eminent victorians-第19章

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'And　thus；　when　we　renounce　for　Thee

Its　restless　aims　and　fears；

The　tender　memories　of　the　past；

The　hopes　of　coming　years；



'Poor　is　our　sacrifice；　whose　eyes

Are　lighted　from　above；

We　offer　what　we　cannot　keep；

What　we　have　ceased　to　love。'



Such　were　Newman's　thoughts　when　an　unexpected　event　occurred

which　produced　a　profound　effect　upon　his　life：　Charles　Kingsley

attacked　his　good　faith；　and　the　good　faith　of　Catholics　in

general；　in　a　magazine　article。　Newman　protested；　and　Kingsley

rejoined　in　an　irate　pamphlet。　Newman's　reply　was　the　Apologia

pro　Vita　Sua；　which　he　wrote　in　seven　weeks；　sometimes　working

twenty…two　hours　at　a　stretch；　'constantly　in　tears；　and

constantly　crying　out　with　distress'。　The　success　of　the　book；

with　its　transparent　candour；　its　controversial　brilliance；　the

sweep　and　passion　of　its　rhetoric；　the　depth　of　its　personal

feeling；　was　immediate　and　overwhelming；　it　was　recognised　at

once　as　a　classic；　not　only　by　Catholics；　but　by　the　whole

English　world。　From　every　side　expressions　of　admiration；

gratitude；　and　devotion　poured　in。　It　was　impossible　for　one　so

sensitive　as　Newman　to　the　opinions　of　other　people　to　resist　the

happy　influence　of　such　an　unlooked…for；　such　an　enormous

triumph。　The　cloud　of　his　dejection　began　to　lift；　et　l'espoir

malgre　lui　s'est　glisse　dans　son　coeur。



It　was　only　natural　that　at　such　a　moment　his　thoughts　should

return　to　Oxford。　For　some　years　past　proposals　had　been　on　foot

for　establishing　there　a　Hall；　under　Newman's　leadership；　for

Catholic　undergraduates。　The　scheme　had　been　looked　upon　with

disfavour　in　Rome；　and　it　had　been　abandoned；　but　now　a　new

opportunity　presented　itself　some　land　in　a　suitable　position

came　into　the　market。　Newman；　with　his　reviving　spirits；　felt

that　he　could　not　let　this　chance　go　by；　and　bought　the　land。　It

was　his　intention　to　build　there　not　a　Hall；　but　a　Church；　and　to

set　on　foot　a　'House　of　the　Oratory'。　What　possible　objection

could　there　be　to　such　a　scheme？　He　approached　the　Bishop　of

Birmingham；　who　gave　his　approval；　in　Rome　itself　there　was　no

hostile　sign。　The　laity　were　enthusiastic　and　subscriptions　began

to　flow　in。　Was　it　possible　that　all　was　well　at　last？　Was　it

conceivable　that　the　strange　and　weary　pilgrimage　of　so　many

years　should　end　at　length　in　quietude；　if　not　in　happiness；

where　it　had　begun？



It　so　happened　that　it　was　at　this　very　time　that　Manning　was

appointed　to　the　See　of　Westminster。　The　destinies　of　the　two

men；　which　had　run　parallel　to　one　another　in　so　strange　a

fashion　and　for　so　many　years；　were　now　for　a　moment　suddenly　to

converge。　Newly　clothed　with　all　the　attributes　of　ecclesiastical

supremacy；　Manning　found　himself　face　to　face　with　Newman；　upon

whose　brows　were　glittering　the　fresh　laurels　of　spiritual

victorythe　crown　of　an　apostolical　life。　It　was　the　meeting　of

the　eagle　and　the　dove。　What　followed　showed；　more　clearly

perhaps　than　any　other　incident　in　his　career；　the　stuff　that

Manning　was　made　of。　Power　had　come　to　him　at　last；　and　he　seized

it　with　all　the　avidity　of　a　born　autocrat；　whose　appetite　for

supreme　dominion　had　been　whetted　by　long　years　of　enforced

abstinence　and　the　hated　simulations　of　submission。　He　was　the

ruler　of　Roman　Catholic　England；　and　he　would　rule。　The　nature　of

Newman's　influence　it　was　impossible　for　him　to　understand；　but

he　saw　that　it　existed；　for　twenty　years　he　had　been　unable　to

escape　the　unwelcome　itterations　of　that　singular；　that　alien；

that　rival　renown；　and　now　it　stood　in　his　path；　alone　and

inexplicable；　like　a　defiant　ghost。　'It　is　remarkably

interesting；'　he　observed　coldly；　when　somebody　asked　him　what　he

thought　of　the　Apologia：　'it　is　like　listening　to　the　voice　of

one　from　the　dead。'　And　such　voices；　with　their　sepulchral

echoes；　are　apt　to　be　more　dangerous　than　living　ones；　they

attract　too　much　attention；　they　must　be　silenced　at　all　costs。

It　was　the　meeting　of　the　eagle　and　the　dove；　there　was　a

hovering；　a　swoop；　and　then　the　quick　beak　and　the　relentless

talons　did　their　work。



Even　before　his　accession　to　the　Archbishopric；　Manning　had

scented　a　peculiar　peril　in　Newman's　Oxford　scheme；　and　so　soon

as　he　came　into　power；　he　privately　determined　that　the　author　of

the　Apologia　should　never　be　allowed　to　return　to　his　old

University。　Nor　was　there　any　lack　of　excellent　reasons　for　such

a　decision。　Oxford　was　by　this　time　a　nest　of　liberalism；　it　was

no　fit　place　for　Catholic　youths；　and　they　would　inevitably　be

attracted　there　by　the　presence　of　Father　Newman。　And　then；　had

not　Father　Newman's　orthodoxy　been　impugned？　Had　he　not　been

heard　to　express　opinions　of　most　doubtful　propriety　upon　the

question　of　the　Temporal　Power？　Was　it　not　known　that　he　might

almost　be　said　to　have　an　independent　mind？　An　influence？　Yes；　he

had　an　influence　no　doubt；　but　what　a　fatal　kind　of　influence　to

which　to　subject　the　rising　generation　of　Catholic　Englishmen！



Such　were　the　reflections　which　Manning　was　careful　to　pour　into

the　receptive　car　of　Monsignor　Talbot。　That　useful　priest；　at　his

post　of　vantage　in　the　Vatican；　was　more　than　ever　the　devoted

servant　of　the　new　Archbishop。　A　league；　offensive　and　defensive；

had　been　established　between　the　two　friends。　'I　daresay　I　shall

have　many　opportunities　to　serve　you　in　Rome；'　wrote　Monsignor

Talbot　modestly；　'and　I　do　not　think　any　support　will　be　useless

to　you；　especially　on　account　of　the　peculiar　character　of　the

Pope；　and　the　spirit　which　pervades　Propaganda；　therefore；　I　wish

you　to　understand　that　a　compact　exists　between　us；　if　you　help

me；　I　shall　help　you。'　And　a　little　later　he　added；　'I　am　glad

you　accept　the　league。　As　I　have　already　done　for　years；　I　shall

support　you；　and　I　have　a　hundred　ways　of　doing　so。　A　word

dropped　at　the　proper　occasion　works　wonders。'　Perhaps　it　was

hardly　necessary　to　remind　his　correspondent　of　that。



So　far　as　Newman　was　concerned；　it　so　fell　out　that　Monsignor

Talbot　needed　no　prompting。　During　the　sensation　caused　by　the

appearance　of　the　Apologia；　it　had　occurred　to　him　that　it　would

be　an　excellent　plan　to　secure　Newman　as　a　preacher　during　Lent

for　the　fashionable　congregation　which　attended　his　church　in　the

Piazza　del　Popolo；　and；　he　had　accordingly　written　to　invite　him

to　Rome。　His　letter　was　unfortunately　not　a　tactful　one。　He

assured　Newman　that　he　would　find　in　the　Piazza　del　Popolo　'an

audience　of　Protestants　more　educated　than　could　ever　be　the　case

in　England'；　and　'I　think　myself；'　he　had　added　by　way　of　extra

inducement；　'that　you　will　derive　great　benefit　from　visiting

Rome；　and　showing　yourself　to　the　Ecclesiastical　Authorities。'

Newman　smiled　grimly　at　this；　he　declared　to　a　friend　that　the

letter　was　'insolent'；　and　he　could　not　resist　the　temptation　of

using　his　sharp　pen。



'Dear　Monsignor　Talbot；'　he　wrote　in　reply；　'I　have　received　your

letter；　inviting　me　to　preach　in　your　Church　at　Rome　to　an

audience　of　Protestants　more　educated　than　could　ever　be　the　case

in　England。



'However；　Birmingham　people　have　souls；　and　I　have　neither　taste

nor　talent　for　the　sort　of　work　which　you　cut　out　for　me。　And　I

beg　to　decline　your　offer。



I　am；　yours　truly；



JOHN　H。　NEWMAN。'



Such　words　were　not　the　words　of　wisdom。　It　is　easy　to　imagine

the　feelings　of　Monsignor　Talbot。　'Newman's　work　none　here　can

understand；'　he　burst　out　to　his　friend。　'Poor　man；　by　living

almost　ever　since　he　has　been　a　Catholic；　surrounded　by　a　set　of

inferior　men　who　idolise　him；　I　do　not　think　he　has　ever　acquired

the　Catholic　instincts。'　As　for　his　views　on　the　Temporal　Power

'well；　people　said　that　he　had　actually　sent　a　subscription　to

Garibaldi。　Yes；　the　man　was　incomprehensible；　heretical；

dangerous；　he　was　〃uncatholic　and　unchristian。〃'　Monsignor　Talbot

even　trembled　for　the　position　of　Manning　in　England。　'I　am

afraid　that