all of which have been spent with the good father" is very difficult to say. There is only a single paragraph of the account in the work that is authentic, and this was paid on the 7th of July, 1783, to Mgr. Lortz, the representative of Pius VI. in the States of Salzburg. In this document the value of the money spent is stated at "four francs," and we are told, in conclusion, that all the "sons" are now good Catholics. Even granting, therefore, that all that is stated in these curious fragments of old _Bescheinungen_ be true, it is difficult to know what they are intended to convey. The fact remains that in 1786 there was one hundred and three children at Passau, a number considerably augmented a few years later; but it must not be forgotten that in the same year at Fachau there were six hundred and fifty-three children, and in 1790 there were five hundred and eighty-nine! The population of the "convent" was augmented in every direction by the influx of numerous disciples and children. There are even advertisements that are supposed to have been published on behalf of that "illustrious prelate and noble ecclesiastic," Hieronymus Schoenerer, whose exertions as apostolic vicar had made possible the expansion of the community. The community itself did not rest content with the number of its children, but was much concerned with their instruction. This instruction was to be general, not because the founder could not direct it in any other way, but because he wished it to be so. The spirit of this prelate was very large and very generous. The Church of Rome might rest in peace; but her children must not cease to grow. This care for the education of the young was, however, a little irregular, and the results were not always the best. The foundation was an association in name, but not in spirit. All this time the general was making extraordinary exertions to raise money. He took out patents of nobility. He endowed the place with endowments. He sent embassies into the great cities. He took measures to obtain papal approval of a bull ordering his children to be confirmed. He formed a special committee of ecclesiastics, of laymen, and of children to secure the confirmation of his work. When these efforts failed, he appealed to the court of the Emperor Leopold. In fact, he wrote letters to a great variety of people, and the result was that in 1789 Leopold himself actually visited Passau and gave much attention to the place. Such was the state of the finances of the place that, in order to repair the roads and the bridges that connected it with the surrounding country, it was necessary to borrow L100. It is necessary to say a word about the education that was given in the community. There were twenty-two _bureaux_, as the schools were called, one of which was held in the basement of the principal building. There were in all nine hundred scholars, the children of priests, monks, and laymen, and were taught not only the usual studies such as reading, writing, arithmetic, grammar, etc., but also modern languages and music. These schools were open to the children of all classes; but, in order to be admitted to them, it was necessary that the child should be "well instructed and well born." The curriculum was almost wholly religious, and the lessons were all from the Bible. The teachers were under the direction of the "provost," who combined with this office that of master of the community. There were four of these men, two at Passau, and two at Oberammergau, where they taught the village children and the girls of the "convent." There was a large attendance at these schools in the winter, but it was less in summer. From all these schools, which formed a large part of the town of Passau, there came, in 1819, thirty-four men and fourteen women who have entered ecclesiastical orders. This means that nearly one-third of all the "daughters" have become ecclesiastics. There were also one hundred and forty-two priests and monks in the Passau monastic family. The number of children at Passau has gradually increased, owing to the fact that it was the only place in Austria in which people could be educated in the true faith, and that there were no children except the orphans of families to whom they wished to give an education. When a child is not to be educated in the common schools, it is a little troublesome to take into account all the possibilities of its future destiny. The child therefore remains an "orphan." The "convent" had for many years been surrounded by hostile attacks. From the end of the twelfth century it had been a refuge for the "children" who were being sent away from home, a refuge that was closed in 1786. In the period between 1786 and 1789 there was a time of great tumult in the country, and the community was once more in danger. After these troubles passed away, it was again free from any external pressure. The city of Passau was, however, constantly troubled with a very different kind of trouble, which was the result of a very natural curiosity on the part of the inhabitants. All these new disciples of Passau were more or less curious to see with their own eyes the extraordinary place in which they lived. It was, however, necessary that the members of the community should be well treated. This they were always willing to be, provided that the visits were not too frequent. It was necessary also that they should be treated on occasions with as much consideration as if they were respectable and well-to-do persons. Thus the fathers and mothers who had been taken out of their homes to give them the care of the Church, were often subjected to great annoyance when they appeared in the streets. They were exposed to public derision and insult. In 1805 there were many such cases, and in one case a servant of the society was arrested on a charge of "attempting to murder." The trial lasted ten days, and, although it was known that she would probably be acquitted, she suffered the horrible punishment of being dragged at the tail of a horse through the streets. In 1820 the court of the district of Passau decided that three children of the Passau community were to be expelled from Passau. The proceedings of the court did not show any cruelty or severity, but simply a determination to see that the rights of the congregation were respected. Thus, in every generation, after it had been founded and during its existence, the Passau community has been exposed to the storms of popular hatred. It has, however, always survived this persecution. Nowhere else in the world has the community of the "daughters" of Passau existed. There is no such place and no such community elsewhere. Many people believe that it is impossible to educate and raise a body of children in any other manner than the way in which it has been done in this place. It is true that its existence is an indisputable fact, and we need not fear that its fate is to be that of many communities that have disappeared. That is why it is so interesting to find it. If we look at the work and compare it with what others have been able to accomplish, we must agree with the men of the world who have called the Passau community an "anomaly." XII GUSTAVUS VASA There is no doubt that Gustavus Vasa was one of the greatest and greatest known men of his time. He is the man of whom England boasts, and we are told that it was "He who broke the power of the Danes." These are not empty words, for Vasa really did break the power of the Danish rulers in Sweden and Finland. It is an open question as to what are the limits of this great achievement; but what is not doubtful is that he was a very brave man, that he was of a very good family, and that he was one of the noblest and best of princes. The Swedish kings of the House of Vasa were of German origin, but their kingdom of Sweden became an independent nation on May 17th, 1523, when the last of them, Erik XIV., died. He left Sweden to his father's brother, Charles, the last king of Sweden who bore the name of Gustavus. Gustavus I. of Sweden was descended from the youngest son of that King of Denmark whose murder had begun the struggle with the great monarch of the north. The family of Gustavus I. was an old family, and, although in Sweden it is called Gustavus Vasa, its original home was in Denmark. When King Gustavus I. was born, his father was Duke George of Mecklenburg.