eminent victorians-第10章

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combined　impulse　of　the　two　dominating　forces　in　his　nature。　His

preoccupation　with　the　supernatural　might；　alone；　have　been

satisfied　within　the　fold　of　the　Anglican　communion；　and　so　might

his　preoccupation　with　himself　the　one　might　have　found　vent　in

the　elaborations　of　High　Church　ritual；　and　the　other　in　the

activities　of　a　bishopric。　But　the　two　together　could　not　be

quieted　so　easily。　The　Church　of　England　is　a　commodious

institution；　she　is　very　anxious　to　please；　but　somehow　or　other；

she　has　never　managed　to　supply　a　happy　home　to　superstitious

egotists。　'What　an　escape　for　my　poor　soul！'　Manning　is　said　to

have　exclaimed　when；　shortly　after　his　conversion；　a　mitre　was

going　a…begging。　But；　in　truth；　Manning's　'poor　soul'　had　scented

nobler　quarry。　To　one　of　his　temperament；　how　was　it　possible；

when　once　the　choice　was　plainly　put；　to　hesitate　for　a　moment

between　the　respectable　dignity　of　an　English　bishop；　harnessed

by　the　secular　power；　with　the　Gorham　judgment　as　a　bit　between

his　teeth；　and　the　illimitable　pretensions　of　the　humblest　priest

of　Rome？



For　the　moment；　however；　it　seemed　as　if　the　Fates　had　at　last

been　successful　in　their　little　game　of　shunting　Manning。　The

splendid　career　which　he　had　so　laboriously　built　up　from　the

small　beginnings　of　his　Sussex　curacy　was　shatteredand

shattered　by　the　inevitable　operation　of　his　own　essential　needs。

He　was　over　forty；　and　he　had　been　put　back　once　more　to　the　very

bottom　rung　of　the　laddera　middle…aged　neophyte　with；　so　far　as

could　be　seen；　no　special　claim　to　the　attention　of　his　new

superiors。　The　example　of　Newman；　a　far　more　illustrious　convert；

was　hardly　reassuring：　he　had　been　relegated　to　a　complete

obscurity；　in　which　he　was　to　remain　until　extreme　old　age。　Why

should　there　be　anything　better　in　store　for　Manning？　Yet　it　so

happened　that　within　fourteen　years　of　his　conversion　Manning　was

Archbishop　of　Westminster　and　the　supreme　ruler　of　the　Roman

Catholic　community　in　England。　This　time　the　Fates　gave　up　the

unequal　struggle；　they　paid　over　their　stakes　in　despair；　and

retired　from　the　game。



Nevertheless　it　is　difficult　to　feel　quite　sure　that　Manning's

plunge　was　as　hazardous　as　it　appeared。　Certainly　he　was　not　a

man　who　was　likely　to　forget　to　look　before　he　leaped；　nor　one

who；　if　he　happened　to　know　that　there　was　a　mattress　spread　to

receive　him；　would　leap　with　less　conviction。　In　the　light　of

after…events；　one　would　be　glad　to　know　what　precisely　passed　at

that　mysterious　interview　of　his　with　the　Pope；　three　years　

before　his　conversion。　It　is　at　least　possible　that　the

authorities　in　Rome　had　their　eye　on　Manning；　the　may　well　have

felt　that　the　Archdeacon　of　Chichester　would　be　a　great　catch。

What　did　Pio　Nono　say？　It　is　easy　to　imagine　the　persuasive

innocence　of　his　Italian　voice。　'Ah；　dear　Signor　Manning；　why

don't　you　come　over　to　us？　Do　you　suppose　that　we　should　not　look

after　you？'



At　any　rate；　when　he　did　go　over；　Manning　was　looked　after　very

thoroughly。　There　was；　it　is　true；　a　momentary　embarrassment　at

the　outset：　it　was　only　with　the　greatest　difficulty　that　he

could　bring　himself　to　abandon　his　faith　in　the　validity　of

Anglican　Orders；　in　which　he　believed　'with　consciousness

stronger　than　all　reasoning'。　He　was　convinced　that　he　was　still

a　priest。　When　the　Rev。　Mr。　Tierney；　who　had　received　him　into

the　Roman　Catholic　communion；　assured　him　that　this　was　not　the

case；　he　was　filled　with　dismay　and　mortification。　After　a　five

hour　discussion；　he　started　to　his　feet　in　a　rage。　'Then；　Mr。

Tierney；'　he　exclaimed；　'you　think　me　insincere。'



The　bitter　draught　was　swallowed　at　last；　and；　after　that；　all

went　smoothly。　Manning　hastened　to　Rome；　and　was　immediately

placed　by　the　Pope　in　the　highly　select　Accademia　Ecclesiastica；

commonly　known　as　the　'Nursery　of　Cardinals'；　for　the　purpose　of

completing　his　theological　studies。　When　the　course　was　finished；

he　continued；　by　the　Pope's　special　request；　to　spend　six　months

of　every　year　in　Rome；　where　he　preached　to　the　English　visitors；

became　acquainted　with　the　great　personages　of　the　Papal　court；

and　enjoyed　the　privilege　of　constant　interviews　with　the　Holy

Father。　At　the　same　time；　he　was　able　to　make　himself　useful　in

London；　where　Cardinal　Wiseman；　the　newly　created　Archbishop　of

Westminster；　was　seeking　to　reanimate　the　Roman　Catholic

community。　Manning　was　not　only　extremely　popular　in　the　pulpit

and　in　the　confessional；　he　was　not　only　highly　efficient　as　a

gleaner　of　soulsand　of　souls　who　moved　in　the　best　society；　he

also　possessed　a　familiarity　with　official　persons　and　official

ways；　which　was　invaluable。　When　the　question　arose　of　the

appointment　of　Catholic　chaplains　in　the　Crimea　during　the　war；

it　was　Manning　who　approached　the　Minister；　interviewed　the

Permanent　Secretary；　and　finally　succeeded　in　obtaining　all　that

was　required。　When　a　special　Reformatory　for　Catholic　children

was　proposed；　Manning　carried　through　the　negotiation　with　the

Government。　When　an　attempt　was　made　to　remove　Catholic　children

from　the　Workhouses；　Manning　was　again　indispensable。　No　wonder

Cardinal　Wiseman　soon　determined　to　find　some　occupation　of

special　importance　for　the　energetic　convert。　He　had　long　wished

to　establish　a　congregation　of　secular　priests　in　London

particularly　devoted　to　his　service；　and　the　opportunity　for　the

experiment　had　clearly　now　arisen。　The　order　of　the　Oblates　of

St。　Charles　was　founded　in　Bayswater；　and　Manning　was　put　at　its

head。　Unfortunately；　no　portion　of　the　body　of　St。　Charles　could

be　obtained　for　the　new　community；　but　two　relics　of　his　blood

were　brought　over　to　Bayswater　from　Milan。　Almost　at　the　same

time　the　Pope　signified　his　appreciation　of　Manning's　efforts　by

appointing　him　Provost　of　the　Chapter　of　Westminstera　position

which　placed　him　at　the　head　of　the　Canons　of　the　diocese。



This　double　promotion　was　the　signal　for　the　outbreak　of　an

extraordinary　internal　struggle；　which　raged　without　intermission

for　the　next　seven　years；　and　was　to　end　only　with　the　accession

of　Manning　to　the　Archbishopric。　The　condition　of　the　Roman

Catholic　community　in　England　was　at　that　time　a　singular　one。　On

the　one　hand　the　old　repressive　laws　of　the　seventeenth　century

had　been　repealed　by　liberal　legislation；　and　on　the　other　a

large　new　body　of　distinguished　converts　had　entered　the　Roman

Church　as　a　result　of　the　Oxford　Movement。　It　was　evident　that

there　was　a　'boom'　in　English　Catholicism；　and；　in　1850；　Pius　IX

recognised　the　fact　by　dividing　up　the　whole　of　England　into

dioceses；　and　placing　Wiseman　at　the　head　of　them　as　Archbishop

of　Westminster。　Wiseman's　encyclical；　dated　'from　without　the

Flaminian　Gate'；　in　which　he　announced　the　new　departure；　was

greeted　in　England　by　a　storm　of　indignation；　culminating　in　the

famous　and　furibund　letter　of　Lord　John　Russell；　then　Prime

Minister；　against　the　insolence　of　the　'Papal　Aggression'。　Though

the　particular　point　against　which　the　outcry　was　raisedthe

English　territorial　titles　of　the　new　Roman　bishopswas　an

insignificant　one；　the　instinct　of　Lord　John　and　of　the　English

people　was　in　reality　sound　enough。　Wiseman's　installation　did

mean；　in　fact；　a　new　move　in　the　Papal　game；　it　meant　an　advance；

if　not　an　aggression　a　quickening　in　England　of　the　long…

dormant　energies　of　the　Roman　Church。　That　Church　has　never　had

the　reputation　of　being　an　institution　to　be　trifled　with；　and；

in　those　days；　the　Pope　was　still　ruling　as　a　temporal　Prince

over　the　fairest　provinces　of　Italy。　Surely；　if　the　images　of　Guy

Fawkes　had　not　been　garnished；　on　that　fifth　of　November；　with

triple　crowns；　it　would　have　been　a　very　poor　compliment　to　His

Holiness。



But　it　was　not　only　the　honest　Protestants　of　England　who　had

cause　to　dread　the　arrival　of　the　new　Cardinal　Archbishop；　there

was　a　party　among　the　Catholics　themselves　who　viewed　his

installation　with　alarm　and　disgust。　The　families　in　which　the

Catholic　tradition　had　been　handed　down　uninterruptedly　since　the

days　of　Elizabeth；　which　had　known　the　pains　of　exile　and　of

martyrdom；　and　which　clung　together　an　alien　and　isolated　group

in　the　midst　of　English　society；　now　began　to　feel　that　they

were；　after　all；　of　small　moment　in　the　counsels　of　Rome。　They

had　laboured　through　the　heat　of　the　day；　but　now　it　seemed　as　if

the　harvest　was　to　be　gathered　in　by　a　crowd　of　converts　who　were

proclaiming　on　every　side　as　something　new　and　wonderful　the

truths　which　the　Old　Catholics；　as　they　came　to　be　called；　had

not　only　known；　but　for　which　they　had　suffered　for　generations。

Cardinal　Wiseman；　it　is　true；　was　no　convert；　he　belonged　to　one

of　the　oldest　of　the　Catholic　families；　but　he　had　spent　most　of

his　life　in　Rome；　he　was　out　of　touch　with　English　traditions；

and　his　sympathy　with　Newman　and　his　followers　was　only　too

apparent。　One　of　his　first　acts　as　Archbishop　was　to　appoint　the

convert　W。　G。　Ward；　who　was　not　even　in　holy　orders；　to　be

Professor　of　Theology　at　St。　Edmund's　College　the　chief

seminary　for　young　priests；　in　which　the　ancient　traditions　of

Douay　were　still　flourishing。　Ward　was　an　ardent　Papalist　and　his

appointment　indicated　clearly　enough　that　in　Wiseman's　opinion

there　was　too　little　of　the　Italian　spirit　in　the　English

community。　The　uneasiness　of　the　Old　Catholics　was　becoming

intense；　when　they　were　reassured　by　Wiseman's　appointing　as　his

co…adjutor　and　successor　his　intimate　friend；　Dr。　Errington；　who

was　created　on　the　occasion　Archbishop　of　Trebizond　in　partibus

infidelium。　Not　only　was　Dr。　Errington　an　Old　Catholic　of　the

most　rigid　type；　he　was　a　man　of　extreme　energy；　whose　influence

was　certain　to　be　great；　and；　in　any　case；　Wiseman　was　growing　

old；　so　that　before　very　long　it　seemed　inevitable　that　the

policy　of　the　diocese　would　be　in　proper　hands。　Such　was　the

position　of　affairs　when；　two　years　after　Errington's

appointment；　Manning　became　head　of　the　Oblates　of　St。　Charles

and　Provost　of　the　Chapter　of　Westminster。



The　Archbishop　of　Trebizond　had　been　for　some　time　growing　more

and　more　suspicious　of　Manning's　influence；　and　this　sudden

elevation　appeared　to　justify　his　worst　fears。　But　his　alarm　was

turned　to　fury　when　he　learned　that　St。　Edmund's　College；　from

which　he　had　just　succeeded　in　removing　the　obnoxious　W。　G。　Ward；

was　to　be　placed　under　the　control　of　the　Oblates　of　St。　Charles。

The　Oblates　did　not　attempt　to　conceal　the　fact　that　one　of　their

principal　aims　was　to　introduce　the　customs　of　a　Roman　Seminary

into　England。　A　grim　perspective　of　espionage　and　tale…bearing；

foreign　habits；　and　Italian　devotions　opened　out　before　the

dismayed　eyes　of　the　Old　Catholics；　they　determined　to　resist　to

the　utmost；　and　it　was　upon　the　question　of　the　control　of　St。

Edmund's　that　the　first　battle　in