eminent victorians-第6章

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did　penance；　recited　the　hours　of　the　Roman　Breviary；　and

confessed　their　sins　to　Dr。　Pusey。　Nor　was　the　movement　confined

to　Oxford；　it　spread　in　widening　circles　through　the　parishes　of

England；　the　dormant　devotion　of　the　country　was　suddenly

aroused。　The　new　strange　notion　of　taking　Christianity　literally

was　delightful　to　earnest　minds；　but　it　was　also　alarming。　Really

to　mean　every　word　you　said；　when　you　repeated　the　Athanasian

Creed！　How　wonderful！　And　what　enticing　and　mysterious　vistas

burst　upon　the　view！　But　then；　those　vistas；　where　were　they

leading？　Supposingoh　heavens！supposing　after　all　they　were　to

lead　to！



III



IN　due　course；　the　Tracts　made　their　appearance　at　the　remote

rectory　in　Sussex。　Manning　was　some　years　younger　than　Newman；

and　the　two　men　had　only　met　occasionally　at　the　University；　but

now；　through　common　friends；　a　closer　relationship　began　to　grow

up　between　them。　It　was　only　to　be　expected　that　Newman　should　be

anxious　to　enroll　the　rising　young　Rector　among　his　followers；

and；　on　Manning's　side；　there　were　many　causes　which　impelled　him

to　accept　the　overtures　from　Oxford。



He　was　a　man　of　a　serious　and　vigorous　temperament；　to　whom　it

was　inevitable　that　the　bold　high　principles　of　the　Movement

should　strongly　appeal。　There　was　also　an　element　in　his　mind

that　element　which　had　terrified　him　in　his　childhood　with

Apocalyptic　visions；　and　urged　him　in　his　youth　to　Bible　readings

after　breakfastwhich　now　brought　him　under　the　spell　of　the

Oxford　theories　of　sacramental　mysticism。　And　besides；　the

Movement　offered　another　attraction：　it　imputed　an　extraordinary；

transcendent　merit　to　the　profession　which　Manning　himself

pursued。　The　cleric　was　not　as　his　lay　brethren；　he　was　a

creature　apart；　chosen　by　Divine　will　and　sanctified　by　Divine

mysteries。　It　was　a　relief　to　find；　when　one　had　supposed　that

one　was　nothing　but　a　clergyman；　that　one　might；　after　all；　be

something　elseone　might　be　a　priest。



Accordingly；　Manning　shook　off　his　early　Evangelical　convictions；

started　an　active　correspondence　with　Newman；　and　was　soon

working　for　the　new　cause。　He　collected　quotations；　and　began　to

translate　the　works　of　Optatus　for　Dr。　Pusey。　He　wrote　an　article

on　Justin　for　the　British　Critic；　〃Newman's　Magazine〃。　He

published　a　sermon　on　Faith；　with　notes　and　appendices；　which　was

condemned　by　an　evangelical　bishop；　and　fiercely　attacked　by　no

less　a　person　than　the　celebrated　Mr。　Bowdler。　'The　sermon；'　said

Mr　Bowdler；　in　a　book　which　he　devoted　to　the　subject；　'was　bad

enough；　but　the　appendix　was　abominable。'　At　the　same　time　he　was

busy　asserting　the　independence　of　the　Church　of　England；

opposing　secular　education；　and　bringing　out　pamphlets　against

the　Ecclesiastical　Commission；　which　had　been　appointed　by

Parliament　to　report　on　Church　Property。　Then　we　find　him　in　the

role　of　a　spiritual　director　of　souls。　Ladies　met　him　by　stealth

in　his　church；　and　made　their　confessions。　Over　one　casethat　of

a　lady；　who　found　herself　drifting　towards　Romehe　consulted

Newman。　Newman　advised　him　to　'enlarge　upon　the　doctrine　of　I

Cor。　vii'；　'also；　I　think　you　must　press　on　her　the　prospect　of

benefiting　the　poor　Church；　through　which　she　has　her　baptism；　by

stopping　in　it。　Does　she　not　care　for　the　souls　of　all　around

her；　steeped　and　stifled　in　Protestantism？　How　will　she　best　care

for　them　by　indulging　her　own　feelings　in　the　communion　of　Rome；

or　in　denying　herself；　and　staying　in　sackcloth　and　ashes　to　do

them　good？'　Whether　these　arguments　were　successful　does　not

appear。



For　several　years　after　his　wife's　death；　Manning　was　occupied

with　these　new　activities；　while　his　relations　with　Newman

developed　into　what　was　apparently　a　warm　friendship。　'And　now

vive　valeque；　my　dear　Manning'；　we　find　Newman　writing　in　a

letter　dated　'in　festo　S。　Car。　1838'；　'as　wishes　and　prays　yours

affectionately；　John　H。　Newman'。　But；　as　time　went　on；　the

situation　became　more　complicated。　Tractarianism　began　to　arouse

the　hostility；　not　only　of　the　evangelical；　but　of　the　moderate

churchmen；　who　could　not　help　perceiving　in　the　ever…deepening；

'catholicism'　of　the　Oxford　party；　the　dread　approaches　of　Rome。

The　〃Record〃　newspaper　an　influential　Evangelical　journal　took

up　the　matter　and　sniffed　Popery　in　every　direction；　it　spoke　of

certain　clergymen　as　'tainted'；　and　after　that；　preferment　seemed

to　pass　those　clergymen　by。　The　fact　that　Manning　found　it　wise

to　conduct　his　confessional　ministrations　in　secret　was　in　itself

highly　significant。　It　was　necessary　to　be　careful；　and　Manning

was　very　careful　indeed。　The　neighbouring　Archdeacon；　Mr。　Hare；

was　a　low　churchman；　Manning　made　friends　with　him；　as　warmly；　it

seemed；　as　he　had　made　friends　with　Newman。　He　corresponded　with

him；　asked　his　advice　about　the　books　he　should　read；　and

discussed　questions　of　Theology'As　to　Gal。　vi　15；　we　cannot

differ。。。。　With　a　man　who　reads　and　reasons　I　can　have　no

controversy；　and　you　do　both。'　Archdeacon　Hare　was　pleased；　but

soon　a　rumour　reached　him；　which　was；　to　say　the　least　of　it；

upsetting。　Manning　had　been　removing　the　high　pews　from　a　church

in　Brighton；　and　putting　in　open　benches　in　their　place。　Everyone

knew　what　that　meant；　everyone　knew　that　a　high　pew　was　one　of

the　bulwarks　of　Protestantism；　and　that　an　open　bench　had　upon　it

the　taint　of　Rome。　But　Manning　hastened　to　explain：　'My　dear

friend；'　he　wrote；　'I　did　not　exchange　pews　for　open　benches；　but

got　the　pews　（the　same　in　number）　moved　from　the　nave　of　the

church　to　the　walls　of　the　side　aisles；　so　that　the　whole　church

has　a　regular　arrangement　of　open　benches；　which　（irregularly）

existed　before　。。。　I　am　not　today　quite　well；　so　farewell；　with

much　regardYours　ever；　H。　E。　M。'　Archdeacon　Hare　was　reassured。



It　was　important　that　he　should　be；　for　the　Archdeacon　of

Chichester　was　growing　very　old；　and　Hare's　influence　might　be

exceedingly　useful　when　a　vacancy　occurred。　So；　indeed；　it　fell

out。　A　new　bishop；　Dr。　Shuttleworth；　was　appointed　to　the　See；

and　the　old　Archdeacon　took　the　opportunity　of　retiring。　Manning

was　obviously　marked　out　as　his　successor；　but　the　new　bishop

happened　to　be　a　low　churchman；　an　aggressive　low　churchman；　who

went　so　far　as　to　parody　the　Tractarian　fashion　of　using　Saints'

days　for　the　dating　of　letters　by　writing　'The　Palace；　washing…

day'；　at　the　beginning　of　his。　Andwhat　was　equally　serioushis

views　were　shared　by　Mrs。　Shuttleworth；　who　had　already　decided

that　the　pushing　young　Rector　was　'tainted'。　But　at　the　critical

moment　Archdeacon　Hare　came　to　the　rescue；　he　persuaded　the

Bishop　that　Manning　was　safe；　and　the　appointment　was　accordingly

madebehind　Mrs。　Shuttleworth's　back。　She　was　furious；　but　it

was　too　late；　Manning　was　an　Archdeacon。　All　the　lady　could　do；

to　indicate　her　disapprobation；　was　to　put　a　copy　of　Mr。

Bowdler's　book　in　a　conspicuous　position　on　the　drawing…room

table；　when　he　came　to　pay　his　respects　at　the　Palace。



Among　the　letters　of　congratulation　which　Manning　received；　was

one　from　Mr　Gladstone；　with　whom　he　had　remained　on　terms　of

close　friendship　since　their　days　together　at　Oxford。　'I

rejoice；'　Mr　Gladstone　wrote；　'on　your　account　personally；　but

more　for　the　sake　of　the　Church。　All　my　brothers…in…law　are　here

and　scarcely　less　delighted　than　I　am。　With　great　glee　am　I　about

to　write　your　new　address；　but；　the　occasion　really　calls　for

higher　sentiments；　and　sure　am　I　that　you　are　one　of　the　men　to

whom　it　is　specially　given　to　develop　the　solution　of　that　great

problemhow　all　our　minor　distractions　are　to　be　either

abandoned；　absorbed；　or　harmonised　through　the　might　of　the　great

principle　of　communion　in　the　body　of　Christ。'



Manning　was　an　Archdeacon；　but　he　was　not　yet　out　of　the　woods。

His　relations　with　the　Tractarians　had　leaked　out；　and　the　Record

was　beginning　to　be　suspicious。　If　Mrs。　Shuttleworth's