People We Hear About

New Zealand Tablet, 8 July 1915, Page 41

People We Hear About

Mr. Thomas Donovan, who has promised £30,000 to the Catholic College in the University of Melbourne, is a member of a very prominent old Sydney family. His father, Mr. Jeremiah Donovan, was a well-known and very successful merchant in Sydney commercial circles of long ago, and one of his brothers was the late Dr. Donovan, R.C., LL.D. Mr. Donovan, has spent almost a quarter of a century away from his native land, in the chief cities of Europe. His early education was. received at St. Mary’s Seminary and at the Sydney Grammar School. His business life began in a bank, where he received a long and thorough commercial training; but, his health not being robust, he resigned his appointment and went abroad, where he remained until a few years back, spending the summer months in England and the winter on the Mediterranean.

Our readers (says the London Universe) will be sorry to hear of the death of Miss Felicia Curtis. Under the nom-de-plume of ‘Felix Noel’ she wrote the delightful children's column in this paper for some time, and contributed many reviews and also short stories occasionally to our pages. Her novels, Under the Bose and In the Lean ears, written since she became a convert in the desire to arouse in others a love for the Faith to which she had come so happily, were both remarkably well received by the press, and were universally acclaimed as admirable specimens of the historical novel. To the Irish Rosary she was an occasional contributor, and her delightful stories also were well known to readers of the Cross. To the general public Miss Curtis was known only by her writings, but she has left to those who were personally acquainted with her the kindliest memories of loyal friendship and sincere affection, which will always keep a place for her in the hearts of those privileged to be associated with her.

In a lecture, delivered recently in England, Mr. Godwin Bulger dealt with the influence of Catholic writers on English fiction of the present-day. Down to nearly the middle of last century (said the lecturer) Catholicism as such can hardly be said to have had a generally recognised place in the literature of the country. With the Oxford Movement a new era dawned, and Newman himself after his conversion came to the forefront, and led the way for others to follow, among whom Coventry Patmore and Lady Georgiana Fullerton deserved special mention. But, to,come at once to more recent times, it might be said that a fresh stage in the development of English Catholic literature, especially in the department of fiction, was inaugurated by another convert, the gifted lady who wrote under the name of John Oliver Hobbes. She may be said to have struck the note of enthusiasm, an enthusiasm for the faith which is much needed in our day. And in this respect she was worthily followed by Henry Harland, who is unsurpassed in the skill with which he sets forth' the bright joyousness which pervades and permeates the lives of sincere and genuine Catholics, more especially when their lot is cast in the congenial environment which happily still survives in parts of Italy and elsewhere. Speaking of the novels of ‘ John Ayscough,’ he laid stress on the fervent and tender devotion to the Blessed Sacrament which runs like a golden thread through all. his writings. He spoke, too, of the works ■of Lucas Malet, Angela Dickens, Isabel Clarke, Mary Daniel, Edward Oldmeadow, and at greater length on those of Mrs. Wilfrid Ward and of Mgr. Benson, each with its definite lesson so convincingly urged and brought to the notice not of Catholics alone, but of the whole novel-reading public. Canon Sheehan, he said, had laid bare for us the heart of Ireland, and M. E. Francis had done a similar service for the English country-side.