eminent victorians-第13节

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！



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　the　long　campaign　between

Errington　and　Manning　was　fought。



Cardinal　Wiseman　was　now　obviously　declining　towards　the　grave。　A

man　of　vast　physique'your　immense'；　an　Irish　servant　used

respectfully　to　call　himof　sanguine　temperament；　of　genial

disposition；　of　versatile　capacity；　he　seemed　to　have　engrafted

upon　the　robustness　of　his　English　nature　the　facile；　child…like；

and　expansive　qualities　of　the　South。　So　far　from　being　a　Bishop

Blougram　（as　the　rumour　went）　he　was；　in　fact；　the　very

antithesis　of　that　subtle　and　worldly…wise　ecclesiastic。　He　had

innocently　looked　forward　all　his　life　to　the　reunion　of　England

to　the　See　of　Peter；　and　eventually　had　come　to　believe　that；　in

God's　hand；　he　was　the　instrument　destined　to　bring　about　this

miraculous　consummation。　Was　not　the　Oxford　Movement；　with　its

flood　of　converts；　a　clear　sign　of　the　Divine　will？　Had　he　not

himself　been　the　author　of　that　momentous　article　on　St。

Augustine　and　the　Donatists；　which　had　finally　convinced　Newman

that　the　Church　of　England　was　in　schism？　And　then；　had　he　not

been　able　to　set　afoot　a　Crusade　of　Prayer　throughout　Catholic

Europe　for　the　conversion　of　England？



He　awaited　the　result　with　eager　expectation；　and　in　the　meantime

he　set　himself　to　smooth　away　the　hostility　of　his　countrymen　by

delivering　courses　of　popular　lectures　on　literature　and

archaeology。　He　devoted　much　time　and　attention　to　the　ceremonial

details　of　his　princely　office。　His　knowledge　of　rubric　and

ritual；　and　of　the　symbolical　significations　of　vestments；　has

rarely　been　equalled；　and　he　took　a　profound　delight　in　the

ordering　and　the　performance　of　elaborate　processions。　During　one

of　these　functions；　an　unexpected　difficulty　arose：　the　Master　of

Ceremonies　suddenly　gave　the　word　for　a　halt；　and；　on　being　asked

the　reason；　replied　that　he　had　been　instructed　that　moment　by　

special　revelation　to　stop　the　procession。　The　Cardinal；　however；

was　not　at　a　loss。　'You　may　let　the　procession　go　on；'　he

smilingly　replied。　'I　have　just　obtained　permission；　by　special

revelation；　to　proceed　with　it。'　His　leisure　hours　he　spent　in

the　writing　of　edifying　novels；　the　composition　of　acrostics　in

Latin　Verse；　and　in　playing　battledore　and　shuttlecock　with　his

little　nieces。　There　was；　indeed；　only　one　point　in　which　he

resembled　Bishop　Blougramhis　love　of　a　good　table。　Some　of

Newman's　disciples　were　astonished　and　grieved　to　find　that　he

sat　down　to　four　courses　of　fish　during　Lent。　'I　am　sorry　to

say；'　remarked　one　of　them　afterwards；　'that　there　is　a　lobster

salad　side　to　the　Cardinal。'



It　was　a　melancholy　fate　which　ordained　that　the　last　years　of

this　comfortable；　easygoing；　innocent　old　man　should　be

distracted　and　embittered　by　the　fury　of　opposing　principles　and

the　venom　of　personal　animosities。　But　so　it　was。　He　had　fallen

into　the　hands　of　one　who　cared　very　little　for　the　gentle

pleasures　of　repose。　Left　to　himself；　Wiseman　might　have

compromised　with　the　Old　Catholics　and　Dr。　Errington；　but　when

Manning　had　once　appeared　upon　the　scene；　all　compromise　became

impossible。　The　late　Archdeacon　of　Chichester；　who　had　understood

so　well　and　practised　with　such　careful　skill　the　precept　of　the

golden　mean　so　dear　to　the　heart　of　the　Church　of　England；　now；

as　Provost　of　Westminster；　flung　himself　into　the　fray　with　that

unyielding　intensity　of　fervour；　that　passion　for　the　extreme　and

the　absolute；　which　is　the　very　lifeblood　of　the　Church　of　Rome。

Even　the　redoubtable　Dr。　Errington；　short；　thickset；　determined；

with　his　‘hawk…like　expression　of　face'；　as　a　contemporary

described　him；　'as　he　looked　at　you　through　his　blue　spectacles'；

had　been　known　to　quail　in　the　presence　of　his；　antagonist；　with

his　tall　and　graceful　figure；　his　pale　ascetic　features；　his

compressed　and　icy　lips；　his　calm　and　penetrating　gaze。　As　for

the　poor　Cardinal；　he　was　helpless　indeed。



Henceforward；　there　was　to　be　no　paltering　with　that　dangerous

spirit　of　independencewas　it　not　almost　Gallicanism　which

possessed　the　Old　Catholic　families　of　England？　The　supremacy　of

the　Vicar　of　Christ　must　be　maintained　at　all　hazards。　Compared

with　such　an　object；　what　were　the　claims　of　personal　affection

and　domestic　peace？　The　Cardinal　pleaded　in　vain；　his　lifelong

friendship　with　Dr。Errington　was　plucked　up　by　the　roots；　and　the

harmony　of　his　private　life　was　utterly　destroyed。　His　own

household　was　turned　against　him。　His　favourite　nephew；　whom　he

had　placed　among　the　Oblates　under　Manning's　special　care；　left

the　congregation　and　openly　joined　the　party　of　Dr。　Errington。

His　secretary　followed　suit；　but　saddest　of　all　was　the　case　of

Monsignor　Searle。　Monsignor　Searle；　in　the　capacity　of

confidential　man　of　affairs；　had　dominated　over　the　Cardinal　in

private　for　years　with　the　autocratic　fidelity　of　a　servant　who

has　grown　indispensable。　His　devotion；　in　fact；　seemed　to　have

taken　the　form　of　physical　imitation；　for　he　was　hardly　less

gigantic　than　his　master。　The　two　were　inseparable；　their　huge

figures　loomed　together　like　neighbouring　mountains；　and　on　one

occasion；　meeting　them　in　the　street；　a　gentleman　congratulated

Wiseman　on　'your　Eminence's　fine　son'。　Yet　now　even　this

companionship　was　broken　up。　The　relentless　Provost　here　too

brought　a　sword。　There　were　explosions　and　recriminations。

Monsignor　Searle；　finding　that　his　power　was　slipping　from　him；

made　scenes　and　protests；　and　at　last　was　foolish　enough　to

accuse　Manning　of　peculation　to　his　face；　after　that　it　was　clear

that　his　day　was　over；　he　was　forced　to　slink　snarling　into　the

background；　while　the　Cardinal　shuddered　through　all　his

immensity；　and　wished　many　times　that　he　were　already　dead。



Yet；　he　was　not　altogether　without　his　consolations；　Manning　took

care　to　see　to　that。　His　piercing　eye　had　detected　the　secret　way

into　the　recesses　of　the　Cardinal's　hearthad　discerned　the　core

of　simple　faith　which　underlay　that　jovial　manner　and　that　facile

talk。　Others　were　content　to　laugh　and　chatter　and　transact　their

business；　Manning　was　more　artistic。　He　watched　his　opportunity；

and　then；　when　the　moment　came；　touched　with　a　deft　finger　the

chord　of　the　Conversion　of　England。　There　was　an　immediate

response；　and　he　struck　the　same　chord　again；　and　yet　again。　He

became　the　repository　of　the　Cardinal's　most　intimate

aspirations。　He　alone　sympathised　and　understood。　'If　God　gives

me　strength　to　undertake　a　great　wrestling…match　with

infidelity；'　Wiseman　wrote；　'I　shall　owe　it　to　him。'



But　what　he　really　found　himself　undertaking　was　a　wrestling…

match　with　Dr。　Errington。　The　struggle　over　St。　Edmund's　College

grew　more　and　more　acute。　There　were　high　words　in　the　Chapter；

where　Monsignor　Searle　led　the　assault　against　the　Provost；　and

carried　a　resolution　declaring　that