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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 rest no more upon the
snapdragons of Trinity。
The Oxford Movement was now ended。 The University breathed such a
sigh of relief as usually follows the difficult expulsion of a
hard piece of matter from a living organism； and actually began
to attend to education。 As for the Church of England； she had
tasted blood； and it was clear that she would never again be
content with a vegetable diet。 Her clergy； however； maintained
their reputation for judicious compromise； for they followed
Newman up to the very point beyond which his conclusions were
logical； and； while they intoned； confessed； swung incense； and
burned candles with the exhilaration of converts； they yet
managed to do so with a subtle nuance which showed that they had
nothing to do with Rome。 Various individuals underwent more
violent changes。 Several had preceded Newman into the Roman fold；
among others an unhappy Mr。 Sibthorpe； who subsequently changed
his mind； and returned to the Church of his fathers； and then
perhaps it was only natural changed his mind again。 Many more
followed Newman； and Dr。 Wiseman was particularly pleased by the
conversion of a Mr。 Morris； who； as he said； was 'the author of
the essay； which won the prize on the best method of proving
Christianity to the Hindus'。 Hurrell Froude had died before
Newman had read the fatal article on St。 Augustine； but his
brother； James Anthony； together with Arthur Clough； the poet；
went through an experience which was more distressing in those
days than it has since become； they lost their faith。 With this
difference； however； that while in Froude's case the loss of his
faith turned out to be rather like the loss of a heavy
portmanteau； which one afterwards discovers to have been full of
old rags and brickbats； Clough was made so uneasy by the loss of
his that he went on looking for it everywhere as long as he
lived； but somehow he never could find it。 On the other hand；
Keble and Pusey continued for the rest of their