Should the reviving hopes of many hearts be realized, and the Green Tree of England’s ancient church again spread its vigorous branches over the land that was once “Our Lady’s Dowry”; and should the grand old northern abbeys, Melrose, Jedburgh, Paisley, and even, it may be, Iona, receive again as in past ages their cowled and consecrated sons, still England and Scotland will have but returned to the faith which Ireland has never lost, and which no human or Satanic power has been able to wrench from her. No! For, rather than let the cross be torn from her bleeding embrace, she suffered herself to be nailed upon it. THE ASHES OF THE PALMS. THE DISCIPLE. “Are ashes scarce that palms must burn, Those sweet memorials of the only day Of triumph that thou hadst, my Prince, Upon this woeful earth?” THE MASTER. “All glory unto ashes, child, must turn, Of which this deathly world can make display. These ashes on proud heads convince Proud hearts of glory’s worth.” THE DISCIPLE. “If palms to ashes must, So be 't. _I_ still will live to praise, Though glory’s gage should burn.” THE MASTER. “E’en thou art naught but dust. The mark thy forehead bears betrays To what thou shalt return.” ASH WEDNESDAY NEW PUBLICATIONS. AN OLD WORLD AS SEEN THROUGH YOUNG EYES; OR, TRAVELS AROUND THE WORLD. By Ellen H. Walworth. New York: Sadlier & Co. 1877. Every school-girl who reads this book will wish that she had an uncle who would send for her one day, while she is dreaming over her lesson-book, and invite her to accompany him around the world. This is what happened to Miss Ellen Walworth in June, 1873, and the volume before us is composed of the letters which she wrote home during her tour, and which were published as they were received in an Albany newspaper, attracting at the time considerable attention. They are the production of a school-girl of fifteen, but slightly altered from their original form, and this makes their peculiarity and their special interest. The course of her travels was through Scotland, Ireland, England, Belgium, the country of the Rhine, Switzerland, Italy, Egypt, China, Japan, and home by way of San Francisco. The letters are just what they should be—natural, lively, juvenile descriptions of the little incidents of travel and the scenes witnessed, with the freshness and vividness of letters written at the time and on the spot to which each one successively belongs. Two extremely interesting letters of Father Walworth, written with his well-known charm of style and minute accuracy of statement, are included in the collection. One of these contains a description of the Coptic rite, the other an account of the present state of the mission in Japan, with many interesting historical particulars. Our young folk will find this a very entertaining volume, and older people may read it with pleasure.