eminent victorians-第13章

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Cardinals　and　Bishops；　whose　days　were　spent　amid　the　practical

details　of　ecclesiastical　organisation；　the　long…drawn

involutions　of　papal　diplomacy；　and　the　delicious　bickerings　of

personal　intrigue。　And　when；　at　last；　he　did　succeed　in　making

some　impression　upon　these　surroundings；　it　was　no　better；　it　was

worse。　An　uneasy　suspicion　gradually　arose；　it　began　to　dawn　upon

the　Roman　authorities　that　Dr。　Newman　was　a　man　of　ideas。　Was　it

possible　that　Dr。　Newman　did　not　understand　that　ideas　in　Rome

were；　to　say　the　least　of　it；　out　of　place？　Apparently；　he　did

not　nor　was　that　all；　not　content　with　having　ideas；　he

positively　seemed　anxious　to　spread　them。　When　that　was　known；

the　politeness　in　high　places　was　seen　to　be　wearing　decidedly

thin。　His　Holiness；　who　on　Newman's　arrival　had　graciously

expressed　the　wish　to　see　him　'again　and　again'；　now；　apparently；

was　constantly　engaged。　At　first　Newman　supposed　that　the　growing

coolness　was　the　result　of　misapprehension；　his　Italian　was

faulty；　Latin　was　not　spoken　at　Rome；　his　writings　had　only

appeared　in　garbled　translations。　And　even　Englishmen　had

sometimes　found　his　arguments　difficult　to　follow。　He　therefore

determined　to　take　the　utmost　care　to　make　his　views　quite　clear；

his　opinions　upon　religious　probability；　his　distinction　between

demonstrative　and　circumstantial　evidence；　his　theory　of　the

development　of　doctrine　and　the　aspects　of　ideasthese　and　many

other　matters；　upon　which　he　had　written　so　much；　he　would　now

explain　in　the　simplest　language。　He　would　show　that　there　was

nothing　dangerous　in　what　he　held；　that　there　was　a　passage　in　De

Lugo　which　supported　him　that　Perrone；　by　maintaining　that　the

Immaculate　Conception　could　be　defined；　had　implicitly　admitted

one　of　his　main　positions；　and　that　his　language　about　Faith　had

been　confused；　quite　erroneously；　with　the　fideism　of　M。　Bautain。



Cardinal　Barnabo；　Cardinal　Reisach；　Cardinal　Antonelli；　looked　at

him　with　their　shrewd　eyes　and　hard　faces；　while　he　poured　into

their　ears　which；　as　he　had　already　noticed　with　distress；　were

large　and　not　too　cleanhis　careful　disquisitions；　but；　it　was

all　in　vain　they　had　clearly　never　read　De　Lugo　or　Perrone；　and

as　for　M。　Bautain；　they　had　never　heard　of　him。　Newman；　in

despair；

fell　back　upon　St。　Thomas　Aquinas；　but；　to　his　horror；　he

observed

that　St。　Thomas　himself　did　not　mean　very　much　to　the　Cardinals。

With　a　sinking　heart；　he　realised　at　last　the　painful　truth：　it

was　not　the　nature　of　his　views；　it　was　his　having　views　at　all；

that　was　objectionable。　He　had　hoped　to　devote　the　rest　of　his

life　to　the　teaching　of　Theology；　but　what　sort　of　Theology　could

he　teach　which　would　be　acceptable　to　such　superiors？　He　left

Rome；　and　settled　down　in　Birmingham　as　the　head　of　a　small

community　of　Oratorians。　He　did　not　complain；　it　was　God's　will；　

it　was　better　so。　He　would　watch　and　pray。



But　God's　will　was　not　quite　so　simple　as　that。　Was　it　right；

after　all；　that　a　man　with　Newman's　intellectual　gifts；　his

devoted　ardour；　his　personal　celebrity；　should　sink　away　out　of

sight　and　use　in　the　dim　recesses　of　the　Oratory　at　Birmingham？

If　the　call　were　to　come　to　him　to　take　his　talent　out　of　the

napkin；　how　could　he　refuse？　And　the　call　did　come。　A　Catholic

University　was　being　started　in　Ireland　and　Dr。　Cullen；　the

Archbishop　of　Armagh；　begged　Newman　to　become　the　Rector。　At

first　he　hesitated；　but　when　he　learned　that　it　was　the　Holy

Father's　wish　that　he　should　take　up　the　work；　he　could　doubt　no

longer；　the　offer　was　sent　from　Heaven。　The　difficulties　before

him　were　very　great；　not　only　had　a　new　University　to　be　called

up　out　of　the　void；　but　the　position　was　complicated　by　the

presence　of　a　rival　institutionthe　undenominational　Queen's

Colleges；　founded　by　Peel　a　few　years　earlier　with　the　object　of

giving　Irish　Catholics　facilities　for　University　education　on　the

same　terms　as　their　fellow…countrymen。　Yet　Newman　had　the　highest

hopes。　He　dreamt　of　something　greater　than　a　merely　Irish

Universityof　a　noble　and　flourishing　centre　of　learning　for　the

Catholics　of　Ireland　and　England　alike。　And　why　should　not　his

dream　come　true？　'In　the　midst　of　our　difficulties；　he　said；　'I

have　one　ground　of　hope；　just　one　stay；　but；　as　I　think；　a

sufficient　one；　which　serves　me　in　the　stead　of　all　other

argument　whatever。　It　is　the　decision　of　the　Holy　See；　St。　Peter

has　spoken。'



The　years　that　followed　showed　to　what　extent　it　was　safe　to

depend　upon　St。　Peter。　Unforeseen　obstacles　cropped　up　on　every

side。　Newman's　energies　were　untiring；　but　so　was　the　inertia　of

the　Irish　authorities。　On　his　appointment；　he　wrote　to　Dr。　Cullen

asking　that　arrangements　might　be　made　for　his　reception　in

Dublin。　Dr。　Cullen　did　not　reply。　Newman　wrote　again；　but　still

there　was　no　answer。　Weeks　passed；　months　passed；　years　passed；

and　not　a　word；　not　a　sign；　came　from　Dr。　Cullen。　At　last；　after

dangling　for　more　than　two　years　in　the　uncertainties　and

perplexities　of　so　strange　a　situation；　Newman　was　summoned　to

Dublin。　There　he　found　nothing　but　disorder　and　discouragement。

The　laity　took　no　interest　in　the　scheme；　the　clergy　actively

disliked　it；　Newman's　authority　was　disregarded。　He　appealed　to

Cardinal　Wiseman；　and　then　at　last　a　ray　of　hope　dawned。　The

cardinal　suggested　that　a　bishopric　should　be　conferred　upon　him；

to　give　him　a　status　suitable　to　his　position；　Dr。　Cullen

acquiesced；　and　Pius　IX　was　all　compliance。　'Manderemo　a　Newman

la　crocetta；'　he　said　to　Wiseman；　smilingly　drawing　his　hands

down　each　side　of　his　neck　to　his　breast；　'lo　faremo　vescovo　di

Porfirio；　o　qualche　luogo。'　The　news　spread　among　Newman's

friends；　and　congratulations　began　to　come　in。　But　the　official

intimation　seemed　to　be　unaccountably　delayed；　no　crocetta　came

from　Rome；　and　Cardinal　Wiseman　never　again　referred　to　the

matter。　Newman　was　left　to　gather　that　the　secret　representations

of　Dr。　Cullen　had　brought　about　a　change　of　counsel　in　high

quarters。　His　pride　did　not　allow　him　to　inquire　further；　but　one

of　his　lady　penitents；　Miss　Giberne；　was　less　discreet。　'Holy

Father；'　she　suddenly　said　to　the　Pope　in　an　audience　one　day；

'why　don't　you　make　Father　Newman　a　bishop？'　Upon　which　the　Holy

Father　looked　much　confused　and　took　a　great　deal　of　snuff。



For　the　next　five　years　Newman；　unaided　and　ignored；　struggled

desperately；　like　a　man　in　a　bog；　with　the　overmastering

difficulties　of　his　task。　His　mind；　whose　native　haunt　was　among

the　far　aerial　boundaries　of　fancy　and　philosophy；　was　now

clamped　down　under　the　fetters　of　petty　detail　and　fed　upon　the

mean　diet　of　compromise　and　routine。　He　had　to　force　himself　to

scrape　together　money；　to　write　articles　for　the　students'

Gazette；　to　make　plans　for　medical　laboratories；　to　be

ingratiating　with　the　City　Council；　he　was　obliged　to　spend

months　travelling　through　the　remote　regions　of　Ireland　in　the

company　of　extraordinary　ecclesiastics　and　barbarous　squireens。

He　was　a　thoroughbred　harnessed　to　a　four…wheeled　caband　he

knew　it。　Eventually；　he　realised　something　else：　he　saw　that　the

whole　project　of　a　Catholic　University　had　been　evolved　as　a

political　and　ecclesiastical　weapon　against　the　Queen's　Colleges

of　Peel；　and　that　was　all。　As　an　instrument　of　education。　it　was

simply　laughed　at；　and　he　himself　had　been　called　in　because　his

name　would　be　a　valuable　asset　in　a　party　game。　When　he

understood　that；　he　resigned　his　rectorship　and　returned　to　the

Oratory。



But；　his　tribulations　were　not　yet　over。　It　seemed　to　be　God's

will　that　he　should　take　part　in　a　whole　succession　of　schemes；

which；　no　less　than　the　project　of　the　Irish　University；　were　to

end　in　disillusionment　and　failure。　He　was　persuaded　by　Cardinal

Wiseman　to　undertake　the　editorship　of　a　new　English　version　of

the　Scriptures；　which　was　to　be　a　monument　of　Catholic

scholarship　and　an　everlasting　glory　to　Mother　Church。　He　made

elaborate　preparations；　he　collected　subscriptions；　engaged

contributors；　and　composed　a　long　and　learned　prolegomena　to　the

work。　It　was　all　useless；　Cardinal　Wiseman　began　to　think　of

other　things；　and　the　scheme　faded　imperceptibly　into　thin　air。

Then　a　new　task　was　suggested　to　him：　〃The　Rambler〃；　a　Catholic

periodical；　had　fallen　on　evil　days；　would　Dr　Newman　come　to　the

rescue；　and　accept　the　editorship？　This　time　he　hesitated　rather

longer　than　usual；　he　had　burned　his　fingers　so　often　he　must

be

specially　careful　now。　'I　did　all　I　could　to　ascertain　God's

Will；'　he　said；　and　he　came　to　the　conclusion　that　it　was　his

duty

to　undertake　the　work。　He　did　so；　and　after　two　numbers　had

appeared；　Dr。　Ullathorne；　the　Bishop　of　Birmingham；　called　upon

him；　and　gently　hinted　that　he　had　better　leave　the　paper　alone。

Its　tone　was　not　liked　at　Rome；　it　had　contained　an　article

criticising　St。　Pius　V；　and；　most　serious　of　all；　the　orthodoxy

of

one　of　Newman's　own　essays　had　appeared　to　be　doubtful。　He

resigned；　and　in　the　anguish　of　his　heart；　determined　never　to

write　again。　One　of　his　friends　asked　him　why　he　was　publishing

nothing。　'Hannibal's　elephants；'　he　replied；　'never　could　learn

the　goose…step。'



Newman　was　now　an　old　manhe　was　sixty…three　years　of　age。　What

had　he　to　look　forward　to？　A　few　last　years　of　insignificance　and

silence。　What　had　he　to　look　back　upon？　A　long　chronicle　of

wasted　efforts；　disappointed　hopes；　neglected　possibilities；

unappreciated　powers。　And　now　all　his　labours　had　ended　by　his

being　accused　at　Rome　of　lack　of　orthodoxy。　He　could　no　longer

restrain　his　indignation；　and　in　a　letter　to　one　of　his　lady

penitents；　he　gave　vent　to　the　bitterness　of　his　soul。　When　his

Rambler　article　had　been　complained　of；　he　said；　there　had　been

some　talk　of　calling　him　to　Rome。　'Call　me　to　Rome；'　he　burst

out'what　does　that　mean？　It　means　to　sever　an　old　man　from　his

home；　to　subject　him　to　intercourse　with　persons　whose

languages　are　strange　to　him　to　food　and　to　fashions　which　are

almost　starvation　on　the　one　hand；　and　involve　restless　days　and

nights　on　the　otherit　means　to　oblige　him　to　dance　attendance

on　Propaganda　week　after　week　and　month　after　monthit　means

his　death。　（It　was　the　punishment　on　Dr。　Baines；　1840…1；　to　keep

him　at　the　door　of　Propaganda　for　a　year。）



'This　is　the　prospect　which　I　cannot　but　feel　probable；　did　I　say

anything　which　one　Bishop　in　England　chose　to　speak　against　and

report。　Others　have　been　killed　before　me。　Lucas　went　of　his　own

accord　indeedbut　when　he　got　there；　oh！'　How　much　did　he；　as

loyal　a　son　of　the　Church　and　the　Holy　See　as　ever　was；　what　did

he　suffer　because　Dr。　Cullen　was　against　him？　He　wandered　（as　Dr。

Cullen　said　in　a　letter　he　published　in　a　sort　of　triumph）；　he

wandered　from　Church　to　Church　without　a　friend；　and　hardly　got

an　audience　from　the　Pope。　'And　I　too　should