Editor's Note: From September 1897 through January 1898, The Rosary Magazine published an essay by Louis B. James reminiscing on his friendship with Fr. Ryan, including transcripts of numerous letters (some excerpted) written by Ryan to James. Because the Ryan-James correspondence has never been mentioned in scholarly works on Fr. Ryan, so far as I can determine, I have included a selection here, with some content deleted due to length. Deleted sections are marked: [--]. The absence of handwritten originals, of course, raises the question of authenticity. In fact, James' own essay includes a number of factual errors. In describing Fr. Ryan's family, for example, James fails to mention Ryan's sister Eliza. However, in this editor's opinion, the letter transcripts contain numerous internal clues that strongly support authenticity. The transcripts describe lectures and travel itineraries that match information from elsewhere in the archive. They contain imagery and phraseology that one finds in Fr. Ryan's poetry. And James' own prose is so notably uninspiring that it is hard to believe he could have written the letters themselves, which contain some eloquent passages. Lastly, I find no evidence in the historical record that James attempted to sell letters or otherwise profit from Fr. Ryan's friendship.--DRB

Boston College
January 3d, 1882

The earth is wearing a Dominican habit to-night, woven of flakes of snow. Snow-flakes and sun-rays I think are twins. They look alike, they come alike: noiselessly. They whiten, purify, and glorify whatever they touch. I would like to know what in the mind of God is typified by snow-flakes, and what by rays of sunlight. Everything in nature shadows forth some idea in God's mind. How beautiful He must be! How little He is loved! It is a mystery hard to think of, and surely beyond comprehension. If nature could talk and tell us all! But nature is like a nun, and wears the veil of silence.

New Year's night I lectured for the benefit of the fallen women of Boston to an immense audience. Well, I made strong men cry like children.

Last night I lectured in Gloucester, forty miles from here; to-day I returned.. I am amazed at my strength and endurance.

This very day I received an invitation to deliver an oration at the University of Virginia -a Protestant institution-next June. I accepted at once. I send you my last book+ I hope you will like it. My heart is in that book. I am now, in all the whirl of work, writing another book to be called `A Crown for Our King.' I will finish it this year.

Here I am afraid that they will make too much of me. Sometimes I feel very homesick, and I long to be back in the South. But many days will die before I will reach home. I am going to lecture in Montreal, Canada, on the 29th of this month. I trust that you are happy in heart. Remember me to all, and pray for me.

In our Lord,
yours faithfully,
A. J. Ryan'