eminent victorians-第4章

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the　true　Faith　had　dived　underground　at　the　Reformation；　and　they

were　waiting　for　the　wand　of　Newman　to　strike　the　rock　before

they　should　burst　forth　once　more　into　the　light　of　day。　The

whole　matter；　no　doubt；　was　Providentialwhat　other　explanation

could　there　be？



The　first　step；　it　was　clear；　was　to　purge　the　Church　of　her

shames　and　her　errors。　The　Reformers　must　be　exposed；　the　yoke　of

the　secular　power　must　be　thrown　off；　dogma　must　be　reinstated　in

its　old　pre…eminence；　and　Christians　must　be　reminded　of　what

they　had　apparently　forgottenthe　presence　of　the　supernatural

in　daily　life。　'It　would　be　a　gain　to　this　country；'　Keble

observed；　'were　it　vastly　more　superstitious；　more　bigoted；　more

gloomy；　more　fierce　in　its　religion；　than　at　present　it　shows

itself　to　be。'　'The　only　good　I　know　of　Cranmer；'　said　Hurrell

Froude；　'was　that　he　burned　well。'　Newman　preached；　and　soon　the

new　views　began　to　spread。　Among　the　earliest　of　the　converts　was

Dr　Pusey；　a　man　of　wealth　and　learning；　a　professor；　a　canon　of

Christ　Church；　who　had；　it　was　rumoured；　been　to　Germany。　Then

the　Tracts　for　the　Times　were　started　under　Newman's　editorship；

and　the　Movement　was　launched　upon　the　world。



The　Tracts　were　written　'with　the　hope　of　rousing　members　of　our

Church　to　comprehend　her　alarming　position　。。。　as　a　man　might

give　notice　of　a　fire　or　inundation；　to　startle　all　who　heard

him'。　They　may　be　said　to　have　succeeded　in　their　objective；　for

the　sensation　which　they　caused　among　clergymen　throughout　the

country　was　extreme。　They　dealt　with　a　great　variety　of

questions；　but　the　underlying　intention　of　all　of　them　was　to

attack　the　accepted　doctrines　and　practices　of　the　Church　of

England。　Dr。　Pusey　wrote　learnedly　on　Baptismal　Regeneration；　he

also　wrote　on　Fasting。　His　treatment　of　the　latter　subject　met

with　considerable　disapproval；　which　surprised　the　Doctor。　'I　was

not　prepared；'　he　said；　'for　people　questioning；　even　in　the

abstract；　the　duty　of　fasting；　I　thought　serious…minded　persons

at　least　supposed　they　practised　fasting　in　some　way　or　other。　I

assumed　the　duty　to　be　acknowledged　and　thought　it　only

undervalued。'　We　live　and　learn；　even　though　we　have　been　to

Germany。



Other　tracts　discussed　the　Holy　Catholic　Church；　the　Clergy；　and

the　Liturgy。　One　treated　of　the　question　'whether　a　clergyman　of

the　Church　of　England　be　now　bound　to　have　morning　and　evening

prayers　daily　in　his　parish　church？'　Another　pointed　out　the

'Indications　of　a　superintending　Providence　in　the　preservation

of　the　Prayer…book　and　in　the　changes　which　it　has　undergone'。

Another　consisted　of　a　collection　of　'Advent　Sermons　on

Antichrist'。　Keble　wrote　a　long　and　elaborate　tract　'On　the

Mysticism　attributed　to　the　Early　Fathers　of　the　Church'；　in

which　he　expressed　his　opinions　upon　a　large　number　of　curious

matters。　'According　to　men's　usual　way　of　talking；'　he　wrote；　'it

would　be　called　an　accidental　circumstance　that　there　were　five

loaves；　not　more　nor　less；　in　the　store　of　Our　Lord　and　His

disciples　wherewith　to　provide　the　miraculous　feast。　But　the

ancient　interpreters　treat　it　as　designed　and　providential；　in

this　surely　not　erring：　and　their　conjecture　is　that　it

represents　the　sacrifice　of　the　whole　world　of　sense；　and

especially　of　the　OldDispensation；　which；　being　outward　and

visible；　might　be　called　the　dispensation　of　the　senses；　to　the

FATHER　of　our　LORD　JESUS　CHRIST；　to　be　a　pledge　and　means　of

communion　with　Him　according　to　the　terms　of　the　new　or

evangelical　law。



They　arrived　at　this　idea　by　considering　the　number　five；　the

number　of　the　senses；　as　the　mystical　opponent　of　the　visible　and

sensible　universe　ta　aisphita；　as　distinguished　from　ta　noita。

Origen　lays　down　the　rule　in　express　terms。　'〃The　number　five；〃'

he　says；　'〃frequently；　nay　almost　always；　is　taken　for　the　five

senses。〃'　In　another　passage；　Keble　deals　with　an　even　more

recondite　question。　He　quotes　the　teaching　of　St。　Barnabas　that

'Abraham；　who　first　gave　men　circumcision；　did　thereby　perform　a

spiritual　and　typical　action；　looking　forward　to　the　Son'。　St。

Barnabas's　argument　is　as　follows：　Abraham　circumcised　of　his

house　men　to　the　number　Of　318。　Why　318？　Observe　first　the　18；

then　the300。　Of　the　two　letters　which　stand　for　18；　10　is

represented　by　1；　8　by　H。　'Thou　hast　here；'　says　St。　Barnabas；

'the　word　of　Jesus。'　As　for　the　300；　'the　Cross　is　represented　by

Tau；　and　the　letter　Tau　represents　that　number'。



Unfortunately；　however；　St。　Barnabas's　premise　was　of　doubtful

validity；　as　theRev。　Mr。　Maitland　pointed　out；　in　a　pamphlet

impugning　the　conclusions　of　the　Tract。　'The　simple　fact　is；'　he

wrote；　'that　when　Abraham　pursued　Chedorlaomer　〃he　armed　his

trained　servants；　BORN　IN　HIS　OWN　HOUSE；　three　hundred　and

eighteen〃。　When；　more　than　thirteen　（according　to　the　common

chronology；　fifteen）　years　after；　he　circumcised　〃all　the　men　of

his　house；　BORN　IN　THE　HOUSE；　AND　BOUGHT　WITH　MONEY　OF　THE

STRANGER〃；　and；　in　fact；　every　male　who　was　as　much　as　eight　days

old；　we　are　not　told　what　the　number　amounted　to。　Shall　we

suppose　（just　for　the　sake　of　the　interpretation）　that　Abraham's

family　had　so　dwindled　in　the　interval　as　that　now　all　the　males

of　his　household；　trained　men；　slaves；　and　children；　equalled

only　and　exactly　the　number　of　his　warriors　fifteen　years

before？'　The　question　seems　difficult　to　answer；　but　Keble　had；

as　a　matter　of　fact；　forestalled　the　argument　in　the　following

passage；　which　had　apparently　escaped　the　notice　of　the　Rev。　Mr。

Maitland：　'Now　whether　the　facts　were　really　so　or　not　（if　it

were；　it　was　surely　by　special　providence）；　that　Abraham's

household　at　the　time　of　the　circumcision　was　exactly　the　same

number　as　before；　still　the　argument　of　St。　Barnabas　will　stand。

As　thus：　circumcision　had　from　the　beginning；　a　reference　to　our

SAVIOUR；　as　in　other　respects；　so　in　this；　that　the　mystical

number；　which　is　the　cipher　of　Jesus　crucified；　was　the　number　of

the　first　circumcised　household　in　the　strength　of　which　Abraham

prevailed　against　the　powers　of　the　world。　So　St。　Clement　of

Alexandria；　as　cited　by　Fell。'　And　Keble　supports　his　contention

through　ten　pages　of　close　print；　with　references　to　Aristeas；

St。　Augustine；　St。　Jerome；　and　Dr。　Whitby。



Writings　of　this　kind　could　not　fail　in　their　effect。　Pious

youths　in　Oxford　were　carried　away　by　them；　and　began　to　flock

around　the　standard　of　Newman。　Newman　himself　became　a　party

chief　encouraging；　organising；　persuading。　His　long　black

figure；　swiftly　passing　through　the　streets；　was　pointed　at　with

awe；　crowds　flocked　to　his　sermons；　his　words　were　repeated　from

mouth　to　mouth；　'Credo　in　Newmannum'　became　a　common　catchword。

Jokes　were　made　about　the　Church　of　England；　and　practices；

unknown　for　centuries；　began　to　be　revived。　Young　men　fasted　and

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　be