Brief Notices

BRIEF NOTICES The Trinity and God the Creator. By REGINALD GARRIGOU-Lii.GRANGE, 0. P. St. Louis: Herder, 1952. Pp. 681. $7.50. Life Everlasting. By REGINALD GARRIGOU-LAGRANGE, 0. P. St. Louis: Herder, 1952. Pp. 281. $4.50. The first of these two recently translated works of the well-known Thomist, Father Garrigou-Lagrange, 0. P., is a commentary on the Summa of Saint Thomas, I, qq. 27-119. The series of volumes, of which this is a part, was intended originally as a type of manual-commentary for the use of students; and provides an excellent introduction to the works and thought of the Angelic Doctor. The author does not over-simplify questions, nor does he hesitate to present the fullness of Thomistic doctrine. His style is clear, and in the manner of the earlier commentators follows Saint Thomas article by article, with an introductory status quaestionis and concluding recapitulations. The resulting comx'nentary, resembling those of Billuart and Gonet rather than the earlier commentators, is directly intended for the use of students. The treatise on the Trinity is preceded by an introduction dealing briefly with Sacred Scripture and the Fathers, which is useful; but of course, not adequate for a full appreciation of these sources. The difficulties concerning the existence of a real terminus in the act of love, really distinct from the will, is not discussed fully in reference to the Holy Ghost. With regard the formal constituent of personality, the author follows Cajetan. The second work, Life Everlasting, is a treatise on the four last things. The first part deals with the " depth " of the soul, its unlimited scope, and shows the basis of this depth in the spirituality of the soul, whose desire for truth and goodness can be fully satisfied only by Sovereign Truth and Good. It is, in a way, a restatement of the first questions of the Prima Secundae on beatitude and man's final end. Of special note is the study made of the language of the mystics regarding the inner depths or " center " of the soul, of the substance of the soul. The second half of the work is a treatise on eschatology, properly socalled , in which the greatest emphasis is placed on the beatific vision and its nature. We would have rejoiced, had the author given greater consideration , as do many modern theologians, to the " social aspects " of heaven. Father Garrigou-Lagrange stresses the "personal" rather than the "common good," whereas for Saint Thomas the notion of heaven as a bonum commune is of great importance. 293 294 BRIEF NOTICES The appearance of these two volumes in translation makes a welcome addition to the growing library of texts of St. Thomas and of his followers now available for those whose studies must be pursued in the English language. Super Evangelium S. Joannis Lectura. By St. THOMAS AQUINAS. Ed. by Raphael Cai, 0. P. Turin: Marietti, 1952. Pp. 551. L. 2000. In Aristotelis Libras: De Caelo et llfundo, De Generatione et Corruptione, Meteorologicorum Expositio. By St. THOMAS AQUINAS. Ed. by Raymund M. Spiazzi, 0. P. Turin: Marietti, 1952. Pp. 768. L. 3500. It is a pleasure to be able to give notice of the publication of two more volumes in the reprinting of the text of St. Thomas by Marietti. The format and arrangement of the texts are uniform with the previous volumes of the series, and are a great improvement over the earlier Marietti edition. The new typography and disposition of matter will render the text much easier to read. The text used for the Commentary on St. John is the same as that used in the earlier Piana edition. Two useful indices have been added; one of subject-matter, the other a general synoptic index. This particular Commentary dates from the later years of St. Thomas, H!69-H!79.!, and is of undoubted authenticity. The reading of this work should give not only a more profound understanding of the Sacred Text, but also should serve to demonstrate the exegetical skill and scriptural knowledge of the Angelic Doctor. It is thought too often by some that St. Thomas did not pay sufficient attention to the sources of...