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listen　to　him　that　the　holding　of　Anglican　orders　was　not

inconsistent　with　a　belief　in　the　whole　cycle　of　Roman　doctrine

as　laid　down　at　the　Council　of　Trent。　In　this　way　he　supposed

that　he　could　at　once　avoid　the　deadly　sin　of　heresy　and

conscientiously　remain　a　clergyman　in　the　Church　of　England；　and

with　this　end　in　view；　he　composed　Tract　No。　90。



The　object　of　the　Tract　was　to　prove　that　there　was　nothing　in

the　Thirty…nine　Articles　incompatible　with　the　creed　of　the　Roman

Church。　Newman　pointed　out；　for　instance；　that　it　was　generally

supposed　that　the　Articles　condemned　the　doctrine　of　Purgatory；

but　they　did　not；　they　merely　condemned　the　Romish　doctrine　of

Purgatory　and　Romish；　clearly；　was　not　the　same　thing　as　Roman。

Hence　it　followed　that　believers　in　the　Roman　doctrine　of

Purgatory　might　subscribe　the　Articles　with　a　good　conscience。

Similarly；　the　Articles　condemned　'the　sacrifices　of　masses'；　but

they　did　not　condemn　'the　sacrifice　of　the　Mass'。　Thus；　the　Mass

might　be　lawfully　celebrated　in　English　Churches。　Newman　took　the

trouble　to　examine　the　Articles　in　detail　from　this　point　of

view；　and　the　conclusion　he　came　to　in　every　case　supported　his

contention　in　a　singular　manner。



The　Tract　produced　an　immense　sensation；　for　it　seemed　to　be　a

deadly　and　treacherous　blow　aimed　at　the　very　heart　of　the　Church

of　England。　Deadly　it　certainly　was；　but　it　was　not　so

treacherous　as　it　appeared　at　first　sight。　The　members　of　the

English　Church　had　ingenuously　imagined　up　to　that　moment　that　it

was　possible　to　contain；　in　a　frame　of　words；　the　subtle　essence

of　their　complicated　doctrinal　system；　involving　the　mysteries　of

the　Eternal　and　the　Infinite　on　the　one　hand；　and　the　elaborate

adjustments　of　temporal　government　on　the　other。　They　did　not

understand　that　verbal　definitions　in　such　a　case　will　only

perform　their　functions　so　long　as　there　is　no　dispute　about　the

matters　which　they　are　intended　to　define：　that　is　to　say；　so

long　as　there　is　no　need　for　them。　For　generations　this　had　been

the　case　with　the　Thirty…nine　Articles。　Their　drift　was　clear

enough；　and　nobody　bothered　over　their　exact　meaning。　But

directly　someone　found　it　important　to　give　them　a　new　and

untraditional　interpretation；　it　appeared　that　they　were　a　mass

of　ambiguity；　and　might　be　twisted　into　meaning　very　nearly

anything　that　anybody　liked。　Steady…going　churchmen　were　appalled

and　outraged　when　they　saw　Newman；　in　Tract　No。　90；　performing

this　operation。　But；　after　all；　he　was　only　taking　the　Church　of

England　at　its　word。　And　indeed；　since　Newman　showed　the　way；　the

operation　has　become　so　exceedingly　common　that　the　most　steady…

going　churchman　hardly　raises　an　eyebrow　at　it　now。



At　the　time；　however；　Newman's　treatment　of　the　Articles　seemed

to　display　not　only　a　perverted　supersubtlety　of　intellect；　but　a

temper　of　mind　that　was　fundamentally　dishonest。　It　was　then　that

he　first　began　to　be　assailed　by　those　charges　of　untruthfulness

which　reached　their　culmination　more　than　twenty　years　later　in

the　celebrated　controversy　with　Charles　Kingsley；　which　led　to

the　writing　of　the　Apologia。　The　controversy　was　not　a　very

fruitful　one；　chiefly　because　Kingsley　could　no　more　understand

the　nature　of　Newman's　intelligence　than　a　subaltern　in　a　line

regiment　can　understand　a　Brahmin　of　Benares。　Kingsley　was　a

stout　Protestant；　whose　hatred　of　Popery　was；　at　bottom；　simply

ethicalan　honest；　instinctive　horror　of　the　practices　of

priestcraft　and　the　habits　of　superstition；　and　it　was　only

natural　that　he　should　see　in　those　innumerable　delicate

distinctions　which　Newman　was　perpetually　drawing；　and　which　he

himself　had　not　only　never　thought　of；　but　could　not　even　grasp；

simply　another　manifestation　of　the　inherent　falsehood　of　Rome。

But；　in　reality；　no　one；　in　one　sense　of　the　word；　was　more

truthful　than　Newman。　The　idea　of　deceit　would　have　been

abhorrent　to　him；　and　indeed　it　was　owing　to　his　very　desire　to

explain　what　he　had　in　his　mind　exactly　and　completely；　with　all

the　refinements　of　which　his　subtle　brain　was　capable；　that

persons　such　as　Kingsley　were　puzzled　into　thinking　him

dishonest。　Unfortunately；　however；　the　possibilities　of　truth　and

falsehood　depend　upon　other　things　besides　sincerity。　A　man　may

be　of　a　scrupulous　and　impeccable　honesty；　and　yet　his　respect

for　the　truth　it　cannot　be　denied　may　be　insufficient。　He　may

be；　like　the　lunatic；　the　lover；　and　the　poet；　'of　imagination

all　compact'；　he　may　be　blessed；　or　cursed；　with　one　of　those

'seething　brains'；　one　of　those　'shaping　fanatasies'　that

'apprehend　more　than　cool　reason　ever　comprehends'；　he　may　be　by

nature　incapable　of　sifting　evidence；　or　by　predilection　simply

indisposed　to　do　so。　'When　we　were　there；'　wrote　Newman　in　a

letter　to　a　friend　after　his　conversion；　describing　a　visit　to

Naples；　and　the　miraculous　circumstances　connected　with　the

liquefaction　of　St。　Januarius's　blood；　'the　feast　of　St。　Gennaro

was　coming　on；　and　the　Jesuits　were　eager　for　us　to　stopthey

have　the　utmost　confidence　in　the　miracleand　were　the　more

eager　because　many　Catholics；　till　they　have　seen　it；　doubt　it。

Our　father　director　here　tells　us　that　before　he　went　to　Naples

he　did　not　believe　it。　That　is；　they　have　vague　ideas　of　natural

means；　exaggeration；　etc。；　not　of　course　imputing　fraud。　They　say

conversions　often　take　place　in　consequence。　It　is　exposed　for

the　Octave；　and　the　miracle　continuesit　is　not　simple

liquefaction；　but　sometimes　it　swells；　sometimes　boils；　sometimes

meltsno　one　can　tell　what　is　going　to　take　place。　They　say　it

is　quite　overcoming　…　and　people　cannot　help　crying　to　see　it。　I

understand　that　Sir　H。　Davy　attended　everyday；　and　it　was　this

extreme　variety　of　the　phenomenon　which　convinced　him　that

nothing　physical　would　account　for　it。　Yet　there　is　this

remarkable　fact　that　liquefactions　of　blood　are　common　at　Naples…

…and；　unless　it　is　irreverent　to　the　Great　Author　of　Miracles　to

be　obstinate　in　the　inquiry；　the　question　certainly　rises　whether

there　is　something　in　the　air。　（Mind；　I　don't　believe　there　is

and；　speaking　humbly；　and　without　having　seen　it；　think　it　a　true

miracle　but　I　am　arguing。）　We　saw　the　blood　of　St　Patrizia；

half　liquid；　i。e。　liquefying；　on　her　feast　day。　St　John　Baptist's

blood　sometimes　liquefies　on　the　29th　of　August；　and　did　when　we

were　at　Naples；　but　we　had　not　time　to　go　to　the　church。　We　saw

the　liquid　blood　of　an　Oratorian　Father；　a　good　man；　but　not　a

saint；　who　died　two　centuries　ago；　I　think；　and　we　saw　the　liquid

blood　of　Da　Ponte；　the　great　and　holy　Jesuit；　who；　I　suppose；　was

almost　a　saint。　But　these　instances　do　not　account　for

liquefaction　on　certain　days；　if　this　is　the　case。　But　the　most

strange　phenomenon　is　what　happens　at　Ravello；　a　village　or　town

above　Amalfi。　There　is　the　blood　of　St。　Pantaleon。　It　is　in　a

vessel　amid　the　stonework　of　the　Altar　…　it　is　not　touched　but　on

his　feast　in　June　it　liquefies。　And　more；　there　is　an

excommunication　against　those　who　bring　portions　of　the　True

Cross　into　the　Church。　Why？　Because　the　blood　liquefies；　whenever



it　is　brought。　A　person　I　know；　not　knowing　the　prohibition；

brought　in　a　portion；　and　the　Priest　suddenly　said；　who　showed

the　blood；　〃Who　has　got　the　Holy　Cross　about　him？〃　I　tell　you

what　was　told　me　by　a　grave　and　religious　man。　It　is　a　curious

coincidence　that　in　telling　this　to　our　Father　Director　here；　he

said；　〃Why；　we　have　a　portion　of　St。　Pantaleon's　blood　at　the

Chiesa　Nuova；　and　it　is　always　liquid。〃'



After　leaving　Naples；　Newman　visited　Loreto；　and　inspected　the

house　of　the　Holy　Family；　which；　as　is　known　to　the　faithful；　was

transported　thither；　in　three　hops；　from　Palestine。　'I　went　to

Loreto；'　he　wrote；　'with　a　simple　faith；　believing　what　I　still

more　believed　when　I　saw　it。　I　have　no　doubt　now。　If　you　ask　me

why　I　believe　it；　it　is　because　everyone　believes　it　at　Rome；

cautious　as　they　are　and　sceptical　about　some　other　things。　I

have　no　antecedent　difficulty　in　the　matter。　He　who　floated　the

Ark　on　the　surges　of　a　world…wide　sea；　and　enclosed　in　it　all

living　things；　who　has　hidden　the　terrestrial　paradise；　who　said

that　faith　might　move　mountains；　who　sustained　thousands　for

forty　years　in　a　sterile　wilderness；　who　transported　Elias　and

keeps　him　hidden　till　the　end；　could　do　this　wonder　also。'



Here；　whatever　else　there　may　be；　there　is　certainly　no　trace　of

a　desire　to　deceive。　Could　a　state　of　mind；　in　fact；　be　revealed

with　more　absolute　transparency？



When　Newman　was　a　child　he　'wished　that　he　could　believe　the

Arabian　Nights　were　true'。　When　he　came　to　be　a　man；　his　wish

seems　to　have　been　granted。



Tract　No。　90　was　officially　condemned　by　the　authorities　at

Oxford；　and　in　the　hubbub　that　followed；　the　contending　parties

closed　their　ranks；　henceforward；　any　compromise　between　the

friends　and　the　enemies　of　the　Movement　was　impossible。

Archdeacon　Manning　was　in　too　conspicuous　a　position　to　be　able

to　remain　silent；　he　was　obliged　to　declare　himself；　and　he　did

not　hesitate。　In　an　archidiaconal　charge；　delivered　within　a　few

months　of　his　appointment；　he　firmly　repudiated　the　Tractarians。

But　the　repudiation　was　not　deemed　sufficient；　and　a　year　later

he　repeated　it　with　greater　emphasis。　Still；　however；　the　horrid

rumours　were　afloat。　The　〃Record〃　began　to　investigate　matters；

and　its　vigilance　was　soon　rewarded　by　an　alarming　discovery：　the

sacrament　had　been　administered　in　Chichester　Cathedral　on　a

weekday；　and　'Archdeacon　Manning；　one　of　the　most　noted　and

determined　of　the　Tractarians；　had　acted　a　conspicuous　part　on

the　occasion'。　It　was　clear　that　the　only　way　of　silencing　these

malevolent　whispers　was　by　some　public　demonstration　whose　import

nobody　could　doubt。　The　annual　sermon　preached　on　Guy　Fawkes　Day

before　the　University　of　Oxford　seemed　to　offer