The second part of the volume is entitled “Remarks on ancient Christian Cemeteries in general, and on those of Rome in particular”: [pg 103] the whole is divided into three parts. Part I. on the Christian Cemeteries in general, treats of their antiquity, their divisions into subterranean and non-subterranean, and the respective marks of each class. The author here proves that even in the third century, when Christianity was persecuted to the death, the Christian Cemeteries had a legal existence recognized by the Emperors. Part II. is devoted to the documents which illustrate the history and topography of the Catacombs, and embraces contemporary documents, historical and liturgical treatises later than the fourth century, lives of Pontiffs, etc. Part III. contains a general history of the Roman Cemeteries, arranged in four periods: beginning respectively, with the apostolic times; the third century; the peace of Constantine (312); and the fifth century, a.d. 410. In the second century the catacombs were of slow growth; in the third, their extent became most remarkable; after Constantine, they began to be abandoned as places of sepulture; with the fifth century set in their decay, leading to the removal of the relics of the saints to the churches within the walls, whither the sacrilegious hands of Goths and Lombards, who periodically pillaged the Campagna, could not reach; finally, after the ninth century, they were almost forgotten. Part IV. contains the analytical description of the Christian Cemeteries. The Cemetery of Callixtus, the most ancient and most celebrated of all, is described at length.
IV.
Vetera Monumenta Hibernorum et Scotorum Historiam Illustrantia; quae ex Vaticani, Neapolis, ac Florentiae Tabularis depromsit, et Ordine chronologico disposuit Augustinus Theiner, Presbyter Cong. Oratorii, Tabulariorum Vaticanorum Praefectus, etc. Folio, Romae, Typis Vaticanis, 1864. One Volume folio, pages 624.
The notice of the See of Ardagh in the sixteenth century, printed in our opening number, has probably prepared our readers to estimate the value of the important series of documents upon which it is founded. We purposed to urge strongly upon the clergy of Ireland the duty of supporting generously the distinguished scholar, who in his love of Ireland has undertaken the costly and laborious work of publishing all the manuscript materials of Irish history which are preserved in the archives of the Vatican, and has already given in the opening volume an earnest of their extent, as well as of their historical value. We are happy, however, to find that what we had desired and intended, has already been put in a practical form, and that an effort has been made to forward among the friends of Irish history [pg 104] the sale of this most interesting collection. We cannot, therefore, we believe, advance more effectually the object which we have at heart, than by transferring to our pages the following notice, which has been printed for private circulation:—
“Monsignor Theiner's Collection from the Secret Archives of the Vatican, of Naples, and of Florence, is unquestionably the most important contribution to the history of the Church in these countries since the great historical movement of the seventeenth century. It comprises upwards of a thousand original documents, Pontifical Bulls, Briefs, and Letters, Consistorial Acts, Inquisitions, Reports, etc., ranging from the pontificate of Honorius III., 1216, to that of Paul III., 1547.
“These papers, in the main, relate to the history of Ireland and of Scotland, especially of the former country. There is hardly a diocese in Ireland of which they do not contain some notice, and in many cases, as, for instance, that of Ardagh, already noticed by the learned editor of the Essays of the lamented Dr. Matthew Kelly, but traced in detail in the Irish Ecclesiastical Record, No. I., pp. 13-17, they serve to fill up important breaks in the existing records, and to correct grave and vital errors in the received histories.
“But, in addition to the Irish and Scotch documents, the volume contains many of wider and more general interest; among which it will be enough to specify a single series—nearly a hundred unpublished letters of Henry VIII., relating chiefly to the negociations regarding the divorce, which they present in a light almost completely new.
“This volume is printed entirely at the expense of the distinguished editor. It is meant as an experiment; and, should the sale, for which he must mainly rely upon the countries chiefly interested, suffice to cover the bare cost of publication, it is his intention to continue the series from the archives of the Vatican, down through the still more interesting, and, for Irish history, more obscure, as well as more important, period of Edward VI., Mary, Elizabeth, and James I.
“Mgr. Theiner has requested his friend, Rev. Dr. Russell, President of St. Patrick's College, Maynooth, to receive and transmit to Rome any orders far the volume with which he may be favoured.”