S. Poenitentiaria, facta praemissorum relatione Sanctissimo Domino Nostro Papa Pio IX., juxta Ejusdem Sanctissimi Domini mentem, respondet. Ad 1^{um} Per jejunium Quadragesimale, etiamsi adsit necessitas utendi lacticiniis, satisfit duplici oneri. Ad 2^{um} Affirmative. Ad 3^{um} Ex novo Indulto Sanctissimi, affirmative. Ad 4^{um} Negative, et recurrendum esse ad Locorum Ordinarios, qui providebunt juxta Instructiones. Datum Romae in S. Poenitentiaria die 20 Januarii 1865. A. M. CARD. CAGIANO MAJOR POENIT. G. BALLARATI S. P. Secretarius. Concordat cum originali. [+] PAULUS CULLEN, Archiepiscopus. NOTICES OF BOOKS. I. _Letters to the People of the World on a Life of Pleasures._ By V. Dechamps, of the Congregation of the Holy Redeemer. Paris: 36 Rue Bonaparte. The author of this work draws a picture of the life which those who devote themselves altogether to the pursuit of pleasure are accustomed to lead, and describes the dangerous character of the amusements sanctioned by the pleasure-loving and fashionable society of the present day, which seems to have forgotten the teaching of the Gospel, that any one who wishes to be the disciple of our Lord must deny himself, and crucify his perverse appetites and inclinations. Probably there are persons who, through levity or want of reflection, allow themselves to be carried too far in the search of earthly amusements, and yet keep up a certain spirit of religion, and occasionally perform good works. However, admitting those exceptions, you will find that in general gentlemen and ladies who enter on what is called a life of pleasure, and who determine to gratify every whim for amusement, if their conduct be closely examined, appear to live as if they had no souls, or as if they were made solely for the purpose of enjoying earthly delights. Forgetting their Creator, never reflecting on our hope of future happiness, never raising their thoughts to Heaven, bent down to Earth, they spend their days in idleness or in useless occupations, and their nights at theatres or in other distracting, dangerous, or corrupting amusements. When they wish to pass away a tedious hour, they may take up a book, but it will be nothing more serious than a novel, or a romance, or something calculated to corrupt the heart or pervert the mind. Like gaudy butterflies, they flit from flower to flower in their hour of sunshine, but do no good, and leave no trace of utility behind them. What a dreadful account will they have to render to their Creator for having wasted away the precious time and the good gifts which he gave them that they might be usefully employed both for this world and the next!