按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
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 go from St。 Philip
to
Our Lady； and to St。 Peter and St。 Paul； and to St。 Laurence and
to
St。 Cecilia； and； if it happened to me as to Lucas； should come
back to die。'
Yet； in spite of all； in spite of these exasperations of the
flesh； these agitations of the spirit； what was there to regret？
Had he not a mysterious consolation which outweighed every grief？
Surely； surely； he had。
'Unveil； 0 Lord； and on us shine；
In glory and in grace；'
he exclaims in a poem written at this time； called 'The Two
Worlds'：
'This gaudy world grows pale before
The beauty of Thy face。
'Till Thou art seen it seems to he
A sort of fairy ground；
Where suns unsetting light the sky；
And flowers and fruit abound。
'But when Thy keener； purer beam
Is poured upon our sight；
It loses all its power to charm；
And what was day is night。。。
'And thus； when we renounce for Thee
Its restless aims and fears；
The tende