Education
He was educated at Eton and Balliol College, Oxford, where he took a first class in the honours School of Law and History.
He was educated at Eton and Balliol College, Oxford, where he took a first class in the honours School of Law and History.
By treating political economy, both in books and lectures, from a definitely Catholic standpoint, he was unusual in his field at the time. The Groundwork of Economics (1883), the first work published in his own name (for the translation into English of Hergenröther"s Church and State was anonymous), attracted considerable attention and was translated into German in 1896 by Doctor Walter Kampfe. This book was translated into German in 1887 by Paul Maria Baumgarten.
In 1895 he published anonymously in London a poetical version of the story of Sintram.
Besides his books he wrote frequently for The Dublin Review, The Month, and other periodicals, both English and American, and read papers before The Manchester Statistical Society, The Catholic Truth Society, and other bodies. A considerable number of his later essays and lectures dealing with contemporary social problems were issued by The Catholic Truth Society in pamphlet form.
His last book, The Key to the World"s Progress, was published in 1906. A popular edition was issued after his death.
She died in 1889, leaving nine children.
He was examiner in Political Economy at the Royal University of Ireland from 1889 to 1898.
The Manual of Political Economy (Stonyhurst Philosophical Series), published in 1892 (third edition, 1907), achieved more success, and became a recognised textbook in English-speaking schools and seminaries.
Devas was a zealous member of the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul, and took a leading part in all Catholic enterprises of his time in England - notably in those which enabled Catholics to frequent universities - and exercised considerable influence over the thought and conduct of English Catholics.