensibly aims at being interesting, but seeks to create
that interest and engross attention by fostering thoughts that
appeal to th