Henry's mother and sister have been very ill for two months and over and Brownson has been engrossed with his book which is more labor than Brownson had bargained for. Sarah Brownson is very ill but Mrs. Brownson is getting better and Brownson has finished his book. Father Leo G. The baud is pastor now, a brother of Mrs. Grant ?. His health is not very firm, but bids fair to be a very worthy and efficient priest. Brownson is not well and is suffering from his eyes, for he abuses them too much—when not writing he is reading. Brownson's book may not and he thinks will not be popular. It is not made up from his former essays, but is really a new originally written work, in which he has brought out and more fully explained the synthetic philosophy, supplied gaps, and moulded it into shape. He has not modified any essential principle, but he considerably modified his manner of explaining and defending it. He begins by the analysis of thought, and shows that it is in fact composed of three inseparable elements, subject, object and their relation, simultaneously given. Then he proceeds to the analysis of the object, and it also is composed of three elements, simultaneously given, the ideal, the empirical and their relation. The ideal is given in intuition which must be distinguished from perception or distinct cognition. In ideal intuition the activity is in the object; in cognition or empirical intuition, cognition a posteriori of Kant, the subject as well as the object acts. The ideal intuition answers to the phantasmata or intelligible species of the Schoolmen. It presents, they say, represents, the object. In sensibles, the intelleotus agens, or reflection, takes the object presented immediately from the presentation, but the ideal, though presented, can only be taken as represented in language, the sensible representation of the ideal. He identifies the ideas with the categories, and reduces their number to three, being, existences, and their relation. The necessary and apodictio ideas he integrates in being, and their correlatives in existences. Then he shows that the relation is the creative act of being, whence he proves that being is God, personal because he has intelligence and will. He has after this, four chapters, one on existences; one on God as Final Cause, in which he arrives at the moral law which proceeds from God as final cause, in distinction from the physical laws which proceed from him as first cause; another showing that the moral law commands us to worship God in the way and manner he prescribes, whether naturally or supernaturally; and the last on the place and office of tradition. This brief outline tells very little of the character of the book, but gives some idea of the argument, which is almost exclusively analytical, and that it was not constructed without hard thinking. Brownson is sure that he has put forth no proposition that has as yet been unprobated by the Holy See, though he can expect Fathers Liberatore, Tongiorgi, Ramiere and Kleutgen not to approve his work; for though he can work now in harmony with St. Thomas as they can, yet as he does not happen to agree with their routine interpretation of St. Thomas, they will of course misrepresent and anathematize him. A friend of Brownson's, Father Koop ?, a Lazarist, is writing a text book of philosophy. He is able, a good writer, and is of Brownson's school. He hopes much from him. He is now in the Sisters' Hospital. Buffalo, but convalescent. Brownson has finally resolved to revive his Review. The first number to be out probably in November, payable in advance and discontinued at the end of the year, unless the subscription is renewed, $5 a year. There are forming any number of questions in which he wishes to have his say, and he counts on a thousand subscribers at least which he calculates will net him $3 each, at least $2500 a year. He wants to place himself rectus in curia before he dies for the sake of the cause, and for the sake of his children and grandchildren which he cannot do in the Catholic World or the Tablet. Henry is not do discourage him, but is to speak encouragingly. He asks if Henry received his mother's letter informing him of her illness. She feels hurt that Henry has not answered it. Brownson hopes Henry's business continues to prosper and is delighted to hear of Fifine's and the grandchildren's good health. He sends regards to Henry's mother-in-law, to George and Philip Van Dyke, as well as the Baron and Elsie, although they did not call to see him. He asks about Father Ernest Van Dyke's health. It must be a pleasure to have him at the Cathedral. Dr. Brann ? is in the seminary at Louisville Kentucky and is doing exceedingly well and seems at last to have found his place, according to Chandler Berrian who send his regards to Henry. :: III-3-a A.L.S. 6pp. 12mo.