Produced by Geoff Horton
{000}{Transcriber's notes:
1) Page numbers in the main text have been retained in {braces}. Pagebreaks within long footnotes are not marked.
2) The original of this work is printed very badly. In most cases, theoriginal text is obvious and has been restored without any specialnotations in the transcription. In those cases where it was not possibleto determine the original text with much certainty (usually numbers andrare proper nouns which cannot be deduced from context) a pair of braces{} indicates where the illegible text was. Sometimes the braces containstext {like this}, indicating a possible but not certain reconstruction.
3) The original had both numbered footnotes, used for references, andfootnotes with symbols, used for extended comments. This transcriptiondoes not preserve that distinction; all the notes have been numbered orrenumbered as needed.
4) In a few cases, footnotes appear on the bottom of the page that donot appear in the text (presumably because of the poor printing notedabove). In this case, the footnote is marked in the text at a likelylocation, and the footnote begins {Footnote not in text} to indicatethat this was done.}
{006}
ARCHBISHOP'S HOUSE,
452 MADISON AVENUE.
Imprimatur
{Michael Augustinus
Archeispo Neo}
June 28th, 1895.
NOTWITHSTANDING that several editions of Butler's Lives of the Saintshave been issued from the American press, and circulated extensivelythroughout the United States, yet the publishers of the present one areled to believe that there are vast numbers of persons still unsupplied,and desirous of possessing a work so replete with instruction andedification for Christian families. This edition is reprinted from thebest London edition, without the omission of a single line or citationfrom the original. To render the work as complete as possible, we haveadded the Lives of St. Alphonsus Liguori, and other Saints canonizedsince the death of the venerable author, and not included in any formeredition. This edition also contains the complete notes of the author,which have been shamefully omitted in an edition published by aProtestant firm of this city.
The present edition is illustrated with fine steel engravings of many ofthe Saints, and when bound will form four very handsome volumes, uniformwith the Life of Christ, and the Life of the Blessed Virgin.
NEW YORK, Sept., 1895.
{007}
"THE LIVES OF THE SAINTS" is republished. This work—this inestimablework, is at length given to the public. Hitherto the circulation of itwas confined to those who could afford to purchase it in TWELVE volumes,and at a proportionate price. It is now stereotyped, printed in goodcharacter, on fine paper, and published at a price not only below itsvalue, but below the hopes of the publisher. It is therefore now, andfor the first time, that "THE LIVES OF THE SAINTS" are, properlyspeaking, given to the public.
And what is the nature and character of this work, which is thus placedwithin the reach of almost every family in Ireland? We presume to say,that "The Lives of the Saints" is an historical supplement to the Oldand New Testaments; an illustration of all that God has revealed, and ofall the sanctity which his divine grace has produced among the childrenof men. It is a history, not so much of men, as of all ages and nations;of their manners, customs, laws, usages, and creeds. It is a succinct,but most accura