NOVA ET VETERA: INFORMAL MEDITATIONS. BY GEORGE TYRRELL, S.J. FOURTH EDITION. "VETERA NOVIS PERFICERE ET AUGERE." (Leo XIII.) LONGMANS, GREEN, & CO. 39 PATERNOSTER ROW, LONDON NEW YORK AND BOMBAY 1905 PREFACE. THERE is less apology needed than might perhaps appear at first sight for offering to the public a book which is hardly more than a record of private musings. Doubtless it contains little or nothing that has not been said before, and said better; yet in many cases the truths are said in the writer's own way; and so far he can claim to bring forth from his treasury old things and new-old, because truth is eternal; new, because its expression is infinitely variable. To give a new edge to truths and truisms blunted by use, it is not needful that they should be clothed in language either gorgeous or elegant; but only that their expression should be such as we are not accustomed to; such, as to make us stop and listen. Since, then, each individual has his own individual language and accentuation, it is always helpful to hear from others truths which, formulated in our own way, pass through our ears without friction and therefore escape our attention. For this reason, it does not seem altogether presumptuous or unreasonable to flood the market with meditation books, provided |