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

before　the　University　of　Oxford　seemed　to　offer　the　very

opportunity　that　Manning　required。　He　seized　it；　got　himself

appointed　preacher；　and　delivered　from　the　pulpit　of　St。　Mary's　a

virulently　Protestant　harangue。　This　time　there　could　indeed　be

no　doubt　about　the　matter：　Manning　had　shouted　'No　Popery！'　in

the　very　citadel　of　the　Movement；　and　every　one；　including

Newman；　recognised　that　he　had　finally　cut　himself　off　from　his

old　friends。　Everyone；　that　is　to　say；　except　the　Archdeacon

himself。　On　the　day　after　the　sermon；　Manning　walked　out　to　the

neighbouring　village　of　Littlemore；　where　Newman　was　now　living

in　retirement　with　a　few　chosen　disciples；　in　the　hope　of　being

able　to　give　a　satisfactory　explanation　of　what　he　had　done。　But

he　was　disappointed；　for　when；　after　an　awkward　interval；　one　of

the　disciples　appeared　at　the　door；　he　was　informed　that　Mr。

Newman　was　not　at　home。



With　his　retirement　to　Littlemore；　Newman　had　entered　upon　the

final　period　of　his　Anglican　career。　Even　he　could　no　longer　help

perceiving　that　the　end　was　now　only　a　matter　of　time。　His

progress　was　hastened　in　an　agitating　manner　by　the　indiscreet

activity　of　one　of　his　proselytes；　W。　G。　Ward。　a　young　man　who

combined　an　extraordinary　aptitude　for　a　priori　reasoning　with　a

passionate　devotion　to　Opera　Bouffe。　It　was　difficult；　in　fact；

to　decide　whether　the　inner　nature　of　Ward　was　more　truly

expressing　itself　when　he　was　firing　off　some　train　of　scholastic

paradoxes　on　the　Eucharist　or　when　he　was　trilling　the　airs　of

Figaro　and　plunging　through　the　hilarious　roulades　of　the　Largo

al　Factotum。　Even　Dr。　Pusey　could　riot　be　quite　sure；　though　he

was　Ward's　spiritual　director。　On　one　occasion　his　young　penitent

came　to　him；　and　confessed　that　a　vow　which　he　had　taken　to

abstain　from　music　during　Lent　was　beginning　to　affect　his

health。　Could　Dr。　Pusey　see　his　way　to　releasing　him　from　the

vow？　　The　Doctor　decided　that　a　little　sacred　music　would　not　be

amiss。　Ward　was　all　gratitude；　and　that　night　a　party　was

arranged　in　a　friend's　rooms。　The　concert　began　with　the　solemn

harmonies　of　Handel；　which　were　followed　by　the　holy　strains　of

the　'0h　Salutaris'　of　Cherubini。　Then　came　the　elevation　and　the

pomp　of　'Possenti　Numi'　from　the　Magic　Flute。　But；　alas！　there

lies　much　danger　in　Mozart。　The　page　was　turned　and　there　was　the

delicious　duet　between　Papageno　and　Papagena。　Flesh　and　blood

could　not　resist　that；　then　song　followed　song；　the　music　waxed

faster　and　lighter；　until；　at　last　Ward　burst　into　the

intoxicating　merriment　of　the　Largo　al　Factotum。　When　it　was

over；　a　faint　but　persistent　knocking　made　itself　heard　upon　the

wall；　and　it　was　only　then　that　the　company　remembered　that　the

rooms　next　door　were　Dr。　Pusey's。



The　same　entrain　which　carried　Ward　away　when　he　sat　down　to　a

piano　possessed　him　whenever　he　embarked　on　a　religious

discussion。　'The　thing　that　was　utterly　abhorrent　to　him；'　said

one　of　his　friends；　'was　to　stop　short。'　Given　the　premises；　he

would　follow　out　their　implications　with　the　mercilessness　of　a

medieval　monk；　and　when　he　had　reached　the　last　limits　of

argument；　be　ready　to　maintain　whatever　propositions　he　might

find　there　with　his　dying　breath。　He　had　the　extreme　innocence　of

a　child　and　a　mathematician。　Captivated　by　the　glittering　eye　of

Newman；　he　swallowed　whole　the　supernatural　conception　of　the

universe　which　Newman　had　evolved；　accepted　it　as　a　fundamental

premise；　and　'began　at　once　to　deduce　from　it　whatsoever　there

might　be　to　be　deduced。'　His　very　first　deductions　included

irrefutable　proofs　of　（I）　God's　particular　providence　for

individuals；　（2）　the　real　efficacy　of　intercessory　prayer；　（3）

the　reality　of　our　communion　with　the　saints　departed；　（4）　the　

constant　presence　and　assistance　of　the　angels　of　God。　　Later　on

he　explained　mathematically　the　importance　of　the　Ember　Days：

'Who　can　tell；'　he　added；　'the　degree　of　blessing　lost　to　us　in

this　land　by　neglecting；　as　we　alone　of　Christian　Churches　do

neglect；　these　holy　days？'　He　then　proceeded　to　convict　the

Reformers；　not　only　of　rebellion；　but'for　my　own　part　I　see　not

how　we　can　avoid　addingof　perjury。'　Every　day　his　arguments

became　more　extreme；　more　rigorously　exact；　and　more　distressing

to　his　master。　Newman　was　in　the　position　of　a　cautious

commander…in…chief　being　hurried　into　an　engagement　against　his

will　by　a　dashing　cavalry　officer。　Ward　forced　him　forward　step

by　step　towards　…　no！　he　could　not　bear　it；　he　shuddered　and　drew

back。　But　it　was　of　no　avail。　In　vain　did　Keble　and　Pusey　wring

their　hands　and　stretch　forth　their　pleading　arms　to　their　now

vanishing　brother。　The　fatal　moment　was　fast　approaching。　Ward　at

last　published　a　devastating　book　in　which　he　proved

conclusively；　by　a　series　of　syllogisms；　that　the　only　proper

course　for　the　Church　of　England　was　to　repent　in　sackcloth　and

ashes　her　separation　from　the　Communion　of　Rome。　The　reckless

author　was　deprived　of　his　degree　by　an　outraged　University；　and

a　few　weeks　later　was　received　into　the　Catholic　Church。



Newman；　in　a　kind　of　despair；　had　flung　himself　into　the　labours

of　historical　compilation。　His　views　of　history　had　changed　since

the　days　when；　as　an　undergraduate；　he　had　feasted　on　the　worldly

pages　of　Gibbon。　'Revealed　religion；'　he　now　thought；　'furnishes

facts　to　other　sciences；　which　those　sciences；　left　to

themselves；　would　never　reach。　Thus；　in　the　science　of　history；

the　preservation　of　our　race　in　Noah's　Ark　is　an　historical　fact；

which　history　never　would　arrive　at　without　revelation。'　With

these　principles　to　guide　him；　he　plunged　with　his　disciples　into

a　prolonged　study　of　the　English　Saints。　Biographies　soon

appeared　of　St。　Bega；　St。　Adamnan；　St。　Gundleus；　St。　Guthlake；

Brother　Drithelm；　St。　Amphibalus；　St。　WuIstan；　St。　Ebba；　St。

Neot；　St。　Ninian；　and　Cunibert　the　Hermit。　Their　austerities；

their　virginity；　and　their　miraculous　powers　were　described　in

detail。　The　public　learned　with　astonishment　that　St　Ninian　had

turned　a　staff　into　a　tree；　that　St。　German　had　stopped　a　cock

from　crowing；　and　that　a　child　had　been　raised　from　the　dead　to

convert　St。　Helier。　The　series　has　subsequently　been　continued　by

a　more　modern　writer　whose　relation　of　the　history　of　the　blessed

St。　Mael　contains；　perhaps；　even　more　matter　for　edification　than

Newman's　biographies。



At　the　time；　indeed；　those　works　caused　considerable　scandal。

Clergymen　denounced　them　in　pamphlets。　St。　Cuthbert　was　described

by　his　biographer　as　having　'carried　the　jealousy　of　women；

characteristic　of　all　the　saints；　to　an　extraordinary　pitch'。　An

example　was　given；　whenever　he　held　a　spiritual　conversation　with

St　Ebba；　he　was　careful　to　spend　the　ensuing　ours　of　darkness　'in

prayer；　up　to　his　neck　in　water'。　'Persons　who　invent　such

tales；'　wrote　one　indignant　commentator；　'cast　very　grave　and

just　suspicions　on　the　purity　of　their　own　minds。　And　young

persons；　who　talk　and　think　in　this　way；　are　in　extreme　danger　of

falling　into　sinful　habits。　As　to　the　volumes　before　us；　the

authors　have；　in　their　fanatical　panegyrics　of　virginity；　made

use　of　language　downright　profane。'



One　of　the　disciples　at　Littlemore　was　James　Anthony　Froude；　the

younger　brother　of　Hurrell；　and　it　fell　to　his　lot　to　be

responsible　for　the　biography　of　St。　Neot。　While　he　was　composing

it；　he　began　to　feel　some　qualms。　Saints　who　lighted　fires　with

icicles；　changed　bandits　into　wolves；　and　floated　across　the

Irish　Channel　on　altar…stones；　produced　a　disturbing　effect　on

his　historical　conscience。　But　he　had　promised　his　services　to

Newman；　and　he　determined　to　carry　through　the　work　in　the　spirit

in　which　he　had　begun　it。　He　did　so；　but　he　thought　it　proper　to

add　the　following　sentence　by　way　of　conclusion：　'This　is　all；

and　indeed　rather　more　than　all；　that　is　known　to　men　of　the

blessed　St。　Neot；　but　not　more　than　is　known　to　the　angels　in

heaven。'



Meanwhile；　the　English　Roman　Catholics　were　growing　impatient；

was　the　great　conversion　never　coming；　for　which　they　had　prayed

so　fervently　and　so　long？　Dr。　Wiseman；　at　the　head　of　them；　was

watching　and　waiting　with　special　eagerness。　His　hand　was　held

out　under　the　ripening　fruit；　the　delicious　morsel　seemed　to　be

trembling　on　its　stalk；　and　yet　it　did　not　fall。　At　last；　unable

to　bear　the　suspense　any　longer；　he　dispatched　to　Littlemore

Father　Smith；　an　old　pupil　of　Newman's；　who　had　lately　joined　the

Roman　communion；　with　instructions　that　he　should　do　his　best；

under　cover　of　a　simple　visit　of　friendship；　to　discover　how　the

land　lay。　Father　Smith　was　received　somewhat　coldly；　and　the

conversation　ran　entirely　on　topics　which　had　nothing　to　do　with

religion。　When　the　company　separated　before　dinner；　he　was

beginning　to　think　that　his　errand　had　been　useless；　but；　on

their　reassembling；　he　suddenly　noticed　that　Newman　had　changed

his　trousers；　and　that　the　colour　of　the　pair　which　he　was　now

wearing　was　grey。　At　the　earliest　moment；　the　emissary　rushed

back　post…haste　to　Dr。　Wiseman。　'All　is　well；'　he　exclaimed；

'Newman　no　longer　considers　that　he　is　in　Anglican　orders。〃

Praise　be　to　God！'　answered　Dr　Wiseman。　'But　how　do　you　know？'

Father　Smith　described　what　he　had　seen。　'Oh；　is　that　all？　My

dear　father；　how　can　you　be　so　foolish？'　But　Father　Smith　was　not

to　be　shaken。　'I　know　the　man；'　he　said；　and　I　know　what　it

means。　Newman　will　come；　and　he　will　come　soon。'



And　Father　Smith　was　right。　A　few　weeks　later；　Newman　suddenly

slipped　off　to　a　priest；　and　all　was　over。　Perhaps　he　would　have

hesitated　longer　still；　if　he　could　have　foreseen　how　he　was　to

pass　the　next　thirty　years　of　his　unfortunate　existence；　but　the

future　was　hidden；　and　all　that　was　certain　was　that　the　past　had

gone　forever；　and　that　his　eyes　would　r