The design of F. Louage in compiling this little text‐book is most praiseworthy, and one which we are especially bound to commend, as it is an attempt to carry out a plan we have repeatedly and earnestly advocated in this magazine, of furnishing good text‐books of philosophy, written in the English language. The credit of originating this purpose belongs, so far as we know, to the Christian Brothers. The good work had, indeed, been begun by Mr. Brownson, in translating the _Fundamental Philosophy_ of Balmes. Nevertheless, as this is not precisely suited for use as a text‐ book, the preparation of such a text‐book remained a desideratum; and our attention was first called to the practical need of one or more of these text‐books by a letter to the editor from the Superior of the Christian Brothers at Baltimore, urging the great necessity of translating some one of the Latin manuals, or preparing a new one. This demand was the occasion of our mooting the question in these pages, and since that time the demand has been supplied by three different publications. One of these is the translation of Balmes’ admirable _Treatise on Logic_, brought out under the auspices of the Christian Brothers; another, the first part of F. Hill’s _Philosophy_, which has been highly commended both in Europe and in this country, and a third is the work now under notice. We have delayed noticing this text‐book by F. Louage for a long time, simply from a feeling of reluctance to express, without obvious necessity, the judgment which we formed on first perusing it—that it is very far from being a successful effort, and, moreover, that it contains a philosophical doctrine which cannot be safely taught in our Catholic schools. We shall proceed by‐and‐by to establish the justice of both these criticisms; but, beforehand, we wish to offer a few preliminary remarks explaining the past and present attitude of THE CATHOLIC WORLD in respect to soundness of philosophical doctrine.