MONSIGNOR CA[?]PEL.

Thames Star, Volume X, Issue 3111, 6 February 1879, Page 1

MONSIGNOR CA[?]PEL.

The fame, or perhaps it woula b? tOo. r* correct to/say*, the aotoriety, of tv c is* tinguished Churchmaa who reigns •••* preme at the " Pro," m»y be properly aai!'' to date from the period of tbe publication of" Lothair." The original of Cateuby >• precisely tbe typo of man that a-wbrd-paiDter uuoh as the author of that picturesque work dehghti to limn with a few ■weeping strokes of bra glowing brush. If we may ?outure to describe bhttia*

phrase, we would say of Mgr Capel that In* is " tie prelate of Society." He isnot only liked l>y but he has, or rather had. a decided penchant for, !?ociHy. It is no wonder tli«t Munsignor is socially popular, for the gift of conversation is decidedly his, nnd liis experience is of so wide a character tliat lie. m»y almost be said to know all things and all men Feminine critics bo to the extreme length of describing the high priest of Kensington as "fascinating ;" but,this is a strong phrase. Aitrac tive he certainly is, and few men, be they priests or Levitea, are capable of holding their own better at the dinner-table than this bright and witty cleric. Clever people of both sexes, of all religions, and even of no religion, like to be on the visitors' list at Cedar Villa, and an hour in that pleasant Kensington garden on a summer afternoon is not the least enjoyable time of one's existence. One great merit Monsignor unquestionably has. In conversation with yeu he does not ihiff relicion down your throat; indeed, unless you introduce the topic of creeds yourself, the pr bability is lhat you will hear n< thing whatever about the Church or its divided parlies. He has, it is true, made many converts, but then it has been cliiifly by his sermons, extracts from vrhit-n, clipped out of provincial papers in r» mote parts of the country, Monsighor is continually receiving from unknown correspondents, who, standing on the brink of the narrow stream that divides Protestantism from Homanism hesitate, like timid swimmers, to take the leap, and beg of the celebrated priest that he will direct their footsteps.

That each 8 man should be from time to time misrepresented both by writers and speakers is inevitable. For example, it lias been gravely asserted that Mgr. Capel came to London tinder the patronate and protection of the Count de Torre Diaz; whereas the plain truth is that he lias never been either " patronised " or " protected." His spurs have been legitimately won by hard work and unremitting attention to duty. Again it is pot true that he was ever a lay brother in a community. "When, however, a body of yung men under the Rev. J. M. Glennie, a converted Anglican, endearourrd to established the order of St. Jfseph Calasanctius, an order devoting i self exclusively to education and composed of priests ard 1»y brothers—the present head of the Pro Cathedral wbb the first priest ordained ; but previous to bis ordination he was vice principal of tie Training College at Hanimeisniith; and" even before he knew Lord Bute, and therefore before the appearance of " Jotiiair," the late Pope made ln'm a " Monsigß«»r" for services rendered to tin- Church at Pau. For five yea>s JVlgr. ( ejirl r««d theology and philosophy with Failer GUnnie. He passid s brilliant esHmmatioT), Cardinal Manning and i 'anon Gal-<ley biing the examines, and whrn Ins hi alib gave way he 6pent seven sue cessive winters at Pau in close intimacy with intelh-c ual men of all nations. The^e seven years he dedicated to the study ot dogmatic theology. Protestantism, the Greek Schisim, and modern philosophy, and it is inferring to note that it was at Fau that he 6n<t prejr bed and began lhat special.work of diverting which has so largely ougumied the exitndii g ranks of Hornanism. As we have endeavored thu* briefly to remove some ot the erroneous impressions which by frequent iteration have come to lie regarded as truths, and as we desire only lo put on record facts which from personal knowledge we know to be Micli. we m»y note that Mgr. Capel's work ot inclination is iducation, and, this being so. that elemei tary schools, a Catholic public school, high school for ladies, at>_d higher education have each bad his especial care. He preaches often, and always to enormous congregation of loth Catholic* and Protestants. In the pulpit he carefully avoids being what is technically known as an orator, precision and careful illustration satisfying what he feels is needed for conviction. His sermons are singularly poetic in style, and abound with graphic work pictures, so that we may fitly term him " the laureate of the pulpit." He has, it is true, his little manDemms and affectations, of speech and pronunciations; but then there are also spots on the son, and these trifling blemishes, while they may amuse some, do not in any way detract from the brilliancy and profundity of his discourse. This appreciative criticism of Mgr. Capel (who, by the way, is the exact counterpart of a distinguished Oxford priest of the Anglican Church—the late Precentor Hackman) may be summed up in a sentence: Highly and deservedly popular in society at home and abroad, he is beloved by bis people, and he converted the Marquis of Bute.—"Whitehall Review.