diff options
| author | nfenwick <nfenwick@pglaf.org> | 2025-02-05 09:56:44 -0800 |
|---|---|---|
| committer | nfenwick <nfenwick@pglaf.org> | 2025-02-05 09:56:44 -0800 |
| commit | 73d6785dc2e0a37a32d54b6b5e6059b2a879d91d (patch) | |
| tree | 8fd504c8868010c011e1b54baeb9a9447e294b83 /old/51370-8.txt | |
| parent | af5a4b39b3b756021e2101c252d0b4ff40145df1 (diff) | |
Diffstat (limited to 'old/51370-8.txt')
| -rw-r--r-- | old/51370-8.txt | 20418 |
1 files changed, 0 insertions, 20418 deletions
diff --git a/old/51370-8.txt b/old/51370-8.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 2e684bd..0000000 --- a/old/51370-8.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,20418 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg EBook of Life of Father Ignatius of St. Paul, -Passionist., by Rev. Father Pius A Sp. Sancto - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most -other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of -the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have -to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. - -Title: Life of Father Ignatius of St. Paul, Passionist. - The Hon. & Rev. George Spencer - -Author: Rev. Father Pius A Sp. Sancto - -Release Date: March 5, 2016 [EBook #51370] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK FATHER IGNATIUS OF ST. PAUL *** - - - - -Produced by Don Kostuch - - - - -Life of -Father Ignatius of St. Paul, -Passionist. - - - -{i} - -{ii} - -[Picture and autograph of Fr. Ignatius] - -{iii} - - -LIFE OF - -_Father Ignatius of St. Paul,_ - -PASSIONIST - -(The Hon. & Rev. George Spencer). - -_Compiled chiefly from his_ - -Autobiography, Journal, & Letters. - -BY - -The Rev. Father Pius A Sp. Sancto, - -Passionist. - - - - -DUBLIN: - -James Duffy, 15, Wellington Quay; -And 22, Paternoster Row, London. - -1866. - -[The right of translation is reserved.] - -{iv} - -Cox And Wyman, - -Classical and General Printers, -Great Queen Street, Lincoln's Inn Fields, W.C. - -{v} - -_To the Very Reverend_ - -Father Ignatius Of The Infant Jesus, - -Passionist, - -Long The Director Of Father Ignatius Of St. Paul, - -For Nine Years The Faithful Steward Of The Anglo-Hibernian - -Province, Which He Found A Handful And Made A Host, - -This Volume, - -Written By His Order And Published With His Blessing, - -Is Dedicated, - -To Testify The Gratitude All His Subjects Feel, And The Most -Unworthy Of Them Tries To Express, - -By His Paternity's - -Devoted And Affectionate Child, - -The Author. - -{vi} - -{vii} - -Preface. - - -Great servants of God have seldom been understood in their lifetime. -Persecution has assailed them often, from quarters where help would be -expected in their defence. Even holy souls are sometimes mistaken -about the particular line of virtue which distinguishes their -contemporaries from themselves. St. John of the Cross, St. Joseph -Calasanctius, and St. Alphonsus Liguori, have had the close of their -lives embittered, as we might call it, by domestic persecution; and it -was some time before their splendour, as they vanished from the -horizon of life, rose again to its zenith, and outshone its former -glory. If the impartial eye, with which we read their actions, fails -to find a plea for the manner they have been dealt with, let us -remember that we have no interests at stake--no false colouring of -passion to blind us. Death, indeed, does not always mow down mistaken -notions with the life of him about whom they are taken up. We must, -however, be thankful that it slays so many {viii} wrong impressions, -and attribute the residue to other causes. - -Justice to the dead is an impulse of nature; and those who would -qualify praise of the living by the mention of unworthy actions or -inferior motives, will qualify blame of the dead by a contrary -proceeding. This instinct has its golden mean as well as every other. -If an ancient Greek ostracised a man because he was praised by every -one, many moderns will defend a man because he is similarly blamed. - -Whenever there exists a difference of opinion about a man during life, -it requires some length of time after he has departed, for prejudice -to settle to the bottom, and allow his genuine character to be seen -through clearly. - -These facts, and the experience of history, lead us to conclude that a -man's life cannot be impartially written when his memory is yet fresh -in people's minds. Thousands have had opportunities of judging, and -bring their impressions to compare them with the page that records the -actions from which they were taken; and if they be different from the -idea the biographer intends to convey, it is not probable that, in -every case, their possessors will be content to lay them aside. It is -supposed, moreover, that a biographer owes a kind of vassalage to his -subject--that he is obliged to defend him through thick and {ix } -thin--in good and evil report. He is obliged, according to -traditionary, though arbitrary laws, to suppress whatever will not -tell in his favour, to put the very best face upon what he is -compelled to relate, and to make the most of excellencies. His -opinion, therefore, must be received with caution, for it is his duty -to be partial, in the most odious sense of that word, and it would be -a capital sin to deviate from this long-established rule. - -These difficulties do not beset the life that is here presented to the -public. Father Ignatius had his alternations of praise and blame -during life; but those who thought least of him were forced to admit -his great sanctity. If this latter quality be conceded, apology has no -room. An admitted saint does not require to be defended; for the -_aureola_ of his own brow will shed the light through which his -actions are to be viewed. We see, therefore, no wrong impressions that -require to be removed--no calumnies that have to be cleared -away--nothing, in fact, to be done, except to give a faithful history -of his life. For this reason, we venture to publish this work before -the second anniversary of his death; and it would have been published -sooner, if the materials from which it is composed could have been -arranged and digested. - -Again, he was heedless of the praise or blame of {x} men himself, and -it would be an injustice to his memory to wait for a favourable moment -for giving his thoughts publicity. - -Those who expect to find nothing in the lives of holy people but -goodness and traits of high spirituality, will be disappointed when -they read this. Those who are accustomed to read that some saints -indeed have lived rather irregularly in their youth, but find -themselves left in blessed ignorance of what those irregularities -were, will also be disappointed. They shall find here recorded that -young Spencer was not a saint, and they shall be given data whereon to -form their own opinion too. They shall see him pass through various -phases of religious views, and shall find themselves left to draw -their own conclusions about his conduct throughout. - -And now, perhaps, it is better to give some reasons why this course -was adopted in writing his life, rather than the usual one. Besides -that already given, there are two others. - -In the first place, ordinary, well-meaning Christians feel -disheartened when they find saints ready to be canonized from their -infancy, and cannot think of the Magdalenes when they find the -calendar full of Marys, and Agneses, and Teresas. Neither will they -reflect much on an Augustin, when the majority are Sebastians and -Aloysiuses. Here is an example to help these people on; and they are -the greater number. {xi} We have therefore shown Father Ignatius's -weak points as well as his strong ones; we have brought him out in his -written life precisely as he was in reality. - -He comes before us with a mind full of worldly notions, he traces his -own steps away from rectitude, he makes his confession to the whole -world. How many will see in the youth he passed, far away from God and -grazing the edge of the bottomless precipice, a perfect illustration -of their own youth. Let them then follow him through life. They shall -find him a prey to the worst passions, anger, pride, and their kindred -tendencies. They shall see him put his hand to the plough, and, -according to the measure of his grace and light, subduing first one, -and then another of his inclinations. They can trace his passage -through life, and see that he has so far overcome his passions that an -equivocal warmth of temper is a thing to be wondered at in him. There -is a servant of God that gives us courage, we need not despond when he -leads the way for us. Occasional imperfections are mentioned towards -the latter part of his life. These only show that he was a man and not -an angel, and that a defect now and again is not at all incompatible -with great holiness. - -There was a reality about the man that can never leave the minds of -those who knew him. He hated shams. He would have the brightest -consequences of {xii} faith realized. He would not have the Gospel -laws be mere matter of sentimental platitudes, but great realities -pervading life and producing their legitimate effects. He went into -them, heart and soul; and the few points in which he seemed to go this -side or that of the mean of virtue in their observance, we have -recorded, that others may see how he observed them. Exceptions show -the beauty of a rule; and this is the second reason why we have -written as a historian and not as a panegyrist. - -And now for an account of the materials from which the memoir has been -compiled. He wrote an account of his life about the year 1836. He was -then on a bed of sickness from which he scarcely expected to rise; but -we shall give his own reasons for writing what he has written. The -autobiography begins thus:-- - - "When a man comes before the world as an author, there is much - danger of his being actuated by motives of which he does not like to - acknowledge the influence, and people are so naturally disposed to - suspect the motive to be something different from that which ought - to be the leading one of all our important actions, and especially - of those which are possessed by our religious actions; namely, the - honour of God, and our own neighbour's good; that the common preface - to such works is, to guard the author against the imputation of - vanity or of self-love, in some one {xiii } or other of the - contemptible forms in which it rules so widely in this poor world of - ours. Such introductory apologies, on the part of an author, will not, - I believe, meet with full credit with those who know the world. - Those who are most obviously the slaves of self-will, will, - generally, be loudest in their protestations of the purity and - excellence of their motives; so that my advice to those who wish to - establish in the minds of others a good opinion of their sincerity, - would generally be, to say nothing about it, and let their conduct - speak for itself. Yet this is not what I intend to do in the - commencement of my present work. What I have undertaken is, _to give - to the public_ a history of my own mind. I shall make it my study to - recollect with accuracy and to state with truth the motives, the - impressions, and the feelings by which I have been guided in the - important passages of my past life; and therefore there seems to be - some peculiar reason, from the nature of the work itself, why I - should commence by stating why I have undertaken it. Yet I will not - venture to say positively what are my motives. I rather shall state, - in the sight of God and of my brethren, what are the motives which I - allow myself to entertain in deliberately presenting a history of my - thoughts _to the public_. My readers are at liberty to judge me in - their own way, and suppose that I deceive myself in the view I take - of my own intentions as much or as little as to them shall seem - probable. Of this {xvi} which, have obliged me to leave my flock to - the care of others, while my proper business is to be, for a time, - to recover my health by rest and relaxation. Here then is an - opportunity for undertaking something in the way of writing; and I - am about to make what I conceive is the most valuable contribution - in my power to the works already existing for the defence of our - Holy Faith. - - "I have not the knowledge requisite for producing a learned work, - nor am I ever likely to acquire it. A work of fancy or invention is, - perhaps, yet further out of my line. I never had any talent for - compositions in which imagination is required. I hardly ever wrote a - line of poetry except when obliged to it at school or college. But - it requires neither learning nor imagination to give a simple - statement of facts, and there is a charm in truth which will give to - a composition, which bears its stamp, an interest more lively, - perhaps, than what the beauties of poetry and fiction are employed - to adorn. - - "I believe the history of the human mind must always be interesting. - If the most insignificant of men could but be taught to write a - correct account of what has passed within his soul, in any period of - his existence, the history would be full of wonders and instruction; - and if, with God's help, I am able to fulfil my present undertaking, - and to give a picture of my own mind and heart, and recount, with - truth and {xvii} perspicuity, the revolutions which have taken place - within me, I have no doubt the narrative will be interesting. The - minds and hearts of men are wonderfully alike one to another. They - are also wonderfully various. Read the history of my mind and you - will find it interesting, as you know a book of travels is, through - countries which you have visited. You will see your own heart - represented to you, and be, perhaps, pleasingly reminded of the - feelings, the projects, the disappointments, the weaknesses of days - gone by. But I have a greater object before me than your amusement. - I desire your instruction. I may, perchance, throw on some passage - of your history, on some points of the great picture which a - retrospect of your past life presents to you, a more correct light. - I may show you where your views of things might have often been more - true than they were at the time, when your steps might have been - more prudently, more happily taken, and by the consideration of - mistakes and errors which I have afterwards acknowledged, though - once blind to them, and from which I have recovered through the - goodness of God, you may be assisted to take some steps forwards in - the path of truth and happiness. - - "I do not, however, propose to myself the benefit of others only in - this composition. The noblest and the most useful study of mankind - is man; but, certainly, this study is in no way so important as when - it {xviii} is in the contemplation of ourselves that we follow it - up. It is a high point of wisdom to know and understand other men; - but we know nothing that will indeed avail us if we know not - ourselves. Hence, while I am undertaking a history of myself for the - instruction of others, I purpose, at the same time, and in the first - place, to gain from my researches instruction for myself. In now - recollecting and declaring the doings of God towards me, and my - doings towards Him, I most earnestly desire an advancement in myself - of love and humility; would that it might be an advancement in - perfection! I began this work with fervent prayer that I may be - preserved from the snares with which it may be accompanied; above - all, that I may not make it an occasion of vain-glory, and so turn - what ought to be done for God's service and for others' good into an - offence of God and my own exceeding loss; but that, being delivered - from the danger, I may find it the occasion of exceeding spiritual - benefit to myself, if it be not to any others." - -The reader must take what Father Ignatius writes of himself with some -qualifications. He seems to have had an invincible propensity to put -his worst side out in whatever he wrote about himself. He did not see -his own perfections, he underrated his knowledge, his mind, his -virtues. He saw good in every one except himself. But it is needless -to speak much on {xix} this point, as his candour and simplicity are -sure to make every reader favourable. - -It is to be regretted that the autobiography does not reach farther -into his life than his ordination as a minister. How gratifying it -would have been if we could read his interior conflicts, his exterior -difficulties, his alternations of joy and sadness, in the sweet, -affectionate style which tells us his early life. But the reason must -have been:--He had little to charge himself with; he had no faults -serious enough to lower him in the esteem of men from that time -forward, and therefore he did not write. - -The next source of information is his journal. He began to keep a -journal in 1818, when he first went to Cambridge, and continued it -uninterruptedly down to 1829, a short time before his conversion. We -have found nothing in the shape of a diary among his papers, from that -time until the year 1846, a few months before he became a Passionist, -except a journal of a tour he made on the Continent in 1844, and that -is given entire in the third book. The journal from 1846, until a few -days before his death, is a mere record of dates and places in which -he has been and persons he spoke to. It is so closely written that it -is scarcely readable by the naked eye, and he gives in one page the -incidents of six months. This journal was of great use to him. It -helped his memory and prevented his making mistakes in the multitude -of scenes through {xx} which, he passed. It is also a valuable -contribution to the annals of our Order. - -Besides these two sources of information regarding his life, we have -had access to a multitude of letters, running over the space of -upwards of forty years. He preserved a great many of the important -letters he received; and several of his friends, who preserved letters -received from him as treasures, kindly lent us their stock for the -preparation of this volume. His Eminence the late Cardinal Wiseman -gave us what letters he possessed, and promised to contribute some -recollections of his friend, but was prevented by death from -fulfilling his promise. Our thanks are due to their Lordships, the -Right Rev. Dr. Ullathorne, the Right Rev. Dr. Wareing, the Right Rev. -Dr. Turner, the Right Rev. Dr. Grant, the Right Rev. Dr. Amherst, and -to several clergymen and lay persons, for their kindness in sending us -letters and furnishing us with anecdotes and pleasing recollections of -Father Ignatius. Among the latter we are under special obligations to -Mr. De Lisle and Mr. Monteith. In truth we have found all the friends -of Father Ignatius most willing to assist us in our undertaking. Nor -must we forget several religious who have helped us in every possible -way. The information gathered from the correspondence has been the -most valuable. His letters were written to dear friends to whom he -laid the very inmost of his soul open,--fervent souls, who sympathized -{xxi} with his zealous exertions and profited by his advice in -advancing themselves and others in the way of virtue. - -The Dowager Lady Lyttelton has kindly furnished us with dates and -accurate information about the members of the Spencer family, and as -she is the only survivor of the children of John George, Earl Spencer, -we hope the memory of her dear brother will serve to alleviate the -weight of her advancing years, and prolong them considerably to her -children and grandchildren. We beg to express our sincere thanks for -her ladyship's kindness. - -A fourth and not a less interesting source of information has been our -own memory. Father Ignatius was most communicative to his brethren; -indeed he might be said to be transparent. We all knew him so well. He -related the anecdotes that are given in his memoir to us all; and when -each Father and Brother gave in his contribution, the quantity -furnished would have made a very entertaining life of itself. Their -thanks must be the consciousness of having helped to keep him yet -amongst us as far as was possible. - -These, then, are the sources from which the following pages have been -compiled. The facts related may therefore be relied upon as perfectly -authentic. We possess the originals of the matter quoted--vouchers for -every opinion advanced, and the anecdotes can be corroborated by half -a dozen of witnesses. - -{xxii} - -Seeing that his life had been so diverse, and that the changes of -thought which influenced the early portion of it were so various, it -was thought best to divide it into four distinct books. The first book -takes him to the threshold of the Anglican ministry; the second into -the fold of the Church; the third into the Passionist novitiate; and -the fourth follows him to the grave. - -We shall let the details speak for themselves, and only remark that -there is an identity in the character as well as in the countenance of -a man which underlies all the phases of opinion through which he may -have passed. It will be seen that, from childhood to old age, Father -Ignatius was remarkable for earnestness and reverence. Whatever he -thought to be his duty he pursued with indomitable perseverance. He -was not one to cloak over a weak point, or soothe a doubt with a -trumped-up answer. He candidly admitted every difficulty, and went -with unflagging zeal into clearing it up. This was the key to his -conversion. He had, besides, even in his greatest vagaries, a -reverential spirit with regard to his Creator, which formed an -atmosphere of duty around him, outside which he could not step without -being stung by conscience. A sting he never deadened. These were the -centripetal and centrifugal forces that kept his life balanced on an -axis that remained steady in the centre during his every evolution. - -{xxiii} - -We have endeavoured to be faithful to his memory. We have tried, as -far as we could, to let himself tell his life; we have only arranged -the materials and supplied the cement that would keep them together. -Whether the work has suffered in our hands or not is immaterial to us. -We have tried to do our best, and no one can do more. If any -expressions have escaped us that may appear offensive, we are ready to -make the most ample apology, but not at the sacrifice of a particle of -truth. If, through ignorance or inadvertence, errors have been -committed, we hold ourselves ready to retract them; and retract, -beforehand, anything that may, in the slightest degree, be injurious, -not to say contrary, to Catholic doctrine, and submit ourselves -unreservedly in this point to the judgment of ecclesiastical -authority. - - -_St. Joseph's Retreat, Highgate, London, N., -Feast of the Epiphany, 1866._ - -{xxiv} - -{xxv} - -CONTENTS. - -BOOK I. - -_Father Ignatius, a Young Noble._ - - - -CHAPTER I. -His Childhood--Page 1 - - -CHAPTER II. -Four First Years At Eton--6 - - -CHAPTER III. -His Two Last Years At Eton--12 - - -CHAPTER IV. -Private Tuition Under Mr. Blomfield--18 - - -CHAPTER V. -He Goes To Cambridge--22 - - -CHAPTER VI. -His First Year In Cambridge--28 - - -CHAPTER VII. -Conclusion Of His First Year In Cambridge--42 - - -CHAPTER VIII. -Second Year In Cambridge Takes His Degree--48 - -{xxvi} - - -CHAPTER IX. - -Travels On The Continent--57 - - -CHAPTER X. -English Life In Naples--65 - - -CHAPTER XI. -Continuation Of His Travels--74 - - -CHAPTER XII. -An Interval Of Rest And Preparation For Orders--91 - - - -BOOK II. - -_Father Ignatius, an Anglican Minister._ - - -CHAPTER I. -He Is Ordained, And Enters On His Clerical Duties--103 - - -CHAPTER II. -He Mends Some Of His Ways--110 - - -CHAPTER III. -He Receives Further Orders--117 - - -CHAPTER IV. -Mr. Spencer Becomes Rector Of Brington--122 - - -CHAPTER V. -Changes In His Religious Opinions--127 - -CHAPTER VI. -Opposition To His Religious Views--134 - -{xxvii} - -CHAPTER VII. -Progress Of His Religious Views--142 - - -CHAPTER VIII. -Some Of The Practical Effects Of His Views--148 - -CHAPTER IX. -Scruples About The Athanasian Creed--155 - - -CHAPTER X. -Incidents And State Of Mind In 1827-28--166 - - -CHAPTER XI. -The Maid Of Lille--174 - - -CHAPTER XII. -Ambrose Lisle Phillipps--186 - - - -BOOK III. - -_Father Ignatius, a Secular Priest._ - - -CHAPTER I. -His First Days In The Church--199 - -CHAPTER II. -Mr. Spencer In The English College, Rome--206 - -CHAPTER III. -Father Spencer Is Ordained Priest--212 - -CHAPTER IV. -Father Spencer Begins His Missionary Life--220 - -{xxviii} - -CHAPTER V. -Prospects Of Widening His Sphere Of Action--226 - -CHAPTER VI. -Newspaper Discussions, Etc.--232 - -CHAPTER VII. -Private Life And Crosses Of Father Spencer--240 - -CHAPTER VIII. -Association Of Prayers For The Conversion Of England--248 - -CHAPTER IX. -His Last Days In West Bromwich--258 - -CHAPTER X. -Father Spencer Comes To Oscott--264 - -CHAPTER XI. -Some Of His Doings In Oscott College--270 - -CHAPTER XII. -Some Events Of Interest--275 - -CHAPTER XIII. -His Tour On The Continent In 1844--280 - -CHAPTER XIV. -Close Of His Career In Oscott; -And His Religious Vocation--343 - -{xxix } - -BOOK IV. - -_Father Ignatius, a Passionist_ - - -CHAPTER I. -The Noviciate--351 - -CHAPTER II. -His First Year As A Passionist--361 - -CHAPTER III. -A Peculiar Mission--368 - -CHAPTER IV. -Death Of Father Dominic--374 - -CHAPTER V. -Spirit Of Father Ignatius At This Time--380 - -CHAPTER VI. -His Dealings With Protestants And Prayers For Union--387 - -CHAPTER VII. -Father Ignatius In 1850--393 - -CHAPTER VIII. -A New Form Of "The Crusade"--400 - -CHAPTER IX. -Visit To Rome And "The Association Of Prayers"--413 - -CHAPTER X. -A Tour In Germany--428 - -{xxx} - -CHAPTER XI. -Father Ignatius Returns To England--436 - -CHAPTER XII. -A Little Of His Home And Foreign Work--443 - -CHAPTER XIII. -Sanctification Of Ireland--449 - -CHAPTER XIV. -Another Tour On The Continent--453 - -CHAPTER XV. -Father Ignatius In 1857--458 - -CHAPTER XVI. -His "Little Missions"--464 - -CHAPTER XVII. -Father Ignatius At Home--469 - -CHAPTER XVIII. -A Few Events--477 - -CHAPTER XIX. -Trials And Crosses--483 - -CHAPTER XX. -Foreshadowings And Death--495 - -CHAPTER XXI. -The Obsequies Of Father Ignatius--504 - -{xxxi} - -BOOK I. - -_F. Ignatius, a Young Noble._ - - -{xxxii} - - -{1} - -[Image of Cross] -I X P - - - -LIFE OF FATHER IGNATIUS -OF ST. PAUL, PASSIONIST. - - - -BOOK I. - -_F. Ignatius, a Young Noble._ - - -CHAPTER I. -His Childhood. - - -Saint Paul gives the general history of childhood in one sentence: -"When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I -thought as a child." The thoughts and ways of children are wonderfully -similar; the mind is not sufficiently developed to give direction to -character, and the peculiar incidents that are sometimes recorded to -prove "the child the father of the man," seem more the result of -chance than deliberation. With all this, we like to bask our memory in -those sunny days: we love to look at our cradles, at where we made and -spoiled our little castles, and we recall the smallest incidents to -mind, as if to try and fancy we could be children again. This natural -sentiment makes us anxious to know all about the infancy and childhood -of those whose life has an interest for us; {2} although knowing that -there can be nothing very strange about it; and even, if there be, -that it cannot have much weight in moulding the character of our hero, -and less still in influencing our own. The childhood of Father -Ignatius forms an exception to this. It is wonderful; it shaped his -character for a great part of his life. Its history is written by -himself, and it is instructive to all who have charge of children. -Before quoting from his own autobiography, it may be well to say -something about his family; more, because it is customary to do so on -occasions like the present, than to give information about what is -already well known. - -His father was George John, Earl Spencer, K.G., &c., &c. He was -connected by ties of consanguinity and affinity with the Earl of -Sunderland and the renowned Duke of Marlborough; was successively -member of Parliament, one of the Lords of the Treasury, and succeeded -Lord Chatham as First Lord of the Admiralty on the 20th of December, -1794. This office he retained until 1800, and, during his -administration, the naval history of England shone with the victories -of St. Vincent, Camperdown, and the Nile. Perhaps his term of office -was more glorious to himself from the moderation and justice with -which he quelled the mutiny at the Nore, than from the fact of his -having published the victories that gave such glory to his country. He -married, in 1781, Lavinia, the daughter of Sir Charles Bingham, -afterwards Earl of Lucan. Five sons and three daughters were the issue -of this marriage. Two of them died in infancy. The oldest, John -Charles, Lord Althorp, succeeded his father in 1834, and died -childless in 1845; the second, Sarah, is the present Dowager Lady -Lyttelton; the fifth, Robert Cavendish, died unmarried in 1830; the -sixth, Georgiana, was married to Lord George Quin, son to the Marquis -of Headfort, and died in 1823; the seventh, Frederick, father of the -present earl, succeeded his eldest brother in 1845. The youngest, the -Honourable George Spencer, is the subject of the present biography. - -He was born on the 21st of December, 1799, at the Admiralty in London, -and baptized according to the rite of {3} the Church of England, by -the Rev. Charles Norris, prebendary of Canterbury. Whether he was -taken to Althorp, the family seat in Northamptonshire, to be nursed, -before his father retired from office in 1800, we have no means of -knowing; but, certain it is, that it was there he spent his childhood -until he went to Eton in 1808. We will let himself give us the history -of his mind during this portion of his existence: the history of his -body is that of a nobleman's child, tended in all things as became his -station:-- - - "My recollections of the five or six first years of my life are very - vague,--more so by far than in the case of other persons; and - whether I had any notions of religion before my six-year-old - birthday, I cannot tell. But it was on that day, if I am not - mistaken, that I was taken aside, as for a serious conversation, by - my sister's governess, who was a Swiss lady, under whose care I - passed the years between leaving the nursery and being sent to - school, and instructed by her, for the first time, concerning the - existence of God and some other great truths of religion. It seems - strange now that I should have lived so long without acquiring any - ideas on the subject: my memory may deceive me, but I have a most - clear recollection of the very room at Althorp where I sat with her - while she declared to me, as a new piece of instruction, for which - till then I had not been judged old enough, that there was an - Almighty Being, dwelling in heaven, who had created me and all - things, and whom I was bound to fear. Till then, I believe, I had - not the least apprehension of the existence of anything beyond the - sensible world around me. This declaration, made to me as it was - with tender seriousness, was, I believe, accompanied with gracious - expressions, which have never been, in all my errors and wanderings, - obliterated. To what but the grace of God can I ascribe it, that I - firmly believed from the first moment this truth, of which I was not - capable of understanding a proof, and that I never since have - entertained a doubt of it, nor been led, like so many more, to - universal scepticism; that my faith in the truth of God should have - been preserved while for so long a time I lived, as I afterwards - did, wholly without its influence? - -{4} - - "I continued, with my brother Frederick, who was twenty months older - than myself, under the instruction of this same governess, till we - went to Eton School. I do not remember the least difficulty in - receiving as true whatever I was taught of religion at that time. It - never occurred to me to think that objections might be made to it, - though I knew that different religious persuasions existed. I - remember being told by our governess, and being pleased in the idea, - that the Church of England was peculiarly excellent; but I remember - no distinct feelings of opposition or aversion to the Catholic - religion. Of serious impressions I was at that time, I believe, very - susceptible; but they must have been most transient. I remember, - more than once, distinctly saying my prayers with fervour; though, - generally, I suppose, I paid but little attention to them. I was - sometimes impressed with great fear of the Day of Judgment, as I - remember once in particular, at hearing a French sermon read about - it; and, perhaps, I did not knowingly offend God, but I could not be - said to love God, nor heartily to embrace religion, if, as I - suppose, my ordinary feeling must have corresponded with what I - remember well crossing my mind when I was about seven years - old,--great regret at reflecting on the sin of Adam; by which I - understood that I could not expect to live for ever on the earth. - Whatever I thought desirable in the world,--abundance of money, high - titles, amusements of all sorts, fine dress, and the like,--as soon - and as far as I understood anything about them, I loved and longed - for; nor do I see how it could have been otherwise, as the holy, - severe maxims of the Gospel truth on these matters were not - impressed upon me. Why is it that the truth on these things is so - constantly withheld from children; and, instead of being taught by - constant, repeated, unremitting lessons that the world and all that - it has is worth nothing; that, if they gain all, but lose their - souls, they gain nothing; if they lose all and gain their souls, - they gain all? Why is it that they are to be encouraged to do right - by promises of pleasure, deterred from evil by worldly fear, and so - trained up, as it seems, to put a false value on all things? How {5} - easily, as it now appears to me, might my affections in those days - have been weaned from the world, and made to value God alone? But - let me not complain, but bless God for the care,--the very unusual - care, I believe,--which was taken of me, by which I remained, I may - say, ignorant of what evil was at an age when many, I fear, become - proficients. This blessing, however, of being wonderfully preserved - from the knowledge, and consequently from the practice, of vice, was - more remarkably manifested in the four years of my life succeeding - those of which I have been now writing." - -The instilling into young minds religious motives for their actions -was a frequent topic of conversation with Father Ignatius in his -after-life. He was once speaking with some of our young religious on -this subject in general; one of them remarked how easy it was to act -upon holy motives practically, and instanced his own childhood, when -the thought that God would love or hate him kept him straight in his -actions: this was the simple and perpetually repeated lesson of his -mother, which he afterwards forgot, but which finally stopped him in a -career of ambition, and made him a religious. The old man's eye -glistened as he heard this, and he sighed deeply. He then observed -that it confirmed his opinion, that parents ought to instruct their -own children, and never commit them to the mercies of a public school -until they were perfectly grounded in the practice of virtue and -piety. The next chapter will show why he thought thus. - -{6} - -CHAPTER II. -Four First Years At Eton. - - - "The 18th of May, 1808, was the important day when first I left my - father's house. With a noble equipage, my father and mother took my - brother Frederick and me to the house of the Rev. Richard Godley, - whom they had chosen to be our private tutor at Eton. He lived, with - his family, at a place called the Wharf, about half a mile from the - college buildings, which we had to go to for school and chapel - across the playing-fields. Oh! how interesting are my recollections - whilst I recall the joys and sorrows of Eton days; but I must not - expatiate on them, as my own feelings would lead me to do with - pleasure. What I have to do now is to record how the circumstances - in which I was then placed have contributed to influence my - religions principles, and formed some links in the chain of events - by which I have arrived at my present state, so different from all - that might then have been anticipated. Mr. Godley I consider to have - been, what I believe my parents likewise regarded him, a strictly - conscientious and deeply religious man; and I must always account it - one of the greatest blessings for which, under God, I am indebted to - their wisdom and affection, that I was placed in such hands at so - critical a time. I do not intend, in all points, to declare my - approbation of the system which he pursued with us: but how can I be - too grateful for having been under the strict vigilance of one who - did, I am convinced, reckon the preservation of my innocence, and - the salvation of my soul, his chief concern with me? I remained with - Mr. Godley till the Midsummer holidays of 1812. My brother left Eton - and went to sea in the year 1811. - -{7} - - "Those who know what our public schools are, will reckon it, I - believe, almost incredible that I should be four years at Eton, and - remain, as I did, still almost ignorant of what the language of - wickedness meant. Mr. Godley's yoke I certainly thought at the time - to be a heavy one. Several times each day we were obliged to go - across the playing-fields to school, to chapel, or to absence (which - was the term by which Etonians will yet understand the calling over - the names of the boys at certain times); so that during the daytime, - when in health, we could never be more than three hours together - without appearing with the boys of the school. Mr. Godley, however, - was inexorable in his rule that we should invariably come home - immediately after each of these occasions: by this we were kept from - much intercourse with other boys. Most grievous then appeared my - unhappy lot, in the summer months especially, when we had to pass - through the playing-fields, crowded with cricketers, to whom a lower - boy, to fag for them and stop their balls, was sure to be an - important prize, whose wrath we incurred if we dared despise their - call, and run on our way; whilst, if we were but a few minutes late, - the yet more terrible sight awaited us of Mr. Godley's angry - countenance. We had not exemption from one of these musters, as most - boys had who lived at a distance from the school, yet none of them - were bound like us to a speedy return home. It seemed like an - Egyptian bondage, from which there was no escape; and doubtless the - effect was not altogether good upon my character. As might be - expected, the more we were required to observe rules and customs - different from others, the more did a certain class of big bullies - in the school seem to count it their business to watch over us, as - though they might be our evil geniuses. A certain set of faces, - consequently, I looked upon with a kind of mysterious dread; and I - was under a constant sense of being as though in an enemy's country, - obliged to guard against dangers on all sides. Shrinking and - skulking became my occupation beyond the ordinary lot of little - schoolboys, and my natural disposition to be cowardly and spiritless - was perhaps increased. I say _perhaps_, for other {8} circumstances - might have made me worse; for what I was in the eyes of the masters - of public opinion in the school, I really was--a chicken-hearted - creature, what, in Eton language, is called a _sawney_. It may be, - that had I been from the first in free intercourse among the boys, - instead of being a good innocent one, I might have been, what I - suppose must be reckoned one of the worst varieties of public-school - characters, a mean, dishonourable one. Whatever I may have lost from - not being trained, from the first of my Eton life, in the perfect - spirit of the place, could I possibly have escaped during that time - in any other way the utter corruption of my morals, at least the - filling of my mind with familiar images of all the most foul - iniquity? For, alas! where is the child from the age of eight till - twelve who, without one compassionate friend, already strong in - virtue to countenance and to encourage him, shall maintain the - profession of modesty and holiness against a persecution as - inveterate and merciless in its way as that which Lot had to bear at - Sodom? Was not the angel of God with me when He preserved me for so - long from all attacks of this kind in such a place as Eton was in my - time? How can I remember Godley but with veneration and gratitude, - who, though, it may be, not so considerately and wisely as might be - possible (for who is as wise as he might be?), kept me, I might say, - almost alone untainted in the midst of so much corruption. - - "Yet, till the last year of my stay with him, I did not learn - decidedly to love religion. It was still my task and not my - pleasure. At length, my brother Frederick being gone to sea, and two - other boys, Mr. Godley's stepsons, who were with us under his - instructions, being sent to school elsewhere, I remained his only - pupil, and, I may almost say, his chief care and joy. He felt with - me and for me in the desolation of my little heart, at being parted - from my first and hitherto inseparable mate, and I became his almost - constant companion. It is not difficult to gain the confidence of a - simple child: he spoke almost continually of religious subjects, and - I learnt to take his view of things. I certainly did not begin to - lose my pleasure in life. Death {9} was an idea which still was - strange to me; and I did not come to an understanding of the great - doctrines of Revelation. I remember not to have taken much notice of - any peculiar articles of faith; but still believed implicitly, - without argument or inquiry, what I was taught. I can now hardly - give an account of what were the religious ideas and impressions - which began so greatly to engage my mind, except that I took my - chief delight in hearing Mr. Godley speak about religion, that I had - a great abhorrence and dread of wickedness, thought with pleasure of - my being intended to be a clergyman, as I was always told I should - be, and admired and loved all whom I was taught to look upon as - religious people. All these simple feelings of piety, which were - often accompanied with pure delight, were greatly increased in a - visit of six weeks which I paid, with Mr. Godley, to his mother and - sisters at Chester. He was a Prebendary of that cathedral, and of - course had to spend some time there every year in residence. - Usually, when he went from home, from time to time, he was used to - get one of the other tutors at Eton to hear my brother's and my - lessons, and to look over our exercises; but in the last summer I - staid with him, with my father's consent, he took me with him. Mr. - Godley's sisters, who showed me great kindness, like him, I suppose, - had no wish concerning me than to encourage me in becoming pious and - good, and I got to read a few pious books which they recommended. - 'The Pilgrim's Progress,' Doddridge's 'Life of Colonel Gardiner,' - Alleine's 'Alarm,' were some which I remember taking great effect - upon me; so that when I returned from Chester to Eton, though I - cannot recall many particulars of my feelings, I know that the chief - prevailing one was, an ardent desire to keep myself untainted at - Eton, and to keep from all fellowship with the set of boys whom I - knew to be particularly profane mockers of piety. I bought a book of - prayers, and during the three weeks that I yet remained with this - tutor, after our return from Chester, and when first I went home to - the summer holidays, I took no delight like that of being by myself - at prayer. Ah! how grievous would be the thought if we could but - understand how to {10} lament such a calamity as it deserves, of a - pious child's tender, pure soul denied, made forgetful of all its - good, and hardened. O God, grant me wisdom to understand the - magnitude of such an evil, grant me a heart now at length to mourn - over the devastation and uprooting which it was, at this time, Thy - holy will to permit, of all those fair flowers of grace which Thy - hand had planted in my heart; and grant me to mourn my fall, that I - may now once at last recover that simplicity of childlike piety, the - feelings of which I now recollect, indeed, though faintly, but never - have since again enjoyed. Oh! God, if a child's love, pure through - ignorance of sin, is never to be mine again, oh! give me at least - that depth of penance for which my fall has given me such ample - matter. - - "It occurred not to my mind to consider whether the new thoughts - which occupied my mind, and the books in which I took such pleasure, - would be approved of at home. I took them with me to the holidays. - It was judged, as was to be expected, by my parents, that Mr. - Godley's views of religion were not such as they would wish to be - instilled into me; and it was determined that I should leave his - house and be placed with one of the public tutors at Eton. It is a - difficult thing to classify religious Protestants, and so I do not - here pronounce Mr. Godley and his sisters to have been Evangelical, - or Calvinistic, nor give them any distinctive title. They did not, - as far as I remember, inculcate upon me any peculiar notions of - religion, but they certainly were not in the way which is usually - called orthodox Church of England religion, though indeed it is - difficult to define exactly what this is. It was likely, or rather - morally certain, that while with Mr. Godley, I should follow his - guidance, and take his views; so I was to be placed among the other - boys, as I imagine with the idea likewise, that I should gain in - this way more of the advantages supposed to belong to the rough - discipline of a public school. I do not understand how it was that I - received the intimation of this change with so little sadness. - Distant evils, as we all know, lose their sting strangely; and, - having the holidays before me when this change was declared, I {11} - felt no trouble about it then. It is easy to talk a docile child - into agreement with any plan made for him by those whom he is used - to confide in; and so I remember no difficulty when my books were - taken away, and I had no more persons by to bring my former thoughts - to remembrance, in quietly discontinuing my fervent practices." - -{12} - -CHAPTER III. -His Two Last Years At Eton. - - - "In the course of September, 1812, I began a new stage of my life by - entering at the Rev. ***'s, where I was, alas! too effectually to be - untaught what there might be unsound in my religion, by being - quickly stripped of it completely. The house contained, I think, but - about ten or twelve boys at the time I went to it, a much smaller - number than the generality of boarding houses about the school; and, - dreadful as was its moral condition, it was respectable in - comparison to others. There is no doubt that it was recommended to - my parents because its character stood high among the rest. The boys - were divided into three or four messes, as they were called. Each of - us had a room to himself and a separate little establishment, as the - boys had allowances to provide breakfast and tea for themselves, and - we did not meet in common rooms for private study, as in some - schools. In order to make their means go farther, two or three would - associate together and make a joint concern; and very comfortable - some would make themselves. But comfort was not what I had now to - enjoy. - - "I have adverted already to the system of fagging at our public - schools. The law is established immemorially at Eton that the upper - boys, those of the fifth and sixth class, have an authority to - command those below them. This law, though understood and allowed by - the masters, is not enforced by them. They will interfere to check - and punish any great abuse of the power of the upper boys; but the - only power by which the commands of these masters are to be enforced - is their own hands; so that a boy, though by rank in the school a - fag, may escape the burdens to be imposed if he have but age and - strength and spirit to {13} maintain his independence. Each upper - boy may impose his commands on any number of inferiors he may please - at any time and in any place, so that an unhappy lower boy is never - safe. Nothing exempts him from the necessity of immediately quitting - his own pursuits and waiting on the pleasure of an unexpected - master, but being under orders to attend his tutor, or a certain - number of privileged excuses in matters about which those potentates - condescend to consider the feelings of the subalterns, and where - public opinion would condemn them if they did not--such as being - actually fagging for some one else, being engaged to play a match at - cricket which his absence would spoil. It was this sort of - out-of-door casual service which alone I had to dread as long as I - was in Mr. Godley's house. When I went to Mr. ***, I had to serve my - apprenticeship in domestic fagging, which consisted in performing to - one or more of the fifth or sixth form boys in the house almost all - the duties of a footman or a waiter at an inn. The burden of this - kind of servitude of course depended, in the first place, on the - temper of one's master, and then on the comparative number of upper - and lower boys in a house. During the time I had to fag at Mr. - ***'s, but especially in the latter part of it, the number of fags - was dismally small, and sometimes heavy was my yoke. - - "But it is not this which gives to my recollection of that period of - my life its peculiar sadness. I might have made a merry life in the - midst of it, like that of many another school-boy, and I was merry - sometimes, but I had known better things. I had once learnt to hate - wickedness, and I never could find myself at ease in the midst of - it, though I had not strength to resist it openly. The first evening - that I arrived at this new tutor's house, I was cordially received - to mess with the set of three or four lower boys who were there. - These were quiet, good-natured boys; but, to be one with them, it - was soon evident that the sweet practices of devotion must be given - up, and other rules followed from those I knew to be right. I was - taken by them on expeditions of boyish depredation and pilfering. I - had never been tempted or invited before to anything like this, and - {14} it was misery to me, on account of my natural want of courage - as well as my tender conscience, to join such enterprises. Yet I - dared not boldly declare my resolution to commit no sin, and I made - a trial now of that which has been so often tried, and what has - often led to fatal confusion--to satisfy the world without - altogether breaking with God. One day we went to pick up walnuts in - a park near Eton; another day to steal beans or turnips, or the - like, from fields or gardens; then, more bold, to take ducks and - chickens from farmyards. It is a common idea that this kind of - school-boys' theft is not indeed a sin. At Eton it certainly was not - so considered. A boy who stole money from another boy was disgraced, - and branded as a wretch almost beyond forgiveness, whereas for - stealing his school-books, he would not be blamed; and for robbing - orchards or farmyards he would be honoured and extolled, and so much - the more if, in doing it, one or two or three together had violently - beaten the farmer's boy, or even himself. But where is the reason - for this distinction? The Word of God and a simple conscience - certainly teach no such difference. At any rate, I know, to my - sorrow, that the beginning of my fall from all that was good, was by - being led to countenance and bear a part, though sorely against my - better will, in such work as this. - - "This was not the worst misery. My ignorance in the mysteries of - iniquity was soon apparent. However much I strove to keep my - countenance firm, I could not hear immodesties without blushing. I - was, on this account, a choice object of the fun of some of the - boys, who took delight in forcing me to hear instructions in - iniquity. One evening after another, I well remember, the quarters - would be invaded where I and my companions were established; all our - little employments would be interrupted, our rooms filled with dirt, - our beds, perhaps, tossed about, and a noisy row kept up for hours, - of which sometimes one, and sometimes another of our set was the - principal butt. I was set up as a choice object, of course, on - account of my simplicity and inexperience in their ways, so that - some of the partners of these plagues with me would blame me for - being so silly {15} as to pretend ignorance of what their foul - expressions meant; for they could not believe it possible that I - should really be so simple as not to understand them. I maintained - for some time a weak conflict in my soul against all this flood of - evil. For a little time I found one short space of comfort through - the day, when at length, after an evening thus spent, I got to bed, - and in secret wept and prayed myself to sleep; but the trial was too - strong and too often repeated. I had no kind friend to speak to. - - "Mr. Godley still lived at the Wharf, and though he seemed to think - it right not to press himself upon me, he asked me to come and dine - when I pleased. Two or three times I went to dine with him, and - these were my last really happy days, when for an hour or two I - could give my mind liberty to feel at ease, and recollect my former - feelings in this kindly company. But I could not, I dared not, tell - him all I was now exposed to, and so I was left to stand my ground - alone. Had any one then told me that by myself I must not hope to - resist temptation, and rightly directed me how to call on God for - help, I have since thought I might have stood it; but I had not yet - known the force of temptation, nor learnt by experience the power of - God to support the weak. My weakness I now felt by clear experience, - and after a short conflict,--for this battle was soon gained by the - great enemy who was so strong in the field against me,--I remember - well the conclusion striking my mind, that the work of resistance - was useless, and that I must give up. Where were you, O my God, - might I now exclaim, to leave me thus alone and unprotected on such - a boisterous sea? Ah! my Lord, I have never found fault with thy - divine appointments in thus permitting me to fall. Only I say, as - before, give me grace now fully to recover what I lost; and I will - ever bless thee for allowing me to have known so much evil, if it be - but that I may warn others, - - "It might be, perhaps, ten days after my arrival at Mr. ***'s, when - I gave up all attempt to pray; and I think I did not say one word of - prayer for the two years and more that I afterwards continued there. - I remember {16} once being by, when one of the most rude and hard of - my tormentors was dressing himself, and, to my surprise, turned to - me, and, with his usual civility, said some such word as, 'Now hold - your jaw;' and then, down on his knees near the bed, and his face - between his hands, said his prayers. I then saw for a moment to what - I had fallen, when even this fellow had more religion than unhappy I - had retained; but I had no grain of strength now left to rise. One - would think that in the holidays my change would have been - discovered; for I imagine that I never knelt down even at home - except in the church. But, alas! little did my family suspect what a - place was Eton; or, at least, if a suspicion comes across parents' - minds of what their children are exposed to in public schools, they - generally persuade themselves that this must be endured for a - necessary good, which is, to make them learn to know the world. - - "When I had ceased attempting to maintain my pious feelings, the - best consolation I had was in the company of a few boys of a spirit - congenial to what mine was now become. All the time that I remained - at Eton I never learnt to take pleasure in the manly, active games - for which it is so famous. It is not that I was without some natural - talent for such things. I have since had my time of most ardent - attachment to cricket, to tennis, shooting, hunting, and all active - exercises: but my spirit was bent down at Eton; and among the boys - who led the way in all manly pursuits, I was always shy and - miserable, which was partly a cause and partly an effect of my being - looked down upon by them. My pleasure there was in being with a few - boys, like myself, without spirit for these things, retired apart - from the sight of others, amusing ourselves with making arbours, - catching little fishes in the streams; and many were the hours I - wasted in such childish things when I was grown far too old for - them. - - "Oh! the happiness of a Catholic child, whose inmost soul is known - to one whom God has charged with his salvation. Supposing I had been - a Catholic child in such a situation--if such a supposition be - possible--the pious feelings with which God inspired me, would have - been under {17} the guidance of a tender spiritual Father, who would - have supplied exactly what I needed when about to fall under that - sense of unassisted weakness which I have described. He would have - taught me how to be innocent and firm in the midst of all my trials, - which would then have tended to exalt, instead of suppressing, my - character. I would have kept my character not only clear in the - sight of God, but honourable among my fellows, who soon would have - given up their persecution when they found me steadfast; and I might - have brought with me in the path of peace and justice many whom I - followed in the dark ways of sin. But it is in vain to calculate on - what I might have been had I been then a Catholic. God be praised, - my losses I may yet recover, and perhaps even reap advantages from - them." - -{18} - -CHAPTER IV. -Private Tuition Under Mr. Blomfield. - - - "Had the public masters of the school been attentive to the - advancement of the scholars in learning while negligent of their - morals, and had I been making progress in my studies while losing my - innocence, I might have continued longer in that place; for I did - not fall into gross, outward, vicious habits, and it is possible - that no difference was perceived in my behaviour at home. But I - suppose my father saw a wide difference between the care which Mr. - Godley bestowed on me and that which boys in the public tutors' - houses could receive. I know not exactly the reasons that led to the - change; but, in the Christmas holidays at the end of the year 1813, - Mr. Blomfield was invited to Althorp, and he was pointed out to me - as my intended future tutor. Many of my readers will know at once - that he is now'[Footnote 1] the Protestant Bishop of London. My - father had presented him somewhat before this period with the - rectory of Dunton, in Buckinghamshire, having been led to do so by - the distinguished character which he heard of him from Cambridge for - he did not personally know him when he offered him this piece of - preferment. From the time that I made his acquaintance, and received - some directions from him for private reading at Eton during the - remaining time of my stay there, I began to take some more decided - interest than I had yet done in advancing myself in literary - knowledge. This, as well as my growing older and more independent of - other boys, and falling in {19} with more sensible companions, gave - to my mind a more satisfactory turn during my last year at Eton. - There was no return, though, to religion whilst I remained there, - nor was there likely to be; and so, most blessed was the change for - me when, before Christmas 1814, I left Mr. ***'s, and, after - remaining at home for about three months in company with my brother - Frederick, returned for the first time from sea, I went to Mr. - Blomfield's in March, 1815. I staid there till near the time of my - first going to Cambridge, which was in the summer of 1817. - Simplicity and purity of mind, alas! are not regained with the - readiness with which they are lost: the falling into bad company and - consenting to it will utterly ruin all innocence. The removal of - occasions may prevent the growth of evil habits and the farther - increase of corruption; but this alone will not restore that blessed - ignorance of evil which was no longer mine. My residence with - Blomfield was, however, the means to me of great good. Here I was - confirmed in that love for study and knowledge of which I have - already noticed the commencement. He had himself, as is well known, - though still young, gained a reputation for classical learning among - the scholars of England and the Continent; and his example and - conversations inspired me with desires for the like distinctions, to - which he gave all possible encouragement. This I reckon to have been - a considerable advantage to my religious welfare; for, although the - motive I set before me was merely worldly, and the subjects which I - studied had little of a good and much of a bad tendency, as must - needs be the case with pagan literature, yet, by gaining a habit for - study, I was directed in a line widely distinct from the most - vicious of the society through which I was afterwards to pass; and, - by being a reading man at Cambridge, I was saved from much - perversion." - - [Footnote 1: This was written in 1836. See Preface. - Dr. Blomfield died in 1857.] - -We shall be pardoned for interrupting the course of this interesting -narrative, by inserting an anecdote, which shows how unchanged was his -opinion on the merits of pagan literature. In a conversation with his -religious companions, shortly before he died, he happened to say -something about the discoveries of Cardinal Mai among the Bobbio {20} -manuscripts. Some one remarked that it was nothing less than Vandalism -for the old monks to erase one of the classic authors, and write some -crude chronicle or other over it. "Well," replied Father Ignatius, "I -suppose the monks had as much respect for Virgil and Ovid as the -angels have." - -To resume. - - "But what was of the chief importance to me at this time was, being - in a house and with company, where, if subjects of religion were not - so much put before me as with Mr. Godley, and if I was not - constantly exhorted and encouraged in simple piety, I and my fellow - pupils felt that no word of immorality would have been anywise - tolerated. Prayers were daily read in the family, the service of the - Church was performed with zeal and regularity, the Sunday was - strictly observed, and a prominent part of our instruction was on - matters of religion. It was also to me an invaluable benefit, that - the companion with whom I was principally associated, during the - chief part of my time at Dunton, was one who, like me, after a - careful education at home, where he had imbibed religious feelings, - had gone through the corruptions of another public school, but was - now, like me, happy to find himself in purer air. - - "With him I was confirmed at Easter, 1816, by Dr. Howley, then - Protestant Bishop of London, now Archbishop of Canterbury. It was an - incalculable blessing to me, slave as I was to false shame, and - cowardly as I was to resist against bold iniquity, that I now had - had a period granted me, as it were, to breathe and gain a little - vigour again, before the second cruel and more ruinous devastation - which my poor heart was shortly to undergo. I prepared seriously for - my confirmation, and for receiving the Sacrament from time to time, - and recovered much of my former good practices of private devotion. - I remember especially to have procured once more a manual of - prayers, and during the last months of my stay at Dunton I spent a - long time in self-examination by the table of sins in that book, - somewhat similar to our Catholic preparation for confession. But, - alas! I could go no further than the preparation. Oh! the great - enemy of our souls knew well what he was {21} doing in abolishing - confession. As before, when I first lost my innocence and piety at - Eton, confession would, I am convinced, have preserved me from that - fall; so now that I was almost recovering from the fall, if I had - had the ear of a spiritual father to whom I might with confidence - have discovered the wounds of my poor soul, he would have assisted - me utterly to extirpate the remains of those evil habits of my - heart. He would have shown me what I knew so imperfectly, the - horrible danger of the state in which I had been so near eternal - damnation; he would have made me feel that holy shame for my sins, - which would have overcome that false earthly shame by which I still - was ready to be mastered; and he would, in short, have poured in - that balm and oil which the ministers of God possess, to heal, and - strengthen, and comfort me for my future trials, so that I might - have stood firm against my enemies. But it pleased Thee, O my God, - that once more, by such sad experience, I should have occasion to - learn the value of that holy discipline of penance, the power and - admirable virtue of the divine sacraments, with the dispensation of - which Thou hast now entrusted me, that I may be a more wise and - tender father to Thy little ones whom Thou committest to my care." - -{22} - -CHAPTER V. -He Goes To Cambridge. - - -Young Spencer went with Mr. Blomfield to Cambridge in the spring of -1817, and was entered fellow commoner of Trinity. He returned, -immediately after being matriculated, to his family, and spent the -summer in cricketing and sea-bathing, in Ryde, Isle of Wight, and -hunting or shooting at Althorp. On Saturday, October 18th, he came to -London with his parents. He and his brother Frederick went about -shopping, to procure their several outfits for the University and the -sea. On the morning of the 21st October, he set out from his father's -house to Holborn, to catch the seven o'clock fly for Cambridge. This -vehicle, which has been so long superseded by the Eastern Counties -Railway, was filled with passengers before the Spencer carriage -arrived. He then took a post chaise at ten o'clock, and arrived in -Cambridge a little before six in the evening. All that remained of -that day, and the greater part of the next, was spent in getting his -rooms furnished, hiring his servant, making a few acquaintances, -meeting those he knew before, and the other employments of a freshman. -His tutor in classics was Mr. Evans, who long continued in the same -capacity at Cambridge, and had the reputation of being a most upright -man. For mathematics he had a Mr. Peacock, who afterwards became Dean -of Ely, and restored the cathedral there. He fell into good hands, -seemingly, as far as his studies were concerned. He does not seem to -have been less fortunate in the choice of his companions. He is very -slow in making friends; one he does not like for being "too much of -the fine gentleman;" another invites him, and he remarks: "I suppose I -must ask him to dinner or something {23} else; but I should not wish -to continue acquaintance with him, for though he is good-natured, he -is likely to be in a bad set." He also goes regularly to visit Mr. -Blomfield, who resided in Hildersham, and advises with him about his -proceedings. He also avoids needless waste of time, and says in his -journal: "They all played whist, in their turns, but Bridgman and -myself; which I am glad I did not, for I like it so well that I should -play at it too much if I once began." Besides these precautions, and a -feeling of indignation that bursts out now and again when he has to -note a misdemeanour in his associates, he reads seven hours a day on -an average. These conclusions are collected from the notes of a -journal he wrote at the time; they mark a very auspicious beginning; -and, being clear facts, will serve as a kind of glass through which -one may read the following from his autobiography. - - "My intentions were now well directed (on entering Cambridge). I - began well, and for a time did not give way to the detestable - fashions of the place, and was not much ashamed in the presence of - the profligate. I was very happy likewise. I found myself now for - the first time emerged from the condition of a boy. I was treated - with respect and kindness by the tutors and fellows of the college; - my company was always sought, and I was made much of by what was - supposed to be the best--that is, the most well-bred and - fashionable, set in the University. I had all the health and high - spirits of my age, and I now enjoyed manly amusements, being set - free from the cowardly feeling of inferiority which I had to oppress - me at Eton. My first term at Cambridge--that is, the two months that - passed before the first Christmas vacation after my going there-- - was, as I thought, the happiest time I had yet known. I find it - difficult, however, now to understand that happiness, and still more - to understand the religious principle which had more or less some - influence over me, when I remember one circumstance which by itself - proves my religion to have been absolutely nugatory, and which, I - remember well, most grievously spoiled my happiness. As to my - religion, I do not remember that at that time I said any private - prayer. {24} I suppose I must have discontinued it when I left Mr. - Blomfield's, or soon after. Yet I had a sort of principle which - guarded me from joining in the profane contempt of God's worship - which prevails generally in the College chapels at Cambridge, and - for a long time from consenting to the practice of open - immoralities, or even pretending to approve them, though almost all - the young men whom I knew at Cambridge either notoriously followed - or at least sanctioned them." - -He alludes to "one circumstance" in the last extract as being a test -of his depth in religious matters, which it will be interesting to -have in his own words. It occurred before his entering Cambridge; but -as it considerably influenced his feelings during his stay there, it -may as well find its place here. - - "The circumstance to which I allude was something of an affair of - honour, as the world blindly calls it, into which I got engaged, and - which had so important an influence upon my religious feelings for - about two years that I will here particularly relate the - circumstances of it. In the last summer vacation, before my going to - Cambridge, I attended, with my father, the Northampton races, in our - way from the Isle of Wight to visit my brother at his place in - Nottinghamshire. I had begun, at that time, to be extremely fond of - dancing, as well as cricket, shooting, and the like amusements. At - this race ball at Northampton, I enjoyed myself to the full; but, - unwittingly, laid the foundation for sorrow on the next day. - Fancying myself a sort of leader of the gaiety, in a set which - seemed to be the most fashionable and smart of the evening, I must - needs be making up parties for select dances; which proceeding was, - of course, taken by others as intruding on the liberties of a public - entertainment; and it happened that, without knowing it, I barred - out from one quadrille which I helped in forming, the sister of a - young gentleman of name and fortune in the county. I was in the mean - time making up a party for a match at cricket on the racecourse for - the next day, and this gentleman was one of my chief helpmates. The - next day, while busy in collecting our cricketers to go {25} to the - ground, I met him in the street, and he gave me the hard cut. I knew - not what it meant, and simply let it pass; but on the morning after, - I was surprised at receiving a letter from him to tell me what was - my offence: it ended with the words (which are deeply enough - impressed on my memory not yet to be forgotten), 'If I did not look - upon you as a mere boy, I should call you in a more serious manner - to account for your rudeness.' He then told me where he might be - found the following day. Without much reflecting on this unpleasant - communication, I showed it to my father, who was near me, with - several other gentlemen of the county, when I received it. He asked - me whether I had meant any rudeness, and when I told him I had not, - he bid me write an apology, and particularly charged me not to - notice the concluding taunt. He afterwards mentioned it to two - others of these gentlemen, who both agreed that I had done right in - sending such an answer. But soon after my mind fell into such a - torment as I had never yet known. The answer was certainly right - according to Christian rules, and I suppose the laws of honour would - not have required more; but, at the time, I know not whether it - would not be esteemed in his mind and that of the friends whom he - might consult, to be too gentle for a man of courage. A most - agonizing dilemma I was now in, neither side of which I could - endure. On the one hand, I could not bear to look on death, and - standing to be shot at was what nothing but a fit of desperation - could bring me to. On the other, that awful tyrant, the world, now, - as it were, put forth his hand and claimed me for his own. To lose - my character for courage, and be branded as a coward, was what I - could not anyways endure. I went with my father in the carriage to - sleep at Loughborough; and when, at the inn, I retired from him to - my bedroom, the tumult of my mind was at its height. I had all but - determined to set off and go that very night to the place assigned - me by this gentleman, who by one disdainful expression had now - mysteriously become, as it appeared, the master of my doom; and, - renewing the quarrel, take my chance of the consequence. But again, - I saw this would {26} not save my honour, if it were already - compromised. It was clear that a change of mind like that would - hardly satisfy the world, which does not forgive a breach of its - awful laws on such easy terms. I finally slept off my trouble for - the present; but my soul remained oppressed with a new load, which - almost made me weary of my life. I remained convinced that I had not - reached the standard of courage in this affair; and I felt, - therefore, that it depended on the good-nature of this gentleman - whether my character should be exposed or not. He did not reply to - my letter of explanation. Was he satisfied or not? During my first - term at Cambridge he was expected there, and I was even invited to - meet him at a wine party, as one who was known to be one of his - neighbours and friends. I dared not show any reluctance to meet him, - lest the whole story should be known at Cambridge; and if I did meet - him, was he again to treat me with disdain? If he did, how should I - avoid a duel? I knew that having anything to do with a duel was - expulsion by the laws of the University; but if I, coward as I was, - had not yet made up my mind, as I had, that I must run the chance of - his shot, if he chose still to resent the affront, no wonder, if the - spoiling of my prospects in life, by expulsion from Cambridge, was - not much regarded. The present distress was evaded by his not - coming, as was expected. After this I desired one person who knew - him as a friend, and to whom alone I had explained my case, to write - and ask whether my apology had appeared to him sufficient. The - answer to this was an assurance that the thing had been no more - thought of; but it was two years before I met him in person, and by - his courteous manner was finally satisfied that all was right - between us. I might think it impossible that the great question - could be overlooked by men, what is to become of them in eternity, - if I had not had the experience of my own feelings in such an - occasion as this. In that memorable evening at Loughborough, I did - not indeed altogether overlook the moral question--Is a duel wrong? - I had made the most of what I had heard said in palliation of it by - some moralists; I could not find any ground, however, to think it - right before {27} God; yet the thought of having, perhaps before the - next day was past, to answer in the presence of God for having - thrown away my life in it, was not the consideration which deterred - me from the rash resolution. Now, how stands the world in England on - this question? It is clear that a Catholic, whether ecclesiastic or - layman, has no choice. He must either utterly renounce his religion - or duelling. A maintenance of the abominable practice by which - duelling is justified would deprive him of communion with the - Church. But how stand Protestants? The clergy are exempted from this - law by the world. But how many Protestant laymen are there of the - rank of gentlemen who dare to proclaim that they detest duelling, - and that they would sooner bear the disgrace of refusing a challenge - than offend God by accepting it, or run the risk of offending God? - for I suppose the greater part would try an argument to prove that - it may be excusable. The clergy generally, I believe, reckon it - decidedly a wicked worldly law, yet they receive laymen to communion - without insisting on this enormous evil being first abjured. I do - not, however, here propose a further discussion of the question - generally. To this law of the world, miserably as it tormented me - for a time, I believe I am indebted spiritually more than can well - be understood: at least to the misery which it occasioned me. I have - heard it related of blessed (now Saint) Alphonsus Maria di Liguori - that he owed his being led to bid adieu to the world and choosing - God for the portion of his inheritance, to making a blunder in - pleading a cause as an advocate. Having till that time set his - happiness on his worldly reputation for talent, he then clearly saw - how vain, were the promises of the world, and once for all he gave - it up. I knew not, alas! whither nor how to turn for more solid - consolation, and thus the spoiling of my happiness, which had - resulted from a mistake in a ball-room, did not teach me to be wise; - but it contributed materially, and most blessedly, to poison my - happiness at this time. Yet, in a general way, I went on gaily and - pleasantly enough, for serious reflections, on whatever subject it - might be, had no long continuance." - -{28} - -CHAPTER VI. -His First Year in Cambridge. - - -What strikes a Catholic as the most singular feature in Protestant -education is the want of special training for the clergyman. A dozen -young men go to the University for a dozen different purposes, and -there is the same rule, the same studies, the same moral discipline -for all. Such, at least, was the rule in the days of Mr. Spencer's -college life. It seems extraordinary to the Catholic student, who has -to learn Latin and Greek only as subsidiary instruments to his higher -studies; who has to read two years philosophy and four years theology, -and pass severe examinations nine or ten different times in each, -besides a general one in all, before he can be qualified to receive -the priesthood. The clerical training with us is as different from -that through which young Spencer had to pass as one thing can be from -another. - -His life for the first year may be very briefly told. He hears from -Mr. Blomfield that he is to attend divinity lectures, and he forthwith -begins. He is advised by a Professor Monk, afterwards Protestant -Bishop of Gloucester, to stand for a scholarship, and he does so after -getting Blomfield's consent. This makes him study very hard for some -time, and though he did not succeed, the taste he had acquired by the -preparation did not leave him till the end of the year, when he came -out in the first class, having left his competitors, with one -exception, far behind. He also spends some hours every day in athletic -exercises, is very fond of riding, goes now and again to London and -Althorp to amuse himself with attending the theatres, dining out, -shooting partridge, and playing at Pope Joan. He relaxes {29} in his -determination to avoid whist, and indulges so far that he puts a note -of exclamation in his journal at having returned to his chambers one -night without having had a game. This seems to be the regular course -of his life at Cambridge, a course edifying indeed, if compared with -the lives of his companions. He says:-- - - "I have observed before that the example and conversation of Mr. - Blomfield, while I remained with him, gave an impulse to my mind - towards the love of literary pursuits. I did not think, however, of - exerting myself particularly in that way till the end of the first - term, when I was persuaded by Mr. Monk, the Greek professor, now - Protestant Bishop of Gloucester, to be a candidate for a university - scholarship. Dr. Monk was four years senior to Mr. Blomfield, and I - understood from him that he had been of great service to him in the - same way, when at college, encouraging his exertions and studies. I - was told that I passed this examination creditably, but I did not - stand so high among the competitors as to make it desirable that I - should repeat the attempt afterwards, and the only honours that I - tried for were confined to Trinity College. I was thus stimulated - during this time to more than common exertions; it gave me a - disposition to study which continued through my time at Cambridge, - and was the only good disposition which was encouraged in me. I have - reason then to remember with gratitude those who helped me in this - way; though it is a lamentable thing that, being there professedly - as a student for the church, in what is the proper seminary for - ecclesiastics of the Church of England, I cannot call to mind one - word of advice given me by anyone among my superiors or companions - to guard me against the terrible dangers with which I was surrounded - of being entirely corrupted, or to dispose me towards some little - care of my spiritual concerns. - - "My studies I followed with great zeal all the time I was at - Cambridge; but, as is generally the case there with those that aim - at places in the public examinations, I managed them without proper - distribution of time. By running through the journal I kept at the - time I find that, when {30} first I began to read hard, I have often - sat without moving from my table and read the clock round, that is, - from three or four in the afternoon to the same hour the next - morning, for the sake of doing what was counted an extraordinary - feat. There is no doubt that reading with regularity a smaller - number of hours every day would be more available for the attainment - of learning than these immoderate surfeits of study, as one may call - them; I only interposed a few days of amusement, when hardly any - work was done. In the long run, such a course as mine could not - answer, for it was sure to hurt the health and prevent the - attainment of the real end of all a young man's studies, which is, - acquiring knowledge to be turned to account in after life. Few young - men at Oxford or Cambridge, I suppose, have wisdom enough to - calculate this in advance. The object which they aim at is present - distinction, and outstripping their fellows in the race for college - prizes; and, as far as my experience goes, a glut of reading, if the - health does but stand it without breaking down, is the way to make - the most of one's chance at a public examination. - - "The time of my being at Cambridge is one so interesting to me in - the recollection, that I cannot satisfy myself, when giving an - account of my progress through life, without dwelling at some length - upon it. My college course was not very long. At the time when I was - at Cambridge, honorary degrees were conferred on the sons of - noblemen at the end of two years' residence, by which they came to - the enjoyment of the rank and all the privileges of a Master of - Arts, which title was not to be attained, in the ordinary course, in - less than six or seven years. And what shortens the college life - much more is the extravagant length of the vacations; so that what - is reckoned one year at Cambridge is not more than five months' - actual residence in the University. Yet this is a most important and - critical period, and the short two years during which I was an - undergraduate at Cambridge were of immense importance in my destiny. - How vast is the good, of which I have learned the loss, but which I - might have gained, had I then known how to direct my views! On the - other hand, how {31} may I bless God for the quantity of evil from - which I have been preserved, and how wonderful has been my - preservation! When I remember how destitute I was of religion at - this time, I must say that I have to wonder rather at my being - preserved from so much evil, than at my having fallen into so much. - And how can I bless God for his exceeding goodness of which I am now - reminded, when I think how, against my own perverse will, against my - foolish, I must say mad wishes, I was prevented by his Providence - from being at this time irrevocably ruined and lost? What can I - return to Him for this blessing? One principal intention in my - present work is to record the sentiments of gratitude, however weak - and most unworthy, with which I at least desire my soul to be - inflamed, and which I hope will engage all the powers of my soul - throughout eternity. Most gladly, if it were for His honour and for - the edification of one soul which by the narrative might reap - instruction, I would enter before all the world into a more detailed - explanation of this my wonderful deliverance; but this I must not - do, for I must not be the means that others, hitherto in the - simplicity of holy ignorance, should be made acquainted with the - dark iniquity of which the knowledge has once infected my own - unhappy understanding. Be this enough to say on this point, which I - was obliged to touch, lest it should seem unreasonable that I should - speak of my case as one of most marvellous and almost unparalleled - mercy, when the circumstances which I may now detail, and what are - generally known among my most intimate companions, do not justify - such feelings in the review of it. - - "By the great mercy of God, I had provided for me a refuge and, as - it were, a breathing time, between Eton and Cambridge. At Mr. - Blomfield's, my progress in evil was checked, and I had time to - prepare myself for the University with good resolutions, though I - knew not what sort of trials I should meet with there, nor had I - learnt how unavailing were my best resolutions to support me, while - yet I had not wholly put my confidence in God's grace. The vacation - which came between my leaving Dunton and going to Cambridge I spent - chiefly in the Isle of Wight, and my {32} soul was almost wholly - occupied that summer about cricket. I never became a great cricketer - myself; I had lost the best time for gaining the art while at Eton; - but, this summer, what perseverance and diligence could do to make - up for lost time, I think I did. Oh! that I might have the same - degree of zeal now in serving the Church of God, and collecting and - instructing a faithful flock, as I then had in seeking out, and - encouraging and giving and procuring instruction for my troop of - cricketers. The occupation of my mind on this subject was enough to - drive away any ardent attention to religion as well as to study. I - may say, in favour of this passion for cricket, that it was one of - the pursuits which I took to at the recommendation of my mother. I - remember generally that when anything in the way of amusement or - serious occupation was suggested to me by her, or anything else but - my own fancy, nothing more was required to make me have a distaste - for it. Otherwise, how many useful accomplishments might I have - gained which would now have been available to the great objects I - have before me. My dear mother wished me to learn fencing when I was - at Eton, and a good deal of time I spent, and a good deal of money - must have been paid by my father to Mr. Angelo, the fencing-master - who came to Eton. It might have been better for me to have gained - perfection in this exercise, by which it is related that St. Francis - of Sales acquired in part that elegance of manner and nobleness of - carriage through which he gained so many souls to Christ. While - other boys made fencing their amusement, I always would have it as a - task, and of course gained nothing by it. At a later period, when we - were at Naples, and I had a weakness in my eyes which made such an - employment suitable, my mother would have had me learn music. She - gave me a guitar, and would have paid for my lessons; but I could - not take to it, and have thus lost the advantage which, since I have - become a Catholic, I should have so much valued of understanding the - science of music, seeing that the trifling knowledge I do possess is - of so much use. There is the apology, then, for my cricket mania; - that she proposed my taking to it in the {33} summer I speak of. I - was surprised to find myself willing to acquiesce in the suggestion. - What I did take to I generally followed excessively, and she did not - calculate on the violence with which I followed up this. I got into - very little bad company by means of this pursuit, and perhaps, on - the whole, I rather gained than lost by it. It was manly and - healthful, and though, when in the heat of it, I thought it almost - impossible I should ever give it up, yet when I took Orders I did - give it up; and if it was in itself of no use, I hope that one - sacrifice, among the many I was obliged to make and, thank God, did - willingly make to more important objects, it was not without value. - Thus much for my cricketing; I mention it here as being the only - distinct cause to which I can attribute my losing before I went to - Cambridge the habits of serious thought and of regular prayer, which - I have observed I regained in a good degree towards the latter part - of my Dunton time. - - "I nevertheless was full of good purposes. I desired and was - resolved to keep myself from giving countenance to immorality as - well as practising it, though after having once given way at Eton, I - hardly ever dared to say a word or even to give a look in - disapproval of whatever might be said or done before me by bold - profligates. I could not bear to appear out of the fashion; so that - when other boys at Eton used to talk of the balls and gay parties - which they had been to in their holidays, I was quite ashamed, when - asked what I had done, to say that I had been to no balls; for to my - mother I am greatly indebted for her wise conduct in this respect, - that she did not, as was done by others, make us men before our - time. So, although I detested and from my heart condemned the - fashionable immoralities of the young men with whom I came to be - associated about the time of my going to Cambridge, I hardly dared - declare my mind, except sometimes, almost in confidence, to one who - seemed to be like myself. Oh! what good might I have done had I then - known the value of God's grace, and, despising the world, boldly - stood up for the cause of virtue, at the same time continuing to be - gay and cheerful with my companions, and taking a leading part {34} - in all innocent and manly diversions, and in the objects of - honourable emulation which were set before me and my fellows. I know - how much I might have done by supporting others, weak like myself, - by acting at this time as I ought to have done, by what I felt - myself on one or two occasions when such support was given me. I - thank God that the memory of my brother Robert, who died in 1830, - commanding the _Madagascar_, near Alexandria, now rises before me to - claim my grateful acknowledgment as having twice given me such help - at a critical time. Never was a man more calculated than he to get - on, as it is said, in the world. He was brave and enterprising, and - skilled in all that might make him distinguished in his profession; - at the same time he was most eager in the pursuit of field sports - and manly amusements; and in society was one of the most agreeable - and popular men of his day. Once I remember complaining to him that - I was ashamed of having nothing to say before some ladies about - balls, when I was about sixteen. 'What a wretched false shame is - that!' said he to me. From that time I became more ashamed of my - shame than I had been before of my want of fashion. More important - yet was the service he did me when he was about to go on one of his - cruises as commander of the _Ganymede_. I was talking with him, the - last evening before he left London, about the Easter before I went - to Cambridge. He knew well what I should be exposed to better than I - did and charged me to take care never to laugh or look pleased when - I was forced to hear immoral conversation. What rare advice was this - from the mouth of a gay, gallant young officer; and if there were - more of his character who were not ashamed to give it to their young - brothers and friends, how many might be saved, who are now lost, - because they do not see one example to show how a manly, fashionable - character can be maintained with strict morality and modesty. These - few words from him were of infinite service to me. They made deep - impression on me at the time I heard them, and the resolution which - I then made continued with me till after I had been some time at - Cambridge, when the battle I had to bear against the universal - fashion {35} of iniquity once more, as formerly, at Eton, proved too - strong for me, and I again gave way. My fall now was gradual. I - began with the resolution to avoid all expenses which would - embarrass me with debts, and to keep from several fashionable - amusements which would engage too much time. For awhile, on this - account, I would not play at cards; but in less than half-a-year - this determination failed, and I wasted many an evening at whist of - my short college life. I soon grew careless, too, about my expenses, - and should have been involved in great embarrassments, had it not - been for my brother's (Lord Althorp's) generosity, who, hearing from - me at the end of my first year that I was in debt, gave me more than - enough to clear it all away; and, thus having enabled me to set my - affairs again in order, was the means of saving me from ever - afterwards going beyond my means extravagantly. I might, however, - have given way in some such resolutions as not playing at cards; I - might have entered into some expenses which I shunned at first, - without losing my peace of mind, and again defiling my conscience, - of which the good condition was partly restored; but these were not - the crying evils of the place. In the set with which I was now - associated in the University, gambling was not at that time much - practised, and not at all insisted on. There were occasional drunken - parties, and it was with difficulty that I kept out of them; but the - system of violently forcing people to drink, as well at the - Universities as throughout genteel society in England, had fallen - off before my time. There were some sets where drinking was - practised at Cambridge much more excessively than in what called - itself the best set of all. I could not help, without offending the - laws of society, being present at a considerable number of dinners - and suppers where men drank immoderately, but I was permitted to - keep myself sober without much difficulty; one or two gave me - countenance thus far, though any intimation of disapproving of what - others did, on religious or moral grounds, I felt would not have - been anyways tolerated; and so I ventured not. Swearing was among - them rather unfashionable than {36} not. Some undergraduates were - notorious for profane and impious language; and this was excused, - and tolerated, and made fun of, but it was not common, and many - among us made no difficulty of condemning it. I therefore never fell - into this habit. The crying, universal, and most frightful evil of - the place was open immorality. There was at Cambridge, in my time, a - religious set, who were sometimes called Simeonites, from Mr. - Simeon, one of the great leaders and promoters of the Evangelical - party in these latter days, who was minister of one of the small - churches in Cambridge, and for many years attracted into his - influence a certain number of young men. Among these open vice was - not countenanced; but not so the set to which I principally - belonged, and these were as distinct as if they had not belonged to - the same University. I was introduced to some few of these, and - rather valued myself on having an acquaintance with them, as well as - with many of the purely reading men; and my fashionable friends did - not altogether object to it, though I was generally a little ashamed - at being seen with any of them, and avoided any frequent intercourse - with them. I have wondered since that, if it were only from mere - curiosity, I should never once have gone to hear Simeon preach, but - so it was. I understood nothing whatever of what is in England - called Evangelical religion. Indeed, I thought nothing of religion; - had I paid any attention to it at this time, I could hardly have - escaped seeing how desperate was the course which I was following, - and I might perhaps have taken a strong resolution, and have joined - the serious party at once; but, very likely, I should have found the - power of fashion at that time too great, and, by knowing more of - religion, should only have made my conscience more guilty; and so I - believe it may be better that none ever spoke to me on the subject - all the time. I repeat it, that in our set, whatever other deviation - from the most established fashion was tolerated, any maintenance of - chastity or modesty was altogether proscribed. It was not long, - then, before I found myself beat out of the position I endeavoured - to maintain. During the first term I stood my ground rather better. - One reason for this was, {37} that among what were called the - freshmen--that is, those who entered with me on my college life, - there were several who were not initiated in vicious practices. - These, remaining for a time more or less in their simplicity, gave - me some countenance in not going at once in the way of the veteran - professors of evil. But as I saw some of them grow by degrees - shameless and bold, and soon beginning to join their older brethren - in upbraiding my weakness and folly for not being like the rest, I - found all my resolution failing, and, alas! many a deliberation did - I take whether I should not at length enter the same way with them. - I was still withheld, though it was not the fear of God which - restrained me. I knew that my entering a course of open profligacy - would not be tolerated by my parents. I had a character for - steadiness among the tutors and fellows of the college, which I was - ashamed to lose; though even before them I found it sometimes to - answer best not to appear different from other young men. Besides, - as I had resisted the first period of attacks, and established among - my companions a kind of character of my own, I felt that even they - would be astonished if I at last declared myself as one of their - sort. I could not bear the thought of their triumph, and the horrid - congratulations with which I should be greeted, if once I was found - going along with them in open feats of iniquity. Oh! how grievous is - the reflection that by such motives as these I was restrained. I was - longing often to be like them. I could not bear the taunts which - were sometimes made at me. Here again some of the old Etonians - perhaps would bring up the remembrance of my ancient propensity to - blush, and would take pleasure in putting me again to confusion. - Occasionally, by strange interpositions of Divine Providence, I was - hindered from accomplishing purposes of evil which I had, in a sort - of desperation, resolved by myself to perpetrate, by way of being - decided one way or other, like a man on the brink of a precipice - determining to throw himself down in order to escape the uneasy - apprehension of his danger. One way or another I was restrained, so - that it has afterwards appeared to me as if I had but barely stopped - short of {38} taking the last decisive steps by which I might be - irrevocably ranked among the reprobate. I never thought at the time - of this danger, otherwise I could hardly have borne my existence; - but, as it was, my mind at times was gloomy and miserable in the - extreme. To make me yet more so, at the end of my first year I began - to be afflicted with bilious attacks, arising, perhaps, from my - imprudent management in regard to study, to diet, and to hours; and - these occasioned exceeding depression of spirits, under which I used - to fancy myself the most unhappy of creatures. I had no knowledge of - the power of religion to set me free, and make me superior to all - external sensible causes of depression, and I knew no better than to - give myself up to my low feelings when they came upon me, till some - distraction removed them, or till the fit passed away of itself. - Many times at Cambridge, in order to hold up my head in a noisy - company after dinner, I drank wine to raise my spirits, though not - to great excess, yet enough to teach me by experience how mistaken - is the calculation of those who, when in sorrow, seek to cheer - themselves in that way, or in any way but by having recourse to God - by prayer and acts of resignation. I remember well once being told - by a good aunt of mine, that it was quite wrong to give way to my - depression, about which I one day complained to her, and that - religion would surely cure it; but the time was not come for me to - understand this truth, and I took no notice of her words. - - "In the meantime I continued zealous about my studies. I did not - stop to ask _cui bono_ was I working in them. Had I seen how utterly - vain was a first-class place or a Trinity prize-book, which I had - set before me as the object of my labours, I should have found but - little consolation and refreshment to my melancholy reflections in - these pursuits. On the contrary, I should only have pined away with - a more complete sense of the truth of the Wise man's sentence which - Almighty God was teaching me in His own way, and in His own good - time: '_Vanity of vanities, and all is vanity_' but to serve Thee - only. I do not mean that if rightly followed, such academical - honours are worth nothing. I wish {39} I had followed them more - prudently and effectually. They were the objects set before me by my - superiors at the time, and I should say to another in my place that - he should do his best to gain the highest place in a spirit of - obedience, and for the honour of God, to whom we owe all the credit - and influence in the world which, by just and honourable exertions, - we can gain. In recollecting, therefore, how I exerted myself, and - succeeded in these attempts, I am dwelling on one of the most happy - points of view which that part of my life suggests to me; for though - I did not do this _as_ I ought, yet I was doing _what_ I ought, and - by doing so was preserved from much evil, and God knows how far the - creditable footing I gained at Cambridge in the studies of the place - may yet be available for a good end." - -It is hard to believe young Spencer was so utterly devoid of religion -as he here describes himself to be; we draw a more favourable -inference from a journal he kept at the time. Noticing the death of -the Princess Charlotte, he says: "It appears to be the greatest -calamity that could have befallen us in public, and it is a deplorable -event in a private point of view. It must be ascribed to the -interposition of Providence, which must have some end in view beyond -our comprehension." He speaks of the death of Mrs. Blomfield thus--"It -is for her a happy event, after a life so well spent as hers has -been." A few pages further on he has these words about the death of -another friend of his. "I was extremely shocked to-day at hearing that -James Hornby died last Friday of apoplexy. It was but a short time -past that I was corresponding with him about the death of Mrs. -Blomfield; and little he or I thought that he would be the next to go. -The last year and a half I stayed at Eton I lived in the greatest -intimacy with him, which had afterwards fallen away a little; but he -was very clever and promising, and I always was fond of him. It must -be a wise dispensation of Providence, and may be intended as a warning -to us, in addition to those we have lately had in the deaths of -Maitland and Dundas. God grant it may be an effectual one!" - -These are not the spontaneous expressions of one altogether {40} a -stranger to piety, though they may very well be put down as the -transient vibration of chords that had long lain still in his heart, -and which these rude shocks must have touched and made audibly heard -once more. This conclusion is more in accordance with other remarks -found scattered here and there in the same journal. He criticises -sermons and seems to like none; he is regular at chapel and puts on -his surplice on the days appointed; but he refuses to take the -sacrament for no conceivable reason but that he does not care about -it, and hears it is administered unbecomingly. He is shrewd and -considerate in his remarks upon persons and things; yet there is -scarcely a line of scandal or uncharitableness in the whole closely -written volume. When he records a drunken fit or a row, he suppresses -the names of the rioters; and if he says a sharp word about a person -in one page, he makes ample amends for it in many pages afterwards; by -showing how mistaken he was at first, and how agreeable it was to him -to change his opinion upon a longer acquaintance. This might not -appear very high praise; but let us take notice of his age and -circumstances, and then perhaps it may have its value. He was a young -man, just turned eighteen; he had been brought up in splendour at -home, and in a poisonous atmosphere at school. That he was not the -vilest of the vile is to be wondered at more than that he preserved as -much goodness as he did. Where is the young man, of even excellent -training, who will be able to contend, unaided and taunted, against a -whole college of the finest youth of any country? His motives may be -beneath a Christian's standard, but the fact that with this weak -armour, the bare shadow of what it might be, he made such noble -resistance and passed almost unscathed through the furnace into which -he was cast, only shows what he would have done had he been imbued -with the teachings of a higher order. The very human respect and -worldly considerations that succeeded in keeping him from vice, -acquire a respectability and a status in the catalogue of -preservatives from the fact of their being successful in his case. His -was a fine mind, and one is moved to tears at seeing this noble -material for sanctity thus tossed {41} about and buffeted by a herd of -capricious companions who could not see its beauty. Let us take up any -young man's journal of his age and read some pages of it, what shall -we find? Jokes played upon green freshmen, tricks for outdoing -proctors, records of follies, or perchance pompous unreality put on to -conceal all these or worse. His diary is the generous utterance of a -noble mind; it is candid, true, conscientious, and puts a failing and -a perfection of the writer side by side. It is no wonder that he was -loved and courted, and that his companions had acquired an esteem for -him in college, which years and toils have not succeeded in lessening. -His keen grief at the deficiencies of his college life only shows to -what height of sanctity he had reached, when what another might boast -of wrung from him these lamentations. - -{42} - -CHAPTER VII. - -Conclusion Of His First Year In Cambridge. - - -The events recorded in his journal at this time could very -conveniently be swelled into chapters, if one had a mind to be -diffuse. To trace the fortunes of the gentlemen he comes in contact -with--Denison, Wodehouse, Carlisle, Hildyard, Brougham, and a host of -others, who afterwards shone in different circles, High Church -controversies, pleadings at the bar, parliamentary debates, and Irish -Lord-lieutenancies,--would form some very interesting episodes. We -should add many titles to the off-handed surnames of the collegian's -journal, and say a few words about how those dignities were procured, -earned, and worn by the possessors. It might be, perhaps, interesting -to some readers to know how many gay young noblemen were enticed into -becoming sons-in-law to some very reverend doctors. All this and more -Mr. Spencer notes down in the journal, but it is not our theme. - - "I have before observed that about my first Christmas I was - encouraged by Mr. Monk and by Mr. Blomfield, who had removed from - Dunton and lived then about ten miles from Cambridge, to undertake a - contest for a University prize; but from this I afterwards drew - back. I followed up then principally the object of getting into the - first class at the Trinity College examinations, which took place at - the end of each year, and which is an honour much esteemed, on - account of that College standing so high in the University, though - of course it is not on a level with the honours gained in - examinations where competitors are admitted from the whole body of - students in the University. It was one object of silly ambition at - Cambridge to do well in the examinations without having appeared to - {43} take much trouble about it. During my second term I fell into - the idea of aiming a little at this, and I went to many more - parties, and took more time for various amusements, particularly - cards, than I allowed myself in the first term. Had I not been - checked for this, I should probably have lost much ground in my - race. But a check did come to me at Easter, when I went to town, and - one evening expressed to my father and mother something of - self-congratulation for having united so much amusement with my - studies. My mother saw the danger I was now falling into, and, as it - seemed to me, with too great severity, for an hour together - represented to me the absurdity of my notions, and upbraided me with - going the way to disappoint all their prospects. I had no thought of - bringing such a reproof upon myself, and went to bed actually crying - with mortification. However, it had its effect, and I was thankful - for it afterwards. The next term, which was the last and critical - one before the examination, I spent in very severe and regular - study, and cared not how some idle ones might derogate from my - success, and comfort themselves for their inferiority by the - thought, that I had read so hard as to take away from my merit. At - length, on the 18th May, 1818, the very day, as I observed, on - which, ten years before, I had gone to Eton, I went into the - examinations in which was to be gained the little share of credit in - this way which was to fall to my lot. They lasted for a week; and, a - day or two after, I received a note from Mr. Amos, now a - distinguished ...... in London, who was one of the examiners, and a - great friend of mine, which filled me with exultation: 'I have the - greatest pleasure in informing you that you are in the first class. - Ollivant is only eight marks above you, and you and he have left all - the rest of the class at a long, very long, distance.' I afterwards - learnt that the highest number of the marks was between 1,600 and - 1,700, and that while Ollivant and I were near together at the head, - the next to me was at the distance of 291. Lord Graham, now Duke of - Montrose, was one of the first class, and if he had read as much as - I did, there is no doubt he would have been before {44} me. I was - told at the same time that I learnt the above-named particulars, as - I find it in my journal, that 'I was best in mathematics, and - Grahame next, although Grahame was first in algebra;' after which I - thus expressed my ambition at the time: 'I hope that Grahame will - not read for next year's examination, and if my eyes last out (for - at that time I was under some apprehension on that point) I may have - a chance of being first then, which would be delightful.' Such is - all earthly ambition, and, as in my case, so always its - effects--disappointment and mortification. Had I offered all my - studies to God, and worked for Him, depending on His help, I should - have done much more. I should have enjoyed my successes more purely, - and should have been guarded from all disappointment. The second - year's examination is much more confined to mathematics than to - classics, and had I been wise and regular and well-disciplined in my - mind, I might have gained that _first_ place which I was aiming at, - for Grahame did not read for it. As it was, Ollivant, who was some - way behind me in the first year, got up his ground, and beat me in - the second year's examination, in which, though I was second again, - I had no remarkable superiority over the one who came next to me." - -Spencer formed the acquaintance of Sir Thomas Fremantle while they -were both at Dunton under the charge of Mr. Blomfield. Fremantle went -to Oxford and he to Cambridge, but they continued the intimacy, begun -here, to which Spencer pays cordial tributes of unfeigned gratitude. -Sir Thomas was a welcome guest at Althorp; he and George used to spur -each other on to renewed exertions in the pursuit of literary honours. -Spencer formed a plan for the long vacation, and went, on March 25, to -Oxford, to lay the subject before Fremantle; it was, that they should -go somewhere and read together. Spencer got into the coach in London, -and arrived in Oxford at twelve at night. He lionised the place next -day, was introduced to different celebrities, and dined and "wined" in -the most select companies his friends, Fremantle and Lord Wilton, -could muster for his reception. He lived during the time in the rooms -of a {45} fellow commoner of Oriel. He did not leave a single -department unvisited. He played at tennis with a Mr. Denison; compared -the agreements and disagreements of their ways there with those of -Cambridge; the only thing noteworthy he chose to put down in his -diary, as the result of his comparison, is, that (when he plays cards -in W ***'s rooms, where there are four tables) "they play high, and I -do not like the kind of party so well as those at Cambridge." - -Spencer continued in Cambridge, and read, or idled, as the tone of his -mind directed, until the 31st of July, 1818. This morning he set off, -at half-past five, in the _Rising Sun_, for Birmingham; he falls in -with a brilliant Etonian, who recounts the progress of things at his -old school; and has to sleep in what he calls "the most uncomfortable -and uncivil inn I have ever seen." He sets off on another coach next -morning for Shrewsbury, and finds, to his agreeable surprise, that -Fremantle travelled by the inside of the same vehicle. They both -travel together into Wales, having first procured a supply of candles, -tea, and other commodities for housekeeping, which they did not hope -to find at hand where they were going to. After many long stages, -up-hill and down-hill, among Welsh mountains, and strange -fellow-travellers, they arrive at Towyn, at ten o'clock at night on -the 2nd of August, having been nearly three days performing a journey -which can now be accomplished in a few hours. - -Towyn is a little town in Merionethshire, situated on the sea coast, -on a neck of land formed by a graceful little creek, into which the -River Doluny empties itself, and a kind of sloping arm of the channel. -Here Spencer and Fremantle took up their residence for the long -vacation, in a nice little house for which they paid ten guineas a -month. They had the whole premises to themselves, with a waiting-man -named Davis, and a maid Kitty. Their mode of life was very regular. -They rose early, bathed in the sea, which rolled its waves against -their premises, breakfasted, and studied till two o'clock. It was -customary with them then to go out exploring with dog and gun until -dinner, dine at five, take another stroll, and read again until they -thought it time to take tea, {46} and chat until bed-time. Each in -turn was steward for a week; they purchased their own provisions in -the little town, thus making a regular home there for the term of -their stay. They read pretty well for the first week or two; -afterwards they got so fond of brisk air and the adventures they came -across in their daily walks, that the reading became less agreeable, -and soon irksome. The first adventure recorded in the journal is the -following. They were both returning home after a two hours' vain -pursuit of game, and came across a gouty old gentleman, who asked them -a number of impertinent questions. He then asked them to dine, but -finding out on inquiry that he was "a notorious blackguard," although -great in lands and money, they politely declined his invitation. -Another time they rode a great way up the country and stopped at a -pretty place, which they found, to their chagrin, not to be a fairy -castle exactly, but "a grand shop for gossip, kept by two old ladies, -assisted by a third," at whose qualifications in point of age the -reader is left to make guesses. Another day they went out to shoot, -and met another serious adventure, which is thus noted: "I got an -immense ducking in a black mud ditch, which came up to my middle or -higher, and Fremantle got a wetting too, but not so serious as mine." -Things go on smoothly now for about a week; they receive several -visits from neighbouring gentry, and the way in which the return to -some of them is described gives us a fair specimen of the flow of -spirits Spencer enjoyed at the time. "Saturday, Aug. 15.--We made -ourselves greater bucks than usual to-day, and set off at two to call -on Mr. Scott, near Aberdovey. He takes pupils there. We came home to -dinner at half-past five; and after dinner (still greater bucks) we -went to drink tea at Bodalog, with Mr. and Mrs. Jeffreys, and came -home at half-past ten (14 miles walking)." The next adventure was one -in which they tried their hands at shooting on the river with Mr. -Jeffreys' long gun; whether the weight of the instrument, or an effort -to reach the game that it killed, drew them nearer the water than they -intended, he tells us that they "got quite soused in the water," and -figured at the gentleman's dinner-table in two complete sets of the -apparel of {47} the old man, to the no small amusement of the company. -Nothing remarkable occurred after this to the two friends, except a -trip to Aberystwyth, where they lodged a few days, met a few old -acquaintances, and enjoyed a ball that was given to the ladies and -gentlemen who were there for the season; until the 14th of September. -This day they had a great battle of words with their landlord, who did -not like their leaving him so soon: in this, however, they came off -victorious. They both travel through Wales, visit Snowdon, Carnarvon, -and meet a body of Cambridge men reading with a tutor at Conway. - -September 29th, he took the mail to London, and thus ended his long -vacation. He stays at Wimbledon with his own family until the time for -returning to Cambridge again. He relates in the journal that a man -comes to teach Lady Spencer, his mother, how to bind books. This may -be thought a strange kind of recreation for a lady of high rank; but -it will not when we read that "this was the same person who set off -the fashion of _shoemaking_!" - -He concludes his first year in Cambridge thus:--"This day's journal -completes a year from the time I began to keep my history. It has -indeed been an important year in my life the first in which I have -been my own master, and have, I fear, settled my character with all -its faults. Several things which I have both done and undone I shall -never cease regretting. I have only to _thank God_ that there is no -more reason for regret. With my reading, on the whole, I am as well -satisfied as I ever expected." Two words are underlined in this -extract; they were often on his lips till the day of his death, and -frequently formed the subject of his sermons. If his character had its -faults settled with it in his own estimation, it is pleasing to see -the habit of resignation existing as a virtue in him even at this age. -It was one that was confirmed in him afterwards, to an eminent degree. - -{48} - -CHAPTER VIII. - -Second Year In Cambridge--Takes His Degree. - -During the first term of his second year in Cambridge, his average -hours of reading decreased; yet he had still a taste for study, and -had not yet thrown aside what remained of his former ambition to -distinguish himself. He and the Duke of Montrose declaim on the -respective merits of Charles V. and Francis I.; they tossed up for -sides, and Charles V. fell to Spencer. This keeps him at hard study -for some time; meanwhile he hears Ollivant declaim, and thinks he will -get both prizes. After the declamation, in which he comes off more -creditably than he expected, he has half a hope of a prize, which he -says he should be surprised though delighted to receive. He did get -one, but not so high as he expected. Here and there in his journal at -this time a few expressions of discontent escape from him about -Cambridge; the cause being partially what has been related in the -chapter before last. This had also, conjointly with another -circumstance, the effect of cutting short his University career. He -writes in the autobiography:-- - - "I made some good progress during this year, but I should have done - much more had I been constantly regular. I must have suffered great - loss by my interruptions, as I find by my journal that for about - four weeks at the end of the long vacation, when I had come home and - was taken up with shooting, I did not make one hour's study; and two - more long intervals of cessation from reading took place in the - Christmas and Easter vacations, when a little steady application, if - it were but for three hours a-day, would have kept my mind - attentive, and given me a great advantage. After my first - examination, I entertained some thoughts {49} of waiving my - privilege of taking an honorary degree, and going through the Senate - House examinations with a view to University honours; but I lost all - wish to remain at Cambridge towards the end of the second autumn. I - was at times quite disgusted with the place, for such reasons as I - have stated; besides which, my father and mother had made a plan, - which pleased me greatly, of going for a year on the Continent, in - which I was to accompany them. My brother Frederick, who was come - home about this time, was to be of the party likewise, and happy was - I in the prospect of being again some time in his company; but as an - opportunity occurred for him to go to South America, with Sir Thomas - Hardy, with the hope of being made Commander, this professional - advantage was justly preferred." - -Some of the heads at Cambridge as well as Lady Spencer urged him at -this time to stand for a fellowship, but he gave up the idea, and it -ended in his joining a new club they had formed--the Eton club. These -clubs at the Universities are looked upon with no great favour by -proctors and others who have charge of the morals of the students. -Their dinners entail great expenses on the members, and they end as -the first meeting did in his case: "They all made an enormous row, and -I too, by the bye." He came to spend the Christmas of 1818 at Althorp, -and closes the year with a succession of parties, Pope Joan, and -bookbinding. There is one little incident recorded in his journal at -this time which gives us a perfect insight into his character. One -might expect that at this age, nineteen, he would be very romantic and -dreamy, and that we should find many allusions to those topics which -engross so much of the time of novel-reading youths and maidens -nowadays. Nothing of the sort. There is an affair of the heart, but -his conduct in it, with his remarks on it, are worthy of a -sexagenarian. At a party, which took place at his father's, he dances -with various young ladies, among the rest a certain Miss A., who, he -says, "was a great flame of mine two years ago; she is not so pretty -as I thought her then, but she is a delightful partner. I was again in -love, but not violently to-night." Two or three days after this, he is -at another party, and {50} dances with a new set of partners to the -extent of three quadrilles. Of one of these he thus speaks--"I was -delighted with Miss B., who is a pleasant unaffected girl, and I am -doomed to think of her I suppose for two or three days instead of Miss -A. I was provoked that she would not give me her fan at parting." Was -it not cool and thoughtful of him to mark out the time such a change -of sentiment was likely to last? The next page of the journal brings -the subject before us still more clearly. His mother took him for a -walk around Althorp, and told him that she was planning a house for -the parsonage at Brington: "Which they say is to be mine when I am old -enough; it might be made a most comfortable and even a pretty place, -and if I live to come to it I can figure to myself some happy years -there with a fond partner of my joys, if I can meet with a good one. -'Here then, and with thee, my N.' [Footnote 2] would have been my -language some time ago; but how my opinions even of such important -things change with my increasing years. This thought often occurs to -me, and will I hope prevent me from ever making any engagements which -cannot be broken, in case my fancy should be altered during the time -which must elapse before the completion of them." It will be seen, -further on in the biography, how this affair ended. There is a very -good lesson in what he has left for young men of his age. If reason -were allowed to direct the affections, many would be preserved from -rash steps that embitter their whole lives. It seems amusing to a -Catholic to find the prospects of a clergyman's happiness so very -commonplace; but it will be a relief to learn by-and-by how very -different were his ideas when he became a clergyman, and built and -dwelt in that identical parsonage that now existed only in his own and -his mother's mind. He gets a commission in the Northamptonshire -Yeomanry before returning to Cambridge for Hilary term this year. - - [Footnote 2: A quotation, as the reader may remember, - from _Guy Mannering_.] - -Studies seem to him a necessary evil now, and he writes with a kind of -a sigh of relief when he notes, a few pages on, that he has taken his -last compulsory lesson in Latin. {51} Balls and parties of all kinds -are his rage. George and a friend of his had notice of a ball coming -off in Northampton in a few days, and he heard that his "ladye love" -would be one of the company, so they determined to be there. He writes -letters, gets an invitation for his friend, and makes all the -preparation possible for a week previous. The day comes, it is rainy; -but, no matter, they pack their best suits into trunks, bring the -necessary apparatus for making a good appearance, they search the town -for a conveyance, and at length procure a team for a tandem at -Jordan's. Off they go, eighteen miles the first stage, then eight -more; they bait their horses and dine; off again for full sixteen -miles. He has also to run the risk of a cross-examination from -whatever members of his family he may happen to meet at the ball, and -to answer the difficult question, "What brought you here?" It is -raining in torrents, it is a cold February day; but all difficulties -appear trifles to the two young adventurers as they urge their team -over the hills and plains of Northamptonshire. Even Spencer boasts in -his journal that he is now a first-rate whip. They arrive in high -glee, forgetting their hardships in the glow of anticipation, and are -greeted with the bad news, as they jump from their conveyance, that -the ball has been put off until next month. To make matters worse, the -bearer of these unfavourable tidings assured them that he wrote to -them to give this information, and they had an additional motive to -chagrin in the fact of their having forgotten to ask for their letters -in the hurry and anxiety to come off. He notes in the journal--"Feb. -10. We set off again in our tandem for Cambridge, truly _dimissis -auribus_, but with a resolution to try again on the 5th March." On the -5th of March they faithfully carried out this resolution. The ball -took place, but the ladies they were anxious to meet did not come, so -they only half enjoyed the thing. Spencer took a hack and rode off to -Althorp to make his appearance at his father's. He was very nervous -about the prospect of a meeting with his parents, and having to give -an account of himself. Fortunately the Earl was deep in some measure -for furthering George's happiness, and looked upon his son's {52} -arrival as an auspicious visit. Everything thus passed off smoothly, -and the youngsters arrived in Cambridge with their tandem "without -accidents, but with two or three narrow escapes." His journal here has -few incidents out of the ordinary line of his daily life; he learns to -wrestle with success; so as to bring his antagonist to the ground with -a dilapidation of the _res vestiaria_. He practises a good deal at -jumping, and one day, in clearing a hedge, a bramble caught his foot, -which brought him with violence to the ground; by this mishap his eye -was ornamented with a scar which gave him some trouble afterwards. He -also gets a shying horse to ride: this noble charger had a particular -dislike to carts: he shied at one in the market-place in Cambridge, -and soon left his rider on the flags. Spencer mounted again, but found -on his return, after a good ride, that his toe was sprained, and it -kept him indoors for five or six days. This chapter of accidents was -amply counterbalanced by the agreeable fact that he had just attended -his twenty-fifth divinity lecture, and had obtained the certificate -which was to insure him the imposition of his bishop's hands, whenever -he might think it convenient to put himself to the trouble of going -through the ceremony. His course is now coming to an end; he becomes a -freemason, and rises four degrees in the craft before the end of June. -A bishop visits Trinity College, and standing in solemn grandeur, with -a staff of college officers dressed out in their insignia encircling -him, his lordship delivers a grave expression of his displeasure at -the stupidity some twenty students gave evidence of during their -examination. Spencer comes out in the first class once more; his -brother Frederick is in Cambridge at the time, and as soon as the -result is known they take coach for London. Here they spend their time -agreeably between dining at home and abroad, going to Covent Garden, -and taking sundry lessons from an Italian dancing-master, until July -5th, when George returns to Cambridge to take out his degree. We will -hear himself now giving an account of this great event. - - "My college labours terminated with the end of the second year's - college examination for the classes, which took {53} place on the - 1st of June, 1819. On the 5th of June the result was declared, when, - as I have before said, I was in the first class again, and second to - Ollivant. This was rather a disappointment, and gave me some - reasonable discontent. For the cause of my not being, as I might - have expected, as far above the others as I had been the year - before, I saw clearly was a degree of carelessness in my reading, - especially of one subject that is, the three first sections of - Newton's Principia, which were appointed for the second year's - reading, and for which I had not had a taste as for other parts of - mathematics. However, the time was now past to recover my place, and - soon the importance of this little matter vanished into nothing. I - then went to London till the beginning of July, when I returned to - Cambridge to receive my degree as Master of Arts from the Duke of - Gloucester, who came in person at the commencement of this year to - confer the degrees as Chancellor of the University, and to be - entertained with the best that the colleges could raise to offer him - in the way of feasts and gaieties. My Cambridge cares and troubles - were now well-nigh past, and I enjoyed greatly the position I held - at this commencement as steward of the ball, and a sort of leader of - the gaieties in the presence of the Royal personages, because I was - the first in rank of those who received their honorary degrees. - - "From this time there has been a complete cessation with me of all - mathematical studies, and almost of all my classical, to which I - have hardly ever again referred. For when I again returned to - regular study, I had nothing in my mind but matters of theology. It - was at this time, after leaving Cambridge, when I remained - principally fixed as an inmate in my father's house, till I was - settled in the country as a clergyman, that I was in the character - of what is called a young man about town. It was with my dear - brother Frederick, who was at home at the time, as I before - observed, that I began in earnest to take a share in the enjoyment - of London life. I have seen the dangers, the pleasures, and the - miseries of that career, though all in a mitigated degree, from the - happy circumstance of my not {54} being left alone to find my way - through it, as so many are at the age of which I speak. With many, - no doubt, the life in London is the time for going to the full depth - of all the evil of which Oxford or Cambridge have given the first - relish. My father and mother were not like many aged veterans in - dissipation--whom in the days when the fashionable world was most - accounted of by me, I have looked on with pity--who to the last of - their strength keep up what they can of youth, in pursuing still the - round of the gay parties of one rising generation after another. - They (my parents) hardly ever went into society away from home. They - kept a grand establishment, when in London, at Spencer House, as - well as at Althorp in the winter, when the first society, whether of - the political, or the literary and scientific, were constantly - received. It would, therefore, have been unreasonable in me to be - fond of going out for the sake of society, when, perhaps, none was - to be met with so interesting as that at home; besides this, my - father and mother were fond of being surrounded by their family - circle; and if I or my brothers, when staying with them in London, - went out from home several times in succession, or many times a - week, they would generally express some disappointment or - displeasure; and though I used at the time to be sometimes vexed at - this kind of restraint, as I was at other restraints on what I might - have reckoned the liberty of a young man, I used generally, even - then, to see how preferable my condition was. I now most clearly see - that the feelings of my parents in this matter were most reasonable, - and that it was a great blessing to me that I was situated in such - circumstances. They were desirous that we should see the world, and - when any amusement was going on, or party was to take place, which - she thought really worthy of attention, as not being so frivolous as - the general run of such things, my mother zealously assisted in - procuring us invitations, and providing us with needful dresses; as, - for instance, at this time she gave to my brother Frederick and me - very handsome full-dress uniforms (his being, of course, that of a - naval officer, mine of the Northamptonshire Yeomanry, in which I - then held a commission), {55} that we might appear at balls and - parties where full-dress was required, such as foreign ambassadors - sometimes gave. These were, she thought, really worth going to on - account of extraordinary or remarkable characters who came to them, - whether English or foreigners. Thanks to their regular domestic - habits, and to the strict authority which my mother still kept over - us all, while being at Spencer House, I should have found it almost - as difficult as in a well-regulated college to go into any - extravagant irregularities, and so I was hardly tempted to do so. My - feeling habitually was to try and avoid invitations and engagements - from home, far from seeking them eagerly." - -The incidents we are able to add from his journal during the interval -between leaving Cambridge and going abroad are very meagre, yet, since -they are characteristic of the man's feelings, a few will be inserted. -From the journal: "Tuesday, July 20. We got up and went to a dreadful -formal breakfast at 10½. At one we were dressed, and the company began -to arrive for a public breakfast, to be given to-day to the people of -the county in honour of the marriage of Lord Temple. The collation was -in the greenhouse, and lasted off and on till about 6!" He goes -through the particulars of the entertainment, the quadrilles and -country dances, the partners' perfections, &c., &c.; but when Lady -Buckingham asked himself and his brother to stay a little while -longer, much as they liked it, they would not do so, because their -mother desired them to be home at a certain time. One must admire his -obedience even at the expense of his enjoyment, when he might -calculate upon the implicit consent of his mother to their acceding to -such a request, and from such a quarter. Another thing we gather from -this is, that F. Ignatius, even when a youth, could never bear what -was formal or ultra-refined; he always liked natural ease and -unaffected simplicity. "We find him turn away from a blue-stocking, -and steal three days' thoughts from his "flame" to bestow them on one -more unaffected and simple. The next incident he chooses to record is, -that the clergyman of the church he used to attend had gone to spend -his honeymoon, and that a preacher whom he did not admire took his -pulpit {56} in his absence. There are some partings of friends, and a -great variety of amusements, to fill up the pages for a month or so. -Father Ignatius used to tell a very remarkable anecdote about this -period of his life; he used it to illustrate the sacrifices that -people can willingly make for the law of fashion, and how reluctant -they are to make even the smallest for the love of God. There was a -great ball to be given somewhere in London; it was to be a most -splendid affair, full in all particulars of dress and etiquette, and -one of those that the Countess Spencer thought really worth going to. -A celebrated _coiffeur_ was imported direct from Paris, and he had a -peculiar style of hair-dressing that none of that craft in London -could hope to imitate with success. All the _belles_, marchionesses of -high degree, who intended figuring at the ball, hired the French -_coiffeur_. He accepted all the engagements, but found they were so -many that it would take twenty-four hours' hard work, without a -moment's repose, to satisfy all. He had to begin at three o'clock in -the afternoon of the day preceding the ball, and Father Ignatius knew -one lady who was high upon his list. She had her hair dressed about -four, and, lest it might be disarranged, slept in her arm-chair, with -her neck in stocks, for the night. This lady, be it remembered, was no -foolish young _belle_, but a matron who might have conveniently -introduced her granddaughter to the circle she attended. "These -people," he used to say, "laugh at the folly of St. Peter of Alcantara -and other mortified saints; and we, who aspire to be saints, will -undergo with difficulty what worldlings cheerfully endure for vanity -and folly." He often laughed at this, and often laughed others into -seriousness at his comments on it. - -{57} - -CHAPTER IX. - -Travels On The Continent. - -Spencer's thoughts now seemed perpetually fluttering around the -expectation of going abroad and seeing wonders. This idea comes out at -most unexpected times in the journal, it forms a parenthesis in -everything he considers bearing seriously upon his welfare. At one -time he is disappointed in not having his brother for companion, at -another he hopes his parents will not consider this trip travelling -enough for him; he expects, too, that the parental reins will be -slackened somewhat; and even it crosses his mind, as a kind of remote -probability, that he may perchance be allowed to take a tour by -himself. All that was hopeful in these day-dreams was gratified, and -some of them to an extent that he was very far from imagining at the -time. The great day did arrive at last; the evening before, the -different branches of the family came to dine at Wimbledon, where the -Earl was then staying. They were very serious, as they were going "on -a formidable expedition next morning." In the morning, the different -articles of luggage were sent before them on a van; and, after parting -with Lords Althorp, Lyttelton, and their families, the party started -for the Continent. It consisted of Lord and Lady Spencer in one -carriage, George and the physician in another, and the servants in a -third. They had a courier employed, Luigi Cavani, whose office it was -to ride ahead of the cavalcade, and provide horses and other -necessaries at the next stage. They set sail at Dover at six o'clock -on the evening of the 14th September, and, after what was called a -favourable passage, arrived in Calais the next morning at half-past -seven o'clock. One can leave London Bridge nowadays at the time they -left Dover Harbour, and be in Paris before they landed. {58} He says -in the autobiography: - - "It was on the 15th of September, 1819, that we landed at Calais a - day most interesting to me, as I then considered, because the first - of my setting foot in a foreign land, but much more, I now must - reckon, as being the first on which I trod Catholic ground and - entered a Catholic church." In the journal he says: "Dr. Wilson and - I walked about a little (in Calais) to the market-place and the - church, both which were extraordinary to the greatest degree in my - eyes. Sept. 16. We breakfasted at eight, and then started on our - journey. 1st went my father and mother in their carriage with 4 - horses; 2ndly. Dr. Wilson and I in a hired _calèche_ with two - horses. 3rd. Drewe and the maids, in one with three horses; and - last, the _fourgon_, with 3. This was the order of march. I was - amused extremely by the difference of this and our English posting. - The appearance of the postilions is so new to me, as they crack - their long whips over their heads, and the little horses with their - rope harness look so mean. Luigi rode post to order horses and - manage everything for us, and was always found waiting at every - relay." - -We quote this in full to give an idea of how noblemen travelled in the -not very olden time. If George was much surprised at the church in -Calais, his wonder knew no bounds when he entered the Cathedral in -Amiens, and saw "Mass performed by separate Priests at different -Altars, and people at each." This is a mystery to Protestants who see -Catholic rites for the first time. They are taught to look upon true -worship as consisting in the meaning of some well-written sentences, -pronounced with emphatic unction, and responded to with some degree of -fervour. The service, the fine old psalms, anthems, and collects of -the Prayer-Book, issuing forth in melodious accents from the lips of a -God-fearing man, is about the highest kind of public worship they can -have any notion of. The sermon is first with some, second with others; -but whatever place the peculiar excellence of the preacher, and the -effects of it on a given occasion, may gain in the heart of an -individual, it may be taken for granted that the service comes before -the sermon in the abstract. But service and sermon must be heard, and -{59} listened to, and understood. With this idea in their minds, and -accustomed to see the minister assume a manner and mien calculated to -produce prayerful thoughts in his congregation, they are surprised, if -not shocked, at the Catholic Mass. They find the Priest hurrying off -through Latin prayers, and producing breathless attention by his own -silence; they see him arrayed in unintelligible attire, moving one way -and another, bowing, genuflecting, standing still, or blessing. They -scarcely understand a word or gesture, and feel perfectly sure that -the old woman who beats her breast and counts her beads by the side of -their staring effrontery is as much in the dark as themselves, if not -more. They have seen one evidence more of the humbug of Popery, and -bless God that Cranmer procured them another ritual. It is not our -object to explain Catholic mysteries, but it may be as well to hint -that if a stranger to Jerusalem happened to wander to Calvary on the -great day of the Crucifixion, and believed in the divinity of the -Victim who hung upon the Cross, he would find more devotion in -kneeling in silence at His feet, than in listening to the most -eloquent declamation he could hear about it. Such is the case with the -Catholic now as then; he knows the same Victim is offered up still, -and when the great moment arrives in the middle of the Mass, he would -have everything to be hushed and silent, except the little bell that -gives him notice of the awful moment. A reason why there should be -people at the different altars lies in this: that there is the same -Sacrifice on each, and one may happen to come into the church at a -time when it would be more convenient to hear Mass at some one place -than at another. The course of their journey lay through Paris, which -they entered from St. Denis by Montmartre. They remained some days -there to see Notre Dame, and Paris from its summit, admire the length -of the Louvre, and visit Fontainebleau. In the course they took by -Auxerre, Maison Neuve, Dijon, Poligny, and Morey, in order to cross -Mount Jura and to see Mont Blanc on their way to Switzerland, they -have to endure many privations. The inns are bad, the cooking is -inferior, and they have to undergo discomforts while sleeping in {60} -the _châlets_ of mountaineers, who were not accustomed to have their -quiet invaded by such state visits every day. All this they bore -manfully until they arrived in Geneva, which they find "crammed with -English." It strikes George as extraordinary that the Genevese should -have their shops in the top story of their houses. He misses the -morning service in the Calvinist Church on Sunday; thinks their -afternoon function very like the Scotch, and sensible. He gives vent -to his indignation at finding "a number of blackguard fellows playing -cards and smoking, publicly, at a cafe, whilst there were only twenty -at church." He is disappointed, therefore, at not finding Geneva the -devout, religious place he imagined it to be. He sees a few of the -sights with Dr. Wilson, and they cross the Lago Maggiore in a boat, -whilst the rest of the company go round it by land. They all meet -together in Milan; there they find Lord Lucan. He goes to see the -_Duomo, Brera,_ theatres; and admires the fine streets, shops, &c., -and says the Cathedral is unique. He had the pleasure of meeting the -famous Angelo, afterwards Cardinal, Mai at the Ambrosian Library. He -went to the Cathedral on Saturday to see _Mass performed_, and was -disappointed at not hearing the organ. He had, however, quite enough -of the rite on Sunday, October 17th:-- - - "At 10½ I went to the _Duomo_, and got into a little gallery over - the choir, from whence I saw the ceremonies for the anniversary of - the consecration of the church. There was a procession all round the - building, with incense burning, and with the Priests singing anthems - all the time, and a quantity of _other mummery_, the sight of which - might well have driven Calvin to the extremities which he went to in - the contrary way. The whole service is always in Latin, so that the - people may not reap even the smallest benefit from it." - -We shall give another extract from the journal, as it shows the state -of his mind at the time:-- - - "This day completes the second year of my journal. How quick are - they flown! those two years which are supposed to be the happiest in - life. I think any time in life is happy if one knows the secret of - making {61} it so. I have not learnt it yet, and have had a great - deal of unhappiness since going to College. But for what? Nothing - but my own imagination and weaknesses, for everything which - generally gives happiness I have enjoyed. I have made several - friends, been successful enough in my College studies, and have - never wanted anything; but I have a morbid constitution which makes - me raise phantoms of unhappiness where there is none, and clouds the - fairest scenes with a veil of melancholy. This must be conquered, - somehow or other, or I shall be a creature useless to others and - tormenting to myself." - -He feels much distaste at what he terms the dirty style in which an -Italian gentleman chooses to live, because that gentleman finds -himself quite comfortable without such furniture and appliances as are -deemed essential in England. He happened to be a man fond of books, -and spent his spare time in libraries and academies. - -The travellers leave Milan after a fortnight's stay, and proceed -through Placentia, Parma, Modena, and Bologna. Here the celebrated -Cardinal Mezzofanti called upon them, and Spencer remarks that the -only thing worth seeing, as far as he has gone, in Italy, are churches -and their ornaments. He singled out one of those latter for special -remark, as we find by the following passage:-- - - "Oct. 30. At nine o'clock Dr. Wilson's friend, a lawyer, took him - and me up to a church on the mountain, near the town, famous for a - picture--done, as they say, by St. Luke! There is a fine arcade to - it for 2½ miles, and pilgrims go by this to adore this nonsense!" - -Their next stay is at Florence, where he had the ill-luck of not -providing against mosquitoes, who took the liberty of biting him -heartily the first night he slept there. News reaches him next day -that a great friend of his at Cambridge, a Mr. Gambler, has obtained a -fellowship in Trinity. This makes him merry all the evening. They halt -again for some rest at Perugia. All he says about this classic town -is, "Before breakfast the Doctor and I saw a gallery of frightful old -pictures, and other _maraviglia_ of {62} Perugia, and then set off, -still through mountainous country, to Spoleto. They start for Rome -next day, they see it fifteen miles off, but he does not seem to have -had a single spark of enthusiasm as he looks upon the great mistress -of the world for the first time. Of course Rome, as the capital of -Christendom, was not likely to stir up his best feelings, when we -remember the then frame of his religious mind. At all events, cold and -listless as it might be, he entered Rome on Wednesday, the 10th -November, 1819. The first thing he and his father with the Doctor did -on arriving, was to pay a visit to St. Peter's. "We saw it inside and -out. It was most glorious: but its size from some reason or other -disappoints me, as it does all strangers; it improves upon -acquaintance, I fancy." How like Byron's opinion. "Childe Harold:" -Canto iv. 65:-- - - "Enter: its grandeur overwhelms thee not; - And why? it is not lessened: but thy mind, - Expanded by the Genius of the spot, - Has grown colossal, and can only find - A fit abode wherein appear enshrined - Thy hopes of immortality; and thou - Shalt one day, if found worthy, so defined, - See thy God face to face, as thou dost now - His Holy of Holies, nor be blasted by His brow." - -He visits next the Capitoline, the ancient Forum, and the Coliseum; he -remarks: "this last is quite stupendous, and quite answers my -expectations. I could not yet understand the plan of the staircases -and seats. _The Pope has stuck it all over with little chapels_." He -meets Tom Moore, and spends a day with him and other merry companions -in Tivoli. - -He stayed in Rome this time only a week: for on the 17th November they -all started for Naples. In passing through Terracina he meets what -Catholics will recognize as a _svegliarino_. It is customary, when a -mission is being given in some parts of Italy, for one of the -missioners to go out, accompanied by a bell, and such companions, lay -and clerical, as wish to take part in the ceremony, go {63} around the -village, and preach from a table in three or four different places. -This has a remarkable effect--the listless loungers who prefer basking -in the sun, or swallowing maccaroni, to going to the church for the -sermons, are thus roused so far as to put their heads out of the -window or door and ask what's the matter. By-and-bye the crowd -thickens, one looks inquisitively at the other, and when their -curiosity has been worked upon sufficiently, the missioner gets up, -and in a fiery zealous discourse puts the fear of God into his -hearers. Thousands are brought to repentance by these means every -year. The sermon, of course, is not a polished oration, with points of -rhetoric to suit the laws of criticism. It is rather broken and -inflamed, short and telling sentences, and delivered with all that -unction and impetuosity for which Italians are remarkable; and which -is anything but intelligible to an Englishman, who is accustomed to -the measured discourses of a London Churchman. Accordingly we find -this proceeding thus dotted down in the journal:--"At Terracina we -were very much _amused_ by a procession of penitents with the Bishop -of Terracina, and an extravagant sermon preached by a priest from a -table before the inn." At that time, how little could he foresee that -he should afterwards give such a mission in Italy himself, and -further, to the utmost of his power, with equal zeal, though with more -sedateness, even such an _extravaganza_, as it now appeared to him. -His style of preaching, however, as we shall hereafter see, was never -such as to qualify him for an emphatic _svegliarino_. - -On November 21 they arrive in Naples, not very pleasantly, as Lady -Spencer had suffered from the roughness of the road, and was obliged -to rest a night in Capua, and George was suffering from a soreness in -his eye. These inconveniences were forgotten for a moment on meeting -Lord George Quin and his lady, daughter to Lord Spencer. Young Spencer -was delighted with the children, though they could only speak French -or Italian. The soreness of his eye keeps him at home next day, which -he enjoys as he has full opportunity of chatting with his sister, whom -he {64} seems to have loved very much. He has already alluded to the -plan his mother formed for his learning to play on the guitar; so we -shall not quote any of the handsome greetings which the guitar-master -receives as he comes to inflict the penance of making his pupil tune -the strings of this romantic instrument. - -{65} - -CHAPTER X. - -English Life In Naples. - - -The English who wintered in Naples at the same time with the Spencer -family seemed to have formed, as they generally do, a special caste. -They dined together, drove out together, they laughed at the churches, -and crowded the opera. Their conduct in the latter place did not seem -to be very edifying to the Neapolitans, who, perhaps, may have thought -it was an English custom to see a nobleman "tumbling tipsy one night -into Earl Spencer's box," to the no small disedification of the whole -family, who were models of sobriety and decorum. The English, by -forming their own circles in this exclusive manner, and by their -external deportment on various occasions, keep away the higher and -more pious grades of society in Catholic cities. The scoffers at -monachism and priestly rule are freely admitted within the English -pale, and pay for their hospitality, by catering to the worst -prejudices of their entertainers, and maligning their neighbours. It -is very often a repetition of the fable of the sour grapes. For this -we have ample testimony in the writings of our contemporaries, which -we will strengthen by quoting Father Ignatius's own words a little -later. The better Italians sometimes laugh at all this, so that John -Bull is become a by-word among them for exclusiveness and arrogant, -selfish pride. The blame lies with the English. - -They sometimes found disagreeable incidents from the clashing of -tastes and customs. On the 8th of December they made the round of the -churches, but were sorely piqued that the Neapolitans had too much -respect for our Blessed Lady to open the operas and theatres on the -evening {66} of the Feast of her Immaculate Conception, so they had to -content themselves with whist, and discordant notes from George's -guitar. Another of these crosses occurred a few days after. George -made a lame excursion to Vesuvius, and when groaning from toothache on -his return, heard that the father of his bosom friend, Sir Thomas -Fremantle, senior, was dead. To make matters worse, the remains could -not be interred in a cemetery, and the _Inglesi_ had to pay the last -sad rites to their friend in a private garden. On Christmas Day they -had service at the Consul's, and then they walked about, and had their -whist for the rest of the day. The old year was danced out at a grand -quadrille party, of which more hereafter; and George tells us very -carefully that "a set of us drank in the new year in _diavolone_." How -remarkable, at every turn, and even by such chance and off-hand -expressions, to note the contrast between the George Spencer of that -day and the subject of divine grace he afterwards became! - -It is a relief to begin the new year 1820 with recording an exception -made to the general custom above. George was presented by his father -to King Ferdinand, and all the _nobili Inglesi_ were invited to join -in the festivities with which it was customary to usher in the new -year. For the rest, the evenings and early part of the mornings are -spent in a continual whirl of amusement, and it would require a page -to number up the balls and dances he figured in. He visits also the -Carthusian and Camaldolese monasteries, but makes no comments. He goes -two or three times to see Vesuvius and the crater and the lava, of -which he gives a very nice description; after this he is allowed, by -special favour, to be at the Royal chase: this puts him in great -humour, for, besides the sport it afforded in the way of getting shots -at such choice game as wild boars, it gave him an opportunity of -seeing the "King and all his court, to which nothing can be similar." - -Towards the end of January, Lord and Lady Spencer determined on -returning to England, and offered to leave George to travel through -the sights of Southern Italy. He perceives, in a few days, the tokens -of an inclination in his {67} parents to have his company, and goes -straightway to the Honourable Augustus Barrington, who was to be his -fellow-traveller, and breaks off the plan they had formed. It was only -after very pressing instances from his father and mother that he could -be persuaded to take up the first plan anew. A portion of his -autobiography will throw some light upon many things we have only just -touched upon, and, therefore, it is better to quote it here, though it -might come in more opportunely at the conclusion of his first tour -abroad. - - "It is extraordinary, indeed, that I should have remained a whole - year on the Continent and never once have seriously taken into - consideration the subject of the Catholic religion. Such was the - case; and I returned to England, as far as I can remember, without - one doubt having crossed my mind whether this was the true religion - or not. ... - - And now for a little recollection of the state of my mind during - this period of travelling, and its moral effects upon me. During all - this time I continued, thank God, wholly convinced that a course of - iniquity would not answer; and had I met with any among the young - men, my associates, who would have dared to speak out fully in - favour of morality, I should, I believe, have been ready to agree - with him. But where were such to be found? I had now grown so far - more independent of the world, that I had not open assaults to bear - continually against for not running with the rest. Many of the young - men who maintained their character as free licentious livers, yet - professed some degree of moderation and restraint in their - indulgences. Some I remember, who professed to keep clear of immoral - practices, and no doubt their sincerity in this might be depended - on; for where no credit but dishonour would be the reward of steady - conduct, there was no temptation to pretend to it falsely. But I - remember now but one who dared to allude in my hearing--and that was - but once, I think, in private--to the consequence of this sin in - another world, and to maintain that it was better to avoid it for - fear of punishment hereafter. While, then, I still knew that the way - of evil was all wrong, and would have been most happy if the fashion - of wickedness could have been at {68} an end; and though I never - once, as far as I know, was the first to introduce immodest - conversation, and hardly ever heard it introduced by others without - inward repugnance, and seldom joined in it; yet I never dared - declare how much I hated it, and was still in the most awful and - desperate state of wishing I had been like the worst, sooner than be - thus subject to the torment of being put to shame before bold - profligates. While with my parents, I have before said, I was under - good surveillance, and could not think of being detected by them in - any evil. How shall I ever be thankful enough for all this? My - father's character was such that though many who were often in his - company were men whom I have known, when out of it, to delight in - most abominable things, I knew of none who ever dared in his sight - to do more than covertly allude to them. I was therefore happy in - this respect whenever he was near; but when once more left to - myself, I again returned to those fearful deliberations of which I - have before spoken of, as it were, selling myself, for a time at - least, to work wickedness without restraint. It may be well - conceived how miserably fallen and corrupt must have been my heart - when such purposes were entertained within it; and if, partly - through some remains of the holy impressions of my childhood, which - still operated on my poor, degraded heart as a kind of habit not yet - quite worn off; partly by a sense of the shame and misery I should - have before my family and some more whom I knew in the world, who - would be themselves most afflicted if they heard of my fall from the - good dispositions which they had known in me; partly from a fear of - ridicule, even from the profligate, if, after all, I was to fell; - partly by the wonderful providence of God, which (I acknowledge) - most wisely and most tenderly, yet strongly interposed at times to - baffle the madness of my designs when about to be accomplished--if, - I say, thus I have been in a degree preserved, God knows I have no - credit due to me: God knows that from my heart I take only shame and - confusion of face to myself in the remembrance, of my very - preservation. Towards the latter part of my stay abroad, I began to - be in some way weary of this uncertain state of mind. I {69} was - always expecting to take Orders when I should reach the age; and as - I knew that then I should not be expected by the world to join in - its fashionable vices, and should even suffer in public estimation - if I did, my thoughts began to be rather better directed, and I took - pains from time to time to overcome some of the evil that was in - me." - - "It is wonderful that any good disposition should have lived within - me, when every remembrance of religion seems to have been put out of - my mind. I now could hardly understand how this should have indeed - been the case, if I had not a clear remembrance of certain - circumstances which plainly show what was the state of my mind. On - the 27th January, 1820, I went up Mount Vesuvius with Dr. Wilson, - when, as we were looking into the crater of the volcano, a discharge - of red-hot stones took place. I heard them whistle by me as they - ascended, and though it was of no use to attempt to get out of the - way, I hurried back a few steps by a natural impulse, and - immediately saw a lump of red-hot stuff twice the size of one's head - fall on the spot where I had been standing just before. We - immediately ran down the side of the mountain, and reached a place - about a quarter of a mile distant from the mouth of the crater, from - whence we could see the upper cone of the mountain. Just then a - grand explosion took place, which shook the whole mountain, and a - vast quantity of these masses of fiery red stuff was spouted out - from the crater, which in its return appeared entirely to cover the - whole space over which we had been running five minutes before. Here - was an evident escape which, in a mind possessed with any religion - at all, could not fail of awakening some serious reflections. Alas! - I never thought of the abyss into which I must have fallen had not - the good angel, who watched and guided me through so many perils - which I thought not of, then preserved me. When I came down in the - evening to Naples, the only effect was that I was pleased and vain - at having a good adventure to relate, and showing off a spirit of - bravery and indifference, when some blamed me for my rashness. - - "Another circumstance I may record to show how free from all - religious fear my mind was. I have before noticed {70} the fits of - melancholy which became habitual to me during the last part of my - Cambridge life. These came, I think, to their greatest height in the - last half of the time I spent at Naples. The interesting excitement - of our journey, the company of my sister when I first came to - Naples, and the gaieties of which I had my fill there, and which at - first had all the charm of novelty, kept me from much thought of any - kind, and I enjoyed the balls, the concerts, the grand operas, the - enchanting rides of Naples, for a month or six weeks, almost without - a cloud. At least I used always to count that my brightest period in - the way of enjoyments. Unhappy those who have health and spirits and - talents to enable them to please and be pleased long together in - such a round of vanity! To my great vexation I found myself again - attacked with my old enemy, melancholy; do what I would, I could not - drive away those fits of gloom. They were caused partly by the - effect on my health of too much good living, and bad hours; but the - chief cause was the intrinsic worthlessness of all such pleasure, - which will discover itself sooner or later to every one even of its - most devoted lovers, and which happily showed itself to me sooner - than others. Oh! what frivolous causes did my happiness then seem to - depend on! Not dancing to my satisfaction in one quadrille, fancying - that some of my favourite partners were tired of my conversation, - and that the nonsense of some other silly youth pleased her better, - was enough to turn what I flattered myself was about to be a bright - and pleasant evening into gloom and sadness. Sometimes, without an - assignable cause, my spirits failed, as at others an equally - frivolous reason would remove my clouds and make me bright again; - but gradually the gloomy moods gained ground, and grew more dark and - tedious. I remember comparing notes with another young man, who was - like me a victim of the dumps, and finding some satisfaction in the - sympathy of a fellow-sufferer, who, with a smile at the absurdity of - such feelings, of which he was well sensible while he avowed them, - exactly described to me my state of mind when he said that under - them he fancied himself the most unfortunate of mankind, and would - willingly have {71} changed places with the most despicable and - wretched of men, not to say with any animal almost. Poor blind fools - that we were! We could not between us suggest the way to be happy - which is open to all. - - "I remember well coming home one night from a ball, which, by my - journal, I find to be on the 25th January, when, as I wrote at that - time, I was more miserable than ever I was in that way. I went to - bed, and heard a noise like a creak in the ceiling of my room. I - felt a wish that it would break through and crush me. How I used to - wish at that time I had the sort of bold, firm heart which appeared - through some of the young manly faces which I used daily to meet--to - whom low spirits was a thing unknown. I knew not that I was - quarrelling with the most choice of God's mercies to me, without - which I should probably have been irrevocably lost. I still, to this - day, am used to the visits of my feelings of dejection, but, thank - God, I know better how to receive them; and, far from wishing them - away, I rather fear their departure, and desire they may never leave - me. For if I have within me one bright, heavenly desire, I owe it to - these feelings, which first poisoned my pleasure in the world, and - drew me at length to seek for it elsewhere, and now I wish never to - have peace within my breast while one desire lives there for - anything but God. - - "Yet that thought of wishing even to be crushed, that I might escape - from my miserable feelings, shows how far I was at that time from - knowing how great a cause for sorrow I really had in the state of my - soul--which, if I had known it, must have driven away all imaginary - griefs--nor from what quarter I should seek for happiness; and it is - a wonder that it took so long a time, and so many repetitions of the - same lesson, before I began to correspond with the gracious purpose - of my Heavenly Teacher; of Him who was thus correcting me, that I - might at length love Him, and love Him willingly. How was it that I - could have lived so long without being awakened to one sentiment of - religious fear? ... - - "But now we must return to the Catholic Faith. The main object of - this memoir being to trace the steps of my {72} progress towards - Catholicity, it would be expected that the period of my residence - for a whole year in Catholic countries must be most interesting. - Indeed it is wonderful that this year of my life should have been, - as it appears to me to have been, quite neutral in its effects. I - certainly made no progress towards my present faith. This would not - be extraordinary; for how many Protestants by their travels abroad - not only make no progress towards Catholicity, but are made its - violent enemies. But, undoubtedly, this was the effect produced on - me. It seems that at this time I was under the influence of - altogether other objects and notions from any connected with - religion. What I sought was, first, my own pleasure--next, only - general information; what I was chiefly controlled by was human - respect. Having no care at all about religion in any form, the - question of which was the right form never troubled me, and so the - observations which I could not help making on the Catholic religious - practices which I saw, were very superficial. It might be - interesting to transcribe a few passages from my journal which show - what was my mind. - - "It is remarkable how easily one's mind takes in and rests contented - in the belief of false and prejudicial representations of things. I - never had had much pains taken with me to set me against the - Catholic religion; but though I knew nothing of what it was, I - rested in the conviction that it was full of superstition, and, in - fact, as good as no religion at all. I never opened my mind all the - time I was abroad to the admission of any idea but this; and so I - looked on all the Catholic ceremonies which I saw, in this perverted - light. I did not fall in the way of anyone to set me right; for I - was contented to go on in the stream of the English society with - which almost all the towns in Italy were filled, and if any really - zealous exemplary Catholics are sometimes mingled with them, they do - not find it available or prudent to introduce the mention of - religion; while there will be always some who have no objection to - seek to please them by encouraging their prejudices, which they do - effectually by telling stories--some true, perhaps, some obviously - false--of the Priests and Religious. Such a person, {73} who bore - the title of Abbate, and therefore must have been professedly a true - Catholic, we fell in with at Milan; he assisted my father in his - search after curious books. I remember some of his conversations, - and I find notice in my journal of his dining with us, and being - 'very amusing in some stories about the Catholic processions.' The - impression on my mind was that the whole system of religion which we - saw was mere formality, people being taught to content themselves - with fulfilling some external rules, and the clergy making it their - business to keep them in the dark. I took little notice of religious - matters till we entered Italy. There Milan was the first town we - stopped at. On the Sunday after our arrival was the anniversary of - the consecration of the church. I saw the ceremonies in the - Cathedral, the very place where St. Augustine's heart was moved and - his conversion begun, by hearing the strains of holy music, perhaps - the same which I then heard. But very different was the effect on - me; here are the wise remarks inserted in my journal." [Footnote 3] - - [Footnote 3: The passage is given in page 60.] - -The autobiography breaks off abruptly here; but in order to fit the -remarks to the events which they concern, we have kept one or two -paragraphs in reserve for another place. - -{74} - - -CHAPTER XI - -Continuation Of His Travels. - -After staying about three months in Naples, Spencer sets out with -Barrington, to travel through Sicily, on the 27th February. The voyage -was very smooth until they came to Stromboli, and passed near the cave -of AEolus, who "puffed at them accordingly," and delayed their landing -at Messina until March 2. He goes to a ceremony in the cathedral -there, and says, "the priests seem nourishing and very numerous here." -On his way to Mount Etna he remarks, with a kind of incredulous air, -that he went to see the lions of the five chestnuts and the bridge, -which has the same legend attached to its origin as the Devil's Bridge -in Wales, "dogs being, in both cases, sent over first to pay the -forfeit for having built it." [Footnote 4] - - [Footnote 4: The most circumstantial legend bearing upon the remark - in the text is that about the Bridge of Rimini. Here there was a - fearful rapid, without a stone within the distance of 70 miles that - was available for building purposes. The bridge-builder of the town - may or may not have had the contract; but, at all events, he set - down in a confused state of mind as to how it might be done. The - devil appeared to him and contracted for the building of the bridge - on these easy terms--getting the first that crossed it for his own. - The bargain was struck, and in the twinkling of an eye some - thousands of infernal imps were scampering down the mountains with a - gigantic stone on the shoulder of each. One-third of them were quite - sufficient, and the arch-fiend who presided over the building cried - out, that no more were wanted: when each devil threw down his load - where he happened to be when the master's yell reached his ears. - This is said to account for the rocks one sees strewn about near - this bridge. The bridge itself is a circle, and was built in one - night, and indeed some kind of infernal machine would seem necessary - to remove the blocks of stone of which it is composed. Now came the - trial. The Christian builder of bridges had no fancy for going to - hell, and he was too charitable to send anyone else there. He - bethought him of an expedient, and calling out his dog he took a - small loaf, and threw it across the bridge with all his might. The - dog, of course, ran after it. Whereupon the devil seized him, and in - a rage flung him up to somewhere near the moon, and the dog falling - from this height upon the bridge, made a hole in its only arch which - cannot be filled up to this day. The legend embodies at least a - specimen of the Catholic instinct: viz., the anxiety of the devil - for our destruction, and how all hell thinks it cheap to turn out - for a day's hard labour in the hopes of gaining one single soul.] - -{75} - -He chiefly lodges in convents during his rambles through Sicily, the -inns being so very bad that they drive travellers away. He and his -companion sleep in different convents, and are very well treated; but -that scarcely evokes a word of thanks. Poor monks! they have a bad -name in Protestant nations, and what would be praiseworthy in others -is only an equivocal quality in them. This is very sad; that men who -have bid farewell to the world should, on that very account, be -considered hardly entitled to the bare rights of human beings. Yet go -on, poor souls, in your vocation; your Master before you received the -same treatment from the world, and you are not greater than He. -Spencer meets one or two monks whom he likes pretty well--one was the -superior of the Carmelites at Grirgenti. The rest he calls "stupid -friars," "lazy monks," and so forth, according to the tone of mind he -happens to be in. In one monastery they shut the door of the room -allowed them in the face of one of the brethren, because, forsooth, -they were "bored by visits from the monks." His journey does not -always lie through convents, and he meets others who are not monks; -one of these was a wine-merchant at Marsala, a native of England. It -seems the pair of tourists were received as handsomely by their -countryman as they had been by the "stupid friars," for he is thus -described in the journal: "He seems to think himself commissioned to -keep up the English character in a strange land, for he is a John Bull -in caricature in his manner." We are also told, a little lower down, -that he is very hospitable to all English who pass by that way. They -had the novelty of seeing an {76} Italian Good Friday in Marsala; the -impression is thus noted: - - "Friday, Mar. 31.--This was Good Friday. The first, and I hope the - last, I shall spend without going to church; not that I should not - like to be abroad another year. We were reminded of the day by - quantities of groups representing the Passion and Crucifixion, - almost as large as life, carried about on men's shoulders, which, - absurd as they are, seemed to make an impression on the populace. - Men dressed in black accompanied them, with crowns of thorns and - crosses. It strikes me as direct idolatry, nearly. The gentry were - all in mourning, and the sentinels had their muskets with the - muzzles inverted. We all three (Sir H. Willoughby accompanied - Barrington and Spencer) took a walk up to the top of Monte di - Trapani, the ancient Eryx, where is a town of the same name. We - examined what was to be seen there, and came down again to dinner. - We dined at 6½, and had _some meat_, which we have not been able to - get for some days, it being Passion Week." He spent Easter Sunday in - Palermo, and here are his comments on its observance: - - "Sunday, April 2, Easter-day.--We set off from Ahamo about 7¼. I - walked on for an hour, and then rode forward all the way to - Monreale, where I stopped an hour till the others came up. We then - proceeded together to Palermo. In the villages we passed, the people - were all out in their best clothes, which was a very pretty sight. - Bells were clattering everywhere, and _feux de joie_ were fired in - several villages as we passed, with a row of little tubes loaded - with gunpowder, in the market-places, and processions went about of - people in fancy dresses with flags and drums. This religion is most - extraordinary. It strikes me as impious; but I suppose it takes - possession of the common people sooner than a sensible one." - -He completed the tour of the island by arriving in Messina, after a -most successful attempt to see Mount Etna, on the 14th of April. They -left Sicily for Reggio in a boat, and arrived there "with a good -ducking." They both went to visit Scylla, which was guarded as a -citadel by armed peasants. The sturdy yeomen refused to admit them, -whereupon George, with true English curiosity, climbed up the wall to -{77} get a peep at the sea, and perhaps inside. Scarcely had he got -half-way up when he was taken prisoner by the sentinel. He was -accordingly invited to visit the interior of the castle, and had to -gaze at the bleak walls of its keep for an hour, until Willoughby -procured his release from the commandant. They travelled on, and -George does not seem to be satisfied with the people of Salerno, whom -he designates as "surly and gothic." He heard his companions had to -get an escort of gendarmes, to save them from robbers, all along here. -Returns to Naples, April 26, delighted at being safe in life and limb; -he goes to the old lodgings to a party, and reflects thus on his -return: "I came home about one, rather sad with seeing the -representation of what I had enjoyed in the winter--but all the people -changed. _Gaiety after all does not pay_." This last sentence is not -underlined by Spencer himself. It is done to point a moral that may be -necessary for a certain class of persons. It is often supposed that -monks, and the like people, paint the world blacker than it is in -reality, and that it is a kind of morose sourness of disposition that -makes recluses cry down the enjoyments of those outside convent-walls. -This line will perhaps defend F. Ignatius from such an imputation. He -wrote that after the pure natural enjoyment of scenery had been -compared with the excitement of a ball-room; if he thought, in his -wildness, that gaiety did not pay, no wonder that his opinion was -confirmed in the quiet tameness of his after-life. A passage from the -autobiography, omitted above, comes in here opportunely. He was -speaking of the absence of the fear of God from his miserable mind:-- - - "This was almost true concerning the entire period. One occasion I - will mention when I was impressed with some shame at my wretched - state. While I was making the tour of Sicily, my father and mother - left Naples in the _Revolutionnaire_, a fine frigate which had been - placed at their disposal, and by which they went to Marseilles, to - shorten their land journey homewards. When I returned to Naples I - found a long letter from my father, full of kindness and affection - for me, in which he explained to me his wishes as to the course of - my journey home. This letter I believe I {78} have not kept, but I - remember in it a passage nearly as follows: 'As to your conduct, my - dear George, I need not tell you how important it is for your future - happiness and character that you should keep yourself from all evil; - especially considering the sacred profession for which you are - intended. But, on this subject, I have no wish concerning you but to - hear that you continue to be what you have hitherto been.' 'Ah!' - thought I to myself, 'how horrible is the difference between what I - am and what this sentence represents me.' But worldly shame was yet - more powerful in me than godly shame, and this salutary impression - did not produce one good resolution." - -On May 3rd, 1820, he came to Rome a second time. His first visit this -time also was to St. Peter's, which, he says, "looked more superb to -me than ever." He attended Cardinal Litta's funeral from curiosity, -and has no remark about it worth extracting. There are two passages in -the journal relating to the ceremonies of Ascension Thursday and -Corpus Christi, which may be interesting as being indicative of his -notions of Catholic ritual:-- - - "Thursday, May 11.--Got up early, and wrote till breakfast. At 9½ - went off with Barrington and Ford to St. John of Lateran, where - there were great ceremonies to take place for the Ascension Day. The - old Pope was there, and was carried round the church blessing, with - other mummeries. It was a fine sight when he knelt down and prayed - (or was supposed to do so) in the middle of the church, with all the - Cardinals behind him. Now this goes for nothing in comparison to - what it must have been when the Pope was really considered - infallible (_sic_). We then all went out of the church to receive - the blessing, from the principal window in the façade. The Pope came - to this in his chair, and performed the spreading of his hands very - becomingly. The whole thing was too protracted, perhaps, to be as - striking as it should; but I was not as disappointed as I expected - to be. The cannonry of St. Angelo and the band certainly gave - effect; and the crowd of people on the space before the church was a - scene to look at." - -{79} - - "Thursday, June 1.--To-day is the feast of Corpus Domini, one of the - greatest in the Catholic Church; so at eight we went, having - breakfasted [a fact, by the bye, he seldom omits to mention], to St. - Peter's, to see the _funzioni_, which are very grand on this - occasion. There was a great procession round the _cortile_--first of - the religious orders, about 450 monks only; and the boys of St. - Michael's Hospital, of the Collegio Romano, &c. Then came curates, - and priests temporal and secular, prelates, and monsignores, the - ensigns or canopies of the seven basilicas with their chapters, and - the priests belonging to them following; next came bishops, then - cardinals, and then the Pope, carried on four men's shoulders. He - was packed up on the top of the stand with his head out alone. He - seemed more dead than alive, and worse than on May 11 at S. - Giovanni's. The group of people about him, with their robes and - splendid mitres, made a very brilliant sight. The former part of the - procession rather showed the decadence of the Church from a great - height, than its present glory. After the Pope came the _guardia - nobile_, and other soldiers, in splendid uniforms. After the - procession there were functions in the Church, and a benediction - from the Altar, and which I did not see so well. St. Peter's never - showed so well as with a crowd of people in it, when one may - estimate its dimensions from the comparison of their littleness." - -This is a fair specimen of how a candid, prejudiced Protestant stares -at Catholic services. He puts down as undisputed that all is absurd -before he goes, and if the Man of Sin himself, the poor Pope, is in -the middle of it, it rises to the very highest pitch of abomination. A -man who could consider holiday attire and exultation impious on Easter -Sunday, and the mourning and fasting and processions of Good Friday -something worse, cannot be very well qualified to comprehend the -Ascension and Corpus Christi in Rome. Catholics _do_ believe in the -authority of the Pope and the power of the Keys, and also in the Real -Presence; will it not follow, as a natural conclusion, that the four -quarters of the globe should get its spiritual Father's blessing one -day in the year, and that we should try to find out the best way of -honouring our Incarnate God in the Blessed Sacrament? {80} But -consistency is not a gift one finds among Protestants, especially when -they give their opinion on what they think too absurd to try to -understand. They must admit the Catholic ceremonial is imposing; but -then it is only to quarrel with it for being so. They can understand -pageantry and pomp in honouring an earthly monarch; but does it occur -to them that every best gift is from above, and that the King of kings -should be honoured with every circumstance of splendour and oblation a -creature can offer? - -One or two of the salient points of his character come out in a few -extracts we shall produce from the journal now. He says, on leaving -Rome--"How delightful, and yet how melancholy, was my walk about those -dear rooms at the Vatican; after next Thursday I believe I am never to -see them again, so farewell to them now." This illustrates his better -nature; he was very affectionate, and could love whatever was really -worth loving; he was not very demonstrative of this feeling, but when -it came to leave-taking, he had to give vent to it. A peculiar caste -of his mind was to listen to every proposition, and weigh the reasons -adduced to support it. If they were unanswerable, he at once admitted -it, and, if possible, tested it by experience. This was the great key -to his conversion and subsequent life. In conversation, perhaps, with -a medical friend, he was told that it was far the best way, whilst on -the move in travelling, neither to eat nor drink. This was supported -by reasons drawn from the digestive principles, and so forth. He -thought it was well proved, and could find no valid objection against -it, so he determined to try it, and travelled from Rome to Sienna -without tasting a morsel for forty-two hours, and says in his -journal--"It is much the best way in travelling." In Florence we have -other tokens of the regret with which he parts from his friends; and -in the same page a very different feeling on parting with some -Franciscans. These "entertained him uncommonly well for mendicants," -and showed him all their treasures of art and piety with the greatest -kindness; yet it did not prevent him calling them "lazy old monks" -when they let him away at three o'clock in the morning. - -{81} - -He walks about the country a good deal, and finds it pleasant, "as the -common people here are much more conversable than ours." This striking -difference between a Catholic and a Protestant peasantry is patent to -the most superficial observer. The poor Irish, French, or Italian -labourer, who can neither read nor write, is quite at his ease with -the merchant or the noble. He will have his joke and his laugh, very -often at the expense of his superior, and never outstep the bounds of -due respect. He is light-hearted and gay everywhere, and the exact -opposite of the English navvy. - -The real cause of the difference is the want of religion in the poor -Briton. The Catholic religion inculcates humility on the great. It -brings the Lord of the Manor and his servant to the same confessional -and the same altar: they may be as far asunder as pole from pole -outside the church, but inside it they are both on a level. The works -of mercy are insisted on, and high-born ladies are most frequently the -ministering angels of the poor man's sick-bed, and the instructors of -his children, and nurses of his orphans. "Blessed are the poor" is not -a dead letter in Catholic theology, and until it be, and that poverty -becomes felony, the same ease and happiness will pervade the peasantry -of Catholic countries, which now gives them such grace and beauty. The -doctrine of self-worship and money-adoration can never fuse races; -there is a wide wide chasm between the upper and the lower orders in -Protestant countries, which no amount of mechanics' lectures, and -patronizing condescension, can bridge over, as long as the germs of -the worldly system remain rooted in the education and manners of the -people. Of course, these remarks do not apply to the general state of -things, for there is oppression in Catholic countries as well as -elsewhere; they simply concern the working of a Christian principle, -if it get fair play. - -He visits Pisa, Lucca, Carrara, Sestri, and stops at Genoa. A bit of -the Protestant breaks out here. "We went to see that foolish _sacro -catino_ at the Cathedral, which I have no doubt is glass instead of -emerald." He says {82} again: "It makes me rather onked to be alone -now, though sometimes I wish to be so. But the only solitude that is -disagreeable is among numbers in a large town. The solitude of the -Apennines, and such places as last night's habitation, is a pleasure -to me." Now one _vetturino_ hands him over "to another more blackguard -than himself" on his way to Bologna, where he has a very satisfactory -meeting with Mezzofanti once more. Off he starts through Ferrara, -Rovigo, and Padua, for Venice; he visits the Piazza S. Marco, and is -told complacently by a French doctor, who proved to be a terrible bore -by-and-by, that it is nothing to the Palais Royal. He visits Mantua on -a pilgrimage to Virgil's birthplace, and says of a sight he saw by -accident: "I was amused by a figure of S. Zeno, just like a smiling -Otaheitan idol of the largest dimensions, which is the great protector -of the town." It is not hard to tell which way his devotion lay. -Spencer and a Mr. Lefevre, who was now his travelling companion, go to -a _villegiatura_ here, and are splendidly entertained for a couple of -days. They travel on for Germany through the Tyrol; from Verona to -Riva they chiefly travel by the Lago di Garda, and the only incidents -he chooses to record, until they come to "dem goldenen Adler" (the -golden Eagle) at Brixen, are the cicerone's opinions of Catullus, whom -that well-informed individual thought to have been a brigand chief. -They had to bring the bill of fare before the police in Riva, but were -not successful in getting a single charge diminished; he enjoyed a -good deal of idyllic life along here, and did not seem to think much -_pro_ or _con_ of the little town of Trent, though one should fancy he -would say something, if it were only a few angry words about the Great -Council. - -He considers the Germans more honest than the Italians, and was -inclined to admire their solidity and steadiness; but his driver fell -asleep on their way to Innspruck, and let the reins fall on the -horse's neck when descending a steep, and he veers round to the -opinion that if they were a little livelier, it would be much better. -On his way through Bavaria to Munich he thinks the country very like -England--well cultivated and flourishing. "The costumes extraordinary, -{83} but not so pretty as the Tyrolese. The people themselves, both -men and women, are the ugliest race I ever saw." They had letters of -introduction to Prince Loewenstein and Count Peppenheim, two -aides-de-camp of the King of Bavaria; they were invited to a royal -_chasse_. Perhaps it is as well to give the whole account from the -Journal, as it conveys an idea of German sports too fine to be -overlooked. - - "Monday, Aug. 21.--At 4½ this morning we started for the _chasse_ in -the mountains about three leagues off. At the end of two leagues we - were stopped and obliged to walk, as the road became too narrow for - the King to pass us, in case we had been in the way when he came up. -So we walked the rest till we came to the toils where Loewenstein - received us. The _chasse_ was in a deep valley, shut in on the sides -by precipitous rocks: into this they had tracked about 80 or 90 head - of deer, and shut them in by toils at both ends; then little green - enclosures were made for the guns to be posted in. We had one of - these guns given us in conjunction with other spectators, the - shooter who was to have been there not having arrived. Before the - line was a broad course of a torrent, and beyond that was a wood - into which they had forced the game, and from which they drove it - again with dogs, and even into the way of the guns. This went on for - 4 or 5 hours, during which they cannonaded very quick, but with - little effect, for I never saw a much greater proportion of misses. - The result was about 70 head of deer. We were much surprised in the - middle of the time at seeing Devon walk up. He came from Salzburg - for the purpose of this _chasse_, and stayed with us through it. - After it we were standing near the place where the King was counting - out the game, when Peppenheim presented us to him, and he asked us - to dine at Berchtesgaden. As our carriage was so far off, we were - obliged to be carried as we could, and I was taken in by - Loewenstein, who is, by the bye, about the fattest man in Bavaria. - We dressed directly, both ourselves and Devon, who had nothing here; - and even so we were late for dinner. However, the King was so - gracious and good-humoured that it all went off capitally. It was an - interesting dinner for the faces that {84} we saw. Eugene - Beauharnais, Prince Schwartzenberg, Reichenbach, engineer, Maréehal - Wrede, and about 16 more, were there. We stayed till about 6, and - then came home. - - "Tuesday, Aug. 22.--To-day we again followed the motions of the - Court. Devon came over with horses from Hallein, where he had - returned last night; and so we went about comfortably. - Schwartzenberg took us to a famous machine of Mr. Reichenbach's, - without the King. This machine is employed to raise the salt water, - which is brought from the mines here, and convey it over the - mountains to Reichenhall, about 3 leagues distant, where is a - manufactory for extracting the salt. The reason of this is, that - there is not enough wood for consumption here. It is a vast - forcing-pump, which is worked by fresh water from a height of 400 - feet, and raises the salt water 1,200. This water is in the - proportion of 53 to 44 heavier than fresh water. I did not - understand the whole explanation, being in German, but I admired the - machine, which works in a room so quietly as actually not to be - perceptible from the noise, except a little splashing. After this we - came to a miserable dinner at the inn, which was too full to attend - to us. At 1½, about, we started again to a romantic lake, König See, - where another scene of this royal drama was to be enacted. The King - came, with his whole party, an hour after us, and we were invited by - Loewenstein into his royal boat, which was rowed by 11 men and one - pretty damsel. "We went all down the lake, with several other boats - full following, one of which had 4 small cannons, which they - constantly discharged for the echo. The thing we came though for - was, two artificial cascades from the top of the mountains, one in - the course of a small torrent, which had been stopped above and made - into a lake, full of large pieces of timber, which were precipitated - all at once with surprising effect. The other was a dry cascade, - down which two heaps of timber were discharged, like the launching - of a ship from an inclined plane, the smallest of which, as I could - judge from below, was twice the height of a man, and four times the - length at least. The finest part of this was the prodigious {85} - splashing at the bottom, which resembled, in appearance and sound, a - line of cannonading. By way of sport, this is the most superb - child-amusement one could conceive. We rowed back in the same boat, - and disembarked about sunset. We proceeded directly to a salt-mine, - without the King, where was to be an illumination. We all were - decked out in miners' habits, and embarked, in little carts drawn by - two men, down a shaft 1,800 feet long, lighted by candles all the - way, ourselves having one each, like white penitents. At the end of - this we were surprised by entering a large chamber, perhaps 200 - yards round, with a gallery at the top; the whole was surrounded by - festoons of lamps, and below it was a rich star of fire, which - showed the depth of the mine off to great advantage. A band of music - was playing, and mines were exploded at the bottom with really - tremendous noise. Altogether, this scene pleased me more than any I - have seen here, or perhaps anywhere. - - "Wednesday, August 23.--At 5 we started in the carriage, with - Devon's servant, for the second _chasse_ (of chamois); we found - ourselves among a long train of other carriages also going there. We - passed through the _chasse_ of Monday, and went about 3 miles - further on foot. We found that of 60 chamois which had been - collected in the toils, 40 had escaped; so the _chasse_ was but of - about an hour's duration before they were all killed. The stands of - shooters were confined, so we were made to climb up a little - mountain, or rather a large rock, from which we had an excellent - view of everything. The scenery was superb and wild. Before, behind, - and everywhere, were immense mountains of solid and shagged rock, - 9,000 feet high above the sea, with nothing like vegetation but - patches of stunted firs, which did not, even so, reach halfway up - their height, and looked like moss. It made a contrast with the - tameness of the _chasse_, where about 16 chamois were driven about - and killed out of little boxes, in an enclosure of a few acres. It - was not so fine in that respect as the deer _chasse_. The King asked - us again to dinner, near a small house in the valley of the deer - _chasse_ (Wimbach). The table was put on a platform under a - sycamore-tree in a glorious situation. {86} I was unexpectedly - called upon to sit next to Prince Schwartzenberg, and always called - _milord_, which probably was the original mistake. The whole - business went off very satisfactorily. The King's manners are most - affable, and made everything comfortable about him." - -After this grand performance, our tourists took a ride through a -salt-mine, astride of a plank, with a man before and behind running as -fast as could be; they come finally to daylight, and shortly -afterwards to Salzburg. They travelled the country to Lintz, and -sailed down the Danube to Vienna, where they found the police -"ridiculously strict about passports." A few days after their arrival -in Vienna they took a drive through the _Prater_, and "during the -drive we conversed on the subject of family calamities, and on one's -means of bearing them. Soon after we came home, Lord Stewart's -_attaché_, Mr. Aston, called with a letter for me from Mr. Allen, -which told me of the horrible news of my brother Bob's death in -America, killed in an affray with his first lieutenant! How strangely -fulfilled were our yesterday's prognostics. This is a sort of thing -that is too great and deep an accident to feel in the common way. I -hardly understand it at this distance: I shall though before long. I -went with Lefevre after dinner to Lord Stewart's, where I found a -German courier was to start soon for England. I shall accompany him." -This is from the Journal; we shall now give an extract from the -Autobiography:-- - - "My first tour abroad was suddenly terminated at Vienna by a letter - which I received to recall me home, from the Rev. J. Allen, now - Bishop of Ely. This letter gave me notice of the supposed death of - my brother Robert, in South America, who, it was reported, had been - killed in an affray with his first lieutenant. This most strange - story, for which there was not the slightest foundation in truth, - was conveyed to our family in England in such a way as gained it - entire belief, and all had been for two or three weeks in deep - mourning and under the greatest affliction, when the falsehood of - the report was discovered. This affliction was considered a - sufficient cause for gathering together all the {87} members of the - family who were at liberty to come home; and so I was desired to - return immediately. I bought a carriage at Vienna, and, travelled - for some nights and days without ceasing, during which I thought to - try an experiment on how little nourishment I could subsist; and - from a sort of curiosity to amuse myself, for I can hardly attribute - it to a better motive, I accomplished a fast which it would appear a - dreadful hardship to be reduced to by necessity, and a very small - approach to which, in these times, would be by most persons looked - on as a most unreasonable austerity. I passed those successive - intervals of 38, 50, and 53 hours, as I find in my journal, without - touching the least particle of food to eat or drink; and what I took - between the intervals was only a little tea and bread and butter. - This matter is not worth noticing, except to show that, as I went - through this, while travelling, which is rather an exhausting - employment, without the least detriment to my health, and without a - feeling of hunger almost all the time, it is a sad delusion for - people in good health to fancy they need so many indulgences and - relaxations to go through the fasts appointed by the Church. - - "It was when I got to Calais that I went to the English news-room to - see further accounts in the newspapers of my brother's death, the - report of which, though at first I had some suspicions it might be - false, I afterwards had made up my mind entirely to believe. My joy - was exceeding great at finding an explicit contradiction to it in - one of the latest papers. I remember going on my knees to thank God, - in the news-room, when I found myself alone, which I believe was the - first occasion for a long, long time I had made a prayer of any - sort, or gone on my knees, except in church-service time. This I - never gave up entirely, and during this time I never gave up - receiving the Sacrament explicitly, though I do not find that I - received it all the time I was abroad. I did not intend to commit - acts of hypocrisy, but must have gone on from custom and a certain - sense of propriety, without considering that I was mocking God." - -{88} - -On his arrival at Althorp he found the family all in the most joyous -mood possible. A little passage of his Journal gives an idea of the -character of the noble family in their relations with the tenantry:-- - - "Friday, Sept. 22. Bread and meat given to the poor of Brington, - Brampton, and Harleston, as a rejoicing for Bob's recovery. Three - oxen were killed, and the effect seemed very good. They gave some - lively cheers as they departed." - -He goes to London, and hears Henry Brougham's speech on Queen -Caroline's trial; and immediately after, he starts for Switzerland to -see his sister, Lady Georgiana Quin. We shall relate this in his own -words in the Autobiography:-- - - "I became so fond of the business of travelling that, as I was - returning homewards, my mind was occupied constantly with plans for - further excursions. I intended to have gone with Lefevre from Vienna - to Dresden and Berlin on our way home, but I could not think of - regarding this as my last journey. I was longing to see Greece. I - had had thoughts of Spain, Russia, Egypt, and various indeed have - been the fancies and inclinations which have passed through my mind. - The regular travelling mania had its turn about this time, and I - wonder not, by my feelings then, at so many of our countrymen, whom - I have known myself, who have left England for a short excursion, - and not having professional engagements, nor wise parents and - relations, as I had, to control them, have become regular wanderers, - and have spent, in travelling about, the years on the good - employment of which, at home, depended mainly their success in - after-life. It may be judged how truly I was possessed with this - spirit of wandering, at the time of which I speak, by my remaining - but one fortnight at Althorp with my family before I was again on - wing. My sister, Lady Georgiana Quin--whose society had made to me - one of the chief charms of the winter at Naples, and whose being at - Naples with Lord George, her husband, and her children, had been the - main inducement for my father and mother to make an undertaking, at - their age, and with their habits, so extraordinary as this long - journey--had left Naples during my tour in Sicily, and was settled - at a country-house called the Château de Bethusy, near Lausanne. I - proposed going to {89} see her, and to give her the full account of - all that concerned the strange report about my brother Robert. I - wonder at my having had my parents' consent to make another - departure so soon, and with apparently so insufficient an object. I - suppose they thought it reasonable to give me this liberty, by way - of compensation for the sudden cutting-off of my first grand tour. - This time I passed by Dieppe to Paris, thence by Lyons to Bethusy, - where, having stayed a fortnight--the pleasantest, and, alas! almost - the last days I had in my sister's company--I returned by Nancy to - Paris, and thence through Calais to England. I reached Althorp on - the 19th of November, 1820. And so the fancy for travelling soon - died away, as my prospects for fresh journeys met with no - encouragement at home; and here is an end of all my travellings for - mere travelling's sake. When next I left England, it was, thank God, - with thoughts and views far other than before." - -An extract from the Journal of this time may not be without -interest:-- - - "October 17, 1820.--With this day's journal ends the third year that - I have kept it. This year has been the most interesting and varied I - have ever passed, and probably ever shall, for my travelling will - not last long. I certainly have reaped advantages in some respects, - and great ones. I have had experience in the world, and have learnt - to shift for myself better than I could have done by any other - means. I have, I hope, increased the confidence of my family in me; - and, above all, I have nearly expelled that melancholy disposition I - gained at college; but most active I feel I must be to prevent its - return when I again remain quiet in England. I have still a damper - to my prospects that occasionally overwhelms me, but I must, I - trust, get over that too; as I have now persuaded myself on sober - reflection, though I am sadly slow in beginning to act on the - principle, that one quality alone is within all our reach, and that - one object alone is worth trying for. God grant this thought may - often occur to me. I have this year enjoyed the pleasures and - diversions most enlivening, and which I always most desired; but - even they are insufficient to make {90} one happy alone, though - nearer to it than any others. Let us then look to what certainly - can." - -This train of thought seemed to have occupied his mind between his -leaving Paris, and returning to it again during the last visit to his -sister. There is one paragraph in the Autobiography which refers to -both; here it is, and it is the last morsel of that interesting -document that remains unwritten in his life:-- - - "The most remarkable impression of religion which I remember in all - this period, was in a place where it might have been least expected. - No other than the Italian Opera at Paris. I passed through that - city, as I have said before, in my last journey to Lausanne, and on - my return a month later. Both times I went to see the opera of _Don - Giovanni_, which was the piece then in course of representation. I - conceived that after this journey I should give up all thoughts of - worldly vices. I was likely to be fixed at home till the time of my - ordination, and should assume something of the character of a - candidate for holy orders. In short, I felt as if it was almost my - last occasion, and I was entertaining, alas! some wicked devices in - my mind when I went to this most dangerous and fascinating opera, - which is in itself, by the subjects it represents, one of the most - calculated to beguile a weak soul to its destruction. But the last - scene of it represents Don Giovanni, the hero of the piece, seized - in the midst of his licentious career by a troop of devils, and - hurried down to hell. As I saw this scene, I was terrified at my own - state. I knew that God, who knew what was within me, must look on me - as one in the same class with such as Don Giovanni, and for once - this holy fear of God's judgment saved me: and this holy warning I - was to find in an opera-house at Paris." - -{91} - -CHAPTER XII. - -An Interval Of Rest And Preparation For Orders. - -This chapter begins with his twenty-first birthday. He comes before -us, a fine young man nearly six feet high, graceful and handsome, of -independent mien, winning manners, and all the other attributes of -gentlemanly perfection that are calculated to make him an object of -attraction. His journal, even then, tends to show his worst side; we -find self-accusations in every page, and the round of enjoyments -broken in upon by serious correctives. For the great problem which -moralists solve so easily, and those whom the solution concerns keep -away from consideration, we will find in his life a golden key. It is -too soon yet to speak about the special workings of Divine Grace in -his soul; but, even so far off, we can find glimmerings of the -glorious sun of his after-life. Let us look into the world, we find -thousands that really enjoy and luxuriate in gay parties, balls, -pastimes, and pleasures, without a pang of remorse, and others with -sensibilities as keen, if not keener, for the relish of these -luxuries, plunging into them with a kind of intoxicating gusto, and -coming out fagged and disgusted, when they were perhaps thought the -very soul and life of the company. We are told of a patient dying of -melancholy who called in a doctor to prescribe for him; the -prescription of the medical man was, that he should go and hear Mr. -N., a celebrated comic actor, for a number of nights successively, and -the remedy was guaranteed to prove infallible, for no one could listen -to him and not laugh himself to hysterics. "Ah, my dear friend," -answered the patient, "I am the veritable Mr. N. myself." It is -sometimes argued that small minds of a feminine caste, composed of the -ingredients {92} which the "Spectator" wittily discovers in the -dissection of a beau's head, can be content with frivolities, whilst a -grand intellect is only made indignant by them. We could quote -examples to bear us out in a conclusion the direct contrary of this. -How, then, can we solve the problem? Why can some live and die in a -whirl of dissipation with apparent relish, whilst others get clogged -by a few balls, and fling worldly enjoyment to the winds on account of -the very nausea it creates? It may be considered as "going into the -sacristy" to say that those whom God chooses for great things, He -weans from pleasure by a salutary dissatisfaction? so the point will -not be insisted on. The only ordinary way in which it can be accounted -for is, that the lovers of pleasure deafen the voice of conscience, -whereas the others give this good monitor room to speak, and -occasionally lend an ear. Whichever way we please to look upon F. -Ignatius at this period of his life, we shall find ample material for -theorizing on the unreality of worldly joys. He concludes the first -volume of his Journal with the following considerations:-- - - "Dec. 31.--I have ended this year, as the last, with a very pleasant - evening, as far as noise and fun can make it. But a more reasonable - way would be (as I am now in my room, with my watch in my hand, - nearly on the stroke of twelve) to end it in making good resolutions - for the year to come,--which may, I hope, pass as prosperously, and - more usefully, than the last. The new year is now commenced, and I - recommend myself to the protection and guidance of Almighty - Providence to bring me safely and well to the end of it. I now bid - farewell to this journal-book, which is but a record of my follies, - and absurdities, and weaknesses, to myself, who know the motive of - the actions which are here commemorated, and of many more which I - have done well to omit. There is no fear of my forgetting them, nor - do I wish it. The less other men know about my inward thoughts, the - better for me in their estimation." - -Many of the readers of this book will feel disposed to disagree with -the last sentence. We have had his interior {93} before us, as clearly -perhaps as any other man's we can possibly call to mind, and yet there -is scarcely one that must not admire and love him as well, for the -sacrifice he made for their benefit in exposing his interior, as for -the beautiful sight that very disclosure gives them of his noble -heart. It is not very easy to write an interesting chapter about this -portion of his life; the Autobiography is run out, and the Journal -gives no incident of any great importance till we come to the -subject-matter of the next volume. Let us string together a few of the -leading events, especially such as may be calculated to give us some -idea of his mind and occupations. - -He begins the volume by writing down that he got up rather earlier -than usual, played at battledore and shuttle-cock with Lady Georgiana -Bingham, and kept up to 2,120 hits. He is disappointed then in a day's -sport, and gives this account of his evening: "I was rather bilious -and nervous to-night, and consequently would have preferred being out -of the way, but from a wrong principle, I fear, viz., because I -thought I should seem rather dull and ill-humoured. But what if I did, -to the gay people that do not, nor wish to, know? And what if I did, -to those who do know how far it is real, my ill-humour?" It was -customary, as he told us some chapters back, for the Spencer family to -spend Christmas at Althorp, and collect many of their immediate -relatives about them during the time. The place is beautifully -disposed for every kind of enjoyment; there are landscapes and -pictures for the ladies to draw from, fine grounds for the gentlemen -to shoot over, everything that generosity and princely goodness could -procure to make the evenings as lively and entertaining as possible. -Balls and dances were, of course, a _sine qua non_. Let us not, -however, imagine it was all dissipation at Althorp. Lords Althorp and -Lyttelton used, every Sunday and often on week days, to read a sermon -to the assembled guests from some of the Anglican divines, and -sometimes, too, from the French, as we may see in a remark in the -first chapter. The party at Althorp this Christmas did not go beyond -three-and-twenty. George, notwithstanding {94} the sour extract quoted -above, went into the sports with heartfelt glee occasionally, and, as -a proof of this, it is enough to say that he danced, in one night, in -seven country dances and eight sets of quadrilles. He says in one -place: "Lyttelton, Sarah (Lady Lyttelton), and I, breakfasted -together, talking of a wise resolve of Nannette's, to pull down a -house she had just finished at Richmond, because it was not pretty -enough for the inhabitants to look at." - -He goes to London as soon as the Christmas party is broken up, where -he dines chiefly at home, but is about occasionally, seeing his old -friends, and different things that pleased his whim or his taste. One -of these was "seeing the King going in state, and the nobility as -contented as if they never said a word against him on the Queen's -trial;" another was hearing Bishop Van Mildert preach. He has the good -fortune of meeting Sir Walter Scott at his father's, and says "We all -stayed the evening listening to him telling Scotch stories." His next -evening would be, perhaps, in the House of Lords or Commons, and all -the family seemed in a great stir to be present at the debates on the -"Catholic Question." What opinions they held about it do not appear -from the Journal; but there is nothing said there against Catholics -since he left Italy. - -He begins to clear away the mist that lay between him and the -parsonage. He puts himself a little in the way of learning something -of what a clergyman could not be respectable without. His first essays -in this direction were, to hire a "dirty Jew master" to teach him -Hebrew, and to go occasionally to Mr. Blomfield's, who was rector of -Whitechapel, to dine and talk with clerical company. The first time he -tried this is told as follows:-- - -"I took up Fremantle, and we went together to Blomfield's to dine. We -met Dr. Lloyd, Mr. Rennel, Mr. and Mrs. Lyall, Mr. Watkinson, Mr. -Mawman, Mr. Tavel, and one more clergyman--a proper High Church set, -with language of intolerance. I was much amused though by observing -them." So much for his first lesson in church polity. That he was not -extravagant at this time is evidenced {95} by a little incident. He -found himself the possessor of a good sum, and had been, for some -time, putting part of his allowance aside until he finds himself able -to pay his brother, Lord Althorp, what he lent him to pay off his -debts in Cambridge, as early as the 7th of April. "This was a very -busy day. I first went to Althorp to offer him payment of a large debt -I owe him, but he refused it very generously, and made me rich in a -moment by so doing." - -He pays off the Jew on the 25th of April, having had his lectures from -the 8th of March previous. This apparent falling away from the spirit -of his vocation, was redeemed in a few days, by his falling half in -love with some very high lady. He crosses himself immediately for the -absurdity, and wishes she were a clergyman's daughter. This fit wears -out completely in ten days' time. Lord John Russell and Sydney Smith -dine at his father's, and he says of the latter: "Sydney Smith is a -new person on my list, and very entertaining he is." The author of -"Peter Plimley's Letters" must certainly have been an agreeable guest. -On the 15th of June he gives the following note:--"My father and I -went to see the marriage of Mr. Neville and Lady Georgiana Bingham, in -the Portuguese Catholic Chapel, in South Street, close to Vernon's -house. Dr. Poynter, the Catholic bishop of London, performed it, and -gave us a long-prosy dissertation on the sacrament of marriage." The -scene changes now to Ryde, Isle of Wight, where the family go to spend -the summer. George occupies his time there in riding, fishing (with no -success), boating, cricketing, and doing the tutor to a young ward of -his father. He also learnt perspective from a Mr. Vorley, and his -opinion of him is, that "he talks more nonsense than any one I know in -a given time." He remained his pupil until he "picked his brains," -which did not require much time or application seemingly. He hears of -Napoleon's death, and comments thereon thus:--"We heard this morning -of Bonaparte being dead in St. Helena. It does not make so much noise -as one would have thought his death must eight years ago. For one -thing, it will save us £150,000 a year." - -{96} - -St. Swithin's Day, July 15. "It rained all morning, which is ominous. -"This kept them indoors, and it was well, for they were all in a -bustle preparing for the coronation of William IV. The countess and -her maids were busy at the laces and the freshening of faded colours, -until the earl's state robes were got ready; when he was called upon -to fit them on, that the keen glance of ladies' eyes might see if -there was a flaw or a speck to be removed. George was present at the -time, and says: "My father put on his robes, and was looked at by a -room full of ladies and gentlemen." George himself, by the way, makes -some bold efforts at grandeur, and succeeds in getting into the Peers' -quarter of Westminster Abbey, at the coronation, "dressed in red coat, -with ruffs." After the coronation, they return to the Isle of Wight, -and George resumes his sports, with a little variation namely, that he -hears a "twaddle preacher," and receives the Sacrament without much -preparation, a proceeding he thus defends:--"I never can be satisfied -by any motives that occur for refusing on account of short notice, and -I think that when the Office is performed with devotion and sincerity, -to the best of one's ability, it is always profitable." - -It may be objected that we do not give more numerous extracts from the -Journal; but we think it would tire the patience of readers to be -told, gravely and solemnly, such grand events as, "George Lyttelton, -Lord Lyttelton's eldest child, got into breeches to-day." Matters -kindred to this, with the hours of dining, and names of the guests, -form the bulk of the diary. - -Towards the end of this year, 1821, he finds himself alone in Althorp, -waiting for the collecting of the Christmas party there, and muses -thus:--"I wish I might go on living as I now do, without any company -and nonsense. I have daily amusement, and, withal, get through a good -deal of reading." This last clause will make many expect that -Tillotson or Jeremy Taylor is in his hands for a great part of the -day. It may be so, but we are told in the same page:--"In the evening -I read 'Guy Mannering;' for a novel, when once begun, enslaves me." He -was very fond of the Waverly Novels, and seems to have read them as -{97} they came out. He misses a hunt, through mistake, and says; "I -was annoyed to-day at the hoy I made in my manoeuvres; but I am -ashamed of being so, for it all came from my odious vanity, and -sensibility to the opinion of all the fools I met with." On his -twenty-second birthday he makes these reflections:--"This anniversary -becomes uninteresting after passing 21. But it should be a useful -annual admonition to make the best of our short, fleeting life. What -are called the best and happiest years of life are already past with -me. God grant that I make those that remain more profitable to others, -and consequently to myself. As to happiness, I think my temper and -dispositions have prevented my having my share to the full of youthful -pleasures; so I may look forward to the future for better -circumstances: if I can but tutor my mind into contentment at my -situation, and an engrossing wish to make my duty the leading guide of -my actions. Indolence and irresolution are my stumbling blocks." - -The new year of 1822 was danced into Althorp by a grand ball. Three -days after he had a narrow escape with his life; he went out -partridge-shooting with Lord Bingham, and this gentleman's -powder-flask took fire, and burst in his hand. George and the -attendants were nearly blown up, and Lord Bingham was severely -scorched. This he considered the greatest danger he was ever in, and -thanks God for his escape. The impression, however, did not last long; -for he tells us, as the result of a game of cards, on the same -night:--"I did not get to sleep for a long time for thinking over a -trick at cards which E---- did. I succeeded in discovering it." When -the Christmas party is dissolved, George's comments are: "I am sorry -they are all going, though the young damsels have caught nothing of my -heart." - -There is an event now to be recorded. He becomes a magistrate, and his -first essay in court makes him think the business very amusing. He -shouts huzza! on hearing that his brother Robert is about to come -home. True, however, to his character, of never undertaking anything -unless he knew its obligations sufficiently to be able to acquit -himself {98} in them to the satisfaction of his conscience, he goes to -London, and studies "Blackstone's Commentaries," to qualify him for a -proper discharge of his duties as a magistrate. He dines, dances, goes -to balls and theatres, pays visits and bills during his stay in -London, notwithstanding. - -Now he begins to prepare seriously for his future profession. Full -nine months before he is to receive Orders, on March the 12th he -begins to write a sermon. That is the point; let a man give a sermon, -and he may become a minister any day, provided he has an earl or a -viscount at his back, and a bishop who sits _tête â tête_ with either -in the House of Lords, and has two or three sons whom he wishes to put -into posts of honour. The sermon is everything. Any one can read the -Service, provided he has a good voice and distinct utterance; but the -sermon--that requires brains, views, style, and paper. How these -things can be done without we shall see further on. For the present, -poor George did not discover the secret. He could bowl to a wicket, -play cribbage, read Walter Scott, and shoot partridges, but where was -his theology? The twenty-five lectures were buried long ago under some -stone between Cambridge and Althorp. Well, the fact of it was, he must -do something. He goes to hear the "crack" preachers of London, and -even the "twaddle" ditto. He catches up some idea from them, borrows -the book Lord Althorp reads from on Sunday afternoons, and gets an -idea of what a sermon is like. He sets to, therefore, to write one -himself, and in six months that sermon is finished. - -One could not expect him to be a bookworm just now. Lord Palmerston is -at a stag-hunt, and patronized the young candidate. Washington Irving -dines at his father's, and George has to take notes of his "Yankee -twang, sallow complexion, and nasal sounds." He used to say to us that -one who saw Irving, and heard him speak, could never believe he was -the author of "The Traveller" or "Bracebridge Hall," and much less of -"Knickerbocker's History of New York." Irving himself alludes to this, -when he says, somewhere, that the London people {99} "wondered that he -held a quill in his hand, instead of wearing it in his scalp-lock." He -gets over all this after the Ryde recreation, and the hunting at -Wiseton, when, towards the end of September this year, he bids -farewell to his military life as a cornet in the Yeomanry of -Northampton. This is as a preparation for his Orders; but they come -upon him still unexpectedly when he receives a letter from the Bishop -of Peterborough, on the 5th of October, to signify that he would have -Ordination on the 22nd of December following. He writes to the -Diocesan Examiner to ask what books he is to read, and how he is to -prepare, and that gentleman graciously tells him that he need not -trouble himself; that he knows, from the respectability of his family, -he must be already quite prepared. [Footnote 5] George is contented -for the present, but he has an eye to the future; he borrows, -therefore, some twelve of the Wimbledon clergyman's best sermons, and -says "that will set me up for a start." He then goes on retreat about -the 16th of December, and his day is divided into four principal -parts, making allowances for dinner and {100} sleep, consisting of -shooting, cribbage, whist, and sermon writing or copying, as the case -might be. On the 18th, two days before, he adds one more spiritual -exercise to his usual ones; he reads a novel. The next day he goes off -to Peterborough, and dines with the Dean and his wife, "who are to -feed him" whilst he is there. His examination is gone through--one of -the Thirty-nine Articles to be translated into Latin, and he has an -_exposé_, with illustrations, on the nature of mesmerism, for the rest -of the terrible ordeal. This passed successfully, he comes home to the -Dean's house, bids good night to the _materfamilias_, and collects his -spirits for the great occasion. He is wrapt in sublime ecstacy, and -bursts forth into the following exclamation in his Journal: "I am 22 -years old, and not yet engaged to be married!" - - [Footnote 5: Here is a copy of the letter with which he was - favoured from that dignitary: - " Yarmouth, Norfolk, October 12. - - "My Dear Sir, - "I am sorry my absence from Cambridge may have made me appear - neglectful in answering your letter, but I have some consolation - in thinking that you will not have suffered by the delay. As far - as I am concerned, in my character of examiner, it is impossible - that I could ever entertain any idea of subjecting a gentleman - with whose talents and good qualities I am so well acquainted as I - am with yours, to any examination except one as a matter of form, - for which a verse in the Greek Testament, and an Article of the - Church of England returned into Latin will be amply sufficient. - With regard to the doctrinal part of the examination, that is - taken by the Bishop himself, but it is confined entirely to the - prepared questions, which are a test of opinions, not of - scholarship. This information, then, will, I trust, be - satisfactorily, and will leave you at liberty to pursue your - theological studies in that course which you yourself prefer, and - which I am confident will be a good one. I really am unable to say - whether the Bishop of Peterbro' requires a certificate of the - Divinity Lectures or not, but I know that he does not in all cases - make it a _sine qua non_; at any rate, I think you had better send - for it, as it will give the professor but very little trouble to - forward it under cover to your father. - - "If I can be of the least service in answering any other queries, - or in any other way whatever, I beg you will, at any time, give me - a line; and believe me, my dear Sir, - - "Yours very sincerely, - "T. S. Hughes. - "I shall not be in Camb. till the beginning of next month."] - -{101} - -BOOK II. - -_F. Ignatius, an Anglican Minister._ - - -{102} - -{103} - -BOOK II. - -_F. Ignatius, an Anglican Minister._ - - - - -CHAPTER I. - -He Is Ordained, And Enters On His Clerical Duties. - - -The Establishment retains in her written formularies a great deal of -what looks very like Catholic. She has an attempt at a profession of -faith; a kind of a sacramental rite, as a substitute for the Mass; a -mode of visiting the sick, a marriage service, baptismal service, -burial service, and an ordinal; even something like the Sacrament of -Penance can be gleaned from two or three clauses in the Book of Common -Prayer. How much of sacramental power there may be in those several -ordinances is very easily determined; we admit none whatever in any -except baptism--the judicial voice of the Establishment leaves its -efficacy an open question--and matrimony. Of late, some amongst them -have felt their want of sacramental wealth so keenly, that they would -fain persuade themselves the shells of Catholic rites, which the -Reformers retained, were filled with sacramental substance. To give -this theory some show of plausibility, they claimed valid orders. -Pamphlets and books have been written on two sides of this question -until there seems scarcely any more to be said upon it, so we just -mention what is the Catholic opinion on the validity of Anglican -orders. - -{104} - -With what Protestants think of them we have no immediate concern; nor -would it be an easy matter to extract anything definite from the -multitude and contrariety of opinions on this one point. - -We hold them to be simply _null_; they do not even come up to doubt; -for if the Archbishop of Canterbury became a Catholic to-morrow, and -wished to exercise any ministry, he would be obliged to receive all -the orders from the first tonsure upwards, absolutely, and without -even an implied condition. This has always been the practice: and, the -Church's acting thus, at the period which is now involved in -obscurity, is the best _de facto_ argument that the orders of the -Establishment were then, as they are now, a human designation, and -nothing more. There is nothing sacramental in Anglican orders, and -there never was, since England broke away from the Church, and, -consistently enough, orders were expunged from the Protestant -catalogue of sacraments in the very infancy of the Reformation. They -still keep up a semblance of orders: they have what they call the -diaconate, the priesthood, and the consecration of bishops. A deacon -is ordained much in the same way as our own deacons, and he can -perform all the duties of the parish, with the exception of the -Communion Service. - -We see a man marked out by an Anglican bishop for ecclesiastical -duties, without any sacramental grace, spiritual character, or -jurisdiction, for no less a work than the care of immortal souls. Let -us see now what instruments he has wherewith to accomplish this. - -He had once two Sacraments--the Lord's Supper and Baptism; the former, -Catholics know to be an empty ceremony, and perhaps it would nearly be -a Protestant heresy to say it was much more. Baptism they had as Turks -have, and as every lay man and woman in the world, who performs the -rite properly, has. Now their judicial decisions do not consider it -worth the having; so, as far as in themselves lies, they have tried to -deprive themselves of it. The practical means of sanctification a -minister has to use are chiefly four: prayer, preaching, visiting, and -reading. The reading part may evidently be performed as well, if not -{105} better sometimes, by a layman. The visiting is often better done -by the clergyman's wife or daughter than by himself, for, in attention -to sickness and sweet words of consolation, the female gifts seem the -more effectual. All that remains to him, peculiarly for his own, is -the preaching, and the respectability of character his own conduct and -regard for his position may give him. His power is altogether -personal, and if he be an indifferent preacher or a careless liver, he -loses all. - -Whether candidates for orders, or even the ordained of the Anglican -Establishment, take this view of their position, one cannot be sure; -but, from the acts and words of Mr. Spencer, we can form a tolerable -conjecture of what he thought and intended when he took deacon's -orders from Dr. Marsh, Protestant Bishop of Peterborough, on the 22nd -December, 1822. He makes no preparation whatever, nor does he seem to -fancy that it is an action that requires any. He gives an account of -the ordination, which he was pleased to call, "talking of business," -when making his arrangements for it, a few pages back in the Journal, -and, as a piece of business, it is gone through by him. We transcribe -his own words:-- - - "Sunday, Dec. 22. I breakfasted with Mr. Gibbs and Mr. Gregory at - the inn (Peterborough) at 8. At 9, two others of the candidates, Mr. - Pearson and Mr. Witherall, joined us, and we went to the palace, - from whence the bishop led us into the church, when we were - ordained. The service took an hour, including the Sacrament which he - gave us. I commenced my church-reading then by reading the gospel in - the service. I went (a clergyman) to the deanery. At 11 we went all - together from the palace to church, when Mr. Parsons preached a good - long sermon--at us very palpably. We then went to a cold collation - at the palace till evening church, which we attended. After that we - received our letters of orders and licences, and paid our fees." - -It may be said that this is a very nice little account squeezed into a -journal, and one could not expect enthusiastic bursts about the gift -of the spirit and the power of {106} the Church, in a book allotted to -the bare recording of events. So be it. But there are enthusiastic -exclamations about less important things in that same little book, and -if ordination looked anything to Mr. Spencer than a condition _sine -qua_ of his getting fixed in his future position, he would have noted -it. The absence of deep religious feeling at this period of his life -may account in a great measure for this coolness; but perhaps the not -believing there was anything sacramental in the rite itself may give a -more satisfactory explanation. To wind up the matter in a few -words--he said grace for the family at dinner that evening, and then -read his _novel_ quietly in his room, because the day was not -favourable for any field sport. - -These few explanations were deemed necessary for appreciating the -tenor of his life from this moment forward. It will run counter to all -anticipated results in the direction of excellence, and will even go -far beyond what its first evidences would warrant one to expect. He -looked his position in the face at the very outset: he saw that he had -souls to look after, and he knew that he could not do that without a -course of consistent conduct beseeming his character. For the first -few days things went on much as of old. The family were still spending -the winter in Althorp, and he joined in all the pastimes by which they -whiled away the short days and cheered the long nights. It was -requisite, however, that the cousins and nearer relations, should see -and hear George in his new position, if it were only to have something -to talk about when they came to London. Accordingly, he assisted in -the Communion Service on Christmas Day by administering "the cup," -first to his father, and then to others. He did not "think the thing -so formidable," and it wore off the apprehension he had of appearing -in public sufficient for him to give his first sermon on Sunday, Dec. -29. It was on the Birth of Christ, and he says, "Althorp and Duncannon -were my audience;" whether they were a whole or a part of the -audience, it is not easy at this distance to discover. - -He might be now considered fairly launched into his new element. The -rector of Great Brington, a Mr. Vigoreux, {107} was away on the -continent, and the parish was left to the care of the young curate. He -had three or four villages, numbering about 800, in his parish, some -distance apart, and he lived in Althorp himself. On the 1st of -January, 1823, he sets vigorously to work, and, regardless of wind or -weather, walks out from breakfast until about six o'clock every day, -visiting the people. After the first few days he gets quite interested -in the work, and is cheered on by his success in making up -differences, consoling the dying, and assisting the poor. Two notes -from the Journal will illustrate how he felt with regard to this -visiting:--"Feb. 10. Went to Little Brington, where I paid 20 visits -among the poor. Feb. 11. Visited 15 or 20 houses; this work is very -amusing to me now. I hope I shall never get tired of it, or be -disgusted by bad success to my lectures." - -The principal work he tries to accomplish by his visits is, the -supplying those deficiencies he finds in the people with regard to -what he conceived to be sacraments. His very first round through the -parish showed him how few were up to the mark of good Christians. Many -Dissenters chose to dispute his right to lecture them, and were not -slow to produce clauses of protection for themselves; and his having -"a discussion with one roaring Methodist," did not lessen the -difficulty of making them tractable sheep. Discussions proved to be a -means of widening the breach, and simple kindness left things where -they stood. Something positive he must mark out as a duty to his -flock, and then exhort them to it. Instinct led him to the sacraments. -He found great numbers unbaptized, believing in a spiritual -regeneration, and scoffing at the idea of heavenly virtue being in a -drop of water; he found more still, and these among the baptized, who -had as little love for the Lord's Supper as he had himself once. Now -these could very easily be managed by exhorting them to read the -Bible, lending them a copy if they had not one, recommending family -prayers, and kindness and justice towards all men. Mr. Spencer thought -otherwise. He began with baptism, and within the first fortnight of -his clerical life he baptized the nine children of a blacksmith. This -was a good beginning, and encouraged {108} him to persevere, but he -did not find many so malleable as the offspring of this son of Tubal -Cain. - -In the next sacramental duty he did not see his way so clearly as in -the first. In the Church of England, the _Sacrament_, as it is -emphatically called, must be administered three times a year, may be -once a month, and cannot be unless there be a number of communicants. -Giving the _Sacrament_ once a week is considered very High Church, and -to give it every morning is going a little too far. Superstitious -reverence and indifference keep the majority away from this rite, and -few come, except they get a monomonia for manifesting their godliness -in that special direction. This fact will account for Mr. Spencer's -hesitation, when he took to Christianizing his flock by making them -approach the Sacrament. He makes many promise to come, and gets a -neighbouring clergyman to administer it in their own houses to some -decrepid old people, who could not come to church. He preaches on -this, and "hopes he has not been wrong;" he discusses the propriety of -his proceedings with his older brethren in the ministry. The result -seems to confirm him in his ideas, and he preaches a second time, and -gives appendices to his sermon in every visit, about going to the -Lord's Supper. He still "hopes he is not wrong." He works very hard at -this point, however, and on the first Easter Sunday of his ministry, -he gives God thanks and prays against pride, at having 130 -communicants. There was another little incident on the same day as a -set off to his success in beating up the parish; when he opens the -sermon-cover from which he used to read his MS., he finds he had put -the wrong sermon there, and had to preach extempore the sermon he -intended to have read: of course, it was not to his satisfaction, -though the people scarcely knew the difference. - -One sad event cast a cloud over the beginning of his clerical life: -the sister he loved so much, and whose company and conversation he -thought more than an equivalent for the gayest party, Lady Georgiana -Quin, died in London. He was very much afflicted by it, and even in -after-life he would be deeply moved when speaking of this sister. He -{109} did not delay long in London, but came home in a day or two -after the funeral. - -Excepting this short interval, his time was spent at home in the most -ardent fulfilment of the duties his fervour imposed upon him. Not only -did he go about from house to house, but he would spare a day or two, -in each week, when he went into Northampton for the sessions, and -visit the neighbouring clergy. It was his custom to discuss points of -duty with them; to invite them to Althorp, and spend evenings in -clerical conversation. He accompanied them on their visits to the sick -and other parochial employments, to learn, by a comparison of the -different ways of each, which would probably be best for himself. He -reads such books as the "Clergyman's Instructor," and other books of -divinity and sermons; he never fails to write a sermon every week, to -catechise the children on a Sunday, visit the schools, and try to make -every one as faithful in the discharge of their duties as he was in -his own. About Easter some members of his family came to Althorp, and -he relaxes a little for their sakes, and freely joins them in all his -former amusements; not, however, omitting any of his visits, -especially to the sick and dying. - -{110} - - -CHAPTER II. - -He Mends Some Of His Ways. - - -About the middle of April he came to London for three weeks' holidays. -He calls it "a smoky odious place," and says that entering it makes -him "miserable." He is soon immersed in the customs of his society in -the metropolis, and his feeling of uneasiness wears off. His little -experience in parish work brings a great many things to his knowledge, -of which he had not the slightest idea before. He is at a great loss, -also, how to meet the difficulties he encounters, and doubts whether -his proceedings in what he considered his duty have been quite right. -Dr. Blomfield had always been a kind of spiritual director to Mr. -Spencer: to him he goes now for a thorough investigation of his -principles and even doctrines. Extempore praying was a thing Dr. -Blomfield never liked, and its adoption by Mr. Spencer shows a leaning -to Evangelical if not Methodistic spirituality. Whether it was this -point, or another of the many things upon which clergymen of the -Establishment agree to differ, that they discussed, we cannot say; but -the result was far from consoling to either. He says: "I want some -setting to rights in point of orthodoxy I find. I only hope that my -decision in regard to my conduct may not be influenced by ambition or -worldliness on the one hand, nor by spiritual pride on the other." -Here may be seen that real sincerity and disinterestedness which -guided his every step through life. If we analyze the sentence, it -looks as if the arguments of his adviser are taken in part from the -sources which Mr. Spencer hopes will not influence his decision; and -this conclusion is borne out by a letter which will be given further -on, when his confidence {111} in the Church of England became -thoroughly shaken. It must not be supposed from this that Dr. -Blomfield was guided himself by these motives, though hints to that -effect were often rife in his lifetime; but it is natural enough that -the doctor should propose family considerations among his other -arguments, especially if he thought those not quite persuasive. - -Mr. Spencer goes to the theatre, and it was the last time in his life. -His account of how that change was wrought in him, gives us one of -those peculiar instances in which ridicule proved to be more powerful -than logic or decorum. He attended Drury Lane Theatre with one or two -friends, and in some part of the performance a parson was fearfully -caricatured, and drew bursts of laughter and applause from the -audience. This touched him sorely; eyes were pointed towards him; his -friends laughed the more, in proportion to the efforts considerations -for him made them use, in suppressing their feelings. He went forth -from the theatre thoroughly vexed, and vowed he would never go to a -theatre again. The Journal does not give a solitary instance in which -this resolve was deviated from afterwards. This incident had also the -effect of making him consider the propriety of several other -unclerical pursuits, which he followed, as much since his ordination -as he did before. It was not, however, till towards the end of this -year that he began to retrench them, and a little of the same power of -ridicule came to his assistance then also. - -His great concern was the union of all the sects in his parish. He -knew very well that our Lord gave but one system of Christianity, and -that _yea_ and _no_ upon any important point could not proceed from -His lips or be parts of His doctrine. He thought conciliatory measures -the best to effect his purpose, and he even adopted some of the ways -of Dissenters in order to be all to all towards them. On this he seems -to have been lectured by Dr. Blomfield with some profit, for, on his -return home, he says: "Whit-Sunday. I gave a strong sermon against the -Dissenters, founded on Whit-Sunday," In a few days he pays "an -unsatisfactory visit" to one family, and says: "They are {112} the -hardest schismatics I've got; children unbaptized, &c." This seems -High Church language, and his feeling of opposition to Evangelicals, -which finds expression in a few places, now makes one suppose he was -"a proper High Church man." He labours hard for several weeks to -prepare children for confirmation. He has 80 of them ready, and was so -pleased with the whole affair, that he moved the printing of the -bishop's charge, as he proposed his lordship's health in a speech -after the dinner. The Sunday after he goes round to every house, and -gives final admonitions to those on whom the bishop imposed hands a -few days before. - -To help him in his incipient dislike of Methodism he has a very -curious conversation with a great "professor" of that persuasion. This -was an old woman whom he was in the habit of visiting whenever he made -his rounds where she lived. On his entrance, they both knelt down and -prayed alternately for some time, each, out loud and extempore, for -the edification of the other. When this rubric was carried out, they -talked at full length and breadth on the unconverted and the elect, -with sundries other kindred subjects, and this he used to style -"comfortable conversation." Sometimes the tone of conversation would -vary, and once it ran upon the line of self-accusation. The old lady -very humbly accused herself of a great many faults in general, and -signified to Mr. Spencer that she would be very much obliged to any -one who would point out her particular faults, and help her in -correcting them. Emboldened by this, he ventured, after a long -preamble, to suggest that there was one thing he would like to see -corrected in her, as it seemed to be the only speck on the lustre of -her godliness. "What is that?" asked she, rather curiously and -impatiently. "Well, it is that you are rather fond of contradicting -people." "No, I am not," was the reply. "You have just contradicted me -now." "No, I haven't." "Well, you have repeated the same fault." "I've -done no such thing," was the petulant rejoinder. Of course, he saw it -was useless to proceed further, and his visits became fewer for some -time. This {113} anecdote he used to relate with peculiar tact and a -most graphic imitation of the old lady's manner. - -Before giving his own account of the rise and fall of his High Church -notions, it may be well to mention another incident that occurred -about this time, towards the end of 1823. He determines to give up -shooting and dancing. He told an anecdote about how the first of these -sports fell into disfavour with him. There was a shooting party in -Althorp on a certain day, and George was in the very thick of it. So -anxious was he to distinguish himself in bringing down game, that he -would run to take position for a shot with his double-barrel gun -loaded, and a cartridge stuck in either corner of his mouth, ready for -action, so as not to lose a minute in charging. He did great execution -that day, and bagged probably more braces than any other. In the -evening one of the company showed great anxiety to get possession of -something, and eventually succeeded; whereupon, one present said, with -a waggish look at George, "You've made a parson's shot at it." This -struck him very forcibly, and suggested the resolution, which he -finally came to and kept, of giving up shooting. There is no -particular anecdote about his abstinence from dancing, we only know -that at this time he refuses to go to a ball, makes his pastoral -visits instead, and declares that he feels far more comfortable after -this than when he has been "pleasuring." - -The following is taken from a letter published by Father Ignatius in -the _Catholic Standard_ in December, 1853:-- - - ... "When I was ordained deacon in the Church of England at - Christmas, 1822, I had, I may say, all my religious ideas and - principles to form. I do not so well know how far this is a common - case now. I have reason to think it was a very common one then. My - mind was possessed with a decided intention of doing good, and I was - delighted with the calling and life of a clergyman; but my ideas - were very vague indeed as to what a clergyman was meant for or had - to do. Very naturally, however, on becoming acquainted with my - parishioners, among whom the Wesleyan Methodists, the Baptists, and - the Independents had been gaining ground for some time previously, I - {114} concluded that I had to oppose their progress, and to draw - back those who had joined them. This disposition in me was highly - gratifying to some of the elder clergy in my neighbourhood, who came - to make acquaintance with me as a new neighbour, especially to one - old man, an ardent lover of High Church principles, who, to confirm - me in them, gave me a book to read entitled 'Daubeny's Guide to the - Church,' in which the divine authority of the Church, the importance - of Apostolical succession, of episcopal government, the evil and sin - of schism, and other ecclesiastical principles, were most lucidly - and learnedly demonstrated. So I thought then; and, as far as my - recollection goes, I should say now that I thought rightly. I was - exceedingly captivated by these principles, which were to me quite - new, and I found myself now ready to carry on my arguments with - dissenters as a warrior armed; whereas in the beginning I had - nothing but zeal in my cause to help me. I did not gain upon them; - but this new light was so bright in my own mind, that I had no doubt - of prevailing in time. But there was one weak point in the system I - was defending which I had overlooked. It was after a time pointed - out to me, and my fabric of High Churchism fell flat at once, like a - child's castle of cards. - - "I was at this time living at Althorp, my father's principal - residence in the country, serving as a curate to the parish to which - it was attached, though the park itself is extra-parochial. Among - the visitors who resorted there, was one of the most distinguished - scholars of the day, to whom, as to many more of the Anglican - Church, I owe a debt of gratitude for the interest which he took in - me, and to the help I actually received from him in the course of - inquiry, which has happily terminated in the haven of the true - Church. I should like to make a grateful and honourable mention of - his name, but as this has been found fault with, I forbear. I was - one day explaining to him with earnestness the line of argument - which I was pursuing with dissenters, and my hopes from it; I - suppose I expected encouragement, such as I had received from many - others. But he simply and candidly said, 'These would be {115} very - convenient doctrines, if we could make use of them, but they are - available only for Roman Catholics; they will not serve us.' I saw - in a moment the truth of his remark, and his character and position - gave it additional weight. I did not answer him; but as a soldier - who has received what he feels to be a mortal wound, will suddenly - stand still, and then quietly retire out of the _mêlée_, and seek a - quiet spot to die in, so I went away with my High Churchism mortally - wounded in the very prime of its vigour and youth, to die for ever - to the character of an Anglican High Churchman. Why did not this - open my eyes, you will say, to the truth of Catholicity? I answer, - simply because my early prejudices were too strong. The unanswerable - remark of my friend was like a _reductio ad absurdum_ of all High - Church ideas. If they were true, the Catholic would be so: _which is - absurd_, as I remember Euclid would say. 'Therefore,' &c. The grand - support of the High Church system, church authority, having been - thus overthrown, it was an easy though gradual work to get out of my - mind all its minor details and accompaniments, one after another; - such as regard for holy places, for holy days, for consecrated - persons, for ecclesiastical writers; finally, almost all definite - dogmatic notions. It would seem that all was slipping away, when, - coming to the conviction of the truth of Catholicity some years - after, it was with extraordinary delight I found myself picking up - again the shattered dispersed pieces of the beautiful fabric, and - placing them now in better order on the right foundation, solid and - firm, no longer exposed to such a catastrophe as had upset my - card-castle of Anglican churchmanship. This little passage in my - ancient religious history is so sweetly interesting to me in the - remembrance, that I have looked into an old diary which I used to - keep at the time, to make out the dates, and I find by this that the - duration of my High Church ideas was shorter than I should have - imagined; but it was a period crowded with new, bright ideas, and - naturally seems longer than it is. I will, to please myself, - perhaps, more than my readers, give the dates. I note that, Dec. 24, - 1823, the great scholar of whom I have {116} spoken came to Althorp; - Jan. 23, 1824, he goes away. This was his last visit, for he died - the summer following, as I find it was on the 28th of June, 1824, - that, in passing by Oxford with my eldest brother, we called at the - Hall of which he was superior, to inquire how he was. He was - sick--then on his death-bed." [Footnote 6] - - [Footnote 6: The name of the gentleman referred to above was Dr. - Elmesly.] - -{117} - - -CHAPTER III. - -He Receives Further Orders. - - -The complete levelling of his church principles left him at a loss -which way to turn. The divided state of his parish, and the number of -sects, seemed to be perpetually harassing his mind. He set about -converting them by other ways than exhibiting his "card-castle;" he -tried to open the doors of the Establishment as wide as he could, so -as to admit if possible all classes of religionists to her communion. -Of a conversation upon this point with Lord Lyttelton, he says, "In -the evening I had a walk with Lyttelton, and was filled with scruples -about the Athanasian Creed by him unintentionally. I had a great war -with my conscience in the evening, at bed-time." These scruples slept -for some time on account of a soporific which Dr. Blomfield -administered to him; but they arose again, and were not settled till -he became a Catholic. Various discussions procure him "lights about -the Methodist practice," and "distressing thoughts;" so he gives up -that field of working now for another. - -This other field was showing good example of the different works of -mercy, and he even tries Catholic ascetism. He takes such an interest -in the poor of his parish that he goes to the hospitals, attends -dissecting-rooms, and assists at a dispensary until he learns enough -about medicine to enable him to make prescriptions for the sick poor. -He spends evenings in making pills, and one day when a poor man broke -his thigh, Mr. Spencer went and set it for him, and it was so well -done that they did not change it when he was brought to the infirmary. -The exertion this cost him nearly made him faint. - -{118} - -The next thing he notes is, "I read a most persuasive sermon of -Beveridge's about fasting; I examined the question in other books, and -by God's grace I am resolved no longer to disregard that duty." He -applied for advice about fasting, as was his invariable practice when -he took up any idea out of the ordinary line. He went to a -neighbouring clergyman, whom he considered well versed in the matter, -and, though this gentleman discourages the practice, Mr. Spencer -adopts it notwithstanding, since his arguments are too weak. These are -the principal events out of his ordinary work, except his giving up -card-playing, from the beginning of the year 1824 until the 12th of -June, when we find him again in Peterborough, on the eve of receiving -priest's orders. - -The demolition of his High Church notions, as well as the tone of mind -in which he received the former orders, might lead one to anticipate -that he received these second orders somewhat after the fashion of a -new step in the army. But it was quite the contrary. His notions of -orders were higher; he looked upon this step as an important one, and -he tells us, some days before, "I walked to-day in The Wilderness at -Althorp, ruminating on my approaching ordination." He also read the -Ordination Service over and over, a good many times. On the evening -before the ordination, whilst the Bishop and various clergymen, and -their ladies, with whom he dines, candidates included, amuse -themselves with a game of whist, Mr. Spencer refuses to play. We can -contrast his reflections now with those used on a similar occasion a -year and a half ago:-- - - "Trinity Sunday, June 13.--A beautiful day. I was awake from six, - and thought a great deal of my intended step to-day. At 11 we all - attended the Bishop to church, and the prayers, ordination, and - sacrament were performed all moat satisfactorily to me. I am now - bound by the awful tie of priesthood; and most solemnly, at the - time, did I devote myself to the service of my Master. May the - impression never fade away!" - -Shortly before this he heard of Dr. Blomfield's promotion to the see -of Chester, who, in answer to his letter of congratulation, offered -him the office of chaplain. He accepted it, in a long letter to his -old tutor, immediately he returned {119} from Peterborough. Up to this -time Mr. Spencer had been reading the Anglican divines,--Tomline, -Jeremy Taylor, Wheatley, Bull, Hooker, &c.; now he begins to read the -Fathers of the Church. The first he takes up is St. John Chrysostom -_On the Priesthood_. His opinion upon some of the doctrines he met -with there is nicely told in the letter to the _Catholic Standard_, -from which the passage in the last chapter has been quoted. - - "I had to make a long journey with my brother, in his carriage, on - that long day, June 28, from Althorp, near Northampton, to - Southampton. It was before the epoch of railroads; and I see we - started at half-past three. I was seeking a book to occupy me during - this long journey (N.B. no Breviary to recite in those days), and, - in the library at Althorp, I hit upon a copy, in Greek, of St. John - Chrysostom on the Priesthood. Nothing better. I had heard this work - highly praised, and I hoped to find some animating matter for the - exercise of my calling as a clergyman. I was not disappointed in - this hope; but when I came to what the saint says about the holy - Eucharist, as, of course, the grand circumstance which exalts the - Christian priest, I was overcome with surprise. I read, and read it - again. Is it possible! I thought to myself. Why, this is manifest - popery. He certainly must have believed in the Real Presence. I had - no idea that popish errors had commenced so soon; yes, and gained - deep root, too; for I saw that he wrote as of a doctrine about which - he expected no contradiction. What was my conclusion here? you will - ask. Why, simply this--_the Saint has erred_; otherwise this capital - tenet of popery is true--_which is absurd_. I brought in my Euclid - here, as on the previous 31st of December. I see that on the - following day I was in the cabin of the vessel in which we crossed - to the Isle of Wight, reading _Jeremy Taylor's Worthy Communicant_. - St. John Chrysostom, I have no doubt, had been thrown overboard, not - into the sea--which was making me then rather sick--as the volume - was not my own to dispose of thus; but he had been thrown overboard - with a whole multitude of Saints and Fathers besides, convicted with - him, and condemned for {120} popish errors, into the black gulph of - the dark ages; or rather, I had, by an act of my judgment, extended - the borders of that gulph several centuries back, as the Regent's - Canal Company are doing with their reservoir near our house, by Act - of Parliament, over some of our land, so as to flood him and his - contemporaries, and, of course, all after them till Luther rose to - set up a dyke and save on dry land those who had courage to step out - on the land of Gospel light which he first had re-discovered. I soon - came to look on our English Reformers of the Church of England as - the greatest and most enlightened men since the time of the - Apostles." - -He does not give up his asceticism, though he feels the pain of it; -and well he might, for he would sometimes eat nothing until six -o'clock in the evening, and be all the day going through his parish, -or writing sermons if the day were wet. He says in the journal of one -of those days: "A fasting day till dinner made me very miserable, and -makes me doubt the excellency of this means .... dinner did me good." -He improves upon the fasting, however, by adding another day every -week, when he finds that it really helps him to eradicate his passions -and raise up his mind to heaven. The bodily pain consequent on want of -food was not the only thing Mr. Spencer had to endure from his -fasting. It was a practice that had a popish air about it; his friends -and members of his family grew indignant that he should be making -himself peculiar. He had to bear the brunt of all their remarks; he -did so willingly, and would sit down to the family breakfast to feed -on their rebukes and send his portion down untasted, whilst the rest -took their meal. He also reads Thomas-a-Kempis's "Imitation of -Christ," and we see evidences of that remarkable spirit for which he -was afterwards distinguished--thanking God for everything. He becomes -a secretary to the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge: that -institution was a favourite of Dr. Blomfield's, and he may have -induced Mr. Spencer to patronize it. When Mr. Spencer saw how well it -worked in its department, he thought of a scheme for improvising -something of his own. He does not give particulars {121} of what it -was; but he submitted it to his Bishop, who "threw cold water on it," -and Mr. Spencer simply thanks God for being thwarted. He is completely -wrapped up in his clerical duties, so much so that he does not give -the full time to his summer vacation in Ryde; he is always impatient -to get back to his parish when some pressing business requires him to -leave it; and even, while away, he is perpetually visiting clergymen, -and talking upon matters belonging to his office. He seems though, -ever since the destruction of his High Church principles, to be -getting every day more Evangelical in his words and actions. - -{122} - - -CHAPTER IV. - -Mr. Spencer Becomes Rector Of Brington. - -Mr. Vigoreux, Rector of Brington, sent in his resignation of the -living to the Bishop towards the close of the year 1824. The letters -which are found among Father Ignatius's papers show this transaction -to have been very creditable to the Spencer family. The old rector was -on the continent,--he seems to have been very much in debt to Lord -Spencer, and upon his resigning his living, Lord Spencer not only -cancelled the debt, but made him so far independent for life, that the -old clergyman, in sheer gratitude, ordered £7. 10s. to be distributed -every year among the poor of the parish, whilst he lived. George was -transported with delight at the news, which was given him by a lawyer -in Northampton, on the 8th November in this year, that Mr. Vigoreux -had resigned. Mr. Spencer is full of his secret, and he and a brother -clergyman have a very pleasant evening in telling "secrets" to each -other--George about the rectorship, his friend about his intended -marriage. Things go on quietly now until the usual Christmas -assemblage of the family at Althorp, and George's reflection on his -birthday is this: "That my life past, in the main, has been mis-spent, -wasted, and worse than wasted. Last year I have become confirmed in -the first of all professions, and I truly desire that I may grow riper -and stronger in my office." For a while he resists the temptation to -join in the sports of the young gentlemen at Althorp; at length he -gives in; he plays a few rubbers at whist in compliment to his father, -and thanks God that he plays worse and worse every day. He also takes -a few shots; but finding his old {123} eagerness returning, he throws -up the gun at once, and goes to visit the sick and the poor. - -On the 12th January he is presented by his father with the living of -Brington, is instituted by the Bishop two days after, and inducted by -a neighbouring clergyman on the 20th of the same month. He is now in -possession of a good income, can afford to pay a curate to do his -drudgery, and might follow the example of non-residence which was then -so common; but he does nothing of the kind. A fat parsonage does not -come to him with an arm-chair or a sofa, and invite him to sit down -and take his rest. He considers now that the weight of the charge -obliges him to redouble his labours; he continues to write his sermons -twice over, and never misses to have one for every Sunday. It was his -custom to give, what he called a lecture, on Sunday evenings,--he now -gives a full sermon; he also increases the days of attendance in -church as far as he can, for we find him beating up for an attendance -on Ash-Wednesday; and this he calls an innovation. He gets a little -keener in the spirit of asceticism just now, for he tries to conceal -his austerities; and on a day he fasted till six he says: "I wish I -could root out that devil of ambition and vain-glory." Probably it was -about this time that the incident happened he used often to relate to -his religious brethren in after-life. One day he thought to conceal -his fast; but the housekeeper brought up the toast for breakfast, and -if he sent it down untouched she would have discovered his abstinence; -he put it in the cupboard and locked it up; by-and-by the odour it -emitted perfumed the whole place, to the no small astonishment of the -housemaid. The end of it was, that every one discovered what he tried -to conceal even from one. - -We find a thorough absorption of his energies in the work of his -ministry apparent in every page of his journal, as also from the -testimony of those who knew him at that period. One little remark will -throw light upon his interior:--"My dear Lyttelton,--Sal and the -children went away at 6½. I heard the sad departing wheels out of bed. -Thank God I have heretofore found happiness in my solitude, and shall -do {124} so again, I trust. His word, and the way of His Commandments, -they are my joy. May I grow in the knowledge and practice of them, and -I desire no more for this world." Another instance of his devotion to -his ministry may be seen in the following:--"Tuesday, March 22.--Rose -(a neighbouring clergyman) and I began talking about 8½, and hardly -ceased till 12 at night. Our subject was religion and the Church, -chiefly." - -What beautiful material was there in this excellent clergyman! and had -he been where his spirit would be understood, or where one knew how to -direct him, what might he not become? He found himself in a Church -where spirituality and asceticism are exotics, and cannot thrive, -notwithstanding that the Scriptures are so emphatic in exhorting us to -practise them. Then, if he took them up, he knew not how far to go, or -at what point to restrain himself. He had no manuals, no guides; but -vague attempts at fulsome piety written for fellow-workmen, who -differed with him on the very first principles of faith. He was, -therefore, utterly left to his own views and fancies, and what he -considered grace and inspiration. He was getting too unworldly for his -position, too single-minded, and too earnest for the easy-going -clerical gentlemen who formed the bulk of his acquaintances. Not that -the majority did not do their duty. To be sure they did; but what was -it? To read a sermon from a desk on a Sunday; to pay visits, and read -a chapter of the Bible to a dying sinner. The Evangelical counsels, -without which, in some degree or other, Christian _perfection_ is -unattainable, are exploded anachronisms in the Established of souls, -as the outcry against those within its pale, who try to revive them, -but too clearly proves. Ecclesiastical virtue, with them, does not -differ from secular virtue, any more than the virtue of a Member of -Parliament differs from that of a Town Councillor. They are both -expected to be gentlemen, and to keep the rules of propriety the -public thinks proper to expect from their position. That is all. "Oh!" -as poor Father Ignatius used to say, "shall these dry bones live?" -Thou knowest, Lord, whether they shall or not; they don't; and in his -{125} time they were farther from it than they are now. We must -therefore expect, from the nature of the case, what is to follow in -the next chapter. He goes perfectly astray, in his pursuit after what -the "Church of his baptism" could not give him. It was fortunate that -he strayed in the end from a wrong path into the right one, by the way -of too far East being West. - -Easter Sunday in this year he counts the happiest day he spent up to -this, though he had only fifty-eight communicants, a decrease since -his first Easter. His point of bringing all to the sacrament was not -carried. He had even bishops opposing him in this, as in everything -else that was not half world, half God. - -The next thing he notices is, that an archdeacon gave a good charge, -"though against the Catholics,--a questionable topic." Mr. Spencer had -no special love for Catholics; on the contrary, he thought themselves -absurd, their doctrines abominable, and their ceremonies mummery. He -was of the Spencer family though, and in them there was an inbred love -of justice and fair-play. Lord Spencer and his son, Lord Althorp, both -favoured and spoke for emancipation. They thought the Catholics -aggrieved, and if they were Turks, they did not see why they should -cease to be men and subjects of the English crown. That was plain -common sense; besides, Mr. Spencer had not got so high in Church views -as some of his friends, who favoured Catholics before their elevation -and opposed them after it, to please a king. The Spencers were -generously liberal in all their dealings, and even when the subject of -this biography, the delight of the family, thought fit to become a -Catholic, their conduct towards him was worthy of their name. We shall -have to refer to this afterwards; the allusion is made now only to -show that the tenour of their opinions was not the creature of a whim -or an ephemeral fancy, but a grave, steady, and well-disciplined -feeling. Praise be to them for it. Would that their imitators were -more numerous. - -He has also another project on hand at this time, besides the -evangelizing of his flock. He begins to build a new rectory. He gets -an architect from London; has {126} suggestions from the family about -the length and breadth of the apartments; others, more poetical, -survey the site to give their sentiments about the view from the -parlour window; the older portion have their say about the comfort of -the different rooms, with regard to size, position, and plastering. -Some few even make presents of articles of furniture, and a near -relation gives him a beautiful bed, which commodity has many -paragraphs of the journal dedicated to its praises and suitableness. -The building is at last begun, and we must say something of the -progress of his interior castle whilst we let the bricklayers obey the -orders of the builder and architect. - - -{127} - - -CHAPTER V. - -Changes In His Religious Opinions. - -For some time we are getting glimpses of his ways of thought, or -rather of his ways of expressing his thoughts. We read, "godly -dispositions," "mature unto repentance," "ripe for glory," -"comfortable conversations," "springs in barren soil," and the -"_seeing_ of spiritual _blindness_." All these indicate the leaning of -his mind, and recall the language of Cromwellian "Saints," and -Bunyan's dreams. The strangest part of his proceedings now was the way -in which he became "justified." It is hardly necessary to mention that -in Calvinistic theology, which forms the basis, if not the -superstructure, of the principal part of Evangelical postulates, the -body of believers are divided into _elect_ and _reprobate_, or -_justified_ and _unconverted_. The election or justification is a -sentiment coming from what is supposed to be the assurance of an -interior spirit that one is to be saved. With them, happy the man or -woman who possesses this testimony, and miserable the wretch to whom -it is not given. There is for these latter only an everlasting groping -in the dark, and a seeking for light, while the _insured_ can go -through this vale of tears in exultation and gladness of spirit. Mr. -Spencer was not well versed in this particular doctrine, and a poor -woman, whom he met one day in Northampton, undertook to bring him to -the "true Gospel light" by the "pure milk of the Word." She put -together a few of those passages from the New Testament, which are -generally misquoted in support of this outlandish theory, and her -interpretation convinced Mr. Spencer, so that he felt justified, all -at once. This good woman proved to be a great trouble to him -afterwards; she would harangue him, {128} once a week, on his -unconverted state, even after the _assurance_. Her letters came -regularly, four large pages, badly and closely written; and when she -had done canting on spirituality, she would fill up what remained with -the scandals of the unconverted among whom she lived, and complaints -at the cold treatment she received from many. She became a kind of -apostle among the Dissenters, and it was only when she had been living -on Mr. Spencer's charity for a few years that he discovered where the -strength of her spirit lay. He had reasons for not trusting to the -genuineness of her piety, though she kept continually writing from -North Shields, where she lived, sometimes in good and sometimes in bad -circumstances, since the regeneration of Mr. Spencer. When she -received one letter in which her sanctity was made little of, she laid -the blame on slanderous tongues, and talked about suicide. Mr. Spencer -then dropped the correspondence, and gave her a sum of money to -purchase a like favour on her side. - -He used to amuse us much by relating the system of self-laudation and -encouragement that kept the Evangelicals interested in each other. One -day he was describing how a clerical friend of his became justified. -He had travelled a good distance, and was pretty tired; the family he -thought proper to honour with his holy presence in a certain town, -prepared him a most excellent breakfast. He ate with the appetite of a -very hungry man, and when a more secular guest would have said, _O jam -satis_, he jumped up from the table and shouted with ecstatic delight, -"I am justified." He never doubted of his election to glory after -that, as far as Father Ignatius knew. The most extraordinary feature -in their modes was, that a kind of telegraphic communication was kept -up with each other, all over the country, for the purpose of making -the elect aware of the latest addition to their numbers. On finding -his brethren were disposed to laugh at the extravagant madness of this -kind of religion, he grew quite serious, and said: "They are really in -earnest, poor things, and we ought not to laugh at them, only to pray -that their earnestness might be properly directed." One will say: -Could any man or woman with a {129} grain of common sense, go on -thinking and talking this kind of unreality, which we commonly call -_cant?_ As a fact, they do, and we have proof positive of it in Mr. -Spencer himself. It is astonishing to see a man of his position, good -sense, and education, talk and write in the strange way he does, -whilst this mood of mind lasted. Not only does he write so; he holds -conversations with every one whom he meets about the state of their -soul, and those which he calls _interesting_, others considered very -probably the reverse. He also takes soundings of people's spiritual -depth, and is seldom consoled at the result. He is satisfied with no -one, except two or three of his immediate neighbours who were fed -mostly on his bounty or served in his house or garden. He goes at this -time (September, 1825) to attend Dr. Blomfield as chaplain through the -visitation of the diocese of Chester. He is very zealous throughout, -and converses on spiritual subjects with Dissenters of all kinds as -well as Churchmen; he does not even leave behind the followers of -Joanna Southcote. Some were supposing once, in his presence, that it -was impossible for followers of Joanna Southcote, and the like, not to -be fully aware that they were being deluded. Father Ignatius said it -was not so, and related a peculiar case that he witnessed himself. He -happened to be passing through Birmingham (perhaps it was after he -became a Catholic), and had occasion to enter a shop there to order -something. The shopkeeper asked him if he had heard of the great light -that had arisen in these modern times. He said no. "Well then," -repeated the shopman, "here, sir, is something to enlighten you," -handing him a neatly got up pamphlet. He had not time to glance at the -title when his friend behind the counter ran on at a great rate in a -speech something to the following effect. That the four Gospels were -all figures and myths, that the Epistles were only faint -foreshadowings of the real sun of justice that was now at length -arisen. The Messias was come in the person of a Mr. Ward, and he would -see the truth demonstrated beyond the possibility of a doubt by -looking at the Gospel he held in his hand. Whilst the shopman was -expressing hopes of converting him, he took {130} the opportunity of -looking at the pamphlet, and found that all this new theory of -religion was built upon a particular way of printing the text, _Glory -be to God on high, and on earth peace to_-WARD'S _men_. On turning -away in disgust from his fruitless remonstrances with this specimen of -WARD'S _men_, he found some of WARD'S _women_ also in the same place; -and overheard them exclaiming, "Oh! little England knows what a -treasure they have in ---- jail." The pretended Messias happened to be -in prison for felony at the time. He assured us that these poor -creatures were perfectly sincere and earnest in the faith they had in -this malefactor. - -The characteristic features of the Low Church school, or whatever name -the religious bias of Mr. Spencer's mind at this time may be called, -are, a certain self-sufficiency and rank spiritual pride. It begins -with self and ends with self. From self springs the assurance of -salvation, for self's sake, too, and every one must feel him_self_ in -this mood before he can rely on himself. When this fancy gets -possession of a person's mind, they forthwith turn apostles, borrow -the language of inspiration even for table-talk, and no person is in -the way of salvation at all who does not completely fall in with the -stream of the new flood of ideas this notion brings into the -"_regenerated_" mind. No matter how worthy or great any person may -seem to the reprobate world, and did seem to the newly-made "saint" -before the assurance, they are now dark, lost, but hopeful if they -listen patiently to one half-hour's discourse upon the movements of -the Spirit. The vagaries of each mind are in proportion to the -imagination, and the facilities for expanding them by giving them -expression. But far or near as they may go, self, proud self, is the -beginning and end of them all. - -The woman who was instrumental in "regenerating" Mr. Spencer writes in -one letter to say that she has "no pride," and that no one ever could -accuse her of being infected with this passion. At the same time, ay, -in the very next sentence, we have wrath and indignation at some of -the unregenerate who do not think proper to pay court to her. The -sweeping condemnations hurled against two or {131} three worthy -clergymen, which opened Mr. Spencer's eyes to the imposition practised -upon him, are further evidences of the same spirit. Mr. Spencer's own -ways of acting will be a fair sample of this kind of thing. During his -visit to Chester in 1825, he lectures the Bishop on several different -occasions, and considers himself quite qualified to do so by virtue of -the new spirit he has imbibed. One of the conversations he describes -thus:--"After dinner we had an animated discussion, in which I took a -lead against the field almost. Before going to bed, I had half an -hour's private conversation with the Bishop, most interesting _on his -account_. I humbly thank God who has heard my prayers, and made me a -lowly instrument in His hands for the good of this already admirable -man." In the next sentence he tells us that, in travelling home to -Althorp, "I did not read much, but thank God was enabled to keep my -mind in godly meditation almost all the way. God knows how blind and -perplexed I am still." We have taken the liberty to mark some words in -italics in the first quotation, as they show what is confirmed by -other passages, too numerous to be quoted, how high he had risen in -his own estimation when he considered a bishop benefited by half an -hour's conversation with him. He is very hopeful, though, of bringing -all the world to his ideas, and says of his family: "God grant me the -continuance of that kindness which lies between me and all my family -till such time as their hearts may be truly opened to my word." -Another reason why we are rather sparing in extracts is a respect for -a passage which occurs here in the journal. "I have put down many -circumstances in this journal relating to private discussions with -persons in religion. Should they fall into strange hands, be they -bound in conscience to use them discreetly." We simply quote what is -necessary to give a correct notion of the state of his mind. He -carried his zeal a little too far betimes, "he went so far as to -consider it the duty of a clergyman to call on and rebuke any brother -clergyman, whom he might consider negligent in his ministerial -office." - -{132} - -Thus a fellow-clergyman writes:-- - - He got into some difficulties at this time in consequence of - reporting to his bishop a clergyman who would not listen to his - remonstrances; but mutual explanations succeeded in making - everything right. The clergyman in question lived away from his - cure, and thought proper to enjoy unclerical, but otherwise - harmless, sports. Mr. Spencer, of course, was against this, but did - not succeed in imbuing the other with his sentiments. - Notwithstanding these notions of self-righteousness, he was far from - incurring much censure for officiousness. His character and mode of - life gained him so much respect that he could administer even - reproof without provoking anger, except where it was too richly - deserved. A letter of Dr. Blomfield's to him after this visit, bears - out this remark. The Bishop says: ... "I hope you will look back on - your visit to Chester with pleasure. You may have the satisfaction - of believing that you have done good to many _young_ clergymen, who - had an opportunity of conversing with you, if not to many _old_ - ones. I was very glad to set before them the example of a young man - of rank and good prospects devoted in singleness of heart to the - duties of his holy calling." - -That his single-mindedness and piety should have thus led him astray -is not to be wondered at; for, besides the want of a state where such -virtues could be properly cultivated, he had to breathe a religion -whose first principles tend directly that way. The exercise of private -judgment in what primarily concerns salvation must always lead one -astray, because articles of faith are not creatures of human -intelligence, neither are they within its compass to understand. He -had, of course, a private judgment shackled by contradictions, as -every subscriber of the Thirty-nine Articles has. He had an authority -to obey which gave a dubious sound, and he was told plainly by the -same voice that itself was defectible; the only tie to obedience was -the condition on which he discharged his clerical functions; it was -natural that he should see through this, from his very single-mindedness, -and overlook the conditions while trying to unravel the knots with -which they bound him. His birthday reflections this year, 1825, show -that he did not begin to retrace his steps. They are as follows:-- - -{133} - - "Dec. 21. ... - This day sees me 26 years old, and blessed be my Almighty Protector, - the last year has greatly advanced me in hope and knowledge of - salvation. A reference to my observations last birthday shows me a - great alteration in my views. What admirable methods does He employ - in bringing sinners to himself? During the last half-year I reckon I - must fix the time when by the most unlikely means God has brought me - to faith and knowledge of His grace. I solemnly devote the next year - and every day and hour and minute of my future life to coming nearer - to Him, to learning His ways and word, and to leading others to the - same knowledge, in which He has caused me to exult with a joy - formerly unknown." - -{134} - - -CHAPTER VI. - -Opposition To His Religious Views. - - -Mr. Spencer was so taken with his new birth that he tried to have all -his friends and acquaintances born again after his own fashion. He -made no secret, therefore, of his religious leaning; by letter and -word of mouth he tried to bring all to his side. We find, from his -correspondence at this time, a shower of letters from every point of -the clerical compass where there was authority or influence enough to -muster a cloud for their discharge. In looking over such of the -letters as he has thought well to preserve, one is struck at once with -the diversity of opinion. It is better not to give names, perhaps; but -a few sentences from each may not be out of place. - - Rev. Mr. A.--"I have read your letter through with great care, and I - can say with truth, that it has produced much the same effect upon - the eye of my mind which the full blaze of the meridian sun - sometimes produces upon the natural eye. It has been almost too much - for me." The letter goes on encouraging him in his spirit, - fortifying him against all carnal opposition. This gentleman is of - the same mind as Mr. Spencer, but more glowing in his zeal for the - great cause of Gospel freedom. - - Rev. Mr. B.--"I address myself to one who, from that love of Christ - which passeth knowledge, has evinced an anxiety for me, who am less - than the least of all saints, and an unprofitable minister of the - Gospel of God." This gentleman's language is of the right stamp; but - he does not agree so perfectly, and arranges for a meeting, where - they are to have a mutual adjustment of ideas. - -{135} - - Rev. Mr. C.--"This is very well at the commencement. I trust the - Lord will add more, in the best sense of that expression." - - Rev. Mr. D.--".... To this I will never consent [renewing left off - discussions], being satisfied (as I have before stated to you) that - every man who is able and willing and sincerely endeavouring to - learn and practise his duty, ought to be left in the quiet and - undisturbed possession of his own conscience, and not forced from it - against his will by others who happen to form a different judgment. - In our former conversations, you told me, as plainly as language - could well do, though perhaps not entirely at one interview, that - you considered me to be an unconverted sinner, as destitute of the - truth as any heathen could be, and in a state of perdition; and you - seemed to think that I could be recovered from that fearful - condition by that horrid system of indiscriminate condemnation and - terror which prevails (I find) at Northampton in its most odious - form, and which I believe to be essentially opposed to the - principles of the Christian religion, as it is repugnant to those - natural feelings of kindness and benevolence which God has implanted - in the human breast." - -It might be fairer to transcribe his entire letter; but then the other -letters have the same claim, and that would make a new volume, for -some of the letters extend over fifteen pages of foolscap paper, -closely written. The sum of the remaining part is this, that he is -twenty-one years in holy orders, and that God could not have allowed -him to be in error all that time. He says that, "I never can for one -moment admit that any one is more anxious for my happiness than I am -myself, nor that any person has a greater right to decide than I have -by what means that happiness shall be sought. A man's own -conscientious judgment is the proper guide in such cases." He then -refers Mr. Spencer to others more learned than he for the discussion -of those matters, and mentions the Bishop of Chester and John Rose, -"whose qualifications for the task are incomparably superior to mine." -This gentleman seems to hesitate between Mr. Spencer's opinions and -his own, and is rather uneasy lest he might be wrong, yet does not see -{136} the use of troubling himself, as it is all the same in the end, -when one tries to do what his conscience tells him is right. - -Rev. Mr. E. is a doctor, so let us listen to him. After a rhetorical -preface, in which he would make excuses but would not, because they -were such friends and did not want them, for handling his friend so -summarily, he thus launches forth:-- - - "Although there can be but _one_ line of duty marked out in the - situation of _every_ clergyman, and although, before God, the - humblest and the loftiest in that profession are equally bounden to - _pursue_ the same line of duty, and are, moreover, equally frail and - 'found wanting,'--yet I cannot bring myself to consider yours as by - any means an _ordinary_ case." - -After thus magnifying the importance of his subject, he neither agrees -nor disagrees, but discountenances Mr. Spencer's practices on -prudential motives. He staves off the whole matter of doctrine, and -talks about discipline. - -The next quotation will be from a bishop. He very wisely and keenly -observes:-- - - "Amidst a great deal that is excellent and of right spirit in your - observations, there is a presumption and self-confident tone, which - is altogether new in _you_, and in my opinion not very consistent - with real humility. In fact, I almost wonder that this symptom, if - you have ever recalled to mind your conversations, or read over your - letters when written, has not made you doubt the reality of what you - call your conversion; for I remember perfectly well your having - observed to me, that the extreme confidence of those who hold - Calvinistic opinions as to their own case, and their extreme - uncharitableness towards, or rather _concerning_ others, were strong - indications of some radical error in their notions, and so they will - ever be considered by those who take the same view with St. Paul of - Christian charity." - -The Bishop then states the case very clearly at issue between them, -and points how far they agree and disagree upon the point of -_assurance_ and reliance on the merits of Christ, and proves his side -of the question by Scripture, Anglican divines, and common sense. - -{137} - -It is a very singular thing that this bishop, when he first heard of -the manifestations of Mr. Spencers Calvinistic spirit, concludes a -short letter to him thus:-- - - "I recommend to your perusal a most interesting tract, which Blanco - White has just published, 'The Poor Man's Preservative against - Popery.' - - "Ever yours affectionately, - *****" - -These specimens are picked at random from a heap of letters. It looks -incomprehensible to a Catholic how such a state of things could be -possible in a system calling itself a Church. Not one of these, who -were the clergy working with him in the same field and in the same -way, dared to say, or knew how to say, "You have uttered a heresy." -Some agreed with him, some applauded him, some wanted to be left alone -in their old doctrines, and some begged leave very politely to differ -from him, and gave their reasons for so doing. The Bishop argued -warmly against him, but Mr. Spencer took up his lordship, and argued -quite as warmly for the other side of the question. If he did not put -them among the reprobate, they should very likely have let him alone. -Such was the state of _dogma_ in the Establishment in the beginning of -1826; it is scarcely improved, except in its own way, in 1865. No -definite teaching, nothing positive, nothing precise, all mist, doubt, -uncertainty, except that Popery is anti-Christian and subversive of -human liberty. - -It is very hard to imagine, much less to realize, how these lukewarm -expressions of assent and dissent turned, in a few months, into a -tempest of opposition. Perhaps the following guess would nearly -account for it. We may conclude from the letter of Lady Spencer to Dr. -Blomfield (given in his life, page 70), on his being appointed to the -see of Chester, that she and Lord Spencer knew something about the -making of bishops and the mode of their _translation_. If she took -such an interest in a stranger, but a friend, it is not wonderful that -she should take a similar, if not a greater, interest in seeing a -mitre on the head of her own son. Lord Liverpool had not yet retired -from the head of the ministry, {138} and if his politics and Lord -Spencer's were sufficiently of accord to promote the man whom the Earl -patronized, they would be able to do a like service to the Earl's own -son in due course. Extreme Low Church views would never do for the -Episcopal Bench in those days, though many were raised to that dignity -with little High Church views. Whether Mr. Spencer's opinions clouded -this bright future, or that the noble family would feel it a disgrace -to have a son so methodistical, or whether real anxiety for his -spiritual welfare, or an endeavour to prevent a future that the -Bishop's ken seemed to have forecasted, troubled his parents, it is -difficult to say. At all events, Mr. Spencer's religious notions -caused a great commotion in the family, whilst those who abetted and -encouraged him went on preaching their sermons and reading their -services in their position, with one exception, and nobody seemed to -mind them. - -Lady Spencer took her son to London, in the beginning of the year -1826, to have his new notions rectified by Dr. Blomfield. This good -doctor immediately prescribed for his patient, for he did not need -much feeling of his spiritual pulse after their correspondence. The -interview is thus described:-- - - "Jan. 24.--My mother allowed me her carriage after breakfast, to go - and see the Bishop of Chester. I did not find him at home, and so - came directly back again. He was so good as to call on me - afterwards, and sat talking with me a considerable time. His - conversation was most pleasing to me, though I could see that we did - not fully agree in our view of Christian doctrine (_sic_). He - desired me to read Sumner's 'Apostolical Preaching,' which I sent - out for and began doing before dinner." - -His obedience to directors of all kinds was remarkable; but the -results were invariably contrary to their expectations. He began this -book at once, and be it remembered, he had read it twice before. Next -day he read on, and "marked many passages which he thought decidedly -wrong." He goes out a little, sees an old friend, and delights in -reading Cowper's "Task," exclaiming, "It is a great thing to be a true -Christian." He visits the Bishop in a day or two; they hold a -discussion, but part in charity; and the result was, {139} that Mr. -Spencer wrote him "the memorable letter" which scarcely left his -lordship a hope of salvation if he did not at once get assured of his -election. - -A correspondence ensues now, which terminates in a promise given and -accepted of a longer stay in London, where matters may be settled in -conversation to their mutual satisfaction. In the mean time, Mr. -Spencer returns to his parish, and begins reading the New Testament in -Greek (another of Dr. Blomfield's prescriptions). As he lays down the -volume one day he exclaims, "How do I want the milk of God's word!" - -An old lady whom he visits, in illness, dozes into a stupor, and -awakens unto Gospel faith. One evening he says:--"I spent this evening -with a mixture of scrupulosities and comforts, but trust soon to find -out what is the true Gospel freedom." There seem still some relics of -the old asceticism left in him, for on having to go to Peterborough on -some business, he says:--"I started in a chaise for Peterborough. I -had scruples about the heavy expense of this mode instead of coaches; -but I was consoled by the opportunity I had on the way of calling at -Titchmarsh, and having half an hour's conversation with Lyttelton -Powys. I got to Peterborough at 4½, dined with the dean and his lady -at 6, and spent the evening in hearing extracts from his intended life -of Bentley. I found myself in a land, alas! of spiritual barrenness; -but water-springs may rise in dry ground." - -It was about this time, March, 1826, that he seems to have given up -reading anything in the way of theology, except the Bible. He gives an -odd dip into Cowper's poems, by way of recreation. He came across a -book called "The Convent," but immediately "discovered it to be -anti-Christian." This apparent quiet is, however, disturbed by the -play of the clerical artillery around him. The tone of one or two -extracts from the letters he received now will give an idea of the -vantage-ground these good champions of orthodoxy thought proper to -take. One writes:-- - - "I know you did think it un-Christian-like to converse or employ the - mind much on any subject but religion. To this almost entire - exclusion of all other topics I decidedly object, {140} on the - ground of its having a strong tendency to engender a pharisaical - spirit, and of its being inconsistent with the common duties and - occupations of life marked out for us by Providence, and contrary to - the true interests of genuine Christianity. And my opinion in this - respect has the sanction of some of the most excellent characters I - have ever known--persons eminent alike for sound wisdom and - discretion, and for a quiet and unostentatious, but sincere and - fervent piety. - - "I cannot conclude this letter without remarking, that all your - conversations with me, since you adopted your present views, have - convinced me more and more that my own religious opinions are sound - and yours erroneous; and that every day's experience confirms and - strengthens me in the conviction, that the religious system which - your friends at Northampton are pursuing (whatever charm it may have - for enthusiastic minds) _is not the religion of the Bible_." - -This is from the grumbler quoted above, as may be seen by the -style and sentiment. - -Our friend the doctor calls him to task in this manner:-- - - ".... You are endeavouring to make up for past deficiencies, or to - atone for past errors, by renewed activity or rather extraordinary - efforts. This you do in perfect sincerity; and, I believe, heartily. - In consequence, instead of _one_ sermon on a Sunday there are _two_; - instead of a _quarterly_ there is a _monthly_ sacrament; and, in - addition, an evening lecture, with prayers, is pronounced every - Wednesday evening. Now, supposing you had not taken this - unfavourable opinion of your past feelings and views, would you have - adopted such regulations? I think you would _not_; and yet, be it - observed, the necessity for them was and is a matter totally - irrelevant to your own private feelings." - -The rest of this letter, the doctor's second, is to sober down Mr. -Spencer's fervour, and make him go on quietly, hoping thus to slacken -his enthusiasm and bring him to his former frame of mind. - -It is sad to see a clergyman called to task for not being more worldly -and less zealous. He is, in fact, too much like a Catholic Saint to be -endured in the Establishment. {141} He must eventually abandon it, or -be stoned to death with hard words in it. We see the chink now through -which the first alternative gleamed on the Bishop; and we see the -disposition of Providence in moving him to confine himself to the -Bible, when some plausible Anglican work might have burnished up what -he had of Catholic instinct, and made it seem gold. - -{142} - -CHAPTER VII. - -Progress Of His Religious Views. - - -It must not be supposed that Mr. Spencer broke away from the -Establishment by the religious notions he took up at this time; on the -contrary, his great hope is that he shall unite all the sects to her, -and he fancies they are being realized now among the Methodists in his -own parish. His cardinal point of opinion at this time was, that the -articles and formularies of the Anglican Church required some kind of -soul to put life into them and make them touch the heart; that this -life had been allowed to eke out of the Church in the days bygone, and -that it was high time to bring it back; the wording of the Church's -text-books gave room for his interpretation, and his whole line of -procedure was but acting upon it. Others interpreted differently, some -did not interpret at all; with both classes of opponents he maintained -an opposition so satisfactory to himself that his notions only gained -a stronger hold of his mind every day. We shall give some specimens of -the arguments urged against him by the second class of opponents, who -were chiefly influential members of his own family. One writes,--his -father:-- - - "I will commission Appleyard to get the Hebrew grammar you mention - and send it down, and I am very glad to hear that you intend to - revive that study, which must be so useful to a clergyman, and which - will I hope be an advantage to your mind by varying the objects to - which you apply it, and by that means tend to relieve it from the - effects of too intense an application to the more difficult and - abstruse points of religious study; which, if not under the - corrective guidance of greater learning and experience than it is - possible for you yet to have, might lead into the {143} wildness of - enthusiasm, instead of the sensible and sound doctrine which it - becomes an orthodox minister of an Established Church to hold for - himself and to preach to others." - -Another,--his mother:-- - - "Infinite peril attends the setting our duties and religious notions - in too austere a point of view, and seeming mystic and obscure modes - of speech when describing religious sentiments; and disparaging - every effort to do right except it tallies exactly with some - indescribable rule of faith which cannot be comprehended by - simple-minded and quiet-tempered piety, is of all things the most - dangerous, since the risk is dreadful either of disgusting, or - repelling, or alarming into despair. Nothing proves the perfect - ignorance of human character and the art of persuasion than this - process. It never can do to terrify into doing right,--stubbornness - and hopelessness must ever be the consequence of such ill-judged - zeal; and to the preacher uncharitableness and spiritual pride. - Milton's beautiful meditation of our Saviour, in 'Paradise - Regained,' has two lines which exactly fill my idea of what ought to - be the mode of doing good by precept:-- - - "By winning words to conquer willing hearts, - And make persuasion do the work of fear." - - .... Do not permit yourself to judge uncharitably of the motives of - others because their religious sentiments are not always floating on - the surface of their words and actions." - -The remonstrances descend in a graduated scale from these elegant -remarks, through letters from old schoolfellows in an off-hand style; -frisky young matrons twit him in a very airy kind of argument, and all -seems to wind up in a flourish from a young officer, "How dy'e do, my -dear old parson; ever in the dumps, eh?" - -The long visit to London is at length brought about. He writes in the -journal:--"April 13, 1826. At 9 set off for London. I leave Althorp -for a longer period than I have since taking orders. May God make it a -profitable excursion!" This visit was planned by the family and {144} -Dr. Blomfield, when they saw letters were unavailing, in order that -Spencer might be brought, by conversing with his old master, into -tamer notions on religion. - -He accordingly dines and speaks with the Bishop and some clerical -friends, but the result was this note in the journal:--"I feel myself -in this great town like St. Paul in Athens. Not one like-minded man -can I now think of to whom I can resort. But God shall raise me some." -The next Sunday after his arrival in London he is asked by Dr. -Blomfield to preach in St. Botolph's Church, Bishopsgate street. This -sermon was to be a kind of profession of his faith. His own -commentaries on it are thus: "I had the wonderful glory of preaching a -full and free gospel discourse in the afternoon to a London -congregation, and God gave me perfect composure and boldness; and -although he liked not the doctrine, the Bishop was perfectly kind to -me afterwards." The Rev. Mr. Harvey, Rector of Hornsey, says, in a -letter he had the kindness to write to one of our fathers: "My first -acquaintance with Mr. Spencer was about 1824 or 1825, when I was -curate of St. Botolph's, Bishopsgate, of which Archdeacon Blomfield, -afterwards Bishop of London, was rector. Mr. Spencer had been a pupil -of the Bishop's, and was always regarded by him with great interest. -He generally came to him to stay for a few days in the spring, and -used then to come and see me, and accompany me in my pastoral visits. -He was a person of a most tender and loving spirit, very distrustful -of himself, and very anxious to arrive at truth. On one occasion I -remember his preaching on a Sunday afternoon at St. Botolph's, when -Dr. Blomfield, then Bishop of Chester, read prayers. To the surprise -of every one he took the opportunity of explaining his particular -views of religion, which were then decidedly evangelical, intimating -to the congregation that they were not accustomed generally to have -the Gospel fully and faithfully preached. The Bishop of course was -pained, but merely said, 'George, how could you preach such a sermon -as that? In future I must look over your sermon before you go into the -pulpit.' I do not vouch for the details, but this is what {145} I -recollect as far as my memory helps me at this distance of time." - -Mr. Spencer went to hear others preach, and forms his opinions of each -according to his way of thinking. Here are some specimens:-- - - "The Bishop of Bristol preached in the morning for the schools, a - sermon worthy of Plato rather than St. Paul." Another day: "Went - with all speed to Craven Chapel, where I heard Irving, the Scotch - minister, preach nearly two hours. I was greatly delighted at his - eloquence and stout Christian doctrine, though his manner is most - blameably extravagant." Another day: "I went with Mr. A---- and Miss - B---- to hear Mrs. Fry perform, and was delighted with her - _expounding_ to the prisoners in Newgate." - -He seems to advance more and more in his own religious views; and he -says his father was wretched about them. He gets an opportunity of -preaching in the West End of London, and writes thereupon: "O my God, -I have testified thy truth to east and west in this horrid Babylon." -He soon after returns home, and is so far improved that he determines -to preach extempore for the future; in this he succeeds very well. -What led him to this resolve was the facility with which he could -maintain a conversation on religious topics for any length of time, -and the rational supposition that he might do the same, as well in the -pulpit as in the parlour. - -A letter to the Rev. Mr. Harvey, which is the only one that we have -come across of those written by him at this time, gives a fair idea of -the state of his mind: it was written on his return to Althorp after -this London visit. - - "_August 3, 1826._ - - "My Dear Harvey,--Bishop Heber's sermon I think beautiful. I am also - pleased with all that has come of late from Bishop Sumner. His - apostolic preaching does not fully satisfy me, and I have little - doubt, from his writings, that he would not consider it as exactly - representing his present views. .... It must be admitted that St. - Paul's sins before his conversion are not so heinous as {146} those - of many who have not ignorance and unbelief to plead in their - favour. .... With regard to the question whether we be under guilt - and eternal wrath, or in the favour of God and on the way of life, - it seems to me highly dangerous to look to any distinction but this - plain one, 'He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the - Son of God hath not life.' .... Having thus ventured an opinion to - you, I will go on to say that I wish I could have some conversation - with you at large on these matters. I do not wish to introduce - discussions on these points with my brethren, except when I am led - to it by circumstances, and therefore I never entered on the subject - with you during my stay in London. I have sometimes blamed myself - for it, because you seemed to me to be so candid and unprejudiced - that I might have done so without any risk of displeasure. I now - tell you that I was much pleased always with the spirit of your - sermons and with all your feelings, as far as I could judge of them - from conversation; but I could plainly perceive that your views of - fundamental doctrines were not what, I am convinced, are the right - ones according to the Word of God and the Articles of our Church. - The Bishop would have told you, I suppose, that he and I were at - variance on these points, though in mutual regard and attachment I - humbly trust we never before were so nearly united. Indeed, I never - had an argument with him which did not leave me in admiration of his - genuine meekness and charity. .... I reckon him very nearly right, - and I am sure that he has real humility and an inquiring spirit; and - so I firmly trust that, by God's blessing, he will be led to - acknowledge the whole truth, and that very shortly. .... All that I - venture to say is that he has not, to my mind, yet taken the right - view of the plan of Redemption. But I am so convinced of his being - on the right way to it, that I could almost engage to acknowledge my - own views wrong (though I have not a single doubt of them now), if, - before his departure, which God send may be distant, he does not - declare his assent to them. I believe that you are just of the same - mind on these things, as I was myself a year or two ago. {147} You - probably know that my present views are of comparatively recent date - with me. They are, in fact, what I have at last settled into, after - two or three years of extreme doubts and oscillations and - scrupulosities. I thank God that from all these He has delivered me, - except the trouble and annoyance of my own evil heart, from which, - however, I do not expect complete freedom, while in this tabernacle. - As to writers on the subject, I have none, besides the formularies - of our Church, whose doctrines and principles I like better than - Thomas Scott's. There are some points of discipline, however, in - which I do not go along with him. But I now attach myself most - exclusively to the Word of God and prayer, as the method of - increasing in knowledge, and feel delighted in the freedom which I - have gained from the variety of opinions of learned men, which used - to perplex me so grievously." - -This is what he looked upon as being in the Gospel freedom, that he -was free from doctors; and it is a freedom. If Anglican doctors were, -like our theologians, all of a mind in doctrine, with a certain margin -for diversity of opinion in things of minor consequence, or in the way -of clearing up a difficulty, it might be borne; but when one has -theologians for guides who agree about as much as one living clergyman -agrees with another, it is surely a freedom to be delivered from a -yoke that presses on so many sides, and forces so many ways at once. - -{148} - - -CHAPTER VIII. - -Some Of The Practical Effects Of His Views. - - -It is high time that we should turn from the abstract consideration of -Mr. Spencer's views, and test their efficiency by the great standard -of good and evil--facts. The facts, bearing upon our subject, which -the Journal gives up to this period of his life, the close of 1826, -and beginning of the next year, may be summed up in few words. One old -woman was the only one of whom he could say, "she seems fully -established in religion;" and it is remarkable that this very person, -Mrs. Wykes, became a Catholic later on. All the rest were in different -stages of fermentation; some "hopeful," some "promising," some -"ripening unto light," and so forth: they ripen more and more -according to the number of his visits; but if it should happen that -they did not need material help from him, they very soon got back to -their old way again, and poor Mr. Spencer used to return, after his -day's apostleship, much humiliated at his want of success. In fact, -his missionary work was a perfect representation of Protestant -missions to the heathen. He distributed Bibles and blankets, -prayer-books and porridge, and three of his best and most hopeful -proselytes went mad, and were sent to the county lunatic asylum. Of -himself, he tells us that he used to spend from two to three hours -daily in godly contemplation. Of this he began to get tired after some -time, and gives the following extraordinary notions of his interior -state:-- - - "Sep. 2. I was employed chiefly in reading Gr. Testament; but I find - myself very far yet from that state of real activity of mind which I - ought to gain. I wish for such experience in Christ as not to need - spiritual exercises as constantly as I now do to keep up communion - with God, and so have more time for active labour." - -{149} - - "Sep. 12. I went to Nobottle at 12 and returned at 3. I called in - every house except Chapman's, and, alas! I found _not one soul_ over - whom I could rejoice as a true child of God. Yet there are signs of - hope in a few. What an awful scene it would be if I had eyes to see - it, or how great is my deliverance, who, though not less deserving - perdition than any, am yet planted in the House of God, and rejoice - through Christ in the hope of His glory." - -He begins the new year, 1827, with the following:-- - - "I have found my mind so far from settled that I never saw myself - more in need of God's grace. But I shall find it." - -Strange prophecy; he was determined never to rest content until he -could feel right with regard to God and his salvation, and it is -needless to say that he was far from this, notwithstanding his great -Calvinistic assurance. - -Every new Dissenting minister that comes into his parish, he makes it -his business to call upon and see if they could not unite their -respective flocks, even by compromising differences. He sometimes -comes home flushed with hope, and then, when he tries to persuade his -fellow-clergymen of the Establishment to make advances to Methodists -or Baptists, their coldness brings his hopes to nought. Nothing -disheartened, he comes to the charge again, and is buoyed up, the -whole time, by the hope of one day or other seeing his beloved people -in one fold, under the care of one shepherd. - -He removes in the middle of this year to the house he built for -himself at Great Brington, and he learns the pleasures of housekeeping -in a few weeks by the difficulties he encounters in the management of -servants. The rest of the year, until towards October, goes on rather -calmly; no incident of importance occurs except the preaching of his -Visitation Sermon. The Bishop of Peterborough, Dr. Marsh, comes to -make his diocesan visitation in Northampton, and the Honble. and Rev. -Mr. Spencer is asked to preach before him. He does so very nervously, -and although he introduces one passage into that sermon indicative of -his peculiar views, the Bishop was so pleased with it, {150} that he -ordered him to print it. It was printed accordingly, and Mr. Spencer -sent copies to all the friends he could remember; he even sent some -across the Atlantic to old schoolfellows. Between thanks for the -reception of this favour, and mutual acknowledgments of esteem and -regard, with compliments and returns of the same, an interval is given -him to prepare for another storm on the score of his opinions. - -The second volume of his diary concludes with some distressing -discussions and family animadversions on his ways of thinking. It -sounds rather strange in Catholic ears that lay people should deem -themselves qualified to lecture a clergyman on what he ought to -believe and teach; it ought not, if he remembers that we are speaking -of a land of private judgment, where every one is qualified to think -and dictate to his neighbour. The friends take their arguments now -from a different point. Mr. Spencer had built his new rectory and gone -to live there; the architect had done his part so well, that he would -sometimes come off the coach, when passing near Brington, so that he -might have another look at this specimen of material comfort. It was -furnished, too, in a befitting style, for George went even to London, -and took counsel with his mother and others on what things were proper -and best suited for a parsonage. The best upholsterers were made to -contribute from their stock of cupboards, beds, mattresses, chairs, -and tables, and when the van arrived at Brington, there were several -connoisseur female relatives invited to give their opinions on the -colouring and papering of the rooms, the hanging and folds of the -window curtains, and the patterns of the carpets. All was finally -arranged to the satisfaction of all parties, and only one thing was -wanting,--"the partner of his joys," or troubles, as they would be -now, poor man. - -Bright ideas struck his friends about this time. It was thought, in -very high and intellectual circles, that if the young rector of -Brington were married, he would settle down quietly in the snug -parsonage, and make metaphysical ideas give way to the realities of -life. This they concluded was the short road to his settlement, and he -himself used {151} often to tell how long arguments on religious views -often ended with, "Well, George, get yourself a wife, and settle down -like your neighbours, and all these dreams will vanish." To their -surprise, however, they found the young rector as difficult of -persuasion in this point as in his other notions; but experience gave -them the advantage over him here, and they were determined not to be -foiled. The want of a house to bring the bride to, was thought to be -the sole objection heretofore, and perhaps it was; that was now -removed. Suggestions to that effect reach him in letters from his -friends about this time. The following is a specimen:-- - - "It is probable that I shall return to Brington for the winter. If N - *** or N *** succeeds in a matrimonial alliance on your account, I - hope you will speedily let me know; perhaps an insinuating - advertisement in the _Morning Post_ might be useful to you. Joking - apart, I shall be most happy when the time comes for wishing you - joy." - -Insinuations and arguments did not avail, so they had recourse to -stratagem. One would not like to suspect that the Bishop of Chester -was let into the secret, though he ought to be a capital hand at such -things, as he had the hymeneal knot twice tied upon himself. However -that may be, the plot was laid, hatched, and the eggs broken as -follows:--Towards the end of October, 1827, he accompanied Dr. -Blomfield on a visitation through the diocese of Chester. He was taken -a little out of his way in order to preach in a church near -Warrington. The rector of this place asked him specially;--what was -his surprise to find his "old flame," Miss A ***, as mentioned in a -former chapter, there ready prepared to be one of his listeners. He -walked with her to church, and was delighted with her company; he used -to say he never preached, whilst a minister, with greater satisfaction -than on that day. Coming home from church he had to hear out -compliments about his preaching, and he spent the evening with a -clerical party--one was a clergyman who was about being married to the -sister of Mr. Spencer's favourite. It was thought everything would -come round then, and that some kind of arrangement would be made for -the future; but Mr. Spencer, though pleased, {152} was not anywise -romantic, nor apt to put his head into a halter from which it would -not be so easy to draw it back. It was well, however, that he was -pleased, and he evinces as much himself in his Journal, when he says: - - "Sunday, Oct. 21. - I begin this volume with one of the most interesting Sundays I have - ever spent. After breakfast with Mr. ***'s family, we went to church - about half a mile from the house, where I preached the first sermon - which it has been given me to preach in this diocese; and I am - pleased that it should be in this church and before N *** N *** - among other hearers, with whom I now converse as pleasingly as in - former times, but on higher subjects. With her and her sister I - walked home, and again to evening service, where I read prayers and - Mr. *** preached." - -But this argument met the fate of all that had been spent on him for -the last three years. It seemed all settled as far as he was -concerned; for there was no doubt on the other side. He got into his -carriage to drive up to Althorp, and ask his father's consent. When -near the door, he called to the driver to stop, and turn to the -rectory. He had just formed the resolution _never to marry_. It was -not that he did not like the intended partner, it was an affair of -long standing; but he remembered the words of St. Paul: "He that is -unmarried careth for the things that belong to the Lord, how he may -please the Lord: But he that is married careth for the things that are -of the world, how he may please his wife" (1 Cor. vii. 32, 33, Prot. -version). No one was ever able to shake this resolution, and the -repeated attempts of others to do so only strengthened it the more. He -often related this incident to us, and when asked, if he then thought -of the Catholic priests, "Oh, I might, but I thought it was some -superstitious motive that made them live single; I thought I made a -new discovery myself;" he would reply. - -A change takes places now in his finances. He was Always extremely -charitable, and his housekeeper tells of his equipment, when going out -to make his parish rounds, of a morning. He would carry a bottle of -wine in his coat pocket, and as much money as he could possibly spare. -{153} These he distributed among the sick and the poor. He used also -to buy them medicines, and procure them clothes. Of course it was -found soon that a very large income would not suffice for the -liberality of the son, so Lord Spencer came to an arrangement with -him. He allowed him a liberal yearly income; but George feels it -rather hard, and complains of his straitened means in two or three -places of his Journal. However, he set to make the best of it, and -began by retrenchment from his own table. "By way of retrenchment, I -have left off wine and puddings or tarts, and I have reduced my -quantity of clean linen to wear." Ever himself, what he spared from -his own table he brought to the poor. "We shall transcribe the simple -account of this period of his life given us by Mrs. Wykes, who knew -him from a child. - - "His great charity to the poor and wandering beggars was unbounded. - At times he gave them all the money he had, and stripped himself of - his clothes to give them to the distressed; and when he had nothing - to give, he would thank God he had only His holy truth to impart, - and would speak of the love of God so fervently, that he would call - forth tears from the poor objects of misery who came many miles to - beg money or clothes of him. Many impostors presented themselves - with the rest, but even those he thanked God for, and thought - nothing of relieving them, as he said he lost nothing by them, but - got a lesson of humility. Some poor afflicted mendicants would - present themselves with loathsome sores, and these he would assist - in dressing and try to cure. His house was always open for the - distressed, and he often longed to make an hospital of it for the - poor. He was all for gaining souls to God; he would often walk to - Northampton to visit the lodging-houses, and most infamous dens of - the dissolute, to speak to them of God's holy law and mercy to - sinners. Indeed his whole time was devoted to doing good. He did not - often allow himself the privilege of riding, but would walk to - Northampton or further, carrying his clothes in a knapsack strapped - over his shoulders, and would smile at the jeers and laughs against - him, glorying in following out the practice of the Apostles. He - fasted as well as he knew {154} how, much stricter than when he - became a Catholic. In fact he allowed nothing to himself but plain - living, and willingly granted better to others. He gave no trouble, - but was always ready to wait upon others, and make them happy and - comfortable. He was always ready to hear complaints, and turn - everything into the goodness of God. He was indeed the father of the - poor, and a peace-maker, though meeting with many contradictions, - particularly among the Dissenters. He bore all with patience and - cheerfulness, and went on hoping all would end well in due time." - -The last _effect_ we shall record in this chapter is another passage -from his Journal:--"Saturday, Nov. 17. To-day I called on Mr. -Griffiths, Independent minister at Long Buckley, with whom I had one -or two hours' conversation of a very interesting kind. I see clearly -that all is not right with the Church." He means the Church of -England, of course. - -{155} - -CHAPTER IX. - -Scruples About The Athanasian Creed. - - -In the December of 1827 the old scruples, that came into his head some -two years before, about the Athanasian Creed revived. Perhaps it is -better to give the words of the Journal before going into particulars -on this point. He says-- - - "Tuesday, Dec. 4.--.... Thursby came to dine and sleep here. We - conversed till nearly 12, almost incessantly, about his concerns - first, then about mine. I let him know my thoughts of resigning my - preferment on account of the Athanasian Creed. He was at first very - much displeased at them, but seemed better satisfied as I explained - myself." - - "Wed., Dec. 5.--I came down after a wakeful night, and much - confirmed in my resolution to take decided steps about declaring - against the Athanasian Creed. Thursby seemed to coincide much more - nearly with my views. We talked on this and other topics until 11 or - 12, when he went away. I went out in Great Brington till 2; dined; - then ran to Althorp .... came back and wrote long letters to my - father and the Bishop of Chester, about my intended declaration, and - probable resignation of my living. I here solemnly affirm that - before last week I had no sort of idea of taking this step. I am now - writing on Friday, fully determined upon it. The circumstances which - led me to this decision are:--1st. My many conversations of late, - and correspondence with, dissenting ministers, by whose words I have - been led to doubt the perfectness of our Establishment. 2ndly. My - discussions and reflections about retrenchments, leading me to - consider the probability of more preferment, and how I could accept - it. 3rdly. The quantity of Church preferment which has been of late - {156} changing hands, by which I have been led to think how I should - answer an offer myself. And, 4thly. My thoughts about signing - Baily's boy's testimonial, which has led me to reckon more highly on - the value of my signature." - -From the letters of those who undertook the setting of Mr. Spencer's -troubles at rest, it appears that his difficulties about the -Athanasian Creed did not arise from the doctrines there put forth -about the Blessed Trinity and Incarnation; but that he objected to the -terminology as un-Scriptural, and to the condemning clauses in the -beginning and end of the Creed. Dr. Blomfield is the first to reason -with him; his answer to the letter above-mentioned is couched in the -following terms:-- - - "The letter which I have just received from you astonishes and - confounds me; not that I ought to be surprised at anything strange - which you may do, after what I have lately witnessed and heard; but - I must say, in plain terms, that your letter is the letter of an - insane person. You profess to be willing to ask advice and hear - reasoning, and yet you take the most decided steps to wound the - feelings of your friends and injure the cause of the Church, without - giving those whom you pretend to consult an opportunity of - satisfying your doubts. You suffer your father to be with you two - days without giving him a hint that you were meditating a step - incomparably the most important of your life, and most involving his - happiness; and then, in the midst of his security, write him a - letter, not to tell him that you are doubtful on certain points and - wish to be advised, but that your mind is made up and you are - determined to act. Surely common sense and filial duty ought to have - suggested the propriety of waiting till you had communicated with - me, although even to me you do not state what your doubts and - difficulties are with sufficient precision to enable me to discuss - them; but you write a long panegyric upon your own sincerity and - humility, of which I entertained no doubt, and thus, after repeated - conferences with Dissenting ministers and Roman Catholic priests, - far more astute and subtle reasoners than yourself, you are worked - up into an utter disapprobation of one of the articles of our - Church, having all along concealed your doubts from your nearest and - dearest {157} friends, and from me, who had an especial claim to be - made acquainted with them. Is this sincere and judicious conduct?" - -He proceeds to some lengths in this style, then tells him that it is -one thing to doubt of the truth of a doctrine, and another thing to -believe it to be false, and that one should take no step of importance -until he thought in the latter way. He tells him to be quiet for some -time, and give him the objections one by one. This Mr. Spencer does, -and the answer is partly, that given in Dr. Blomfield's life, page 85, -and partly, another letter he wrote to him within a fortnight's time. -The argument of this good ecclesiastic shapes itself thus:-- - - "The general proposition of excluding all from salvation who do not - believe the doctrine of the Trinity and Incarnation, as set forth in - the Athanasian Creed, is laid down with certain limitations. The - Protestant Church does lay it down thus, as is evident from certain - quotations from the Articles. Besides, she never intends to - pronounce a condemnation on any, like the Church of Rome. The - meaning, therefore, of these clauses is an assertion of the truth of - the doctrine simply; and for this he quotes the opinion of some - commissioned interpreters and the admission of "the most scrupulous - and captious Baxter that such exposition may be received." - -This is the sum of Dr. Blomfield's argument; he gives several other -authorities for his opinion. We need not be surprised that the -argument was not convincing; and Mr. Spencer says, in his Journal:--"I -had a letter from the Bishop of Chester this morning, which was weak -in argument and flippant; I hope good may result from it." The -weakness of the Bishop's argument arises from the dilemma in which he -was placed. If he said the Anglican Church does really condemn all who -hold not her doctrines, then she would arrogate to herself the claim -of infallibility which she takes good care to disclaim, and even makes -an article to that effect. If she does not condemn, what is the -meaning of allowing the clauses to remain in her formularies, and -require her ministers to subscribe, read, and preach them? His only -line of argument, considering his position, was to {158} steer a -middle course, and this he endeavoured to do, and succeeded pretty -well. But shifting difficulties by trying to reconcile contradictions, -is a process that may calm an easy-going mind, previously disposed to -indifference, but never can satisfy a clear, earnest one, that seeks -the truth in all its terrible reality and straightforward meaning. A -Church composed of a mass of heterogeneous elements in doctrine and -practice, must be very hard set indeed when driven to give an account -of herself. The wonder is, that she cannot see the absence of a Divine -guidance, even in the admissions she is forced to make, if not in the -very nature of her own human constitution. Only a Catholic can account -for a creed, and if there was not a body of living teachers with the -promise of Divine direction in their formal decisions and utterances, -the Church that Christ established would not exist; and only Catholics -can claim and prove this very hinge of their system, which -pseudo-bishops have their hits at when they writhe under the pressure -of difficulties they cannot answer. - -The letter of this Bishop did not settle Mr. Spencer's mind--it -unsettled him the more. Two or three clergymen were invited to talk -him back to the old way, but with similar success. Lord Spencer then -gets one of the London clergy to undertake the task which foiled so -many. We give the father's letter of introduction, as it is so -characteristic of his paternal affection and concern, and at the same -time his due consideration for his son's conscientious difficulties. -The Earl was staying in Althorp for a few days, and left this letter -for George on his departure: - - "Your mother writes me word that Mr. Allen, of Battersea, will come - and dine with her to-morrow, and remain here nearly the whole week. - I am very happy at this, because, if you are sincere (and I do not - now mean to question your sincerity) in wishing for information, - instruction, and advice, I know of no man--either high or low, - clerical or secular--more able to afford them to you, more correct - in his doctrines and character, or more affectionately disposed to - be of all the service he can to every one connected with {159} us, - and to you in particular. But, my dear George, in order to enable - yourself to derive all the benefit that may unquestionably be - derived from serious and confidential communications on a most - important subject, with such a man, you must be more explicit, more - open, and more confidential with him than, I am grieved to think, - you have yet been, either with your excellent friend the Bishop of - Chester, or even with me, though I allow that in the conversations - we have had together _in this visit_ to you here, I saw rather more - disposition to frankness on your part than I had before experienced. - - "I should not thus argue with you, my dear George, if I did not from - my heart, as God is my judge, firmly believe that your welfare, both - temporal and eternal, as well as the health both of your body and - mind, depended upon your taking every possible means to follow a - better course of thinking, and of study, and of occupation, than you - have hitherto done since you have entered the profession for which, - as I fondly hoped, and you seemed fitted by inclination, you would - have been in due time, if well directed and well advised, formed to - become as much an ornament to it as your brothers are, God Almighty - be thanked for it, to those they have entered into. - - "I still venture to hope, though not without trembling, but I do - hope and will encourage myself in the humble hope, which shall be - daily expressed to the Almighty in my prayers, that I may be - permitted, before I go hence, to witness better things of you; and I - even extend my wish that when I return hither on Friday, I may have - the satisfaction of learning that your interviews with Mr. Allen, - who I have no doubt will be well prepared to hear and to discuss all - you have to say, have had a salutary effect; and that our private - domestic circle here may be relieved from the gloom which, for some - time past, you must have perceived to overhang it when you made part - of it, and afford us those blessings of home so comfortable and - almost necessary to our advancing age. I write all this, because, - perhaps, if I had had the opportunity, my spirits, which are {160} - always very sensitive, might prevent me from speaking it. God bless - you, my dear George. - - "Your ever affectionate father, - "Spencer." - -The conferences he held with this Mr. Allen are faithfully noted in -the Journal, and many and long they were. To-day conversing, to-morrow -reading Hay and Waterland together, on the Athanasian Creed. He became -no better, but a good deal worse, and the _finale_ was that he wrote -to his own Bishop, Dr. Marsh, of Peterborough, to resign his living or -have his doubts settled. This was early in the year 1828. - -This Bishop answers him thus:-- - - "In reference to the doubts which you expressed in a former letter, - you say: 'All that I was anxious about was to avoid any just - imputation of dishonesty, by keeping an office and emoluments in the - Established Church, while I felt that I could not heartily assent to - her formularies.' - - "If this difficulty had occurred to you when you were a candidate - for Holy Orders, it would certainly have been your duty, either to - wait till your doubts had been removed, or, if they _could not_ be - removed, to choose some other profession or employment. Whoever is - persuaded that our Liturgy and Articles are not founded on Holy - Scripture cannot conscientiously subscribe to the latter, or declare - his assent to the former. To enter, therefore, on a profession which - requires such subscription and assent, with the _previous belief_ - that such assent is not warranted by Scripture, is undoubtedly a - sacrifice of principle made in the expectation of future advantage. - But you did _not_ make such a sacrifice of principle. ... Whatever - doubts you _now_ entertain, they have been imbibed since you became - Rector of Brington; and you are apprehensive that it may be - considered as a mark of dishonesty, if, oppressed with these - difficulties, you retain your preferment. - - "I know not at present the kind or the extent of these difficulties, - and therefore can only reply in general terms. I have already stated - my opinion on the impropriety of {161} entering the Church with the - previous belief that our Liturgy and Articles are not founded on - Scripture. But if a clergyman who believed that they were so at the - time of his ordination, and continued that belief till after he had - obtained preferment in the Church, begins at some future period to - entertain doubts about certain parts either of the Liturgy or the - Articles, we have a case which presents a very different question - from that which was considered in the former paragraph. In the - former case there was a choice of professions, in the latter case - there is not. By the laws of this country a clergyman cannot divest - himself of the character acquired by the admission to Holy Orders. - He can hold no office in the State which is inconsistent with the - character of a clergyman. To relinquish preferment, therefore, - without being able to relinquish the character by which that - preferment was acquired, is quite a different question from that - which relates to the original assumption of that character: Nor must - it be forgotten that a clergyman may have a numerous family - altogether dependent on the income of his benefice, whom he would - bring therefore to utter ruin if he resigned it. - - "On the other hand, I do not think that even a clergyman so situated - is at liberty to substitute his _own_ doctrine for that to which he - objects. By so doing he would directly impugn the Articles of our - Church, he would make himself liable to deprivation, and would - justly deserve it. For he would violate a solemn contract, and - destroy the very tenure by which he holds his preferment. - - "But is there no medium between an open attack on our Liturgy and - Articles and the entertaining of doubts on certain points, which a - clergyman may communicate in confidence to a friend, in the hope of - having them removed? If, in the mean time, he is unwilling to - inculcate in the pulpit doctrines to which his doubts apply, he will - at the same time conscientiously abstain from inculcating doctrines - of an opposite tendency. Now, if I mistake not, this is precisely - your case. And happy shall I be if I can be instrumental to the - removal of the doubts which oppress you. I am now at leisure; the - engagements which I had at Cambridge {162} respecting my lectures - are finished; you may now fully and freely unburden your mind, and I - will give to all your difficulties the best consideration in my - power. "I am, my dear Sir, - - "Very truly yours, - "Herbert Peterborough." - -This letter evoked a statement of the precise points, and the -following was the answer:-- - - ".... I now venture to approach the difficulties under which you - labour, and I will take them from the words you yourself have used - in your letter of April 30. In that letter, speaking of the Church, - you say, 'I cannot at this time state any paragraph in her - formularies and ordinances with which I cannot conscientiously - comply, except the Athanasian Creed.' You then proceed in the - following words: 'and now I must go on to state wherein I differ - from this Creed: not in the parts which may be called doctrinal; - that is, where the doctrine itself is stated and explained.' And you - conclude by saying, 'the parts of the Creed to which I object are - the condemning clauses.' And you object to the clauses on the - grounds that they are not warranted by the declaration of our - Saviour recorded in Mark xvi. 16, on which passage those clauses are - generally supposed to have been founded. Whether they are so - warranted or not depends on the extent of their application in this - Creed, which begins with the following words:--'Whosoever will be - saved, before all things, it is necessary that he hold the Catholic - faith, which faith, except every one do keep whole and undefiled - (entire and unviolated, Cath. trans.), without doubt he shall perish - everlastingly. Now the Catholic faith is this, that we worship one - God in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity.' So far, then, it is evident - that they only are declared to be excluded from salvation who do not - hold the Catholic faith, that is, as the term is there explicitly - defined, who do not hold the doctrine of the Trinity in Unity. Now - this doctrine has been maintained, with very few exceptions, by - Christians in general from the earliest to the present age. It was - the doctrine of the Greek Church {163} ...... and all the Reformed - churches. To exclude from salvation, therefore, only those who - reject a doctrine which is received by Christians in general, is a - very different thing from the denial of salvation to every one who - does not believe in all the tenets of a particular Church. The - doctrine, _nulla salus nisi credas in Trinitatem_, bears no - resemblance to the sweeping declaration _nulla salus extra Ecclesiam - Romonam_. Surely, then, we may appeal to Mark xvi. 16, combined with - Matthew xxviii. 19, in order to prove that a belief in the Trinity - is necessary to salvation, and consequently to prove that those two - passages warrant the deduction, that they who reject the doctrine of - the Trinity will not be saved. The two passages must be taken - together, in order to learn the whole of our Saviour's last command - to his Apostles. If, then, our Saviour himself commanded his - Apostles to baptize 'in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and - of the Holy Ghost,' and then added, 'he that believeth and is - baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned;' - it really does appear that our Saviour himself has warranted the - opinion that a belief in the doctrine of the Trinity is such a - fundamental article of the Christian faith that they who reject it - do so at their own peril. - - "But you think that the anathema of our Saviour in Mark xvi. 16, had - a different application from the corresponding anathema in the - Athanasian Creed. Our Saviour spoke of those to whom the Gospel had - been preached, as appears from Mark xvi. 15. And if the anathema in - the Athanasian Creed had a more extensive application, or if it were - meant to include not only those who wilfully rejected the doctrine - of the Trinity when it had been duly explained to them, but those - also to whom the doctrine had never been preached, and whose want of - belief arose merely from a want of knowledge, I should likewise - admit that the anathema of the Athanasian Creed derived no authority - from Mark xvi. 16. But I see no reason whatever for the opinion that - the anathema of the Athanasian Creed includes those who have never - heard of the doctrine. Neither the Creed itself, nor the - circumstances under which it was {164} composed, warrant such an - opinion. Whoever was the author of it, the Creed was framed during - the controversy which then distracted the whole of the Christian - Church. It applied, therefore, immediately and exclusively to those - who were partakers in or acquainted with the controversy. It could - not have been originally intended to apply to those who had never - heard of the controversy or the doctrine controverted. It would be, - therefore, quite uncritical to apply it at present in a way which - was not originally intended. Nor does the language of the Creed - itself warrant any other application. When it is declared necessary - to _hold_ the Catholic faith, and to _keep_ the Catholic faith, that - necessity can apply only to those to whom the Catholic faith has - been _presented_. Unless a man is previously put in possession of a - thing, he cannot be said either to _hold_ it or to _keep_ it. - - "Surely the most conscientious clergyman who believes in our - Saviour's declaration, recorded in Mark xvi. 16, may read without - scruple the similar declaration in the Athanasian Creed. And if, on - the authority of our Saviour, he may read the anathema in the - beginning of the Creed, he may, without scruple, read the less - strongly expressed anathema in the end. - - "In the hope that, after reading this letter, your mind will become - at ease, I subscribe myself, dear Sir, - - "Very truly yours, - "Herbert Peterborough." - -This letter is a tolerable specimen of the Bishop's power of -reasoning, and very sharp it is too; but it does not exactly meet Mr. -Spencer's difficulties. He might object:--"What passage of Scripture -warrants our uniting together the two passages from St. Mark and St. -Matthew?" And "being _presented with_ a thing is not exactly the same -as _being in possession of_ a thing." "We should have the same warrant -for the remaining clauses of the Creed as for the first three, -otherwise, according to the Articles, we are not bound to receive -them; then why not erase them?' The Bishop would have no resource -here, except to fall back {165} upon the Church, and that was not the -point at issue; so perhaps he did well not to try. He uses tradition, -and Dr. Blomfield authority; but these could have no weight against a -Bible Christian, as Mr. Spencer was then. - -A Catholic could very easily solve the difficulty. The Church has used -these terms to express her doctrine, and she says this is the revealed -doctrine; therefore it must be. No one can be saved who does not -believe the Trinity and Incarnation, implicitly or explicitly; those -to whom it has never been properly proposed, implicitly, and those to -whom it has, explicitly. Some theologians will have explicit credence -required of both classes, and say that God would even send an angel to -a savage, if he placed no obstacle, and reveal this mystery to him -rather than that he should die without it. And now it will seem very -strange to say that this doctrine is less terrible than the Protestant -open-arm theory. Yet, so it is, for we allow many Socinians and -ignorant Protestants and others to be in good faith, and perhaps never -have had this doctrine properly proposed to them. We suspend our -judgments with regard to them, and say if they live well they may be -saved. That is more than the Bishop of Peterborough could allow, -according to his principles. - -{166} - - -CHAPTER X. - -Incidents And State Of Mind In 1827-28. - - -His life, though perpetually floating on religious discussions and -doctrinal scruples, found other matters to check its course and employ -it otherwise for a few days more. The family were all in a great glow -of delight towards the close of the year 1827, in consequence of the -Honourable Frederick Spencer, who was commander of the _Talbot_ -man-of-war, having distinguished himself at the battle of Navarino. -George, of course, was overjoyed; here was his brother, who pored over -the same lesson, played at the same games, and contended about the -same trifles as himself, crowned with laurels and in the flush of -victory. George loved him dearly, and these well-earned honours -imparted a season of sunshine to the clergyman, which all his gospel -fervour had failed to do up to this. Lord Spencer alludes to it in the -touching letter given in a former chapter; but like everything human, -this rose had its thorns. After the letters announcing the startling -determination which called forth the efforts of ecclesiastical -learning quoted in the last chapter, a great dulness fell over the -family circle. Mr. Allen did not clear the atmosphere, and Mr. Spencer -tells us feelingly in his Journal that his mother did not exchange one -cordial sentence with him during the whole term of her Christmas stay -at Althorp. This he felt, but bore in the spirit of a martyr; it was -inflicted upon him for what he thought right before God, and he tried -to make the best of it, wishing, but unable, to change the aspect of -things. The Bishop of Peterborough's letter had the effect of quieting -him for some time, in so far as he did not feel himself called {167} -upon to preach against what he did not assent to, but was content with -letting it remain in abeyance. - -The old way of settling him is again revived. During the last week of -February, 1828, he notices three or four long conversations about -matrimony; he takes the subject into consideration, and reads the -Epistles to St. Timothy for light: but he is not convinced, and -continues in his determination. He might foresee the settlement of -ideas that would result from this step, if he considered the trouble -of setting his money affairs in order, which forced itself upon him -now. He says: "I was employed almost all day till three o'clock in -putting my papers to rights. I feel that I have been careless in all -matters of business, and this is wrong; for it leads me to be -chargeable and dependent on others, and that a minister especially -must guard himself against. It greatly shortens my powers of -liberality, and it makes men despise me. On all these accounts I trust -I shall overcome the evil, and be a good man of business." He is as -good as his word. He sends a full and clear account of his affairs to -his father, and his lordship makes an arrangement that places his son -in independence, whilst he is able at the same time to get clear of -all difficulties and debts incurred by his building. - -To turn to his spiritual progress. He is not a whit nearer Catholic -faith now than he was when he returned from Italy, except that the -time is shorter. On June 29 he says: "It was St. Peter's day, and I -preached on the pretensions of the Pope." He also holdeth a tea-party -in the true Evangelical style, and says: "To-day the candle of the -Lord burnt brightly within me." He buys a mare about this time, which -does not seem to be as amenable as her master would wish, and he says -thereupon: "This mare disappoints me rather, and puts to shame my -boasting of God's blessing in buying her. Yet I shall not be ashamed -of my faith some day or other." It was usual with him at this time, -when he had a servant to choose, a journey to take, or anything -special to get through, "to seek the Lord in prayer therefor," and -proceed according to the inspirations he might get at the moment. -Bishop Blomfield scolds him {168} heartily about this, and shows him -the folly of using one faculty for a thing which God has given him -another for, and proceeding in his ordinary actions without the -ordinary means placed in his way. This was, of course, a delusion of -his; but two or three disappointments convinced him of its being akin -to tempting God. - -He accompanies Dr. Blomfield in his visitation this year also, and he -gets very severely handled by him on the score of his religious views, -in the presence also of two other clergymen. The lecture turned -chiefly upon the inculcation of humility, and the subduing of that -spiritual pride which the Bishop noticed in a former communication. A -few days after this lecture, which sank deeply into Mr. Spencer's -mind, as a whole company were seated at dinner with the Bishop, a -letter arrived from the Duke of Wellington, announcing the translation -of Dr. Blomfield from Chester to London. This was July 25, 1828. His -reflections upon this news are: "God be praised;" and the next day he -says: "I wrote a sermon for to-morrow, and spent much time in prayer -for a quiet mind and superiority to the snares of ambition. It was a -most boisterous day, almost continual thunder and pouring rain. I -found fault with a good deal said by the Bishop in regard to his -promotion, but I pray that I may judge myself and not others." - -He now relaxes a little in his Puritanism; he gives dinners, invites -guests, and notes that he has to pray against being too particular -with regard to his guests. A pretty large company dine at the rectory. -This is an essay in parties, and ladies are invited for the first time -since he commenced housekeeping. He had the ominous number of thirteen -at table, and it could not pass off without some mishap or other. -Contrary to old wives' rules, the servant was the unfortunate one. We -will let himself tell the story. "Mrs. Nicholls was in great misery -about breaking the dish, which made her send up the haunch of venison -upside down. I have cause to be thankful for this, as the means by -which God will humble her. The evening passed off well, and thank God -I was not careful or shy." - -He comes across a Baptist minister, who so far outdid {169} him in the -Methodistic way of talking, that he writes: "I consider him a very bad -specimen of cant." After this, his outlandish gospelling comments upon -trifles and iotas begin to disappear. He becomes more rational, gets -into the ways of the world, reads newspapers, and is a very sensible -kind of man altogether. He notes in his Journal, here and there, that -he carries his own bundle, and works a part of the day at manual -labour in his garden. He also remarks that, the coldest day he ever -remembered, he went out without gloves or great-coat, and was unable -from numbness to write his sermon when he came home. He goes on the -coach next day in the same trim, and says he wants "to give an example -to the poor," and that "God preserved him from catching cold." Very -likely he had given the great-coat to some poor man the day before. -After a few complaints of quarrels among the clergy, and the manner in -which he has been treated by his family for the last three years on -account of his religious scruples, he concludes the year 1828 with the -following reflection:--"I now look back to this time a year ago, and -observe what I felt and wrote then, that God only knows where I should -be at present. Wondrously am I now placed still where I was, and in -all respects more firmly settled. Yet only confirmed in my -disagreement with the powers of the Church; but they have not been -willing to attend to me, and so when my thoughts become known, they -will be more sound and influential. What I now pray is, that I may be -led to a state of heart above the world, and may live the rest of my -time always longing for the presence of Christ, which I shall one day -see. While I abide in the flesh, may it be to no purpose but the good -of God's flock, and may I be led to suffer and to do many and great -things for His sake." - -At this time he extends his correspondence to Mr. Irving, the founder -of the Irvingites, and is so struck by what that gentleman says on the -second coming of our Lord, that he begins to prepare himself for it. -He never let us know how far he went on in this preparation. - -So far is he now, February 1829, from Catholicity in his opinions, -that his father thinks it necessary to rebuke him {170} for the -violence of a sermon he preached on the Catholic question; against -them, of course, for his father was always a stanch advocate of -Emancipation. Little he knew that on that day twelve months he would -be a Catholic himself. - -It is recorded in the Journal here, that thieves broke into the -parsonage one night. Mr. Spencer heard them; he arose, called a -servant or two, pursued the delinquents, and captured them. This feat -tells rather in favour of his bravery, and might qualify the opinion -he had of himself on this point. - -We shall give the result of the Creed question in his own words, as -given in the account of his conversion:-- - - "My scruples [about the Athanasian Creed] returned after a sermon - which I preached on Trinity Sunday, 1827, in defence of that very - Creed. I observed that the arguments by which I defended the - doctrine of the Trinity itself were indeed founded on Scripture, but - in attempting to prove to my hearers that a belief of this doctrine - was absolutely necessary for man's salvation, I had recourse to - arguments independent of Scripture, and that no passage in Scripture - could be found which declares that whosoever will be saved must hold - the orthodox faith on the Trinity. I had this difficulty on my mind - for eight or nine months, after which, finding that I could not - satisfy myself upon it, I gave notice to my superiors that I could - not conscientiously declare my full assent to the Thirty-nine - Articles. They attempted at first to satisfy me by arguments; but - the more I discussed the subject the more convinced I became that - the Article in question was not defensible, and after fifteen - months' further pause, I made up my mind to leave off reading the - Creed in the service of my Church, and informed my Bishop of my - final resolution. Of course, he might have taken measures to oblige - me to resign my benefice, but he thought it more prudent to take no - notice of my letter; and thus I remained in possession of my place - till I embraced the Catholic faith. - - "The point on which I thus found myself opposed to the Church of - England appears a trifling one; but here was enough to hinder all my - prospects of advancement, and to {171} put it in the power of the - Bishop, if at any time he had chosen to do so, to call on me to give - up my benefice. It is easy to conceive that under these - circumstances my mind was set free, beyond what could be imagined in - any other way, to follow without prejudice my researches after - truth. I lost no opportunity of discoursing with ministers of all - persuasions. I called upon them all to join with me in the inquiry - where was the truth, which could be but one, and therefore could not - be in any two contrary systems of religion, much less in all the - variety of sects into which Christians are divided in England. I - found little encouragement in any quarter to this way of proceeding, - at least among Protestants. Those sectarians of a contrary - persuasion to myself, to whom I proposed an inquiry with me after - truth, I found generally ready to speak with me; but they did not - even pretend to have any disposition to examine the grounds of their - own principles, which they were determined to abide by without - further hesitation. My brethren of the Established Church equally - declined joining me in my discussions with persons of other - persuasions, and disapproved of my pursuit, saying that I should - never convert them to our side, and that I only ran the risk of - being shaken myself. Their objections only incited me to greater - diligence. I considered that if what I held were truth, charity - required that I should never give over my attempts to bring others - into the same way, though I were to labour all my life in vain. If, - on the contrary, I was in any degree of error, the sooner I was - shaken the better. I was convinced, by the numberless exhortations - of St. Paul to his disciples, that they should be of one mind and - have no divisions; that the object which I had before me, that is, - the reunion of the differing bodies of Christians, was pleasing to - God; and I had full confidence that I was in no danger of being led - into error, or suffering any harm in following it up, as long as I - studied nothing but to do the will of God in it, and trusted to His - Holy Spirit to direct me. - - "The result of all these discussions with different sects of - Protestants was a conviction that no one of us had a correct view of - Christianity. We all appeared right thus far, in {172} acknowledging - Christ as the Son of God, whose doctrines and commandments we were - to follow as the way to happiness both in time and eternity; but it - seemed as if the form of doctrine and discipline established by the - Apostles had been lost sight of all through the Church. I wished, - therefore, to see Christians in general united in the resolution to - find the way of truth and peace, convinced that God would not fail - to point it out to them. Whether or not others would seek His - blessing with me, I had great confidence that, before long, God - would clear up my doubts, and therefore my mind was not made uneasy - by them. I must here notice a conversation I had with a Protestant - minister about a year before I was a Catholic, by which my views of - the use of the Scriptures were much enlightened, and by which, as it - will be clearly seen, I was yet farther prepared to come to a right - understanding of the true rule of Christian faith proposed by the - Catholic Church. This gentleman was a zealous defender of the - authority of the Church of England against the various sects of - Protestant Dissenters, who have of late years gained so much - advantage against her. He perceived that while men were allowed to - claim a right of interpreting the Scriptures according to their own - judgment there never could be an end of schism; and, therefore, he - zealously insisted on the duty of our submitting to ecclesiastical - authority in controversies of faith, maintaining that the Spirit of - God spoke to us through the voice of the Church, as well as in the - written word. Had I been convinced by this part of his argument, it - would have led me to submit to the Catholic Church, and not to the - Church of England; and, indeed, I am acquainted with one young man, - who actually became a Catholic through the preaching of this - gentleman--following these true principles, as he was bound to do, - to their legitimate consequences. But I did not, at this time, - perceive the truth of the position; I yet had no idea of the - existence of Divine, unwritten Tradition in the Church. I could - imagine no way for the discovery of the truth but persevering study - of the Scriptures, which, as they were the only Divine rule of faith - with which I was acquainted, I thought must of course be sufficient - for our {173} guidance, if used with an humble and tractable spirit; - but the discourse of this clergyman led me at least to make an - observation which had never struck my mind before as being of any - importance,--namely, that the system of religion which Christ taught - the Apostles, and which they delivered to the Church, was something - distinct from our volume of Scriptures. The New Testament I - perceived to be a collection of accidental writings, which, as - coming from the pens of inspired men, I was assured must, in every - point, be agreeable to the true faith; but they neither were, nor - anywhere professed to be, a complete and systematic account of - Christian faith and practice. I was, therefore, in want of some - further guidance on which I could depend. I knew not that it was in - the Catholic Church that I was at length to find what I was in - search of; but every Catholic will see, if I have sufficiently - explained my case, how well I was prepared to accept with joy the - direction of the Catholic Church, when once I should be convinced - that she still preserved unchanged and inviolate the very form of - faith taught by the Apostles, the knowledge of which is, as it were, - the key to the right and sure interpretation of the written word." - -It was in April, 1829, that he wrote the letter to the Bishop which -was not taken notice of. He next withdrew his name from some -societies--such as the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, &c. -This act so displeased Dr. Blomfield, that he writes to say Mr. -Spencer is no longer his chaplain. At the suggestion of some member of -his family, he wrote an apology, and was restored again to favour and -to his office. On May 22, 1829, the Journal suddenly breaks off, and -he did not resume it again until the 1st of May, 1846. The events of -the seventeen years intervening can be gathered from his -correspondence, though, perhaps, not with the precision that would be -desirable. - -{174} - -CHAPTER XI. - -The Maid Of Lille. - - -Incidents overlapped each other so thickly, and were of such different -tendencies during the last two years of Mr. Spencer's life as a -minister, that we have judged it better to give them singly, even at -the expense of a little sacrifice of the order of time. One of these, -and an important one, is selected for the subject of this chapter. On -the 23rd of November, 1827, just before his Athanasian scruples had -risen to their height, as he returned from his pastoral visitation, he -found a letter, purporting to be from a gentleman in Lille, "who was -grievously troubled about the arguments for Popery." This letter -contains little more than a statement of tendencies towards -Catholicity in the writer, with extracts from Papin, _De la Tolérance -des Protestants_, to account for them. The extracts draw a parallel -between the Church and a well-regulated kingdom, in many of her -doctrines and chief points of her discipline. It was anonymous, and -reasons were assigned for withholding the writer's name. Mr. Spencer, -ever anxious to counsel the doubtful, lost no time in answering, and -sent off a long letter to his unknown friend by that evening's post. -It was shortly after this that he wrote the letters to his father and -Dr. Blomfield about the resignation of his preferment, and whether the -Lille letter had anything to do with increasing his doubts, or not, is -a question. It had, however, one effect: it made him anxious to find -out what kind of people Catholics were; and an incident that occurred -about the same time aided this curiosity. There were some soldiers -quartered in Northampton, and, as Mr. Spencer was talking to some of -the officers in the court-yard of the barracks, the {175} Catholic -priest entered, to look after such of the soldiers as might require -his spiritual care. He saw the priest, and spoke to him; and, finding -out the object of his mission, kindly introduced him to one of the -officers, who, in consideration of Mr. Spencer, got all due attention -paid to the priest; and the good parson was assured that he succeeded -to his satisfaction before he left the place. A few days afterwards he -met the priest, who thanked him for his charity, and said it was -Providence sent him there at such a time, and arranged that his duty -could be discharged among the soldiers with ease and honour, which had -often-times to be done amid insults, or at least coldness on the part -of the military authorities. Mr. Spencer began to think, "Really these -Papists believe in Providence!" This wonderful discovery made him -think they believed a little more also, and that they were not quite -such idolaters as he had been taught to suppose. Another letter from -the Lille correspondent confirmed him in this, and shook him in many -of his older notions. He dines, in a few days after this despatch, -with the celebrated Dr. Fletcher and a Miss Armytage, at Lady -Throckmorton's. He has a long conversation with the last of the Douay -controversialists after dinner; but the only effect produced is this: -"I am thankful for the kindness of both those Papists. The Lord reward -them by showing them His truth." He invites Dr. Fletcher to dinner at -Brington--a favour the Doctor avails himself of on the 27th March, -1828. Another letter from his friend at Lille makes him acknowledge -that he has not had proper notions of Catholicity; in his own words: -"I expected easily to convince him that the Catholic Church was full -of errors; but he answered my arguments. .... I discovered by means -of this correspondence that I had never duly considered the principles -of our Reformation; that my objections to the Catholic Church were -prejudices adopted from the sayings of others, not the result of my -own observation. Instead of gaming the advantage in this controversy, -I saw, and I owned to my correspondent, that a great change had been -produced in myself. I no longer desired to persuade him to keep in the -communion of the Protestant Church, {176} but rather determined and -promised to follow up the same inquiries with him, if he would make -his name known to me, and only pause awhile before he joined the -Catholics. But I heard no more of him till after my conversion and -arrival at Rome, when I discovered that my correspondent was a lady, -who had herself been converted a short time before she wrote to me. I -never heard her name before, [Footnote 7] nor am I aware that she had -ever seen my person; but God moved her to desire and pray for my -salvation, which she also undertook to bring about in the way I have -related. I cannot say that I entirely approve of the stratagem to -which she had recourse, but her motive was good, and God gave success -to her attempt: for it was this which first directed my attention -particularly to inquire about the Catholic religion, though she lived -not to know the accomplishment of her wishes and prayers. She died at -Paris, a year before my conversion, when about to take the veil as a -nun of the Sacred Heart; and I trust I have in her an intercessor in -Heaven, as she prayed for me so fervently on earth." - - [Footnote 7: The lady's name was Miss Dolling.] - -This was the last of F. Ignatius's romances, and a beautiful one it -was. As it may be interesting to see what was in those famous letters, -we think it well to give a few extracts:-- - - The line of the lady's argument is this. That Scripture without - Tradition is quite insufficient for salvation. We cannot know - anything about the Scriptures themselves, their composition, - inspiration, interpretation, without Tradition. Besides the New - Testament was not the text-book of the Apostles--it is a collection - of some things they were inspired to write for the edification of - the first Christians and others who had not seen our Lord; and the - Epistles are a number of letters from inspired men bound up together - in one volume. The body of doctrine, with its bearings, symmetry, - extent, and obligation, was delivered orally by the Apostles, and - the Epistles must be consonant to that system as well as explanatory - of portions of it. Only by the unbroken succession of pastors from - the Apostles to the present time, can we have any safeguard as {177} - to what we are to believe, and how we are to believe. The Apostles - and their successors were "to teach all nations," and Christ - promised them and them alone the unerring guidance of the Holy - Spirit. She then assigns to tradition the office of bearing - testimony to what the doctrines of the Church have been, and are at - present. The definitions of Councils are simple declarations that - such and such is the belief then and from the beginning of the - Catholic Church. They state what is, not invent what is to be. Now - history, or written tradition, as contra-distinguished from - Scripture, testifies to every single tenet of the Catholic - Church--her creeds, liturgy, sacraments, jurisdiction. It testifies - unerringly, too, even from the objections of heretics, to the fact - that this Church has been always believed divine in her origin, - divine in her teaching, infallible and unerring in her solemn - pronouncements. This is fact, and who can gainsay it? - -This peculiar way of arguing, by making tradition or history bear -witness to the existence of the Church, as well as to what she always -declared to be her doctrine, is a very felicitous shape to cast her -arguments into. It draws the line between faith and the evidence of -faith. Evidence, human evidence of the first grade of moral certainty, -says: The Church believed this, and that, and the other, at such and -such times, and not as a new, but as an old doctrine, that came down -from age to age since the Apostles. The same evidence says: that she -believed them as revealed by God, and that she could not be mistaken -on account of His promise. That she never swerved, and never will -swerve, from one single article which she has once believed. If this -Church be not _The Church_ of Christ, I ask you where is it to be -found? - -In the second letter she says: - - "After much reflection I must confess to you their system appears - reasonable, natural, and convincing. With us, they consider the Holy - Scriptures as the most respectable testimony of our faith, and they - profess a strict adherence to them; they have for them the greatest - respect; and the Catholic priests support from the Bible what they - {178} teach the people, and I am certain that they study and - understand the Scriptures as much as our ministers. The principal - difference I remark is, that they do not undertake to interpret them - according to their own opinions: they say that the inspired writings - are replete with mysteries, which the eye of man cannot penetrate; - and that He alone who gave them is able to comprehend their - sublimity; consequently, to follow the impulse of reason in - explaining them, would be incurring the danger of falling into - error, and leading others into the same path. For this cause the - Catholic minister will not suffer the Holy Scriptures to be - separated from the instruction of their predecessors up to the - Apostles; not that they by any means give the word of man precedence - to the Word of God, since they believe that man alone cannot explain - it, for 'who,' they ask, 'assisted at the council of the Almighty?' - But they believe that those who heard the Apostles preach, - understood the true meaning of their words; and that their immediate - successors, _especially_, educated by them, and who taught the - Gospel during the life of their instructors, necessarily understood - the meaning of their writings, the doctrine of which was undoubtedly - conformable to what they taught verbally. ...." - - "St. Paul, in his Epistles to the Colossians, informs us that the - Gospel was preached to all the world. This being the case, I see no - possibility of introducing any new doctrine. The Apostles threatened - with eternal punishment those who did not believe what they taught - in the name of Jesus Christ. And whoever would have the temerity to - add to the primitive doctrine they visited with a like anathema. - Tell me, now, how could the Church have introduced such a doctrine - as that of the Real Presence, after a priest has pronounced the - words, "This is my body"? How is it possible that the faithful could - reconcile themselves to the idea of acknowledging and adoring Jesus - Christ present on the altar, as He was in the manger at Bethlehem, - and as He is in Heaven at the right hand of His Father, if this - doctrine had not always been received and believed as it is at - present by the Roman Catholic Church? {179} Christians who knew the - value of salvation could not so easily be deceived; several among - them would have remonstrated against this superstition and idolatry. - Do we find that they have done so?" - - "I imagine myself in idea at the period of the Reformation, and - consider the belief and customs of that time. All Europe, the - provinces of Asia and Africa which had not embraced Mahomedanism, - admitted and believed the contrary to what Calvin taught, especially - concerning the Lord's Supper. I should be glad to hear your - impartial opinion on this subject. Where did Calvin find this - doctrine? As I observe, he did not learn it in the schools, nor in - any book, nor in his own family, nor in the temple of God; the - innovation was universally opposed; a million voices remonstrated - against his impiety. What right had he to be believed? He proposed - only the interpretation which _he_ gave to the words of Jesus - Christ, _This is my body_. He supported his opinion in no other way, - he proved it by no miracles, and therefore did not deserve belief, - since he gave no proofs of a divine mission. He was but a man, and, - what is more, one of whom historians do not speak as being virtuous. - Tell me, then, how can I acknowledge that he possessed the Holy - Spirit, knew the meaning of Scripture. .... listen to and follow a - young man in his opinion and oppose the rest of the world. Could - that be wisdom? - - "But supposing, my dear sir, the Church to be in error, or even - liable to err, how can we possibly profess to believe any mystery? - For to have faith, it is impossible to doubt or hesitate. And if I - believe not, I am lost. I am already condemned. 'He that believeth - not is already judged.' If the Church be liable to error, may I not - reply to our ministers:--'I doubt the truth of what you preach: I am - not obliged to believe you'? You tell me I am not obliged to believe - what _you_ so charitably wrote to me, and many passages of which - letter have sensibly affected me: to whom, then, must I have - recourse? You give me reason to conclude that you are not certain of - the assistance of the Holy Ghost, as you do not oblige me to believe - what you {180} say, but you desire me to compare your words with the - Scriptures, and to reject them if I don't find them conformable to - the Word of God. How can I imagine myself more certain than you that - I rightly interpret them, or that I have the assistance of Heaven? I - must continue to doubt during the rest of my life, and remain an - unbeliever. - - "You say, 'if a man will do His will, he shall know of the doctrine - whether it be of God.' To do the will of God is certainly to listen - to those God has sent to teach us. .... - -She quotes several authorities bearing witness in their day that the -supremacy of the Pope was then believed to be of divine right, and -closes the list with Sir Thomas More. - - "By the grace of God I have always professed the Catholic religion. - Having, however, often heard the power of the Pope was of human - institution, I resolved to weigh the matter without, at the same - time, injuring my faith. For seven years I followed up this study: I - drank at the fountain head: I went to the origin of things. At - length I found that the pontifical power is not only useful and - necessary--but, strictly lawful and of divine appointment. ..." - - "I cannot admit the system of _particular_ inspiration, since I see - many, pretending to be inspired, fall into manifest contradictions, - and consequently into error. .... I admit with you that divine - authority must fix the faith of men. Where am I to find it? It must - exist somewhere. ...." - -The third letter is partly a continuation of the second, and partly on -a new plan; so a few extracts from it must be welcome, especially as -it really did such work upon poor Mr. Spencer's mind. - - .... "It is certain that Jesus Christ founded a Church upon earth - for the salvation of man; where, then, is it? This is certainly the - whole question among the different sects opposed to each other. .... - I must necessarily enter the true Church, for I cannot be saved in - that which is false. .... - - .... "I am persuaded the Catholics do not found their belief on the - opinions and interpretations of men; {181} their authority is Jesus - Christ, God Himself; certainly that must be infallible, and the - reason of man ought to bend to it. They believe in such and such - doctrines because Jesus Christ and His Apostles taught them; this is - the simple and reasonable motive of their faith. The doctrine of - Jesus' and His Apostles is not an opinion, but a fact, which I see - so completely proved by an assemblage of facts and circumstances so - striking, that, not to be convinced of its truth, would be to - renounce all common sense. .... The fact that the Catholic Church is - in possession of the true doctrine is a fact proved like all other - historical facts; it is proved by a weight of testimony given by - persons who saw and heard themselves. Observe, it is not the - opinions or interpretations given by those persons which are - advanced as proofs, as you suppose in your letter; but all these - holy persons have shed their blood to support and defend the truth, - not of their opinions, but of what they have seen or heard. I can - understand that fanaticism would induce a man to sacrifice his life - to support a favourite opinion, but it has never yet been seen that - any one would lose his life to prove that he had seen or heard - things which he, in fact, had not. Tradition is not, therefore, as - you suppose, the opinions and interpretations of the Fathers, but - their testimony to what they saw, heard, taught, and practised. In - the same way, the general Councils have fixed the sense of Scripture - only by declaring the fact that such has been the universal doctrine - since the Apostles. It is the assemblage of these proofs that brings - conviction to the soul; they must all be seen united and compared, - and this is undoubtedly a laborious study. - - "The Catholics believe that their Church is in possession of the - doctrine taught by Christ, and listen to it as they would to Him. - Judge from this how strong and lively must be the faith of a - Catholic, how firm and immovable, since the voice of their Church is - the voice of their Saviour, and the interval of eighteen hundred - years disappears as they every day hear the voice of Jesus. There - cannot be any division in this Church. It being an historical fact - that the same doctrine has been taught from the beginning by the - {182} infallible mouth of Jesus Christ and His Apostles, it follows - that _all_ must yield to that authority, and that the rash - individual who would dispute, disputes as it were with Jesus Christ, - and consequently ought to be driven from the flock. .... - - "The Catholics say:--_without the Scriptures we should not hear the - Saviour speak, but without tradition we should not know what He - says_. .... - - "Why are not _our_ eyes opened--having every day proof that private - interpretation is at fault?--let us try. Take your Bible, and read - whatever passage you please; I also will read it. Let us both, then, - invoke the assistance of God, and do you candidly think our - inspirations would agree as to the sense of the passage? I think - not. However, should we differ, who is to decide which is in error? - - .... - - "I see by your letters you have not always had the same opinion on - all points that you have at this time. ... What warrant have you - that you are better inspired now than before? Inspiration does not - cause change of opinion. - - .... - - "We have in our country written laws of ancient date. Suppose some - persons, even of great learning, were to give them a different - interpretation to that hitherto received, would not they be - confounded by showing them, by means of history or tradition, that - the King himself who made these laws, his ministers and successors, - have always understood and executed them in a different sense. That - is the way Catholics avoid all difficulty. .... - - "You are in error as to the Pope if you suppose that formerly, or - now, Catholics give him their faith, as Calvinists do to Calvin, &c. - I thought the same. The Pope is simply the chief administrator; the - doctrines he has the stewardship of do not come from him or any - other Pope, as that of Calvinism from Calvin; it comes from Jesus - Christ, from His Apostles, and from their churches throughout the - world. An administrator is not the master of the doctrines with - which he is entrusted. The Pope and Bishops are charged to preserve - the doctrine, to propagate it and {183} defend it against all - attacks of the enemies of Jesus Christ. - - .... - - "You interpret the text, 'lo! I am with you _always_,' that God - promised His Holy Spirit to every individual; but that I am inclined - by no means to admit. The whole of the passage must be considered. - It was not to every one He addressed these words; it was only to His - Apostles that He said, 'Go and teach all nations .... behold, I am - with you.' From this it is clearly to the Apostles and their - successors that He promised the Holy Spirit. I see in these words - that they received from God himself the formal order or mission to - go and preach, not what they found written, but what He had taught. - .... I see also by these words that sovereigns of this world have - not received the power of sending ministers to teach the Gospel, and - certainly by so doing they usurp the power given to the Apostles and - their successors. What we have to find is, to whom God has said, 'Go - and teach.' It is physically impossible that it should concern our - ministers, since they are established by temporal authority." - -About the Reformers she says:-- - - "Can man reform the work of his Creator?" - - "You say you will never claim any name but that of Christian, but - still it is not with you a matter of indifference what communion you - belong to; therefore, this being the case, it is not sufficient to - bear the name of Christian, and say we trust in Jesus; we must be - sure that the doctrines we adopt are really his. For it is not being - a Christian to embrace doctrines contrary to those given by our - Saviour; it is assuming the name of Christian without being certain - we are so; we must find if we are in communion with His Church. - Without faith there is no salvation; this cannot mean a faith of our - own choosing, but what God has been pleased to command we should - believe. .... - - "Many of our ministers are ignorant or wicked enough to accuse - Catholics of idolatry. It is Jesus Christ they adore really present - though invisible in the Eucharist. They very loudly exclaim among us - against images, &c. All this is nothing; on all sides that Church - presents images to {184} render their faith more lively, and to - induce them thereby to adore God the more truly in spirit and in - truth." - -These are arguments of no little strength, to say the least of them. -It would be a pleasure to transcribe the letters _in extenso_, but the -three cover thirty-two pages of closely-written letter-paper, and -would consequently take up too much room in a biography. Some -sceptically-inclined person will probably say,--"she had some Jesuit -or other astute Romish priest at her elbow when she wrote these -letters." The writer can only tell his reader that he verily suspects -as much himself. But before any of us jump at a conclusion, it might -be well to consider this sentence which occurs towards the end of the -third letter. "Do not think I am under the influence of some priests -who have induced me to undertake this examination. It was a lawyer -first awakened my curiosity, telling me you may read in vain and -argue--you will not, you cannot find the truth unless you pray for it -as the free gift of God; and to obtain this you must be humble, your -conscience must be as pure as you can make it: God alone can be your -help; pray to Him unceasingly." - -However we may think about their real author, the matter itself is -very good, and their consequence to Mr. Spencer was of vital -importance. There are no rough copies of his answers to the unknown to -be found among his papers, or it would be very interesting to place -them side by side with what we have quoted. The result of these -letters we have in his account of his conversion:-- - - "After this period I entertained the opinion that the Reformers had - done wrong in separating from the original body of the Church; at - any rate, I was convinced that Protestants who succeeded them were - bound to make a reunion with it. I still conceived that many errors - and corruptions had been introduced among Catholics, and I did not - imagine that I could ever conform to their faith, or join in their - practices, without some alterations on their part; but I trusted - that the time might not be distant when God would inspire all - Christians with a spirit of peace and concord, which would make - Protestants anxiously seek to be {185} re-united to their brethren, - and Catholics willing to listen to reason, and to correct those - abuses in faith, and discipline which kept their brethren from - joining them. To the procuring such a happy termination to the - miserable schisms which had rent the Church, I determined to devote - my life. I now lost no opportunity of conversations with Protestants - and Catholics. My object with both was to awaken them to a desire of - unity with each other; to satisfy myself the more clearly where was - the exact path of truth in which it was desirable that we should all - walk together; and then to persuade all to correct their respective - errors in conformity with the perfect rule, which I had no doubt the - Lord would in due time point out to me, and to all who were ready to - follow His will disinterestedly. I thought that when Catholics were - at length willing to enter with me on these discussions with - candour, they would at once begin to see the errors which to me - appeared so palpable in their system: but I was greatly surprised to - find them all so fixed in their principles, that they gave me no - prospect of re-union except on condition of others submitting - unreservedly to them; and, at the same time, I could see in their - ordinary conduct and manner of disputing with me nothing to make one - suspect them of insincerity, or of want of sufficient information of - the grounds of their belief. These repeated conversations increased - more and more my desire to discover the true road, which I saw that - I, at least for one, was ignorant of: but I still imagined that I - could see such plain marks of difference between the Catholic Church - of the present day and the Church of the primitive ages as described - in Scripture, that I repeatedly put aside the impression which the - arguments of Catholics, and, yet more, my observation of their - character, made upon me, and I still held up my head in the - controversy." - -{186} - - -CHAPTER XII. - -Ambrose Lisle Phillipps. - - -The close and warm friendship between Father Ignatius and Mr. -Phillipps has scarcely a parallel in ancient or modern history. They -became acquainted in 1829; and until death suspended their mutual -communication for awhile, they ever wrote, spoke, and thought, with -more than a brotherly--ay, more than any human or natural affection. -The Christian patriotism of each, which prayed and laboured to bring -their countrymen to the blessings they themselves had received, may -have fostered this beautiful love; and even the different spheres in, -as well as means by, which they felt themselves called to prosecute -the work of their predilection may have helped to keep it ever warm -and new; but there was a something in it which reminds one of David -and Jonathan, that spread over it a grace and splendour far above what -it is given us now and then to behold. This chapter will show the rise -of their mutual affection, and show where lay the basis of the edifice -gratitude and charity helped to fashion. - -Father Ignatius says, in the account of his conversion:-- - - "Near the end of the year 1829 I was introduced to young Mr. - Phillipps, eldest son of a rich gentleman in Leicestershire, whom I - had often heard spoken of as a convert to the Catholic religion. I - had for a long time been curious to see him, that I might observe - the mode of reasoning by which he had been persuaded into what I - still thought so great an error. We spent five hours together in the - house of the Rev. Mr. Foley, Catholic Missionary in my - neighbourhood, with whom I had already had much intercourse. I was - interested by the ardent zeal of this {187} young man in the cause - of his faith. I had previously imagined that he must have been - ignorant on the subject of religion, and that he had suffered - himself to be led blindly by others; but he answered all my - objections about his own conversion with readiness and intelligence. - I could not but see that it had been in him the result of his own - diligent investigations. I was delighted with what I could observe - of his character. I was more than ever inflamed with a desire to be - united in communion with persons in whom I saw such clear signs of - the Spirit of God; but yet my time was not fully come. I fancied, by - his conversation, that he had principles and ideas inconsistent with - what I had learned from Scripture; and in a few days I again put - aside the uneasiness which this meeting had occasioned, and - continued to follow my former purpose, only with increased - resolution to come at satisfaction. He was, in the meanwhile, much - interested in my case. He recommended me to the prayers of some - religious communities, and soon after invited me to his father's - house that we might continue our discourses. I was happy at the - prospect of this meeting, and full of hopes that it would prove - satisfactory to me; but I left home without any idea of the - conclusion to which it pleased God to bring me so soon." - -Mr. Phillipps wrote to him:-- - - "My Dear Sir,--We expect the Bishop of Lichfield here on the 25th - January, and I have ventured to hope that I might be able to induce - you to come here at that time, to meet him and stay the week. I hope - so the more, as I think your conversation might induce him, as well - as my father, to think more seriously on that awful subject on which - we conversed when I had the great happiness of being introduced to - you at Northampton. I assure you, a day has not passed without my - offering up my unworthy prayers to Almighty God in your behalf; and - I cannot refrain from again saying, that I hope one day we shall be - united in the same faith of the One Holy and Apostolic Church of - Jesus Christ. How great is the consolation to belong to that holy - Church which alone Jesus Christ has founded, which alone He has - illustrated with a never-failing succession of {188} pastors and of - miracles, from which all others have separated, and out of which I - find in the Holy Scriptures no covenanted promise of salvation! The - Catholic Church alone has converted those nations which have been - brought to the faith of Christ; and as, on the one hand, no man - could at this moment be a Protestant had not Luther and the other - Reformers existed, so, on the other, neither Luther nor any - succeeding Protestant could derive any knowledge of Christianity but - from the Catholic Church. How sublime are the promises of Christ, - 'Upon this Rock I will build My Church, and the gates of Hell shall - not prevail against it.' .... 'Going, therefore, teach ye all - nations.' .... 'And lo! I am with you all days, even unto the end of - the world.' Now to what Church was this promise made (a promise - which involves infallibility; for it would be blasphemy to say that - the God of Truth could commission a Church to teach the world, if - that Church could possibly teach error)? Certainly not to Churches - (sects, I should say) which separated from the parent Church fifteen - hundred years after the promise was given, and therefore came into - existence fifteen hundred years too late to be the Church of Christ. - And to what do the sects have recourse? To groundless accusations of - the Church of God, involving the charge of idolatry; but this very - charge condemns them, '_ex ore tuo judico te_.' for, by saying that - the Church fell into idolatry, and that that justifies their - separation, they admit that there was a time when the Church was not - guilty of idolatry. Now how are the promises of Christ verified, if - His Church could ever become idolatrous? I find in no part of - Scripture any prediction that the Church of Christ should ever - become idolatrous, and that then it should be lawful to separate - from her. Christ said simply, 'I am with you all days,' and 'he that - believeth and is baptised shall be saved, and he that believeth not - shall be condemned.' It is in vain to urge that St. Paul speaks of - the 'man of sin,' and of 'a falling away,'--he speaks not of the - Church; and the very expression 'a falling away' shows that it is - not the Church, but sects, to which he alludes--for the Church never - fell away from any previous Church,--this is matter of {189} - history; but all the sects, all schismatics, all heretics, fell away - from the Catholic Church of Christ,--this is equally matter of - history. No. St. Paul, the ever-glorious apostle and doctor of the - Gentiles, spoke of Arius, Luther, Calvin, Knox, and Henry VIII., and - all other heresiarchs, all of whom did apostatize and 'fall away,' - and have by their schisms and endless divisions, and the spirit of - infidelity resulting from them, paved the way for the Man of Sin, - the great Antichrist, who may perhaps shortly appear, the last - development of Heresy and Liberalism. But how shall sectaries take - refuge in the mysterious predictions of the Apocalypse? As well - might that atrocious assassin who killed Henry IV. find some excuse - in the hidden words of that volume. But I might pursue the question - still further. What right have sects to the Bible? Jesus Christ gave - it to us, and these men have stolen our book. If they say He did not - give it to us, I reply, then they ought to cease to believe that - Jesus Christ ever existed, for that is no more a matter of history, - nor a more certain fact, than His commission to His Church to teach - all nations all truth. - - "But I must conclude. I have not written all this without some fear; - but, my dear Mr. Spencer, I know it is a subject which is deeply - interesting to you, and, therefore, however ill I may have said it, - I have said it with the less hesitation. Will you write me a line to - say if you can come here? I do hope you will. My father says he had - the pleasure once of meeting you at Mr. Thornton's. - - "Believe me, my dear Mr. Spencer, - "Most sincerely yours, - "Ambrose Lisle Phillipps. - - "Clarendon Park, Loughbro', - _"Dec._ 30." - -The letter in which Father Ignatius signified his acceptance of this -invitation is still extant, and was lent by Mr. Phillipps to the -Passionists for this "Life." It is interesting, as the last vibration -of the needle to the pole of Catholic truth, as well as for the idea -it gives of his state of mind at that time. We give it, therefore, in -full. He wrote it from {190} Althorp, where the family were assembled, -as usual, for the Christmas holidays. - - "Althorp, _Jan_. 4, 1830. - - "My Dear Sir,--I received your kind invitation to Garendon on - Saturday; but I thought it best to postpone answering it for a day - or two, that I might consider what I had better do. If the visit - which you propose to me had been an ordinary one, I suppose I should - have declined it for the present, as I believe my father and mother - will be at Althorp till about the 25th January, and I seldom go out - when they are here. But as you invite me in the hope, and with a - desire, that good may be done by my going, I believe I should be - sorry afterwards if I refused. I therefore have told my father of my - intention, and, if nothing happens to prevent me, I will be with you - on Monday the 25th. As to the hour of my arrival, I cannot just now - tell how the coaches run between Northampton and Loughborough; but I - conclude I shall be with you in good time. And now that I have - determined to go, I am really thankful that another opportunity of - conversing with you is given me so soon; and I trust that our - intercourse will be blessed for our own good and that of others. And - if the step you have taken in becoming a Roman Catholic is correct, - according to the will of Christ, I have no doubt that my - conversation with you will be of use in drawing me nearer to the - right point. If, as I still am convinced, there is some error in - your views, let us agree in hoping that our intercourse may be - likewise profitable to you. I have been confirmed, by every - conversation which I have had with Roman Catholics, in the - persuasion that there is something materially wrong in what we may - call the Protestant system; and I have spoken my mind to this effect - as often as occasion has been given me. But if our union with the - Roman Catholic Church involves a declaration of my belief of all - that she teaches, and a submission to all her authority, as their - subjects are set forth in Bossuet's Exposition and Catechism, I am - not as yet one of the body; and I am reduced to the conviction that - somewhere or other there is an error among {191} you. One thing I - have learnt in the course of these inquiries is that the Scriptures - of the New Testament are not, as I formerly used to regard them - through want of consideration, the formal canon of the Christian - faith. It is as clear to me as I suppose you could wish it to be, - that the oral tradition of Christ to Peter and the other Apostles, - and that of the Apostles to the Churches, is the rule of Christian - doctrine, and with all my heart I seek for the knowledge of what - they taught, and have been frequently struck with the desirableness - of a clear and definite authority to which we might refer, when I - have observed the mischief into which Christians have fallen by - following each his own judgment. I do not see how I should be - stopped from at once becoming Catholic, under this impression, if it - was not that on comparing the state of the doctrine and discipline - of the Roman Church with what the Scriptures plainly teach me of the - state of the Apostolic Church, and the method of their doctrine, I - see such an obvious and plain difference, and I cannot be convinced - but that, between their time and that of the Council of Trent, - improper use has been made of the Church's authority. I am waiting - to learn what is the right way, which God knows and He alone; and I - can only hope for His guidance of me into the right way by standing - ready for conviction when the means of it are offered to me. I - declare myself to be in doubt. But that doubt gives me no - uneasiness, for my hope of salvation is simply founded on Jesus - Christ crucified; whom I expect to meet, as one of His redeemed - ones, when He returns. It is not any works of righteousness which I - can do, nor any outward profession of doctrine which I can make, - that can justify me. I am justified freely by the grace of God - through faith in Jesus Christ, to whom I give myself, to learn of - Him and follow Him whithersoever He leadeth. You will find me as - open to instruction and conviction as you seemed to think me at Mr. - Foley's; and I will weigh what you say, though you should decline to - meet me on the same terms, and declare yourself determined to give - your mind no more to inquiry. Yet, for your own sake and the sake of - others, who will of course be more disposed to attend to you if they - see you {192} candid and still humble and doubtful of your own - judgment, I wish you to resolve that you will meet me as I come to - you, determined that we will, with the blessing of God, come to one - mind, at the cost of all our respective prejudices. We should not - meet as polemics determined on victory, but in the spirit of - meekness and mutual forbearance. Then God, who sees the heart, if he - sees us truly thus disposed, will know how to make his truth shine - clearly to us both. Above all, let us pray for each other, and for - all, but especially those who most nearly belong to us, and be - encouraged by the promise, 'If any two of you shall agree as - touching anything that ye shall ask, on earth it shall be done for - them of My Father, who is in heaven.' Pray give my respectful - compliments to your father, whom I remember well meeting once at - Brock Hall, and of whom I have often heard the Thorntons speak with - great regard; and to carry to him my best thanks for his kind - permission to you to receive me in his house. Perhaps I shall write - to the Bishop of Lichfield, to tell him that I expect to meet him - there. I hope nothing will prevent his coming. And if we are allowed - to have freedom of conversation with him on these things, which I - pray to God may be given us, I must particularly interest you to - hear and consider what he says with meekness and humility, though - you may have the clearest conviction that he is in error. Surely his - age and rank, and the work to which he has sincerely devoted - himself, and his relation to you, make this a double duty; and, by - acting so, you will not be hurt, for though you may be perplexed for - awhile, God will not suffer you to lose one point of what is really - good, but will finally establish you the more firmly for acting in - this humble spirit. - - "Believe me, dear Sir, - "Yours most sincerely, - "George Spencer." - -He relates, in the _Account of his Conversion_, the effects of this -visit:-- - - "On Sunday, 24th January, 1830, I preached in my church, and in the - evening took leave of my family for the {193} week, intending to - return on the Saturday following to my ordinary duties at home. But - our Lord ordered better for me. During the week I spent on this - visit I passed many hours daily in conversation with Phillipps, and - was satisfied beyond all my expectations with the answers he gave to - the different questions I proposed, about the principal tenets and - practices of Catholics. During the week we were in company with - several other Protestants, and among them some distinguished - clergymen of the Church of England, who occasionally joined in our - discussions. I was struck with observing how the advantage always - appeared on his side in the arguments which took place between them, - notwithstanding their superior age and experience;[Footnote 8] and I - saw how weak was the cause in behalf of which I had hitherto been - engaged; I felt ashamed of arguing any longer against what I began - to see clearly could not be fairly disproved. I now openly declared - myself completely shaken, and, though I determined to take no - decided step until I was entirely convinced, I determined to give - myself no rest till I was satisfied, and had little doubt now of - what the result would be. But yet I thought not how soon God would - make the truth clear to me. I was to return home, as I have said, on - Saturday. Phillipps agreed to accompany me on the day previous to - Leicester, where we might have further conversation with Father - Caestryck, the Catholic missionary established in that place. I - imagined that I might take some weeks longer for consideration, but - Mr. Caestryck's conversation that afternoon overcame all my - opposition. He explained to me, and made me see, that the way to - come at the knowledge of the true religion is not to contend, as men - are disposed to do, about each individual point, but to submit - implicitly to the authority of Christ, and of those to whom He has - committed the charge of His flock. He set before me the undeniable - but wonderful fact of the agreement of the Catholic Church all over - the world, in one faith, under one head; he showed me the assertions - of Protestants, that the Catholic Church had altered her doctrines, - were {194} not supported by evidence; he pointed out the wonderful, - unbroken chain of the Roman Pontiffs; he observed to me how in all - ages the Church, under their guidance, had exercised an authority, - undisputed by her children, of cutting off from her communion all - who opposed her faith and disobeyed her discipline. I saw that her - assumption of this power was consistent with Christ's commission to - His Apostles to teach all men to the end of the world; and His - declaration that those who would not hear the pastors of His Church - rejected Him. What right, then, thought I, had Luther and his - companions to set themselves against the united voice of the Church? - I saw that he rebelled against the authority of God when he set - himself up as an independent guide. He was bound to obey the - Catholic Church--how then should I not be equally bound to return to - it? And need I fear that I should be led into error by trusting to - those guides to whom Christ himself thus directed me? No! I thought - this impossible. Full of these impressions, I left Mr. Caestryck's - house to go to my inn, whence I was to return home next morning. - Phillipps accompanied me, and took this last occasion to impress on - me the awful importance of the decision which I was called upon to - make. At length I answered:-- - - [Footnote 8: Phillipps was then about 17 years of age.] - - "'I am overcome. There is no doubt of the truth. One more Sunday I - will preach to my congregation, and then put myself into Mr. Foley's - hands, and conclude this business.' - - "It may be thought with what joyful ardour he embraced this - declaration, and warned me to declare my sentiments faithfully in - these my last discourses. The next minute led me to the - reflection,--Have I any right to stand in that pulpit, being once - convinced that the Church is heretical to which it belongs? Am I - safe in exposing myself to the danger which may attend one day's - travelling, while I turn my back on the Church of God, which now - calls me to unite myself to her for ever? I said to Phillipps: 'If - this step is right for me to take next week, it is my duty to take - it now. My resolution is made; to-morrow I will be received into the - Church.' We lost no time in despatching a messenger to {195} my - father, to inform him of this unexpected event. As I was forming my - last resolution, the thought of him came across me; will it not be - said that I endanger his very life by so sudden and severe a shock? - The words of our Lord rose before me, and answered all my doubts: - 'He that hateth not father and mother, and brothers and sisters, and - houses and lands, and his own life too, cannot be my disciple.' To - the Lord, then, I trusted for the support and comfort of my dear - father under the trial which, in obedience to His call, I was about - to inflict upon him. I had no further anxiety to disturb me. God - alone knows the peace and joy with which I laid me down that night - to rest. The next day, at nine o'clock, the Church received me for - her child." - -{196} - -{197} - - -BOOK III - -_F. Ignatius, a Secular Priest_. - - -{198} - -{199} - -BOOK III. - -_F. Ignatius, a Secular Priest_. - - -CHAPTER I. - -His First Days In The Church. - - -Conversions to Catholicism were not such every-day occurrences, some -thirty years ago, as they are now. The disabilities under which -Catholics laboured politically, before 1829, made them hide their -heads, except when forced into public notice by efforts to break their -shackles. The religion that civilized England, and consecrated every -remarkable spot in it to the service of God, had become a thing of the -past, and the relics of Catholic piety that studded the land were -looked upon as the gravestones of its corse, or the trophies of -vanquishing Protestantism. Not only was Catholicity supposed to be -dead in England, but its memory was in execration; nurses frightened -the children with phantoms of monks, and mountebank preachers took -their inspiration from the prejudices they had imbibed in childhood. -The agitation about the _Veto_, and the Debates on the Catholic -question, which filled the public mind about the year 1830, and for -some ten years before, showed that Catholicity had not died, but only -slept. The Catholics emerged from their dens and caverns; they bought -and sold, spoke and listened, like their neighbours; and the King was -not afraid of a Catholic ball when he took his next airing {200} in -Hyde Park. The Catholic Church had been barely given leave to eke out -its declining days, with something like the indulgence allowed a -condemned criminal, when, to the astonishment of all, it sprung up -with new vigour, and waxed and throve in numbers and in position. It -was considered worth a hearing now, and faith came by hearing to many, -who would have been horrified before at opening by chance such an -antichristian thing as a Catholic book. A conversion, then, rather -stunned than embittered the relatives of the convert. The full tide of -Tractarianism had not yet set in, and the systematic pitchforks of -private persecution and stately rebuke, that were afterwards invented -to stop it, were not so much as thought of. The conversion of the -Honourable George Spencer happened in those peculiar times. His family -were partially prepared for it, for fluctuating between so many -religious opinions as he had been for so long, and earnest, too, in -pushing arguments to their furthest length, it was often half -suspected that he would go to Popery at last. There he was now, a -child of the Catholic Church, shrived and baptized according to her -ritual. His die was cast. He was fixed for ever. His wandering was at -an end. With the exception of his house-keeper, who laid her down to -die for sheer affliction at the news, we are not aware that many -others were much moved by what they considered his defection. -Doubtless, his father and the immediate family circle felt it deeply; -his Protestant vagaries had caused them sleepless nights and silent -afternoons, and the Church of which he became a member was not likely -to seem less absurd to them than it once seemed to himself. But then -he was incorrigible; there was no use talking to him; he would have -his own way, and there was what it led to. - -Lord Spencer was always favourable to Catholics, but it was in the -spirit of generosity to a fallen, or justice to an injured people. He -never dreamt his own son would be one of the first to reap the benefit -of the measures he advocated in Parliament. The letter he received -from Leicester in January, 1830, must have been a shock indeed. -Besides, a member of this aristocratic house descending to such a -level {201} must be considered a family disgrace--an event to be wept -over as long as there was one to glory in the name of Spencer, or feel -for its _prestige_. Taking all these things into account, and many -other minor considerations, it would be no wonder if Mr. Spencer was -treated with harshness, and banished Althorp for ever. Nothing of the -kind. His father was very considerate; and liberal, too, in making a -provision for his son's future maintenance. George himself was -received on friendly terms by every branch of the family, and, so far -from avoiding him or mortifying him, they seemed all to have respected -his sincerity. He wrote to Dr. Walsh, the Vicar Apostolic of the -central district, immediately after his reception into the Church, -placing himself as a subject at his lordship's disposition. Mr. -Spencer's idea was to be ordained as soon as possible, and come back -to his own parish to preach, like St. Paul, against his former -teaching. This intention was checked by the Bishop's writing word for -him to put off his first Communion a little longer, and to come and -meet his Lordship in Wolverhampton towards the middle of February. -This letter he received in F. Caestryck's, in Leicester, three days -after his reception. He thinks the arrangement excellent. He spent a -fortnight in the priest's house at Leicester, and he used often to say -that this good priest's way of settling difficulties, though it might -look unsatisfactory, was the very best thing that ever occurred to -him. He made Mr. Spencer fully aware of the great dogma of the -Church's infallibility before he received him. F. Caestryck was one of -those good emigre priests who were well up in the Church's positive -and moral theology, but cared very little for polemics. Whenever Mr. -Spencer asked him "Why was anything such a way in Catholic teaching?" -the old man simply replied: "The Church says so." This was very wise -at such a time; the period for reasoning and discussion was passed, -and the neophyte had to be taught to exercise the faith he had adopted -now. He learnt the lesson very well, and was saved from the danger of -arguing himself out of the Church again, as some do who do not leave -their private judgment outside the Church-door, at their conversion. - -{202} - -Scarcely anything is so remarkable as the readiness with which, on his -reception, he laid down all notions of his being a minister of God. -One short extract from a letter to his housekeeper, enclosing money -from Leicester, to pay bills, will illustrate this: "If you have an -opportunity, tell those who choose to attend, that I have acknowledged -the authority of the Catholic Church, and therefore resigned my -ministry for the present. If they care for my advice, tell them to -send for Mr. Foley (the priest at Northampton), and hear him as the -minister of God." This letter was written before he was a week a -Catholic, and it promises well for his future that he does not -arrogate to himself the office of teacher before he is commissioned, -much less before he is sufficiently instructed. Many, in their first -fervour, make false steps in the way he avoided which it is often -difficult to retrace. The glow of happiness at finding one's self in -_the Church_ ought to be allowed to subside, and to allow the newborn -judgment to be capable of discretion, before beginning to dabble in -theology. - -He pays a visit to Brington in a few days, in company with F. -Caestryck, and writes beforehand to his housekeeper to collect a few -of his faithful listeners, that he may get them a few words of advice -from a real live priest. It seems, from hints thrown out here and -there in his letters, that Bishop Walsh was for his going to Rome to -prepare himself for Orders. This was a drawback to his own plan, but -events will show how wisely the Bishop arranged. Mr. Spencer's anxiety -to be ordained at once and sent out to preach is an evidence of the -strength of his faith. He imagined the Sacrament of Orders would have -infused all ecclesiastical knowledge into his soul, and it was only -when he had to work hard at the study of theology that he perceived -the wisdom of blind submission to the judgment of his superiors. He -goes to London to consult Dr. Bramston as to what he had better do, -and he gives the result in a letter to Mr. Phillipps. - - "London, _Feb_. 18, 1830. - - "My Dear Ambrose,--I write from Bishop Bramston's study; he has left - me there, and is gone to transact a little {203} business in another - room. I have passed through my interview with my father, and thank - God for it. His kindness was very great, joined with great depth of - feeling. I will tell you more of it soon, when we meet. I shall - leave London on Saturday for Northampton, where I am to be at Lady - Throckmorton's till Monday. I shall then proceed to Birmingham by a - coach which passes through Northampton from Cambridge, at one or two - o'clock. On the next day, Tuesday, I will go to Wolverhampton, where - I hope to meet you, my dear brother. I shall have plenty more to - tell you then. Now, let it suffice to say that all my family and - Bishop Bramston are decidedly for the Roman plan. I suppose the Lord - so intends it. His will be done and His glory advanced; I will be as - wax in His hand. My father has made me quite comfortable for money, - and in the most prudent way. Farewell, my brother, and believe me, - - "Your affectionate - "George Spencer." - -He expressed his gratitude, again and again, for the manner in which -his family received him, especially as he knew that his late step was -looked upon by them as "an unmixed evil." They were even willing to -receive him as a guest wherever they might be staying except at -Althorp; and, at Dr. Bramston's suggestion, he agreed to these terms, -as well as made up his mind not to go to Brington again, in compliance -with his father's wishes. These matters he arranged in a few days; he -pensioned off one or two of his servants, he made his will about his -stock of sermons, and it was, "Give them to the new incumbent, and let -him do what he likes with them." - -He had some difficulty in obeying his Bishop with regard to "the Roman -plan," as he calls it. It was the first test of his obedience. He -thought it was because the Bishop was weak enough to yield to the -wishes of his family that he was sent. These wishes appeared to him to -proceed from principles to which the Church's policy should not suit -itself. There would be a noise made in the papers about his -conversion, and his friends would have to answer {204} questions about -him in inquisitive circles. His father did not wish him to go to -Brington, and he himself was most anxious to use the influence he -possessed over his dependants in order to their conversion. To avoid -these inconveniences and clashing of motives they desired he might be -absent from England for some time. Some of his friends also thought -going to Rome would make him Protestant again; for, he says in a -letter written a few days after his arrival in Rome, "You see now that -coming to Rome does not open my eyes and make me wish myself a -Protestant again. You may tell all Protestants that I am under no -charm, and if anything occurs to make me see that ours is an apostate -Church, I shall not, I trust, perversely suffer my fate to be bound up -with hers, and consent to die in her plagues." The public parade of -Catholic ceremonial had not formerly produced the best of effects upon -him, and perhaps it was expected the old feelings would be revived by -seeing the same things once more. - -The very reasons his friends had for detaining him might urge the -Bishop to hasten his departure. His anxiety to go and preach -Catholicity in Brington was not quite according to prudence, for -though he might know the principal dogmas of faith and believe them -firmly, he still needed that Catholic instinct and mode of thought -which can nowhere be imbibed so quickly or so surely as in Rome. There -are many traits of Protestant _viewiness_ to be seen in his letters at -this period, but, - - "Quo semel imbuta est recens servabit odorem, - Testa din." - -It would not have been so easy to bring these properly into subjection -whilst he had the thousand-and-one forms of Protestant errors seething -around him, and would be forced by his zeal to seek out ways of making -Catholic truth approach them. Where everything was Catholic to the -very core, in might and majesty, was the best school for tutoring him -into Catholic feelings and ideas. It was well also to let him see the -force of prejudice, by making him experience in himself how -differently things seem according {205} to the state of one's mind. If -he was shocked at Rome as a Protestant, it was well to let him know -that it was because he was unable to understand as a Protestant what -gave him so much joy and edification, when he could see with Catholic -eyes. - -A courier was leaving London for Ancona, and as he did not see any -reason for delay, he took a seat with him, and started for Rome on the -1st March, and arrived on the 12th, the feast of St. Gregory. He -contrived to make the acquaintance of Mr. Digby in Paris, and hear -mass three times during his journey, which was considered a very -quickly made one in those days. He also had a very pleasing interview -with Cardinal Mezzofanti in passing through Bologna. - -{206} - - -CHAPTER II. - -Mr. Spencer In The English College, Rome. - - -On the evening of his arrival in Rome he went to the English College -and presented himself to Dr. Wiseman, the late Cardinal, who was the -rector. Dr. Wiseman had heard of his conversion, but did not expect to -see him so soon, and while they were conversing and giving and -receiving explanations, two letters arrived by post from Bishops -Bramston and Walsh, which put everything in its proper place. Here -then we have this distinguished convert lodged in a student's cell to -prepare for receiving real Orders in due time. He gives his -impressions of the college in a letter to Mr. Phillipps, written about -a week after his arrival, as follows:-- - - "I have felt most completely comfortable and happy ever since I have - been here. The life of the college is of course regular and strict. - I could not have believed in the existence of a society for - education such as this, half a year ago. Such discipline and - obedience, united with perfect freedom and cordiality, is the fruit - of the Catholic religion alone, in which we learn really to look on - men as bearing rule in God's name, so that they need not keep up - their influence by affectation of superiority and mysterious - reserve. I do not know all the members of the college by name even - yet, but, as far as I do, I can speak only in one language of them - all. I have kept company principally with the rector and - vice-rector, as I am not put on the footing of the ordinary - students, being a _convictor_, that is, paying my own way, and also - brought here under such peculiarity of circumstances as warrants - some distinction, though I desire to make that as little as - possible. I do not go with the others to the public schools, but am - to study at home under Dr. Wiseman and Dr. Errington. The rules - {207} of the house I observe, and indeed so do the rectors as the - rest." - -The peace of sober college life could not long remain unalloyed, if it -were to be lasting. Whilst Mr. Spencer was studying his Moral or Dogma -by the little lamp, and unmoved except by the anxiety to read faster, -in order to be sooner in the field to work for God, the world outside -was not disposed to forget him. Various rumours were set afloat about -Northampton concerning him; one would account for his sudden -disappearance, another for his resignation of his living, a third -would set about unravelling the popish plots of which he must have -been a dupe. These were trifling pastimes, which could be ungrudgingly -permitted for the better savouring of devout tea-parties: but surmise -will not be content with all this. There was his housekeeper, who -became ill immediately, and was near dying. What did that mean? -Slanderous reports were set on foot, and the answer to them is the -most complete refutation that could possibly be given, while it is at -the same time a proof of his virtue. On May 17th, 1830, he thus writes -from the English college to the housekeeper, who had mentioned the -matter in a letter to him: - - .... "I see that it has pleased God that you should suffer under - calumny; thank God, most undeserved. It is evident that this slander - affects my character as much as yours, and there is hardly a state - of life to be conceived where such imputations are more injurious - than a priest's; yet if all men should believe it, and I should live - and die under this evil report, God forbid I should willingly - repine. It would be no trial to suffer calumny, if it was not at - first a painful thing; and therefore I do not wonder, nor find fault - with you, at your being greatly afflicted when you were so insulted - and abused as you describe; but, my dear girl, you should not have - _allowed_ this to weigh upon your mind. You have more reason to - grieve for this proof of how weak your faith and love to God is, - than for the slander. I think it was a mistake that you did not tell - me of this at Northampton. I trust I should then and shall always - {208} rejoice, when I am counted worthy to suffer reproach for the - sake of Christ; and I thank God that such is this reproach. I - deserve reproach enough, it is true; and both you and I, if we look - through our past lives, shall see that we deserve this and much more - for our sins. Let us then learn to accept the bitter words of - unfeeling men, as David did the curses of Semei, as ordered by God - for our chastening, that we may be purified by them, and He will - then turn their calumnies into greater honour one day or other. - Though you had better have told me, as I might have helped you at - once to overcome your annoyance, yet it may have been better for you - to suffer it thus long, that you may learn how much you do care for - character, and may henceforth give that up as well as everything - besides that you love on earth. If you are so afflicted at a false - reproach against you, what would your feelings have been if the Lord - had seen fit to prove you, by suffering you indeed to fall; and - where is your strength or mine, that we should be innocent in - anything for a day, except through His grace? Just think over the - matter with yourself, and let this word of advice be sufficient, and - let me have the happiness of knowing that you are again what I - remember you, patient, and meek, and cheerful, and allowing nothing - to concern you but to please God more and more, and work out your - salvation. I see by your letter, which I look at again, that you - certainly would have told me of this at Northampton, had you judged - for yourself, and perhaps it was right that you should act in it as - you were advised. Therefore, do not take what I say now as if I had - anything but the sincerest love and respect for you; I only speak to - warn you of your spiritual wants, in which I partake with you. A - woman's feelings are more tender, of course, under such cruel - insults. When my feelings are hurt I find the same proof that I do - not love God as I ought to do, and surely we never can have too much - of that love. How infinitely blessed are you that you are singled - out from the herd of those who prosper in the world, and have all - men speaking well of them, and are permitted to walk in the way by - which alone we can attain to the kingdom set before us. Remember the - most blessed and {209} glorious Virgin, Mary, of all creatures the - most beloved and most worthy to be loved of God, who was saluted by - an angel as full of grace, and is now in heaven, Queen of Angels, - and Prophets, and Apostles, and Martyrs. How was her infinite honour - of being mother of God made the occasion of most cruel suspicions - against her heavenly purity. If she was content to bear this with - perfect meekness and humility for God's sake, surely you may say - with her, 'be it done unto me according to thy word,' whether He - shall order you to bear this or any other trouble. If occasion is - put before you to prove yourself undeserving of such imputations, do - not neglect to use it, for God's honour, which suffers by our being - supposed guilty, and for the good of your slanderers, who may be - brought to repentance by a due reproof; but take no pains about it, - except in prayer to God, and in examining throughout all your past - ways, what may be the cause of the affliction as ordered by Him. I - am sure I can hardly find anything to accuse you of. I used to - delight in your conversation, and you did in mine; but, thank God, - great as my sins have been, I never, I believe, said a word to wound - your delicacy, and you never transgressed the bounds of respect - which a servant ought to show towards a master. But those who, for - their own sorrow, will not learn what the joys of spiritual - friendship are, cannot understand any intimacy but that which is - sensual and gross. As, therefore, I left home so suddenly, and they - could not again understand the possibility that my faith should be - so suddenly established, and that, for the sake of it, I was willing - to give up my home, and as you showed such emotion at learning that - I was to leave you, these people had no way to account for the whole - matter but imputing to us shameful guilt." - -From Mr. Spencer's charity before he became a Catholic we may conclude -what it must have been now. It would seem that, in temporals, he had -not those difficulties in the way of his conversion that beset many -Protestant clergymen who depend solely on their livings. But, the -sacrifices he willingly made, prove that the prospect of sheer want -even would not have deterred him from following God's {210} call. A -few days after his conversion he went to see the Dominican Fathers at -Hinckley, and said, in conversation, "I suppose it is not lawful for -me to receive the fruits of my benefice, now that I have ceased to be -a minister of the Establishment." One of them said, "Certainly not." -Whereupon he asked for a sheet of paper, wrote a letter to the -Protestant bishop in a few minutes, resigning his cure, and simply -said, as he impressed the seal, "There goes £3,000 a year." He was -then wholly dependent on his father's bounty, and if unworthy motives -had had any force with Earl Spencer, his son might have found himself -penniless. From the allowance granted him he received monthly whilst -in Rome much more than was sufficient to pay his way in the college. -It was remarked, however, that the day after he got his money he had -not a farthing in his possession, and on inquiry it was found that -what remained from the college pension he distributed regularly among -the poor. Dr. Wiseman turned the channel of his charity to a more -profitable object, knowing how much he would be imposed on by the -Roman beggars, and several monuments still look fresh in the chapel of -the English College, which were repaired by what remained over and -above what was absolutely necessary of his income. It seems as if he -never could bear to be the possessor of money; he would scruple having -it about him. He was known, even when a minister, to draw money out of -the bank in Northampton, and give the last sixpence of it to the poor -before he got to Brington. - -Before August, 1830, he received minor orders, and immediately after -hears the news that Mary Wykes, his housekeeper, has become a -Catholic. It is a singular fact that she took his conversion so to -heart that she nearly died, and was yet the first to follow his -example. She was delicate in health, of a respectable family in his -parish, and Mr. Spencer acknowledges that he is under many obligations -to her father. He settles an annuity of £25 or £30 a year upon her for -life, and writes to her from the English College thus: "Pray to God to -give you a tender devotion to her whom He loves above all creatures, -and who of all creatures is the most pure, amiable, and exalted. I -dare say you will {211} have found difficulty, as I have done, in -overcoming the prejudices in which we have been brought up against -devotion to the Saints of God; but let this very thing make you the -more diligent in asking of God to give you that devotion to them which -He delights in seeing us cultivate." - -On the 13th of March, _Sabbato Sitientis_, 1831, he received the -Subdiaconate, This is the great step, as Catholics know, in the life -of one destined for the priesthood. The Subdiaconate imposes perpetual -celibacy, with the obligation of daily reciting the divine office, and -it is then the young cleric is first styled Reverend. It is said that -a few days after his receiving this sacred order, a message was sent -him by his family not to become a priest, as it was feared his brother -would have no issue, and George was looked to as the only source -whence an heir presumptive could arise for the earldom. He simply -answered, "You spoke too late," an answer he would have given whether -or no, as he had long ago determined never to marry. It was at this -time also he wrote, at the request of the Bishop of Oppido, the -_Account of my Conversion_,--a work well known to English readers. - -{212} - - -CHAPTER III. - -F. Spencer Is Ordained Priest. - - -Father Spencer, ever since he first turned completely to the service -of God, was determined to do whatever he knew to be more perfect. He -did not understand serving God by halves; he thought He deserved to be -loved with "all our strength, all our mind, and above all things." -This he knew to be a precept, a strict command given by our divine -Lord. How it was to be observed was his difficulty. He was groping in -the dark hitherto, and though not making many false steps, still far -from clearly seeing his way to perfection. The exactness of Catholic -theology, which sifts every question to the last atom, made him meet -this one face to face. - -The first difficulty he had to master was the received axiom that _the -religious state is more perfect than the secular_. He could not see -how a vow, which apparently takes away a man's liberty, could increase -the merit of actions done under it. As the vow of obedience is the -principal one in religion, so much so that in some orders subjects are -professed by promising obedience according to the rule, its -explanation would remove the difficulty. Two things principally -constitute the superiority of _vowed actions_. One, that they must be -of a better good; the second, that the will is confirmed in the doing -of them. A vow must be of a good better than another good--such as -celibacy better than marriage, poverty better than riches, obedience -to proper authority better than absolute liberty. The state of -religion which takes these three walks of life as essential to its -constitution is insomuch better than any other state. But the question -comes, why not observe poverty, chastity, and obedience, without -vowing them? "Would it not be better that {213} the practice of these -virtues should be spontaneous, than that a person should put himself -under the moral necessity of not deviating from it? No; because it is -a weak will which reserves to itself the right of refusing to -persevere in a sacrifice. If a man intends to observe chastity, but -reserves to himself the right to marry whenever he pleases, he -signifies by his state of mind that he may some day repent of his -choice, and makes provision for that defalcation. That is a want of -generosity, it is a safety valve by which trusting to God's grace -escapes, and perfection can never be attained while one has the least -notion of the possibility of doing less for God than he does. "He that -puts his hand to the plough and turns back is not worthy." By a vow, a -person not only resolves to do for the present what is perfect, but to -continue doing it for life, and as the person knows right well that -his natural strength will not carry him through, he trusts the issue -to God's goodness. This fixing of the will, and narrowing, as far as -possible, the range of our liberty, is an assimilation of the present -state to the state of the blessed. They do the will of God and cannot -help doing it, they have no liberty of sinning, and the vow of -obedience by which a man binds himself to do God's will, manifested to -him through his superiors or his rule, takes away from him the least -rational inclination for liberty to sin. Not only that, but he makes -it a sin to recede from God one step, and he sacrifices to his Creator -a portion of the liberty that is granted to us all. It is a sin for a -man who has a vow of chastity to marry, though naturally he was -perfectly free to do so. He sacrificed that freedom to God, and lest -he might be inclined to backslide at any future day he put the barrier -of this moral obligation behind him. The person under vow is God's -peculiar property; all his actions are in a certain sense sacred, and -of double merit in His sight. Be it remembered that a religious makes -this sacrifice freely, and it is in this free dedication to God's -service perpetually of body, soul, and possessions, without reserving -the right to claim back anything for self, that the special excellence -of the religious state consists. - -{214} - -There are several other less cogent arguments in favour of the -religious state, as that without it we should not have the Evangelical -virtues practised which form the principal part of the note of -holiness in the Church. That it is easier to practice great virtue in -a monastery than in the world, and that more religious have been -canonized than seculars since the time of the martyrs. - -Father Spencer came to understand that the religious state is more -perfect than the secular, though he knew that many seculars are far -more perfect than some religious, but one point he could never get -over, and that was since vows undoubtedly do raise the merit of one's -actions, why cannot people take and observe vows without shutting -themselves up within the walls of a convent? He consulted many grave -theologians, doctors, and even cardinals, for the solution of this -problem. He was told, to be sure, that it was quite possible in the -abstract to have a people observing vows, but that in practice it -proved to be chimerical and Utopian. _What is possible can be done_, -was his maxim, and he resolved to begin with himself. He was told by -Dr. Wiseman and Cardinal Weld that he seemed to have a religious -vocation. He wrote accordingly to his diocesan, Dr. Walsh, who -dissuaded him from becoming a religious by saying that, though it was -a better state, a secular priest could be more useful in England. -Others differed from this opinion, but F. Spencer heard in it the -voice of his Superior, and resolved to obey it for the present. This -settled matters for the time, but his _view_ could never be got out of -his head. He gets thoroughly engrossed now with his approaching -ordination. It grieves him to see souls lost in heresy and sin in a -way that few grieve; for, the concern he felt for the spiritual -destitution of his country began to tell upon his health. It is feared -he will die; he begins to spit blood, and several consumptive symptoms -alarm his physicians. He is removed to Fiumicino, and writes a long -letter from his sick bed there to Mr. Phillipps. In this letter he -hopes his friend may be caught into the Church like his patron, St. -Ambrose. Here we have the first evidence of his getting thoroughly -into a Catholic way of thinking. {215} Nothing strikes a cold, -careful, Catholic, who has been brought up in a Protestant atmosphere, -so much as the wonderful familiarity of Spanish and Italian boys with -the lives of the Saints. They quote a Saint for everything, and they -can tell you directly how St. Peter of Alcantara would season his -dinner, or how St. Rose of Lima would make use of ornaments. Father -Spencer has paragraphs in every letter at this time full of hints -taken from Saints' lives, showing that he evidently gave a great -portion of his time to learn ascetic theology in these remarkable -volumes. He is wishing also that Mr. Digby should become a priest, but -in both cases he was doomed to be disappointed so far, though both his -friends graced, by their virtues, the state of life in which they -remained. He was ordained Deacon on the 17th December, Quater tense, -1831; and on the 26th of May, 1832, two years and four months after -his reception into the Church, he was ordained Priest by Cardinal -Zurla. He thus writes to Mr. Phillipps on the event: "I made my -arrangements directly (on being called off suddenly to England) for -ordination to the priesthood on St. Philip Neri's Day, and saying my -first mass on the day following, which was Sunday. How will you -sympathise with my joy when, in the middle of my retreat, Dr. Wiseman -told me, what none of us had observed at first, that the 26th May was -not only St. Philip's feast at Rome, but in England that of St. -Augustine, our Apostle, and that he should ask Cardinal Zurla to -ordain me in St. Gregory's Church, which his Eminence did. It was at -St. Gregory's only that we learned from the monks that the next day -was the deposition of Venerable Bede." - -The coincidences are really remarkable with regard to his destination -for the English mission. He was born on the feast of the Apostle St. -Thomas; he arrived in Rome, as a Catholic, on the feast of St. -Gregory; he was ordained on the feast of St. Augustine of Canterbury; -he said his first mass of St. Bede, by special leave from the Pope, on -that Saint's day. He was ordained by a Cardinal of the Camaldolese -branch of the Benedictine Order, to which St. Augustine belonged; and -he got the blessing and commission of {216} Pope Gregory XVI., a -member of the same order; and under all these auspices set out -directly for England. - -During his stay in Rome he made the acquaintance of our Father -Dominic. This was a great happiness to him. Father Dominic was on fire -for the conversion of England, and Father Spencer echoed back, with -additions, every sentiment of his zealous soul. They spoke together, -they wrote to each other, they got devout people to pray, and prayed -themselves every day, for the conversion of England. We cannot know -how far prayers go, we only know that the continual prayer of the just -man availeth much; and therefore, it might not seem safe reasoning, to -attribute effects that can be traced to other causes to the prayers of -some devout servants of God. Without attempting to assign causes, we -cannot help remarking the fact that these two holy souls began to -pray, and enlist others in praying, for England's conversion in 1832, -and that the first number of the "Tracts for the Times" appeared -before the end of 1833. Neither of them had anything to do with the -Tracts, if we except a few letters from Father Dominic in a Belgian -newspaper, as writers or suggestors of matter; but both took a deep -interest in them, and fed their hopes, as each appeared more Catholic -than the one before. He spends a week with Father Dominic in Lucca, on -his way to England, and in Geneva happened one of those interesting -events with which his life was chequered. He thus tells it in a letter -to the _Catholic Standard_ in 1853:-- - - "I went one day, at Genoa (see Chap. IX., Bk. i.), in 1820, to see - the great relics in the treasury of the Cathedral. Relics, indeed, - were little to me; but to get at these, three keys from various - first-rate dignitaries, ecclesiastical and civil, were necessary. - This was enough to make a young English sight-seer determined to get - at them. A young priest, the sacristan of the Cathedral, received me - and the party I had made up to accompany me, and showed us the - precious treasures. I did nothing but despise; and yet why should I, - or other Protestants, look on it as a kind of impossibility that any - relic can be genuine? However, so I did; and I let the sacristan - plainly know it. Yet he was not vexed. Nay, he treated {217} me with - great affection, and said, among other things, 'The English are a - worthy, good people, _brava nazione_; if only it had not been for - that moment, that unhappy moment!' 'What moment do you mean?' said - I. 'Ah! surely,' he replied, 'when Henry VIII. resolved on revolting - against the Church.' I did not answer, but I thought within myself, - 'Poor man, what ignorance! what infatuation! And what were my - thoughts of that moment of which he spoke? My thoughts on this head - had been formed in my young days, and, oh! how deep are first young - thoughts allowed to take firm root undisturbed! When I was a - child"---- - -Here he relates the discourse of his sisters' governess about the -English Reformation, given in a former chapter. "When, accordingly, -the Genoese priest thus spoke I thought, Poor, blind man! little he -knows what England gained at that same moment for which he pities it. -... I cannot but add to this last circumstance, that twelve years -later I was returning from Rome--a priest! I came by sea. Stopping one -day in the harbour of Genoa, I went on shore to say mass at the -Cathedral, and found the same priest still at the head of the -sacristy--the same benign features I saw, but somewhat marked with -age. I asked him did he remember and recognise the young English -disputer? _O altitudo_! .... And is it I whom they would expect to -give up my poor countrymen for hopeless? No! leave this to others, who -have not tasted like me the fruits of the tender mercies of God." - -As soon as he arrived in England, he went to see his family, who were -in Ryde for the summer, according to their custom. He was cordially -welcomed; but it must seem a cold thing for a newly-ordained priest to -come to a home where not a brother or sister would kneel to get his -blessing, nor father nor mother be in ecstacy of joy at hearing him -say mass for the first time. This was in July, 1832. Early in August -he met several priests at Sir Edward Doughty's, Upton House, -Dorsetshire; and Lady Doughty says:--"Mr. Spencer greatly edified all -who then met him by his humility, fervour, and earnest desire for the -conversion of England. On the 11th of August he left Upton, {218} -accompanied by Dr. Logan, for Prior Park. On that morning, as the -coach from Poole passed at an early hour, Mr. Spencer engaged one of -the men servants to serve his mass at five o'clock. The servant went -to call him soon after four, but finding the room apparently -undisturbed, he proceeded to the little domestic chapel, and there he -found Mr. Spencer prostrate before the altar in fervent prayer, and he -then rose and said mass; the servant's conviction being, that he had -been there in prayer all night." - -An incident occurred, as Father Spencer was passing through Bordeaux -on his way to England, which deserves especial mention, if only to -recall the droll pleasure he used to experience himself, and create in -others, while relating it. He met there a great, big, fat convert, who -had just made his abjuration and been baptised. Father Spencer -questioned him about his first communion, and the trouble of preparing -himself "in his then state of body" seemed an awful exertion. However, -after a great deal of what the gentleman termed "painful goading," -Father Spencer succeeded in bringing him to the altar. The fat -gentleman sat him down afterwards to melt in the shade of a midsummer -June day in Bordeaux, grumbling yet delighted at the exertion he had -made. The Bishop of Bordeaux was giving confirmation in some of the -churches in the town, and Father Spencer thought he should not lose -the opportunity of getting his fat friend to the sacrament. He knew -how hateful exertion of any kind was to the neophyte, who, though he -believed all the Catholic doctrines in a kind of a heap, was not -over-inclined for works of supererogation. He resolved to do what he -could. He went to him, and boldly told him that he ought to prepare -himself for confirmation. "What!" exclaimed the gentleman, making an -effort to yawn, "have I not done yet? Is there more to be got through -before I am a perfect Catholic? Oh, dear!" And he moved himself. He -was brought through, however, to the no small inconvenience of himself -and others, and many was the moral Father Ignatius pointed afterwards -with this first essay of his in missionary work. - -{219} - -At Prior Park, Father Spencer met Dr. Walsh, and he was appointed to -begin a new mission in West Bromwich; he sets about it immediately, -and gets an altar for it from Lord Dormer in Walsall. He met Dr. -Wiseman, who came to England about this time, and they are both -invited by Earl Spencer to spend a day at Althorp. The Earl was -charmed with Dr. Wiseman, and Father Spencer exclaims, in a letter, -"What a grand point was this! A Catholic priest, and a D.D., rector of -a Catholic college, received with distinction at a Protestant -nobleman's!" He met some of his old parishioners, and was welcomed by -them with love and kind remembrances. His church in West Bromwich was -opened on the 21st November, 1832, and he was settled down as a -Catholic pastor near where he hunted as a Protestant layman, and -preached heresy as a Protestant minister. - -{220} - - -CHAPTER IV. - -F. Spencer Begins His Missionary Life. - - -Far different is the position on which Mr. Spencer enters towards the -close of 1832, from that which he was promoted to in 1825. Then he -took the cure of souls with vague notions of his precise duty; now he -took the cure of souls as a clearly defined duty, for the fulfilment -of which he knew he should render a severe account. Then he received a -large income from the bare fact of his being put in possession of his -post; now he has to expend even what he has in trying to provide a -place of worship for his flock. Then, there were eight hundred souls -under his charge, most of them wealthy and comfortable, and all -looking up to him with respect for being his father's son; now he -could scarcely count half that number as his own, scattered among -hovels and garrets; amid their more opulent neighbours, who mocked him -for being a priest. He then dwelt with pleasure on his rich benefice, -and on the rising walls of his handsome rectory; now he prayed the -bishop to put him into the poorest mission in the diocese, and -delighted in being housed like the poor. The life he led as a priest -in West Bromwich is worthy of the ancient solitaries. He began by -placing all his property in the bishop's hands, and his lordship -appointed an _Econome_, who gave him now and again such sums as he -needed to keep himself alive, give something to the poor, and supply -his church with necessaries. He keeps an account of every farthing he -spends, and shows it to the Bishop at the end of the quarter, to see -if his lordship approves, or wishes anything to be retrenched for the -future. His ordinary course of life was--rise at six, {221} Meditation -Office and Mass, hear some confessions, and, after breakfast, at ten, -go out through the parish until six, when he came home to dinner, and -spent the time that was left till supper in instructing catechumens, -reading, praying, or writing. He had no luxuries, no comforts, he -scarcely allowed himself any recreation, except in doing pastoral -work. He leaves two rooms of his little house unfurnished, and says he -has something else to do with the money that might be thus spent. Much -as he loved Mr. Phillipps, he did not go to see him after his -marriage, because he thought it was not necessary to spend money in -that way which could alleviate the poverty of a parishioner; and -because he did not like to be a day absent from his parish work as -long as God gave him strength. During the first year of his residence -at West Bromwich he opens three schools; one of them had been a -pork-shop, and was bought for him by a Catholic tradesman. Here he -used to come and lecture once or twice a week, and is surprised and -pleased to find a well-ordered assembly ready to listen to him. He -says in a letter at this time: "I go to bed weary every night, and -enjoy my sleep more than great people do theirs; for it is the sleep -of the labourer." He is rather sanguine in his hopes of converting -Protestants; but, although he receives a good many into the Church, he -finds error more difficult to root out than he imagined. He bears up, -however, and a letter to Mr. Phillipps will tell us what he thought; -he says: "Keep England's conversion always next your heart. It is no -small matter to overturn a dynasty so settled and rooted as that of -error in this country; and how are we possibly to expect that we shall -be made instruments to effect this, unless we become in some measure -conformable to the characters of the Saints who have done such things -before us? Yet let us not give up the undertaking, for as, on the one -hand, no one has succeeded without wonderful labour and patience, so, -on the other, none ever has failed when duly followed up. Let us not -be discouraged by opposition, but work the more earnestly: and as we -see people about some hard bodily exertion begin with their clothes -on, but, when they find {222} the difficulty of their job, strip first -the coat, then the waistcoat, then turn up their sleeves, and so on, -we must do the same. God does not give success at once, because He -wishes us better than to remain as we are, fettered and attached to -the world. If we succeeded before all this encumbrance is stripped -off, we should certainly not get rid of it afterwards." He did "turn -up his sleeves," and toil, no doubt, at converting his neighbours; he -opened a new mission in Dudley towards the Christmas of 1833; he first -began in an old warehouse, which he fitted up with a chapel and seats, -and turned one or two little houses adjoining into a sacristy and -sitting-room for the priest who might come there to officiate. - -He goes on in this even course for the whole of the two first years of -his life in West Bromwich, without any striking event to bring one -part more prominently forward than another. His every day work was -not, however, all plain sailing; in proportion as his holiness of life -increased the reverence Catholics began to conceive for him, it -provoked the persecution and contempt of the Protestants. He was -pensive generally, and yet had a keen relish for wit and humour. He -was one day speaking with a brother priest in his sacristy, with sad -earnestness, about the spiritual destitution of the poor people around -him, who neither knew God, nor would listen to those who were willing -to teach them. A poor woman knocked at the sacristy door, and was -ordered to come in; she fell on her knees very reverently, to get -Father Spencer's blessing, as soon as she approached him. His -companion observed that this poor woman reminded him of the mother of -the sons of Zebedee, who came to Our Saviour _adorans_. "Yes," replied -Father Spencer, with a very arch smile, "and not only _adorans_, but -_petens aliquid ah eo_" Such was his usual way; he would season his -discourse on the most important subject--even go a little out of his -way for that purpose--with a pointed anecdote, or witty remark. - -All did not feel inclined to follow the old woman's example in the -first part of the above scene, though many were led {223} to do so -through their love and practice of the second. A person sent us the -following letter, who still lives on the spot that was blessed by this -holy priest's labours, and as it bears evidence to some of the -statements we have made from other sources, it may be well to give it -insertion:-- - - "I was one of his first converts at West Bromwich, and a fearful - battle I had; but his sublime instructions taught me how to pray for - the grace of God to guide me to his true Church. He was ever - persecuted, and nobly overcame his enemies. I remember one morning - when he was going his accustomed rounds to visit the poor and sick, - he had to pass a boys' school, at Hill Top; they used to hoot after - him low names, but, seeing he did not take any notice, they came - into the road and threw mud and stones at him; he took no notice. - Then they took hold of his coat, and ripped it up the back. He did - not mind, but went on all day, as usual, through Oldbury, Tipton - Oudley, and Hill Top, visiting his poor people. He used to leave - home every morning, and fill his pockets with wine and food for the - poor sick, and return home about six in the evening, without taking - any refreshment all day, though he might have walked twenty miles in - the heat of summer. One winter's day he gave all his clothes away to - the poor, except those that were on him. He used to say two Masses - on Sunday, in West Bromwich, and preach. I never saw him use a - conveyance of any kind in his visits through his parish." - -It could not be expected that the newspapers would keep silence about -him. He gets a little in that way, which he writes about, as -follow:--"Eliot (an apostate) has been writing in divers quarters that -I know of, and I dare say in many others (for he was very fond of -letter-writing), the most violent abuse of the Catholic Church, and of -all her priests, excepting me, whom he pities as a wretched victim of -priest-craft. I still hope there is some strange infatuation about him -which may dissipate, and let him return; but if not, the Church has -ramparts enough to stand his battering, and I am not afraid of my -little castle being shaken by him. I feel desirous rather than not -that he should publish the {224} worst he can about me and mine in the -Protestant papers. It will help to correct us of some faults, and -bring to light, perhaps, at the same time, something creditable to our -cause." - -He must have felt the extraordinary change in his state of mind and -duty now to what he experienced some four or five years before. There -are no doubts about doctrines, nor difficulties about Dissenters; his -way is plain and clear, without mist or equivocal clause; there is but -one way for Catholics of being united with heretics--their -unconditional submission to the Church. There is no going half-way to -meet them, or sacrificing of principles to soothe their scruples; -either all or none--the last definition of the Council of Trent, as -well as the first article of the Apostles' Creed. If he has -difficulties about any matter, he will not find Bishops giving him -shifting answers, and seemingly ignorant themselves of what is the -received interpretation of a point of faith. He will be told at once -by the next priest what is the doctrine of the Church, and if he -refuses to assent to it he ceases to be a Catholic. This looks an iron -rule in the Church of God, and those outside her cannot understand how -its very unbending firmness consoles the doubtful, cheers the -desponding, strengthens the will and expands and nourishes the -intellect. - -A priest has many consolations in his little country parish that few -can understand or appreciate. It is not the number and efficiency of -his schools, the round of his visits, or the frequency of his -instructions. No; it is the offering of the Victim of Salvation every -morning for his own and his people's sins, and it is the conveying the -precious blood of his Saviour to their souls, through the Sacraments -he administers. Only a priest can understand what it is to feel that a -creature kneels before him, steeped in vice and sin, and, after a good -confession, rises from his knees, restored to God's grace and -friendship. All his labours have this one object--the putting of his -people into the grace of God, and keeping them in it until they reach -to their reward. There is a reality in all this which faith alone can -give that makes {225} him taste and feel the good he is doing. A -reality that will make him fly without hesitation to the pestilential -deathbed, and glory in inhaling a poison that may end his own days, in -the discharge of his duty. He must be ever ready to give his life for -his sheep, not in fancy or in words, but in very deed, and thus seal -by his martyrdom both the truth which he professes, and his love for -the Master whom he has been chosen to serve. - -The number of priests who die every year, and the average of a -missionary priest's life, prove but too clearly how often the -sacrifice is accepted. - - -{226} - - -CHAPTER V. - -Prospects Of Widening His Sphere Of Action. - - -Towards the close of the year 1834, Earl Spencer died. George, of -course, felt it deeply; he loved his father with, if possible, more -than filial affection, for he could look up since his childhood to his -paternal example; and all the virtue he was able to practise during -his younger days, despite the occasions into which he was cast, he -attributed chiefly to the influence of his father's authority. The -country lost a statesman, and the Catholics an advocate in the noble -earl; his death was therefore regretted by more than his immediate -family; but there was one great reason why his son felt so deeply--his -father had not died a Catholic. There were many things to make up for -his exclusion from the _mementoes_ of his son in the mass, as not -being one of those _qui nos praecesserunt cum signo fidei_; such as, -his real natural goodness, his acting up to his lights, and his kind -treatment of his son; but they were, of course, poor, weak -assuagements to the stern fact that he could not pray publicly for the -repose of his soul, and only, by the merest conditional permission, -even privately. Father Spencer goes shortly after to Althorp. The new -earl thinks proper to prohibit his brother speaking to any except -those of his own rank while visiting there. He had, of course, his -reasons, but it was a sore trial to Father Spencer, who ever loved the -poor, and never felt so happy as when exercising his patience in -listening to the detailed account of their sufferings, or in trying to -relieve them by words or alms. He put up with it, and a _thank God_ -soon made him at home amid lords and ladies for the time of his short -stay. - -{227} - -It may strike some person as a very strange thing that this -illustrious convert and great saint, as he really was and appeared to -be, should be shut up in a poor hamlet whose name does not appear even -on railway maps, and not located in some resort of pride and fashion. -But the Honourable and Reverend George Spencer had seen enough of -fashion and gentility to be thoroughly disgusted with both the one and -the other. He understood no way of going to heaven except that which -Our Lord pointed out to us and went Himself first for us to follow, -the way of the cross in poverty and humility. Hence he applied to -Bishop Walsh for the poorest and worst mission in the diocese. If one -will not be inclined to give this good Bishop credit for forwarding -the apostolical intentions of his young priest, let him know that -there might be also a more inferior motive why he should accede to his -request. Priests with private incomes can better subsist in poor -missions than those who depend on the charity of their flocks; and we -find at present that many, who have property of their own, are -appointed, notwithstanding the honourable and creditable prefixes to -their names, to missions which are not able to support a priest from -their internal resources. These two reasons put together will account -for the placing of the Hon. and Rev. George Spencer in the mission of -West Bromwich. - -St. Thomas defines zeal, "an intense love by which one is moved -against and repels whatever is detrimental to the good of his friend, -and does his best to prevent whatever is against the honour or the -will of God." Alphonsus Rodrigues says: "It is the love of God on -fire, and a vehement desire that He should be loved, honoured, and -adored by all; and so intense is it, that he who burns therewith tries -to communicate its heat to every one." This effect of zeal is the -special gleam by which the shining of great saints can be -distinguished from ordinary servants of God. They are filled with the -love of God, they overflow with it, and dash off floods that sweep -down vice and sin by their impetuosity. When obstacles occur to show -that the time is not opportune, or that the sluices should not yet be -drawn, the saints are far from languishing into ordinary ways. No; the -springs are open afresh, their hearts are filling the more {228} they -are pent up, and seek avenues on every side and in every way in which -they may possibly allow some heavenly water to escape. Such was the -zeal of St. Chrysostom, who would be blind if his audience could but -see. Such was the love of St. Francis Xavier, who went through unknown -and almost inaccessible regions to convert the heathen. Such was the -love of St. Teresa, who sighed that she was not a man, because her sex -and state forbade her to be an apostle. Such was the Psalmist, when he -said, "The zeal of Thy house has eaten me up." - -The difference between heavenly zeal and fanaticism is, that one is -willing to be directed, the other breaks the bonds of authority. One -acts sweetly and consistently, the other intemperately and rashly. One -distrusts self, the other begins and ends with self. - -Father Spencer was full of zeal. It was, in fact, his zeal that -brought him into the Church. Now that he found himself commissioned to -propagate God's kingdom, his zeal arose to that of the saints, and -began to burst forth and devise means by which that kingdom could be -speedily and perfectly spread. He devised plans for the sanctification -of the clergy by introducing a kind of religious life amongst them; he -formed plans for the perfection of the laity, after an old but -abandoned model, which will be described; he had conceived plans of -founding a religious institute, of which a devout soul he knew was to -be first rev. mother; he had plans of preaching, away at some place or -places which he does not tell us about; he had plans for finding out -the secret by which the Jesuits became such successful missionaries; -he had plans of going to Cambridge for an installation, and bearding -the lion of heresy and error in his very den;--and all these he -proposed from time to time to his director and diocesan superior, but -all met the one fate of being drowned by the cold water thrown upon -them. He complains a little, in a letter he wrote at this time, of -"the slowness of Catholic prelates with regard to schemes;" but after -being told to lay them aside, he resigns himself with perfect -submission. He finds out, in a short time, that the Catholic prelates -were right, and he drops his wings completely, by saying: "I am -resolved to give up forming plans {229} for the future, and I shall -try to gain more love of God and devotion to the Blessed Virgin. This -again He must give me, and Mary must gain it for me; or rather, I must -charge her to persevere in making this request for me, whether I -forget it occasionally or not." Besides the crossing of his plans, he -has another cross to endure; he loves to visit Hagley, where Lady -Lyttelton, his sister, generally lived, and he is received only on -condition that he will not speak of religion. This he feels hard, as -he loved this sister very much, and thought he could not show a -greater proof of his affection than that of communicating to her, if -possible, what he prized more than his life--his faith. - -One plan he forms, however, which does not meet with the disapproval -of his superiors, and that was, to go to London and beg among his -aristocratic friends for funds for a new church he intended building -at Dudley. He seems to have succeeded pretty well, as there is a nice -gothic church there at present, which was built by him. We have only -one peculiar incident of his first begging tour. - -He took it into his head to go and ask a subscription of the Duchess -of Kent, mother to our Queen. He was received kindly by the Duchess, -and the Princess Victoria was allowed to be present at the -conversation. Father Spencer spoke for some time about the lamentable -state of England, on account of its religious divisions; he gave a -short account of his own conversion, and wound up by putting forward -the claims of the Catholic Church to the obedience of all Christians, -as there ought to be but one fold under one shepherd. It may be said -that he formed a very favourable opinion of the Princess from this -meeting; he said once, when relating the story: "I considered the -Princess very sensible and thoughtful. She listened with great -attention to everything I said, and maintained a respectful silence, -because she sat beside her mother. I had great hopes of her then, and -so far they have not been disappointed. I hope ye will all pray for -her, and we may one day have the pleasure of seeing her a Catholic." -This he said in 1863, and then he was firmly convinced that the -Duchess herself had died a Catholic. - -He returned soon to his mission in West Bromwich, and {230} writes, in -a letter to Mr. Phillipps: "I had a project in my head when I -returned, more extensive than any that filled it of late. That is, -going to Dublin to see if there I might find some unknown mine out of -which I could draw what I want for Dudley. This soon grew into the -thought of a tour round Ireland, and the subject of collecting alms -for Dudley soon began to look trivial and secondary. I could hardly -contain myself at the thoughts of preaching all over Ireland the -conversion of England, and exhorting them all to forget their earthly -miseries in the view of our spiritual ones, and to begin to retaliate -the evils they have endured in the way of the true Christian, not by -violent opposition, but by rendering good a thousandfold, or rather -beyond reckoning." This scheme was put off for some time, by the -advice of the Rev. Mr. Martyn, who seems to have been his director. - -In the beginning of August, 1835, Father Spencer got a severe attack -of illness: it proceeded principally from over-exertion. He began to -spit blood, and as soon as his friends heard of it, his sister, Lady -Lyttelton, and his brother-in-law, Lord George Quin, came for him and -took him to Hagley, where he might be carefully nursed until he should -recover. They set him down to say mass in Stourbridge, and allowed him -all the spiritual aid he wished for, even going so far as to invite a -priest to come and stay with him, and make Hagley his home for the -time. This was in keeping with their usual kindness, and Father -Spencer never forgot it; nay, he would treasure up the least act of -kindness done him by any one, much more so when received from those -who differed from him in religious matters. He writes now, apparently -under the shadow of death: one thing looks strange to him when he -thinks of dying, that he cannot see why God gives him such a strong -desire for an apostolic life if it be not sometime carried into -effect. "It may be that He will give me the merit of the desires -without their accomplishment, but this seems less probable. His will -be done. I only mention this to prevent your being discouraged on my -account. What is an illness in His sight? It is easier to restore me -my vigour than at first to give it to me. Let us only wait prepared -for quick {231} obedience to His call, whether for this world or the -next." In another letter, written about the same time, he says: "What -I am further to do must be decided by my present _bodily_ director, -Dr. Johnstone, to whom for my correction and humiliation the Bishop -has committed me." - -It seems most likely that he wrote the autobiography during this -illness; it has the marks and tokens of his then state of mind upon -the first part of it at least. - -After his recovery there is talk of his being made a bishop, and some -of his friends are doing their best, by writing and so forth, to help -his promotion to the mitre. No better idea can be given of the way he -felt with regard to this matter, than by introducing a letter he wrote -at the time to one of his friends: - - "I know you are as eager about everything that concerns me as about - your own matters; and that you are now boiling to come and be busy - about this most interesting affair. Yet it will prove better to go - on quietly. To be sure I should exult if it please God of His own - will to enlarge my powers and faculties of advancing His kingdom, - trusting to Him to furnish me with graces sufficient; but the call - must be clear, and His will manifest, or, I thank God, I have made - up my mind to answer, I stir not. And how can I know this but by the - rule of obedience? Many reasons strike me _pro_ and _con_. - immediately; but these I had better not meditate upon. I shall leave - it to Dr. Walsh to decide whether I accept or do not. I cannot be - right any other way. If he chooses to hear me plead the cause for - myself, stating what I think are the motives _pro_ and _con_., I - will do it when he likes; if not, it is certainly better not to go - against him. I was at Prior Park three years ago, when Dr. Baines - knows that I refused the offer of an Irish clergyman to propose me - for an Irish bishopric, on Dr. Walsh's judgment, and he approved of - that decision. No doubt he will of this." - -We hear nothing further of this, so it is likely Dr. Walsh judged it -proper for him to refuse the contemplated honour. - -{232} - - -CHAPTER VI. - -Newspaper Discussions, Etc. - - -From the end of the year 1835 to the middle of 1836, Father Spencer -was more or less engaged in newspaper controversy with some ministers. -The first champion of Protestantism, or rather assailant of -Catholicism, he condescended to argue with was a Mr. Gideon Ouseley. -This gentleman is described in a letter written at the time as a "Low -Church parson, or Methodist, of Armagh." There may be some distinction -between the two characters, but it is only fair to say that we freely -grant him the benefit of the doubt. They had a paper fight about the -usual topics of controversy, beginning with mis-statements of doctrine -from Mr. Ouseley and explanations from Mr. Spencer, and continuing -through a very brisk parrying of logical thrusts to a conclusion which -ended by the newspaper refusing to insert any more letters. Some good -effects may have been produced by the controversy, which seldom -happens, and also some breaches of charity; but there is one -circumstance worthy to be mentioned, though perhaps it cannot well be -traced back to _The Watchman_ newspaper, that this same Rev. Gideon -Ouseley is, at the time these pages are writing, the officiating -chaplain of the _soi-disant_ monks of Norwich, Br. Ignatius and his -companions. - -The next adversary was a Mr. Dalton. Father Spencer expends some very -good arguments on him, among others, the following in the first -letter: "You and other Protestants may say that they consider this -doctrine (transubstantiation) unscriptural; but the arguments by which -you endeavour to impugn it never are scriptural. I once used to argue -against it myself, and the best arguments I could find were from {233} -reason." There may be fault found with this argument, because a thing -could be unscriptural, though its denial or refutation were not; but -F. Spencer establishes the positive side of the question afterwards. -And the argument was good thus far that its denial is an Article of -the 39, which should be proved by "sure warranty of Scripture." He -does so in a passage which begins thus: "If Scripture be appealed to -simply, I know not how any one can deny that it speaks altogether in -our favour, whenever the Eucharist is mentioned or alluded to. When we -are asked for proofs of our doctrine we invariably begin by an appeal -to the simple words of Christ given in Scripture. 'This is my body,' -'This is my blood,' which, taken as they stand, can agree with no -doctrine but the Catholic." - -F. Spencer thought he had a gentleman to deal with in his adversary, -but found that he had overrated the attributes his charity supposed -him to possess. He pointed an argument upon the unity of our teachers -as contradistinguished from sectarian ones, by bringing in Mr. Dalton -and his brother us an example. At this Dalton took offence, and F. -Spencer made a most ample and beautiful apology. This evoked all the -bile of his opponent in a flourish of trumpets, by which he boasted of -a post relinquished in the argument, which really argued gain in F. -Spencer as a Christian antagonist. He flung out then in glorious -confusion--imperfect councils, bad popes, Spanish inquisitions, just -as they came to hand. When Spencer saw this, he thought of answering -him according to his folly, and instead of analyzing his "concentrated -lozenge," wrote something in the style of cudgelling him for the fun -of the thing next time. Here is an extract from his next letter, which -is produced more as a specimen of his humour than of his logic:-- - -A sentence of Mr. Dalton's letter ran thus: - - "But let me first remind you what our view of private judgment is. - Do we mean that every man may set up as an interpreter of Scripture, - that every shoemaker and ploughman (as Catholics say) may become a - preacher? By no means; we recognise authority when it is scriptural, - and believe that an authorized ministry is God's mode of extending - the Bible." - -{234} - -Father Spencer replies:-- - - "Now this sentence suggests so many reflections to me that I hardly - know which way to begin with it. I will first try what a little - paraphrase will do, and explain what I think might perchance have - been in your mind when you wrote it, and you may tell me whether I - am near the mark before I make further comments on it. I would - figure you to myself as reasoning thus with your self:--The right of - private judgment must be maintained in some form, or else even we - ministers shall not be able to stand our ground against the - Romanists. If we allow of any reasonable notion of Church authority - when we talk to them, they will hook us up again, and we shall not - be able to assert even our own liberty to interpret as we like. But, - on the other hand, if we put away talking of Church authority when - we mount our pulpits, and impart the word to our hitherto obedient - poor followers, they will begin to ask themselves, what need, then, - is there of our reverend guides? Why should we pay any more tithes, - and seat rents, and church rates, and Easter offerings, and the - like? Yea! then would be sad danger that our craft would come to be - set at nought, and the Temple of Great Diana (the Church of Great - Elizabeth) would be reputed for nothing, and therefore we must teach - people that there is such a thing as ministerial authority at least, - if we cannot make much of an attempt to prove ecclesiastical - authority; we must take care to maintain that to be capable of being - a minister, a man must be able to read the New Testament in Greek, - and the Old in Hebrew, at least, have a smattering of Hebrew, or - else we shall have shoemakers and plough-men setting up opposition - without being able to put them down; for they will be able to match - us in what we must hold forth as the grand proof of the ministry, - viz., that a man should be able to quote texts at pleasure, and talk - about them so rapidly and unintelligibly as to make a congregation - think him mighty wise and deeply spiritual. Such are the men who - must be proclaimed worthy of great honour and admiration, but, above - all, of ample revenues. Never mind how many contradictory systems - enter into their respective reverend heads, we must persuade the - {235} people, as long as they will swallow it, that they all speak - by the Holy Ghost. It would, indeed, be more according to Scripture - and reason, if all who professed to be led by the Spirit taught one - doctrine; but this we can never bring about, unless we all get back - to popery: and, indeed, it is not needful, nor even expedient, for - the purpose we have before us, which is not to speak sound words - which cannot be reproved, but such words as will keep together our - congregation, and suit their tastes. Now as the tastes of men are so - various, it is absolutely necessary that the doctrines we give them - should vary too, and, therefore, as we know that Bible truth is but - one, and the Bible, nevertheless, is the book out of which we must - all pretend to teach, we cannot sufficiently praise the cleverness - of those gifted individuals, who, by organizing a sort of - skirmishing ministry, to take the place of the old uniform heavy - phalanx of the Romanists, one fit _to extend the truth of the - Bible_, so as to suit the tastes of all sorts of men, have enabled - so many of us to extract from the pockets of all a genteel - maintenance for our wives and families. I have in this paraphrase - found myself obliged to pass over one word when you speak of _God's_ - mode of _extending_ the truth of the Bible. This operation, I think, - God had never anything to do with. I believe that 1,800 years ago, - God did, by his only Son, institute a ministry as his mode of - _preserving_ the truth of the Bible, but _extending_ the truth of - the Bible is a very different sort of affair. These words, though - rather obscure, yet seem to convey very felicitiously the idea of - what the Gospel ministers of the present day have accomplished, that - is, making the Bible truth so extensive as to embrace all the - various contradictory systems--Church of England, High, Low, - Evangelical, _et hoc genus omne_. But the time would fail me to tell - a tenth part of the glorious variety which the spiritual bill of - fare of the nineteenth century presents to the dainty taste of our - countrymen. This plan of truth extension is a wonder which was - reserved for the wisdom of our preachers to contrive and to - develope, under the guidance of a wiser spirit than that of man, and - yet certainly not the spirit of God. The ancient saints had no {236} - more idea of it than Archimedes had of a hydraulic press. I have - taken the liberty of playing upon your exposition of authority, to - show how vain it is to attempt to uphold anything like a legitimate - authority, and the right of private judgment together. I do not - wonder that you got rather into a perplexity in trying to explain - how they may be reconciled. The Church of England has tried to - explain this matter in her 20th Article, but finds it too hard. She - just says, 'the Church hath authority in controversies of faith,' - but leaves it to her children to guess whether this authority be - divine or human, infallible or fallible, granted her by the King of - Heaven or the king of England. She intimates, indeed, that it is not - quite to be depended on, by the next words, in which it is said, 'it - is not lawful for the Church to ordain anything contrary to God's - word written:' but again we are left to divine who the judge is, who - is to keep the Church in order: is it the king, or every licensed - preacher, or every single Christian? ..... Ah! these Articles are - troublesome things. I have known what it is to be under those - shackles, and what it is to be set free from them." - -In the next letter, his opponent complains that Father Spencer has -_hurt his feelings_, and made his _heart sicken_, which complaint the -_wily priest_, as he was termed, began to answer thus:-- - - "I have heard of certain ladies who have recourse to a method - something like this to escape being kept in order by their husbands, - and who silence everything that is said against their humours by - falling into hysterics. A tender husband will once or twice perhaps - be melted by the alarming spectacle; he will run and fetch the - smelling-bottle, ring for the servants, beg pardon, and say pretty - things to compose his dear partner's mind again. But when he finds - that as soon as she has gained her point she gets well directly, and - is more saucy and wilful than before--if he wishes to be happy, or - to make her so--he will be what she calls cruel next time, and let - her get well by herself till she is tired of fainting fits. Now, - sir, I have once been tender-hearted over you .... I apologized .... - {237} In the next letter you took advantage of this to make an - impertinent remark. This discovered to me that your feelings need - not be so tenderly dealt with, and I proceeded with my disagreeable - questions, and shall still do so at the risk of your telling me in - the next letter that I have not only sickened you, but made you - quite faint away." - -After thus sickening his delicate friend, he sums up in the last -letter and answers the difficulties objected to him very well indeed. -We forbear introducing purely controversial matter, except in as far -as it bears upon the peculiar gifts or manner of Father Spencer. There -is nothing but what any ordinary priest of fair acquirements could -have said in defence of our doctrines in the remainder, except that -the answer to the hackneyed objection about some councils being of -doubtful authority is very clearly and forcibly given. - -A third champion entered the lists before these had been "conquered" -enough to think themselves qualified "to argue still." This was a Rev. -W. Riland Bedford. Indeed, he was so impatient of distinguishing -himself by the honour of having once engaged with so respectable a -foe, that he could not wait until Mr. Dalton was ousted. Besides, it -is very likely he thought Mr. Dalton was missing fine opportunities of -giving clever strokes, by spending too much time in quarrelling with -the ungenerous hits of his adversary or, perhaps, he thought he did -not take the proper instruments of warfare. However, he made a grand -stroke, and aimed also at what he believed to be the most vulnerable, -as well as the most defenceless, spot in the person of F. Spencer's -system. Here we might be corrected by the _Maid of Lille_, who said, -very pertly, to Mr. Spencer once: "Catholics have no systems." They -have doctrines. At all events, Mr. Riland Bedford did attack F. -Spencer, and lest he might lose by being single-handed, a brace of -them--Revs. Messrs. M'Ghee and himself--made an onslaught on Revs. -Messrs. M'Donnel and Spencer, thereby intending, of course, to make a -grand breach in Popery. The subject of their letters was the treating -of certain sins by our moral theologians. F. Spencer made use of the -usual line of defence here, but {238} he added also an _argumentum ad -hominem_. "St. Paul, in the chapter above referred to (Rom. i.), tells -us that there were no sins more prevalent in his day, and none more -destructive, than that grievous class of sins to which these questions -relate. The afflicting experience of the pastors of the Church leads -them to fear that no less awfully in these times and in this country, -do habits of the like crimes make ruin of thousands of souls; and -_your own recollection of the University, where, I suppose, you were -educated for holy orders, must convince you that our fears are not -unfounded. For what must be expected in the body of the people, when, -among those who are preparing to be their pastors, at the most -critical time of their life, there are so few who dare openly to -withstand the prevailing fashion of iniquity, and so many who profess -to despise morality and chastity as a thing to be ashamed of._" F. -Spencer was tripped up in some allusions he made to a Protestant -attempt at a prayer-book, of which there were two or three editions; -but, since he happened not to be correct as to one edition, and to -miss something about another, still, though his argument was not -thereby weakened, but Rev. Mr. Riland Bedford thought it was, and so, -or nearly so, the matter ended. - -F. Spencer was induced to begin this paper controversy by the hope of -conveying some information about Catholic dogmas to those who would -not read Catholic books, but would, and did, read newspapers. Shortly -after, he learnt, by one instance, what little good generally comes of -this kind of contention. He paid a visit to Hagley, and, in a -conversation with Lord Lyttelton, asked him if he had seen the -_Birmingham Gazette_ lately. "Yes," replied the other, "but delicacy -forbade me to allude to your share in that concern." The sum of it was -that his lordship thought George under a perfect delusion, and -wondered he was not confounded at such powerful refutations as his -adversary's were. All F. Spencer wrote looked to him perfectly -trifling; so much so, that he had made up his mind to take George in -hand himself, and convert him back again, and was then {239} actually -getting up some little theology to aid him in doing so more summarily. -This George took in very good humour, and hoped good from, especially -as Lord Lyttelton appeared to be the leader in the family in point of -religion. He was doomed to a sad disappointment; for Lord Lyttelton -died shortly after this conversation, and, as far as documentary -evidence goes, without having had another conversation with Father -Spencer. - -{240} - - -CHAPTER VII. - -Private Life And Crosses Of F. Spencer. - - -It could scarcely be supposed that the self-denying, laborious life of -F. Spencer in West Bromwich, which has been already alluded to, could -be one of those effervescent fits that pass away with the newness of -change, when one remembers his life as a Protestant minister. He did -not abate one iota of his mortifications or labours, but he became -systematized with them, and managed, under the advice of his director, -to keep from extremes. He no longer scrupled paying for a conveyance, -if he thought the object of his journey was worth more than the -coach-fare. For letters, he followed the same rule, though, as he was -in a position to obtain franks very frequently, he had not so much -difficulty to put up with in the matter of paying heavy postage. To -bear these remarks out, we have some of his own letters, but the -letter of a lady, who made his acquaintance some time about 1835, and -had frequent opportunities of observing him up to the time of his -becoming a Passionist, will be more satisfactory than snatches of -sentences here and there, which accidentally tell what he was doing. - - "In the year 1835 I first became acquainted with the Catholic - religion, and, in consequence, with the Hon. and Rev. George - Spencer, who instructed and afterwards received me into the Church. - From that time till the present I never for a moment doubted of his - extraordinary sanctity. He never in all his discourses with me, - which were numerous, spoke of anything but with an aim to the glory - of God. I knew his housekeeper at West Bromwich, a very good woman, - who has been dead many years. She told me that she many times found - him, very early in the morning, {241} cleaning his own shoes, and - she dare not let him see her for fear of confusion. She often - remarked that he spent a very long time in the exercise of prayer - and meditation. He was so zealous for the salvation of souls that - whenever he saw any new comer in his chapel he would find them out, - go to their houses and speak with them; he thus brought many into - the Church. Although he was insulted in all kinds of ways, on his - walks, he rejoiced and thanked God for all. When he opened his - mission in Dudley, rather than go to a public inn he slept, wrapped - up in a large rough cloak, on the bare floor of what served as for - sacristy, and continued to do so for some time until he had a proper - place prepared. Many nights at his own home he used to disturb the - bed a little, but it was found that he had not lain in it at all for - the whole night. When he was instructing me in the year 1836, he - broke a blood-vessel, and though the blood literally flowed from his - head into a dish, he continued on the instructions. He visited the - sick constantly. On one occasion he went to see a poor woman, who - had not one to attend her; she became very restless whilst he was - there, and wanted to go downstairs; he wrapped her up in a blanket - and carried her down. She was no sooner down than she wanted to be - brought up again; he brought her up, too; she got quiet then, - listened to him, and after a short time expired before he left the - room. - - "At one house where he visited, a child was suffering from a bad - mouth, so that it was quite distressing to look at it. Father - Spencer laid his finger on the child's tongue, and said, 'It will be - well;' in a half-an-hour afterwards it was quite well. Once my - grandmother was at the point of death; he came and blessed her, and - in a day or two she was quite well." Miraculous cures are wrought - very frequently by priests' blessings. "Whatever thou blessest shall - be blessed," is not pronounced in vain at their ordination; and "we - must," as Father Ignatius would say pointedly to those who reflected - little on them, "remember that our Lord's words do deserve some - little attention." Faith can remove mountains, and it is only proper - and just that faith could do something less. Since the faith of the - person {242} "made whole" is often as powerful as the faith of the - servant of God, each side escapes the vanity of having wrought - wonders, by attributing the effect to the other. "He generally went - to the kitchen himself, or other places, to get what he wanted, and - would often do without a thing, rather than trouble his housekeeper - or a servant, if he knew them to be engaged. He wished to be not - only his own servant, but the servant of everybody as far as he - could. He used to beg of my father and me to pray that he might - become poorer than the poorest man we ever knew. He even once asked - my father to pray that he might become so poor as to be compelled to - _lie down and die in a ditch_. I never saw him out of heart or in - the least discouraged, however difficult a case he might come - across: he would generally say, 'We must go on, rejoice and thank - God; it will all come right in the end.' One of his former high-up - friends and he were walking by a lunatic asylum once, and his friend - remarked that he should soon be fit for admission there. This he - used to relate with as great glee as if he had received a first-rate - compliment, perhaps greater. When he visited our house in the - country once, he struck his head against a beam somewhere, and I was - astonished at hearing him exclaim, 'Served me right.'" - -Several dear friends die about this time, and the conflict between -affection and religious detachment is beautifully pourtrayed in the -yielding of the former to the latter by several remarks of his own and -others, which we subjoin. - -He hears of the death of Cardinal Weld about the beginning of the year -1837, and thus writes to Mr. Phillipps about it: "You have heard, of -course, of Cardinal Weld's death. I have felt that it is to me like -the loss of a father almost; for he treated me as a child, as no doubt -he did a great many more. But we must not give way to sorrows, for we -have enough to do with our feelings in the battle against present -evils, without wasting them on evils which are irremediable." The next -death he heard of was that of the Honourable George Quin, a nephew of -his, and he wrote to Mr. Phillipps: "That is another warning to us to -pray better for the remainder, when one of our four families is {243} -carried off before the fruit of our prayers appears." Somewhere about -this time Lord Lyttelton dies also, without having succeeded in the -project he formed last year, nor did poor Father Spencer succeed much -in bringing him over to his side. He always respected this good -brother-in-law, and the feeling was returned. He felt greatly for his -loss, as well as for the bereavement of his sister. To add to his -trials, a change comes over the relations between him and his family. -Hitherto it was stipulated that Father Spencer was to be always -received as a welcome guest provided he never spoke on religious -subjects. The Bishop thinks it, as of course it was, unfair to place -restrictions upon him, and not leave the matter to his own discretion. -It was not quite becoming for a priest to pay visits, and keep his -lips closed by contract on everything that was proper to his sacred -character. On the other hand, the family did not like to have their -agreeable parties disturbed by controversy, which was likely to draw -out hotter words than was suitable to the state of things. Both sides -had some kind of reason to show, and Father Spencer was placed between -them. He communicated the decision of his bishop to the more -influential members of the Spencer family, but he found they would not -bend. He cheerfully gives up visiting, and even consoles some of his -friends who manifest their concern that he should be debarred a -pleasure so innocent and apparently so justifiable. How much he felt -this, notwithstanding his cheerful resignation, may be seen from the -following testimony, of one who knew him well, to the affection he had -for Lady Lyttelton, his sister, who still survives:-- - - "In the year 1837 Mr. Mackey (Mrs. Mackey writes the letter) was - engaged painting a picture for Father Ignatius, for his chapel at - West Bromwich, and we saw a great deal of him. He was devotedly - attached to his sister, Lady Lyttelton, and he often used to speak - of her loving care of him when a boy; and once, when I quoted those - lines of Gray:-- - -{244} - - "'See the wretch that long was toss'd - On the stormy bed of pain, - At once regain his vigour lost, - And breathe and walk again. - - The meanest note that swells the gale, - The simplest flower that scents the dale, - The common sun, the air, the skies, - To him are opening Paradise--' - - he was much affected, and said he had not heard them since his - sister, Lady Lyttelton, repeated them to him after recovering from - an illness when he was young. There was, also, a song he sang - occasionally at our house, because she liked it, and had taught it - to him. He sang it with such feeling that it always moved me to - tears, and as soon as I heard of his death I began to sing it, and - it kept recurring to me all day. I seemed to rejoice for him in the - song. These are the words: they are Moore's:-- - - "'The bird, let loose in Eastern skies, - When hastening fondly home, - Ne'er stoops to earth her wing, nor flies - Where idle warblers roam. - - But high she shoots through air and light, - Above all low delay: - Where nothing earthly bounds her flight, - Nor shadow dims her way. - - So grant me, Lord, from ev'ry care, - And stain of passion free, - Aloft through virtue's nobler air, - To wing my course to thee. - - No sin to cloud, no lure to stay, - My soul as home she springs, - Thy sunshine on her joyful way, - Thy freedom on her wings.' - - He was always very much moved when speaking of Lady Lyttelton." - -It was no small sacrifice to submit with cheerfulness to the -circumstances which prevented him visiting this sister, now that she -had become a widow and had need of a consoler to help herself and -children to bear their affliction. He simply says: "I find all my -crosses and vexations to be blessings; and directly I made the -sacrifice of feeling to duty, God sent me the best set of catechumens -I have had yet. {245} Among others, a man and wife who have been -_male_ and _female_ preachers, among the Primitive Methodists, or -Ranters." - -His great friend and director, the Rev. Mr. Martyn, was the next of -whose death he heard. This good and virtuous priest was more than a -friend to Father Spencer. He served his novitiate to the work of the -English mission, under his direction in Walsall, for three months -before he came to West Bromwich. He had been his confessor and guide -in all his practices of piety until now. He managed his affairs with -as much interest as if they were his own; he was ever ready with his -counsel and assistance, and seems to have taken the Dudley mission as -soon as Father Spencer had built the church there. Father Spencer -preached his funeral oration, and paid the last tribute of respect to -his mortal remains in the very spot where he so often profited by his -counsels. Here there was no cause of regret, except for the good -priest's widowed flock, for his saintly life gave strong hopes of a -blessed eternity. - -It was said, in a former chapter, that he gave all his money to the -Bishop, and had sums given him now and again, of which he returned an -account at stated times, to see if the way in which he spent them -would be approved of. It may be interesting to know how he kept these -accounts. Fortunately a few leaves of the book in which they were -noted have been found among his papers, and from them we make the -following extract:-- - -{246} - -1838. £ s. d. - -Dec. 1. Mrs. Nicholl's rent paid up to Nov. 12 1 0 0 - Advanced to Mr. Elves 0 10 0 - Mr. Davis, for a walk to Walsall 0 1 0 - - 2. Letter to Paris 0 1 5 - - 3. Omnibus to and from Birmingham 0 2 0 - Given to Bridget Cullinge 0 2 0 - Shoe-string 0 0 6 - Mrs. Cooper. - Housekeeping 1 1 7 - Washing 0 5 8 - Postage 1 1 9½ - Watchman 0 0 9 - Mr. Elves 0 3 6 - Betsy Hawkins, quarter's wages 0 15 0 - Mrs. Cooper, towards wages 5 0 0 - Advanced to Mr. Elves 5 0 0 - - 4. Mrs. Whelan 0 10 0 - John and Barney White, for a message 0 1 0 - Elizabeth Morley 0 1 0 - - 5. Armytage, 6d.; Mrs. Brown, 1s. 0 1 6 - Coals, paid Mr. Pearse 1 6 3 - - 6. P. O'Brien, 2s.; Peggy, 1s. 0 3 0 - Boy who brought horse 0 1 0 - Gordon, butcher's bill 5 19 0 - Sealing-wax 0 0 6 - Letter to Dr. Wiseman 0 2 3 - - 7. Mrs. Cottril, 1s. 6d.; Mrs. Gale, 1s. 0 2 6 - Turnpike, 8d.; Chs. Gordon, 6d. 0 1 2 - - 8. Gig-whip, 2s. 6d.; turnpike, 8d. 0 3 2 - Morris, for Mrs. Callaghan's rent 0 15 0 - Shenton, for holding the mare 0 1 0 - Clothes-brush 0 2 6 - - 9. Conway, 7s.6d.; school-window mended,6d 0 8 0 - - 10. Turnpike, 4d.; horse at Dudley, 6s. 0 6 4 - Hat at Domely's 1 1 0 - Mrs. Brown, tailor's 0 2 0 - Gloves 0 1 10 - Armytage, 6d.; lucifers, 2d. 0 0 8 - - 11. Stuff to make a collar, &c. 0 3 9 - Two dozen Douay Catechisms 0 4 0 - Carriage of parcel to Dr. Fletcher 0 1 2 - - 12. John Collinge, 1s.; P. O'Brien, 2s. 0 3 0 - Adv. to Mr. Elves 0 1 0 - - 13. Adv. to Mrs. Cooper, for wages 6 0 0 - Housekeeping 0 17 10 - Ribbon for stole 0 5 2 - Parcel, 8s. 2d.; postage, 3s. 8d. 0 11 10 - Washing, 4s. 9d.; Mr. Elves, 8d. 0 5 5 - -To this may be added, that on the credit side he puts his instalments -from the Bishop, and every single penny he gets in the shape of -offerings, seat-rents, alms, &c., &c. There have also remained, -between some of the leaves of this account-book, a few little slips of -paper, on which he pencilled whatever he paid or received when away -from home, so as to be able to note it down when he came back. It -{247} may be well to remark that the extract given above cannot be -taken as an average of his expenditure, as December is a month when -bills come in thicker than in other months of the year. - -It will be remembered that this mode of managing his household -affairs, was the result of the trial Father Spencer made of the vows -of religion in his secular state, which has been alluded to in a -former chapter. - -{248} - - -CHAPTER VIII. - -Association Of Prayers For The Conversion Of England. - - -It was in the year 1838 that he began the great work to which his life -and energies were afterwards devoted--the moving of the Catholics -everywhere to pray conjointly for the conversion of England. Before -this time he and a few of his friends prayed privately, said or heard -masses for this intention, and encouraged one another by letters and -conversations to perseverance in so holy a practice. Now he went to -work on a larger scale. How this change in the working of his zeal was -brought about will be best seen from a letter he wrote to Dr. Briggs -in November, 1838. Before, however, quoting it, it may be well to -remark that the cause of his going to France with Mr. Phillipps was -that he was breaking down in health, hard-worked by two laborious -missions, for which he had no assistant since Mr. Martyn's death, and -that his doctor advised change of air and rest. Here is the letter:-- - - "London, Nov. 5, 1838. - - "My Dear Lord,--I hope I shall be doing right to explain to your - lordship the real circumstances of the transaction which, you may - perhaps have been told, has been adverted to in _The Times_ - newspaper of Nov. 3, and some other paper since; which states, from - the _Gazette de France,_ that I have been at Paris, with Mr. Ambrose - Phillipps, busy in establishing an association of prayers for the - conversion of England to the Roman faith. I am certainly ready to - plead guilty on this charge; but I do not find cause to repent of - it. However, a good thing may be done so out of place and out of - time as to make it not worth much, and it may be necessary, - therefore, that I should explain myself before I am approved of in - what I have been {249} doing in Paris. In the first visit which I - paid to the Archbishop on my arrival at Paris, I was saying, what I - say continually, that what we want above all in England is good - prayers; and that it would be a great benefit if the French would - undertake to unite in prayer for us. I did not think of making any - proposal for an actual arrangement of the kind till the Archbishop - himself (then Monseigneur Quelin) encouraged, and almost obliged, me - to do all I could by the zealous manner in which he took up the - idea. He appointed that I should meet him after two days at St. - Sulpice, where seventy or eighty of the clergy of Paris were to be - assembled to offer him an address of thanks for a retreat which he - had given them. After the business was concluded, he introduced me - to them, and having explained how I came to be there, he proposed - that they should undertake to pray for the conversion of England on - every Thursday. The proposal was most favourably received, and I - heard of its being acted upon by many offering their mass on the - first Thursday. This encouraged me to go on. I obtained a circular - letter of introduction to the superiors of religious houses, and - visited about twenty of the principal. All of them undertook to - offer their prayers as I asked them, and to write to their sister - houses through France. The General of the Lazarists, and the - Provincial of the Jesuits, undertook to recommend it to their - brethren; but what I thought more satisfactory yet was, that all the - Archbishops and bishops whom I could meet with in Paris promised to - recommend the prayers in their dioceses and provinces; so that it - appeared to me that there was reason to say that all France would - soon be united in this prayer, and I trust other countries of Europe - will follow their example. I remember, at the time when your - lordship received me with much kindness at Halford House, on our - speaking of the importance of prayers being regularly said for the - conversion of England, and you told me of what had been done at - Ushaw under your direction. I forget whether I said to you that I - had then lately adopted the practice of offering my mass every - Thursday regularly for that intention. I took this from the nuns of - Mount {250} Pavilion, with whom I had become acquainted the summer - before, but especially what they do on Thursday, when there is high - mass and exposition all the day, and a solemn act of reparation for - the outrages committed against the Divine Eucharist. It seemed to me - that this was a devotion peculiarly suited to the object of - obtaining from Almighty God graces for England, one of whose most - crying sins is; _the blasphemy of the Blessed Sacrament authorized - by law for three centuries_. - - "I had only proposed the idea, however, to a few priests of my - acquaintance, to unite in saying mass for England on that day, and - was rather waiting for some plan to be suggested for a general union - of prayers in England by some one of authority. But, as nothing had - been done, and when I found myself engaged in this pursuit at Paris, - it was necessary to propose something definite, I have nothing - better than to request prayers from all the faithful for England, - all days and at all times, but especially to offer mass on Thursday, - if they be priests and at liberty, or communion, or assistance at - mass, or visits to the Blessed Sacrament, or, in short, whatever - they did for God, particularly on that day, for England's - conversion. - - "The manner in which this request was accepted by all the good - people whom I saw was most consoling to me; and it appears to me - that I am bound to make it known in England, to those whose judgment - is most important, and whose approval would most powerfully - recommend the Catholics in England to correspond with the zealous - spirit exhibited in behalf of our country by France. - - "It is not for me to suggest to your lordship what might be done. I - only venture to hope that you may think this matter perhaps worthy - of your attention, and will perhaps mention it to the clergy as - occasion may present itself. I would add, that in France the - superiors of several seminaries were most ready to undertake to - recommend it to the students, and it pleased me particularly to - interest those communities in behalf of England, because the - devotion might so well spread in that way through all classes. Would - your lordship think fit to mention the subject at Ushaw? {251} I - have nowhere asked for any particular prayers to be said as that - might be burdensome; but simply that this intention might be thought - of at least, if nothing more was done in reference to it. - - "I beg again to be excused for my boldness in thus addressing you, - and am your lordship's - - "Obedient humble servant, - "George Spencer." - -The passage he alludes to in _The Times_ was as follows:-- - - "The Hon. and Rev. George Spencer, brother to the present Earl, who - was converted from Protestantism to the Catholic faith some years - ago, has lately been passing some time at Paris, with Mr. Ambrose - Phillipps, a gentleman of distinction of Leicestershire, eldest son - of the late member for the northern division of the county. They - have been busily occupied there in establishing an association of - prayers for the conversion of this country to the Roman faith. They - have had several interviews with the Archbishop of Paris on this - subject, who has ordered all the clergy to say special prayers for - this object in the _memento_. A number of the religious communities - in France have already begun to follow the same practice." - -This paragraph was taken up, of course, and commented upon by the -second-rate papers. To be sure, the whole thing was magnified into -nothing less than a grand stir for a Papal aggression, which, if it -did not make the English shore glitter some day with French bayonets, -was certain to cram every workshop and church with Jesuits in -disguise. - -The Bishops were all favourable to Father Spencer's zealous ideas; -they gave him leave to speak on the subject with all the priests; they -mentioned it in their pastorals: but they did not wish him to go too -publicly to work, as they rather feared the spirit of the times, and -did not know when another Gordon riot might arise and overthrow what -they had been building up since the Emancipation. In the meantime, the -work was progressing rapidly. A Dutch journal reached him which let -him know that all the seminaries and convents in Holland had given -their Thursday devotions for England. A good {252} priest wrote from -Geneva to say that the programme should be widened, and that all -heretics and separatists ought to be included as well as England. To -this Father Spencer consented after some deliberation, and in the -space of about six months all the Continent were sending up prayers -for England's conversion. He makes speeches at formal dinners and -public meetings, and always introduces this topic; whereupon the -reporters conceive a terrible rage, and puff the matter into all the -taverns and offices of London, Liverpool, and Manchester. Of course, -all this is accompanied with gross misrepresentations and personal -abuse. Of the former point he thus speaks in a letter:--"The -misrepresentations, as far as I have seen them in the public papers, -by which they have endeavoured to obstruct the proposed good, are so -glaring that I think all thinking persons must be benefited by reading -them." "My notion was to ignore the English public altogether, and go -on with my work as if it did not exist." "The opposite papers have -certainly helped me and well, in making the matter as public as I -could wish, without a farthing's cost to me, and in a way in which I -cannot be accused of being the immediate agent of its publicity, as it -was put about as though to annoy me, but they are pleasing me without -intending it." This was the good-humoured way in which he took all -that was personal in the journalistic tirades. It gives one an idea -both of his great zeal and the great virtue with which he accompanied it. - -He now writes to the Irish Archbishops, and receives very encouraging -answers. So much did they enter into his sentiments that, in a meeting -of the Irish episcopate in Dublin, they gave his proposals a good -share of their attention, and approved of them. - -This he accounted great gain. It was the prayer of the martyr for his -persecutor, of Stephen for Saul, and of Our Lord for the Jews. Poor -Ireland had groaned and writhed in Saxon bondage for centuries. She -saw her children scattered to the winds, or ground by famine and -injustice beneath the feet of the destroyer; and, at the voice of a -Saxon priest, she turned round, wiped the tear from her eye, {253} -pitied the blindness of her oppressor, and offered up her sufferings -to Heaven to plead for mercy for her persecutor. The cry was a solemn -universal prayer, framed by her spiritual leaders, and carried to -every fireside where the voice of the Church could drown the utterings -of complaint. F. Spencer thought more of the prayers of the Irish than -of all the Continent put together; these were good, but those were -heroic. He began to love Ireland thenceforward with an ever-increasing -love, and trusted chiefly to the faith and sanctity of her children -for the fulfilment of his zealous intentions. - -He pushed his exertions to Rome also, by writing to Dr. Wiseman, and -asking him to see the devotion carried out in the Eternal City and the -provinces. It met the same success as in France, Belgium, Holland, and -Ireland. There is a letter extant which Dr. Wiseman wrote to F. -Spencer about this time (it is dated Ash Wednesday, 1839), and it must -be interesting, both for its intrinsic merit as well as the giving an -evidence of the harmony of feeling and sentiment that bound the great -cardinal and the zealous priest together since their first -acquaintance until they both went, within a few months of each other, -to enjoy the eternal reward of their labours in England and elsewhere, -for God's glory:-- - - "Rome, _Ash Wednesday_, 1839. - - "My Dear Friend,--I must not delay any longer answering your kind - and interesting letter. Its subject is one which has long occupied - my thoughts, though I never contemplated the possibility of - enlisting foreign Churches in prayer for it, but turned my attention - more to exciting a spirit of prayer among ourselves. I will enter on - the matter in hand with the most insignificant part of it, that is, - my own feelings and endeavours, because I think they may encourage - you and suggest some thoughts upon the subject. In our conference - this time last year, I spoke very strongly to the students upon the - wants of England, and the necessity of a new system in many things. - One of the points on which I insisted was the want of systematic - prayer for the conversion of England, and, at the same time, of - _reparation_ for her defection. I observed that it is the only - country {254} which has _persisted in_ and _renewed_, in every - generation, _formal acts of apostacy_, exacting from every - sovereign, in the name of the nation, and from all that aspired to - office or dignity, specific declarations of their holding Catholic - truths to be superstitious and idolatrous. This, therefore, assumes - the form of a national sin of blasphemy and heresy--not habitual, - but actual; it is a bar to the Divine blessing, an obstacle of a - positive nature to God's grace. It calls for contrary _acts_, as - explicit and as formal, to remove its bad effects. Now what are the - points on which this blasphemous repetition of national apostacy has - fastened? They are chiefly two: Transubstantiation and the worship - of the Blessed Virgin. These, consequently, are the points towards - which the reparation and, for it, the devotion of Catholics should - be directed in England. I therefore proposed, and have continued to - inculcate this two-fold devotion, to our students on every occasion. - I have for a year made it my daily prayer that I might be - instrumental in bringing back devotion to the Blessed Eucharist, its - daily celebration, frequent Communion, and _public_ worship in - England; and, at the same time, devotion to the Blessed Virgin, - chiefly _through the propagation of the Rosary_. (My reasons for the - choice of the Rosary I shall, perhaps, not be able to explain in - this letter.) Allow me to mention, as I write to you, quite - confidentially, that the idea struck me one afternoon that I - happened to be alone in the Church of St. Eustachio, observing that - the altar of the Blessed Sacrament was that of the Madonna; this led - me to earnestly praying on the subject of uniting those two objects - in a common devotion in England, and offering myself to promote it. - Several things led me to feel strongly on the subject which, being - trifles to others if not to myself, I omit. First, as to the Blessed - Eucharist, my plan was different from yours in one respect, that, - instead of fixing on one day, I proposed to engage priests to say - mass for the conversion of England on different days, so that every - day twenty or thirty masses might be said for its conversion, and in - expiation to the Blessed Sacrament. At such a distance from the - field of action, I could do but little; I therefore made the few - priests who have left since last {253} year at this time put down - their names for two days a month, for mass for these purposes, - intending to fill up my list as I could. One of them, Mr. Abraham, - writes that he observes his engagement most punctually. With all - deference, I submit to you whether, while Thursday remains the day - for general prayer, every priest (for I should think none would - refuse) would choose a couple of days a month, or a day each week, - for these purposes. In a sermon in the Gesù e Maria, last spring, I - alluded to a hope I fondly cherished, that public reparation would - before long be made in England to the Blessed Sacrament, and this - brought me a letter from a devout lady, earnestly begging I would - try to have something done in that way, and naming persons in - England most anxious to cooperate in anything of the sort. My idea - was borrowed from my excellent friend, Charles Weld, and consisted - in _Quarant' Ore_, not confined to one town, but making the circuit - of all England, so that by day and night the Adorable Sacrament - might be worshipped through the year. I have proposed it to Lord - Shrewsbury, for I think it should commence with the colleges, - convents, gentlemen's chapels, and large towns, in which I trust - each chapel would consent. As the Exposition at each place lasts two - days, it would require 182 changes in the year, or, if each would - take it twice a year, 91. There are about twenty-five religious - communities and colleges; the chapels in large towns could afford to - make up other twenty-five. I think that many pious people would like - to have the _Exposition_, and gladly contribute the expense, and the - _giro_ might be published for the year in each directory. I must say - I should set myself against the common practice of keeping the - Blessed Sacrament in a _cupboard_ in the vestry, without a light - even, and never having an act of adoration paid to it, except at - mass. Security from sacrilege must be purchased, but not by a sort - of sacrilege which it always looked to me; the faithful should be - encouraged to visit the Blessed Sacrament during the day. Secondly, - as to the devotion to the Blessed Virgin, I proposed the forming of - Confraternities of the Rosary, and, while Saturday should be the - general day for the devotion, I would have different congregations - {256} fix on different days, so that each day the powerful - intercession of the Blessed Virgin might be invoked upon us and upon - our labours, and reparation be made to her for the outrages - committed against her. I offered Mr. Oxley and Mr. Procter to write - a little treatise on the Rosary, if they would disseminate it. _One_ - of my reasons for preferring the Rosary, both for myself and English - Catholics, is what ordinarily forms an objection to it. Pride, when - we come to pray, is our most dangerous enemy, and I think no better - security can be given against it than to pray as the poor and - ignorant do. Do we then _wish_ that God should judge us by the - standard of the wise who _know_ their duty, or by that of the poor - little ones? If by the latter, why spurn the prayers instituted for - them, and say, 'We will not use them, but the prayers better suited - to the learned.' The 'Our Father' was appointed and drawn up for men - who said 'Lord, teach us how to pray.' It is a prayer for the - ignorant, as is the Rosary. But more of this another time. It was my - intention to have begun daily prayers for England last St. George's - Day; I was prevented from drawing them up, but hope to begin this - year. In the meantime, I took out of our archives a printed paper, - of which I enclose a copy, showing that prayers for the conversion - of England, &c., have in former times occupied the attention of our - college, which blessed beads, &c., for the purpose of encouraging - them, and that the Holy See conferred ample spiritual privileges - upon the practice. You will see how the Rosary is particularly - privileged. This paper, through Giustiniani, I laid before the - Congregation of Indulgences to get them renewed for prayers for - England, and was told that it would be better to draw up something - new, suited to present times, when Indulgences would be granted. So - far as to my views and ideas before your better ones reached me, and - I willingly resign all my views and intentions in favour of yours. - Now, as to what is doing here. On the Feast of St. Thomas we - distributed to all the cardinals that came, a copy of your sermon - received that morning, with a beautiful lithograph of St. Thomas, - Cant., executed in the house at some of the students' expense, to - propagate devotion to him. {257} Cardinal Orioli declared that he - had for years made a _memento_ for England in his mass, and Cardinal - Giustiniani told me the other day that every Thursday he offers up - mass for its conversion. There is a little religious weekly journal - published here for distribution among the poor, and it has lately - been in almost every number soliciting prayers for the same purpose. - Its principal editor, an ex-Jesuit, Padre Basiaco, called on me the - other evening, and told me, as a singular coincidence, that since he - was in his noviciate he has made it a practice to pray on Thursday - for that object. To show you to what an extent the pious custom is - spreading, the Austrian Ambassador the other evening told me that - his little boys (about seven and eight years old) prayed every - Thursday morning for the conversion of England; and that having been - asked by their mother on that day if he had prayed for it, one of - the little fellows replied, 'No, mamma; it is not Thursday.' Surely - God must intend to grant a mercy when He stirs up so many to pray - for it, and that, too, persons having no connection with the object, - except by zeal or charity. I am going, in a day or two, to concert - with Pallotta the best means of propagating this devotion, both in - communities and among the people. I perfectly approve of enlarging - your original plan so as to embrace all that are in error. I am in - favour of giving expansion to charities in any way, and - _Catholicising_ our feelings as much as our faith. We are too - insular in England in religion as in social ideas. This was one of - my reasons for wishing to have the _oeuvre_ unconnected with - domestic purposes, which would, however, be benefited by the greater - energy which the spirit of charity would receive by being extended. - I am endeavouring to excite in the students as much as I can the - missionary spirit; all the meditations are directed to this. By the - missionary spirit I do not mean merely a parochial, but an apostolic - spirit, where each one, besides his own especial flock, takes an - interest in, and exerts himself for the benefit of the entire - country, according to the gifts he has received. Remember me in your - prayers, and believe me your sincere and affectionate friend, - - "N. Wiseman." - - -{258} - - -CHAPTER IX. - -His Last Days In West Bromwich. - - -The account given of Father Spencer's zealous labours for the -conversion of England would be incomplete if something were not added -to show how he succeeded in bringing persons into the Church in the -locality of which he had the spiritual charge. There is no record of -the number he received, and only from stray notes, from various -sources, can some instances of his way of working be given. He was not -a great preacher, as all knew; but there was a peculiar spirit in what -he said which seemed to impress his discourse upon the hearer as if it -came not from himself. This want of human eloquence was a drawback to -him inasmuch as it was not likely to bring crowds to hear him. An -anecdote or two will illustrate this. Once he was asked to preach in -Manchester, and many Catholics who heard of it went, of course, to -hear the convert who was talked and written about so much. Among the -rest, one young man who had beforehand built castles in his own mind -about the glowing eloquence he should hear. To his disappointment, the -preacher was cold, dry, and tame. He was not too pleased, but some way -or another every word took effect upon him, and he could not quit -thinking of the sermon, and the peculiar way in which many things were -said. The end of it was, that he became, some time after, a -Passionist, and was one of those in whom Father Ignatius found great -consolation, on account of the zeal he showed and continues still to -show, in the pursuit of the darling objects of Father Ignatius's life. -A lady was more pointed in her remarks. She went to hear him on some -other great occasion, and she said:--"I saw him go into the pulpit; I -heard him address {259} the people, and I was waiting all the time -thinking when will he have done talking and begin to preach, until, to -my surprise, I found what purported to be a sermon coming to a -conclusion, yet I can remember to this day almost everything he said." - -From the little weight Father Spencer laid upon human learning in the -work of conversion, one would be tempted to suppose he undervalued -what he did not possess. No greater mistake could be made. He was a -Cambridge first-class man, and must therefore be a good mathematical -and classical scholar. He spoke Italian and French almost without a -grammatical fault, and conversed very well in German. He was well read -in the English Protestant divines, and knew Catholic theology with -accuracy, and to an extent which his academical course would not lead -us to expect. It may be said that his youth and manhood were spent -over the pages of the best English writers, and in the company often -of the best living authors. Althorp and Spencer House were famous for -their literary coteries, and the son of an earl who patronized men of -talent, and gave unmistakable proofs of great talent himself, was not -one to let such opportunities pass without profit. - -He trusted little, however, to the sway of intellect, and put his hope -in fervent petitions for divine grace. He told Dr. Wiseman that he -should apply his mind to something more practical than Syriac -manuscripts, or treatises on geology, and that he would rather see him -taken up with what suited a priest on the English mission as it then -was. The rector, of course, took the rebuke as humility dictated; but -we should certainly be sorry that he had not written his _Connexion -between Science and Revealed Religion_, and his _Lectures on the -Eucharist_. Spencer, to be sure, was mistaken in this; but the idea -gave a bent to his mind, which he could hardly be expected to change -when hampered with the work of a parish. - -They who knew him well can give testimony to his high attainments, and -all who ever heard him speak of himself can bear a more ample -testimony still to the very low opinion he had of his own -acquirements. It is no wonder that he {260} wrote no books; the little -he did publish in the way of newspaper letters and sermons during his -last years in West Bromwich, did not produce much apparent effect. It -is not our province to review these here, but it is well to say that -the sermons rank far above his spoken ones in point of style and -matter, especially the French sermon he preached in Dieppe in 1838. - -The prayers, to which he chiefly trusted for the conversion of his -countrymen, did not bring much evident gain. Others reaped what he -sowed in this way, and he tells us in the Dieppe sermon that during a -confirmation Dr. Walsh gave in that year he had 600 new converts to -impose hands upon. - -His field at this time was confined mostly to his conversation and -example; to both of which his name and reputation added something in -the eyes of the world. These gave him leave to speak at least, and -procured him listeners where other priests would not obtain a hearing. -And he had no small power in word and example, as all who knew him are -aware, and a few incidents may serve to illustrate. - -As to his conversation, its peculiar charm consisted in the importance -of its drift, and the nice sweet humour by which he rendered it -agreeable. Besides, it may be safely said, that there scarcely ever -was a man so happy in his illustrations, or in the homely way in which -he put an argument, or answered an objection. This last property can -be seen from the following passage, which is quoted from one of his -letters to a newspaper:-- - - "I was once attacked by a stanch Church of England man, who had been - an old sailor, and had lost an arm in the service, for what he - thought was unworthy of my character and family, leaving my colours - and changing sides. I answered him thus: Suppose you, my friend, had - entered a ship bearing the King of England's flag and pennant, and - gone out and fought many a battle against French cruisers, but then - found out by chance that the captain of the ship was an outlawed - pirate, who had no right to the colours which he wore, and was - making you fight for himself, not for your king, would you let me - call you a deserter if the next time you came within hail of a {261} - true king's ship you jumped overboard and swam to her? The good - sailor seemed to understand me, and said no more about leaving my - colours." - -It was remarked that very few ever went to speak with him in earnest -about their soul with any kind of docility, whom he did not succeed in -bringing into the Church. Then his example was a continual sermon. He -preferred the poor, not as poor wretches on whom he thought it was -heroic to spend a few kind words of mawkish pity, but, in order to -make them feel as if they were his brothers and sisters. He would come -into their hovels, sit down with them, and even take a cup of tea -there, which he might have refused at a richer place. They represented -to him the person of Jesus Christ, who said, "The poor you have always -with you," as a substitute for Himself. - -His patience was no less wonderful. One day he was walking with a sort -of bag on his shoulder, when an insolent fellow came out before him -and spat in his face. His housekeeper was with him, helping to carry -some articles, for he was then going to say mass in one of the little -places he had opened near Bromwich. She of course fired with -indignation at once, and said: "You wicked man! how dare you spit in -the face of Lord Spencer's son, and he such a good gentleman? "Mr. -Spencer took out his handkerchief, wiped his face, and only said to -the housekeeper: "And how dare you be angry? I am proud of being -treated as my dear Lord was;" and went on his way as if nothing had -happened. He did not even allude to it again. - -He was also very abstemious, and never took wine or spirits for a -number of years; indeed, he may be said to have tasted none except as -medicine since he became a Catholic, and for sometime before. His -bishop told a very curious anecdote about this. Father Spencer took -very little sleep, and in fact he so shortened his time of rest that -often, when returning home from a sick call, he would be nodding -asleep up the street, and walk like a man who had taken "a little more -than was good for him." He was reported to the bishop as being seen in -this state. The bishop was amused first, and then surprised; but when -he found {262} out the cause, notwithstanding that he was edified, he -made the good priest sleep a little longer every night. This only -shows how captious were the people he had to deal with, and how easily -they might have been scandalized. Yet he was venerated by all -Catholics as a saint, and Protestants began to respect him after some -time as a really good man, and a server of the Lord according to his -conscience. The opinion of his sanctity was not merely superficial -hearsay; his brother priests, who knew him most intimately, and were -not the persons to take the appearance of holiness for the reality, -are all of one opinion, that his life was the life of a great saint. A -student writes to Father Spencer's assistant, Rev. Mr. Elves, in 1838, -from Rome, in the following terms: - - "It must be a very great source of edification to you to be the - companion of Mr. Spencer, and I well know he has got in you a friend - willing and ready to imitate his holy example. I am sorry that - illness obliges him to retire from you for the present, but it will - be a consolation for you to think that he has gone to gather more - strength for the contest. Many a time I have dwelt with delight on - the idea of being at some future period his fellow missioner, for I - feel it would be a source of zeal and fervour to me to live with - such a person, and I hope and pray God my wishes may be fulfilled, - and that I may have such a companion, or rather such a director, - during the first years of my missionary career." - -This letter must have been an answer to the account the priest sent -his young friend of the holiness of his companion. - -Again, Father Spencer never heeded what we call the public, as he said -himself he wished to ignore its existence; and strange enough by that -very means he gained its esteem. This is best illustrated by what -happened on his return from France, in '38. He saw the clergy there of -course go about in their soutanes and full ecclesiastical costume; and -he did not see why he might not do the same. He ignored the public, -put on his cassock, and went in full priestly costume everywhere. He -went to towns, into trains and omnibuses, walks the streets, and he -gives the result in a letter to a friend thus: "This has not procured -me one {263} disrespectful word, which is worthy of remark here, for I -do not think I ever passed two or three weeks in this place without -being hooted after by boys or men somewhere." - -Thus we have the servant following his Master, drinking in insults as -sweet draughts in silence and humility; and when he was supposed to be -ground to the very earth by ignominy, gaining a respect, a love, and a -reputation that is as fresh to-day in his old parish among not only -those who knew him but their children who heard of him. Yes, this day, -more than 25 years in distance of time, he is, if possible, more -venerated and more regretted than the day he resigned the pastoral -charge of West Bromwich. - - -{264} - - -CHAPTER X. - -Father Spencer Comes To Oscott. - - -The Bishop, Dr. Walsh, calls Mr. Spencer to Oscott College towards the -end of April or perhaps in the beginning of May, 1839. The object of -this change was, to give him the spiritual care of the students, in -order that he might shape their characters, and infuse into them that -apostolic spirit of which he had already given such proofs. Here is -one other instance of the true way to real distinction in greatness in -the Catholic Church, lying through the road humility and its -concomitant virtues points out. Father Spencer sought to be unknown; -he petitioned for the poorest and the most unprovided mission. In his -little parish he found his earthly paradise, and the toils and -troubles he went through, to make his practice keep pace with his -fervour, formed the links of his happiness. He prayed, he lectured, he -heard confessions; he sought the stragglers in their haunts of -idleness; he had no idea of extending his sphere of action beyond the -limits of his mission, and, he even made the half of that over to -another, that his working could be the more effectual as its space was -narrowed. Every plan he devised for doing good on a large scale was -fated to become abortive. His natural means of influence he had cast -aside; he gave up writing in newspapers, and let dogs bark at him -without stooping to notice them; his high connections were virtually -sundered when he gave up paying visits to his family; his property he -divested himself of altogether, and grieved that the steward who was -appointed to look after him took too much care of him, and did not let -him feel what it was to be poor indeed. Here then is the young -nobleman transformed into the {265} priest, and stripped of -everything, which priests who were not noble often pursue as necessary -for their position; ay, thoroughly shorn to the bare condition of a -priest. He was a priest and nothing more, and that is saying a great -deal. If priests were always mere priests they would always be great -saints. But when a priest dips his sacred character into worldly -pursuits, riches, human aims and ways; when that sublime dignity he -has received is trampled upon by his own self, and is saturated in the -deep dye of worldliness, he ceases to be great, inasmuch as he ceases -to be a priest in sentiment and action. It is often supposed that a -priest has to do many things in consideration of "his cloth." Many -actions that humility dictates are considered _infra dig_. It would be -so, for instance, to carry one's own bundle, polish one's shoes, allow -a navvy to spit in one's face, or a ragamuffin to tear one's coat, -without handing him over to the police. St. Francis Xavier did not -think it _infra dig_ to wash his own shirt, and Father Spencer was -very much of that saint's way of thinking on this and kindred points. - -When, however, he had arrived at the lowest depth of humiliation he -could possibly reach, like his Divine Master, he began to shine forth -and to move the whole world. We have traced above how this change came -about. He used to speak to every one, merely as agreeable matter of -hopeful conversation, about the conversion of England, and get them -also to pray for it. His crusade was quite accidental as far as his -own preconceived notions were concerned. He went to France with Mr. -Phillipps, much against his will, and found himself all of a sudden -launched into the great work of his life, by the encouraging words of -French prelates. He was not the man to lose an opportunity of doing -good through lack of energy or fear of opposition. He could brave -everything for God's glory. If there was anything that helped him best -in his work, it was the opposition he encountered. He knew that, and -therefore every new stroke levelled against him from friends or foes -was a fresh impetus to new exertions. Hence he is now the -correspondent of the heads of the Catholic Church at home {266} and on -the continent; all the religious orders have heard of him and his zeal -for England; seculars have heard; priests, nuns, monks, all chime in -with his notions; many because they were glad to have the opportunity, -many because they did not wish to be behind their neighbours, and all -because it was a good, holy, and laudable thing to pray for the -conversion of heretics. - -He says little about his property or what is being done with it in any -of the letters that remain after him; but a bishop in whose diocese he -lived has told us something. Mr. Spencer had from his father's will -and testament £3,600 in some funds, besides an annuity of £300 for -life, to which £300 were added _ad beneplacitum dantis_. His moderate -way of living took very little from this sum every year, so all the -remainder, with the interest of some years, was at the bishop's -disposal. Two missions, Dudley and West Bromwich, were founded by him -with this property, at least for the greater part; and the ground upon -which the present college of Oscott stands was bought chiefly with -what Father Spencer gave the bishop. He gave a pension to his old -housekeeper, which she still receives, and whilst his property was -thus doing good for others and the Church, he would not travel in a -first-class carriage on the railway, and often walked from Oscott to -Birmingham, in order to be able to give the fare for his journey to -some persons along the way. - -He had done more than this: he was in close correspondence with Dr. -Gentili and Father Dominic. He paved their way, and worked upon the -opinions of many whose influence was required for their introduction -into England. Dr. Gentili was a personal friend of his, and so was -Father Dominic; but Father Spencer thought the claims of the former -somewhat stronger for reasons which can only be surmised. Mrs. Gaming, -his cousin, to whose letters we owe a great deal of the information we -are able to glean concerning their transactions, was the great -advocate of the Passsionists. She so pressed the matter upon him that -he gets rather impatient, and tells her to mind her prayers and leave -these things to others. Our Fathers agreed in General {267} Chapter, -in 1839, to send a colony to England; but as there was no provision -made nor opening offered, for some years more this decision, was not -carried into effect. The Passionists refer their coming to England, -under God, to Cardinal Wiseman, acknowledging at the same time that -Father Spencer did something towards the work. He also had a good deal -to do with the coming of the Trappists to Loughborough, near Mr. -Phillipps's. In all these three events he works in his own quiet way, -beneath the surface, writing and advising, and doing what lay in his -power consistent with other duties. - -He keeps up correspondence by letter with some of his old friends at -college, and with one or two of the Tractarians, Mr. Palmer, the -author of the "Church of Christ," among the number. An old friend of -his writes to him from among the Irvingites, and Father Spencer writes -to another in these terms:--"The supposed miraculous voice, to which -that party (the Irvingites) attend, has named 12 men as Apostles, who -expect shortly to be endued with miraculous powers to enable them to -restore the Church in its perfect beauty. Drummond the banker is one. -Spencer Percival, and my great friend Henry Bridgman, Lord Bradford's -brother, others." It is not a little strange that this Mr. Bridgman -comes into the journal of Father Ignatius's Cambridge life very -frequently, and mostly in the character of a Mentor. - -Father Ignatius never gained much from correspondence, sought on his -part, with leading men in the great religious movements of the period. -But whenever others sought his advice, they generally became -Catholics. They were disposed for truth, and he could remove -objections, tell them of books, and pray for them. He broke off this -kind of unasked-for correspondence at this time, but he resumed it -again on a different footing, as shall be related in its place. - -He had another means of doing good now, which could not come into his -line while simple pastor of a country district. The college of Oscott -was a place worth seeing, if not as a specimen of architecture, at -least as being the stronghold of Catholicism, and the centre of a -great deal of {268} intellectual and moral training. Many of his great -friends, who could not hitherto devise any plausible plea for visiting -him in his retirement, could find one immediately now, from the place -he dwelt in as well as the position he there held. His name was also -noised abroad, and persons would feel some curiosity for the -acquaintance of one who was moving heaven and earth for their -conversion. Accordingly, we find that he entertains his two brothers, -the then earl and his successor, on one day; Lord Lyttelton and Mr. -Gladstone on another day, and so forth. Thus, that particular power he -possessed in his conversation had a field upon which it could be -brought into requisition, in a manner which former arrangements had -debarred to him. - -Several of the sermons he preached were published and distributed. -There was no faculty of his, natural or supernatural, no good deed he -was capable of doing, that did not come into play far better by his -late transfer to Oscott. He was also practised in the drudgery of a -missionary priest--that sphere of action which fills up a priest's -ordinary life; and he was able from experience to teach others, not -only how to prepare themselves, but how to succeed with profit to -themselves and others in this work. He had also peculiar advantages -here; he could give the young ecclesiastics not only the abstract -rules for missionary labour, but a taste and relish for it, for very -seldom can one succeed well if his tastes run counter to his duties. -He did this by continuing in Oscott his old parish work; he visited -the sick, brought them the sacraments; he gave a portion of every day -to his favourite work, and by the incidents he came across, and the -results of his labours, he raised up the young gentlemen's notions to -the looking upon that as the poetic side of their ministry which is -generally supposed to be the most prosaic. This is a great secret in -the training of young men; to tell them best is best, and prove it to -them, will convince them of course; but it will not lead them; there -must be some grace, some romantic aspect put upon the thing, and then -it entices them of itself. This was Father Spencer's secret, and, -indeed, it might be said that it was his rule. He writes in a letter -now, that he condemns asperity in controversy, {269} and that civility -and good breeding, with pity and love, is the way to confound -opponents; and that he would rather see a clever argument unanswered -than met with pungency and acrimony. This might be quarrelled with, -for in war all things are lawful; but the real state of opinion to -which he came on these matters was, that opponents were surer to be -conquered by being enticed than driven. Let the Catholic religion but -be seen in its native beauty, and thousands will be led to examine it. - - -{270} - - -CHAPTER XI. - -Some Of His Doings In Oscott College. - - -Father Spencer's way of training young men has been already hinted at. -He carried it out while he remained in his new office; he would go -heartily into all their sports, make up their matches for cricket, and -even give the younger ones instructions in the art. They had all a -high opinion of his sanctity, and therefore the keeping of their -juvenile spirits in order was not always a difficult matter. Oscott -contained at the time 140 students, 30 only of whom were -ecclesiastics. Among the lay students, who are mostly younger than the -others, and have a notion too that because they do not intend to be -priests they are not obliged to be so guarded as the rest, there were -several who were not very manageable. One day a class he had in hand -were rather uproarious; he quietly advised them to come to better -sentiments; his words were, however, lost, and the noise was not -abated. He remonstrated again, but all to no purpose. At length he got -a hearing, and said: "Since I cannot correct you, and do not wish to -chastise you, I shall pray to God to chastise you Himself." This, said -in his sad mood, had such an effect upon the boys that it was never -forgotten, and he never had the least difficulty with his class again. - -On another occasion he did something in execution of his duty, which -gave great offence to one of the young men. This young man grossly -insulted him, in words that shocked all who were within hearing, and -particularly reflected on the Father's character as a gentleman and a -man of honour. The insult must have been the more galling as the -person who was guilty of it was by birth and education in the position -of a gentleman. One calm and placid look was the {271} only answer -from Father Spencer, which reminded many present of our Lord's look at -Peter after his denial. For this anecdote and the next we are indebted -to the Right Rev. Dr. Amherst. - - "When he (Father Spencer) was a superior at Oscott, I had the good - fortune to be under him. He frequently visited me and several of my - companions in our rooms, where he would talk with greatest - earnestness of the conversion of England, of the sanctification of - the priesthood, and of the entire devotedness which should - characterize a priest. Sometimes his visits took place late at night - after we were gone to bed, when, if we were not asleep, he would sit - upon a chair, a table, or the edge of the bed, and speak of his - favourite themes for an hour. Once I remember awaking in the - morning, after one of these visits, and expecting to find the father - still seated on my bed, not perceiving that the night had passed. He - had, no doubt, found that I had gone asleep, and went away quietly." - -Another time one of the students, a young man about 17, who is now a -zealous priest in the English Mission, happened to be out shooting -somewhere. He took a shot at a blackbird, and some poor old woman was -within range, and received a shot just over the eye. She cried out -that she was shot, and one may imagine the embarrassment of the young -student. She recovered, however; but in a year or two after the -occurrence, a quack doctor applied some remedies to a new swelling in -the eye, and swelling and remedies resulted in her death. There was an -inquest held in Birmingham, to which the student was summoned. Whilst -awaiting the day, the poor fellow was in very low spirits, as might be -expected. Father Spencer went to his room to console him, and said -that he had no reason to be cast down, that it was quite accidental, -and permitted by God as a trial, with a great deal more. It was of -little use, the poor student said, "but they might transport me." -"Beautiful, beautiful," exclaimed the good Father; "fine field for the -exercise of apostolic zeal among the poor convicts." "But then they -might even hang me," rejoined the student. "Glorious sacrifice," said -Father Spencer; "you {272} can offer your life, though innocent in -this case, in satisfaction for your other sins." Well, the student, -though he thought the sentiments very high for his grade of -spirituality, did not fail to profit by them, and tells the story to -this day with a great deal of interest. Thus did Father Spencer work -among the students, a model in all virtues, and so sweet and holy in -his manner that his words went to the very heart with effect. - -This was how he went on in the ordinary routine of the work allotted -to him; but his zeal could not be bounded by such a sphere, he had -tried what expansion could do, and he sought by grand schemes to get -other ways of doing good. His great notion was "perfection for all." -"Be ye perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect," was ever ringing -in _his_ ears, and he desired to see that great counsel of our Divine -Lord acted upon with more earnestness. He would do his share; he had -long been living like a religious, and practising the three -evangelical counsels with success. He wanted now to extend the same -rule to others. Of course, he did not find many to adopt his notions, -but lest priests might be considered to assume too much in condemning -his plans, he was advised to put his ideas on paper, and send them to -Rome. He did so, and the answer of the Roman Censor was unfavourable. -This was a heavy blow, but he submitted at once, and thanked God he -had superiors who could find out his faults, and knew how to correct -him without human respect. We have reason to suppose this censor was -no other than Dr. Wiseman, for he and Father Spencer differed a little -about the introduction of religious orders into England. Father -Spencer said his hope was not in religious orders, but in secular -priests living the lives of religious. This was why he took no leading -part in bringing Passionists or others into his country; he had a -great opinion of their holiness, and wished to see them working for -the conversion of England, but rather at a distance than in the field. - -To add to his crosses, Dr. Baines published a pastoral towards the end -of the year 1839, in which he gave no hopes of the conversion of -England, and prohibited public {273} prayers being made for that end. -This was a terrible blow to poor Father Spencer; he wrote as if he did -not well understand what he had to say, and the thing looked to him so -uncalled-for and so uncharitable, that he was unable to explain -himself. He was, however, pleased to find out afterwards that this -very opposition gave new strength to the cause. - -In a sermon which Father Spencer preached in Manchester, in May, 1839, -he used some expressions that gave offence to Catholic principles. The -drift of the discourse is that Catholics and Protestants should -sacrifice everything except truth itself for peace sake. In bringing -this principle into application, he says the Catholics should offer -themselves open to conviction, and be ready to lay down their belief, -if it could be proved not true. He uses the following words:-- - - "The truth of my faith as a Christian and a Catholic is, to my mind, - a certainty, because I have evidence that it was taught by God, who - cannot deceive nor be deceived. Will that evidence be weakened by - fresh examination and discussion? and do I anyways make an unholy or - a perilous concession, when I declare myself ready to renounce my - belief, if it were sufficiently shown to me that the evidences on - which I believe it to be divine are wrong? I embraced and hold it - now, because the evidence of its truth, was, and is to my mind - unanswerable. I show no doubting of its truth, but, on the contrary, - I declare how little doubt I have of its truth, when I profess - myself with all my heart willing to renounce it if proved not true, - and to embrace any form of doctrine which shall be presented in its - place on sufficient grounds of credibility. This is the spirit in - which I wish all Catholics would offer themselves to discussion with - our Protestant brethren." - -If he meant this as a bold assertion of the certainty with which he -held the Catholic faith, and would offer these terms because convinced -of the utter impossibility of proving him to be wrong, it might be -barely tolerated. It is a form of speech that has sometimes been used -by controversialists--Maguire, for instance--but it has none the less -been always considered rash. That this was the sense in which {274} -Father Spencer used it, is abundantly evident from other parts of the -sermon. However, the proposition that a Catholic and a Protestant may -meet on equal terms to discuss their tenets, each open to conviction -by the other's arguments, is simply erroneous and scandalous, to say -nothing more. We cannot do such a thing without denying the very basis -of our faith. Our faith is not opinion, nor is it certainty simply. It -is something more. It is a divine virtue infused into our souls, -whereby we believe certain things. We must use reason to come to the -evidence of faith, but faith once obtained must never be left at the -mercy of the fickleness and weakness of any individual's understanding -or power of argument. - -To lay down the proposition we animadvert on, would be equivalent to -denying the objectivity of faith altogether. Whether a Catholic -reasons well or ill, answers arguments or is confounded, his faith is -the same; it is not his faith simply, but the faith of the Catholic -Church, the faith given by God, which no man can add to or take from. -Nay, the very putting of oneself in the position here mentioned is a -real tempting God, if not undermining faith itself, by laying it open -to the possibility of doubt. There is no use in deceiving Protestants, -therefore, by apparent concessions like the rash offer which we said -might be tolerated. It is impossible; our terms are fixed, and we are -fixed in them, so that it is merely an exaggeration, in its mildest -form. When, therefore, Father Spencer lays it down thus, and says that -it is the spirit in which he would wish all Catholics to discuss, he -may be fairly taxed with the second interpretation. Whether or no, it -was wrong to preach it to all Catholics. Fancy a poor woman, who could -scarcely read, entering into a discussion with an educated Protestant -on these terms. He was of course called to order for this sermon, but -his Catholic spirit was his safeguard. He first wondered how he had -been wrong, but even laymen point out his mistake to him, and a word -from the Bishop is enough to make him retract. Thus he soon found out -the keenness of Catholic instinct to anything coming from a priest -that even grazes the brink of error. - - -{275} - - -CHAPTER XII. - -Some Events Of Interest. - - -In the year 1840 Father Spencer had the happiness of hearing that his -great friend, Dr. Wiseman, was consecrated bishop, and was coming from -Rome to be coadjutor to Dr. Walsh, and take up his residence in the -very College of Oscott where he himself was. Another event occurred, -of no less interest. One of his brother priests, Dr. Wareing, was -consecrated Bishop of Ariopolis, and Vicar-Apostolic of a new -district, the Eastern district in England. Father Spencer preached the -consecration sermon; and these two additional bishops in England -raised his hopes of the spread of the Catholic faith. It may not be -out of place to insert a sentence or two from a letter this venerable -bishop, who has retired from his pastoral duties in consequence of ill -health for some time past, has written to one of our fathers. - - "On many occasions, while at Oscott College, the Superior, and - myself among the rest, often thought his zeal too unbounded and - rather imprudent, and could not sanction some of his projects and - undertakings. Though it cost him much, he always obeyed, and used to - pray that Heaven would direct his superiors, whose direction he - never refused to obey. I believe he never wished for anything but - the will of God, and waited patiently for its accomplishment. I - remember also on one occasion hearing him say, 'How _beautiful_ it - would be _to die in a ditch, unseen and unknown_.' [Footnote 9] - These were his very words; and I was forcibly struck when I {276} - heard of the exact circumstances of his holy death, to see how his - wish and prayer were granted to him." - - [Footnote 9: This was his continual aspiration. He wished to die - like his Lord, deprived of human aid and sympathy.] - -He receives news in the beginning of the year 1841 of six nuns having -bound themselves by vow to pray for the conversion of England. But a -more beautiful and consolatory piece of information still was, that a -French missioner had formed an association in Persia of prayers for -the same object. He goes to London and preaches in several churches, -among others, in Lincoln's-Inn Fields, of course about the conversion -of England, for he scarcely ever preached a sermon in which he did not -introduce this topic; nay, he never held a half-hour's conversation -without introducing it. - -It was about this time, too, that he came across Mr. Pugin the elder. -His first meeting was rather characteristic of both. Father Spencer -had preached a sermon somewhere on the conversion of England, and he -gave benediction after it. Pugin came into the sacristy. The famous -Goth saw Father Spencer in a Roman cope, and he comes up to him in a -kind of nettlesome mood, saying, "What! convert England with such a -cope as that?" Father Spencer says in a letter written at this time, -"I am not possessed with the enthusiastic zeal for correct forms -(Gothic) which some are. It is not my special calling .... Mr. Pugin -is the authority to which I would defer in these matters." The only -other opinion of Pugin's he records in his letters, is that he said to -Father Spencer one time, "It is absurd to expect to get anything for -one's works from booksellers or publishers." - -Another event that gave him joy, and afterwards a good deal of sorrow, -was the conversion of a well-known, clergyman. This remarkable convert -lived some time in Oscott after his conversion. Father Spencer took -him with him sometimes on his parish duties, and had great hopes of -him. These were all disappointed when, in a couple of years, he went -back again after being ordained priest and having said mass. Father -Ignatius often spoke of him, often visited him, and asked others to -pray for him. He used to tell us one curious anecdote about him. -Shortly after his apostasy, {277} he was invited to a tea-party where -Evangelical ladies assembled to congratulate themselves, and sip their -tea with new relish by having it sugared with some telling remarks of -the lately-rescued slave from Popery. He was put several questions, -such as "What do you think of Transubstantiation?" He answered, "Oh, -that's as plain as possible in the Bible," and so forth. They were, of -course, egregiously disappointed. Father Ignatius used to lament with -peculiar anguish over this sad case. He always hoped for his return to -the Catholic faith, and, strange enough, one of the first pieces of -news in the way of conversion which we heard after Father Ignatius's -death, was his return to the faith he had deserted. - -In the middle of the year 1842, he visits Ireland for the first time; -he preaches in several places, in Dublin; especially for the Jesuits, -in Gardiner Street; the Franciscans, Merchant's Quay. All, of course, -about the conversion of England. He says: "My argument was, that the -Irish having been specially victims of oppression under England, if I -could gain the Irish to pray for England, prayers springing from such -charity would be irresistible." He made a kind of a tour through -Ireland, and got as far as Tuam. He feared the Archbishop of Tuam, -knowing his opposition to England, and his detestation of English -rule. For that very reason Father Spencer was the more anxious to -convert him, or make him return good for evil. What was his surprise -when he found the Archbishop not only kind and Irish in his -hospitality, but really favourable to his projects. His grace got -Father Spencer to preach, and promised him that he would give the -substance of the same sermon to his people in their own sweet ancient -tongue on the next Sunday. He was so enchanted at this, that he wrote -off almost to every friend he had in the world about it. Though he -often felt afterwards the powerful blows Dr. McHale delivered at -England's doings, he never could forget his kind reception of himself, -and always mentioned his grace's name with gratitude and reverence, -only wishing that he would not be so hard on England. - -The next event he writes about was the arrival in England {278} of -Father Dominic of the Mother of God (Passionist), and his staying at -Oscott for some time in order to learn English and wait for an opening -in Aston to begin the first retreat of the English province. Before we -quote his account of Father Dominic, it may be well to give a rather -characteristic remark of his which occurs in the letter to Mrs. -Canning, who was a great promoter, in the letter-writing way, of -Father Dominic's coming. He says, "Your accounts of yourself are -always interesting, as they must be in all cases where a person knows -how to delineate accurately his own interior; for, in seeing the -picture of another well drawn, we always may discern little touches of -our own portraiture which had before perhaps escaped us, and that -gives all the pleasure of sympathy, which is one of the realest -pleasures." - -Further on in the same letter he writes:-- - - "Padre Domenico has had his cross to bear with us, all this time; it - is not like what usually makes crosses for people. He mourns over - having plenty to eat, having windows which keep the weather out, - having chairs to sit _on_, and tables to sit at, and longs to be in - his house, which I suppose will not have much of all this to trouble - him. I have to try to console him now and then, which I do by - telling him that I never hear of anything brought about in our - ecclesiastical arrangements without long delay, and yet all comes - right at last, with patience. I tell him also that he must have - known enough of the deliberativeness with which things of the kind - are settled by the known slowness of all things at Rome. However, - why should you have to bear this burden with us? You will, I hope, - be consoled before long by hearing that they are settled, and going - on, and have first a chair, then a table, then a kettle, and likely - to have a smoke-jack, toasting-fork, and such like in due course, - and, what will be not less interesting in its way, having good - novices, and plenty of converts." - -The next thing he speaks about is not one event, but a series, though -all only items in a great result for which he continually prayed and -laboured--the conversions, which multiplied every day. In 1843 he says -that converts are {279} received in Birmingham at the rate of one a -day, and many more elsewhere. He also mentions with great satisfaction -that within the last year, 1842, three Anglican clergymen, four Oxford -students, two countesses, and two earls' daughters had become -converts. Although Father Spencer mentions these particularly, it is -not to undervalue conversions from an humbler grade of life he does -it. The soul of the beggar is as precious in the eyes of God, _apud -quern non est acceptatio personarum_, as the soul of the king. Father -Spencer did not undervalue the conversions of the middle and lower -classes on the contrary, he worked hard to get as many as possible -from them. He had always notions of a great move towards Catholicity, -and he thought that if the higher ranks took the lead in this, the -others would follow. - -In 1844, he mentions his going to Nottingham with a large party, among -whom is Mr. Ward, "one of the most advanced Oxford clergy. Oh! that he -would come a little further, but at present he seems to have no -thoughts of it. God knows whether he may not soon get a little help -onwards. Make a good prayer for this." Mr. Ward did get certainly -onwards. Here and there we find sighs escape him about his beloved -people of Northampton and Brington. He did assuredly love his native -place intensely, and it must have been a trial to his feelings that he -could do nothing externally towards alleviating its spiritual -destitution. - - -{280} - - -CHAPTER XIII. - -His Tour On The Continent In 1844. - - -In 1844 he became so nervous and weak that he was forbidden exertion -of any kind; his ailment is manifest in his tremulous handwriting. On -medical advice, he takes a tour on the Continent with Mr. and Mrs. -Phillipps and their children. His account of this tour is preserved in -a Journal, and we think it well to give it entire, without any -compression. - - On Wednesday, July 3rd, 1844, I set off from Grace Dieu Manor for a - tour on the Continent with my dear friend, Ambrose Phillipps, his - wife, his two eldest boys, Ambrose and Edward, and John Squires, his - servant. He took his carriage, in which he and his family sat on the - railway from Loughborough to London, while I went in a second-class - carriage. We arrived at the Burlington Hotel, and dined about 7 - o'clock. Afterwards we went out different ways. I called at Dr. - Griffiths, but he was not at home. I had tea with Dr. Maguire, whom - I found at home; we had an hour's talk, about the Oxford men - principally. Got home about 10. - - Thursday, July 4.--Went with the Phillippses to Father Lythgoe's, in - Bolton Street, where I said mass, and breakfasted at 10. I went to - see Dr. Chambers, in Brook Street, being ordered by Dr. Wiseman to - consult him as to the propriety of taking a long tour, as is - proposed by Phillipps. Dr. Chambers recognized me at once, as I used - in 1824 or 1825 to follow his visits to the patients in St. George's - Hospital, with a view to learn medicine. He judged it quite - necessary that I should have at least three months' absence from - work, and approved of my travelling with {281} moderate exertion. So - I am fixed at last to set off. God knows how I shall go through. The - present plan is to go through Belgium, to Munich, the Tyrol, Venice, - Milan, Turin, Lyons, Paris, and home; and my purpose is to get - prayers for England's conversion, and to see men rather than places - and things. After Dr. Chambers, I went to the Bank, to get my letter - of credit, then to Buckingham Palace, to see my sister. After I had - waited a half-hour she returned from her drive, and took me to her - nursery apartments at the top of the house. I had my first glance at - Prince Albert, going out to ride with Colonel Bouverie. From Sarah, - I went to Lyttelton's house, 39, Grosvenor Place, where I found - Caroline Lyttelton was expected home in an hour, and so I went on to - call on Sisk, who was out, and I came back and saw Lyttelton, with - whom I went in his carriage towards the House of Lords, and was set - down in St. James's Street. On the table in Grosvenor Place I saw - what I was 21 years ago, in a miniature painted by Ross--a blooming - rosy youth. I did not believe it till Caroline told me. I came to - dine with Sarah at 8, and staid till 10. Our conversation was most - interesting, about the Queen and the children, and the great people - from abroad, &c., whom she saw; above all, the Czar and the Duke of - Wellington. She set me down at our hotel at 10½, after calling at - Neville Grenville's, where I saw Lady Charlotte and a large family. - - Friday, July 5th.--Mass and breakfast as yesterday. About 11 started - for Dover, in the same order as from Loughborough; arrived at 5. I - went to call on Mr. Savage, the priest, my old companion at Rome. He - does not seem a movement man. He came to tea with us. - - Saturday, July 6th.--As the packet was to start at 7, I missed - saying mass. As it happened, we had to wait on board till 9 for the - mail. We had intended to cross to Ostend, but Phillipps, getting - afraid of the long crossing for sickness, so we all agreed to prefer - the shorter-by-half passage to Calais. We had a good passage, but we - all were miserable; the two boys were very sick. However, as the - French boatmen assured us, the tread of the dry land of {282} France - worked wonders to cure us all. We went to Dessin's Hotel. I was full - well reminded of September, 1819, my first landing in France, and of - divers other epochs, Sept. 1820, Nov. 1820, and Feb. 1830. Before - dinner we went to the church to give thanks, and commend our future - to God. I asked _le Suisse de l'Eglise_ (the verger) to pray for - England. Nothing else done at Calais. We started in the afternoon - for S. Omer, which we reached late. The country we passed was very - fertile; for the first time I have seen cultivation which struck me - as superior to English; the state of the people is manifestly more - happy and prosperous. After tea I went to the Grand Vicaire, M. - Dumez, to ask leave for mass, &c. I had forgotten to get credentials - from Dr. Wiseman, and so he hesitated, but gave the _celebret_. I - went on, though tired, to M. Durier, Curé de Notre Dame, who - received me most cordially, and on my stating my errand, pressed me - to preach at the high mass on the morrow. I hesitated, but he came - with me to our hotel, and Phillipps joined in pressing it, and so I - wrote a quarter of an hour's worth before going to bed, hoping I was - not out of rule, but doubting. - - Sunday, July 7.--Said mass at Notre Dame, a fine Gothic church; went - home to breakfast, and back to high mass at 9½. After the Gospel, M. - Durier first read the _annonces_, the Epistle, and the Gospel, and - introduced my object to the people. Then I went into the pulpit, and - made my address without any difficulty. He then rose opposite to me, - and pledged himself and his flock to pray for England. After mass, I - went a round of the convents of the town with an old man sent from - one of them with me. The convents which promised their prayers were - the following: - - Les Ursulines, 37 nuns; 300 scholars. - - Les Soeurs Hospitalières de S. Louis. - - L'Hospice de S. Jean, served by nuns. - - L'Hôpital Général des enfants trouvés, &c. - - Les Religieuses de la Sainte famille. - - Le Couvent du Saint Sacrement, - where are only 3 nuns, the Superioress an Englishwoman, who - observed that in her profession, when prostrate--a time when it - is said the chosen prayer is sure to be granted--the first thing - she asked was England's conversion. - - Les Frères des Écoles Chrétiennes. - The Superior promised to recommend the prayers to his brethren - of 30 houses in this district, who meet in August for a retreat. - -{283} - - "We proceeded at 3 to Lille, stopping at the exit from St. Omer to - see the ruined Abbaye de St. Bertin. We stopped at Cussel, a place - on the top of a mountain commanding a grand prospect over a vast - plain richly wooded and cultivated. The maître d'hôtel wanted us - sadly to stay, but we went on, after a walk to the top of the mount, - and to the church. We came late to Lille, and not finding room at - l'Hôtel de l'Europe, we put up at l'Hôtel de Gand, not a very nice - one, in the Grande Place. - - Monday, July 8.--I first went to the Church of St. Catherine, to see - Abbe Bernard, my friend, introduced by Mrs. Canning. He was gone, - yesterday, to Paris. I then went to Rue Royale, No. 61, memorable - for ever as the direction to which my letters from Brington to Miss - Dolling were addressed. M. Friot Chombard, who lives there, was also - absent from Lille. I then went to the Church of St. Étienne, where - the Grand Doyen lived; and, having seen him, I said mass. I then - called on him in his house, and obtained his promise to advocate the - cause of England. After breakfast, I went to the Church of St. - Maurice, which is called the Cathedral. It is the first I have seen - with four aisles. I saw nothing more in Lille; we left it about 12, - and reached Tournay about 2. I went at once to the Évéché, where I - found the Bishop's Secretary, who took me to a great convent of - nuns, which the Bishop has founded, and is building this house for. - It is to contain sixty nuns, and a great number of _pensionnaires_. - I was presented to his lordship in the garden, and obtained a full - promise of his patronage of the cause of England. I came back to - dine at the Hotel (du Singe d'Or); to my surprise and pleasure, - Talbot came in with Phillipps, who had met him in the Cathedral. - After dinner, he and I took a {284} carriage and went to see the - Passionists au Château d'Ere, about three miles off. Le Père Pierre, - Superior of the house, received us with all kindness. He has three - companions priests, and three brothers. They were building a church - of good size, and seem to prosper; but he complains that no - postulants come; they have received not one cleric yet. He thinks - they fear the bare feet. He came back with us to Tournay, to see - Phillipps. Soon after, we started on our way to Brussels; still by - post horses, as all the way from Calais. We stopped at Alte to - sleep. The hotel was one of the most agreeable and cheapest, though - small. - - Tuesday, July 9.--There are two churches at Alte. I went to St. - Julien's, and said mass. Afterwards I introduced Phillipps and - Madame to the Doyen, M. Picquart, who was most pleasing and full of - knowledge, and promised all for England. We here had a contest with - John, which threatened his being sent home, but he came round before - the day was out. We started at 10 for Brussels. The country not - equal to France. We came to the Hôtel de Belle Vue, in the Place - Royale. Having engaged a suite of rooms, we sat down at once at the - _table d'hôte_. After it, I went to seek for the Abbé Donnet, to - whom I had a note from Seager. He was out. I then went to Ste. - Gudule, the cathedral, and saw the Vicaire, a Dutch priest, with - whom I settled to say mass to-morrow. Then I took a _vigilante_ - (i.e. a cab) to the College de St. Michel, of the Jesuits, where I - saw the Second Superior. Then to the Redemptorists, where the - Superior took up the cause warmly. Home to tea. - - Wednesday, July 10.--Went at 7 to Abbé Donnet; then to mass at Ste. - Gudule. At 9, Abbé (Chanoine) Donnet called, and, after an hour's - talk about Oxford, took us to Monsignor Pacci, the Pope's Nuncio, - Archbishop of Damietta. He is a most holy-looking man; conversed - with us most kindly; knew much about the Oxford people; promised his - help. I then let the Phillippses go their way, intending to make a - day of canvassing convents. But M. Donnet took me only to three, and - then had to go his way at 12. The three were:-- - - Soeurs de Notre Dame, Rue de l'Étoile, 14 nuns. - - Pauvres Claires, Rue de Manige, Maison Mère a Bruges, 13 nuns. - - Couvent de Bellaymont. Chanoinesses Régulières de St. Augustin. - Unique Maison. - -{285} - - After this, I went to Ste. Gudule, and met Phillipps, with whom I - went to the Jardin Botanique, and to the hospital for old men. It is - a grand establishment, by private charity. It contains 700 old men, - of whom 100 pay for themselves; the rest are kept free, and with - wonderful regard to their comforts. I called on a curé close by, - thinking to get the prayers of these _vielliards_; but he took me - for a begging priest, and turned me out of doors. _Deo gratias_. - Thence to the Musée, a collection of pictures, which hardly paid the - trouble of looking at. After dinner at the _table d'hôte_, we took a - carriage to go to Jette St. Pierre, to meet the Cardinal Archbishop - of Malines, at the Convent of the Sacré Coeur there. On the way we - saw an interesting church; outside was a tomb of Madame Malibren. At - Jette, Madame de Wall, my friend of 1832 at Bordeaux, introduced us - to the Cardinal. This was a consolation indeed. He undertook to - recommend England to all the Bishops of Belgium, invited me to their - meeting on the 29th July, and promised that all their priests and - convents should engage in the cause. This is a noble convent. Madame - de Wall said they prayed for England every half-hour in the day. - - Thursday, July 11.--Said mass at St. Jacques, in the Place Royale. - Went to Malines by the _chemin du fer_, Phillipps in the carriage on - a truck, I in a _char-à-banc_. Arrived at l'Hôtel de la Grue just in - time for the _table d'hôte_, on which I only remark the immense - length of time taken to dine. After it, we went to the Petit - Séminaire, where we were warmly greeted by the Abbé Bonquéan, our - friend of Oscott and Grace Dieu. He took us about to a few places; - and at 5 to the Salut, at the Cathedral; after which he introduced - Miss Young, the convert, sister to Isabella. She went with us to - Hanicq's, the printer's, and to a fine old church, &c. I visited no - convents, reserving this for my return. Opposite our hotel, the - grand {286} Theatre des Lapons forced itself to be noticed till late - at night. - - Friday, July 12.--After mass and breakfast, we went to visit the - Cardinal Archbishop, who graciously gave me a paper of testimonial, - which will, I hope, save some trouble. His countenance and manner - are highly prepossessing. At 12 we started for Antwerp, by railway, - leaving the carriage at the station at Malines. We arrived at the - Hôtel St. Antoine, just in time for the _table d'hôte_ at 2. There I - met Mr. Blore, with his daughter, now grown a fine young woman. - After dinner, to the Cathedral. I need not speak of the glorious - tower, 466 feet high. What attracted our attention most was the - wonderfully beautiful restoration of the stalls in oak carved work; - 40,000 francs have been spent in this already, and not half the - stalls are finished, and this actually in process of work is more - pleasing to see than the most beautiful morsels of ancient work, for - the promise it gives of better days. The pulpit is a mass of - exquisite carving, in a style seemingly favourite in this part of - Belgium. The most beautiful we saw was at Brussels, Ste. Gudule, - where, below the preacher, are seen Adam and Eve banished from - Paradise; and above, the head of the serpent, who winds round the - pulpit, crushed by Mary. The same style of carving is around the - pulpit at Marines, Louvain, &c., but is seen no more at Liége. After - seeing the cathedral, we went to the Musée, containing first-rate - specimens of Rubens, citizen of Antwerp; as also of Van Dyke and - Quintin Matsys, of whom there is an excellent picture of the Descent - from the Cross. Finding myself near the College of the Jesuits, I - went in and saw the Rector, who took up our cause zealously. He - walked home with me to see Phillipps, and they soon got intimate. - - Saturday, July 13.--After mass in the cathedral, we went, by last - night's appointment, to visit the Superior of the Jesuits, who - showed us his house. Then, Phillipps going to see some churches, - &c., I went with a lay brother, given me for guide by the Superior, - to visit convents. - -{287} - - We called at the following:-- - - Coletines, près la Porte Rouge, 28 nuns - - Dames de l'Instruction Chrétienne, 17 nuns - - Soeurs de Notre Dame, 20 nuns - - Soeurs Grises, 34 nuns - - Soeurs Noires, 49 nuns - - Apostolines, in two houses, 67 nuns - - Soeurs de Charité, 12 nuns - - Béguinage (that is, a collection of houses, in which Sisters live - under a Superioress, not bound by vows for life) 54 nuns - - Except the latter, where I was referred to the Director, who was not - so attentive, all received the proposal warmly. The brother was my - interpreter with many, who did not know French. At 1 we got home, - and I took the Phillippses to the curé of the cathedral, who - introduced to us M. Durlet, the young architect, who, with a partner - at Louvain, is doing the beautiful work in the choir. We went into - the cathedral again, and I was prevented going to two remaining - convents, but the curé promised to do it for me. M. Durlet came to - dine with us at the _table d'hôte_. I just called at l'Hôtel du - Park, to see Miss Dalton, who is ill there. Mr. Turpin and Mr. - Crowe, two Lancashire priests, are with her. The former accosted me - in the cathedral. We set off then to Malines by the railway; there - met Abbé Bonquéan; had tea, and went on to Louvain. We got in late, - in heavy rain; Phillipps had to walk from the railway a mile in the - rain. I went first to the Hôtel de Suide, where I found Dr. - Ullathorne and Mr. Hansom, his architect. - - 7th Sunday af. Pent. July 14.--I had my palpitation worse than ever - to-day. I wish to attribute it to my two days' abstinence, and not - to my walking after convents. It went off after breakfast. I said - mass at the Cathedral St. Pierre. High mass at 10. It was one of - extreme opposition to plain chant, with drums and orchestra. In this - church remember the beautiful tabernacle, a stone pinnacle, on the - Gospel side of the altar. There was no _prône_, and a second high - mass immediately after. The Hôtel de Ville is a famous piece of - Gothic, not so admirable to my view as {288} that at Brussels, which - is much larger, not so highly wrought, and has a beautiful spire. - After dinner, at 1, with Dr. Ullathorne, and at the _table-d'hôte_, - we went to see M. and Madame de Coux. We got into interesting talk - with him on matters religions, ecclesiastical, and political. He is - a professor of political economy, a Frenchman, brought up in England - under old Dr. Woods. We went on till after 5, and so missed the - _salut_, sermon, and procession at the church. He took us to the - University, where we saw Abbé Malou, who claimed me as an old - acquaintance, one of the three at the Collegio Nobile whom I knew at - Rome. He is Professor of Dogmatic Theology, most learned, high bred, - and amiable. M. Bonquéan came kindly to meet us from Malines, and - was with us till 6. After having spent nearly an hour with M. Malou, - who showed us the library (10,000 vols.) of which he is keeper, we - went to tea with M. de Coux, and came home at 9½. - - Monday, July 15. St. Swithin.--Mass at St. Pierre, for the Feast _de - Divisione Apostolorum_. After breakfast I went again to M. de Coux, - who took me to see a M. Mühler, whom he recommended as tutor to John - Beaumont. At 12, railway to Liege. Dined at 5, at l'Hôtel de France. - At 6, _salut_ at St. Denys. Before dinner I went to the - Redemptorists, but found Père Van Held and Deschamps out of town. - The Bishop also away. We went at 7 a walk to a bookseller's, from - which I went in quest of the Grand Vicaire. I met an old priest in - the street, Abbé Marsomme, who took me to M. Jacquenot, the second - Grand Vicaire, and then walked home and took tea with us. These two - promised to spread prayer for England through Liege. I wrote to Mrs. - Beaumont before bed. - - Tuesday, July 16.--Our Lady of Mount Carmel.--Mass at St. Denys, - where is a beautiful piece of old oak carving. Phillippses received - communion. After breakfast, at 9, we went to high mass at the - cathedral. It was solemn plain chant. The church has many - stained-glass windows, like those of Ste. Gudule, Brussels, of 1550, - much gone off from the older time. The pulpit is new carved oak, - with a beautiful tower with pinnacles above, a great improvement on - {289} the carved pulpit above named, though not so costly perhaps. - The church is much debased, as usual, in other parts. We met - Chanoine Erroye, who took us to the other great church, St. Jacques, - which rivals or surpasses the cathedral. The ceiling coloured, - though like the cathedral. They are doing a great deal to restore - this church. The Doyen was there overlooking the work. The stained - glass was much better than at Brussels, but not the best (date - 1527); not so far down hill. The Chanoine then took us to the Abbé - Marsomme, who is Director of an hospice with 19 nuns, taking care of - 180 old women, beautifully kept. The Quarant' Ore was being - celebrated in this church. It is kept up in Liége all the year - round, and comes four times to each church. We then went with the - Chanoine Erroye to the Grand Séminaire. The library is beautiful. - There are here 120 students; and at the Petit Séminaire, 360. They - go through nine courses at the Petit, and three at the Grand, so - that 40 are sent on the mission every year, and 40 more come on - below. Came home to _table d'hôte_ at 1. After it we made an attempt - to go to Angleur, 3 miles off, where Mrs. Ambrose's father, Hon. - Thomas Clifford, who died at Liége in 1817, is buried. We were - stopped by mud and rain, and came back, seeing the church of Ste. - Croix, which was not very remarkable (_Mem_. a dog carrying the keys - as porter), and St. Martin, a fine church of second rate, but famous - as the place where, at one of the side altars, the feast of Corpus - Christi was celebrated for the first time, owing to the inspirations - received by a nun called Soeur Julienne. The 6th Centenary will be - held in 1846. We met a young, amiable-looking priest in the church. - He promised to think of England at the altar, in the special mass of - the Blessed Sacrament, which is celebrated at it every Thursday, - whatever feast may interpose. It was heavy rain, and we came home to - _salut_ at St. Denys, and thence to the hotel. I wrote up a good - deal of this journal. - - Wednesday, July 17. St. Osmond.--We took a stouter equipage, and got - to Angleur early. I said mass, and the Phillippses communicated over - the place of her father's repose. The boys served the mass. The - Curé, Matthias Jn. Convardy, who remembered Mr. Clifford while - himself quite {290} young, gave us breakfast after, very kindly. All - these priests were warm for England. We returned to Liége, and I - went to the banker; then home to dinner at 1. Then went off by - railway to Aix-la-Chapelle. It passes through beautiful romantic - scenery. There is no railway with so many tunnels in the distance. I - got into conversation with a party of Oxonians going to spend the - long vacation at Baden. One of them, Mr. G. F. Brown, of Trinity, - was full of information, and quite moving on, a great friend of W. - Palmer, of Magdalen. He promised to visit Oscott. We came to the - Hôtel Nuelleus, a very grand one. I went to the Chief Canon, the - Grand Vicaire being gone to Cologne, and got leave for mass - to-morrow. We are now in Prussia, and all on a sudden all - German--hardly a word of French spoken. We had tea, and I finished - my Journal up, in my room, after saying matins. - - Thursday, July 18.--I went to the cathedral, and after mass, saw the - wonderful relics which are preserved in the sacristy of the - cathedral. This cathedral consists of a round Byzantine building, - which was built by Charlemagne as the chapel to his palace; and a - high Gothic choir, which was added to it after the palace had been - burnt down. A young priest showed the relics; he is always in - waiting for the purpose, except for the time of high mass and - office. The great relics--viz., the dress of the Blessed Virgin, the - clothes which our Lord had on Him on the cross, and the cloth into - which John Baptist's head fell--are kept in a magnificent chest, - which is shown, but is only opened every seven years, and when a - crowned head comes. The next time is July 10, 1846. Above this chest - is one containing the bones of Charlemagne, whose skull and - spine-bone, and even hunting-horn, are shown in separate - reliquaries. His crown and sword are at Vienna. Here is shown also - the girdle of our Lord, of leather, with Constantine's seal upon it; - the rope with which he was tied to the pillar; the girdle of Our - Lady; and many other glorious relics less important. The interior of - the doors enfolding these treasures is lined most beautifully with - paintings of Albert Durer, and many admirable Byzantine paintings. - {291} These relics were principally given to Charlemagne by the - Caliph, Haroun Alraschid. The cases were gifts of several emperors, - &c., as Lothaire, Charles V., Philip II. They were preserved in the - French Revolution by a priest, who conveyed them to Paderborn and - hid them. After breakfast I returned to the cathedral with Phillipps - for high mass, which was in solemn plain chant, and then saw the - relics again at 11½, after going to the Palais de Justice. At 12 I - got a little dinner, and went by the railway to Grand, parting from - the Phillippses, please God, for a fortnight only. I went to bed at - the Hôtel de Flandre, leaving no luggage--all left at Malines. - - Friday, July 19.--Went to the cathedral to say mass. My morning was - taken up with going to the railway about my poor luggage, which at - last I saw, and visiting the Provincial of the Jesuits, to see about - my retreat. I dined at the hotel. The cathedral is a most beautiful - specimen of the Greek fittings in a Gothic church. I did not stop to - have the finest pictures uncovered, for I had my business to see - after. Two other beautiful churches, St. Nicholas and St. Michael. - No signs here of Gothic restorations. At 3 I went with the - Provincial to Franchismes, where they have bought an ancient - Prémontré Abbey, which does not preserve much of the abbey still, - except some corridors, once, as it seems, cloisters. It is, however, - a beautiful establishment for its end. I saw and spoke to two - English and one Irish novice, of course about England. I went back - to Gand; and there Père Coultins, by desire of the Provincial, went - with me to the Recollets, a reform of the Franciscans; their chief - house is at St. Froud. Then to the Pauvres Claires; and then to one - of the two Béguinages. Here are establishments, in one of which 800, - and in the other 300, _quasi_ nuns live in a cluster of separate - houses. - - Their origin is immemorial. They are bound by vows of obedience and - chastity, not poverty, for the time that they remain. Hardly ever - does one return to the world. The Père Coultins promised to visit - for me the other convents of the town. This is what I could do for - Ghent. At 6, I started by railway to Louvain, where I was received - as an {292} old acquaintance at the Hôtel de Suide. The Provincial - sends me here for my retreat. In the train to Malines, I had Mr. - Maude and Mr. Perry. Finished Journal, and to bed at near 12. - - Saturday, July 20.--After mass at the cathedral, and breakfast, I - went to the Seminary of the Jesuits, with a letter from the - Provincial to Père Rosa, the rector. He introduced me to Père - Vanderghote, who is to direct my retreat, and left me with him. We - went to walk about the town, called on M. Malou, who undertook to - translate a prayer from Dr. Wiseman's prayers for England, into - French. I called on Mr. De Coux, and at I dined with these two - fathers, and we went into the garden. I then wrote to Dr. Wiseman, - Phillipps, and M. Bonquéan, and at ¼ to 5 began my retreat for eight - days please God, till the end of which my present journal intermits. - _Orate pro me omnes qui diligitis Deum_. - - Monday, July 29.--I rose this morning out of my retreat, hoping that - by the help of Almighty God I may preserve some of its fruit - durably. I said mass once more at 7½ in the private chapel, then - after a conversation with my kind Father Vanderghote, I went to the - College du Saint Esprit, where I saw M. Malou, and then went into - the hall, where theses were defended by a young priest called - Bacten, and then degrees conferred, and a discourse in Latin - pronounced by Abbé Malou. The Nuncio and the Bishop of Amiens were - there, with many others. At 2 I dined with M. Malou. The chief - guests were the Grand Vicaire de Bruges, a monseigneur, and Abbé - Marais, of the Sorbonne; much conversation was on England, and some - good interest excited. I went again to see Père Rosa, and - Vanderghote, and at 6½ was on the railway to Malines with a - multitude of priests. I went to the Petit Séminaire, and supped, and - M. Bonquéan walked with me to the Grue. - - Tuesday, July 30.--Said mass at the cathedral, and then at 8 went to - the Archbishop's palace, where, with much trouble, I got at the - Chanoine's private secretary, who introduced me to the Cardinal and - his five suffragan Belgian {293} Bishops of Bruges, Tournay, Gand, - Namur, and Liege, sitting after breakfast. I sat down, and in a - short conversation a great deal seemed to be done for the cause. I - was desired to draw up documents with M. Bonquéan to-day, and to - dine with the prelates at 1 to-morrow, to hear their conclusion. - _Laus Deo semper_. At 10½ I went to M. Bonquéan, where I found two - young Oxford men, whom I afterwards found were Christie of Oriel and - his brother. They went with M. Bonquéan and me on all our rounds to - the convents of the town to-day. At 12 I dined at the Petit - Séminaire, then, with M. Bonquéan and M. Vandervelde, who was very - zealous for England, I began to prepare for to-morrow; at 4½ the - Christies came, and we walked till 7. The convents which we went to, - and which all promised, and (except one which was cold) all with - great warmth, were:-- - - Les Soeurs Hospitalières de Ste. Elisabeth, 21 nuns. - - Les Marie Colae 17 nuns. - - Soeurs de Charité, not St. Vincent's, but a house under the - direction of the Grand Séminaire, 23 nuns. - - Soeurs de Notre Dame, Abbé Bonquéan is Director here; we saw an - interesting English novice, and stayed some time, 30 nuns. - - Les Soeurs Apostolines, 24 nuns. - - Les Pauvres Claires, not so zealous, 25 nuns. - - Lastly, we visited a new house and institute called Frères de la - Miséricorde, lately founded by a canon of the cathedral, by name - Scheppers. There are now 27 brothers, of whom 25 are on their - mission, which is to enter, several together, the prisons of the - country, and devote themselves to the spiritual and bodily care and - cure of the prisoners. The Government favours them remarkably; it - seems a most notable institution, and the founder was a most - interesting man. He promised warmly to engage all his brethren. At - 7½ I went to the station, and met Elwes, on his way home from - Kissengen. I brought him up, and we had supper at the Grue. I went - to bed after a good bit of work to be got up, office, Journal, - account, &c. - -{294} - - Wednesday, July 31. St. Ignatius.--Elwes and I said mass at the - cathedral. From 10 till near 1 he and I were both at work copying an - address for the Bishops, of which I thought to give each a copy. At - one I went to dine at the Cardinal's. There were there six Bishops - and the Nuncio, and many of the chief clergy. I sat next to Mgr. de - Namur; afterwards I took an hour's walk in the garden, and at 4 - attended the meeting of the Bishops, who came to a happy resolution - of granting an indulgence of 40 days for every mass, every - communion, even hearing mass, or saying it with a memento for - England, and reciting a prayer which they determined on. The - Cardinal was full of noble kindness. This grant was more than I had - proposed in my paper, and so my morning's work and Elwes's was - useless in a very agreeable way. I went to the Grue and found M. - Bonquéan and the Christies with Elwes. In packing up I found my - passport was lost, and went off, therefore, uncertain whether I - could pass the frontier without writing for one to Brussels. The - Christies travelled with me. I had some interesting conversation - with each about their position in the Church of England. They took - it with great gentleness, and answered well. They seem not to have - thought of coming over, and yet to be in good disposition to do what - they shall see right. We met very agreeably with the very priest of - whom we have heard so much, who learnt English to instruct a lady in - his parish near Bruges, whose daughter was already a convert, and - writes letters to Dr. Wiseman for publication in England (Miss - Heron). We became great friends, and he, with another young priest, - his neighbour, who are taking a little tour together, came with us - to the Aigle Noir, nearer the Redemptorists than l'Hôtel de France. - We were very nearly upset in the omnibus, as we came up from the - station; it was overloaded with luggage, and struck the wheels on - the right in the sand, having got off the paving. We got out, - unhurt, into another omnibus passing by; supper, and to bed. - - Thursday, August 1.--Said mass at the Redemptorists. Le Père Van - Held invited us all to breakfast, i.e., the Christies {295} and the - priests, our new friends. I met there the Bishop's secretary, who - gave me a letter to the Governor of Liege, Baron Van der Stein, who, - happily, was come this morning into town, and gave me my passport. I - then went on with my _vigilante_ to see the Miss Nicholls, who have - been living two years at the Benedictine convent, Quai d'Avroy. I - met them last at Boulogne, in 1838. They promised to be busy in - getting prayers. I then visited the Jesuits' College, and Abbé - Marsomme. Dined at 1 at the _table d'hôte_ with the Christies, whom - Père Van Held had sent about sight-seeing with one of his priests. - At 2.45 we took the convoy to Cologne, which we reached duly at 9¼, - and went to the Hôtel du Douane, Gasthof zum Kölner Dom, close to - the cathedral; we took a walk round the cathedral by moonlight after - supper. - - Friday, August 2.--I went to say mass in the cathedral, which we - then looked round. It gives a melancholy spectacle of what miserable - times have been gone through while it remained thus unfinished so - long; but it is a consolation to see the glorious restoration now - going on. The most beautiful points of the decoration of the choir - are the fresco paintings above the pillars, and the rich gilded - diapering on the lower part of them round the choir, in which one - column alone is finished; and beautiful figures under canopies on - each column, half-way to the top. The building is surrounded with - great masses of stones for the completing of it. It is expected that - it will be finished, fit for consecration, in four years, but not - quite complete till twenty years hence, please God, if we have - peace. After breakfast we went to call on Professor Michel, at the - Seminary. He could not come with us. We saw the Jesuits' church, and - returned to assist at part of a requiem mass at the cathedral, the - anniversary of the Archbishop Ferdinand. I spoke to the - Vicar-General about England, then went home, wrote to M. Malou, - dined alone; and at 1 set off by a steamboat on the Rhine for - Koenigswinter, parting from the Christies in the boat. I had nothing - very remarkable in the passage; reached Koenigswinter at 5. I took - up my lodgings at the Hôtel de Berlin, where the Phillippses had - been for twelve days. {296} They came in from a ride in the - mountains about 6, and we went to tea with Count and Countess - Kurtzrock. He is Mrs. Ambrose's second cousin. Their daughter Marie - and her governess gave us music. - - Saturday, August 3.--Said mass at the little church at Sta. Maria. - The altar with altar-cloth only over the altar stone. The rest of - the altar was brown wood. We breakfasted with Mrs. P.'s aunt, La - Baronne de Veich, whom they are visiting. She lives in a small house - with two nieces, Antoinette and Fanny Lutzou. At 10 we went across - the Rhine to Gothsburg, a watering-place, where Mrs. Amherst and - daughter have been staying; but they are gone to Italy. We walked up - to a castle battered into ruin in the Thirty Years' war, overhanging - the town. The little church half-way up the hill is a bad specimen - of taste enough inside. We came back to dinner at the Baroness's at - 2. I went home for two hours, then walked with Phillipps and Tony, - as they call Antoinette, to see a house which she is undertaking to - form into an asylum for old poor women; back to tea, and home to the - hotel at 9. - - Sunday, August 4. 10th after Pentecost, here marked 9th.--I heard - mass at 7 with the famous Kirchen Gesang, of whom I heard from Dr. - Sweers while translating Overbury's Life. All the people sang German - hymns through the whole mass with wonderful unison. After it I said - mass. At 10 was the high mass, i.e., another mass with Kirchen - Gesang, rather more solemn; and a sermon. I came home then and wrote - a letter to the Vicar-General at Cologne. I received from M. - Bonquéan my book of papers pro Anglia, which I had left at Malines. - At 1, dinner. Professor Schutz, of the University of Bonn, came to - dine. We saw him off at 3, and then found that some one must go to - Bonn to get money from the bank; so I took the charge, that I might - see Bonn. I crossed the Rhine in a boat, and met an omnibus which - took me on the road I travelled in 1820. The cathedral at Bonn, - called the Münster, is of a style older than Gothic, but not quite - Byzantine, something like our Saxon churches. The choir is elevated - high above the nave, which sinks below the level outside, or the - outside {297} must have risen. Some arches are Gothic. The - University is a large building, what would be called Grecian. In - front of it is a handsome promenade or park. At 7½ I called a second - time at Professor Schutz's house, and found him with M. Marais, of - the Sorbonne. He gave me coffee, &c. His rooms are full of - curiosities from Palestine and Egypt. In 1819, 1820, and 1821, he - was travelling, commissioned by Government, a literary journey - through Egypt, Abyssinia, &c. He is Professor of Scripture, a great - Orientalist, a friend of Dr. Wiseman's. We spoke about Humanarianism - and Overbury, and the Paris University, &c. I went out and met my - omnibus at a ¼ to 9, crossed the Rhine, and got home at 10. - - Monday, August 5. Sta. Maria ad Nives.--Mass at 7½; at 9 we went to - a high mass de requiem. They always sing one for every person who - dies; and when the family can afford it, bread is given to the poor, - as was done to-day. I stayed at home nearly, till one, then dinner - at la Baronne's. Mr. Ambrose was not there, having had a fall - yesterday, and taking rest for precaution. After dinner, looked over - the Life of Napoleon in German; came home till I went to tea. The - Count and Countess Kurtzrock and daughters came. The Countess - promised to be an associate for England, and to spread it at - Hamburg, where they live. - - Friday, August 6th.--Mass at 6. I started at 7.30 by a steamer for - Mayence. We passed Coblentz (lat. _confluentia_), at the confluence - of the Moselle and the Rhine, at 1, and then dined (_table d'hôte_) - on deck. We made agreeable acquaintance with two priests, M. Bandry, - Chanoine of Cologne, and M. Steigmeier, a P.P. in the Black Forest. - The first went off at Coblentz, the second spoke only Latin; both - were highly interested for England. I was busy a good deal with - reading German, with a dictionary. The weather was beautiful till - about 6, when suddenly a terrible squall of wind, and thunder and - lightning came on. The steamer was driven aground on a sand-bank, - and seemed likely to capsize with the wind and waves. Terrible - fright and crying among ladies and children. We seemed to think - little of the rain and lightning which gleamed on every side {298} - of us. It was very frightful; at least, it appeared so, and I saw - what a warning was given here to be ready at a moment. No great - preparation, I found, would be likely to be made in a time like - that. It brought on me a palpitation which lasted till morning. We - got off after ten minutes, as the storm blew over, and got to the - Hôtel du Rhine at Mayence (Mainz) about 9. My greatest alarm since - Messina. - - Wednesday, Aug. 7. San. Gaetano. Remembered Affi, 1820.--Said mass - at the cathedral. This is a venerable old church, St. Boniface's - see. It is something like our Norman style of architecture; at the - west end is a remarkable baptistery, with a high vaulted roof now - opening to the church. There are many fine monuments, and many more - of the worst style; fauns and dragons supporting archbishops, &c. - They showed us a holy-water stoup, where Gustavus Adolphus, having - ridden into the church, made his horse drink! Near the church is a - statue of Guttenburg, the first printer, claimed as a citizen of - Mainz; bas-reliefs by Thorwaldsen. We had not time to see more. I - was not disposed, with my palpitation just subsiding, to go after - the Archbishop or others. We started past for Manheim; on the way we - looked at the torn-down cathedral of Worms, in a later style than - Mayence, and very venerable. This place was famous in the contests - between Charles V. and Luther. We dined at Manheim, then took the - railway to Heidelberg, where we put up at the Badische Hof. We saw - nothing at Manheim but the appearance of the town, which is very - handsome. A French gentleman whom I met in the town, Girardon, of - Lyons, said the ducal palace was very grand. - - Thursday, Aug. 8.--I went out at 9½, having had rather a bad night, - and said mass at the Jesuits' old church, which is now the only - exclusively Catholic church in Heidelberg. The curé lives in an old - college; the church was dreary and empty, and things seem to be at a - low point. We went after breakfast in a carriage to the ruins of the - castle, which are fine in their way, but not of the right style. - Luther was fostered here by the Elector Palatine. It was burnt by - {299} lightning in 1764. In the altar we saw the great tun, which is - no wonder to my mind. At 11 we took the railway to Baden, through - Carlsruhe. There we took a walk before dinner, saw the gaming-table, - which is a famous occupation here; I never saw one before in a - public saloon. I met Mr. Woollett. a Catholic of London, and his two - daughters. He wants confession to an English priest, and I went with - him to the convent of the Sepulchrines to see about it. They - promised prayers for England. 12 nuns; the same order as New Hall; - dinner at 5. Then we took a carriage to the ruins of the old castle, - much grander than at Heidelberg. I did not venture to go up the - castle, as I felt myself not fit. We came back to tea with Mrs. - Craven, née La Ferronaye, wife of the English _Chargé d'affaires_, - who is a convert. We met l'Abbé Martin de Nerlieu, curé de S. Jaques - à Paris, and his vicaire, and Miss Jane Young. Home at 9½. - - Friday, August 9.--I had to take a carriage and go at 6 o'clock to - Lichtenthal, a mile or two from Baden, where the Herr Landherr is - curé, and has power to give leave to hear confessions. There is a - convent there of 18 nuns, Bernardines, who promised to pray for - England. I returned and said mass at the convent in Baden, having - first heard the confessions of Mr. Woollett and Miss Young's maid. I - thought that night, as I lay in bed with my heart beating, that I - must see a doctor to-day, and consult about the propriety of - travelling; but the Phillippses both reasoned against this, and I - saw it differently by daylight. We dined at the _table d'hôte_ at 1, - and then set off on our way towards Munich. We travelled to-day - through the grand scenery of the Black Forest, and arrived at 9 at - Neuenburg, where there was a very civil host, and a nice inn, though - a second rate. - - Saturday, August 10. St. Lawrence.--The first, I think, (no, except - 1835), on which I have lost mass since my priesthood; but there was - no Catholic church. We made a slow day's journey; we began badly by - going the first stage to Wildbad, from which we returned nearly to - Neuenburg, as it seemed on our road right. The reason was, as we - {300} thought, that they directed us wrong yesterday, and sent us a - longer road, whereas we should have got straight to Wildbad, without - going to Neuenburg. We should have had a chapel at Wildbad, where a - priest came during the season only. We got to Stuttgard at 5, and - had a splendid dinner at the hotel. We met an old courier of Mr. - Phillipps's, afterwards clerk at the Foreign Office, who lives here - on a pension from England. He knew Cavani. He lives now at this - hotel. Stuttgard seems an uninteresting place for a capital; has - 4,000 inhabitants only. It is well to have seen it. We went on again - in the evening to get to Göppingen, where we we were told there was - a Catholic church, and we did not get to bed till 2; I fasting for - to-morrow, and fearing a bad night. - - Hôtel de la Poste, Sunday, Aug. 11.--I slept well, after all. I got - up at 8, and we started directly in heavy rain for Gross Eplingen, - two miles on our way, where the nearest Catholic church was. There - was none in Göppingen. We arrived at the middle of the parochial - mass. The Kirchen Gesangen are very impressive. After it I said - mass, and after visiting the pastor, we went on to Ulm, which we - reached at 5 about. Radhoff (Wheat) Hotel. Before dinner we went and - spent a long time in the old cathedral, now a Lutheran church, and - for that reason, however strangely, preserved wonderfully from - spoiling. It was most magnificent; the aisles divided by most - elegant pillars, a most glorious tabernacle, still standing, far - surpassing Louvain. The old triptic, with a beautiful group in - wood-carving, still over the altar; a beautiful pulpit in the style - of the tabernacle; the screen was gone; and the stained glass - preserved only in the choir and one or two more places; but so far, - I thought it the richest I knew. It was wonderful how much better - was the appearance of the church than if it had been in Catholic - hands. After dinner was busy upstairs till 10½. - - Monday, Aug. 12.--Got up at 5½; we were taken to the Catholic - church, a poor thing, compared with the ancient one. I said mass - there at 8; at 9½ we started for Augsburg. There was nothing - remarkable on the way but the {301} excessive slowness of the - Bavarian post-boys; they are remarkable, I believe, among the - Germans. We dined about 5, at a small town called Tusmarchausan, a - neat, clean, country town. Talked French with an old Italian who - attends at the inn, and Latin with a Dominican priest, in a blue - great-coat and Hessian boots. We set off again at 7, and reached - Augsburg at 9½ or 10. Put up at the Three Moors,--Drei Mohren. - - Tuesday, Aug. 13.--Went to say mass at the Church of St. Ulrick, at - the altar of St. Afra, whose body was shown in a glass case over it, - as it is within the octave of her feast. She was martyred at - Augsburg, under Domitian. After breakfast, I went to the bank, then - to the cathedral, where there was a high mass _de requiem_; then I - went to seek the Chanoine Stadler, a great friend of the English. I - first saw another canon, and the Dean, at the consistorium; spoke - about England. I found Canon Stadler at a convent called _of the - English nuns_, because founded by English 200 years ago; an - examination of the girls under education was going on. The - Regierung's President and other personages were there. I sat near - the canon at this for half an hour; then went home to dinner. There - came to dine a Scotch Kirk minister, who was at the convent which I - visited, Mr. ---- He is almost a Catholic in doctrine, but is - connected with the Apostolics in England, and so has, I think, no - disposition to turn now. Canon Stadler came late to dinner, and - persuaded me to put off our journey to Munich from the three to the - seven o'clock train. He took us to the Church of the Holy Cross, to - see the miraculous Host, which, in 1194, was stolen by a woman of - Augsburg, taken home, and wrapped in wax. After five years, she - confessed it, and brought it back. On opening the wax, the priest - found the appearance changed into that of flesh and blood. It has - been preserved ever since, and has been the means of many miracles. - We saw it in an _ostensoire_, quite bright-red. The choir of the - church is surrounded with pictures on the subject. We then went to - the convent again, from, whence the Scotch gentleman took me to the - bishop, whom we found near the cathedral. He talked no French, and I - {302} recommended England as I could in Latin. We went to the Canon - Stadler's house, where the Phillippses were waiting; we parted from - him, and came and had tea at the Hof, and then took railway to - Munich. We reached the Bayerische Hof, Hôtel de Bavière, at 9 3/4. - This is one of the largest hotels in Europe, they say. - - Wednesday, Aug. 14. Vigil of the Assumption.--I said mass in the - cathedral, which is near our hotel. It is a high, large building, - but very much disfigured. We all stayed at home till 12; then - Phillipps and I went to call on Dr. Döllinger, who was out. I had to - dine alone, as it is reckoned wrong for a priest to _manger gras_ on - a fasting day in public. After dinner, we all went to see the new - Church of St. Louis, decorated splendidly by the King. Then the - Church of St. Blaise in the faubourg, also decorated by him, both - built by the town. We thought them very beautiful, but decidedly - falling short of the right mark in point of style. In Ludwig Church - is a _chef d'oeuvre_ of Cornelius, "The Last Judgment." It is not to - our taste, nor to the king's; for Cornelius went away to Berlin, - disgusted with the king's not admiring it. Among other defects, - there are no real altars, only portable stones to be let into - scagliola altars, which in Ludwig Kirche are all exactly one like - the other. At 7, I went to the Franciscan convent, to confess to - Père Constantius. He introduced me to the Provincial and community - at supper. I spoke of England in lame Latin. At supper, in the - hotel, we were joined by Mr. Wake, son of the Rev. Mr. Wake, of - Courtene Hall, who recognised me, after about seventeen years. He - alarmed us with his idea that a war will break out between France - and England about Pritchard. What a war would this be! - - Thursday, Aug. 15. Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary.--I had - some difficulty in getting leave to hear the Phillippses' - confessions, but I succeeded, and said mass at nine, during the high - mass, with drums and all sort of music. We went again to mass at 11; - then Phillipps and I went and found Döllinger, who came back and - dined with us at the _table d'hôte_. Then we walked with him to see - Mr. and Mrs. Phillipps. He is a Professor of law, son of an - Englishman {303} in Prussia. Then we went to see old Mr. Gorres, one - of the first minds in Germany. At 8, we went to tea with Mr. and - Mrs. Rio, the sister to Jones of Llanarth. We found there Mr. - Dugdale, a northern English priest, and others. The conversation was - very agreeable. Mrs. Rio is very infirm with sciatica, or settled - pains like it. - - Friday, Aug. 16.--Mass at the cathedral at 11. We went with Mr. - Dugdale to the Pinacotheke, a grand building of this king, - containing the vast collection of pictures which I saw with Lefevre - at Schlussheim in 1820. What struck me most was the gallery on one - side of the building, ornamented like Raphael's, in the Vatican. We - dined at two; then went to see the new palace, which is opened at - times regularly to all visitors. We went among a party of all sorts. - I was recognised by Lady Lowther--that was, at least. This was from - Lowther Castle, 1816. In the palace, the floors are beautiful - wood-work, inlaid. Some rooms have fine pictures of the former - German history, of Charlemagne, Barbarossa, Rodolph of Hapsburg, &c. - The hall of audience is surrounded with striking colossal statues of - ancient dukes of Bavaria. We cannot say much for the two rooms of - Bavarian beauties; the king's fondness for them is not edifying, - they say. From the palace we went to the studios; at half-past 7 - went to tea at Dr. Döllinger's, and met almost all whom we visited - yesterday, and, besides, Mr. Windischmann, canon of the cathedral. I - got a long conversation with him in English. He became very zealous - for promoting the prayers for England. There was there Mr. Raby, of - Leicester, who was at Munich with his mother; his sister is become a - nun at Nymphenburg. - - Saturday, Aug. 17.--Said mass at the cathedral at 8½. After - breakfast, I visited Mr. and Mrs. Farrell and their family, who are - in this hotel. He is uncle to John Farrell. She said she had seen me - at Leamington with Mr. Martyn. Then Count de Senufft Pilsach, - Austrian ambassador, to whom Mr. Phillipps brought a note from - Father Lythgoe, called. We then walked to the palace, and saw the - rich chapel, in which many relics are kept in cases of gold and - silver, with pearls and jewels, some carved by Benvenuto Cellini; - the right hand {304} of St. John Baptist and St. Chrysostom among - them, and some earth stained with the blood of Our Lord. A little - triptic used on the scaffold by Mary Queen of Scots. We then went to - the palace of the Duc de Leuchtenberg, son of Eugene Beauharnais. - One room full of modern paintings, and another much larger, with a - very choice collection of the Italian and Flemish schools, struck - me. Dr. Döllinger dined with us, and then took us to the Public - Library, a magnificent building, calculated for 1,000,000 volumes, - and containing now 500,000, lately built by Ludwig I. We stayed a - long time looking about it, and then went on to the University, - another new building, very splendid. Dr. Döllinger is rector this - next year. The library here is of 200,000 vols.; he is the chief - librarian of it. We returned at 8, looking in, _en passant_, to the - Ludwig Kirche. A beautiful sunset. - - Sunday, August 18.--I went by invitation to say mass at the Auer - Kirche, _i.e._, the new Gothic church in the suburb Au. Trusting to - the fine sunset of last night, I took no umbrella, and very nearly - got a wetting before I got home. At 9, Mr. Schlager called on me. He - is studying the law, and looks so smart that I did not of myself - recognize him. We went to high mass at the Theatine church. At 12, I - went with Mr. Windischmann, to be presented to the Nuncio, Mgr. - Vichi, to plead for England. I could not do much, as other visitors - came in. After dinner, we went to seek vespers unsuccessfully at the - Theatine church. At 5, we took a carriage, and went to the Sisters - of Charity, where we got on badly for want of German, and saw - nothing but the church, where service was going on. We then went to - the public cemetery, near it. It is in the style of Père la Chaise, - but inferior. What is remarkable is the place where the bodies newly - dead are exposed for three days before burial. We saw several behind - glass windows, dressed out and adorned with flowers. After coming - home, I went at 7½ to Professor Görres's. He has open house for the - circle of his friends every Sunday evening. Dr. Döllinger wished us - all to go, but Phillipps thought it hardly proper without an - invitation. There were twelve at supper; among them Dr. {305} - Döllinger, Phillipps, Moy. The party was very agreeable, though I - knew nothing of the German conversation, except what Dr. Döllinger - translated to me. I came home at half-past 10. - - Monday, August 19.--Said mass at the cathedral. Mrs. Dugdale came - after breakfast, and went with us to the Glyptotheke, where are some - fine pieces of ancient sculpture. I suppose the AEgina marbles are - among the most valued. They are of an earlier style than the perfect - models of Greek sculpture, finely designed but stiff. The whole - thing is too heathenish and so immodest. It is a mystery to me how - all these sights are consistent with Catholic principle, especially - the Venuses and Adonises by Christian masters, like Canova. The - building is very noble. We went thence to what was far more - satisfactory, the Basilica, built on the plan of the old church of - St. Paul, at Rome, 300 feet long, with two ranges of glorious holy - pictures, one range being the whole history of our English St. - Boniface. I hope this is there as a memorial of what Germany owes to - England, and as an excitement to pray for us. I came back to receive - Mr. Schlager to dine with me at the _table d'hôte_. Phillipps dined - at Mr. Rio's, where I joined them at 3, having first gone with Mr. - Schlager to his lodgings. Rio talked splendidly about England, and - Dr. Döllinger promised to write articles to call to prayer for it. I - came home at 5, said office in the cathedral, and at 7½ we went to - supper with Dr. and Mrs. Phillipps, where we met all the circle, the - Görreses, Windischman, Döllinger, Rios, Mrs. Raby, Mrs. Dugdale, &c. - - Tuesday, August 20. St. Bernard.--Mass at the cathedral at 10. I - took a carriage and went with Mrs. Dugdale and Mrs. Raby to - Nymphenburg, where is the principal convent of the English nuns, of - which I saw a house at Augsburg. There are ten houses in Bavaria; - Mrs. Raby's daughter is a novice there. We stopped a good while, and - I hope a good step was taken in my work. Mr. Dugdale promises to - follow up ardently the begging prayers. I came home before 2, and - stayed at home till 5, when we went with the two boys to a grand - dinner with le Comte de Zeuft, {306} the Austrian ambassador. There - were twenty at table: the Nuncio, Mr. Aebel, minister of the - interior, the chief Catholic physician, a Polish Countess Kitzka, - and all our friends the Professors were there. I sat between Dr. - Phillipps and Windischman. We stayed till near 10. The Comte de - Zeuft promised great help for England. It is my first opening in - Austria. Mrs. Aebel assured me that the Government would be well - pleased with whatever was done in this way, which is a great point - secured. I also had an interesting talk on the subject with the - Countess Kitzka, who proposed prayer for Poland also on Saturdays. - This was, in short, a productive evening. - - Wednesday, August 21.--Mass at the cathedral. I walked with Mr. - Dugdale to the convent of Sisters of Providence joining the great - hospital we failed in entering on Sunday. We got one nun who spoke a - little French to show us over the hospital, but we made little of - gaining prayers. I found palpitations coming from the walk, and so I - came home and stayed till I went with Phillipps to dine at 4 with - the Nuncio. The chief guests were Comte de Zeuft and Baron Frujberg, - _conseilleur d'état_, and twelve or fourteen more. The Nuncio took - charge of the little prayer for England adopted by the Belgian - bishops, and promised to get ample indulgences at Rome for the - masses, communions, and prayers for England. We came home and took - Mrs. Phillipps to tea at Dr. Döllinger's, Baron Frujberg, Rio, - Hüffler, the historian of the German popes of the 11th century. - - Thursday, August 22.--Mass at 8. I stayed at home writing to Dr. - Wiseman from 11 to 12; then went with Dr. Döllinger to be presented - to Madame di Frujberg, and her sister Amelia de Mongeras. Talked - about England and prayers. At home I found Comte de Zeuft and the - Nuncio paying a visit. Then dinner at 2½. Mr. Windischman took me to - see the Archbishop, 84 years old. He has his intellect quite sound, - and was favourable to the prayers, but not very zealous. I came home - and stayed till 7, writing to Mrs. Beaumont and Mrs. Canning, saying - office, &c. At 7 Mr. and Mrs. Rio and two children, Dr. Phillipps, - {307} Döllinger, and Windischman came to tea and supper, so a - parting visit. Little Miss Rio got sick with the smoke in the salon. - - Friday, August 23.--Mass at 7½ in the cathedral for the last time. - After breakfast a visit from Mr. Dugdale and old Görres, and a talk - with Mr. Woodwich, a very nice young Anglican, whom Phillipps met at - Cologne, and came yesterday to Munich. The horses came for our - departure at 11, but we did not start till ¼ to 1. I sat in the - carriage saying office. We had a pretty journey, approaching a line - of fine mountains. We reached a town called Tegern See, and we put - up at Le Troitteur Hof. When we came to dine, we found ourselves - worse off than we have yet been. No bread without aniseed, and - hardly enough to eat for all but me, who took meat. However, this is - an interesting spot. Out of my window I have a sweet view of the - lake and mountains opposite, with a bright moon upon them. - - Saturday, August 24.--I went before 7 to find the old priest to say - mass. The church is a handsome one attached to a large building - which once was a Benedictine convent, but was turned by the old - king, my former acquaintance, into a country palace. Prince Charles - lives here now. The old priest was one of the monks. There are four - now alive out of forty-three. We started at 9, and went through - beautiful mountain scenery, especially that part of the road which - lies along the bank of Achensee, a beautiful blue lake. We dined at - about 2, at Achenthal, just before coming to the lake. We were - delayed by a spring breaking, and only reached Schwartz, a town of - 4,500 people. The inn La Poète is kept by Anthony Reiner, one of a - family of three men and a sister, who about 1830 were 2½ years in - England, singing Tyrolese songs, and made £4,000. Mrs. Ambrose heard - them at Sir Thomas Acland's. We had tea in the billiard-room, and - saw some beautiful play. - - Sunday, Aug. 25.--I said mass at 6½, at the Franciscan church. In - the convent are twenty-one priests and twenty-five students, besides - lay brothers. I recommended England and was kindly heard. After - breakfast we went together to the parish church; at 8 a sermon - begins--we heard the end of it, preached by a Franciscan. Mass - follows the {308} sermon. The style of music, both here and in the - Franciscan church, where I heard part of the high mass, is high - figured. We set off for Innspruck after. It was raining all the way. - We arrived at 2 at the Golden Sun (die goldene Sonne), in a fine - wide street. We had dinner, during which we were surprised and - pleased by a visit from Mrs. Amherst and Mary. She has a house in - this street, and saw us pass by. Three daughters are with her. Soon - after we went to see the Franciscan church, in which is the famous - monument of Maximilian, and round it bronze figures of illustrious - personages, and on the side a marble monument of Hoffa. They are not - all saints, and it is thought to be an unbecoming ornament to a - church. They certainly cause distractions by the number of people - who come to see the sculpture, which makes this small church almost - like a Glyptotheke. After this, Mrs. Amherst took me to the - Redemptorists, where Father Prost talks English, and received me - most cordially, and presented me to the Rector. I then went to the - Franciscan convent, where, as at Munich, I saw the fathers at - supper, and recommended England to the Provincial, who promised to - convey my wishes to the 300 subjects of the 10 houses of his - province. In this little house there are eight priests. He sent a - man to take me to the Decanus, living near the parish church, to ask - for leave to hear confessions to-morrow. He was a most amiable, kind - old man, and promised to speak for me to all the clergy. I went to - meet our party at tea with the Amhersts at 7, and had a very - pleasant evening. Home at 9¼. - - Monday, Aug. 26th.--Father Prost gave himself to me all to-day. I - went to say mass at the Redemptorist church; breakfasted there; then - went out with him to the hospital of the Sisters of Charity, where - there are 15 nuns, and it is the mother house of about eight houses - in all. They are under the direction of the Redemptorists. Then to - the Jesuits' college, where we saw the Rector; then to dine with the - Redemptorists at 12. They are about ten in number. The Rector is - most zealous for my cause. At 2 we walked out of the town to a fine - Premonstratensian {309} abbey to which belong 42 monks; but about - half are employed as coadjutors to parish priests. The Abbot - received us very kindly, and showed us all over his house, which has - a great suite of fine rooms, full of pictures of great personages. - We came back to settle for my departure to-morrow; and lastly - visited the Servites. They have a fine large house in the great - street. Their number is only fifteen. Lastly, we called on a lady - who can talk English, having learned it, where Father Prost did, in - America. I went at 6½ to tea with the Amhersts, among whom I also - found William just come. I went home to stay at the Redemptorists, - in order to be able to say mass to-morrow. The Rector and Father - Prost sat some time with me. - - Tuesday, Aug. 27th.--Said mass at 3½; at 4½, Father Prost saw me in - the still-wagen, or omnibus, for Brixen. I forgot to say that - Phillipps agreed with me to meet at Caldaron on Thursday. They went - off yesterday by Landeck, Marenn, &c., for finer scenery. I took my - way to see the Bishop of Brixen. My principal companions were four - students at the Inspruck University, going out for their vacations. - They were two couples of brothers, one called Ehrhart, the other - Benz, all of Inspruck. The weather was become beautiful, and we went - through splendid scenery. We went over the Brenner mountain, and - were going till 8 o'clock at night. We stopped three times for - refreshment: at Matraey, Strarzing, and Mittewald. We came to the - Kreutz Hof--the Cross Inn--at Brixen, where I took my bed. First, I - went to see a pleasing old priest, by name Graffanara, who is - Domscholasticus here, and whom I saw by chance at Inspruck. He told - of the Bishop being gone to Botzen, and introduced me to the Decanus - and Parish Priest, to settle for mass to-morrow. - - Wednesday, Aug. 28th. Great St. Augustine's.--I was up soon after 3, - and went to the Pffarr-Kirche, where I said mass at 4. The Pffarr - treated me with extraordinary respect and kindness, and came back - with me to my inn, where I started again, with the same company, to - Botzen, in another still-wagen, at 5. We followed the downward - course of a beautiful torrent, through rocks and mountains {310} all - the way, till we reached Botzen, at 12. I went to the Kaiser's - Krone, and dined at the _table d'hôte_ at 12½, next to an English - gentleman, by name Harley, who was chiefly taken up with attacks on - cookery out of England. He was a man of much information, and gave - gloomy accounts of the prospect of war with France. His father was - an admiral. I stayed at home till 4½, then went out to the Capuchins - and then to the Capellani--the Paroco being out. The chief Capellano - came back with me to the hotel, and waited till the Bishop of Brixen - came in. He had been out in the country. I was admitted to see him, - but quite disappointed in my hopes of finding help from him. He gave - me no signs of zeal, and hardly spoke of England. Perhaps it may be - for the better some way. No doubt disappointments are good for me, - and so thank God for this one. I afterwards went to the Franciscans, - where I found real sympathy in one of the fathers, with whom I - walked in the garden. This was a refreshment after the Bishop. In - the evening I had a visit from the young Baron Giovanelli, whose - father has some authority about sending people to see Maria Mörl. He - could hardly speak Italian, and though very civil, did not help me - much. - - Thursday, 29th.--The good Bishop sent me to-day a present of a large - number of religious prints, with German instructions, and showed - thus his good will to me; and I hope it may be well for my cause. At - 7½ I said mass in the cathedral. At 10 I went in a one-horse - carriage to Calddaron, or more rightly Caltern. I went directly to - see Father Capistrano, confessor to Maria Mörl, at a Franciscan - convent, and then dined at the White Horse inn. At 4½, according to - his direction, I went to the convent of the Tertiariae, where Maria - Mörl has been for ten years, being removed from her father's house - by the Bishop, at her own request, to avoid being seen by so many - people. I waited in the convent church till Father Capistrano, who - is a tall and venerable monk, I suppose of forty-five years old, - came to call me, with eight or nine other persons, to see the - _estatica_. (N.B. Father Capistrano told me that the Bishop of - Brixen is very deaf, and probably understood nothing of {311} what I - talked about, which explains all my disappointment.) We went into a - small room within her convent, rather darkened, where the first - sight of Maria on her knees upon her bed was most striking. She - kneels with her head and eyes fixed upwards, her hands joined before - her breast, just below the chin, and her body leaning forwards in a - position out of the centre of gravity, in which, ordinarily, no one - could continue without support. It is most moving to see her thus--I - think more so than in any of the other positions which she assumed. - This was the time when on every Thursday she goes through the - contemplation of the Agony of Our Lord; and so, soon after we came - in, she being quite unconscious of what goes on around her, began to - make signs in her throat of earnest emotion, and then, clenching her - hands together, she dropped her head over them, her long, flowing - hair being thrown forward over her face, as it were accompanying our - Lord in the commencement of His prayer in the garden; after about - five minutes thus, she suddenly bends down, placing her face between - her knees, as when our Lord was prostrate in His agony. After - another five minutes, she rises, her face again fixed with - expression of intense earnestness on heaven, and her arms extended - back downwards, as expressing perfect resignation. After five or ten - minutes thus, she returns calmly to her original attitude of prayer, - and thus remained till Father Capistrano spoke to her by name, - saying a few words almost indistinctly, and she instantly returned - to herself, reclined back on her bed, and, without exertion of - moving her limbs, appeared simply recumbent, with the bed-cover over - her whole body. I did not see her rise again, but this is done - instantly without effort, in the same way. The moment that she was - thus awakened from the ecstasy, she looked round on us all with - great good-humour, and smiled; and, being forbidden to speak, she - made many signs, asking questions of some whom she knew before. One - priest, il Conte Passi, offered her some cotton perfumed from the - body of Sta. Maria Maddalena di Pazzi; but she would not have it, - nor smell it, refusing it in a truly pleasant way. I spoke of - praying for England, and she nodded graciously, but did not take - much {312} apparent notice. I suppose she does it about nothing but - what comes by obedience. If the conversation had a pause, she - immediately became again absorbed in God till Father Capistrano - recalled her again. After a proper time, he gave us signs to retire; - on which she earnestly made signs for a cartoon-box full of holy - prints to be brought, and she began with great earnestness to turn - them over, seeming to recollect herself very intently. She then gave - me two, and afterwards another. I was struck when I saw the first - was a figure of St. George, as she had not heard my name I knew. - Afterwards, I supposed she might allude only to England, as she knew - I was English. Soon after, she fell back into ecstasy as she lay, - and we went away. I walked down to the inn with Conte Passi and a - priest of the place, who visits her nearly every day. I began a - letter, when, about 6, I was agreeably surprised by seeing Phillipps - and his party drive up. He and I went to the Franciscan convent, but - could not see Father Capistrano. Conte Passi and I slept in the same - room, and into a third bed tumbled some one else, I thought, like - the ostler, after we were in bed. I slept none the worse, and why - should I? - - Friday, Aug. 30.--Said mass in the parish church at eight. Phillipps - after breakfast went and had a long conversation with Father - Capistrano, who received to-day a letter from the Bishop of Trent, - to give leave for all of us to see the _estatica_. Phillipps came - back with wonderful accounts of Father Capistrano's views of the - future in the Church. He has no bright anticipations. I wrote all - the morning, letters to Dr. Döllinger, Signor Giovanelli, and Mr. - LeSage Ten Broek. We dined at 1. At 2½ we all went to the convent - church, where, as yesterday, P. Capistrano came to take us to la - Mörl. Three o'clock, being the time of Our Lord's death, this is the - subject of her contemplation at that time every Friday. Soon after - we came in, from the attitude of prayer in which we found her as - yesterday; she again clasped her hands, and, looking up with an - expression of suffering, she continued for some time to make a sort - of sobbing noise, and stertation, as I have seen people dying of - apoplexy; this grew more painful till, exactly at {313} three, she - dropped her head forward, and her hands yet clasped hung down before - her and so she remained quite motionless, still leaning forward - beyond the perpendicular, "_inclinato capite emisit spiritum_." This - continued till, at one of those almost inaudible suggestions of the - confessor, she fell back on the bed, as yesterday, but still in - ecstasy, and extended her hands in the form of a crucifix. The - fingers were guttered over the palm of the hands, but yet we saw - plainly in the palm the sacred stigma. I saw it yesterday outside - both her hands, quite plainly, as she was distributing the prints. - The marks are not as of an open wound, but red cicatrices like those - represented in pictures of Our Saviour when risen from the dead. - Father Capistrano said that she eats a little bread and fruit - occasionally, not every day; she communicates three or four times a - week; she sleeps generally in the night, I understood, but her - spirit still continues in a less degree of contemplation. She had a - younger sister with her in the convent, to wait on her. The Emperor - allows her 400 florins a year. On more solemn feasts, the ecstasy is - more intense, and she then appears for a time raised above the bed, - touching it only with the tips of her feet. The priest whom I saw - yesterday says that he has himself passed his hand at those times - under her knees without touching them. It is a rule that no money is - given by visitors either to her or the convent. We went away, and - prepared for our departure about 4. I engaged a small one-horse - carriage to go to _Egna_ in Italian, in German _Neumarkt_, intending - to see the _Addolorata_, and to meet the Phillippses again at - Venice. I began to have a distaste to the rude-looking driver, at - the first sight, still more, when I found that the carriage belonged - to a priest who had come from Egna this morning. I made it straight - for time by taking him with me. A second nuisance was, finding, when - I set off, that Phillipps had to go to the same place, as his first - stage towards Trent. In a narrow road down the hill, out of Caldaro, - we met an immense number of carts, loaded with hay, and drawn by - oxen, from eighty to a hundred, which was a good delay, and - Phillipps's carriage got terribly scratched in passing one. At {314} - Egna, I put up at the Krono. I went out to see a priest, who took me - to the Franciscans about saying mass tomorrow. I preached England. - - Saturday, Aug. 31.--I fell into the hands of the sulky driver of - yesterday, who undertook to find me a mule to go over the mountains - at once to Capriana, but he came last night to say none was to be - found; I heard before that there was danger of this in harvest time. - I therefore first said mass at the Franciscans', at 3 o'clock, - doubtful whether it was not uncanonically early, and at 4 went with - my friend driving me, with one horse on the left of the pole, to - Cavallesi, a small town in the mountains, which we reached at 8 - o'clock. There I saw the physician of Dominica Lazzari, whom Count - Passi told me to go to. He was very civil, and recommended me a - pleasant guide, who at 9 set off, walking by the pony which I rode - to Cavallesi. The day was beautiful, and not too hot for me, though - it was for him on foot. It was a most interesting, picturesque ride - of 2¼ hours, reminding me of my Sicilian and other rides long since, - and I was surprised how this seemed to agree with me now. Capriana - is a little very poor village, occupying a spot on an open space, - high among the mountains. The very first cottage in the body of the - town, and one of the poorest, is where this wonderful being spends - her suffering days. The Medico Yoris had written me a note to the - primissario, or second priest to the curate, who is Dominica's - confessor, who might have helped me about seeing her; but he was not - at home, so we went to the house at once. The door of the little - place, a part of a building, where Dominica lives with her sister, - was locked. The sister was out. I heard her groaning slightly at - every breath. She made something of an answer when my guide knocked. - He went to seek her sister, and came back saying that she begged us - to delay a little, as others had been with her, and she was much - fatigued. So we went to the Osteria, and got the best they could - give, which was a _brodo d'acqua_, in English, I fancy, tea-kettle - broth. This shows that the place is not chosen for its riches to be - honoured by God with His wonders. After this pause we returned to - the little house, {315} which has a Tyrolese roof overhanging, and a - little gallery outside her door. The sister, who is married and has - her children about her, took us in, and in an inner room we saw the - Addolorata in her bed. Her appearance naturally will not have been - interesting, like that of Maria Mörl, but rather of an ordinary - young countrywoman, of low stature, like her sister. She has - ordinarily the appearance of great pain and suffering; but when I - spoke to her about England, she lifted her eyes and moved her hands - in a way more earnest than _l'estatica_, and showed great feeling at - the thought of its conversion. Now for her appearance: her face was - almost all covered with clotted blood, which flowed, I suppose, - yesterday morning, for so it does every Friday, from the punctures - as of thorns on her brow. These were not, as I expected, irregularly - placed as by a crown of thorns made at hazard, but they formed a - line close together on the forehead, and do not go round the head to - the back part. Her legs were gathered up as if the sinews were - contracted; her body, the doctor told me, is all covered with sores, - which, the more that is done to cure, the worse they grow. She keeps - her hands clenched before her heart, and groans slightly with every - breath. On her hands were seen stigmata, much more marked than Maria - Mörl, like fresh wounds by a nail passing through and sinking into - the flesh. Her sister said the same was the case with her side and - feet. I only spoke to her a little about England, and was delighted - at her manner then, which shows how superior she is to her pains. It - seems to distress her to be too near her, and as I have learned - since it does. She is always hot; her sister was fanning her all the - time, and in the depth of winter it is the same thing, when snow - drives into her room. She also gives her prints; she made her sister - show her prints out of a little case, and when she has chosen them - she kisses them and gives them to each with great kindness. There - were a young man and woman there, who offered money for them to her - sister, but she will take nothing. The sight of her is not at first - so striking and pleasing as of la Mörl, but the remembrance is more - impressive. It seems a state more meritorious, more humble. It is - more poor, and patient. {316} Having been delayed so long, I could - not get to Cavallesi till 3; the sulky face of the driver betokened - no good for my return; the horse, too, he said was ill, and in fine, - he brought me to Egna just too late for the still-wagen to Lavorno, - and I was not so patient as I ought to have been after seeing that - example, but I was helped by it a little. I had to take a carriage - for myself and the same miserable driver, who was going to sleep all - the way, and grunted at me once when I awoke him. I got to a nice - inn at Lavorno, the white house again. - - Sunday, Sept. 1.--I started at 5 by a still-wagen for Trent, all - alone in it. I came to the Rose Inn, and waited to say mass at the - Church di S. Maria Maggiora, where the Council of Trent was held, - and prayed, as usual on Sundays, for the gift of Faith, which was - appropriate here. The church is quite uninteresting in appearance. I - breakfasted at a cafe, and went about my way of travelling; then at - ¼ to 11 went and heard the end of a high mass. I thought to be in - time for all. After it I was very happy in getting myself introduced - to the Bishop, who was extremely agreeable, and said he prayed daily - for England, and promised to recommend it to Maria la Mörl, and to - all the clergy. I left, as if I need take no more trouble about - Trent. I went to the Rosa, and stayed there quiet till dinner at - 12½, and then till 4, writing my long days of late in the Journal. - At 4, I got into a carriage carrying four inside to Roveredo, where - I got to the Corona, and went to bed at 8½ or 9. - - Monday, Sept. 2.--I set off soon after 3½ with an old _vetturino_, - who rather displeased me last night in making his bargain, by his - flattering way; but I found him a nice old man, and very civil. We - got to Bosketto, on the banks of the Adige (which indeed we followed - all day), at 7¼. I said mass and breakfasted. Then we went on to - dine at a single house, called Ospitaletto. We stayed from 12 to 2; - I wrote two letters. We then started and got to Verona at 4, to the - Hotel di Londra. I took a _laquais de place_, and walked to Count - Persico's house. I was sorry to find him in the country. Then to the - Jesuit Noviciate, where I {317} thought I might possibly find - Connolly. The Superior showed me Padre Odescalchi's room, where he - passed his noviciate. I recommended myself to his prayers. I had - been reading on the road his memoirs, given me at Louvain. The - Superior promised to recommend England. I went then to the - cathedral, and the Bishop being out, I saw the Vicario, who kindly - promised to speak for me to the Bishop. I then went into the - cathedral, where there was a brilliant illumination, and a most - solemn benediction, and then a litany before the altar of the - Blessed Virgin, which reminded me of the holy litanies of Rome. I - have seen nothing like this on the Continent, nor have I seen a town - so full of respectable clergy in every part. Came home and to bed at - 8½. - - Tuesday, Sept. 3rd.--Started at 4 with my new _vetturino_, who - cheated me as usual, but was civil. It rained almost all day. I said - mass at a place called Montebello, and got to Vicenza to dine at - 11½. Then started for Padua with a new _vetturino_, and had for - company an old and a young Roman priest. The old one was Bighi, a - well-known professor, who taught Dr. Wiseman and S. Sharples, &c., - and was full of kindness to me. I talked myself almost hoarse with - him. They stopped at Padua. I went on railroad to Venice. I sat by a - priest of Illyricum of the _scuole pie_ of St. Joseph Calasanctius; - but what was wonderful was my being in the midst of Mrs. Neville and - her family, whom Mrs. Rio desired me to see, coming back from a - visit to Vicenza. We kept together all across the Sayburne, and made - a great acquaintance. I got into a gondola, and had to go a great - round to put down another young man, who had already engaged it. I - had a great battle about my fare, and for a wonder I conquered. I - waited a little, having my chocolate, when Phillipps and all came - in, and we made a happy meeting, giving an account of our respective - travels. - - Wednesday, Sept. 4th.--I went at 7 to say mass at San Marco, but was - obliged to wait till 8, as they are very strict here not to allow a - priest to mass without leave from the Patriarch, except the first - day, when, as to me, leave {318} is given. I breakfasted at a cafe, - then went with Phillipps to St. Georgio dei Greci, and heard a high - mass of the schismatic Greeks, of whom there is a colony at Venice; - the occasion was the octave of the Assumption, old style. The mass - was all celebrated behind a close screen; which is open part of the - time, but not during the most solemn part. After the consecration, - the host and chalice are carried outside this screen in procession, - and presented for adoration; one man before us was making his - prostrations all the time. The priests had chasubles, hanging evenly - all round to near the ankles; they lifted them to use their hands; - there is no musical instrument, but singing all the time. I then - went to the Cancellaria to get my licence to say mass, and then to - Mrs. Neville at the Corte dell' Albero. She soon after took me to - the Armenian College, where the examinations were just finished. - There are eighteen scholars, with two priests over them, in an old - grand palace of a ruined family of Pesaro. The _vicario_ and several - others from the island were there. We talked much about England. I - came to dinner at the Tavola, returned at 4, Then we went to the - Island of St. Lazzaro, to see Padre Pasquale and the Archbishop - Sutrio Somal (as the name sounds), great friends of Phillipps at - Rome in 1831, and of mine, too. When we came back. I went in a - gondola to Mrs. Neville, and back to tea. - - Tuesday, Sept. 5.--This being the feast of St. Lorenzo Giustiniani, - I went out at 6¾ to find the church where his body is laid. He died - in the very hotel where we are. The church I went to in a gondola in - rain to St. Pietro at Castello--the ancient patriarchal church--and - said mass at the high altar, where he lies. I walked back in rain, - without umbrella, as I lost mine yesterday. I bought another. At 12, - Padre Raffaelle, an Armenian priest, Mrs. Neville's confessor, to - whom she introduced me yesterday, called and took me to the - patriarch, Cardinal Monico, who received most graciously my - propositions for England. I am to call again with the Phillippses on - Saturday, and get something more exactly settled about the prayers; - we then went across the Great Canal to the Del Redentore, where - {319} is a convent of eighty Capuchins. The church is reckoned a - _chef d'oeuvre_ of Palladio, built _ex voto_ by the Republic, after - a plague. We saw the guardian, who is also provincial; he learned - our want, and promised for his own house and ten others of the - province. I came back to dinner. A Greek priest whom Phillipps got - acquainted with the other day, came to dine with us, and sat till 9. - His conversation was very interesting as showing the ideas of the - Greeks about the Roman Church, and their doctrines on many points - varying from ours. What a terrible evil is that of separation of - nearly half of Christendom! The greater reasons to hasten the - reunion of England, that we may draw the others. - - Friday, Sept. 6.--The two Neville boys came with me to St. Marco, - and served my mass, as their mother had desired. After breakfast, I - called on Mrs. Neville, who was not up, then went to Palazzo Pasaro, - to Padre Raffaelle. He came with me first to the Franciscans; the - guardian promised for his house of fifty, and for three or four at - some distance from him. Then to the Dominicans, who are fifteen, a - new establishment a year old. Then to the Jesuits, who are eight in - number, only this summer returned to their old church, which is one - of the most remarkable for its ornaments in Venice, white marble - inlaid with black. I remembered it well from twenty-six years ago. - The superior, Padre Ferrario, is going to Rome to-morrow, and - promised to see about my matters there with Cardinal Acton and the - general of the Jesuits. I came home in haste, and found Phillipps, - and Mrs. Neville and her friends with her, gone to St. Marco, where - we followed them to see the treasury--_i.e._, the inestimably rich - treasures brought by Doge Dandolo from Constantinople, just before - it was taken by the Turks. The chief thing is an antependium and a - reredos of massive gold, with splendid pearls and enamels. Mrs. - Neville took us to the Convent of the Visitation, where is preserved - the heart of St. Francis of Sales, which was brought from France - when the Revolution drove off all religious. They could not show - this relic; but promised prayers, and to write to other houses. - There were there {320} forty nuns. Back to dinner at the _table - d'hôte_. After dinner we went all together to see the only large - Gothic church in Venice, called St. ---- di Frari, which is the - Venetian for Frati; it used to be the Franciscan church, and their - house is turned into a public Archivium. Phillipps said they - deserved it for having such a palace. The church is a fine one, and - has some good morsels; but what is most startling, or rather - glaring, is the immense marble monument to Canova--a pyramid, with a - heathen procession into it. His heart is here. His right hand in an - urn at the Arcadinia. We tried at St. Sitorstro (Silvestro) to - assist at the 40 _ore_, but all was over. We came back by a fine - star light, and went to St. Marco, where we had ices at Floriano's - _café_, and heard military music. Canonico Pio Bighi, and his young - companion Don Giovanni Moneti, joined us, _ad cor. sat._ We came - home at 9. - - Sept. 7th.--Said mass at St. Marco, on the altar where the - miraculous picture of Our Lady is, by St. Luke. The Greek priest - told us there existed seventy-five of them. I went at 8½ to the - Jesuits, to give a letter for Cardinal Acton, about indulgences for - prayers for England, to Padre Ferrarrio, the Superior, who sets off - to-day for Rome. I found Mrs. Neville and Father Raffaelle talking - to him. The latter kindly went around with me to-day again. We went - first to the Institute of St. Dorothea, founded lately by Conte - Passi and his brother, which we desired to see. The Superioress was - out, but another made excellent promises.--15 nuns. Then to St. - Lucia, to the Sisters of Charity, and another house dependent on - them. In the latter was an Armenian lady who spoke English, having - been six years at Hammersmith Convent. The Superioress of the chief - house spoke of Gentili with great respect; she knew him when she was - at the house at Verona. She promised me for thirteen houses under - her authority. Then we went past the Jesuits to a house of Reformed - Franciscans (Zoccolanti). St. Michele di Marano. Promised for three - houses as large as this, about twenty-six, and many more smaller. - This is where Gregory XVI. was educated, made his novitiate, and was - Superior. We saw the outside of his room; the key could {321} not be - got. We got back at 12½. I went with Phillipps to the Cardinal - Patriarch, as appointed before. I gave him the prayer for England - which I gave to Padre Ferrario, and he promised to speak with him - also. Thence to the Accademia, where for two hours we looked at the - pictures and statues. It did not greatly answer me. Thence left our - cards on the Duc de Levis, who, with his master the Due de Bordeaux, - is at the Albergo Reale. Then dined. Another _maigre_. After I did - not go out with them, as I had office to say. At 7½ we had a party - to tea--the Greek priest, with Mrs. Neville and three children. They - stayed till past 11. - - Monday, Sept. 8. Nativity of Blessed Virgin.--I said mass at S. - Marco. We went to the high Armenian mass at S. Lazzaro at 10. We - were a little late. After it we stayed there with our friends the - fathers till vespers and benediction, at 3. And after that, dinner - at 4. Mrs. Neville and family were there too. It was an interesting - day for seeing and conversing. I saw, in the visitors' book, my name - under Lefevre's, written by him July, 1820. We sat in the cloister, - with the old Archbishop, &c., till twilight. He made us presents of - many handsome books printed there. We came back to S. Marco, and sat - to hear the band, &c. On coming home, at 7½, we were in great demand - with cards and notes, left by the Duc de Levis, to invite us to the - Duc de Bordeaux's (Comte de Chombard) salon at 7. We were all thrown - back by Phillipps having no dresses to go in. So we had to keep easy - at home. - - Sunday, Sept. 9.--Mass at the cathedral (S. Marco). P. Raffaele and - the Greek priest came to breakfast. At 10 I had a visit from the - Superioress of the Institute of Sta. Dorothea and a companion. At - 10½ we went to visit the Duc de Bordeaux, who gave us a quarter of - an hour's most affable conversation, spoke with great kindness of - his reception in England, and asked after Dr. Wiseman, &c. His - confessor, the Abbé Trélouquet, was introduced to us, and came in - our gondola to Mrs. Neville, of whom we took leave. Mr. Trélouquet - promised to engage the French royal {322} family in prayers for - England. He said, the Duc de Bordeaux had spoken of my asking him at - Oscott. We went then to S. Tommaso, where I left the Phillippses and - went to the banker, Holme, who is Armenian consul. Then back to S. - Tommaso, where I found them looking at an extraordinary collection - of relics made by a priest, who devoted himself to the work when all - things were in confusion in the revolution. He gave the collection - to the church, on condition of their being open to the public for - veneration. The chief relic is some of the blood of Our Lord, in a - beautiful gold or gilt reliquary. I found there Monsignor Arfi, the - Pope's Caudatario, and invited for England. I then went to Padre - Raffaele, at the college, and went with him to see the two brothers, - priests Cavanis, founders of an excellent institute of _Scuole di - Carità_. They are in a poor house, with a few companions; one of - them complained that no one helped them; but they are like their - patron S. Joseph Calasanctius, losing ground in old age, but with - hope of better things. P. Raffaele, who has indeed been an angel to - me in Venice, came with me to the inn where they were at dinner. At - 4 we left Venice, with pleasant remembrances. We crossed the lagune - in a procession of boats, and got into the railway carriage, which - took us to Padua about 7. At the Stella d'Oro I went out to try to - find the Bishop; but he was not in town. - - Tuesday, Sept, 10.--I went to St. Antony's church at 7½ to say mass. - Before going I met Dr. Roskell, of Manchester, just come with a - Manchester party on a rapid tour. I could not have the altar of St. - Antony, which seems always occupied. I spoke to the Superior of the - house of Conventual Franciscans attached to the church, 50 in - number, who promised to recommend my cause. I came back in a little - carriage with Phillipps. We started at 9 for Verona, dined at - Vicenza; then I took a carriage and called on the Bishop, Monsignor - Capellari, a good old man, who received me graciously. We stopped in - going out of Vicenza to see Palladio's Olympic Theatre, built to act - the OEdipus Tyrannus in 1585. This pretends to nothing but paganism. - We reached Verona at 7. I went out to see {323} the Bishop, who was - quite gracious; he begins his retreat with his clergy to-morrow, and - promised to begin then and recommend England. I then called at Conte - Persico's, who is in town, but was just gone to the theatre. Home, - and to bed at 9½. - - Wednesday, Sept. 11.--Up soon after 5, and at 7 said mass in St. - Anastasius, a large church close to the hotel. Soon after Conte - Persico came to return my visit, and sat a good while with me, then - with the Phillippses, to whom I introduced him. He is grown very - old, being now 67. He said he was married two years after I had seen - him before, and was now by accident in town with his wife. I thought - him very like his old father. At 10 we went in a carriage to see the - tombs of the Scaligeri, formerly tyrants of Verona, fine Gothic - structure; then the Amphitheatre, and the church of St. Zenone, - where I saw the image of the saint again which I before laughed at, - as a thing so to be treated, in 1820. I then called at Conte - Persico's, and saw his lady. At 12½ we set off for Dezenzano, a - beautiful spot at the town end of the Lake di Garda. We arrived at - 6, and had a pleasant evening in a little room of the Albergo - Imperiale, looking over the lake. I wrote to Mrs. Neville and Abbé - de Baudry. - - Thursday, Sept. 12.--There was rain in the night, leaving us a fine - day without dust. I said mass at 6½ in the parish church. We went to - dine at the Duc Torri, at Brescia. I went to see the Bishop, who - received me very courteously. There I met a Philippine lay-brother, - who introduced me to the church of his order, Sta. Maria della Pace, - then to five or six of the fathers sitting together. I had a fine - opportunity of recommending England. They are the only religious - house in Brescia (of men at least). After dinner at 3 we set off for - Bergamo, when we came to Albergo Reale at 9 o'clock. I got up to my - knees in a stream near the road at the wet stage, but hope no harm - from it. - - Friday, Sept. 13.--Anniversary of my first coming abroad, 1819. I - got up soon after 5, said mass in a church opposite the inn, - breakfasted at a café, then walked up the beautiful road to the high - town called the _Città_, where our {324} inn was is the borga. - Between them there are about 36,000. In the _Città_ I met a priest, - by name Giuseppe Caffi, belonging to the collegiate church, who, - when I asked him for Count Papi, volunteered to be my guide - altogether. He showed me the cathedral, his own church, Sta. Maria, - and a little convent church, Church of the Benedictine Nuns, - beautifully gilt. He also went with me to the Bishop, who gave me - one of the best receptions. By the same good hap as at Verona, the - priests were in retreat. He introduced me to the Abbate Vittadini, - conductor of the retreat, who promised to speak of England to the - clergy. He was already full of zeal for it; he knew a good deal of - the state of things with us. When I wrote my name, he knew it well, - and it had a good effect. I went with Abbé Caffi to the palace of - Count Papi; all were away. He came with us to the hotel, and soon we - started for Milan. We arrived at 3, and found rooms in the best - hotel (de la Ville). _Tables d'hôte_ at 5. I said office, and just - got time to look in the cathedral before dinner, and again after we - all went. It was beyond my recollections of old. I admired the - ceiling, which seemed all beautiful openwork; I did not remember - this. It seemed to be only painted so. How I remember Lord Kinnaird - taking my mother to it. We tried two other churches to find - Benediction in vain. Then I went with Phillipps to a bookseller's. - - Saturday, Sept. 14.--Up at 5½. I went to say mass at the cathedral, - and finding that the Roman rite is not allowed in the church alone, - I was in the happy necessity of celebrating in the chapel of St. - Charles, in the crypt, which is almost reserved for strangers. I - waited over two masses. After breakfast we had a visit from Count - Mellerio, Rosinini's great friend. Phillipps and I went with him to - his palace, and saw Abbate Polidori, who lives there. Mrs. Ambrose - came with the carriage to pick us up, and I went to the Church of - St. Celso, and to the great hospital fitted up for 3,000 patients; - then to vespers at the Duomo, and at 3½ to dine with Count Mellerio. - I sat near Polidori. Before we parted he and Signer Mercati seemed - gained for England. At 6½ we went to a Benediction at the Duomo, - only of relics {325} of the Passion, and not very solemn. This was - by occasion of the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross to-day. I - then went to the Archbishop's palace to find the Grand Vicar, to get - leave for confessions to-morrow, and without expecting it saw the - Cardinal himself instead. As Count Mellerio was to prepare my way - to-morrow, I did not speak of England. When I got home I found - Mellerio at the inn, bringing a permission from the Grand Vicar. To - bed after 10. I have got unwell to-day in the inside,--between - yesterday's _maigre_ and the fruit, I suppose. - - Sunday, Sept. 15.--We went together this morning to the old basilica - of St. Ambrose, where I said mass at the saint's tomb, in the crypt. - The Phillippses received communion. Then we saw the splendid - covering of the altar above, in the church. It is exposed only on - three days at mass--St. Ambrose, SS. Gervase and Protase, and Corpus - Christi. SS. Gervase and Protase's relics are there, with St. - Ambrose's. This altar cost to a bishop who gave it, 80,000 sequins - of gold, about the year 1000. I spoke to the Directeur du Séminaire - de Chamberry, who was there, and he promised to speak of England. We - went home to breakfast at 10½. Assisted at high mass in the Duomo - again; not so solemn as yesterday. The procession of the Blessed - Sacrament before it did not please me much. After high mass I went - to call on the Cardinal again. I was not so much disappointed as in - the case of the Bishop of _Brixen_, for I had heard nothing - promising about this interview as in the other cases; but I felt as - one defeated when I went away. I went to the Piazza del Castello to - see the Contessa del Verme and her sister, English people, converts - to whom Abbate Vittadini, at Bergamo, recommended me. Her sister, - Miss Mary Webster, is just about entering the order of the - Visitation here. The Count came in just when I was gone out, and - followed me to S. Alessandro, of the Barnabites, which he had heard - me ask for as I left his house. I brought him to see Phillipps. We - dined at 3½, and at 4½ went to the Arena, or Amphitheatre, where - there was a grand _spettacolo nautico e pirotecnico._ The arena was - full of water, and we had five races of boats, three of men, one of - {326} women, and one of boys rowing; then a procession of two great - illuminated galleys filled with musicians; then what struck me most, - as most new to me, the ascent of fifty fine balloons; then of one - very large one; then a splendid display of fireworks, ending as - often with an illuminated palace, with an inscription _alle scienze, - alle letters, alle arti_, as the spectacle was in honour of the - Sixth Italian Scientific Congress, now being held here. We got home - at ¼ to 9; I almost well again. - - Monday, September 16.--I said mass at St. Fidele, formerly one of - the three Jesuit churches. At 8 we set off in a carriage to see the - Certosa of Pavia. We got to it at 10½, and were two hours examining - its beautiful details. Women are now forbidden entrance into the - choir, and so Mrs. Ambrose had to stay in the body of the church, - while we, with other people who had come to see it, saw the rich - high altar and many of the finest things. There are not many - precious stones, like rubies, emeralds, &c., but a profusion of - altar-fronts of Pietra-dura, beautiful _alto relievos_ in marble, - and many fine pictures. The convent is but lately reinhabited. Count - Mellerio was the means of replacing monks there. They are all - French. We saw the Prior, who knew Michael MacMahon. He promised to - recommend England not only here, but by letter in other houses. We - dined at an inn half a mile from the church, called Albergo della - Certosa, and came back to Milan by 5. I got off near the Contrada S. - Maria Falconeria, to call at a convent of Sisters of Charity of the - same order as those of Sta. Lucia, at Venice. I saw the Superioress. - Then I went to the Count del Verme's palace. La Contessa was - confined this morning. I saw Miss Webster, who spoke about two - English girls whom they are instructing, wishing me to receive the - confession of one who cannot speak Italian. I went out with the - priest who instructs them, Don Gaetano Fumagalli, to see them. We - first went to the convent of the Salesiani, 54 nuns (visitation), - into which Miss Webster is about to enter, and though the time was - past, we saw the mistress of novices through the grate, who was very - gracious about England. Then we went to a high story in a house - where these girls lodge, paid {327} for by the Cardinal. After - coming home I went, on an invitation obtained by the Conte del - Verme, to a grand assembly and concert at the Accademia, or the - _Nobil Società_. The gayest rooms I have seen a long time. I came - home soon after ten, for I knew nobody there, and was almost the - only priest I saw; certainly the only one in a cassock. - - Tuesday, September 17.--Mass at St. Fidele. At 8 Count Mellerio - came, and we started for his villa at Gernetto, beyond Monza. He - took Mrs. A. and Amb., and I and a boy went in our carriage, with - four vetturino horses. We stopped at Monza to see the glorious relic - of the Iron Crown given by the Empress Helena to Constantine, in - which is inserted, as a ring of iron within a larger ring of gold, - one of the nails of Our Lord's crucifixion beat out into that form. - It has crowned from thirty to forty kings of Italy. Among them, - Napoleon last but one. Other grand relics of the Passion are with - it, two thorns, and a piece of the sponge. Other relics are in the - sacristy. This is kept over an altar within rich doors. The - Canonico, who was with us in the church, promised to recommend - England. We went on to the palace of the Archduke, surrounded by a - park fifteen miles round, dressed like an English park, a noble - palace. Then on to Gernetto, where we were for two or three hours - before dinner walking gaily with the Count round his beautiful - grounds. The villa is very handsome. Two priests of the - neighbourhood dined with us at 3. One told me that Count Mellerio is - one of the richest, or rather the richest nobleman in Milan,--about - £15,000 a year of our money. He is alone, having lost his wife and - four children. He came back with us to our hotel, where I found - Count del Verme to tell me that the confession of the girls was put - off. They have been left here by their mother. Their parents, ---- - and Ann Carraway, live at Newcastle-under-Lyne. Their grandfather - and mother, James and Mary Freakley, at Cheapside, Handley. I went - with the Count to the assembly of the learned men who are now met in - Milan,--not so smart as yesterday, but very numerous. Then to a - café, to read news about the effects of O'Connell's liberation. - -{328} - - Wednesday, September 18.--I went with Phillippses to the Duomo to - say mass for them at St. Charles's tomb, but I found it occupied, - and so I went to San Fidele again, came back to breakfast, and saw - Conte Mellerio, who had called. Then went with them to the Brera, - where I went quickly through the gallery, and left them, taking the - carriage to go to the hospital of the Fate-bene Fratelli, which is a - fine establishment for 100 sick. The Vicario, whom I saw, promised - to recommend England to the Provincial, who is here, and through him - to the thirty brothers here, and five houses in Lombardy--_vento_. - Then I went to the bank. Dined at 1, and at 2 we started with a - Swiss _voiturier_, whom we had engaged to take us to Geneva. We - passed the beautiful triumphal arch, L'Arco della Pace, reckoned the - finest in the world, ancient and modern. We got to sleep at a nice - inn, in a place called Casiua buon Jesu. I wrote a letter to Dr. - Wiseman. - - Thursday, September 19. San Januarius.--I said mass at the little - oratory of the village. There is mass here only on Sundays - generally, but the bell rung three times for my mass, and we had a - full chapel. This chapel not very neat; it seemed used for a - school-room. We started at ½ past 7, and reached Avona at 12 to - dine. How I was struck with the remembrance of the last time in this - place with my father and mother, after coming in a boat with Dr. - Wilson from Bavino. The inn is a fine new house since then. We saw a - steamboat pass, which plies daily the whole length of the lake. I - missed going to St. Charles's statue and the seminary near it, - belonging to the diocese of Novara, where I should have liked to go - to preach England. After dinner we started and went round to Strass, - where we stopped and went up the mountain's side to see Rosmini's - Novitiate, which overlooks the village. It is a large house, without - beauty or character, unhappily. We knew we should not find Rosinini, - who is at Roveredo. We saw Segnini and two other priests, Paoli and - Gagliardi. They have thirty novices. The situation is beautiful. The - ground belonged before to Madame Bolognaro, who has a large house in - the town, where, while we were at the convent, the Bishop of {329} - Novara came. I would not have failed to ask an audience had I been - alone, but I made the priests promise to speak to him of England. We - took a boat to go to the Isola Bella, to see the palace and gardens - on our way to Bavino, the carriage going on there by itself. It was - almost dark when we got there, and we could only see the suite of - grand rooms and pictures, and the chapel with the old family tombs - brought from Milan, by candlelight. _Mem_. A room of rockwork - underneath the chief suite, where Bonaparte dined, and the bedroom - he slept in. The whole of this grandeur is made worse than worthless - by the indecent statues and pictures which are all about the place. - We got to Bavino at 8; a nice new inn. - - Friday, Sept. 20.--Ember Day, but no fast for me! I got to say mass - at 4½, and we started at 6 to ascend the Simplon. The day was - beautiful. We got to Domodossola at 11. We went up the beautiful - road to the Monte Calvario, of which Gentili has made me think so - much, first having taken a look at their college in the town, where - there are 19 boarders and more than 200 out-students. At the Calvary - two priests received us kindly. Along the road to it are chapels - with the stations represented in groups of figures as large as life, - well executed; only two or three are complete. The situation here - again is admirable. The house and church not remarkable. I was well - received for England. Coming down, which I did after the rest, I - visited a pretty Capuchin convent, half-way up, of fifteen friars, - and had a good reception (promise to write to the other houses). - After dinner at 2 we set off for Simplon, which we reached after 8. - The _voiturier_ (coachman), to spare his horses, put us on - post-horses at his own expense. The road on the Piedmontese side is - sadly dilapidated. It was broken down (by water, as it seems) six - years ago, and the King of Sardinia will not have his part repaired, - to make people go by Mount Cenis and Turin. Put up at the Simplon - Inn. - - Saturday, Sept. 21. St. Matthew.--I said mass at 7, spoke to the - curé after, who promised for England. We started at 8; we still had - two hours going up the hill. {330} About the summit is the Hospice - de St. Bernard, begun by Bonaparte. I remember it in an unfinished - state. It now contains four or five priests, and some brothers. We - stopped and saw the Prior, M. Barras, who promised kindly to - recommend England to the mother house. Phillipps bought a puppy of - the famous breed, three months old, who was added to our company in - the carriage. We reached Brigy between 12 and 1. I went out before - dinner, and saw the Superior of the Jesuits' College here, who is a - nice old man, and received us very kindly. I hurried away quickly, - thinking to return again after dinner, but the dinner was long after - time, and we had at once to set off for Turtinan, which we reached - at 6½. We went out before tea to see a waterfall: it was a dark, wet - walk, for rain was beginning. - - Sunday, Sept. 22.--I said mass at 5. Soon after 6 we set off for - Sion. Arrived at 10, and found a grand military pontifical high mass - begun in the cathedral. I never heard drums and cannon and the word - of command in a mass before. The music was not military, but noisy - figured. The occasion of the solemn mass was the feast of St. - Maurice, patron of the Valais. After mass the Bishop walked with a - great procession about the town, with a feretrum, with relics of St. - Maurice. The chief part are at the town of the name, which we are to - pass to-morrow. The procession had an excellent effect. I went then - to the Jesuits' College, and spoke to the Rector, who told me the - first I had heard of the attempt at revolution in the month of May - here, which was defeated in a gallant style by the inhabitants of - the Valais arming to the number of 10,000, from a population of - 70,000, under an old French officer, _i.e._, a Swiss, trained in the - French army, who repelled the party of the Jeune Suisse, who - otherwise would have overturned religious order, and perhaps, as he - said, have massacred all the religious. Young Bodenham was in their - house when the danger threatened. The Rector was very kind, but did - not promise much. I went then to dine at a _table d'hôte_, but soon - got off, and went to the Bishop lately consecrated, who came from - table to speak with me. He was educated at the Collegio Germanico; - knew Baldacconi and Father Daniel. {331} He promised his help. I - then went to a Capuchin convent outside the town. The guardian, a - young man, was rather cold, but said meanwhile that he always prayed - for England, as ordered in the Confrérie de l'Immaculé Coeur. Then - to a convent of Ursulines, close to the Bishop's; eleven nuns (well - received); then in a hurry to an hospital outside the town on the - other side, with eight nuns. The director gave me one of my most - favourable receptions, and promised that the nuns should change - their day of communion from Friday to Thursday to meet my wishes. We - set off at 2 for Martigny, which we reached at 5½. It has a - different look from 1819, the year after the inundation. I called on - the curé, who is one of the monks of Grand St. Bernard, with the - white linen scapular to represent the surplice, which they always - wear as canons regular of St. Augustine, to which they belong. He - was very good about England. From thence, I went to an hospital kept - by six French nuns, to receive poor travellers, female St. - Bernardites. The Superioress was very agreeable and zealous. They - are going directly to France to make their retreat with 600 other - nuns, assembled under the Bishop of Belley. She promised to get him - to recommend it to them all. I came back to tea after a happy, - successful day (Hôtel de la Cigne). Alpine strawberries at tea. - - Monday, September 23.--I said mass at 6. Came away, fearing it would - be too late, without saying farewell to the Prior, which was - mortifying, as there was time enough. We went to dine at St. - Gingolph, beautifully placed on the bank of the Lake of Geneva. On - the way we stopped at St. Maurice, where we saw in the church the - rich shrine of St. Maurice, containing his body, and several others; - two of the sons of Sigismund, King of Burgundy, who did penance - here, after putting them to death. In the abbey, which is of the - Canons Regular of St. Augustine, I saw the superior, who is a bishop - _in partibus_; he spoke very kindly about England. I also met a nun - there of a convent of Sisters of Charity, who promised for Thursdays - at St. Gingolph. I went to the curé, where the Vicar introduced me - to several priests dining with him, who became greatly interested, - and {332} promised to speak to the Bishop of Annecy, and to their - _confrères_ at Thonon, where we came to sleep. I called on the curé, - who promised, but I could not quite satisfy myself about him; but - was quite satisfied with the brothers of the Christian Doctrine; - there are eight. The Superior promised well, and sent two brothers - home with me to the inn. The names of the priests at St. Gingolph - were:--M. Veuillet, Curé de Désingy; M. Maitre, Curé de Novel; M. La - Croix, Vicaire de Chilly; and M. Pollien, Vicaire de St. Gingolph. - The first most interesting: the last extremely tall. - - Tuesday, Sept. 24. B.M.V. di Mercede.--At 5½ I went to the Convent - of the Visitation, where there are thirty-four nuns, who have - recovered their house after the Revolution. The Superioress received - me most kindly, and promised all. I then went to the Sisters of - Charity, who have two houses--a _pensionnat_ and an hospital. The - Superioress was not up. I left my card with a lay sister. I then - went and said mass at the parish church. The Phillippses went to - communion. It was at the altar of St. Francis of Sales, in this, the - first church which he (or any other one) regained from the - Calvinists--St. Hippolyte. I offered the mass for the recovery of - our dear cathedrals. The curé spoke to me again, and much more - zealously promised all for Thonon, M. De la Millière. We ought to - have gone to the Château d'Allinges, where St. Francis lodged when - he began the holy work. The chapel has been wonderfully preserved, - and lately reopened, Sept. 14, 1836. On our way to Geneva, where we - arrived at 12½, we read some of the account of his mission. We came - to the Hotel de Bergues, a new grand house in a new part of the - town, built out on the lake about 1834. I took a carriage to - Plainpalais, and brought back my good friend l'Abbé de Baudry. I - dined after at the _table d'hôte_. He is a tall, venerable old man, - dressed in his cassock, as all the priests are. His account of - things here was better than I thought. We set off at 3½, and could - not get farther than Nyon, where Phillipps and I went to see the - curé and his church, all new. There was no mission here till 1831. - We interested him for England, I hope. The hotel is de la Couronne. - In {333} every room, as at Geneva, is a New Testament of the Geneva - Bible Society. - - Wednesday, Sept. 25.--I went at 5 to say mass at the new church; the - curé, M. Rossiaud, got up to serve it, and came with me to see us - off. We went up the Jura; but the grand view of Mont Blanc was - clouded, so we have but once seen it dimly. Yesterday evening we had - a troublesome sorting of all our baggage at Les Rousses. We dined at - St. Laurent. I went to the curé, M. Gottez, who spoke painfully of - the state of France (I think too much so), but brightened up when we - were about England. We went on to Champagnole, at the Hôtel de la - Poste, a nice little inn. Phillipps and I went to the church; and I - called and saw the curé, like Dr. Rock in looks. He accepted my - appeal agreeably. - - Thursday, Sept. 26.--I got to say mass at the parish church, at 5. - The curé, M. Patit, and the vicaire, M. Bouvet, were both up, and - the latter walked back with me to the inn, la Poste. We started at - 6½; dined at 1 at l'Hôtel de France, at Dole: we got there at 12. I - went out and saw a father at the Jesuits', who received me very - agreeably; and then a nun at the Visitation Convent. The Jesuit - promised for all the convents himself. The Prince and Princess Doria - were come to the inn, on their way to Italy. When we came back, I - went to see them after our dinner. We went on through Auxonne, where - Phillipps and I went to see the church,--_diligence_ to Dijon. - Arrived at the Hôtel de la Cloche at 7½. I went out to see the - Bishop, but he was out. I called at the Séminaire, and saw the - Superior and others, who were very kind, and spoke of Brother Luke - asking them; then back to supper; after which I went again to the - évêché, and waited in the porter's lodge, talking to a nice old man - of eighty about the Revolution, &c., till the Bishop came in. He, - Monseigneur Rivet, promised his help very graciously. I got home at - 10, having also tried in vain to get at the sacristan for mass - tomorrow. - - Friday, Sept. 27.--I went out at ten minutes to 4, to try once more - the sacristan's bell, but no answer, and so I had {334} to come back - and give up mass, as we were to start at 5. We took provisions in - the carriage, and we had no mind to stop all day, till at 7½ we - reached St. Florentin, a town of 2,400 people, in the diocese of - Sens. The weather was beautiful, and we admired the high cultivation - and seeming prosperity of the country. We passed a fine château at - Aucy le Franc, of the Duce or Marquis de Clermont-Tonnerre. At St. - Florentin I went out and saw the curé and the sacristan, to provide - better for mass to-morrow than today. Hôtel de la Poste. - - Saturday, Sept. 28.--Got up about 3. At a quarter to 4 I went to the - sacristan, and with him to the church, and said mass; a pretty - little Gothic church. We set off at a quarter to 5, with provisions - again, for Paris, which we entered about 11 at night. We stopped at - Sens to see the cathedral. I first went to the archévêché, and was - most graciously received by the Archbishop, Monseigneur Mellon - Jolly, a young man translated here from Séez last March. He said he - had introduced prayers for England at Séez, and would begin again - now. He took me into the cathedral, and left me to see the trésor, - where the Phillippses already were. The most precious relic was of - the true cross, as the sacristan said, the largest in the world; but - he could not know of Rome and Jerusalem. It was given by - Charlemagne. There are two pieces, placed in a cross under crystal; - I should say the upright piece of nine or ten inches, the transverse - of four or five, well polished. What was perhaps most interesting to - us was the case containing St. Thomas of Canterbury's chasuble, alb - with apparel, stole, &c., from which the late Archbishop separated - what he gave to Dr. Wiseman. There is also an arm of St. Lupus, a - case of St. Gregory's relics, from which some have been begged for - Rome. We stopped again at Fontainebleau, and took a rapid view of - the palace. The servant who led said it was the finest in the world. - I think he must be partial, as the sacristan this morning about the - relic of the cross. Louis-Philippe has done a good deal here; spent - 800,000 fr. in ornamenting one room. I was much pleased with the - gallery with pictures of the history of France. This is the {335} - finest matter for a palace. There was much very indecent. After this - it began to rain till we got to Paris. We got rooms at the Hôtel de - l'Europe, just opposite the gardens of the Tuileries. Nothing could - be better. - - Sunday, Sept. 29.--I went at 7½ to say mass at the Madeleine, that - glorious church for its style. Then home to breakfast, and then, - with the rest, to high mass at Notre-Dame; one of the grandest plain - chant masses I ever was at. There I met Mr. Moore, of Birmingham; - and I went with him after, in his hackney-coach, on a few errands, - and at last to the English convent, from whence he takes one of the - Misses Bingham to the convent at Handsworth. Then I went again to - Notre-Dame, and very much to my loss: I came too late for vespers. - After, I went to St. Jacques, but did not find the Curé de Noirlieu, - nor his vicaire. I came back by the omnibus to dine at the - _restaurant_, and directly we went to Notre-Dame des Victoires, - where we assisted at the service, from 7 to 20 minutes to 10. It was - wonderful to see the attention of the people all this time. The old - curé, after the sermon by another priest, gave the _annonces_ in an - interesting way. We heard him recommend England. I went in to ask - him. - - Monday, Sept. 30.--I said mass at the Madeleine. After breakfast, I - went to Mr. Blount, the banker, who told me that Heneage was to be - in Paris on Thursday, the very day we go away. Then to the post, and - find no letters; then by omnibus to St. Sulpice (where the retreat - of the clergy begins to-day), to see the Archbishop. I was - introduced to him in a room, where he was among several priests. I - got on but poorly. He was gracious, but made little of the affair. - The secretary of Mgr. Quelin was there. He testified to his - recommending the thing before, but no effect followed. This was - damping enough, though I knew something to the contrary. The - Archbishop sent me to M. Vollemaux (Mr. Hand's friend), who conducts - the retreat, and he promised to recommend England this evening. So - the point is gained; though, judging from the tone in which he spoke - of England, it is not so promising a prospect as some. But among 600 - priests some will be inspired, let {336} him speak as he may. I then - went to the rue de Chaillot, to seek Captain Cooke, to know about - John Beaumont. Had to come back empty, and stopped at home, not very - well, till 5½, when Phillippses came in from St. Denis to dinner. - After dinner Mr. Gordon, of the _Univers_, came to tea, and stopped - till 10 nearly. - - Tuesday, Oct. 1.--I went to say mass at Notre-Dame des Victoires, in - les Petits Pères, at 8½. I breakfasted near them, and had a talk - with Abbé Desgenettes. Then went to breakfast _à la fourchette_, at - 11, with M. Noirlieu, Curé of St. Jacques, and his vicaire, - Bourjéant. The latter forced me, against my will, to have some - papers with an image and a prayer for England printed. It is the - like case with Belgium. I hope it may be well, as it certainly was - not my will, and so the denial of my will may be a blessing. We then - went to call on the nuncio, Mgr. Fornari; and then to the engravers - for this said work. Mgr. Fornari is grown very stout and unwieldy, - but was very kind and pleasing; he encouraged my pursuit and this - printing. We went home again to St. Jacques to _rédiger_ the - prayers, when again my friend would have his way against my mind in - a point or two. I came thence to the Bank, M. Blount's, then home, - and dined alone; then went to call on Captain Cooke, to ask about - John Beaumont, who, it seems, does not come to Paris at all; then - home, where I found the Phillippses going out to a spectacle, and so - I had to go off and try to stop at l'Abbé Desgenettes', who was to - come to see him, but he was already from home, and so I came back - and received his visit, when I pressed him for England, and he took - it well. - - Wednesday, Oct. 2.--By desire of M. Gallard, Vicaire of the - Madeleine, expressed by M. Bourgoiner, I said mass there. After - breakfast, I called on Mrs. Heneage and her daughter, 17, rue St. - Florentin; then took omnibus to St. Denis, where I looked through - the church below ground and above. It is greatly altered since - 1838--wonderful work of painting and stained glass, yet a very - little is done of what has to be done. I came back by omnibus to - Porte St. Martin; then walked home at 6. I dined with Captain - Cooke--a family dinner, purely English, as he is himself. {337} I - liked his conversation much, blunt and plain as it is. He talked of - his twenty years' service--Egypt--America. I came home at 8 to meet - MM. Noirlieu and Bourgoigne and Gordon, who came to tea and made - interesting company till 11, I think. - - Thursday, Oct. 3.--Said mass at St. Roch; after, I went to the - Jesuits, Rue des Postes, and saw the Provincial, M. Boulanger; then - to the Sisters of Charity, Rue de Bac; the Sacré Coeur, where Mad. - de Gramont gave me a most amiable reception; the Lazarists, Rue de - Sevres; then I tried to see one of the Society of St. Vincent de - Paul, and went with a zealous young clerk from their office, 37, Rue - de Seine, St. Germain, to seek an _avocat_ at the Palais de Justice. - I was handing about the engravings, which were ordered on Tuesday, - and which are well received. The sister, deputed to see me at the - Sisters of Charity, alone, was cold. She was the same as six years - ago, when she was very gracious. I came home to dine at 1 alone; at - 2 I went to see Heneage, just arrived at his father and mother's - from Dieppe. I sat an hour very happily with him, and came home at - the time appointed to go away, but it was deferred till to-morrow. - So I went to the chief house of the Ecoles Chrétiennes, about 126, - Rue du Faubourg St. Martin. The Superior-General was very - favourable, and promised to recommend England to his community of - 300, and to the 400 houses of his order. I then took omnibus to the - Rue de Bac, and had an interesting conversation with Abbé Dubois, - now eighty years old. Ever since 1838, he prays for England every - day in the mass. He is in retreat. He receives a pension of £100 a - year from England. I went again and had tea with him, and so - finished the day happily. - - Friday, Oct. 4.--Mass at St. Roch. We started for Boulogne at 9½. We - stopped on the way to see the Church of St. Vincent de Paul, - building in most splendid style, in form of a basilica inside, but - with a portico without. Then I stopped at St. Denis, and walked - round it again; saw in addition the winter choir most richly - adorned. _Mem._--The twelve Apostles holding the consecration - crosses round the walls. We went on to dine at Beauvais. We went, - when {338} it was growing dark, to take a look at the cathedral. The - choir alone complete--the finest in the world. We said that the - French, with their present zeal and prosperity, would finish this - cathedral if the peace lasts ten more years. I left them in the - church, and went to see the Bishop. He was at dinner, but came out - and introduced me to the party, namely, the directors of the - Seminary (among them my acquaintance, M. Bareau), and some Jesuits. - He was most kind and favourable, and promised before them all that - he would say mass for England once a week for a year. The others all - sympathised. After this beautiful incident, I came home, and we - dined at the Écu de France. We afterwards drove on to Grandvilliers; - arrived at 11. The King of the French dined there yesterday; the - landlady was in raptures at it; there was the Queen, and in all - twenty-six, at table. - - Saturday, Oct. 5.--As they failed to awake me, I missed saying mass. - We set off at 6½, and went, almost without a stop, dining in the - carriage (135 kilometres, about 85 miles), to Boulogne, where we - stopped at the Hôtel des Bains. I went directly to see the Grand - Doyen, who was very kind. Returning, I found Mr. Digby with them. - Louis-Philippe's birthday--71 years old. - - Sunday, October 6.--I said mass at 8½; got back to breakfast, and - then we went together to the high mass, sung by Dr. Walsh, Bishop of - Halifax. He had no mitre. After this, Mrs. Canning met me in the - sacristy, and we went to her house, No. 5, Rue de Doyen. At 2 we - walked to the Haute Ville, where we visited the Visitation Nuns in - their grand new house, twenty-seven in number, and the Ursulines, - fifty-two in number; then to M. Haffreingue. At 6 I went to dine - with the Digbys; saw Mrs. Digby for the first time. The Phillippses - were there, and four or five more. I walked back with the Doyen in - heavy rain at 10, and entered my lodgings with L'Abbé Daniel, 73, - Grande Rue. - - Monday, October 7.--I went with Mrs. Canning to the Visitation - Convent, and said the community mass at 9. After it we breakfasted - in the parlour at 11. M. Haffreingue came in with the Phillippses, - who had breakfasted {339} with him, and the Superioress, an English - lady of the name of Muller, and other nuns, showed us round the - house, which is most stately and beautiful, though it would have - been wonderfully better had the money been spent on Gothic work. - Mrs. Canning and I left at 12½, and called on Mr. Errington. We came - down to dine at 2. The Doyen and M. Daniel came. The Bishop also - came to luncheon at 8. I went up to the Haute Ville, and first - called on M. Gillies, a Scotch gentleman, converted last year; then - went to Digby's for the evening. Besides Phillippses, &c., I saw - Nicholas Ball. Came back at 10½. - - Tuesday, October 8.--Said mass at 7½; then went to breakfast with - Mrs. Canning. About 11 we set off for the Haute Ville, and went once - more to the Visitation Convent, where we were allowed to see the - whole community through their grate for three quarters of an hour, - that I might do my best to recommend England, which I tried to do. - Then I visited M. Gillies, and got down to dinner at 2¼. M. Le - Cointe, M. Le Roy, and M. Daniel, dined with us. After dinner we - went out and visited, first, the Soeurs Grises, an austere convent - of poor nuns, who teach school. They have 900 girls under care. The - Superioress promised for all; if she fulfils it, it is a fine gain. - Then to the Ecoles Chrétiennes. They are seventeen brothers, - teaching 1,100 boys in different schools. They were very - encouraging; promised for themselves and the boys. After an hour's - office and tea, I went to the Haute Ville to see Phillipps and his - party at Digby's for the last time, as they go to-morrow. Met Mr. W. - Jones and wife, and others. Then at 9 I went to visit Judge Ball at - the Hôtel de Londres. The Bishop and others were there. The family - was Mr. Ball, Nicholas, and Alexander, and a daughter. - - Wednesday, October 9.--I said mass at the Ursulines at 7½, first - addressing them on England for a quarter of an hour. Then - breakfasted, during which six English nuns were in attendance, and - Miss Swift. Then my cousin and I walked to the Annonciades, when we - could not see the Superioress; then to the Dames de Notre-Dame du - bon Secours (_gardes malades_, seventeen nuns). Then in the Basse - Ville {340} to the Hospitalieres (thirteen nuns); these promised - well. Then I went home to office till dinner at 2. Mrs. Canning and - M. Tallier, Curé de Nemfchatel, who takes care of them, came over to - meet me. At 4 M. Thillay came. These two promised to do all they - could. At 5 Mrs. C. and I walked to the steamboat office, - post-office, &c. Came back to office and tea. Then I went up to - change my quarters, and pass some days at the college with M. - Haffreingue. I first called and saw Mrs. Gillies. I sat some time - with M. Haffreingue, and to bed at 10. - - Thursday, October 10.--Said mass at ¼ to 8. At 10 Dr. Walsh came up - and sung mass _de Spiritu Sancto_, for the opening of studies. The - boys came back yesterday. I assisted him as Assistant Deacon. At 1½ - we dined. The Bishop, M. O'Reilly, and a M. Cardham, a London - convert, were all the strangers. The rest were the professors of the - house. After dinner we had toasts, cheers, and speeches, on England, - Mr. O'Reilly leading it. At 10, I went and saw Abbate Melia at Mrs. - Errington's. He is going to replace Baldacconi in London. Then to - Mrs. Canning's to tea. Returned for night prayers at 7½. Supper - comes after. I talked to M. Haffreingue about architecture. - - Friday, October 11.--I said mass at 7½ in the chapel of Notre-Dame - de Boulogne; breakfasted with M. Haffreingue. At 10 I called on - Digby, then Mrs. Canning, and Mrs. Gillies. I dined in the - Infirmary, to eat meat with M. Grettan, the English teacher, and - little Rosamel, grandson of a great admiral. M. Haffreingue and I - took a walk, and went through the crypt of the cathedral. Night - prayers and supper in the refectory at 7½. After it, M. Haffreingue - and I went to call on Mrs. Muller and Digby. - - Saturday, October 12.--Said mass in the Chapelle de Notre-Dame. Miss - Muller breakfasted with us. She is the great support of M. - Haffreingue's great work of building the cathedral, having begged - for it for years past. I asked her to have prayers made for England, - as M. Haffreingue announces the cathedral to be undertaken mainly - for that enterprise. She promised to interest the poor. I thought of - my sermon, and did other things till near 12. When I {341} went out, - called on Mr. Stewart, a Scotch pastrycook, lately converted and - received by Sisk. At 1, I dined (_gras_) with Mrs. Canning. After, - called on Lady Burke and her two daughters, near the Porte. Came - back after; walked an hour in the Grande Salle with Haffreingue, - talking over projects for England and France. - - Sunday, October 13.--Got up after 7, and sung high mass in the - chapel at 9. After it I went to Mrs. Canning's till dinner time, - when I returned and dined in the refectory. The afternoon was mostly - preparing my sermon, which I preached on the conversion of England - at the _salut_ at 7. The boys clapped their hands to my surprise - when I entered the refectory to supper; in token of acceptance, I - hope. I got on better than I could have thought, and was not a bit - tired. After supper I went with M. Haffreingue and M. Le Roy; a - farewell visit to Digby. It blows hard, and I fear it will be a bad - passage to-morrow, or none at all. - - Monday, October 14.--The Abbate Melia, Dr. Baldacconi's intended - successor, came to sing songs, and breakfast at the college, and - went down with me to the port. Mr. Bodenham came with us, too. We - waited from 9 till 10.20 before they set off. They seemed to fear - the wind. When we got out it was a most stormy passage to - Folkestone, of three hours. I stood up all the way, holding on, - talking with M. Crawley, of the Hotel, Albemarle Street, except we - were nearly sick. We swung through the narrow walk of Folkestone - Harbour, and were at once smooth, and soon on England's soil. It was - a long work passing the Custom House, but we got off by a train at - 3.49. I set Mr. Melia down at Pagliano's, where we found Dr. Walsh - (of Halifax), and had tea. Sisk and Mgr. Eyre came in by good - fortune, and I went with them home to their quarters at the Chelsea - chapel-house. - - Tuesday, October 15.--Said mass at 8½. Then went to try Dr. - Chambers, who is out of town. Then to Spence House, and saw - Appleyard. By his advice, I determined to go to Windsor to-day, the - Queen being just now away. I called on Father Lithgoe, and attended - a meeting of ladies at Sisk's, then off by the Great Western Railway - to Slough, {342} and so to Windsor. I saw Caroline at Lady Grant's, - where she lodges, close to the Castle, where I dined at 8, first - having seen Sarah at the Castle, and the Prince of Wales, with whom - she was playing. He is a weakly-looking child of four, but noble and - clever looking. He behaved prettily to us all in going off to bed. - - Wednesday, October 16.--After sleeping at the Castle Inn, I walked - to the Catholic chapel at Chrom, attended last Sunday by - Louis-Philippe, who charmed them all. I said mass, and then Mr. - Wilson took me in a gig a mile on to call on Mr. Riley, at Forest - Hill. He was out. I thence called to Windsor, and was with Sarah - from 12 to 1½, while the children were asleep. Then went down to - Eton, called on Mr. Coleridge, then walked about the well-known - places, the chapel, the cloisters, where I left a card on Wilder, - now a fellow. I went and mused over the place which once was - Godley's, but all is levelled. I stood by the oak-tree there, saw - the boys assembling for 3 o'clock school, and talked to some. I - brought back many a scene thirty years and more ago. At 3, started - back and dined with Sisk. After dinner we went to see Mrs. Bagshawe - and Mrs. Jauch back in an omnibus. - - Thursday, October 17.--Mass at 8½. Went to see Dr. Watson, whom I - found to be my former friend, fellow of St. John's. It was a good - account of me, thank God. Then to Mr. Nerincx, at Somers Town. Then - to Mr. Morel, at Hampstead, and Mrs. Sankey, near him; then called - at the Sardinian Chapel, and home to dine, and sit the evening with - Sisk. - -Friday, October 18. - -(_This journal breaks off here, and is not resumed._) - - - -{343} - - -CHAPTER XIV. - -Close Of His Career In Oscott; And His Religious Vocation. - - -During the year 1845 his attention was greatly occupied with the -converts that were coming daily into the Church through the Oxford -movement. As Father Spencer was not a mover in it, and as its history -has been written over and over by different members of it, it would be -superfluous to give anything like a sketch of it in such a work as -this. Father Spencer seemed to have great interest in Dr. Newman, as -also Dr. Ward, Canon Oakeley, and Father Faber. Many of them go to -Oscott, some to be received, and some to make their studies for the -Church; and in the beginning of the year 1846 he writes that he had -twelve who were Anglican clergymen assisting at his mass one day in -Oscott, and that there were three more who might have been, but were -unable to come. - -He takes advantage of the Feast of St. Pius V. to preach his famous -sermon on Ezekiel's vision of the dry bones. In a few days he assists -at the ordination of the present Bishop of Northampton, the Right Rev. -Dr. Amherst. A number of converts received orders at the same time, -and Father Spencer had the pleasure of assisting at the ceremony. He -resumes his Journal in May, 1846, and we find these two entries in it: - - "Tuesday, June 9.--We had news to-day of the death of Pope Gregory - XVI. on the 1st of June, after fifteen years and four months' - pontificate. God grant a holy successor, full of fortitude and love, - especially for England." - - "June 22. News of Cardinal Feretti being Pope (Pius IX.). The brave - Bishop of Imola, who stopped the progress of the insurgents in 1831. - I am perfectly satisfied." - -{344} - -He went into retreat at Hodder under the direction of Father Clarke, -S.J., and the result of that retreat was that he became a Passionist. -We shall give a letter he wrote to Mr. Phillipps at the time, in which -he gives a full account of how this was brought about. - - "St. Benedict's Priory, Feast of St. John Cantius, - "Oct. 22, 1846. - - "My Dear Ambrose,--Yesterday, for the first time this long time, I - heard where you were, and that you were within reach again of a - Queen's head. This was from Mrs. Henry Whitgrave, next to whom I sat - at dinner yesterday, at the Clifford Arms, Great Heywood, after the - opening high mass of the new chapel there, which she and her husband - came from Rugeley to attend. I determined not to lose another day in - writing to you, lest you should hear from others, which I should not - be pleased with, the news I have to give about myself. Perhaps you - have already heard of it; but it is not my fault that you have not - had the news from me. The news in question is that I am going to - become a Passionist. You have frequently told me your persuasion, - that what would be for my happiness would be to join a religious - institute, and therefore I am confident you will rejoice with me at - my prejudices being overcome, my fond schemes of other plans of my - own set aside, and this good step at length determined on; though I - can imagine that you will perhaps regret that the body which I join - is not that with which you are most connected yourself, the - Institute of Charity. Surprised I dare say you will not be much. - Many others have received the declaration of this intention without - any surprise, and only told me that they had been used to wonder how - I did not long ago take such a step. You will only be surprised and - wonder how I have come to this mind, after such decided purposes, as - I have always expressed the contrary way. I can only say, Glory be - to God, to our Blessed Lady, and St. Ignatius. It was entirely owing - to the spiritual exercises of St. Ignatius, which I have gone - through twice, and only twice, in private and alone in the effective - way. Once was at Louvain, where {345} you parted from me two years - ago to go to Königswinter, and the other time was this summer, when - I went for a retreat at Hodder Place, under your friend Father - Thomas Clarke, who is Master of Novices there. For two or three days - in the course of the former of these retreats, I was brought (for - the first time) to doubt whether I ought not to give up my own - ideas, and take to the regular established course of entering - religion; and the old Jesuit who directed me in that retreat, when I - expressed these new ideas, seemed at first to think they would lead - to this conclusion. But I suppose I was not ripe for it, or God's - time was not come. It ended by his telling me to put aside all those - thoughts, and go on as I was. So I did, and was without any idea of - the kind till the middle of this second retreat, which I entered - with no view but to get on better where I was for another year. The - same meditations raised up again the same battle within me as at - Louvain, and I saw no way but to go into the matter, and make my - election according to the rules given by St. Ignatius; which, if - they were applied more often to questions of importance which people - have to settle, ah! we should have many resolutions come to - different to what are come to in the world. I soon came to determine - for a change of state; then came the question which body to choose, - and for a whole day nearly this was working my thoughts up and down. - I could see no prospect of deciding between the two which came - before me at first and for which I found my feelings and my judgment - alternately inclining me--these were the Jesuits and the Institute - of Charity. I saw no prospect of making up my mind that day, though - Father Clarke told me now was the time for such a choice, and not - when I had gone out again into the world, and I knew that God whom I - had sought in solitude would give me light. At last, when I had just - finished my last meditation of that portion of the retreat, and - still could not settle, I thought I must have recourse after the - retreat was over to Father Dominic, as a neutral judge, to help me - to choose between the other two; when, in a minute, as in the fable - of the two men who found the oyster and called in the third to judge - between {346} them, I saw that Father Dominic himself was to have - me, such as I was, and all my doubts vanished. Father Clarke came - soon afterwards to pay me his daily visit, and confirmed my choice - with a manner and tone as unhesitating as the choice itself had - been, and would not let me afterwards give way to the fear of any - difficulties, saying, once for all, when I was questioning how I - could get over some of them, 'Well, if you do not get over them, God - has been deceiving you.' How I extol now and praise the practice of - spiritual exercises, and St. Ignatius, the great founder of the - system of them, and the Jesuits in their conduct of them, as - exemplified in Father Clarke, whose way with me so completely gave - the lie to what people are disposed to think, that the Jesuits must - bring everything and everybody to themselves when they get them into - their hands. I intend to express my sense of obligation to them and - St. Ignatius, by taking his name as my future designation, after I - am admitted to the religious habit. So I hope in time I may come to - be known no more by my own name, but by that of _Ignatius of St. - Paul_. And as God gives me this _nomen novum_ may he add the _manna - absconditum_, and make me in spirit as different from what I have - been as in name. It is a great satisfaction that all this was - settled without Father Dominic or any Passionist having a hint of - it, till I went up to London three days after the retreat, to tell - him of the determination I had made. The next day I came back to - Oscott, and told Dr. Wiseman. He was, of course, surprised at the - news, and at first seemed to think I could not be really in earnest, - but ever since has acted in the most considerate and kind manner - towards me. My move, I am sorry to think, must entail on him and - dear Bishop Walsh serious inconveniences, not so much for the loss - of my services where they had placed me, for I hope if I live I may - serve them better as I shall be circumstanced hereafter, as I was - doing little at Oscott, but from the withdrawal of my funds, which I - fear may take place perhaps even to their entire amount, but - certainly in great part. Not that any part goes to the congregation - (of the Passion); thank God, I am received there _in formá pauperis_ - and all {347} which remains to me would be left to the Bishop; but - my dear brother seems quite determined to make my vow of poverty as - much one in earnest as it can be; and so, bitter as that part of the - trial is, God bless him for it! I think I must have told you how my - income came to me. My father left me a certain capital quite - independently, which went long ago to building churches, and £300 a - year to be paid to me as long as I did not put it out of my own - power, in which case it was to be in the power of my brother, now - living, and other trustees, to be employed to my advantage. My late - brother gave me as much more of his own free will, and this brother - has hitherto continued this, but now says that he cannot give it to - support Catholicity; and as he will not use it himself, it is to go - for my lifetime to religious and charitable purposes such as he - thinks fit. So half of my money is clean gone, and the other half - depends upon what interpretation the law puts on the terms of my - father's will. Bishop Wiseman takes this so beautifully and - disinterestedly, that I trust the loss he thus bears for God's sake - will be more than amply compensated to him. My sister, Lady - Lyttelton, takes my change beautifully." - -The pecuniary losses his ecclesiastical superiors would sustain -prevented them giving him the opposition they otherwise would. It -would not look well to try to keep him out of religion, under the -circumstances; and besides, Cardinal Wiseman was not the person to -prevent his priests becoming religious, if he were only convinced they -had a vocation. - -When Father Spencer was on his way to London to consult with Father -Dominic about his reception, a musket went off by accident in the -carriage he was in, and the ball passed through the skylight. This -gave him rather a start, and made him think a little about the -shortness of life. He appears to have found Father Dominic giving a -retreat to the nuns of the Sacré Coeur, who are now at Roehampton. The -saintly Passionist was delighted with the news, and Father Ignatius -used to say that he seemed to be more delighted still at the fact that -he was not bringing a penny to the order. On his return to Oscott, the -first thing we heard {348} was that a Quaker had been converted by a -sermon he preached in Birkenhead, which sermon he thought himself was -about the worst he ever delivered. He meets a little opposition, -however; they wish him to stay until his thoughts get settled into -their original state after the retreat. He fears this to be a -stratagem of the enemy, and, lest it might make him lose his vocation, -he makes a vow of entering religion at or before Christmas. When this -became known, nobody could in conscience oppose him, for only the Pope -could dispense him from entering now. - -At length everything is settled. His £300 income remains to the Bishop -and his brother promises to provide for his pensioners. All things -being thus arranged, he visits all the poor people about Oscott and -West Bromwich, to give them a parting advice and blessing, spiritual -and temporal. He writes to all his friends, packs up his books and -other smaller movables, receives two converts--Laing and Walker--gets -Dr. Wiseman's blessing, and has his carriage to the train, takes third -class to Stafford, and on his birthday, 21st December, 1846, at 8 -o'clock in the evening, arrives at Aston Hall, to enter the -Passionists' noviciate. - - -{349} - - -BOOK IV. - -_F. Ignatius, a Passionist._ - - -{350} - - -BOOK IV. - -_F. Ignatius, a Passionist._ - - - -CHAPTER I. - -The Noviciate. - - -Religious orders in the Church may be compared to a vast army, -composed of different regiments, with different uniforms, different -tactics, and different posts in the kingdom of God, offensive and -defensive, against the kingdom of Satan. The Pope is the head of all, -and various generals bear rule, in his name, over the forces who have -chosen them for their leaders. - -Some religious orders fill chairs in universities; others are charged -with the instruction of youth. Some watch by the sickbed; others -ransom captive slaves, or bring consolation to the miserable in -prisons and asylums. Some, again, work at the rooting out of sin and -disorders at home, whilst others carry the light of the Gospel to the -heathen. Some pitch their tents in deserts or mountain fastnesses, -whilst a more numerous body take up their abode in the abandoned -purlieus of crowded cities. - -Every religious order has some one characteristic spirit, a mark by -which it may be distinguished from the others. This may be called the -genius of the order. It is mostly the spirit that animated the founder -when he gathered his first companions around him, and drew up the code -by which {352} their lives were to be regulated. This spirit may be -suited to one age and not to another; it may be local or universal; on -its scope depends the existence and spread of the order; its decay or -unsuitableness will portend the extinction of the body it animated. - -This spirit may take in the whole battle-field of religion, and then -we see members of that order in every post in which an advantage may -be gained, or a blow dealt upon the enemy. It may take in some parts -and leave the rest to the different battalions that are already in -charge, prepared to render assistance in any department as soon as its -services may be needed. - -The religious order known as the Congregation of the Passion has a -peculiar spirit and a special work. It was founded by Blessed Paul of -the Cross in the middle of the last century, and approved by Benedict -XIV., Clement XIV., and Pius VI. Its object is to work in whatever -portion of the Church it may have a house established, for the -uprooting of sin, and the planting of virtue in the hearts of the -faithful. The means it brings to this, in addition to the usual ones -of preaching and hearing confessions, is a spreading among Christians -a devotion to and a grateful, lively remembrance of the Passion of our -Lord. The Passionists carry out this work by missions and retreats, as -well as parish work in their own houses. If circumstances need it, -they take charge of a parish; if not, they do the work of missioners -in their own churches. They teach none except their own younger -members, and they go on foreign missions when sent by His Holiness or -the Propaganda. - -To keep the members of an order always ready for their out-door work, -there are certain rules for their interior life which may be likened -to the drill or parade of soldiers in their quarters. This discipline -varies according to the spirit of each order. - -The idea of a Passionist's work will lead us to expect what his -discipline must be. The spirit of a Passionist is a spirit of -atonement; he says, with St. Paul: "I rejoice in my sufferings, and -fill up those things that are wanting of the sufferings of Christ, in -my flesh for His body, which is the {353} Church." Coloss. i. 24. For -this cause, the interior life of a Passionist is rather austere. He -has to rise shortly after midnight, from a bed of straw, to chaunt -matins and lauds, and spend some time in meditation. He has two hours -more meditation during the day, and altogether about five hours of -choir-work in the twenty-four. He fasts and abstains from flesh meat -three days in the week, all the year round, besides Lent and Advent. -He is clad in a coarse black garment; wears sandals instead of shoes; -and practises other acts of penance of minor importance. - -This seems rather a hard life; but an ordinary constitution does not -find the least difficulty in complying with the letter of the rule. It -is withal a happy, cheerful life; for it seems the nature of penance -to make the heart of the penitent light and gladsome, "rejoicing in -suffering." Two facts are proved by experience. First, that scarcely -one ever left the order on account of the corporal austerities, though -they are used as a plea to justify the step by those who lose the -religious spirit. Secondly, longevity is more common amongst us than -any other order, except perhaps the Cistercians, whose rule is far -more severe than ours. A Passionist is bound by this rule only within -the retreat, as houses of the order are called; outside, he follows -the Gospel ordinance of partaking of what is set before him, and -suiting himself to the circumstances in which he is placed. The -Superior, moreover, has a discretionary power of granting exemptions, -in favour of those who require some indulgence in consequence of -illness or extra labour. - -It will be seen, from this sketch, that Passionists have to lay up a -stock of virtue, by a monastic life at home, in order that their -ministrations for their neighbour may be attended with more abundant -fruit. They unite the active and contemplative spirit, that both may -help to the saving of their own souls by qualifying them better for -aiding in the salvation of others. - -This was the kind of life Father Spencer began to lead on his -forty-seventh birthday. For a man of his age, with habits formed, with -health subject to occasional shocks, it was certainly a formidable -undertaking. There was little of {354} human glory to eclipse those -difficulties in the community he entered. Four foreign fathers, living -in a wretched house, as yet unable to speak passable English, without -a church, without friends, without funds, without influence, formed -the principal portion of the community of Aston Hall. These were, -Father Dominic, Father Gaudentius, Father Constantine, and Father -Vincent. None of these four fathers are in the province at present. -Fathers Dominic and Constantine are dead. Father Gaudentius is a -member of the American province; and Father Vincent, after many years -of zealous missionary work in these countries, was called to Rome, -where he now holds the office of Procurator-General. They had one -student, two lay brothers, and Father Spencer was to be the second of -two novices. The Passionists had already been four years in England, -and, through trials and difficulties, from poverty and misunderstandings, -had worked their way up to the precarious position in which he found -them. He was, therefore, a great acquisition to the struggling -community. True, he brought no earthly riches; but he brought what was -more valued, an unearthly spirit--he brought humility, docility, and -burning zeal. - -The fathers knew him for a long time, and scarcely required proofs to -convince them of his having a religious vocation, since he had -practised the vows before then in a very perfect way, considering his -state. He gave clear proofs of his spirit on the eve of his coming to -Aston. He came, as he glories in telling Mr. Phillipps, _in formâ -pauperis_. Some of his friends wished to give him the price of his -habit by way of alms; he would not accept of it. He then reflected on -the poverty of the Passionists, and thought it would be well if he -brought even so much, whereupon he proposed to beg the money. The -largest alms he intended to receive was half-a-crown. He was forbidden -to do this by his director, and obeyed at once: thus giving a proof of -his spirit of poverty and obedience. - -Notwithstanding all this, the fathers were determined to judge for -themselves, and try by experiment if any aristocratic _hauteur_ might -yet lurk in the corners of his {355} disposition. Our rule, moreover, -requires that postulants be tried by humiliations before being -admitted to the habit; and many and various are the tests applied, -depending, as they do, on the judgment of the master of novices. One -clause of the rule was especially applicable to Father Spencer: "_Qui -nobili ortus est genere, accuratiore et diuturniore experimento -probetur_; "and the strict Father Constantine, who was then the -master, resolved that not a word of it should be unfulfilled. A day or -two after his arrival, he was ordered to wash down an old, rusty -flight of stairs. He tucked up his sleeves and fell to, using his -brush, tub, and soapsuds with as much zest and good will as if he had -been just hired as a maid-of-all-work. Of course, he was no great -adept at this kind of employment, and probably his want of skill drew -down some sharp rebukes from his overseer. Some tender-hearted -religious never could forget the sight of this venerable ecclesiastic -trying to scour the crevices and crannies to the satisfaction of his -new master. He got through it well, and took the corrections so -beautifully, that in a few days he was voted to the habit. - -On the afternoon of the 5th January, 1847, vespers are just concluded, -and the bell is rung for another function. People are hurrying up to -the little chapel, and whispering to each other about the scene they -are going to witness. The altar is prepared as for a feast. The -thurifers and acolytes head the procession from the sacristy; next -follow the religious; then Father Dominic arrayed in surplice and -cope. After him follows Father Spencer, in the costume of a secular -priest. He kneels on the altar step; he has laid aside long before all -that the world could give him; he has thrown its greatness and its -folly away as vanities to be despised, and now asks for the -penitential garb of the sons of the Passion, with all its concomitant -hardships. He had not yet experienced the happiness it brings: he had -only begun to earn it by broken rest, fasts, and humiliations. Father -Dominic blesses the habit, mantle, and cincture; he addresses a few -touching words to the postulant, and prepares to vest him. In the -presence of all he takes off the cassock, the habit is put on and -bound with a leathern {356} girdle, a cross is placed upon his -shoulder, a crown of thorns on his head, benedictions are invoked upon -him according to the ritual, the religious intone the _Ecce quam -bonum_, Our Lord gives His blessing from the Monstrance, and the -Honourable and Reverend-George Spencer is greeted as a brother and -companion by Father Dominic, under the new name of Father Ignatius of -St. Paul. Thus ended the function of that day, and the benisons of the -rite were not pronounced in vain. - -It is the custom with us to drop the family name on our reception, to -signify the cutting away of all carnal ties, except inasmuch as they -may help to benefit souls. A religious should be dead to nature, and -his relationship henceforth is with the saints. This is why, among -many religious orders of men, and nearly all of women, some saint or -some mystery of religion to which the novice is specially devoted is -substituted instead of the family name. In most cases, also, the -Christian name is changed; this, following the example of our Lord, -who changed the names of some of the Apostles, is useful in many ways, -as well to typify newness of life as to help in distinguishing one -from another when the aid of family names is taken away. Father -Ignatius gave his reasons above for preferring this name, and events, -both before and after, make us applaud the fitness of the choice. - -A novice's life is a very eventless one; it has little in it of -importance to others, though it is of so much consequence to himself. -The coming of a postulant, the going away of a newly-made brother, the -mistakes of a tyro at bell-ringing, chanting, or ceremonies, are of -interest enough to occupy several recreations. The absence of -soul-stirring news from without gives these trifles room to swell into -importance. When the little incidents are invested with ludicrous or -peculiar circumstances, they often have a sheet of the chronicles -dedicated to their history by the most witty or least busy of the -novices. - -A postulant ran away the day after Father Ignatius was clothed; he -heard the religious take the discipline, and no amount of explanations -or coaxing could induce him to {357} accustom his ear to the noise, -much less his body to the stripes, of this function. The senior novice -left at the same time; he was a priest, and died on the London mission -the very same year as Father Ignatius. In a few days more Father -Dominic caught a novice dressing his hair and giving himself airs -before a looking-glass. His habit was stripped off, and he was sent to -the outer world, where, perhaps, the adorning of his good looks was of -more service to him than it was at Aston Hall. - -It is a received tradition in the religious life that vocations which -are not tried by difficulties seldom prove sea-worthy, so to speak. -Before or after the novice enters, he must be opposed and disappointed -in some way; he has to pay dear for the favour of serving God in this -state of life, if he be destined to act any important part in the -Church as a religious. Father Ignatius had his trials. He found it -difficult to pick up all the _minutiae_ of novice discipline: he -suffered a little from homesickness, and these, joined to chilled -feet, a hard bed, and meagre food, did not allow him to enjoy to any -great extent the delightful sensation known as _fervor novitiorum_. He -got over all this, as we see from a letter he wrote to a friend in -March:-- - - "I am here in a state in which not a shadow of trouble seems to - come, but what I cause for myself. With a little humility there is - peace enough. I suppose I shall have some more troubles hereafter if - I live. I have not been so well for several years. Some would have - thought a Lent without a bit of meat would not have done for me; but - I have seen now since Shrove Tuesday, and, in Lent or out of it, I - never have been better. So in that respect, viz., my health, I - suppose my trial here is satisfactory." - -A rude shock was in store for his health which he little anticipated -when he wrote those lines. This was the terrible year of famine in -Ireland, that year which will be remembered for ever by those who -lived in the midst of the harrowing scenes that overspread that -unhappy country. Poor famishing creatures, who had laid their fathers -or mothers, and perhaps their children, in coffinless graves, begged -their way to England, and began that tide of {358} emigration which -has since peopled Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham, and London, with -such crowds of Catholics. Every ship brought its cargo of misery, and -the hapless victims were forced by their poverty to seek for lodgings -in dens of vice, or employment where virtue was not paramount. They -thus imbibed a poison to their morals which has not yet been -completely purged out of the thousands who have had to follow the -footsteps of their famine-stricken predecessors. Numbers of the poor -Irish gathered around Stone and Aston; fever broke out amongst them, -and the wards of the workhouse infirmaries were unable to contain even -a moiety of the sufferers. Every hovel and barn had their burning -occupants, and even charity itself seemed frightened from giving -assistance. The priest was, of course, busy; and, fortunately for -Aston, more than one priest could be had to attend the dying. - -All our fathers were at the bed of death many times in the day. Father -Gaudentius was struck down with fever, Father Vincent followed next. -The duties now devolved upon Father Dominic and Father Ignatius. The -poor novice was prostrated by the pestilence, after administering the -last rites of the Church to many. He gets a very malignant attack, and -in a few days is at the point of death. He prepared for his last -passage with the most beautiful dispositions. He thanked God for the -privilege of his state, and was particularly delighted at the prospect -of dying a martyr to his charity. He receives the Viaticum and Extreme -Unction, makes his profession as on death-bed, becomes insensible, and -is given an hour to live by the doctors. The religious commence a -novena, in which they are joined by the people, for his recovery. God -preserved him to his brethren and their flock, for he began -immediately to mend. We may form an idea of this poor community, all -the active members, except Father Dominic, dying, or in feeble -convalescence; their resources, perhaps, run out; and all the energy -they had left taxed to its utmost to answer the calls of duty. Few as -they were, they had not the least idea of sparing themselves. They -still hoped to increase and multiply; but, after the example {359} of -Him who increased by dying, and likened the progress of His Church to -the dying of the grain of corn in the soil of its growth. - -Charitable friends came to their assistance, and amongst the rest, -Earl Spencer sent a handsome sum to pay doctors' expenses for his -brother. This was considerate, indeed, and as soon as Father Ignatius -could manage a pen, he wrote to thank him for his charity. Numbers -were deeply concerned for our novice, and two or three Catholic nobles -invited him to come and stay with them during his convalescence. -Father Dominic did not think him sufficiently ill to warrant his -sleeping out of the house, so their kind offers were thankfully -declined. - -This illness was a double blow to Father Ignatius: he had just -received orders from his Superior to prepare for the missions when it -came on. An end was put to his preparation for the time, but he -resumed the task as soon as the doctors allowed him. - -During his noviciate he had two kinds of trials to endure, besides -those mentioned already. Father Constantine was remarkable for his -meekness and charity; but he put on extra severity for Father -Ignatius. His companions tried to show him some marks of distinction, -and would offer to relieve him from works that were humiliating, or -likely to be galling to one of his standing. The latter trial he -complained of, and he was troubled at the other because some of of the -religious complained of the novice-master's severity towards him. He -had some more mortifications of the kind he playfully told us a few -chapters back, as affecting Father Dominic in Oscott. He was troubled -with chilblains, and was obliged, in consequence, to wear shoes and -stockings for a great part of his noviciate. This he looked upon as a -great grievance, inasmuch as he could not live like the others. When -at last the chilblains got well, and he was allowed to put on the -sandals, he felt overjoyed, and even writes a letter to congratulate -himself on his happiness. - -He writes two or three letters, in which he notes his astonishment at -the Irish being so negligent in England, who had been so regular at -home. He says, they all send {360} for the priest, and show great -signs of repentance when dying; but, out of a number he attended, only -one returned to the Church after recovery. "Still," he says, "it would -be long till one of them would answer as the English pensioner is -reported to have done on his death-bed. The minister talked much about -Heaven and its happiness, but the patient coolly replied, 'It's all -very well, sir; but old England and King George for me!'" - -His noviciate glides quietly on to its end; and except his ordinary -work of attending to a mission in Stone besides his home duties, -nothing occurs to break the monotony. - -At length, on the 6th of January, 1848, Father Ignatius and Father -Dominic remain up after matins. We are told in the Journal, that the -novice made his confession and had a long conference with his -director, in preparation for the great event of his profession. Father -Dominic was going off that day, but the conveyance disappointed him, -he was obliged to wait till the next. That evening Father Ignatius is -once more in the midst of a moving ceremony: on his knees, with his -hands placed in Father Dominic's he pronounces his irrevocable -consecration by the vows of his religious profession.[Footnote 10] The -badges are affixed to his breast, the sacrifice is completed--and well -and worthily was it carried out. It is easier to imagine than to -describe the joy of the two holy friends, so long united in the bonds -of heavenly charity, as they spoke that day about their first -acquaintance, and wondered at the dispositions of Providence, which -now made them more than brothers. - - [Footnote 10: The profession on death-bed is conditional, so that - if a novice recovers, after thus pronouncing his vows, he has to - go on as if they had not been made.] - - -{361} - - -CHAPTER II. - -His First Year As A Passionist. - - -Shortly after his profession, Father Ignatius was sent out on -missions. The first mission he gave, with Father Gaudentius, was to -his old parishioners of West Bromwich. Crowds came to hear him; some -to have another affectionate look, and hear once more the well-known -voice of their old pastor; others from curiosity to see what he had -been transformed into by the monks. This mission was very successful, -for, besides the usual work of the reconciliation of sinners, and the -helping on of the fervent, there were fifteen Protestants received -into the Church before its close. He gives another mission somewhere -in the Borough, London, with the same companion. During this mission -he hears that his style of preaching is not liked much by the Irish; -he feels a little sad at this, as he fears the work may fail of -success through his deficiency. - -The preaching of Father Ignatius was peculiar to himself; he cannot be -said to possess the gifts of human eloquence in the highest degree, -but there was a something like inspiration in his most commonplace -discourse. He put the point of his sermon clearly before his audience, -and he proved it most admirably. His acquaintance with the Scriptures -was something marvellous; not only could he quote texts in support of -doctrines, but he applied the facts of the sacred volume in such a -happy way, with such a flood of new ideas, that one would imagine he -lived in the midst of them, or had been told by the sacred writers -what they were intended for. Besides this, he brought a fund of -illustrations to carry conviction through and through the mind. His -illustrations were taken from every phase of life, and every kind of -{362} employment; persons listening to him always found the practical -gist of his discourse carried into their very homestead; nay, the -objections they themselves were prepared to advance against it, were -answered before they could have been thought out. To add to this, -there was an earnestness in his manner that made you see his whole -soul, as it were, bent upon your spiritual good. His holiness of life, -which report published before him, and one look was enough to convince -you of its being true, compelled you to set a value on what he said, -far above the _dicta_ of ordinary priests. - -His style was formed on the Gospel. He loved the parables and the -similes of Our Lord, and rightly judged that the style of his Divine -Master was the most worthy of imitation. So far as the matter of his -discourses were concerned, he was inimitable; his manner was peculiar -to himself, deeply earnest and touching. He abstained from the -rousing, thundering style, and his attempts that way to suit the taste -and thus work upon the convictions of certain congregations, showed -him that his fort did not lie there. The consequence was, that when -the words of what he jocosely termed a "crack" preacher would die with -the sound of his own voice, or the exclamations of the multitude, -Father Ignatius's words lived with their lives, and helped them to -bear trials that came thirty years after they had heard him. - -Towards the end of his life, he became rather tiresome to those who -knew not his spirit; but it was the tiresomeness of St. John the -Evangelist. We are told that "the disciple whom Jesus loved" used to -be carried in his old age before the people, and that his only sermon -was "My little children, love one another." He preached no more, and -no less, but kept perpetually repeating these few words. Father -Ignatius, in like manner, was continually repeating "the conversion of -England." No matter what the subject of his sermon was, he brought -this in. He told us often that it became a second nature to him; that -he could not quit thinking or speaking of it, even if he tried, and -believed he could speak for ten days consecutively on the conversion -of England, without having to repeat an idea. - -{363} - -He got on very well in the missions: he took all the different parts -as they were assigned him; but he was more successful in the lectures -than in the great sermons of the evening. His confessional was always -besieged with penitents, and he never spared himself. - -The late Cardinal, who was the chief mover in bringing the Passionists -to England, wished to have a house of the order in the diocese of -Westminster (then the London District), to which he had been recently -translated. Father Dominic entered heartily into the project, and -Father Ignatius with him. After a few weeks' negotiation, they took -possession of Poplar House, in the west end of Hampstead, towards the -end of June, 1848. A new foundation was, in those days, as it is -still, a formidable undertaking. The ground has generally to be -bought; a church and house built upon it; the necessary machinery to -set it going to be provided, and all this from nothing but the -Providence of God, and the charity of benefactors. Under a more than -ordinary pressure of their difficulties, the house was opened, and -after many changes and removals, it has finally fixed itself on the -brow of Highgate Hill, under the name of St. Joseph's Retreat. - -He notes in his Journal that the place in Hampstead brought some sad -thoughts into his mind, as it was within sight of where his sister, -Lady Georgiana Quin, died in 1823. He tells us also that he was -benighted somewhere in London, and had to beg for a bed for the first -time in his life. On a fine summer's day he sauntered leisurely -through the grounds of Eton, ruminating over the scenes of forty years -before, when he first became a child of what proved to him a novercal -institution. - -He was not destined to labour much, this time, for the London house. -Father Dominic took the charge of it, and appointed Father Ignatius -Rector of St. Michael's, Aston Hall, a post that became vacant by the -death of Father Constantine. Father Ignatius thus mentions the matter -in one of his letters:-- - - "It was just such a death as one might expect of him (Father - Constantine). I was thinking and saying to some one before, he would - be attending to his duties and giving directions in the house to the - last. In his {364} agony, he heard the clock strike, and, mistaking - the hour for another when some bell has to ring, he asked why the - bell did not ring for such a duty. It is recorded that what was most - remarkable in him was his gentleness and patience; and that indeed - was very striking. He must have suffered heavily to die in a - lingering way by a cancer, but he never was disturbed, and went on - saying mass, and doing all that was to be done, as long as he could - stand to it. His loss makes, as you have heard, a great change in my - position. I never dreamt of being a Superior for years to come, and - thought I had come to an end, almost for life, of keeping accounts - and ruling household affairs. But God's will be done. It is a great - comfort, as I find, to be in the rule of good religious, to what it - would be to have people under one who seek their own gain and - pleasure." - -Ruling, even thus, did not turn out so easy a matter; for it is -recorded in the Journal, that Father Dominic gave him "a long lecture -about the proper way of ruling," which he seems to have drawn down -upon himself by some mistakes. - -In the beginning of September, this year, he gave his first retreat. -It was to the students of Carlow College. This event gave him a fresh -start in his great work. Since 1844, when he made the tour on the -Continent, procuring prayers for England, his zeal in the cause seems -to have slumbered somewhat. Not that he was the less anxious for the -return of his countrymen to the faith of their fathers, but he did -not, perhaps, see any opportunity open for moving others in a general -way to help the work by their prayers. It is rather a wonderful -disposition of Providence that his energies should be renewed in -Ireland, and that, too, in '48. Extracts from a few letters will show -how it happened. In a letter to Mrs. Canning, he says:-- - - "My last journey to Ireland was, in the first place, to preach a - retreat in Carlow College, which was the first and only retreat I - have been on alone; secondly, to beg in Dublin for our church and - house; thirdly, I got full into the pursuit of prayers for England - again. I had hardly expected anything could be done in this last way - under the excited state of feelings in Ireland against England. I - began, {365} however, speaking in a convent in Carlow, and so warm - and beautiful was the way in which these nuns took it up, that I - lost no occasion after of saying mass in some convents every - morning, and preaching to them upon it; and the zeal which they - showed has given me a new spring to push it on in England. - Accordingly, I have been preaching many times on it since I have - been this time in Lancashire. I only ask now _one Hail Mary_ a day - to be said by every Catholic for the conversion of England. Here is - a great field to work upon. You want to be doing something for - England, I know; why not take up this object, and in every letter - you write abroad or at home make people promise to do this, and make - every man, woman, and child do it too. If millions would do as much - as this, we should have thousands who would offer themselves up as - victims to be immolated for the object, and we should have grand - results. Above all, let it be done in schools at home; so that all - the young may be trained to pant for this object, as young Hannibal - for the destruction of Rome; and a foundation will be laid for the - work to go on after we are all dead, if no fruit appears before." - -In a letter to Father Vincent, he writes almost in the same strain:-- - - "My journey to Ireland was satisfactory in several respects to a - certain degree. It answered well for begging purposes. With all - their poverty, they are so generous that I made one of my best - week's begging in Dublin. I hope for a great deal more in November, - when I am going again to preach in Dublin, and will stay as long as - I can. I picked up also one novice, not a cleric, but, I hope, a - very promising lay brother. I think there will be many good subjects - for us in Ireland, when we are better known there.' (In this his - expectations were most signally realized.) "I also got into the - pursuit of prayers for England again. I said mass, and preached - after mass ten times in convents on the subject, and the zeal and - charity with which it was taken up by the good religious quite gave - me a new spring in that cause. I have begun preaching in England for - prayers. Will you help me in this? I have been writing, with Father - {366} Dominic's approval, to our General, to obtain some indulgences - for those who will join in those prayers." - -In this year, Father Ignatius lost two great friends by death, Dr. -Gentili and the Rev. Wm. Richmond. He had several conversations with -the former, who was then giving his last mission in Dublin, and -assisted on his return to England, at the death-bed of Mr. Richmond. -He used to relate how this worthy man became a Catholic, as an -instance of the ways of God in conversion. When Richmond was a boy, he -went to see an uncle of his, who was a priest. One day he saw candles -lit in the church in clear daylight. On entering, to satisfy himself -that nothing was wrong, he saw his uncle issuing from the sacristy, in -the most fantastic garb he ever beheld. He ran out of the church in a -fright, and scarcely came near his uncle for three days. He did sum up -courage enough to approach at length, and the end was that he became a -priest himself, and outshone his uncle. - -During the visit Father Ignatius paid to Ireland, according to -promise, in the November of this year, he preached in several places -on the conversion of England. He went to Maynooth, and addressed the -junior students at night prayer and the seniors at morning prayer, on -the same subject. He remains nearly a month in Ireland this time. He -meets a few secular people who are not so kind and generous in -listening to him as nuns and students. One day he begged of a -gentleman, who immediately began to grope in his pocket for a coin -which he should consider worthy of offering. Whilst the search was -going on, Father Ignatius ventured to ask prayers for the conversion -of England. "England!" said the gentleman; "I pray for England! Not -I." And he turned off with a refusal, and left his petitioner to find -another benefactor. - -When he returned to England, he preached everywhere, to priests, nuns, -and people; he wrote and spoke continually for prayers for England. -The only change in his system since the former crusade was, that the -prayer he asked for was defined. It was only _one Hail Mary_ daily. -This prayer he was especially fond of using; he said it for every -person and everything. The antiphon of the Church, {367} "Rejoice, -Virgin Mary, thou alone hast destroyed all heresies throughout the -world," was continually in his heart. The devotion of the people of -Ireland to our Blessed Lady brought this out; and it was remarked by -himself and others, that when once he had put the great object of his -endeavours under the protection of Mary, he never cooled or slackened, -but always progressed with blessings. - -The last day of this year was spent as all such days of his life, -since he turned thoroughly to God's service, in being awake and in -prayer at midnight. - - -{368} - -CHAPTER III. - -A Peculiar Mission. - - -Father Ignatius had an idea in his mind for a number of years, and saw -no practical way in which it might be realized. He looked forward, -with a pleasing anticipation, to the prospect of going about from -parish to parish on a kind of itinerary mission. The thing was unusual -in our day, and he saw no plea by which it could be justified to -others, or he should have gone on it long before. He proposed it at -last to his Superiors, and the circumstances of his position -wonderfully favoured its prosecution. - -Voluntary poverty was raised to a virtue by the example and teaching -of our Divine Lord, and poverty must always have a counterpart. To be -poor is to be dependent, and want is ordained for the sanctification -of plenty. When our Divine Master said that it was difficult for the -rich man to be saved, He subjoined that with God all things are -possible. The miseries of the poor are the channels through which -riches can flow into Heaven, and make friends to their possessors of -the mammon of iniquity. - -In the dispensation of Providence, the Church watches over the -interests of all her children, and whilst she proclaims the severity -of the Gospel maxims, she provides for their observance. She must -preach poverty of spirit, from the text of the sermon on the Mount, -and she manages to make kings who are richer than David live after -God's own heart. The beautiful harmony between rank and lowliness, -authority and submission, prosperity and adversity, has long ago been -arranged by the practice of the ages of faith, and by the Pontifical -constitutions which impress the seal of the Fisherman upon the usages -of Catholicity. - -{369} - -In no department of Catholic polity is this superior wisdom so well -exemplified as in the rules of mendicant orders. The Church takes the -noble from his seat of power, she makes him cast his coronet at the -feet of Peter, and stretch out his hand to his former vassal for the -paltry morsel that is to sustain his future existence. She forbids him -to accumulate; she makes him give back a thousand-fold what he -receives. By thus bringing down the pride of power and making it pay -court to the discontented child of penury, she reconciles man with -Providence and suffuses reverence through the crowd, who might grumble -at greatness, by making their lord according to the world their -servant according to the Gospel. - -The constitutions of the Congregation of the Passion are framed upon -the spirit of the Church. If a man of property joins our poor -institute, he cannot bring his possessions with him to enrich the -community he enters; for Blessed Paul has not allowed them to have any -fixed revenue. He may, indeed, give a donation towards the building of -their church, the furnishing of their poor schools, or the paying off -the debts they were obliged to contract to secure the ground upon -which their monastery is built; but that is left to his own charity. -He is supposed by our rule to hand over his property to a relative or -a charitable institution, and reserve to himself the right to take it -back, in case he may not persevere in his vocation, or abandon the -life he has embraced. - -Thus deprived of stable funds, we are to rely upon the Providence of -God; and we can give Him glory by confessing that we never yet found -His word to fail, "Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his justice, -and all these things shall be added unto you." Betimes we may have to -send a brother to ask for some assistance from kind benefactors; but, -as a rule, God inspires many to befriend us without our asking. The -duties of missions and retreats, and the preparation for them, prevent -us from digging a livelihood out of the earth; but the sweat of our -brow that is thus spent earns our bread by procuring us friends. -People crowd to our churches, and leave thank-offerings there to prove -the reality of their devotion; and, as an ancient {370} father of ours -once said, "our support comes in through the choir-windows." - -When we have to build a church or a house, we must follow the custom -of surrounding priests; but, as our working is not purely local, we -send a father or brother to distant countries, and try not to be too -burthensome to our neighbours. Charity endureth all things; but the -branch of charity which is exercised in the giving of alms is not -always content to be too much importuned, or called upon too often. -Charity therefore requires that those who plead for the exercise of -one arm do not strain the other, and it makes provision against -provoking anger or ill-feeling from the weaknesses it tries to cure by -stirring to activity. - -In the year 1848 the fathers at Aston Hall stood in sore need of a -church. Hitherto they had turned a room upstairs into a temporary -chapel; and, inconvenient as it might be to have people going so far -into a religious house, they would have borne up longer, had not a -builder told them that anything like a crowd would bring the whole -place down about their ears. Father Ignatius mentions this in a letter -he wrote to Mrs. Canning. "It will," he says, "be a great addition to -us to have a respectable church, instead of our chapel up-stairs; but -we should not have had a plea for asking for it, if this chapel had -not been so good as to give us notice to quit, by becoming cracky a -little." - -Here, then, was an opportunity. Some one should go out and beg. Father -Ignatius was commissioned to write letters, but though the first was -answered by a cheque for £100, with a promise of more, there was not -enough forthcoming to enable them to build. Could he not do two things -at once? Could he not ask for prayers as well as alms? Did not the -very plea of begging give him a right to go to different places, even -from parish to parish, and speak publicly and privately? It did. And -he was forthwith sent out to carry into execution the dreams of half a -life, which he scarcely ever expected to realize. He first began this -peculiar mission of his by going through the towns with a guide, like -ordinary questers: in a few years the plan developed itself into the -"little missions." - -{371} - -His first begging tour was through Birmingham, Derby, Nottingham, -Oscott, Leamington, and Wolverhampton. In a few months he sallies -forth again, and Liverpool is the theatre of his labours. Many and -rude were the trials he had to endure in this humiliating work. He -thus playfully alludes to some of them: - - "I am on a begging mission here at Liverpool, in which I find rough - and smooth, ups and downs, every day. The general result is very - fair. I have been here since Monday, the 8th of May" (he writes on - the 20th), "and have got more than £100, but with hard walking. I - am, however, quite well, and the inflammation of my eye quite - gone--nothing left but a little haziness. It lasted five weeks - without relenting at all. If it had gone on, I must have stayed at - home; but it just began to improve before I started, and has got - well, _tout en marchant_. My present life is very pleasant when - money comes kindly; but when I get refused, or walk a long way and - find every one out, it is a bit mortifying. That is best gain for - me, I suppose, though not what I am travelling for. .... I should - not have had the time this morning to write to you, had it not been - for a disappointment in meeting a young man, who was to have been my - begging-guide for part of the day; and so I had to come home, and - stay till it is time to go and try my fortune in the enormous - market-house, where there are innumerable stalls with poultry, eggs, - fruit, meat, &c., kept in great part by Irish men and women, on whom - I have to-day, presently, to go and dance attendance, as this is the - great market-day. I feel, when going out for a job like this, as a - poor child going in a bathing machine to be dipped in the sea, - _frisonnant_; but the Irish are so good-natured and generous that - they generally make the work among them full of pleasure, when once - I am in it." - -One sees a vast difference between begging of the rich and of the -poor. If the latter have nothing to give, they will at least show a -kind face, and will not presume to question the priest about his -business; whereas some of the former, because they have something -which they will not give, either absent themselves or treat the priest -unkindly for {372} asking. For what? Because he begs. It is not for -himself: he even retrenches necessaries from his own table in order to -spare something for the house of God. And what, after all, does he -ask? The price of an hour's recreation, or an extra ornament, that may -be very well spared. That is all. The priest wants people to look -after their own interests, to send their money before them to heaven, -instead of wasting it on vanity or sin. And because he does this, and -humbles himself for the sake of his God, he must be made to feel it. -Father Ignatius was keenly alive to this, and the way he felt for -those who forgot themselves by sending him away empty was far more -afflictive than the personal humiliation. He could thank God for the -latter, but he could not do so for the former. - -Once he was fiercely abused, when begging, and as the reviler had come -to a full stop in his froward speech, Father Ignatius quietly -retorted: "Well, as you have been so generous to myself personally, -perhaps you would be so kind as to give me something now for my -community." This had a remarkable effect. It procured him a handsome -offering then, as well as many others ever since. - -Another day he knocked at a door, and was admitted by a very -sumptuously attired footman. Father Ignatius told the servant the -object of his visit, his religious name, and asked if he could see the -lady or gentleman of the house. The servant strode off to see, and in -a few seconds returned to say that the gentleman was out, and the lady -was engaged and could not see him, neither could she afford to help -him. He then remarked that perhaps she was not aware that he was the -Honourable Mr. Spencer. The servant looked at him, bowed politely and -retired. In a minute or two Father Ignatius hears a rustling of silks -and a tripping of quick steps on the stairs. In came my lady, and what -with blushings and bowings, and excuses and apologies, she scarcely -knew where she was until she found herself and him tête-à-tête. She -really did not know it was he, and there were so many impostors. "But -what will you take, my dear sir?" and before he could say yea or nay -she rung for his friend the footman. Father Ignatius coolly said, that -he did not {373} then stand in need of anything to eat, and that he -never took wine; but that he did stand in need of money for a good -purpose, and if she could give him anything in that way he should be -very glad to accept it. She handed him a five-pound note at once, -expressing many regrets that something or other prevented its being -more. Father Ignatius took the note, folded it carefully, made sure of -its being safely lodged in his pocket, and then made thanksgiving in -something like the following words: "Now, I am very sorry to have to -tell you that the alms you have given me will do you very little good. -If I had not been born of a noble family, you would have turned me -away with coldness and contempt. I take the money, because it will be -as useful to me as if it were given with a good motive; but I would -advise you, for the future, if you have any regard for your soul, to -let the love of God, and not human respect, prompt your alms-giving." -So saying, he took his hat and bid his benefactress a good morning. - -Many were the anecdotes he told us about his begging adventures; but -it is next to impossible to remember them. In every case, however, we -could see the saint through the veil his humility tried to cast over -himself. Whether he was received well or ill, he always tried to turn -his reception to the spiritual benefit of those who received him. He -made more friends than any person living, perhaps, and never was known -to make an enemy; his very simplicity and holiness disarmed malice. He -says, in a letter, upon getting his first commission to go and quest: -"I am to be a great beggar!" His prognostication began to be verified. -Strange fact, the Honourable George Spencer a beggar! And happier, -under all the trials and crosses incident to such a life, than if he -had lived in the luxury of Althorp. Religion is carrying out to-day -what its Founder began eighteen hundred years ago. He left the kingdom -of heaven to live on the charity of His own creatures. - -{374} - - -CHAPTER IV. - -Death Of Father Dominic. - - -We group the incidents of this chapter around this sad event: some of -them were the last these two bosom friends did together, and the -others were occasioned by their separation. - -Early in January, 1849, Father Ignatius went, at the invitation of Mr. -John Smith, of Button, to see a spot of ground upon which that worthy -man intended building a church and house for a community of -Passionists. Father Ignatius did not like the situation; but as soon -as he spoke to Father Dominic about it, they both came to St. Helen's -Junction to see if two heads might not be wiser than one. Father -Dominic landed on the platform a little before Father Ignatius, who -had been delayed somewhere on the way. He went immediately to look for -the great benefactor. A fine-looking, open, plain man saluted him, and -he thought this must be a Catholic, and likely he knows the person I -am looking for. "Do you know where lives a certain Mr. Smith?" asked -Father Dominic. "I should think I did," answered his new friend, and -after a few minutes' conversation the father was satisfied, for he was -no other than Mr. Smith himself. They both walked over a considerable -extent of ground, within which Mr. Smith told the good father to make -his choice of a site. He had selected that whereon St. Anne's Retreat -now stands, when Father Ignatius arrived. Father Ignatius hesitated a -little before giving his consent, and it was only when Father Dominic -said emphatically, "The house that is to be built here will yet be the -largest and best we shall have in England," that he fully agreed. That -prophecy is noted in a {375} journal Father Ignatius kept at the time, -and he wondered afterwards how the church and monastery that arose on -that dreary spot verified it to the letter. It is the best and largest -we have in England at the present moment, and Father Dominic never saw -a stone of its foundations laid. - -Fathers Dominic, Ignatius, and Vincent, give a mission in Romney -Terrace, Westminster, in March. Shortly after they give another in -High Street, Dublin. At this mission they introduced the Italian -ceremonies, such as peacemakers (persons appointed to reconcile those -at variance), special sermons for different classes of people, bell -for the five _paters_, and public asking of pardon by the -missionaries. It fell to Father Ignatius to be spokesman in this -latter ceremony, and sore straitened was he to find out in what -particular the fathers had offended, that he might therefrom draw the -apology for their act. He searched and searched, and at last -remembered his own proneness to nod asleep when too long in the -confessional. This was the plea he made, and we must say it was a very -poor one: it gives, however, a good idea of his candour, and want of -unreality. These demonstrations were found to be unsuited to the -genius of the people, and have been suffered to fall into desuetude -ever since. - -Father Ignatius goes next on a begging tour through Manchester, -Sheffield, and the north of England. He called at Carstairs House, on -his way to Glasgow and Edinburgh, to visit his friend Mr. Monteith. -Mr. Monteith was received into the Church by Dr. Wiseman, when Father -Ignatius lived in Oscott. Father Ignatius was his god-father. A -friendship then began between them which never cooled; they kept up a -correspondence from which many important hints have been borrowed for -this book, and it was from Mr. Monteith's place the soul of Father -Ignatius took its departure for a better world. Mr. Monteith extended -the friendship he had for Father Ignatius to his other religious -brethren, and time after time has he given them substantial proofs of -its depth and generosity. - -Father Ignatius and he had been for some time in correspondence about -founding a house of Passionists {376} somewhere near Lanark or -Carstairs; but circumstances over which they had no control prevented -them coming to a conclusion. The Vincentians have well and worthily -taken the place, and the first house of our order founded in Scotland -was St. Mungo's, Glasgow, a few months after Father Ignatius's death. -It was he who opened Mr. Monteith's domestic chapel, and said the -first mass in it. And it was in the same chapel the first mass was -said for his own soul in presence of the body. - -He says in the Journal:-- - - "Tuesday, Aug. 14.--Went to London with Father Dominic. We had a - fine talk with Dr. Wiseman. We dined at 12½ in King William Street - with Faber and the Oratorians. - - "Wednesday, Aug. 15.--Sung mass at 10 and preached, Prepared in a - hurry for my journey. Went off at 3½ for the Continent." - -He never saw Father Dominic in the flesh again. - -On the 27th of August, 1849, Father Dominic and a brother priest were -travelling by railway to Aston. In the morning, before leaving London, -the companion asked Father Dominic to bring him with him; he had just -arrived from Australia, and wished to see some of his old companions -at Aston Hall. Father Dominic thought this was not reason enough for -incurring the expense of the journey; he demurred, but at length -assented. It was fortunate he did. When they came as far as Reading, -Father Dominic became suddenly ill. He was taken out on the platform, -and as the people were afraid of an epidemic, no one would admit the -patient into his house. There lay the worn-out missionary, who had -prayed and toiled so long for the conversion of England, on that bleak -desolate-looking platform, abandoned by all for whose salvation he -thirsted, with only a companion kneeling by his side to prepare him -for eternity. But the coldness and want of hospitality of the people -gave him no concern: other thoughts engrossed him. A few minutes he -suffered, and in those few he made his preparation. He made -arrangements for the government of our houses, he gave his last -instructions to his companion, he invoked a blessing upon England, and -then placidly {377} closed his eyes for ever upon this wicked world, -to open them in a brighter one. He died abandoned, and almost alone, -but he died in the poverty he had practised, and the solitude he -loved. - -Father Ignatius was in Holland at the time. On his arrival at our -house in Tournay he heard a rumour of Father Dominic's death. He gave -no credit to it at first; a letter written to him about it went -astray; and it was not until about a fortnight after it happened that -he saw a paragraph in a newspaper, giving the full particulars. He -hastened home at once to England, and the first thing he heard from -Dr. Wiseman was that Father Dominic had nominated him his successor. - -Father Ignatius, when his provisional appointment had been confirmed -in Rome, could only look forward to trials and difficulties such as he -had never to get through before. We had then three houses of the order -in England, and one in Belgium, which were united under one Superior, -acting as Provincial. The houses were not yet constituted into a -canonical province. The fewness of the members, and their ignorance of -the customs and ways of a strange country, increased the difficulties. -That year, indeed, four excellent priests, who have since worked hard -on the English mission, came from Rome; but they could as yet only say -mass, on account of their imperfect acquaintance with the English -language. - -Then, the existence of each house was so precarious that the smallest -gust of opposition seemed sufficient to unpeople them. Aston Hall was -struggling to build a church, in which undertaking that mission was -destined to exhaust all the life it had; for it eked out but a dying -existence from the time the church was opened, until it was given up -in a few years. The retreat at Woodchester seemed to have lacked any -spirit of vitality from the absence of the cross in its foundation. -The generosity of a convert made everything smooth and convenient in -the beginning, but the difficulties that led at length to our leaving -it were already threatening to rise. The house in London was doomed to -be transplanted to the wilderness of The Hyde, even before {378} the -death of Father Dominic, and St. Anne's, Sutton, was not yet begun. - -This was the material position of the Passionists when Father Ignatius -became Superior, or _quasi_ Provincial. To add to this, the fathers -were not first-rate men of business. They could pray well, preach and -hear confessions, but they gave people of the world credit for being -better than they were. Some of their worldly affairs became, -therefore, complicated, and Father Ignatius, unfortunately, was not -the man to rectify matters and put them straight. He was a sage in -spirituals, but the very reverse in temporals. - -Many of the religious became disheartened at the prospect. Some lost -their vocations. Many fought manfully with contending difficulties, -weathered all the storms, and, tempered and taught by those days of -trouble, look with smiling placidity on what we should think serious -crosses in these days. Such is the beginning of every religious -institute; it grows and thrives by contradiction and persecution. -Human foresight prophesied our destruction then, and could not believe -that in sixteen years we should have seven houses in this province, -with an average of about twenty religious for each. The ways of God -are wonderful. - -This kind of confession was necessary, in order that readers might -have an idea of Father Ignatius's position after the death of Father -Dominic. - -He set to work at once, first carrying out Father Dominic's -intentions, and then trying some special work of his own. The new -church at Woodchester was consecrated by Dr. Hendren and Dr. -Ullathorne, and Dr. Wiseman preached at the opening. The new church of -St. Michael's, Aston Hall, was opened in the same year. On the 7th of -November the community of Poplar House, two priests and a lay brother, -move to The Hyde. - -Father Ignatius, with Fathers Vincent and Gaudentius, give a mission -in Westminster, and they venture out in their habits through the -streets of London. This mission brought out some of Father Ignatius's -peculiarities. In the instruction upon the sanctification of holy -days, which it was his duty to give, he proposed that the Irish should -make {379} "a general strike, not for wages, but for mass on -festivals." He went to visit Father Faber, who was ill at the time; -they became engrossed in conversation, when Father Ignatius looked at -his watch and said he should get away to prepare his sermon or -instruction. Father Faber said this was a very human proceeding, and -was of opinion that missionaries should be able to preach like the -Apostles, without preparation. Father Ignatius turned the matter over -in his mind, reasoned it out with himself, and thenceforward never -delivered what might be called an elaborate discourse. - -It may be remarked, before closing the chapter, that Father Dominic, -at Father Ignatius's suggestion, ordered, in the beginning of 1849, -three Hail Marys to be said by us after Complin for the conversion of -England. The practice is still continued, and has been extended to our -houses on the Continent and in America. - - -{380} - - -CHAPTER V. - -Spirit Of Father Ignatius At This Time. - - -So much has to be said about the exterior actions of Father Ignatius, -that one is apt, in reading them, to forget the spirit in which they -were done. It is true that it is by the nature of the actions -themselves a judgment can be formed of what that spirit must have -been, but then they are liable to a false construction. - -He was chiefly remarkable for his spirit of poverty. It was not alone -that he loved poverty, and tried to observe his vow, but he refined -this observance to an exquisite degree, by trying to treat himself and -get others to treat him like a mean beggar. He wished to feel poverty, -and sought hardships in things that were easy enough, for that end. -When he went by train he always took a third-class ticket, and was -most ingenious in his defence of this proceeding. If some one objected -to him that the third-class carriages generally contained rough, low, -ill-bred, and coarsely-spoken fellows, he gently answered: "Yes; you -may find a thick sprinkling of blackguards there." "Whether or no," he -would say again, "the third class is the poor man's class, and it -ought to be mine." One time he was expected to preach a grand sermon -in some town or other; the lord of the manor, a Catholic, ordered his -carriage, with livery servants, and came himself to bring him in state -to the priest's house. He waited for the good father on the platform, -looking at the doors of the different first-class carriages, and -condescending to give a glance or two towards the second. What was his -surprise when Father Ignatius, habit and sandals and a', got out of a -third. "My dear Father Ignatius," he half indignantly exclaimed, "why -do _you_ travel by {381} third class?" "Well," replied Father -Ignatius, "because there isn't a fourth." - -This idea that he was a poor man and ought to live like one he carried -out in everything. He might be generally seen with a large blue bag. -This bag was not of a respectable make or durable material; no, it was -made of some kind of drogget, like an ordinary sack, and had a thick -clumsy tape that gathered in the mouth of it, and closed it with a big -knot. When he had a long journey before him he brought a pair of -these, and tying them together put the knot upon his shoulder, and -would trudge off six or seven miles with one dangling in front and -another behind. If somebody offered him a seat in a car or wagon, he -gladly accepted it; if not, he did without it. On this same principle -he seldom refused a meal when out; and if he wanted something to eat, -he generally went and begged for it at the first house he came to. At -home he usually washed and mended his underclothing and stockings (the -stockings, by the way, would have blistered the hardest foot after his -mending), and whilst he was Superior he would never allow anyone to do -a menial service for him. He had a great dread of the slightest -attempt at over-nicety in a priest's dress; it was anguish to him to -see a priest, especially a religious, with kid gloves, neat shoes, or -a fashionable hat. His own appearance might be put down as one degree -short of slovenliness. Be it remembered that this was not his natural -bent. We are told by those who knew him when a young man, that he -would walk a dozen streets in London, and enter every hosier's shop, -to find articles that would suit his taste in style and fitting; it -had been almost impossible to please him in this respect; whereas, -when a religious, he would as soon wear a cast-off tartan as anything -else, if it did not tend to bring a kind of disrespect upon his order. -He wore for several years an old mantle belonging to a religious who -died, and would never leave it off as long as there was room for -another patch upon it, unless the Provincial gave him strict orders to -do so. - -He was scrupulously exact in fulfilling the rules and regulations of -the Congregation, so much so that even in {382} those cases in which -others would consider themselves dispensed, he would go through -everything. It is our rule to chant the entire of the Divine Office in -choir; the rector is supposed to give a homily or two, called -_examens_, every week to the religious. When there is not a sufficient -number to chant, of course no law human or divine would require us to -do so; and if there be not a congregation, one is not expected, in the -ordinary course of things, to preach to empty benches. Father Ignatius -was as keenly aware of the common-sense drift of this kind of -reasoning as any one could be, but he so overcame the promptings of -human considerations, that a literal observance, in the face of such -plain exceptions, seemed his ordinary way of acting. There are two -instances in point that occurred about the year 1849. The two priests -who formed the choir of the community at The Hyde remained in bed one -night, either from illness or late attendance at sick-calls, and -Father Ignatius was the only priest present. He chanted the whole of -matins and lauds by himself, and went through it as formally as if -there were twenty religious in choir. Another day the priests were -out, and he and two lay brothers only remained at home; he preached -them the _examen_ just the same as if the choir was full. Another time -the alarum that used to go off at one o'clock, at that time for -matins, missed. Father Ignatius awoke at three o'clock, and he -immediately sprung the rattle and assembled the religious for matins. -At half-past four the night work in choir was over: half-past five was -then the hour of rising for prime. Father Ignatius kept them all in -choir until the time, and had the bells rung, and everything else in -due order. This does not argue a kind of unreasoning observance in -him, out of time and out of place. On the contrary, he well knew that -it was inconvenient, but he thought God would be more glorified by it -than by an exemption from what was prescribed. One anecdote he used to -relate to us convinced us of that. He often related with particular -tact how once in Aston Hall, Father Dominic did not hear the bell for -matins. He awoke at half-past two; everything was still. He went and -sounded the rattle with a vengeance, {383} as if every sound was meant -to say, "I'll give a good penance to the brother that forgot to put up -the alarum." When he had done sounding he dropped the instrument at -the choir door, and went in with a taper to light the lamps. What was -his mortification to find all the religious just concluding their -meditation with a smothered laugh at their Superior. - -Two other tokens of his spirit at this time must be illustrated -together. He was a very cool reasoner; it might almost be said that he -scarcely ever grew hot in dispute, and always gave his adversary's -arguments due consideration. At the same time he was far from being of -a sceptical cast of mind. If an argument approved itself to him, no -matter how trifling it might be intrinsically, he felt bound to admit -it, and adopt it, if practical, unless he could refute it completely. -Again, he had a thorough disregard of human respect. "What will people -say?" or "How will it look?" never entered into the motives of his -actions; and if it did, he would consider himself bound to go straight -and defy them. What did he care about the opinion of the world? It -was, he knew, seldom led by sound reason, and therefore beneath his -consideration. - -He found that the Oratorians began to go about in their _soutanes_; he -had a talk with Father Faber about it, and forthwith resolved to go -about in his habit. Cardinal Wiseman approved of it, if done with -prudence, and Father Ignatius began at once. In a letter to Mr. -Monteith he says:--"I court the honour of following the Oratorians -close in this" (confining ourselves to the work of our vocation), as I -have done likewise in beginning to wear the habit." He used to relate -an amusing adventure he once had in a train with his habit on. At a -certain station a middle-aged gentleman, with his little daughter, -were getting into the carriage which Father Ignatius had to himself, -as every one shunned his monkish company. The little girl got afraid, -and would not enter. The gentleman bravely ventured in, to set an -example to his child, but all to no avail,--the girl was still afraid. -At last the man said out loud, "Come on, child; the gentleman won't -bite!" meaning Father Ignatius. {384} The child summed up courage when -she heard the paternal assurance of safety to her skin, and got to a -seat. She bundled herself up in the corner diagonally opposite the -monk, tried to appear as near the invisible as she could, and stared -wildly on the strange spectacle for a long time. Her father got into -conversation with Father Ignatius, began deciphering the badge by -means of all the Greek and Latin he could bring to his assistance, and -became quite interested in the genial conversation of the good priest. -When the child heard her father laugh, she began to edge up near the -stranger, and, before they separated, father and child were convinced -that monks were not such frightful things as they appeared at first -sight. We shall have other adventures to relate about his habit -further on. - -Another peculiar characteristic of his spirit was his great devotion -to the Blessed Virgin. He set more value on a Hail Mary than any -conceivable form of prayer. He went so far in this, that he had to be -reasoned out of its excess afterwards by one of his companions. He did -everything by Hail Marys; he would convert England by Hail Marys; and -in the year 1850 he obtained a plenary indulgence for the three Hail -Marys for the conversion of England. When any one asked him to pray -for them, he promised a Hail Mary. This was very praiseworthy in him, -as we know how hard it is even for some to go heart and soul into the -Catholic instinct of devotion to the Mother of God. They must have -their qualifications, and their terms, and their conditions, as if, -forsooth, she ought to be obliged to them for acknowledging her -privileges at all. The worst of it is, that Catholics often tone down -their books of devotion and expressions to suit the morbid tastes of -ultra-Protestants, or the fastidiousness of some whitewashed Puseyite. -It may be thought prudent to do so; but it is disgraceful, mean, and -dishonourable, to say the least of it. - -These are the most prominent outlines in Father Ignatius's spirit at -the time we are writing about, and if we add to them a great devotion -to the sacrifice of the mass, we shall have his soul in a fair way -before us. He never missed celebrating, if he possibly could; and -often he arrived at {385} - -11 o'clock in the day at one of our houses, after travelling all -night, and would eat nothing until he had first said mass. A month -before he died he travelled all night from Glasgow to London, and said -mass in Highgate at 11 o'clock. He was jaded, weak in health, but he -would not lose one sacrifice: it was of too great a value, and he had -received too many favours through it, to omit it on light grounds. -This was a life-long devotion of his, and it is the essential one for -a priest of God. - -From what has been said, we can form a fair estimate of his character -as a Passionist. One is so obvious that it requires no mention at all, -and that was his zeal for the conversion and sanctification of souls. -So far did this go, that he seemed led by it blindly and wholly. This -was his weak, or, perhaps more properly, his strong point. Go with him -in that, and you covered a multitude of sins. - -Another essential was his "thanking God for everything." This he -carried so far that he became perfectly insensible to insults, -mockeries, and injuries, and yet he felt them keenly. At one time he -used to pass late at night by a lonesome lane that led to our last -house at The Hyde. He heard rumours of some evil-disposed wretches -having intended to shoot him. One night he heard a rustling in the -hedge as he was walking on, and the thought struck him that perhaps an -assassin was lying in ambush for him. The religious asked him what -were his thoughts. "Well," said he, "I hoped that when the bullet -struck me I would have time to say, _'thank God for that'_ before I -died." - -From this rough sketch of his spirit it will be seen that he had too -little of the serpent, in the Gospel sense, to make a good Superior. -He was too simple and confiding for that; he did not know how to -suspect, and any one that knew how to get into his views could do what -he pleased. At the same time, all reverenced him as a saint, and every -day of his religious life increased the estimation in which he was -held by his own brethren. This is the more valuable as it is the -private life of most men which lowers them in the eyes of those who -have the opportunity of observing them. Father Ignatius tried always -to make the subject-matter of {386} his conversation as edifying as -possible; it was withal so beautifully interspersed with amusing -anecdotes, that it could not fail to interest all. He had a peculiar -tact for relating stories, and a wonderful memory; he was unrivalled -in his power of mimicry, and he enjoyed fun with the greatest relish. -It was the opinion of every one who knew him intimately, that nothing -came under his notice which he could not turn to pointing the argument -of a sermon or furthering the glory of God. He christianized -everything; and did so with such grace, that the love of what he -remodelled was increased for its new aspect. - - -{387} - - -CHAPTER VI. - -His Dealings With Protestants And Prayers For Union. - - -The kindly feelings Father Ignatius always showed for Protestants laid -him open to the charge of a want of appreciation for the blessings of -faith, or of not hating heresy as saints have hated it. Although his -whole life and actions amply refute either conclusion, some of the -incidents of this period of his life bring out his conduct in this -respect in its real character. - -He tried to extend the benefit or plea of invincible ignorance as -widely as possible. He laboured and reasoned, with a warmth unusual to -him, to remove the notion some Catholics have, that the majority of -Protestants know they are wrong, but from some unworthy motive will -not give up their errors. His proofs of the position he chose to take -here were not certainly the most convincing, for his stock argument -was to quote himself. It did of course occur to him that its point -could be retorted by the fact of his becoming a Catholic for his _bona -fides_; but he took up the argument then by saying we were therefore -to hope for the conversion of England. His idea of England's apostasy -was mainly this: that the body of the people had been swindled out of -their religion by the machinations of a few crafty, unprincipled -statesmen, at the time of the Reformation. A system of misrepresentation -and false colouring of Catholic doctrines and practices was invented -and handed down from generation to generation, which impregnated the -minds of children with the notion that Catholicity and absurdity were -one and the same thing. From this point of view did he look at the -millions who groped in the {388} darkness of error, blaspheming the -doctrines of Jesus Christ, and imagining they were thereby doing Him a -service. He took then the side of pity, which always inclines one to -the lessening of faults. - -He lamented nothing more than the loss of faith in England, and he -thought that a harsh, iron way of dealing with Englishmen would close -their hearts against grace altogether. This led him to use the mildest -terms he could find,--nay, the most respectful,--in speaking of -Protestants. He would never call them "heretics," nor their ministers -"parsons." "Separated from the Church," "Church of England people," -"Dissenters," "Clergymen," were his usual terms, and he would often -also speak of them as "our separated brethren." - -This twofold aspect of his bearing towards Protestants certainly -proceeded alike from charity and zeal. It was a common remark with -him, that we ought not to suppose people bad and evil-disposed unless -we are certain of it, neither should we hurt their feelings by -opprobrious epithets. And if we intend to do them any good we should -be the more cautious still as to our thoughts and words. He used to -sigh when he had done speaking of the state of religion in England, -but he would immediately start up as if from a reverie and say, "Shall -we not do something to save our poor countrymen?" So far was he from -sympathizing with the mildest form of error, that even in scholastic -questions he would always take the safer side. In his love for the -heretic, therefore, no one could ever find the least sympathy with the -heresy; or if he called the error a polite name, it was only to gain -admission to the heart it was corroding, in order to be allowed to -pluck it out. If we take into account his great love for souls, it -will seem wonderful that he did not burst out at times into -indignation against what destroyed so many; but we must remember that -such a thing as fierce outbursts of any kind were most unsuitable to -his spirit. His love would make him try to eliminate from those who -had died external to the Church, all the formal heresy he possibly -could; and he felt special delight in the fact that the Catholic -Church forbids us to judge the {389} damnation of any particular -individual as certain. But then let us think for a moment of what he -did to uproot heresy. He spoke, he wrote, he preached, he toiled for -thirty years incessantly almost for this single object. Any one that -weighs this well will be far from judging that he had the least -sympathy with error. His kindliness, therefore, for Protestants, and -his belief that the vast majority of them were in good faith, so far -from making him sit down at ease and enjoy his own faith, and not -bestir himself unless Protestants thrust themselves upon him to claim -admission into the fold, produced directly the opposite effect. Their -not being so bad as was generally imagined, buoyed his hope in their -speedy recovery; their being so near the truth, as he charitably -supposed, made him strain every nerve to compel them to come across -the barrier that separated them from him. - -One of the means he adopted for reuniting Protestants to the Catholic -Church laid him open to another serious charge, which was, if -possible, more groundless than the last. In January, 1850, he began to -go about and call upon Protestants of every description--ministers of -church and state nobles and plebeians. His object was to get them all -to pray for unity. To state plainly his way of action, it was -this:--He intended to ask all Protestants "to pray for unity in the -truth, wherever God knows it to be." This, he said, was of course to -pray for conversion to Catholicism unknown to themselves; it was -taking the enemy by stratagem in his own camp. Objections were made in -different quarters against the proposition. Some said it was not -acting fairly and candidly; he then used to qualify it by telling them -that he knew very well the truth lay in the Catholic Church alone, and -so did every Catholic, and that if any Protestant asked him he would -plainly tell him so. Others then said, Protestants would be all -praying for proselytes to their own persuasions, for they were all in -good faith, and thought themselves in the truth. These and sundry -other objections were made to this mode of proceeding; it was looked -upon with suspicion, as savouring too much of communication with -heretics, and he never got a {390} superior to approve of it, neither -was it condemned. So it remained to the last an agitated question, -which none of us would enter into, and which himself adopted with a -kind of tentative adhesion. There was nothing wrong, certainly, in -getting Protestants to pray for unity; but then, "unity in the truth, -where God knew it to exist," was a very indefinite thing to propose to -them. Questions might be raised which could only be answered in one -way. What kind of unity? External or internal, or both? "Where does -God know the truth to exist? Must we all put ourselves in a Cartesian -doubt for a starting-point? And so on. The only answer could be--The -Catholic Church. And might he not as well ask them to pray for that at -once? Father Ignatius was not at all obstinate in sticking to this -proposal as a theory he might reduce to practice, it came up at times -in his conversation, and was dropped as easily. - -The mistake it led to was, however, rather serious: it was supposed -that Father Ignatius looked favourably on, if he did not entirely -coincide with, a society called "The Association for Promoting the -Unity of Christendom," designated by the letters A.P.U.C. With this -society Father Ignatius never had anything to do; he detested its -principles, although he hoped it would do good in its way. He wished -it to be confined to Protestants. One leading principle of the -A.P.U.C. was certainly somewhat akin to some of Father Ignatius's -dreams--conversions _en masse_; but his notions and those of the -Association were widely different. They were for coming over in a -great, respectable body, whose size and standing would deserve to -receive great concessions in the way of discipline, as the condition -of their surrender. Father Ignatius was for an unconditional -submission of each individual, and could not allow any one to wait at -the door of the Church for a companion to enter with him. The _en -masse_ of Father Ignatius was no more nor less, then, than this: that -the people of England should throw off their prejudices and begin in a -body to examine candidly the grounds of the Catholic faith. He was -glad that the Association existed, because it carried out so much of -his wishes; but it {391} went too far for him, and in a prohibited -line, when it asked for Catholic prayers and sacrifices, and for -Catholic members. He never, therefore, gave his name to it, though -often and repeatedly solicited to do so. His greatest friend was -publicly known to be a member of the Association, and much as he loved -and honoured him, Father Ignatius had no hesitation in saying of him, -_in hoc non laudo_. Even so late as the year '63 or '64, he received a -bundle of their official papers, with a private letter from the -secretary and a number of the _Union Review_; he was seen to scan them -over, and then throw them into the fire. About the year '50 or '51, -when he was always going about asking for prayers for unity, after the -new idea that struck him, an incident occurred to bear out what is -here said. He happened to be speaking with a roomful of Protestant -clergymen on this very subject. They listened to him very attentively, -raised objections, had them answered, and finally agreed to the -justness of his proposals. They agreed, moreover, to kneel down then -and pray together for unity, and asked Father Ignatius to join them. -He refused at once. They pressed him on every side, and said, among -other things, that he ought to set them this example. He jumped up -with indignation, and said, in a manner quite unusual to him, "I'd -rather be torn in pieces by forty thousand mad dogs than say a prayer -with you." He hereupon left the room, and became more cautious for the -future as to how and when he asked them to pray for unity. The reason -of this abrupt proceeding was the law that forbids all Catholics to -communicate with heretics in divine things. Joint prayer, of course, -is against this law. - -It is singular that, though he has left behind his thoughts drawn out -in full upon all the ideas he took up from time to time about the -conversion of heretics and the sanctification of Catholics, there is -nothing left among his papers upon this project. We may conclude from -this, as well as what has been said above, that while he looked upon -the Unionists with kindness, he never adopted their principles; and -such of his notions as seemed congenial to theirs will be {392} found, -on examination, to be totally different. This it was necessary to -remark, as many very well informed Catholics thought poor Father -Ignatius came under the censure of the Inquisition, _in re_ A.P.U.C. -It was quite a mistake, and he should have endorsed that censure -himself, if he lived, and freely as he avoided what drew it down -before he died. - - -{393} - - -CHAPTER VII. - -Father Ignatius In 1850. - - -This year was so full of events interesting to Father Ignatius, that -there is no leading one round which others may be grouped to head the -chapter. He expected to be called to Rome towards Easter; he had even -written to the General, and had received letters to that effect. The -object of this visit will be best understood from the following -extract from a letter written at this time, dated from 13, Garnault -Place, Clerkenwell, London:-- - - "I am here on a mission with Father Gaudentius, and as we have not - yet great press of work, I will write to tell you of an important - feature in my prospects for the present year. It is, that I am going - to Rome about Easter. About the time I saw you last I wrote to the - General, saying that I thought this would be a good step. After that - I thought no more about it till the other day a letter came from - him, in which he approved the proposal; and so, after a mission - which we are to give at St. George's from the first to the fourth - Sunday in Lent, I propose starting. I shall be, I expect, about four - months absent. I propose begging my way there, through France or - Germany, which will make the journey last a month or six weeks; - then, after stopping six weeks or two months in Italy, to make - acquaintance with our Senior Fathers, and inform myself, as much as - possible, of all the ways and spirit of our congregation (of which, - of course, now I am very ignorant), I hope to bring back the General - with me to make a visitation of his flock." - -Before giving the mission in St. George's, he wrote to his sister, -Lady Lyttelton, to tell her of his intended journey to Rome, and of a -visit he would pay her before starting. Her {394} ladyship was then in -Windsor Castle, and we shall give her reply, as it shows the genial -affection that always existed between them, and at the same time -accounts for his not having gone to Windsor in his habit, as was often -supposed. - - "_Windsor Castle, Jan. 28th._ - - "My Dear Brother,--I am very much obliged to you for your kindly - telling me your plans, and giving me a hope of seeing you before you - go to Rome. The period you mention as the probable one for your - mission at St. George's, will most likely be the very best for me to - see you, as we shall probably remove to London about the middle of - February, and remain till after Easter; so I shall look forward with - much pleasure to an occasional visit. I am much obliged to you for - telling me of the intended change in your dress. I should never have - guessed its probability, having erroneously believed it simply - illegal; but I find that was a mistake. You will, I hope, not wonder - or blame me, if I beg you to visit me at my own little home, No. 38, - St. James's Place, and not at the Palace, when you are looking so - remarkable. I don't want to figure in a paragraph, and so novel a - sight in the Palace might lead to some such catastrophe. A day's - notice of your visit will always enable me to meet you, and Caroline - and Kitty, and probably others of those that remain to me of my - ancient belongings, may thereby sometimes get a glimpse of you, - though we should be always able to have our _coze_ in a separate - room. I almost wish you would take me under your cowl to Rome. How I - should like once more to see the Colosseum (and to learn to spell - its name), and the Vatican! but hardly at the cost of a long - journey, either. - - "Fritz and Bessy [Footnote 11] are coming here next Thursday on a - two days' visit to the Queen, and when I have seen them I will tell - you of their plans. I suppose they will be at Althorp till after - Easter. Believe me, my dear brother, - - "Very affectionately yours, - "S. Lyttelton." - - [Footnote 11: Lord and Lady Spencer.] - - -{395} - -When Father Ignatius went to St. James's Place to pay the visit -arranged for in this letter, he experienced some difficulty in getting -as far as his sister. The porter who opened the gate did not know him, -and was, of course, astonished to see such a strange figure demanding -an interview with his mistress. He would not let him in until he got -special orders from Lady Lyttelton herself. Father Ignatius used to -contrast this servant's mode of acting with that of another who -admitted him once to Althorp. This last servant did not know him -either; but seeing he looked tired, he took him into his lodge, got -him some bread and cheese and a glass of ale for refreshment. -By-and-by the Earl passed, and was highly amused at seeing George -regale himself with such satisfaction on the servant's fare. The -servant made some apologies, but they were quite unnecessary, for -Father Ignatius never forgot his kindness, and used to say that he -enjoyed the porter's pittance far more than the viands of the "Big -House," as he used to call it. - -Father Ignatius was seldom at home up to June, when he went to visit -our religious in Belgium, who were subject to his jurisdiction; he had -given a mission in Garnault Street, a retreat to our religious in -Aston Hall, a mission in St. George's, Southwark, a retreat to nuns in -Winchester, a retreat to people in Blackbrook, and a retreat in -Sedgley Park. On his return from Belgium he remained in London, and -preached in different churches, besides giving a retreat to the people -in Winchester, and visiting several Protestant ministers, until the -mission in Maze Pond. This was so badly attended that he used to -preach in the courts, beating up for an audience. In giving an account -sometimes of the visits above mentioned, he used to tell about an old -minister he and another of our fathers once called upon. This -gentleman suffered from gout, and was consequently rather testy; he -had a lay friend staying with him at the time of the two Passionists' -visit. He called the fathers idolaters, and insisted, right or wrong, -that our Lord used the word "represent" when he instituted the Blessed -Sacrament at the Last Supper. It was in vain that all three tried to -convince him of his mistake. When, at last, the passage {396} was -pointed out to him, and that he had assured himself, by inspecting -title-page and royal arms, that the Bible was a genuine authorized -version, he was so far from giving in that, like the wolf in the -fable, he immediately indicted them on another plea. This incident -Father Ignatius used to recount to show how far ignorance hindered the -removal of prejudice. - -His Roman plan fell to the ground in the beginning of July, when he -received a letter to announce the coming of Father Eugene as -Visitor-General to England. Father Ignatius went to meet him to -Tournay, and escorted him to England, where his passing visit became a -fixed residence to the present day. This happened towards the end of -July. Father Ignatius then gave retreats to the priests in Ushaw -College, to the nuns in Sunderland, and came to London to arrange -about our taking St. Wilfrid's from the Oratorians. He went through -all this before the end of August, and was in Carlow on the 4th of -September, to give two retreats at the same time to the students of -the College and the Presentation nuns. - -On the 8th of September he went to Thurles. The Irish bishops were -assembled there for the most important synod held since Henry VIII.'s -proposals were rejected. The synod was held to make canons of -discipline, and laws for the new _status_ the Church had gained in -Ireland. The rough-and-ready ceremonial that had to be used in times -of persecution was laid aside, after it had done good work in its day, -and one more systematic was decreed for the administration of the -sacraments. Here the Irish prelates were assembled, and Father -Ignatius thought it a great opportunity for opening his mind and -stating his views to Ireland by letting them known to her hierarchy. -His account of the visit to Thurles is thus recorded in his journal:-- - - "Sept. 8.--Mass at 5. Railway to Thurles at 6½. Put up at the - Christian schools. Dined there at 4. Saw the Primate, &c., at the - College. Begged of the bishops, &c. - - Tuesday, Sept. 9.--Mass at 6, at the Monk's Altar. Begged on from - the bishops. At 10, the great ceremony of concluding the synod, till - 2. The Primate preached. Dr. Slattery sang {397} mass. I walked in - the procession. At 5, dined with the bishops, &c., at the College. - Made a speech after dinner on the Crusade." - -After his visit to Thurles, he came back to Carlow and gave a retreat -to the lay students in their own oratory. He then went off on a -begging tour through Kildare, Carlow, and Kilkenny. Whilst in Kilkenny -he went to look at the old cathedral (now in Protestant hands); his -_cicerone_ was a very talkative old woman, who gave him a history, in -her own style, of the crumbling worthies whose names he deciphered on -the different monuments. One account she told with especial gusto: the -last moments of an old lady "of the Butlers." This old lady, according -to the _cicerone's_ account, had once been a Catholic, and on her -death-bed wished to receive the rites of the Church. She was told that -if she died a Catholic, those to whom her property was willed would be -disinherited, and that the property would pass over to others. She -hesitated some time on hearing this announcement, and after a few -minutes' reflection expressed her decision as follows, "Oh, well; it -is better that one old woman should burn in hell than that the family -of the Butlers should lose their estate." She died shortly after--a -Protestant. Father Ignatius used to say that he never was more -surprised than at the manner of his guide as she concluded the climax -of her narrative. She seemed to think old Granny Butler's resolution -showed the highest grade of heroic virtue and self-sacrifice. - -In Carrick-on-Suir he says: "Made the best day's begging in my life up -to this, £50." He then went to Tipperary, Cork, visited all the -convents and priests, came to Birr, spent an afternoon with Lord Ross -and his telescope; begs in Limerick, Drogheda, Newry, Dundalk, Ardee, -Castle-blaney, Carrickmacross, Londonderry, Strabane, Omagh. When he -was in Omagh there was a tenant-right meeting, and he went to hear -Gavan Duffy. He begs through Dungannon, Lurgan, Enniskillen, -Ballyshannon, Clogher. He then came to Dublin, from which he paid -flying visits to a few convents, and to the colleges of Maynooth and -All-hallows. He returned to England on the 17th of November; {398} -and, during his two months' tour in Ireland, he had preached -seventy-nine sermons, on the conversion of England chiefly. - -He heard of the re-establishment of the hierarchy in England while -travelling in Ireland, and one of his first acts, on returning to -London, was to pay his respects to his old friend, the new Cardinal. -This year we were put in possession of St. Saviour's Retreat, -Broadway, which has been the noviciate of the order since. St. Anne's, -Sutton, was also colonized about the same time. Father Ignatius gave a -mission in Glasgow during this Advent, and brought two young priests -with him to train into the work of the missions. One of them was -Father Bernard, and he gives wonderful accounts of Father Ignatius's -labours. He slept but about four hours in the twenty-four, and was all -the rest of the time busy either in the confessional or on the -platform, with the exception of the time he took to eat a hurried meal -or two. - -In going through Liverpool on his return from Glasgow, in his habit, a -crowd gathered round him to hoot and insult him. In his journal he -says: "I got two blows on the head," for which he took good care to -thank God. The year is concluded by preaching in Dublin, and giving -the _renewal_ retreat to the Sisters of Mercy in Birr. - -Any one that will glance over this year of his life, and see him -perpetually moving from place to place, will certainly think he had -little time to himself. It was about this time that he made the -resolution of never being a moment idle, a resolve he carried out to -the last. During this year and the preceding he was occupied in -translating into English Da Bergamo's _Pensieri ed Affetti_. The -greater part of this book, which was published by Richardson, under -the name of _Thoughts and Affections on the Passion_, was translated -by Father Ignatius, on railway stations, while waiting for trains, in -every place, before or after dinner, in intervals between confessions, -in all kinds of out-of-the way places; and so careful was he to fill -up every moment of time that we see noted in his journal his having -done some of Da Bergamo in the fore cabin of the steamer that took him -{399} from Holyhead to Kingstown. He wrote it mostly in pencilling, on -the backs of envelopes, scraps of paper of all sizes, shapes, and -quality; so that it was nearly as difficult to put those sibylline -leaves in order and copy from them as it was to translate, if not more -so. Besides this he wrote a number of letters; and his letters were no -small notes with broken sentences, but long lectures on difficulties -of conscience, written with a care and consideration that is perfectly -surprising when one reflects upon his opportunities. He used to say -that no one should ever excuse his not answering a letter for want of -time: "If the letter is worth answering we ought to get time for it, -for it becomes a kind of duty." He certainly had no time to spare or -throw away, but he had always enough for any purpose in which charity -or obedience could claim him. His days were indeed full days, and he -scarcely ever went to bed until he had shaken himself out of nodding -asleep over his table three or four times. No one ever heard him say -that he was tired and required rest; rest he never had, except on his -hard bed or in his quiet grave. If any man ever ate his bread in the -sweat of his brow, it was Father Ignatius of St. Paul, the -ever-toiling Passionist. - - -{400} - - -CHAPTER VIII. - -A New Form of "The Crusade." - - -We find Father Ignatius, at the beginning of the year 1851, begging in -Ireland. It was not his custom to go regularly from house to house; he -preferred collecting people together, and addressing them, and, if -this were not practicable, getting permission from the priests to -speak to their flocks on Sundays and festivals. He wanted prayers more -than money, and he was delighted that the plea of begging justified -his moving about, and gave him a kind of faculty to preach on his -favourite topic, "the conversion of England." Oftentimes the spiritual -interfered with his temporal interests, as when an Irishman, who was -about to give him an alms, refused it as soon as he spoke about -England. Strange enough, Father Ignatius thought England-hating -Irishmen the very best subjects to practise his art of persuasion on. -He thought them true souls, sensitive of their wrongs, and valued them -far more than those who lauded England through lack of patriotism. - -He met many adventures during this begging tour in Ireland. In one -parish, the priest promised to allow him to preach to his congregation -on the Sunday, and collect from them. The priest did not seem to -possess indifference to earthly things, or generosity either, in a -very high degree; for, when Father Ignatius came to his place on -Saturday, his reverence told him that he intended to claim the -collection in the church, whilst Father Ignatius might stand at the -door and beg for himself as the people were going out. Father Ignatius -thanked God, and was content, only remarking that, with the priest's -permission, he would prefer {401} to hold his hat under a large tree -that grew near the church-door, instead of at the door itself. - -He preached at the last mass, and never said a word about where or -when he was to receive the people's offerings; the collection was made -by the priest, and a most miserable one it proved to be. Father -Ignatius held his hat under the tree, and, since the day in -Carrick-on-Suir, never had such a collection. It was a marvel to him; -he could not account for it, and he was the more surprised when he -compared notes with the parish priest after all was over. He found out -the solution of the mystery that same evening. It seems that, on -Saturday, he told a respectable lady in the neighbourhood of the -priest's decision. She, without telling him a word of what she -intended doing, went home, sent her servant through the village, and -collected twelve stalwart active young men; she harangued them on what -the priest was about to do, and sent them all off to different parts -of the parish to tell the people of it, and also of the spot where -Father Ignatius would receive their offerings. The people had reason -to think their pastor was a little fond of money, and their -indignation at his proceeding helped to increase their liberality. - -He begged at this time in Borris O'Kane, Limerick, Ennis, Gort, -Galway, Loughren, Ballinasloe, Mullingar, and preached 101 sermons -since the previous 5th September. His begging tour ends in Dublin, -about March, where he begins a new campaign of what he terms "his -crusade." - -He preached some controversial lectures in Dublin, dined and talked -with Dissenting ministers, wrote a little newspaper controversy, and -had a meeting in the Rotundo. This very active kind of work did not -seem to suit his taste or spirit, and he changed very soon to another -and a more congenial one--the conversational mode of advancing the -Catholic cause. - -He visited the leading men both in the Establishment and in the -offices of State, and the conferences he held with them are so -interesting that we shall relate a few of them in his own words. The -extracts are taken from letters {402} published by him in 1853, in the -_Catholic Standard_, now _The Weekly Register_:-- - - - _Interview with Lord John Russell._ - - One day early in February, 1850, I had been on an expedition down to - Westminster. I look back on all my walks during a certain period, - that is, while I was constantly wearing my Passionist habit, as - _expeditions_. Indeed they were eventful ones in their way. I was - returning through Parliament Street; and having an hour to dispose - of, as I passed by Downing Street, I thought I would now try, what I - had long thought of, to have a conversation with the Premier. I - asked, "Is Lord John Russell at home?" The messenger [query?] who - came to the door looked at my figure with some surprise, then said, - "Yes, sir, but he is engaged at present?" I said, "Will you be so - good as to say to him that Lord Spencer's brother would wish to - speak with him?" "Walk in, sir," he answered; and to my surprise, I - must say, I found myself at once in a waiting-room, and five minutes - later was introduced to Lord John. He rose to me, and kindly pointed - to a chair. I said, "Do you remember me, my Lord?" "Oh, yes," he - answered. I then proceeded: "I hardly know whether what I am now - doing is wise or not; but I will explain my reason for asking to see - your lordship and you will judge. You are aware, probably, that it - is now some twenty years since I became a Catholic. Ever since that - time, my whole mind has been bent on leading others to the same - faith, and, in short, on the conversion of this country to - Catholicity. For this end I have endeavoured, as far as it was - possible, to move all Catholics throughout the world to pray for the - conversion of England. I have also spoken with as many as I could of - the leading men among the clergy of the Church of England and among - Dissenting ministers, to move them also to pray that God would bring - this country to unity in the truth wherever he sees it to be. I am - almost always received agreeably on these occasions; for all seem to - agree in what I think cannot be denied, that if there is anything - which {403} threatens ruin to the power and prosperity of this - country it is our religious divisions." His lordship here, without - speaking, intimated, as I understood, his assent to this last - sentence; but interrupted me by asking more particularly: "What do - you propose to Dissenters?" "The same," I said, "as to Anglicans; I - conceive this prayer is proper for them all alike." ... I proceeded: - "Among Catholics I find myself constantly met by the objection, that - if they came forward openly, as I wish them to do, it would offend - those in power in England. I answer them, I am convinced it would - not; but in order to satisfy others rather than myself, I have at - last thought it well to come to the first authority and ask. I will - remark to your lordship why I say this. Among all Catholics, I am - particularly intent on moving the Catholics of Ireland to undertake - this cause. I first went to Ireland for the purpose in 1842. Now I - look upon it as certain, that if the Irish had then undertaken, as I - wished them, to pray for the conversion of England, and had - persevered in that work out of charity, they would not, in 1848, - have thought of making pikes against England; and this would have - saved our Government some millions of pounds, perhaps. Pikes are - well enough in their place, but I consider that charity would not - have prompted the making of them on this occasion. Again, I will say - that my favourite individual object in Ireland is to enlist in my - cause your lordship's illustrious correspondent, Dr. M'Hale; and it - is my opinion that it would improve the style of his letters if - there were introduced into them some expressions of charity towards - England." Lord John slightly smiled, and then proceeded with his - answer, as follows: "In answering you, I beg to be understood that I - do not speak as a minister; but I will tell what I think as an - individual. The entire liberty which exists in this country for - every one to think as he pleases, and to speak what he thinks, makes - it appear to me difficult to conceive how a reunion of all the - different religious opinions could be effected. That is at least a - distant prospect. But anything which would tend to a diminution of - the spirit of acrimony, and of the disposition of people of opposite - opinions to misrepresent one another's views, must {404} do good." - Then he added, in a very pleasing tone: "And I will tell you, that I - consider the body to which you belong is the one which suffers the - most from such misrepresentations." I said then: "After hearing your - lordship's answer, given with such kindness, I am quite happy at - having come; and I think I may infer from what you have said, that - you perfectly approve of my proceedings, for the tendency of them - entirely is to remove the misapprehensions which exist, on both - sides, of the others principles. I am convinced that Catholics - generally have a mistaken idea of what respectable Protestants are; - and there is no doubt Protestants are very widely wrong in their - opinions of Catholics. I am working to counteract this error on both - sides." - - To this he did not reply; and as I had gained all that I desired, I - rose to take my leave, and said: "I frequently say to persons with - whom I have had conversations like this, what I will now say to your - lordship, that I do not promise secrecy concerning them; but I - request, as a favour, that if they should ever hear of my making - what they consider an improper use of anything that they have said, - they would call me to account for it." On this sentence, likewise, - he made no remark, but added again: "I repeat once more that I have - not spoken as a minister, as I do not think this is a matter with - which I have any concern in that character." I replied: "I - understand you, my Lord; yet I will say that it appears to me, that - I have reasons to have addressed your lordship in your public - character." His lordship smiled, slightly bowed, and I withdrew. - - - _Interview with Lord Clarendon._ - - I am very happy at finding myself with my pen in hand, to give an - account of my interviews with another distinguished member of our - Government; at least, as far as what passed bears on the subject of - these letters, the enterprise of England's conversion:--I mean Lord - Clarendon, while he was Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland. His lordship and - I were formerly fellow-collegians and friends at Cambridge; {405} - but from the year 1819, when I left Trinity College, we never saw - each other till November 13, 1850, when I had an audience from him - at the Viceregal Lodge in the Phoenix Park, at Dublin. When I had - been in Ireland in 1848, the thought had crossed my mind that I - should be pleased to have a conversation with him, but I put it away - as a strange idea, not worth entertaining. In 1850, I returned to - Ireland, and starting from the Synod of Thurles, at the beginning of - September, I had what I would call my grand campaign among the Irish - people. From the beginning of September to the end of April, I - preached 170 sermons to them on the enterprise of the conversion of - England, which at that time I used to call the _Crusade for - England_; besides a number, past reckoning, of addresses to convents - and schools, and private conversations to the same intent. This - career was interrupted in the middle of November, when I came for - six weeks to England. As I was approaching Dublin to cross the - water, my strange idea revived, but its aspect was more inviting. - The result of my visit to Lord John Russell had been so encouraging, - that I wrote to Lord Clarendon, and asked permission to pay him my - respects, as I passed through Dublin. He sent me a very kind answer - to the place which I had pointed out, naming an hour on the day - named above--half-past one, November 13--at which time I was - introduced into his private room at the Lodge. One of his first - remarks was that circumstances were greatly changed with us both - since our last meeting. Indeed, they were, as any one would have - said who had seen him as George Villiers, of St. John's, and me as - George Spencer, of Trinity, walking together in our college gowns, - at Cambridge, and now should see him in his grand Viceregal Palace, - and me before him in my poor Passionist's habit; and is it not - something to be looked upon with satisfaction, that we should now - have a conversation for an hour and a half, of which, though the - matter was something far more weighty than what would very probably - have occupied us then, the tone which he gave to it was such, that - one might have supposed our familiar acquaintance had never been - interrupted? The conversation was throughout very interesting to me; - {406} but this does not seem to me the time nor the place to relate - what passed, excepting those passages which bore directly upon my - present subject. - - I do not remember how, in the course of it, Lord Clarendon was led - to say: "I see in the papers that you have been preaching in several - places." I answered: "Yes, I have; and the principal object of my - asking for this interview with your lordship, was to tell you the - subject of my preaching, and to ask what you think of it. I am - preaching to the Irish people a crusade for the conquest of - England." - - I am not clear whether it was before saying these words, or after, - that I related to him the conversation I had had with Lord John - Russell in the same way in which it was given in my last letter. - However this might be, I perfectly remember the way in which he - replied. He appeared at the first moment to be surprised; then fixed - upon me one rather searching look; and then deliberately said: - "Taking the view of things which you do, I think you are right." - - * * * * - - Lord Clarendon, knowing that I was next day to start for England, - concluded by most kindly expressing a wish to see me again, when I - should be passing at some future time through Dublin. - - After six weeks I returned to renew my circuit in Ireland, and - returning to Dublin about the middle of January, though I had no - reason particularly for wishing to speak again with Lord Clarendon, - I considered that it was in some way a duty of propriety to ask for - an interview, as he had been pleased to request it at the close of - the first visit. Accordingly, after some time for reflection, I - wrote him a letter to this effect, and he appointed me half-past - eleven on Saturday, February 8, 1852. This time it was in Dublin - Castle that I saw him, being ushered into his private room through - the muskets, bayonets, and other arms--not ancient pieces, for - curiosity, as at Alton Towers, but arms of the most modern style, - ready for use--with which the hall and great staircase seemed to me - as though wainscoted throughout. I apologised soon after entering at - taking up so much of his time; and again somewhat later I offered to - {407} withdraw, however interesting was the conversation to myself. - He answered, "Oh, no! I am very glad to see you. They will soon tell - me of Sir Thomas Reddington being come for business: till then I am - free." I will now relate only one or two passages of this - conversation, as being, I conceive, of peculiar consequence to my - present purpose. I was saying something of my continued endeavours - to move the Irish to pray for England, and I suppose remarking that - this must have a salutary effect on the feelings of the people. He - said with an incredulous smile: "And do you think the Irish pray for - England?" "I have no doubt whatever," I answered, "that a great many - do, but it is as yet nothing to what I desire to bring them to." - With a still more incredulous look, he added: "Do you think they - pray for England at Maynooth?" "Well, my Lord,' I only know that - whenever I visit Maynooth the superiors appoint me a time for - addressing the students assembled (he looked evidently pleased at - hearing this); and will you listen," I continued, "to a sentence of - one of my half-hour's addresses to them? I began it without well - knowing what I was going to say; but when I had finished I said to - myself, I have said one good thing at least which I shall one day - turn to account. It was soon after the publication of Lord John - Russell's Durham letter. I said to them, 'Will you allow me to offer - you one word of advice? You will just now be tempted most probably - to say some violent things; especially some violent things of Lord - John Russell. Now I would ask you, Do you know Lord John Russell? I - suppose one and all would tell me _no_. The advice I was going to - offer is that you should not speak evil of what you do not know.'" - Lord Clarendon said: "Did you say that?" I said: "Yes, my lord." He - added emphatically: "That _was_ good." After I had risen to leave - him, I said: "My Lord, I have been often citing your Excellency, - since our first conversation, as one of those who entirely approve - of my proceedings." "What do you mean?" he quickly answered. "Did I - not tell you I would shed the last drop of my blood to stop the - progress of your religion?" "I perfectly remember that," I said; - "what I mean is that you approved of my way of {408} acting, - considering what I am." "Oh," he replied, "I understand you. If - every one acted as you do, we should have nothing to complain of." - This conversation lasted from three-quarters of an hour to an hour. - - - _Interview with Lord Palmerston_. - - I am sometimes reminded of a story I heard of a groom, who had to - show off one of his master's horses, which he wished to sell. Among - all the other good qualities for which he had praised the animal, as - he stood behind him in the stable, being asked by the intended - purchaser, "What do you say of his temper?" he had just answered, - "Oh, he is as quiet as a lamb," when the horse kicked out, struck - the poor groom full in the pit of the stomach, and drove the breath - out of him. But he must stand to his text, and with wondrous - promptness he was just able to utter, "Ach--playful toad!" So I - will have our poor people hoped for, prayed for, borne with and - loved, with all their effigy burnings, with all their meetings to - hear Dr. Cumming or Mr. Stowell, with all their awful Popery - sermons, and, moreover, with the two or three thumps on the head, - and other pieces of genteel treatment which I met with myself, while - I walked about in my habit, before the Derby proclamation gave me - some time to breathe again. - - After this preface as an apology, if it is one, for my last - sentences of last week, and for standing to _my_ text, in spite of - all that can be urged, I proceed to another of my narratives, which, - if not the most interesting and important in my eyes, is not the - least so; and, after which, in reply to such as might mention some - of the English rudenesses to us, and say to me, "What do you say to - that?" I would just say, "What do _you_ say to this?"--I mean my - interview with Lord Palmerston. - - Through the month of May of the year 1851, I was engaged to preach - evening lectures in one of the London chapels, and I had my days to - devote in a great measure to the pursuit, so inconceivably - interesting to me, of conversations with leading people on my great - topic. I was at {409} that time greatly debilitated, and could walk - but very little, and to relieve me, therefore, as well as to enable - me to make the most of my time, a generous friend, who was - interested in my proceedings, furnished me with means to go from - house to house in a cab. One of these bright forenoons, I turned - into Carlton Gardens, and asked to see Lord Palmerston. I was not an - entire stranger to him, any more than to the other two noble persons - of whom I have already written. It will not be foreign to my purpose - to relate how my acquaintance with his lordship had been formed. May - I venture to call it a friendship? It was at the close of a long run - with Lord Derby's stag-hounds; I mean the grandfather of the present - earl, I think in 1821; we finished, I think, twenty-four miles from - London, and I was making up my mind for a long, tedious ride home on - my tired horse (for I was not up to having second horses and grooms - in my suite on those occasions), when Lord Palmerston, who was - likewise in at, not the death, but the taking (I forget the proper - sporting term) of the stag, understanding my case, and knowing me by - sight, though I think till then we had never spoken, gave my horse - in charge to his groom, and took me home with himself in a - post-chaise. For the short remaining time of my being known as a - young man about town, as we met at one party or another, Lord - Palmerston continued to accost me with a kind word, to which I had - good reason, it will be allowed, to respond in the best manner I - knew how. At the close of the London season of 1822 I made my bow, - and withdrew from that stage to prepare for taking orders, and, - except an interview of a few minutes in 1834, we had never met till - I appeared before the now far-famed and, by many, dreaded Foreign - Secretary, with my Passionist habit and sandalled feet for a private - audience. Like what Lord Clarendon said in the Park Lodge, Dublin, I - might have said here, "Great changes, my lord, since we first spoke - together!" On this occasion, however, no time was spent in mere - conversation. I had called, as I have said, in the forenoon. His - lordship had sent me a message as being busy, requesting me to call - again at two o'clock. On entering his private room, I found {410} - him engaged in looking over what seemed official papers, which he - had upon his knee, while we spoke, though without the least sign of - impatience or wish to get rid of me; but I saw that what became me - was to enter on business at once without waste of time or words. I - do not remember all the words which I used in this interview so well - as what I said to Lord John Russell and Lord Clarendon. The position - was not now so new and striking to me. I think I began without any - kind of apology; for his lordship's looks gave me no feeling that - any was needful or expected. I said, "that in coming to speak to his - lordship on this subject, I had not so much in view to ascertain - more and more that there was no danger of what I proposed causing - offence to our Government, as I thought what I had heard from others - was sufficient proof of this; but I wished to put as many of our - public men as I could meet with in possession of all my intentions - and proceedings, in order that if, at last, I succeeded, as I hoped, - in moving the Catholics to be interested about them, and these - matters came before the public, they might know from myself in - person what I really intended, and might be enabled, if they thought - well, to do me justice." This was the substance of what I said to - him. Having thus concluded, I awaited his answer, which was about as - follows:--"As you wish to know what I think of your doings, I must - say I do not by any means agree with you in considering it a - desirable result that this country should again be brought under - subjection to Rome. I do not profess to take my view from the - elevated and sublime ground on which you place yourself; I mean, I - speak not with reference to religious interests, but to political; - and as a politician, when we consider the way in which the Pope's - government is opposed to the progress of liberty, and liberal - institutions, I cannot say that I wish to see England again under - such influence." Thus far, I do not mean to say, that what I heard - was anything agreeable to me. Neither the matter nor the tone were - agreeable to me. There was something sarcastic in his tone. And does - that suit my purpose? it may be asked. I answer, "It does very - well." Could it be expected that he would speak very agreeably and - favourably {411} of the end I told him I was aiming at? If he had, - that would, I conceive, have just thrown a doubt on the sincerity of - what he said immediately after, in a tone simply and perfectly - agreeable, on the effect likely to result immediately from what I - was doing: and this was: "But as to what you are doing, as it must - tend to conciliate Catholic powers towards England, what have I to - say, but that it is excellent?" or some such word expressing full - and cordial approbation. After this, he went on with some remarks on - the establishment of the Hierarchy, which, of course, were in - accordance with what he had, I think, been saying a few days - previously in Parliament, complaining of it as offensive and - injurious; but on this part of the conversation I need not dwell, as - it had no bearing on the subject which I had proposed to him. With - regard to that, my impression on leaving him was this: that he had - listened with attention to what I had said, had at once perfectly - understood me, had answered me so as to make me perfectly understand - him on the subject simply and openly, and that what he had said was - entirely satisfactory to me. I could wish for nothing more; except, - of course, what St. Paul wished for in the presence of Festus and - Agrippa. I then rose: so did he; then shook hands with me, and most - kindly thanked me for having renewed our old acquaintance. To the - account of this conversation with Lord Palmerston, I will add, that - I asked, in the same bright month of May, for an interview with Lord - Derby. He requested I would rather explain myself in writing: which - I did; and received in answer from him a most condescending and kind - letter, in which, while he asserted his own steadfast adherence to - the Church of England, he declared his opinion that no one could - reasonably find fault with me for exerting myself as I did to - advance what I believed to be the truth. - -Besides these interviews just recorded in his own words, he had -several others with minor celebrities. He met some Protestant bishops; -among the rest, Dr. Blomfield, whom he tried to move to praying for -unity. Dr. Blomfield promised. Some of the bishops refuse to see him, -and {412} others are "out" when he calls. He had an interview with Dr. -Cumming, and the doctor's account of it did not eventually serve to -raise that gentleman in the estimation of honourable or sensible -people. He records in his journal being sent away ignominiously by -Baptist and Methodist ministers, and, after one of these rebuffs, on -May 24, 1851, he got so fearful a mobbing, when coming along the -Charter House in London, that he was nearly killed. Had not some good -shopkeeper opened his door for him, and helped him to a cab by a back -passage, he believed he would certainly have fallen a victim to the -fury of the crowd. - -The day after this adventure, he assisted in Warwick-street at the -ordination of his Grace the present Archbishop of Westminster, as -sub-deacon. - -He is a few months on the Continent again in this year. He preaches in -French through Lille, Liège, Maestricht, Aix-la-Chapelle, always upon -"the crusade." Before arriving in Cologne he had his address -translated into German, in order to be able to speak to the Prussian -children and people upon his favourite theme. As he was walking -through Cologne one day, he accidentally met his brother, Lord -Spencer. Lord Spencer wondered at the figure approaching him, and -thought he recognized the features. At length he exclaimed, "Hilloa, -George, what are you doing here?" "Begging," replied Father Ignatius. -Those who knew them were much gratified at seeing the earl and the -monk having a little friendly chat about old schoolboy days. Both -seemed a little embarrassed and surprised at first, but after a minute -or two they were quite at home with each other. - -He prepared a petition for the King of Prussia, who was visiting -Cologne, requesting an audience; but, after waiting patiently a few -days, he writes in the journal: "The King is come and gone, but no -notice of me. I must be content with _Rex regum_." He received a -letter from Father Eugene a day or two before this, summoning him home -to England for our Provincial Chapter, and his tour terminates on the -21st August. - - -{413} - - -CHAPTER IX. - -Visit To Home And "The Association Of Prayers." - - -At the Provincial Chapter, Father Ignatius was chosen Rector of St. -Joseph's Retreat, The Hyde. It was also arranged that before -proceeding further with his projects and schemes for prayers and -unity, he should submit them to the Roman _Curia_. He accordingly -starts for Rome on September 4, and arrives at the Retreat of SS. John -and Paul on the 13th. We shall let himself relate the events and -success of this expedition. - - "I went on then, taking occasions as they were offered me to move - Catholics to interest themselves in it till September, 1851, when I - went to Rome. I had other reasons for going; but it might well be - expected that what mainly interested me was to recommend the cause - of England's conversion in the centre of Catholicity, and to obtain - from the Holy See sanction and authority for pursuing this end as I - had been doing before, or in whatever way would be deemed - preferable. I was four months and a half at Rome, with the - interruption of a fortnight, during which I was engaged on a mission - in the country with some of our Fathers. My affair had to be - transacted, as may be supposed, chiefly at the Propaganda, where the - affairs of all Catholic missions are managed and directed, much in - the way that our Board of Admiralty directs all the naval operations - of this country, but under entire dependence on his Holiness and - obedience to him--the secretary of the Propaganda, Monsignor - Barnabò, having regularly once a week, that is, every Sunday - evening, an audience of the Pope, to make him reports, and to - receive his orders. For the first six weeks or two months I felt my - footing at the Propaganda more or less {414} doubtful and - precarious. I did not gain much attention. This was mortifying; but - I see, and I saw it then, to be right. The Propaganda is a place - where all Catholic schemers and projectors in matters of religion - try to get a hearing--as our Admiralty is besieged, I suppose, by - all who think they have an important proposal to make for naval - enterprise or improvement. They must be kept at arm's length for a - time, till it is judged whether their ideas are worth attending to. - It was on the 1st of November that it happened that I dined at the - College of Propaganda, and sat next to Monsignor Barnabò, who made - me a remark about in these words: 'Surely if you can convert - England, we should gain half the world--or all the world,' I forget - which. I answered, 'Well, Monsignor, and why not try?' Nothing more - was said then; but it seemed to me as if this was the turning-point - of my fortunes at Rome. Certain it is, that from that time Monsignor - Barnabò, in the midst of all his pressing affairs, was invariably - ready to listen to me at the office or at his own house, read - through all my long memorials, spoke for me to the Pope whenever I - asked him, and gained me what I asked on this matter, had my papers - printed free of cost at the press of the Propaganda, &c. It had been - told me previously by one of the minutanti (under secretaries) of - the Propaganda, Monsignor Vespasiani, that my proposals would be - looked upon more favourably, if England were not mentioned as the - only object of interest. He adverted especially with great feeling - to the case of the Greeks, of whom he spoke as possessing genius and - capacity for such great things, if they were only reunited to the - Church. At his suggestion I drew up, in concert with one of our - Fathers, a paper of proposals for an Association for the Conversion - of all separated from the Church, giving reasons, however, as I do - in the little paper of admission to our Association, why we should - direct our immediate aim at the recovery of those nations which have - been separated from the Church by heresy or schism, and why, among - these, England should still be regarded as the most important and - leading object. This document was read by Mgr. Barnabò, who ordered - 5,000 copies to be printed by the press of the {415} - Propaganda--rather, he told me, to order as many as I wished, as - well as of another shorter paper containing an invitation to prayer - and good works for the conversion of all separated from the Church, - but especially of England. This shorter one was prepared at the - express desire of the Cardinal-Vicar of Rome, and distributed by his - order through all the religious houses of the city. To pass over - other details, it was on the 26th of November that I received a - letter of recommendation, addressed by the Cardinal-Prefect of - Propaganda to all Bishops, Vicars-Apostolic, and Superiors of - Missions in the world, desiring them to receive me favourably and to - assist me in my designs to the utmost of their power. The words in - Latin at this part of the letter are the following:--'... Proindeque - illum sacrae congregationis testimonialibus hisce literis instructum - esse volumus, ut omnes Episcopi, Vicarii Apostolici, et Missionum - Superiores benigne illum excipere, ac pro viribus piissimis ejusdem - votis favere haud omittant.' As I have not this letter at hand while - writing, I quote this part from memory. The former part, of which I - have not the words by heart, expresses why this recommendation was - to be given me; namely, because my zeal for promoting the Catholic - faith, especially among my people of England, was highly to be - commended. Now, if the Propaganda should have ever heard anything - true about how I carried on my ordinary duties in England, they - could only have heard that I had not incurred suspension, though I - might have deserved it; and that, in comparison with my brother - priests in our great towns, for instance, what I had done for - religion must be put down as next to nothing. The only thing on - which they could ever have heard me spoken about as remarkable must - have been my exertions, which, against my wishes, I must certainly - concede to have been _singularly_ active and persevering in calling - people's attention to the object of the _conversion of England_ and - to prayers for it. - - "I was surprised at receiving this letter; but I was not satisfied - with it: it sharpened my appetite to get more. I returned to the - Palace of the Propaganda to give thanks for it, and then asked for a - special letter to the Prelates of {416} Ireland. I do not here enter - into details about this: I intend, if permitted, explaining all - which regards this subject in some letters addressed especially to - the Irish people, in the _Tablet_. I mention it here only to quote - from this second letter the words in which is explained more - particularly the idea which was formed at the Propaganda of the - object which they were recommending. They call it 'Opus quod - Reverendus Pater Ignatius promovere satagit, ut nempe Catholici pro - Acatholicorum, praesertim Angliae, conversione veluti agmine facto, - ferventiori jugiter ratione preces fundant ....' which I thus - translate: 'The object which the Rev. Father Ignatius is engaged in - promoting, namely, that Catholics should, as it were, form - themselves into an army set in array, and with continually - increasing fervour pour forth prayers for the conversion of - non-Catholics, but especially of England." Now, I do not know how - these documents may strike others; but it seems to me that if, after - having taken a journey to Rome on purpose to plead my cause there, - and after having received letters like these in answer to my - appeals, I was just now to relax in my zeal to promote prayers and - good works for the conversion of Protestants, but especially of - England, this would be not falling into the views of the Holy See, - as some seem to think it would, but rather showing indifference and - almost contempt for them, and repaying with ingratitude the great - favours which I have received. I must reserve to another letter some - account of my interviews with his Holiness in person. - - "I am, Sir, your faithful servant in Jesus Christ, - "Ignatius Of St. Paul, Passionist." - - -Here is the account of the audiences he had with the Pope on the -subject of prayers for the conversion of England. It is taken from his -letters to the _Catholic Standard_:-- - - Audiences With Pope Pius IX. - - I beg to give an account of what passed upon the subject of the - conversion of England in the audiences I was allowed {417} by the - Holy Father. They were three. The first was on September 16, 1851, - three days after my arrival in Rome; the second, December 23; the - third, January 30, 1852, the day before I left Rome. It was on my - return home in the evening after that last audience that I met Mgr. - Vespasiani, the prelate whom I have before named as one of the - Minutanti of the Propaganda, the first person in office at Rome who - gave full and attentive consideration to my proposals. This was on - the 14th of October, 1851. Full of satisfaction as I was, I - expressed to him anew my gratitude for that favour, adding that now - I was leaving Rome, I felt as if I had nothing more to ask. All was - gained. Such, indeed, were my feelings then. He kindly accepted my - acknowledgments, and seemed to sympathize in my satisfaction, but - looked incredulous as to my having nothing more to ask, and with a - smile, said something to this effect, "You will want plenty more; - and, when you desire, you will command our services." I suppose he - was right. My feeling was then, and I conceive it was well grounded, - that, as far as regarded the mind of his Holiness, I had gained all, - on the subject which most engaged me, and which I am now pursuing; - and I felt as if in having reached this point all was done. So, I - trust, it will prove in time; but I see plainly enough there is work - to be done before the mind of the Holy Father will be carried out; - others must be moved to correspond with it. I must explain myself by - stating facts. In my first two audiences, I think I may say that the - principle was approved by his Holiness, that Catholics might be - moved all through the world to engage in the enterprise of - converting England; but that he must not be represented as caring - for England exclusively, as he was father to all. There was no - objection here expressed to my being specially interested for my own - country. On the contrary, the Pope agreed to, and approved of, my - continuing to urge the Roman people to join in this cause, as well - as pursuing the same object in Austria, whither I told him I was - going, and elsewhere. In my second audience I said to him: "Holy - Father, may I repeat truly here what I am saying outside? I am - openly stirring the people of Rome to a third conquest of England. - {418} Rome conquered England once, under Julius Caesar, by the - material sword. Rome conquered England a second time, more - gloriously, under St. Gregory I., by the Word of God. I am calling - on Rome to undertake this conquest again, under Pius IX., when it - will be a vastly more important one than heretofore, and by means - more glorious and more divine, because referring more purely the - glory to God, being chiefly holy prayer." The Pope did not speak in - answer to this appeal; but, if I rightly judged, his manner and - looks expressed his acceptance and approval of the idea better than - words could have done. However, though I might say I had succeeded - as well as I could have expected in these first two audiences, the - second of which I looked upon as final, as in it I had taken my - leave of his Holiness, there was yet something wanting. I was - preparing to leave Rome not quite satisfied, though I knew not how - to better my position. I will relate how the happy conclusion was - brought round. My departure was unexpectedly delayed in order that I - might assist at a mission to be given by our fathers, in the town of - Marino, on the Alban mountains, which was in the diocese of the - Cardinal-Vicar, at whose request the mission was given. I went to - the mission, not so much to work, as to see, and hear, and learn for - myself; but the crowd of penitents was such, that during the last - week of it I gave myself entirely to the confessions; and having no - part in the preaching, I never did such a week's work at confessions - as that. I returned to Rome alone on January 18, to prepare for my - departure, leaving the other Fathers to begin a second mission at - Albano; and it struck me my week's work for the Cardinal-Vicar need - not be altogether its own reward. I visited him the next day, as to - make a report of the mission, which was highly satisfactory. I then - said, "I have done a heavy week's work for your Eminence, and I come - to claim _il mio stipendio_ (my pay)." "And what," said he, "is - that?" "A few minutes' patience," I replied, "to hear me again on - the cause of England. I want Rome to be effectually moved." "But," - said he again, "what can we do? I have distributed your papers. I - will recommend {419} it again; what more do you want? Perhaps the - Pope could suggest something; go to him again." I answered, "I have - had my final audience, and received his last blessing. Can I go - again?" "Oh, yes. Go; you may use my name." I went straight to the - Vatican, and Monsignor Talbot placed me, according to custom, in a - saloon, through which the Pope was to pass at three o'clock, to take - his daily drive. I told his Holiness what had brought me again - before him. I had received recommendations to all the world, but I - was particularly intent on moving Rome. "Surely," he said, "that is - the most important place. Write me a memorial, and we will consult - over it." I lost no time in doing so. In it I dwelt on two objects; - first, I entreated the Holy Father to take such measures as he might - in his wisdom think fit, to move all Christendom to undertake the - recovery of the nations which had been lost to the Church, and - specially England. And with regard to Rome, I stated the case thus. - I had received from the congregations through which his Holiness - intimates his pleasure to the whole Church, an earnest - recommendation to all Bishops to support me to the utmost of their - power in my enterprise. Was it to be conceived, I asked, that the - Bishop of the first See was alone excluded from this recommendation? - Surely not; and therefore in the name of his Holiness, as head of - the Universal Church, I appealed to his Holiness as Bishop of Rome, - and entreated that he would give an example to all other Bishops, - how a mandate of the Holy See ought to be obeyed. It was not for me - to offer directions how this should be done; but if I were to make a - suggestion, I would ask that a Prelate should be named, with an - authority to engage the help of other zealous ecclesiastics, and - with them to instruct the people of Rome in the importance and - beauty of the work, and to engage them in it with persevering zeal. - I took this memorial to the Cardinal-Vicar, who read through the - latter part with me, and said, with an air of satisfaction, "_That - will do; that will do very well_"--promising to present it to the - Pope. I begged him to say besides, that the Prelate I had in my mind - was Monsignor Talbot. This was on January 23. On the 26th, Monsignor - {420} Barnabò told me that all had been favourably received. I - thought I had nothing to do but to arrange with Monsignor Talbot - what he might do, and for this purpose I went on the 30th of January - to see him, accompanied by one of our Fathers. I had bid him - farewell, when my companion said, "May we see the Pope?" I was - rather annoyed at this: the sight of the Pope intended was merely to - be once more placed in his way as he would pass one of the saloons: - and I felt it would be unreasonable and intrusive for me to be seen - there again; but I thought it would be selfish to disappoint my - companion, who had sacrificed so much of his time to gratify me, and - I said nothing. We were, therefore, taken into the saloon, as it was - just the time for the Pope's drive. There, however, we waited one - quarter, two quarters, three quarters of an hour. I concluded, what - was the case, that the Pope was not going out, and expected - presently to be told to go away. Instead of this Monsignor Talbot - came and beckoned us into the Pope's private room, where he was - sitting in the window recess perfectly at his ease, and received us - with these words addressed to me:--"Well, Father Ignatius, we have - done something now." "Indeed, Holy Father," said I, "this is true. I - see this work now in the way to become the most favoured of all, - entrusted, as it is, to a Prelate who has his time so disposed that - one week he is free to work, and the other he returns to attendance - on your Holiness to make his reports, and receive new instructions." - "Not only so," replied the Pope, "there are four of them. He has but - one week entirely engaged with me; besides the one out of four - wholly free, he has but two or three hours every day on duty in the - other two. But remember, I will not have England alone thought of." - "Holy Father," I said, "this alteration has been made. The - undertaking is for all separated nations; England being proposed - only as the most important point of attack, on several accounts. I - beg, however, to ask that the term heretics may not be used as the - general designation of those we pray for. I do not confess to wilful - heresy before my conversion. I do not confess for this sin for my - countrymen at large." "Ah! what say you?" answered the Pope; then - {421} he reflected for a moment and graciously bowed. In accordance - with this request, in my letter from the Propaganda the term is not - _haereticorum_, but _acatholicorum praesertim Angliae_. I went on: - "Holy Father, I ask one more favour. Cardinal Fornari has agreed, if - he is named by your Holiness, to accept the charge of Protector to - this work." "What need of this?" answered the Pope; "I have desired - the Cardinal-Vicar to recommend the work to Rome, and Cardinal - Fornari is a Roman. Is that not enough?" "Holy Father," I replied, - "what is requested is, that he should be empowered to act in it as - Cardinal." After another pause his Holiness again graciously bowed - and said: "Well, be it so." Thus the discourse on this subject - terminated: and, if I have intelligibly explained myself, will it - not be allowed that I had reason to go home satisfied, in the - reflection that the work of the conversion of Protestants, but - chiefly England, was now erected--as far as regarded the part which - the holy Father had to take in it--into what may be almost called a - congregation in the Holy City, to be composed of prelates and - ecclesiastics, of whom the first active member was among his - Holiness's domestic attendants; and the Cardinal Protector was one - of the most distinguished of the Sacred College, who in his first - conversation with me declared his most lively interest in England, - as having himself, as Professor in the Roman Seminary, directed the - studies in Theology of Cardinal Wiseman, and four others, now - Bishops in England, besides two deceased. I must close this long - letter with one more fact, which came to my knowledge, bringing home - to me the consoling conviction, how deeply the heart of our Holy - Father is interested in the great work. When I was in Paris, this - cause of England was ardently taken up by a gentleman noted for his - Catholic zeal, a distinguished merchant in Havre. On my leaving - Paris he begged me to give him a letter of credentials, that, in his - mercantile travels, he might in my name interest Bishops and other - leading personages in our favour. In November last he enclosed me a - letter he had received from the Vicar-General of Nantes, to whom he - had applied to recommend this object to his Bishop. It was in these - {422} terms: "I will gladly perform your commission, and I have no - doubt his Lordship will comply with your wish; the more so that, - returning from Rome a few days back, I have brought to him a message - to the same effect from his Holiness. In my first audience the Pope - said to me: 'Tell the Bishop of Nantes, from me, that I desire he - will pray, and cause others to pray, a great deal for England. The - position of the Church in that kingdom interests me deeply; I am - always thinking of it.' In my second audience the Holy Father - repeated to me the same words, and in a tone of feeling such as I - can never forget. I am convinced this subject occupies his mind - continually." Is it, now, to be supposed that the Holy Father is - averse to English and Irish Catholics praying especially for - England, and praying much for it? Is it not, on the contrary, to be - inferred from these statements, and those of my last two letters, - that it would console his heart to see them devotedly engaged in the - work? I think this is the conclusion to which we shall all arrive, - and that this happy result may in due time--and why not soon?--be - abundantly realized. - -He says in another letter:-- - - "I begin with repeating again the words of St. Jerome to Pope - Damasus: 'He who gathereth not with thee scattereth,' and I renew my - declaration that if I thought that by exerting myself to move the - Catholics of England and Ireland, and, in general, of all the world, - to the enterprise of gaining England, my country, back to the faith - of our fathers, I was not working in accordance with the mind of his - Holiness, I should not dare to proceed. Will my dear Catholic - brethren meet me with the assurance that if it appears by facts that - this enterprise is according to his mind, they will heartily devote - themselves to the cause and help us? - - "It seems to me still, as it always did, impossible to conceive how - these efforts, carried on as they are proposed to be, in perfect - accordance with devoted loyalty to the State, and in a spirit of - ardent charity towards our fellow-countrymen, should not be - gratifying to the Church of God and to its Head. Many times have I - repeated in sermons to the Irish people during the days of the - troubles of his Holiness: {423} 'You have joined with noble - generosity in assisting the Holy Father by subscriptions of money, - you have entered fervently into prayer for him, will you not do one - thing more to console him? Let him hear that you are determined that - my country, with its great resources and power, shall once more be - his.' This was, I think, a reasonable natural suggestion. - - "It was, accordingly, a surprise to me, and at the same time a pain, - when I was told by one, about the beginning of the year 1851, that - his Holiness was become almost averse to our efforts in behalf of - England; as on being applied to for some new indulgence for certain - prayers for England, he would not grant the petition unless Italy - was comprehended in the intention of the prayers. Another said - positively that the Pope would give no more indulgences for prayers - for England. These things were said, as so many more things have - been said, apparently in a half-joking tone, to mortify me in what - is known to be a tender point. "Well, everything may turn to account - for good, if we pay attention. These remarks helped to stimulate me - to ascertain perfectly what the truth of the case is, and they now - give me occasion to explain publicly some of the facts on which the - matter has to be judged. - - "In May, 1850, a student of the English College at Rome, just - ordained, went to receive the Pope's blessing before his return to - England. He presented a crucifix to his Holiness, and begged for an - indulgence of 300 days for whoever kissed this crucifix, and said a - Hail Mary for the conversion of England. The Pope sat down and wrote - with his own hand at the foot of the petition, that he granted 300 - days' indulgence for those who should offer a devout prayer, as for - instance a Hail Mary, for the conversion of England. When this was - reported to me, as there appeared some kind of ambiguity in one - expression of the Pope's writing, I wrote to Monsignor Talbot, - begging that he would ascertain from his Holiness whether we were - right in interpreting the sentence as granting the indulgence - generally without any reference to the crucifix. The answer was, - 'Yes.' Evidently then, at this time, the Pope was disposed to grant - more in favour of England than he was asked. How are {424} we to - account for the seeming alteration in his dispositions? One way is - to suppose that the Pope had ceased to wish prayers to be made for - England. Monsignor Talbot, when I saw him at Rome in September, - 1851, gave me another reason. 'The Pope,' said he, 'is determined he - will give no more indulgences for England. People seem not to care - for them. No account is made of them. Let them first show they value - what they have.' No authority, on such a point, could be preferable - to that of Monsignor Talbot, who spends his life in personal - attendance on his Holiness; and according to him, the Pope did, in a - tone of some displeasure, refuse one or two such requests, the - displeasure was not because people prayed too much for England, but - because they did not pray enough, and on this account, did not - deserve any more encouragement. This view I maintain with the more - confidence, inasmuch as after that displeasure had been expressed, a - petition was made on March 9, 1851, by some English ladies in Rome - for a plenary indulgence to be gained once a month by those who - should daily pray for the conversion of England: it was granted as - stated in our admission papers. I infer from this, that if only the - Holy Father perceived that the Catholics of England were really in - earnest in the cause, there would be no bounds to the liberality - with which he would encourage them; but no one likes to go on giving - favours to persons who seem not to value them; and he who has the - dispensing of the favours of Almighty God from the treasuries of the - Church, must not consent to their being undervalued. - - "But now, it will be asked, what encouragement did I myself receive - from his Holiness during the four months and a half that I spent in - Rome, as a kind of representative of this cause of the conversion of - England? I need not say that, in going to Rome, I was desirous to - move all hearts there to an enthusiastic devotion to this - enterprise, as I had endeavoured to do in Ireland, in France, in - Belgium, and Germany. I fain would not have lost an occasion of - preaching in churches, addressing religious communities, the - children of schools, wherever I could find them assembled. I did not - expect, however, to be able at once to run such a career in {425} - Rome, as in ordinary towns, and I was greatly satisfied with what - was allowed me. Whatever difficulty or check I might have met with, - it came not from his Holiness. The proper authority to apply to in - this case was the Cardinal-Vicar; that is, he who administers the - very diocese of Rome as the Pope's Vicar-General. He at once agreed - to my visiting convents and schools, and exhorting them to the great - work; but for preaching in churches, there must be, he said, express - sanction from the Pope. The Holy Father was consequently consulted - by Monsignor Talbot, and answered that he had no objection, but left - it to me to make arrangements with the rectors of the churches. The - number of monasteries and schools in which I made my allocutions on - the conversion of England, is past my remembrance. Almost day by - day, for about two months of my time, this was my leading pursuit. I - wish it to be clearly understood that all this time I spoke all that - was in my mind with as complete freedom from reserve as I am known - to exercise here. To the authorities in Rome, who are not wanting in - vigilance, all must have been known; and one word from them of - objection to the subject, or to my manner of treating it, spoken to - my superiors, would have at once stopped me. The number of churches - in which I spoke was not so great. I used generally to ask leave - myself to address convents and schools. I saw that it would not be - becoming to offer myself thus to speak in churches at Rome; but - among others I may mention particularly, that I preached by - invitation, in English, in French, and in Italian, in those of the - large and frequented churches S. Andrea della Valle, S. Luigi de' - Francesi, and S. Andrea della Fratte; and the Pope himself spoke to - me of this last discourse in a tone of satisfaction. He would not - have been opposed, as far as could be observed, if, instead of three - churches, I could have made up a list of three hundred. - - "Another means I took for moving the Roman people was, by the papers - printed for me by the Propaganda, of which I spoke in my last - letter. The first of these was thus headed:--'Association of Prayers - and Good Works for the Conversion of those who are separated from - the Holy Catholic Church, but especially of England.' Before this - {426} writing was printed, I gave a copy of it to Monsignor Talbot, - to lay before the Pope. He returned it to me, with this addition in - his own hand:-- - - "'His Holiness has deigned to grant to this pious work his special - benediction. - - "'George Talbot, Cameriere Segreto. - "'_Nov_. 15, 1851.' - - "To this is appended the petition presented for me by Monsignor - Barnabò, for the extension of indulgences, as follows:-- - - "'Most Blessed Father,--Ignatius of St. Paul (Spencer), Passionist, - Provincial Consultor in England, prostrate at the feet of your - Holiness, states that, being desirous of extending the Association - of Prayers already existing for England, in favour of all those who - are separated from the Holy Church, and being sensible that a fresh - spiritual attraction is necessary in order to move all the faithful - to enter on this holy enterprise, most humbly implores your - Holiness, that you would be pleased to extend the three hundred - days' indulgence already granted by your Holiness to whoever prays - for the conversion of England, to this new work, and moreover grant - one hundred days for whatever good work may be done in favour of - this Association.' - - "Monsignor Barnabò reported, that though the Pope adverted to his - former declaration, that he would give no more indulgences on this - account, he granted this petition in the most gracious manner. The - date of this grant is Nov. 16, 1851. - - "It is evidently intimated here, that while granting his sanction to - the extension of the enterprise, he renewed his sanction to it in - its original form. I must here conclude, and defer again to another - letter what I promised before, that is, some account of what passed - in the audiences to which I myself was admitted by his Holiness." - - An incident happened towards the end of Father Ignatius's audiences - with the Holy Father, highly characteristic. Father Ignatius had - made arrangements for a begging tour in Germany, and intended to - inaugurate it by trying what {427} he could do in that line in Rome - itself. Our General forbade him to beg of his Holiness, and Father - Ignatius had made up his mind before to do so. After the prohibition - he began to doubt whether it was binding, as the Pope was a higher - superior than the General. He consulted an astute Roman theologian - on his doubt, and the answer given was, "Lay the doubt itself before - the Pope." - - Father Ignatius had an audience in store for him for a different - matter, and when it was over, he said, in the greatest simplicity, - "Holy Father, I have a scruple on my mind, which I would wish to - speak about, if I might be permitted." "Well, and what is it?" He - here told the Pope just as he was advised. The Pope smiled, handed - him ten _gregorine_ (about £25), and told him not to mind the - scruple. - - -{428} - - -CHAPTER X. - -A Tour In Germany. - - -Father Ignatius left Rome with the Holy Fathers blessing on both his -spiritual and temporal projects. On his way to Germany, whither he was -bound for a twofold begging tour, he preached everywhere to religious, -priests, nuns, people, and children, upon the conversion of England. -He went further than mere exhortation, he tried to get the Bishops and -religious to take up his ideas, now stamped with the approbation of -Rome, and propagate them among those under their jurisdiction. He met -with kindness and encouragement in every town and hamlet until he came -to Laibach. Here the police seized him and sent him away. At Gratz he -met with a better reception. Throughout, the priests and religious -receive him with a something approaching to honour, and so do the -nobility, but government officials and the like treat him rudely -enough. - -When he arrived in Vienna, he found a way of conciliating these -officers of justice and their subalterns. Graf (Count) O'Donnel took -him to the Secretary of Police, and procured him a safe-conduct, -whereby this kind of annoyance was put an end to for the future. Great -personages patronize him--among the chief were Prince Esterhazy, -Counts O'Donnel and Litchenstein. Through their kindness and his own -repute, he is favoured with interviews from the members of the royal -family. A few of these in his own words must be interesting:-- - - "While at Rome, I heard one day the wonderful account of the _coup - d'état_ of the now Emperor of the French. I thought with myself that - moment, here is a man for me--perhaps _the_ man. If he survive the - assaults of his enemies, {429} and become established in power over - France, he is the man evidently for great designs; the people whom - he rules are the people to follow him in them; and he has a mind, so - I conceived, to understand how utterly insignificant are all - enterprises, in comparison with those which have the glory of God - and the salvation of souls for their end. But will he, can he, be - moved to take up the great cause? I got an introduction to the - French ambassador at Rome, in order to open my way to an interview - with his chief. This may be in reserve for me some future day; but I - was first to see another great man--the young Emperor of Austria. - - "I think an account of this audience, and some accompanying - circumstances, will be interesting in more points of view than one. - After leaving Rome at the beginning of February, I went to Vienna, - and stopped there three weeks before coming home. The Emperor had - just left Vienna for Venice when I arrived, and did not return till - a fortnight after. In consequence of this, I sought for, and had - audience of all the other members of the royal family then in the - town. Many may not be aware of the circumstances under which the - present Emperor was raised to the throne. Everything connected with - this young man is to me full of a kind of poetic interest. He is the - eldest son of the Archduke Francis Charles and the Archduchess - Sophia, a princess of Bavaria. His father is brother to the - ex-Emperor Ferdinand. - - "It is said that in 1848, at the time when the insurgents had gained - possession of Vienna, and the court was in flight, some one asked - the Empress Mary Ann, a Sardinian princess, 'Madam, have you ever - thought of an abdication?' 'I have, indeed,' answered she; 'but what - is to follow?' The Emperor had no children, and his next heir was - his brother the Archduke. Both of them have been always highly - respected as most amiable and religious men, but are not of - abilities or character to bear the charge of an empire under such - circumstances. The abdication, then, of the reigning Emperor would - not have been a remedy to existing evils, unless his brother joined - in the sacrifice of his claims, and made way for the succession of - his son. This {430} arrangement, however, was effected; and, if what - I gathered from conversations and observation is correct, it is to - the two ladies whom I have mentioned, that the empire is indebted - for it. Do not they deserve the admiration of the present and future - generations, and to have their place among the _valiant women_, for - renouncing the honours of an imperial crown, for the public good? Be - this as it may, the announcement was made to the young prince, then - eighteen years of age, that the crown was his. It is said that he - burst into tears at hearing it, and begged two days for reflection, - during which he went to confession and communion, to obtain light - from God, and concluded with giving his consent. His career has been - conformable with this beginning. Among other things, I may mention - that one of his first acts was, of his own mind, to repeal the - oppressive laws of Joseph II., and to restore liberty to the Church. - Could I do otherwise than long to interest such a soul as this in - the great cause I was supporting? Shall I succeed in the end? I had - an audience of the Archduchess Sophia, the Emperor's mother, before - his return from Venice. It is under her care and guidance, as I was - assured, that his character has been formed; and it was touching to - hear her make me a kind of apology for what might, perhaps, be taken - as a defect in his manner. I told her I was desirous of an audience - of his Majesty. She said, 'You will certainly obtain it;' and she - added, "You will perhaps think him cold, but he is not so.' This - corresponds with what she said to a friend of mine, a German - literary character, who was likewise about to have his first - audience from the Emperor. The Archduchess said to him, 'His manner - is not winning, like that of Carl [meaning her third son, the - Archduke Charles], but he has greater depth of character; from his - childhood upwards I never knew him say a word merely to please; - every word is from his heart.' These few words of his mother are to - me a most precious comment on what passed between the Emperor and me - when I had my audience. I was introduced into a large saloon on one - of the days of public reception. The Emperor stood alone in the - middle of it; behind him, to the left, was a small table, on which - was a pile of {431} memorials which he had already received. He was - in military uniform. I should be glad to convey the impression which - his appearance, and the few words he spoke, made on me. A young - emperor, I suppose, has great advantage in gaining upon one's - feelings, if he will in any degree do himself justice. In this case, - I say, that I never was more satisfied, not to say captivated, with - my observations on any person. His figure is not in itself - commanding; but there was in his air and manner and tone a union of - grace and affability, dignity, wisdom, and modesty, which I do not - remember to have seen equalled. I was greatly struck, on my - entrance, with what appeared to me such a contrast between what I - witnessed and the receptions usually given by great personages who - wish to be gracious. Ordinarily, my impression is that they - overwhelm one with many words, which often mean nothing. The Emperor - was perfectly silent. I had time to think with myself, after I had - approached him, 'Am I then to speak first? So it was. I have a very - clear recollection of what was said. - - "'I have requested this audience,' I said, 'to represent to your - Majesty the object for which I am travelling. It is to move - Catholics throughout the world to interest themselves in obtaining - the return of my country to the Catholic faith. On this, I am deeply - convinced, depends entirely the happiness of my country; and, I - conceive, nothing would more contribute to the happiness of other - nations of the world.' - - "The Emperor seemed to intimate assent to this, and said with great - grace: 'I am happy to hear that things go on better in England in - regard to religion than they have done.' - - "'There is much,' I said, 'to encourage hopes; but we want great - help. I am come to ask the help of Austria. I do not take on me to - prescribe what your Majesty in person might do in this cause. As the - principal means to be employed is prayer, I am aware that it belongs - rather to Bishops to direct such movements; but I ask help and - sympathy from all. I thought it could not be anything but right to - ask your Majesty's.' - -{432} - - "He answered: 'I will interest myself as much at possible.' - - "I added: 'I have said, I did not intend to propose any line of - action to your Majesty; but I may explain myself further. It is to - the Bishops that I make my principal appeal to interest the people - in this object. Now, I am aware that they would and must be averse - to any public measures which might seem to involve political - inconvenience: I would, therefore, ask of your Majesty, that if the - bishops are pleased to act, the Government should not object to it, - as I conceive there would be no reason.' - - "The Emperor said something to the effect, as I thought, that he saw - no reason to object to what I said. - - "I was aware that my audience could not be a long one, and I now put - my hand to the breast of my habit to take out a memorial, which I - had been directed to present on this occasion, for permission to - collect subscriptions in the empire. - - "He thought I was about to offer him papers on the subject on which - I had been speaking, and said: 'You probably have some papers which - will explain your wishes.' - - "I said: 'I have; but they are not in a becoming form to present to - your Majesty.' - - "I had, in fact, two little addresses printed on poor paper, in - German, for distribution; and I brought them forward. - - "He immediately put out his hand to take them, and said, with a - smile and manner of truly high-bred courtesy: 'Oh! I will read them; - 'and he laid them on the table by him. - - "I then presented my written memorial, and then, on his slightly - bowing to me, I withdrew." - - Another letter says:-- - - "In my last letter I repeated the words in which that wise and - excellent Princess, the Archduchess Sophia, described the character - of two of her sons: 'The Emperor seems cold, but he is not so. He is - not winning and amiable like Carl, but he has more solidity and - depth.' I remarked that to me these words were a most interesting - commentary {433} on what passed in the short audience I had from the - young Emperor; and if I succeeded in my description of it, I am sure - others will think with me. I will now give some account of my - audience with the third brother, the young Archduke Charles. The - second brother, whose name I do not now remember, was not in Vienna - at the time. He is a seaman, and I suppose it is intended that under - his auspices the Austrian navy should be advanced to greater vigour - and efficiency, while the Emperor and Charles attend mainly to the - army. The empire possesses two splendid ports--Trieste and Venice; - and past history proves what may be done with the latter alone. - - "I made acquaintance with a Swiss ecclesiastic in Vienna (Mgr. - Mislin), who bore a part in the education of all three of these - princes. I had told him what were my desires concerning them; that - is, to inspire them with ardent zeal for the great work of the - reunion of Christendom, but especially the reconquest of England for - the Church. One day the Abbé called to see me, at the palace of the - Pope's Nuncio, where I was staying; and as I was out, he left word - that he wished to see me without delay. He had to tell me, as I - found, that the Archduke Charles, with whom he regularly goes to - dine every Friday, had said to him on the last of these occasions, - 'Do you know Father Ignatius?' 'Yes,' he answered, 'very well.' 'Do - you think,' added the Prince, 'I could see him? I wish it very - much.' 'Oh,' replied the Abbé, 'there will be no difficulty; 'and at - once an hour was fixed--two o'clock on the 11th of March. It - happened, however, that notice was received that at this very time - the Emperor was to arrive from Trieste, and the Archduke had to go - to the railway terminus to meet him. My audience was deferred till - half-past three; and I went with the Abbé to the private entrance of - the imperial palace to see them arrive. They were driven up from the - station in a light open carriage; and it was thus, side by side, - that I first saw them both. I may be mistaken, but in my poetic - recollections and visions of Vienna, if I, who am no poet, may so - speak, these two brothers are charmingly conjoined in my mind. At - half-past three, then, I went to {434} the Archduke's apartments in - the Burg, as it is called--a great mass of building, which includes - the Emperor's town residence, apartments for all the royal family, - several public offices, extensive quarters for troops, &c.--and was - immediately introduced to him in a large drawing-room, where he kept - me a good half-hour in lively conversation. My impression of him - was, of a bright, buoyant youth, full of shining prospects of his - future career; in which, though, perhaps, somewhat unconsciously to - himself, he is both qualified by circumstances and character, and - nobly disposed to exert himself for everything great and good. All - this, however, is yet to be developed and consolidated by age, - reflection, and experience. I should say, not so much that he - himself is eagerly grasping at facts with which to store his mind, - to be in due time digested, matured, and acted upon, as that - Providence is turning to account his natural youthful eagerness, and - shall we say, curiosity, to do this for him. May it prove that I am - not forming over bright and groundless visions! - - "The Archduke was dressed in a plain cavalry uniform. He was then - about 19 years old, and very young-looking for his age. My object - was to impress him with the grand importance of the enterprise which - I was proposing as proper to form the dearest and constant aim of - his brother's reign; that is, the restoring union to Christendom, - having peculiarly in view the reconciling England to the Church. 'I - have no wish,' I said, 'to see him, the Emperor, less devoted to his - army: let him watch with constant care over all the interests of his - Imperial dignity; but let him be devoted, above all and in - everything, to the glory of God, and the repairing the losses of the - Holy Church; and if it pleases God he should live, he will have a - career more glorious, and leave a name greater than Charlemagne.' He - said, 'Surely what you propose is most important. It is a matter to - be deeply deplored that so many German states are cut off from the - Church.' ..... I do not remember clearly much more of what passed - in this conversation, and in truth it is not of so much consequence; - for his words are not all weighed, solid, and worth recording, like - those of his more {435} sage brother. All have not the same gifts, - natural or spiritual; and it is not well they should. Of course, it - is not well, because God has ordered it thus. But I could see in the - diversity of these young men what might be wonderfully combined for - doing great things. Charles would not be the one to govern and - control, and he has not this to do. The Emperor has; and he is cut - out for it. But then perhaps he is not one to win and conciliate - those who do not know how to value all superior qualities like his; - yet this is necessary in such times, especially when sound, - old-fashioned loyalty is not much known. But let the two brothers - work together; let their hearts be one, and let that one purpose be - directed to noble ends, and it will be well for them, for the - empire, and for Europe. Charles will supply what the other wants. I - asked Monsignor Mislin one day, with an anxious feeling, whether - they were really affectionate, loving brothers, and the answer was - satisfactory." - - -{436} - - -CHAPTER XI. - -Father Ignatius Returns To England. - - -He lands at Dover on the 1st April, 1852, comes home, sets his house -in order at the Hyde, and goes, after Holy Week, to see Father Eugene, -the Provincial, at St. Wilfrid's, to give an account of himself. His -name was about this time in every one's mouth, his doings were -canvassed by friends and foes, and many and various were the opinions -held about him. In the meantime he went on with his ordinary duties. -He gives the retreat in Sedgeley Park again, and one to the -congregation at Havant. It was whilst here, in the house of Mr. -Scholfield, that he read Lord Derby's proclamation against appearing -abroad in the religious habit. - -Father Ignatius had to return to London next day, and did not wish to -violate this prohibition. He was sadly at a loss; he had brought no -secular clothes with him, and the gentleman with whom he was staying -was short and stout, so that it was hopeless to think of getting -anything suitable from his wardrobe. The butler was taxed for a -contribution; all who had an article to spare gave heartily, and the -Monk was, after some ingenuity, equipped in the following fashion: A -pair of very light shoes, fitting badly and pinching sorely, a pair of -short coloured pantaloons, a great pilot overcoat, a Scotch cap, cut -so as to make it fit his head, formed the _cap-à-pie_ of Father -Ignatius. He took refuge in Spanish Place until the darkness of night -might save him from his juvenile friends along the Edgware Road, who, -if they recognised him in his new fashion, would treat him to a more -than ordinary share of ridicule. He took off the shoes when outside -London, and one may imagine the surprise of {437} the religious when -he entered the choir thus arrayed, in the middle of matins, to get -Father Provincial's permission to _change!_ - -Our Fathers shortly after were convoked by the Provincial to a kind of -chapter. Among other matters submitted to their consideration, came -the doings of Father Ignatius. There were cavils on all sides, from -within and without, and many thought that it was his imprudence that -drew forth the proclamation. The nature of the charges against him -will be seen from an apologetic letter of his to the _Standard_:-- - - To The Editor Of The "Catholic Standard." - Jesu Christi Passio. - - Sir,--I remarked in my last, not as a complaint, but quite the - contrary, that I have often heard that good Catholics have suspected - me to be not right in my head, because of my strange devotion to the - conversion of England and of the many strange things which this - fancy, as it seems to them, has led me to do. So far, indeed, am I - from being surprised at or vexed by them, that I fairly declare that - something like a suspicion of this kind sometimes flashes across my - own mind. Suppose, for instance, I might hear of any one becoming - deranged or being in danger of it, I have felt at times something - like a sympathetic chord struck in my own mind, which seems to say, - "Are people right, perhaps, after all? Am I not really mad on this - point?' And it may take me a moment's thought to keep my fair even - balance. How do I keep it?--Not as I might have done, some thirty - years ago, by recollecting, what when young I used to hear said by - my relations, with self-congratulation, "Well, thank God, there is - no taint of madness in our family!--"No; I get my satisfaction - independently of this, from a twofold consciousness, to one branch - of which I could not have referred then--that is, from the - consciousness, first, of a yet unimpaired memory concerning what I - have seen and said and heard within reasonable limits of time; and - secondly, from the consciousness, glory be to God for {438} it, of - (may I say it without rashness?) a perfect Catholic, Apostolic, - Roman faith. I _remember_--I cannot be mistaken in this--that, not - two years ago, I spent four months in Rome, and spoke out there all - my thoughts on this subject, as far as I had opportunity given, - without a shadow of reserve, to the first authorities of the Church; - and that it ended by my receiving and having in my possession - documents fully approving of what I had been doing and purposed to - do, from the first authorities of the Church, to which I may add the - mention of testimonials signed by the Generals of the Dominicans, of - the Conventual Franciscans, of the Franciscans _Strictioris - Observantiae_, and of the Capuchins, recommending me to all local - superiors of their respective orders, to the end that they should - receive me to hospitality in all their houses, allow the use of - their churches to preach in, and assist me in every possible way in - my purposes. I have then said to myself, "It would indeed be no - ordinary sort of madness breaking out for the first time in a - family, which should have the marvellous power of communicating - itself, infecting and dragging after it such a number of certainly - very respectable heads; to which I may add, that the foundation, as - it were, of all these testimonials, was a letter from his Eminence - the Archbishop of Westminster, given me when I went into Germany in - the summer of 1851, renewed with a fresh signature in 1852, after - all my vagaries (?) at Vienna had taken place. In this letter, - written in French by the hand of his Eminence himself--of whom I - never heard any one express the idea that he was touched in the - brain--he states that "having perfectly known me from the time of my - conversion [I feel an intimate conviction in myself no one knows me - better] he does not hesitate to recommend me to all the Catholics of - the Continent, particularly to all bishops and ecclesiastics, - secular and regular, as worthy of all their consideration and of - their support, in the matters about which I should be engaged." No; - I say, that on divine principles, almost as well as human, it is too - much to imagine that I have been mad, thus far; whatever may be the - case hereafter. Protestants, at least some of them, might say so, - and might {439} think it too. No wonder. But will this remonstrance - suffice to put an end to such insinuations from good Catholics? - Mind, I am not displeased at them; nay, I relish these insinuations - beyond what I can express. I have solid reasons for this; but I - desire for the future to forego this personal consolation, for the - sake of the souls of my poor countrymen, and of hundreds of millions - more throughout the world, which I have the conviction might be - saved, if the Catholics of England and Ireland would at length have - done with their objections, and undertake with all their heart the - gaining of this kingdom to God and His Church--and a reputed madman - is not likely to move them to it. I cannot but think that the - authorities under whose sanction I have acted might be considered a - sufficient defence against objections to the movement which I call - for so pertinaciously. I will, however, proceed to answer one by one - the remarks which I supposed in my last letter might be passed on my - narrative of proceedings at Vienna. First, I supposed some would - smile at my ignorance of the world, in expecting that in our days - young princes like the Emperor of Austria and his brother should - have any dispositions to enter into ideas like mine. But why not? - Are they not good ideas? at least, I think them so; and am I to - think a person incapable of great and good designs because he is an - emperor--a prince? There is no doubt that because he is a prince, he - is immensely more responsible for the objects which he pursues; and - that the glory of God would be incomparably more advanced by his - devoting himself to heavenly pursuits than if he were an ordinary - person; and are we tamely to surrender to the service of the world, - and of the Prince of this world, all who have power to influence the - world, and be content on God's behalf to have none but the poor and - weak on the other side? I know it is in the Word of God that not - many wise, not many noble, &c., are called. God has chosen the poor - in this world; but yet there has been a St. Henry, an emperor; a St. - Stephen, King of Hungary; a St. Louis of France; a St. Edward the - Confessor, and so many more; and what magnificent instruments have - such {440} men been for exalting the Church, converting nations, and - saving souls! If they have been few in comparison with kings and - emperors whose views have been all temporal, is that a reason - against trying to add one or two more to their number? I think it is - a reason why we _should_ try; and if we are to try, let us do it in - the spirit of hope, or we shall do it very languidly. If after all - we fail, what have we lost by trying and by hoping? You may answer, - we shall suffer disappointment. Ah! who says that? No! no - disappointment for those who hope in God and work for Him - legitimately. It would make my heart bleed, if I had a heart fit for - it, to think of the noble, truly princely youths in question, - sinking down to the wretched level of worldly, selfish, immoral, - useless men of power, of whom the world has borne so many; and for a - time, if but for a time, I have indulged bright visions about them; - not mere dreamy visions, for their education, the circumstances of - their elevation, the young Emperor's career hitherto, his late - wonderful deliverance from assassination, in which he behaved, as - report says, in away to encourage all such thoughts as mine--all - these are reasons on my side; but suppose I am disappointed there; - suppose no one sympathizes in my thoughts; suppose the Emperor has - forgotten all about my appeal, and I never travel more, or never - more to Vienna, and no one else will take any trouble about it--is - God's arm shortened? Are there no other emperors, or kings, or - queens for Him to choose among, if emperors He has need of for the - work? My friends, fear not. I do not intend to be disappointed, and, - what is more, I shall not be, nor will any of those be who work for - the saving of souls, even on the very largest scale, unless we are - so foolish as to turn back and grow slack. But is it not an error, - it will be asked, a mistake to wish kings and emperors to interfere - in such things? I know many persons of great consideration have this - thought; but the mistake seems to me to lie in not making a - distinction between such interference as that of Constantius, - Valens, Julian, in old times; Henry IV. and Joseph II. of Austria, - Henry VIII. of England, and that of such princes as I have named - above, whom the Church has canonized for {441} what they did for - her. This is my opinion, others have theirs; how shall we decide? - Can we here again know the mind of Rome; and will not that have some - weight in settling the question? I will just relate what took place - there relative to this matter. When preparing to leave Rome for - Vienna, I desired to obtain from the Austrian Ambassador there a - letter, which might facilitate my access to the Emperor, on which I - had set my heart. But I understood the Ambassador himself was not - easily accessible, and that I had better obtain a note of - introduction to him, and from no one would it be so desirable as - from Cardinal Antonelli, the Pope's Secretary of State. I obtained - an audience from him and made my request. He answered: "We have a - nuncio at Vienna; it will do better for you to have a letter from me - to him." Of course I accepted this spontaneous offer most - thankfully. The Cardinal desired me to tell him what I wished at - Vienna, I said: "An audience of the Emperor: and as I am asking the - favour of your Eminence to assist me in obtaining it, it seems right - you should know for what end I desire it. It is to propose to the - Emperor to take to heart my great object of the conversion of - England, and of Protestants in general, and to move his subjects to - it." The Cardinal explained to me some circumstances in the position - of the Emperor, which made it unlikely that he would be led to take - any open steps of this kind; but he gave me the letter without a - word of objection to my wish, on principle; and it was on my - presenting it to the Nuncio, that he most graciously desired that I - should lodge in his palace all the time that I was in Vienna. As I - have been led to mention this audience with Cardinal Antonelli, I - think others may share with me in the feelings of satisfaction and - admiration with which the remainder of what passed impressed me. I - took occasion from finding myself in company with the Pope's - Secretary of State, to make an additional effort towards moving Rome - in the great cause; and as, by his office, he had to regard the - political effect of a decided movement such as I was begging, I - urged my conviction that no political ill consequences need be - feared from the Holy Father calling on all Christendom to {442} move - in this spiritual enterprise. He interrupted me with saying: "The - Holy Father fears no man and nothing in the world." He adverted to - the position in which he had seen him at Gaèta, and said: "The - political power of the Holy See depends on its weakness." I do not - remember the exact words; but they amounted to a noble adoption by - the Apostolic See of the famous Apostolic sentiment: "When I am - weak, then am I strong," in relation not only to the wielding of its - own inalienable spiritual sovereignty, but to its accidental - temporal power, in the exercise of which we perhaps should not - expect always to see the Divine principle so prominent. This - discourse gave me the consoling assurance that when the mind of his - Holiness should be guided by the light which is in him, to judge - that the time is come for a powerful call on Christendom to move - forward in the great enterprise, no human considerations will check - his steps. The Holy Father knows no fear of man. - - I am, your obedient servant, - Ignatius Of St. Paul, Passionist. - -The joyous way in which he received crosses and mortifications may be -seen from this letter. It seemed as if nothing could ruffle his -temper. He remarks on the Proclamation, in a letter he wrote to make -arrangements for saying mass in a private chapel: "There ought to be -something in the way of a cassock too, as the Queen and Lord Derby -have been pleased to make the country too hot for me to keep on my -wearing of the habit for the present. At least so it seems." - -When he attended the meeting of our Fathers, alluded to above, he -travelled by train, with his habit slung over his shoulder, and the -sign conspicuous, saying, "Since they won't let me wear my habit like -a religious, I shall carry it like a slave." - - -{443} - - -CHAPTER XII. - -A Little Of His Home And Foreign Work. - - -Father Ignatius gives a retreat to the nuns of Lingdale House, and -comes immediately after to Oscott, where the first Provincial Synod of -the English Hierarchy was being held. He presents a petition to the -Synodal Fathers, and receives encouragement to prosecute his work of -moving all whom he can to pray for the conversion of England. His next -mission was to make the visitation of our Belgian houses for the -Provincial; when he found himself again abroad, he took advantage of -the opportunity. He goes to different places, and finds many Belgian -and French bishops who preach upon his _oeuvre_, and recommend it by -circulars to their clergy. These journeys he paid for by begging -wherever he went, and the object he begged for is seen from a letter -of his to Mr. Monteith, dated Lille, Aug. 24, 1852:-- - - "My dear Mr. Monteith,--Here I am, writing to you again, and you - will soon see that what brings me to this is, as usual, want of - money--_auri fames_. The case stands thus: I am on travel again, - with commission of finding means to build our house near London, of - which I am rector, or rather I am rector of a little place which - stands on the ground, and erecter rather than rector _ex officio_ of - the house that is to be there. I have my ideas how we might get - means for this expense, and for all other expenses; and, moreover, - how means could be got for all the houses in England and Scotland - too. I am following the end as well as I can, all alone, by the way - which seems to me the best and only one; but my being alone makes - the progress slow. Hitherto, my ideas are to others like - dreams--empty dreams, {444} though I have a pocket-book full of - recommendations from Rome to support them, which encourage me to - think I am not mad, when, by the manner in which I see people - sometimes look at me, I should almost think I was. I allude chiefly - to the way in which, in a company of English Catholics, the mention - from me of the idea, _conversion of England_, immediately silences a - company in the most animated conversation, as if I had said, 'Next - week I am going to be crowned King of France!' ... Though I speak as - I do, I am not without encouragement and fine prospects; but I want - to hasten things, as souls by thousands and millions perish by - delays; and this I will not, if I can help it, have to answer for. - An Englishman's regular, natural way to get his matters attended to, - is a steady, persevering grumble. He grumbles over one step, then - grumbles over the next, however comfortable and happy he may be over - what he has gained. - - "Last week I was at Cambrai, where there was a most remarkable - centenary feast, in honour of Notre Dame de Grâce. There is there an - old picture of Our Lady, brought from Rome 400 years ago, and - installed in the cathedral in 1452, which has been a centre of - devotion ever since. This was the year for the grand solemnity; - pilgrimages coming all the week from the diocese and farther. The - most remarkable of the pilgrims unquestionably was Cardinal Wiseman, - who came to preside over the procession and solemnities of the last - day. He sung mass, and preached his first sermon in France, which - was one of the most eloquent I ever heard from him, or any one, - notwithstanding his imperfect diction. It was all to the point of - moving the French Episcopate and nation to prayers for the - conversion of England. So, if I live, I have little or no doubt of - succeeding in time, but, meanwhile, I must poke here and poke there - for money, till it begins to come freely of itself. As to what the - Continent could do if their heart was once moved, I am convinced by - the history of the Crusades. If the Catholic nations were now - engaged in a material war, there would be armies on foot, and fleets - at sea, the cost of which, for one week, would be enough to build - cathedrals for all our bishops. {445} Why not the same money drawn - to effect the spiritual conquest? Because they do not care about it. - Then, let us make them; and how? The first step, of course, must be - to care for it ourselves. '_Si vis me flere, dolendum est primum - ipsi tibi._' And what can we do to bring our English and Scotch to - this?--Grumble at them, I suppose." - -On his return from France in September, himself and Father Eugene came -to the determination to move away from The Hyde, if a more convenient -site could be procured. The reason of this was chiefly the -unsuitableness of the place to the working of our vocation. It was too -solitary for missionaries, and there was no local work for a number of -priests. Some of the fathers disguise themselves in secular suits, -less unseemly than that in which they once beheld Father Ignatius, and -go in search of a place, but without success. Father Ignatius gave a -mission at this time in Kentish Town, and he little thought, as he -took his walk along the tarred paling in Maiden Lane, that inside lay -the grounds of the future St. Joseph's Retreat. - -Towards the end of the year 1852, Father Ignatius accompanies as far -as London Bridge a colony of Passionists, whom Dr. O'Connor, the -Bishop of Pittsburg, was bringing out to the United States. These -Passionists have grown in _gentem magnam_, and the worthy Bishop, like -another Odescalchi, resigned his crosier, and became a Jesuit. - -He concludes this year and begins the next giving retreats. The scenes -of his labours in this department were Somers Town, Blandford Square -(London), our own house, Dudley, and Douay. He also assisted at a -mission in Commercial Road, London, E. - -The heaviest part of his work, as a member of The Hyde community, was -attending to the parish, which, with the Barnet Mission, then under -our charge, was equal in area to many a diocese in Catholic countries. -Father Ignatius often walked thirty miles in one day on parochial -duty. To give an idea of how he went through this work, one instance -will suffice. On one day to went to Colney Hatch Lunatic Asylum, and -from all the unhappy inmates he was able to get one confession. Next -day he walked to give {446} the Holy Communion to this single -penitent, and walked afterwards to Barnet before he broke his fast. -This must be a distance of at least fifteen miles. - -In May, 1853, he gives a retreat to his old parishioners of West -Bromwich, another in Winchester in July, to the nuns in Wolverhampton -in August, and to the people in Oxburgh in October, and in Southport, -Lancashire, in Advent. - -The 16th of November this year was a great day for our congregation. -It was the first feast of Blessed Paul of the Cross, our holy founder. -There was a great re-union of the chief fathers of the order in St. -Wilfrid's--the Bishops of Birmingham and Southwark, and Dr. Ullathorne -and Dr. Grant assisted at the solemnity. Father Ignatius was there, of -course. Father Paul was beatified on the 28th September, 1852. Our -religious had prayed and worked for the great event, and had now the -happiness of seeing him raised to the altar. - -He stays at home a great deal now, as a rector ought to do, except in -intervals of missions and retreats; and the lion's share of parish -work falls to him. He sends one of the priests of his community to -France to beg for the house; but he had, in a very short time, to send -him money for his expenses home. He then concludes that he should -himself be considered beggar-in-chief, and accordingly goes out for a -few days to collect alms in London. With his alms, he collects into -the Church a young Puseyite minister, who is now a zealous priest on -the London mission. - -Father Ignatius visits the neighbouring ministers, but not as -formerly; he simply goes to see his old acquaintances, and if the -conversation could be transferred from compliments and common-place -remarks to matters of higher interest, he was not the man to let the -opportunity pass by. Among his old friends in the Anglican ministry -there seemed to have been few for whom he always cherished so kindly a -regard as the Rev. Mr. Harvey, Rector of Hornsey. That excellent -clergyman used to visit Father Ignatius, and receive visits from him -on the most friendly terms to the end. - -Thus did he spend his time, until Father Pius, the brother {447} of -our present General, who died in Rome in 1864, came to visit the -province, or branch of the order in England, in 1854. This visit made -a change in Father Ignatius's position. - -A number of houses of a religious order are placed under the direction -of one superior, who is styled a Provincial. With us the Provincial -has two assistants, who are called Consultors. The superior of each -house is called a Rector, and it is his duty to see after the -spiritual and temporal concerns of his own community. A rector, -therefore, has more home work, by virtue of his office, than any other -superior. A consultor may live in any house of the province, has no -special duty _ex officio_ except to give his advice to the Provincial -when asked, and may be easily spared for any external employment. This -office Father Ignatius used to term as _otium cum dignitate_, though -the _otium_ he never enjoyed, and felt rather awkward in the -_dignitas_. - -In 1854, he was made first Consultor, and relieved from the drudgery -of housekeeping for his brethren. Before leaving The Hyde for a new -field of labour, he went to see his nephew in Harrow, which was only a -few miles from our retreat; but was not admitted. He took another -priest with him, and both were hooted by the boys. It seems pardonable -in a set of wild young schoolboys to make game of such unfashionable -beings as Catholic priests; but it shows a great want of good breeding -in schoolboys who are afterwards to hold such a high position in -English society. This remark is forced upon us by the fact that none -of us ever passed through Harrow without meeting a somewhat similar -reception. A school of inferior rank might set Harrow an example in -this point. We have passed Roger Cholmley's school in Highgate, time -after time, often in a large body, and have met the boys in threes and -fours, and all together, and never yet heard a single insult. What -makes the difference? - -On the 8th of September, 1854, Father Ignatius left The Hyde for -Ireland. He begs this time through the principal towns in Munster, and -says he was very kindly received by all. He preached sermons during -this journey, all on the {448} conversion of England. He gained more -prayers this time than on a former occasion, because his work came to -the people with blessings and indulgences from the Father of the -Faithful. He used to tell an amusing anecdote in reference to this -mission. Somewhere he had preached on the conversion of England, and -recommended the prayers by the spiritual profit to be derived from -them. An old woman accosted him as he was passing by, and he had just -time to hear, "Father, I say the three Hail Marys every day for -England." Father Ignatius was much pleased, and made inquiries after -the old lady, doubtless intending to constitute her a kind of apostle -in the place. She was brought to see him; he expressed his thanks and -pleasure that she had entered so thoroughly into his views, and asked -her would she try to persuade others to follow her example? "Me get -people to pray for England!" she answered; "I pray myself three times -for the sake of the indulgence, but I curse them 300 times a day for -it, lest they might get any good of my prayers!" He reasoned with her, -to be sure, but did not tell us if the success of his second discourse -was equal to the first. - - -{449} - - -CHAPTER XIII. - -Sanctification Of Ireland. - - -In a letter written by Father Ignatius in December, 1854, is found the -first glimpse of a new idea: the Sanctification of Ireland. This idea -was suggested to him by the faith of the Irish people, and by their -readiness to adopt whatever was for their spiritual profit. His -intending the Sanctification of Ireland as a step towards the -Conversion of England, laid the scheme open to severe criticism. It -was said that England was his final object; that Ireland was to be -used as an instrument for England's benefit; that if his patriotism -were less strong, his sanctity would be greater. If these objections -were satisfactorily answered, they might be given up with a hint that, -"it was a very Irish way to convert England, by preaching in the bogs -of Connaught." The best refutation of these ungenerous remarks will -be, perhaps, a simple statement of what his ideas were upon the -subject. His great desire was that all the world should be perfect. He -used to say Our Lord had not yet had His triumph in this world, and -that it was too bad the devil should still have the majority. "This -must not be," he would say; "I shall never rest as long as there is a -single soul on earth who does not serve God perfectly." The practical -way of arriving at this end was to begin at home. England had not -faith as a nation, so there was no foundation to build sanctity upon -there. England, however, had great influence as a nation all over the -world; she showed great zeal also in her abortive attempts to convert -the heathen. If her energies could be turned in the right direction, -what grand results might we not anticipate? Another reflection was, -England has had every means of conversion tried upon her; {450} let us -now see what virtue there is in good example. To set this example, and -to sow the seed of the great universal harvest, he would find out the -best Catholic nation in the world, and bring it perfectly up to the -maxims of the Gospel. This nation was Ireland, of course, and it was -near enough to England to let its light shine before her. What he -wished for was, to have every man, woman, and child in Ireland, take -up the idea that they were to be saints. He would have this caught up -with a kind of national move. The practical working of the idea he -embodied in a little book which he wrote some time afterwards, and -preached it wherever he addressed an Irish congregation. The banishing -of three great vices--cursing, company-keeping, and intemperance--and -the practice of daily meditation, with a frequent approach to the -sacraments, were the means. If Ireland, so he argued, took up this at -home, it would spread to England, the colonies, and to wherever there -was an Irishman all over the world. All these would be shining lights, -and if their neighbours did not choose at once to follow their -example, we could at least point it out as the best proof of our -exhortations. This is a short sketch of the work he now began, and it -was a work his superiors always encouraged, and which he spent his -life in endeavouring to realise. - -One objection made against this scheme touched him on a tender -point--his love of country. Many Catholics, especially English -converts, thought the words of Ecclesiasticus applicable to England: -"Injuries and wrongs will waste riches: and the house that is very -rich shall be brought to nothing by pride: so the substance of the -proud shall be rooted out."--Eccl. xxi. 5. These were of opinion that -England must be humbled as a nation, and deeply too, before she could -be fit for conversion. This Father Ignatius could not stand. He -writes, in a letter to Mr. Monteith: "As my _unicum necessarium_ for -myself is the salvation and sanctification of my own soul, so my -wishes and designs about England, which, according to the order of -charity, I consider (in opposition to many English Catholics, -especially converts), I ought to love first of all people, are, singly -and {451} only, that she may be brought to God, and in such a way and -under such circumstances, as may enable her to be the greatest -possible blessing to the whole world. I have heard plenty, and much -more than plenty, from English and Irish Catholics (very seldom, -comparatively, from those of the Continent), about the impossibility -of this, except by the thorough crushing of the power of England. I -say to all this, _No, no, no!_ God can convert our country with her -power and her influence unimpaired, and I insist on people praying for -it without imposing conditions on Almighty God, on whom, if I did -impose conditions, it would be in favour of His showing more, and not -less abundant, mercy to a fallen people. Yet, though I have often said -I will not allow Miss This, or Mr. That, to pronounce sentence on -England, still less to wish evil to her (particularly if it be an -English Mr. or Miss who talks), I have always said that if God sees it -fit that the conversion should be through outward humiliations and -scourges, I will welcome the rod, and thank Him for it, in behalf of -my country, as I would in my own person, in whatever way He might -think fit to chastise and humble me." - -He returned to London in the beginning of 1855, to give the retreat to -our religious. His next work was a mission, given with Father -Gaudentius in Stockport. After that, he gave a mission with Father -Vincent in Hull; in returning from Hull, he stopped at Lincoln to -visit Mr. Sibthorpe. He spends a week in our London house, and then -gives a retreat by himself in Trelawny. His next mission was in -Dungannon, Ireland, and as soon as he came to England for another -retreat he had to give in Levenshulme to nuns, he takes advantage of -his week's rest to visit Grace Dieu, and have what he calls "a famous -talk" with Count de Montalembert, who was Mr. Phillipps's guest at the -time. - -The scene of his labours is again transferred. We find him in July -giving a mission at Borris O'Kane, with Father Vincent and Father -Bernard and another immediately after, at Lorrha. At one of these -missions, the crowd about Father Ignatius's confession-chair was very -great, and the people were crushing in close to the confessor's knees. -One woman, {452} especially, of more than ordinary muscular strength, -elbowed back many of those who had taken their places before she came; -she succeeded in getting to the inner circle of penitents, but so near -the person confessing that the good father gently remonstrated with -her. All to no purpose. He spoke again, but she only came nearer. At -length he seized her shawl, rolled it up in a ball, and flung it over -the heads of the crowd; the poor woman had to relinquish her position, -and go for her shawl, and left Father Ignatius to shrive her less -pushing companions. His fellow missioners were highly amused, and this -incident tells wonderfully for his virtue, for it is almost the only -instance we could ever find of his having done anything like losing -his temper during his life as a Passionist. He gives a retreat in -Birr, in Grantham Abbey, a mission in Newcastle, and another in St. -Augustine's, Liverpool, before the end of the year. - -It was his custom, since his first turning seriously to God's service, -to be awake at midnight on New Year's Day, and begin by prayer for -passing the coming year perfectly. He is in St. Anne's, Sutton, -Lancashire, this year. He begins the new year, 1856, by giving a -mission with Father Leonard in our church at Sutton, with a few -sermons at a place called Peasly Cross, an offshoot of the mission we -have there. - -We close this chapter by a notion of Father Ignatius's politics. He -was neither a Whig, a Tory, nor a Radical. He stood aloof from all -parties, and seldom troubled himself about any. He says in a letter to -a friend who was a well-read politician:--"How many minds we have -speaking in England!--Gladstone, Palmerston, Bright, Phillipps, -yourself, and, perhaps, I should add myself, and how many more who -knows? all with minds following tracks which make them travel apart -from each other. I want to set a road open, in which all may walk -together if they please--at least with one foot, if they must have -their own particular plank for the other." - - -{453} - - -CHAPTER XIV. - -Another Tour On The Continent. - - -The Provincial once more sent Father Ignatius to beg on the Continent. -He tried to do a double work, as he did not like to be "used up" for -begging alone, and the plea of begging would find him access to those -he intended to consult. This second work was a form into which he cast -his ideas for the sanctification of the world. The way of carrying out -these ideas, which has been detailed, was what he settled down to -after long discussion and many corrections from authority. The -pamphlet which he now wrote had been translated into German by a lady -in Münster. In it he proposes a bringing back of Catholics to the -infancy of the Church, when the faithful laid the price of their -possessions at the feet of the Apostles. He proposed a kind of -Theocracy, and the scheme creates about the same sensation as Utopia, -when one reads it. Like Sir Thomas More, Father Ignatius gives us what -he should consider a perfect state of Christian society; he goes into -all the details of its working, and meets the objections that might -arise as it proceeds. The pamphlet is entitled _Reflectiones -Propositionesque pro fidelium Sanctificatione_." - -On February 14, 1856, he leaves London, and halts in Paris only for a -few hours, on his way to Marseilles. There he sees the Archbishop, and -begs in the town; he returns then to Lyons, where he has several long -conferences with Cardinal de Bonald. We find him in Paris in a few -days, writing circulars to the French bishops, of whom the Bishop of -Nancy seems to have been his greatest patron. He writes a letter to -the Empress, and receives an answer that the Emperor would admit him -to an audience. In a day or two {454} Father Ignatius stands in the -presence of Napoleon III., and it is a loss that he has not left us -the particulars of the conference in writing, because he often -reverted to it in conversation with a great deal of interest. He found -at his lodgings, on returning from a _quête_ a few days after, l,000f. -sent to him as a donation by the Emperor. - -His good success in the Tuileries gave him a hope of doing great -things among the _élite_ of Parisian society. He is, however, sadly -disappointed, and the next day sets off to Belgium. - -Arrived in Tournai, he sends a copy of the French circular to the -Belgian bishops. This does not seem to be a petition for alms, as we -find him the same evening travelling in a third-class carriage to -Cologne, without waiting for their Lordships' answers. - -During his begging in Cologne, he says mass every morning in St. -Colomba's (Columb-Kille's) Church; perhaps the spirit of hospitality -was bequeathed to the clergy of this Church by their Irish patron, for -he appears to have experienced some coldness from the _pfarren_ of -Cologne. - -In Münster he is very well received. The Bishop is particularly kind -to him, and looks favourably on his _Reflectiones_; besides that, his -lordship deputes a priest to be his guide in begging. Father Ignatius -notes in his journal that he preached extempore in German to the -Jesuit novices, and that one of the fathers revises and corrects the -German translation of the _Reflectiones_. The priest deputed for guide -by the Bishop of Münster was called away on business of importance, -and Father Ignatius finds another. This Kaplan "lost his time -smoking," and our good father gave up, and went off by Köln to -Coblentz. - -He finds the bishop here very kind, but is allowed to beg only of the -clergy; the Jesuits give him hospitality. A cold reception in Mantz, -and a lukewarm one in Augsburg, hurry him off to Munich. He submits -the _Reflectiones_ to Dr. Döllinger, who corrects them and gives them -his approbation. - -From Munich he proceeds to Vienna. A part of this journey, as far as -Lintz, had to be performed by an _eilwayen_ {455} or post car. The -driver of this vehicle was a tremendous smoker, and Father Ignatius -did not at all enjoy the fumes of tobacco. He perceived that the -driver forgot the pipe, which he laid down at a _hoff_ on the way, -while slaking his thirst, and never told him of it. He was exulting in -the hope of being able to travel to the next shop for pipes without -inhaling tobacco smoke, when, to his mortification, the driver -perceived his loss, and shouted out like a man in despair, _Mein -pfeiffe! Mein pfeiffe!_--My pipe! My pipe! To increase his passenger's -disappointment, he actually turned back a full German league, and then -smoked with a vengeance until he came to the next stage. - -Father Ignatius sends a copy of the _Reflectiones_ to Rome, on his -arrival in Vienna, and presents it with an address at an assembly of -Bishops that was then being held. - -He has audiences with the Emperor and Archduke Maximilian, now Emperor -of Mexico, as well as with the Nunzio, and all the notabilities, -clerical and secular, in the city. - -Immediately after, somehow, he gets notice to quit from the Superior -of a religious community, where he had been staying, and all the other -religious houses refuse to take him in. He was about to leave Vienna -in consequence, as he did not like putting up in an hotel, when some -Italian priests gave him hospitality, and welcomed him to stop with -them as long as he pleased. As a set-off to his disappointment, the -Bishop of Transylvania is very kind to him, and Cardinal -Schwartzenberg even begs for him. He met the Most Rev. Father Jandel, -General of the Dominicans, in the Cardinal's Palace, and showed him -the _Reflectiones_. The good disciple of St. Thomas examined the -document closely, and Father Ignatius records his opinion, "he gave my -paper a kick." Notwithstanding this sentence, he went on distributing -copies every where; but his tract-distribution was stopped in a few -days by a letter he received from our General. - -When he sent the little pamphlet to Rome it was handed for criticism -to the Lector (or Professor) of Theology in our retreat, who was then -Father Ignatius Paoli, the present Provincial in England. The critique -was very long and {456} quite unfavourable; it reached him, backed by -a letter from the General, which forbade to speak about the counsels -for the present. He records this sentence in his journal in these -words:--"June 17. A letter from Padre Ignazio, by the General--Order -to stop speaking of the counsels, &c. _Stop her, back her. Deo -gratias!"_ This was a favourite expression with him whenever a -Superior thwarted any of his projects: it was borrowed from the -steamboats that ply on the Thames, and Father Ignatius considered -himself as in the position of the little boy who echoes the orders of -the master to the engineers below. He used to say, "What a catastrophe -might one expect if the boy undertook to give an order of his own!" - -Whilst in Vienna he received a letter from Father Vincent, telling him -of our having established a house of the order near Harold's Cross, -Dublin. Father Ignatius accompanied Father Vincent when they were both -in Dublin, before the German tour began, in his search for a position, -and Rathmines was selected. The excellent parish priest, Monsignor -Meagher, had just opened his new church, and laboured hard to have a -religious community in his district. He therefore seconded the -intentions of our people, and in a short time a house was taken in his -parish, and every day cements the connexion between us and this -venerable ecclesiastic. A splendid edifice has since been built during -the Rectorship of Father Osmond, and chiefly through his exertions. - -Father Ignatius went to two or three towns, where the police would not -allow him to beg unless patronised by a native priest, and not being -able to fulfil these conditions he was obliged to desist. - -This was Father Ignatius's last visit to Germany; he had been there -five times during his life. The first was a tour of pleasure, all the -rest were for higher objects. He seems to have had a great regard for -the Germans; he considered them related by blood to the English, and -although he himself was of Norman descent, he appears to have a -special liking for the Saxon element in character. He preferred to -{457} see it blended certainly, and would consider a vein of Celtic or -Norman blood an improvement on the Teutonic. - -There were other reasons. St. Boniface, the Apostle of Germany, was an -Englishman; St. Columbanus and St. Gall might be said to have laboured -more in Germany than in their native Ireland. The Germans owed -something to England, and he wished to have them make a return. -Besides, the Reformation began in Germany, and he would have the -countrymen of Luther and of Cranmer work together to repair the -injuries they had suffered from each other. This twofold plea was -forced upon him by a German periodical, which advocated the cause of -the "Crusade" even so far back as 1838. Father Ignatius also knew how -German scholarship was tinging the intellect of England, and he -thought a spread of devotion would be the best antidote to -Rationalism. The reasons for working in France, which he styled "that -generous Catholic nation," were somewhat different, but they have been -detailed by himself in those portions of the correspondence respecting -his crusade. - -He visits Raal, Resburg, Baden, Ratisbonne, and Munich; hence he -starts for London. Here he arrives on the 4th of October. He did not -delay, but went straight to Dublin, and stayed for the first time in -Blessed Paul's Retreat, Harold's Cross. This house became his -head-quarters for some time, for we find him returning thither after a -mission in Kenilworth, and one in Liverpool, as well as a retreat for -nuns, which closes his labours for the year 1856. - - -{458} - - -CHAPTER XV. - -Father Ignatius In 1857. - - -Seven years, according to physiologists, make a total change in the -human frame, such is the extent of the renewal; and although the laws -of spirit do not follow those of matter, it may be a pleasing problem -to find out how far there is an analogy. The chapter of 1850 was -headed like this; let us see if the events of both tell differently -upon Father Ignatius. - -The first event he records in the Journal for this year is the -reception of Mrs. O'Neill into the Church. This good lady had then one -son a Passionist; she was what might be called a very strict and -devoted Protestant, although all her children were brought up -Catholics by her husband. She loved the son who first joined our order -very tenderly, and felt his becoming a monk so much that she would -never read one of his letters. The son was ordained priest in -Monte-Argentaro, and the first news he heard after he had for the -first time offered up the Holy Sacrifice, was that his mother had been -received in our retreat in Dublin by Father Ignatius. She was induced -by another son, who lived in Dublin, to attend benediction, and our -Lord gave her the grace of conversion with His blessing. She is now a -fervent Catholic, and another son and a daughter have since followed -the example of their brother. The mother finds her greatest happiness -in what once seemed her greatest affliction. Such is the power of -grace, always leading to joy through the bitterness of the cross. - -The next event is the death of Father Paul Mary of St. Michael. This -saintly Passionist was the Honourable Charles Reginald Packenham, son -of the Earl of Longford. He {459} became a convert when captain in the -Guards, and shortly after joined our Institute. He was the first -rector of Blessed Paul's Retreat, and having edified his brethren by -his humility and religious virtues for nearly six years, the term of -his life as a Passionist, died in the odour of sanctity. He had been -ailing for some time, but still able to do a little in the way of -preaching and confessions. It was advertised that he would preach in -Gardiner Street, Dublin, on Sunday, March 1. He died that day at one -o'clock A.M., and Father Ignatius went to preach in his stead; it -created a sensation when the good father began by asking prayers for -the repose of the soul of him whose place he came to fill. - -In a letter Father Ignatius wrote at this time we have his opinion of -Father Paul Mary: ".... As to the Passionists, I do not think those -who managed our coming here (to Dublin) which was all done during my -absence in Germany, had any idea of serving England. I believe the -prime instigator of the move was Father Paul Mary, who was born in -Dublin, and was through and through an Irishman in his affections, -though trained in England. He, to the last, had all the anti-English -feelings, which prevail so much through Ireland, and never would give -me the least hope of his being interested for England. I fall in, -notwithstanding that, with all the notions of his great virtue and -holiness which others have; and I think, moreover, that the best -Catholics in Ireland are to be found among those who have been the -most bitterly prejudiced against England. But I think there is in -reserve for them another great step in advance when they lay down this -aversion and turn it into divine charity in a heroic degree." - -Father Ignatius always felt keenly Father Paul Mary's not taking up -his ideas about England with more warmth. When he was on his -death-bed, Father Ignatius spent many hours sitting by him. In one of -their last conversations, Father Ignatius urged his pleas for England -as strongly as he could; when he had done, and was waiting for the -effect, Father Paul said, in a dry, cold manner: "I don't think -Ireland has got anything to thank England for." These words were -perpetually ringing in the ears of Father {460} Ignatius; they were -the last Father Paul ever said on the subject, and the other used to -say: "Oh, I used to enjoy his beautiful conversation so much, but I -never could hear one single kind word for England." - -This year a general chapter of our Congregation was held in Rome. This -is an important event, and only occurs every six years. It is here the -head superiors are elected, points of rule explained, and regulations -enacted for the better ordering of the different houses all over the -world, according to circumstances of time and place. The Provincial -and the two Consultors of each Province are obliged to attend. Father -Ignatius was therefore called to travel abroad once more. When in -Rome, he employed all the time that was left from capitular duties in -holding conferences with our students, and trying to get some papers -he brought with him approved. Among others, he brought the paper that -was "kicked" by Father Jaudel, and condemned by one of our -theologians. The only one in Rome who approved of it was the Abbate -Passaglia. Cardinal Barnabò listened to all Father Ignatius had to -urge in its favour; but did not approve of it. He had to return -without gaining anything this time; except that the Roman Lector was -become his Provincial. In a few years afterwards, when we read of -Passaglia's fall, Father Ignatius was heard to say: "Passaglia and -Döllinger were the only theologians who approved of my paper. I -suppose I need not flatter myself much upon their _imprimatur_." - -He was remarked to be often abstracted when he had many crosses to -bear. One day he was going through Rome with one of our Religious, and -passed by a fountain. He went over and put his hand so far into one of -the jets, that he squirted the water over a number of poor persons who -were basking in the sun a few steps beneath him. They made a stir, and -uttered a few oaths as the water kept dashing down on them. The -companion awoke Father Ignatius out of his reverie, and so unconscious -did he seem of the disturbance he had unwittingly created, that he -passed on without alluding to it. - -On his return home now, as Second Consultor, he is sent {461} to beg -again in Ireland. He makes the circuit of Connaught this time. He -took, in his journey, Roscommon, Castlerea, visits the O'Connor Don, -Boyle, Sligo. Here he was received very kindly by the Bishop and -clergy. He had for guide in Sligo, a Johnny Doogan, who seems to have -amused him very much. This good man was chief respondent at the -Rosary, which used to be said every evening in the church. One night -the priest began, "Incline unto my aid, O Lord." No answer. "Where are -you, Johnny Doogan?" asked the priest. Johnny, who was a little more -than distracted in some corner of the church, replied, as if suddenly -awoke: "Here I am, your Reverence, and 'my tongue shall announce thy -praise.'" He next passes along through Easky and Cullinamore to -Ballina. He gives a retreat to the Sisters of Mercy here, and during -it, makes an excursion to Enniscrone. He went next to Ballycastle, -Killala, Castlebar. Here he went to visit his cousin, Lord Lucan, and -is very kindly received. During the course of conversation, he asked -Lord Lucan if he had not heard of his conversion? "Oh yes," he -replied, "I heard you were wavering some thirty years ago." "But I -have not wavered since," replied Father Ignatius. He then went to -Ballinrobe, Westport, Tuam, Athenry, and back to Dublin, by Mullingar. -This tour took nearly two months. He gives a retreat in the beginning -of September to the nuns of Gorey, and after it, begs through Wexford, -and the southwest portion of Leinster. The only thing remarkable about -these excursions is, that he notes once, "I am ashamed to think that I -have not begged of any poor people to-day." - -In December, 1857, his brother Frederick, Lord Spencer, died. This -brother was Father Ignatius's companion at school, and it is -remarkable that he was the only one of the family who used any kind of -severity towards him. He says, in a letter written at this time, "I am -twelve years an exile from Althorp." Shortly before the Earl died, he -relented, and invited Father Ignatius to stay at the family seat a few -days. The letter joyfully accepting the invitation was read by the -brother on his bed of death. It is only right to observe that the -present Earl has been the kindest {462} of all, and treated his uncle -with distinguished kindness for the few years he was left to him. He -even gave him back the portion of his income which his father diverted -to other uses. - -Another letter he wrote in December, gives an idea of his spirit of -resignation. It seems a Rev. Mother wrote to him in a state of alarm -that some of the sisters were inclined to go away. Here is a part of -his answer: "I will see what I can do with the sisters who are in the -mood to kick, bite, or run away. If they take to running, never mind -how many go, let them all go, with _God bless them, and thank God they -are gone_, and we will hope their room will be worth as much as their -company." - -Lest the allusion to his exile from Althorp might be taken in a wrong -sense, it is well to give a passage from a letter Father Ignatius -wrote after the death of his brother. "I dare say you have not heard -that just before my brother's death I had written to him about a case -of distress, which he had before been acquainted with, telling him, at -the same time, of what I was about, and among other things, that I was -going to London to open a mission in Bermondsey on the 10th of -January. He sent me £3 for the person I wrote about, and invited me to -stop at Althorp a couple of nights on my way, not demanding any -positive promise about religion as beforetime, but only saying that he -thought I might come as a private friend without seeing it necessary -to hold spiritual communications with the people in the neighbourhood. -I answered that I would come with pleasure on these terms, and that -even if he had said nothing, prudence would dictate to me to act as he -wished. This was a most interesting prospect to me, after my twelve -years' exile from that home, and I intended to come on the 7th of -January. It was only a day or two before my leaving Dublin for this -journey, that I was shown a notice in the paper of his death, and the -next day had a letter about it from my sister. He must have received -my letter on the very day that he was taken ill. These are remarkable -circumstances. What will Providence bring out of them?" {463} He felt -the death of this brother very much, and was known to shed tears in -abundance when relating the sad news to some of his friends. He said -very sadly, "I gave myself up to three days' sorrowing for my dear -brother Frederick, but I took care to thank God for the affliction." - - -{464} - - -CHAPTER XVI. - -His "Little Missions." - - -On the 21st of June, 1858, Father Ignatius began to give short -retreats, which he designated "little missions." This was his work the -remaining six years of his life; anything else we find him doing was -like an exception. - -The work proposed in these missions was what has been already -described in the chapter on the sanctification of the Irish people. He -wanted to abolish all their vices, which he reduced to three capital -sins, and sow the seeds of perfect virtue upon the ground of their -deep and fertile faith. Since he took up the notion that Ireland was -called to keep among the nations the title of _Island of Saints_, -which had once been hers, he could never rest until he saw it -effected. He seems to have been considering for a number of years the -means by which this should be brought about, and he hit upon a happy -thought in 1858. - -This thought was the way of impregnating the minds of all the Irish -people with his ideas. He found that missions were most powerful means -of moving people in a body to reconciliation with God, and an -amendment of life. He perceived that the words of the missionaries -were treasured up, and that the advices they gave were followed with a -scrupulous exactness. Missions were the moving power, but how were -they to enter into all the corners of a kingdom? Missions could only -be given in large parishes, and all priests did not set so high a -value upon their importance as those who asked for them. If he could -concentrate the missionary power into something less solemn, but of -like efficacy, and succeed in carrying that out, he thought it would -be just {465} the thing. This train of deliberation resulted in the -"little missions." - -A "little mission" is a new mode of renewing fervour; Father Ignatius -was the originator and only worker in it of whom we have any record. -It was half a week of missionary work in every parish--that is, three -days and a half of preaching and hearing confessions. Two sermons in -the day were as much as ever Father Ignatius gave, and the hours in -the confessional were as many as he could endure. - -This kind of work had its difficulties. The whole course of subjects -proper to a mission could not be got through, neither could all the -penitents be heard. Father Ignatius met these objections. "The eternal -truths," as such, he did not introduce. He confined himself to seven -lectures, in which the crying evils, with their antidotes, were -introduced. As far as the confessions were concerned, he followed the -rule of moral theologians that a confessor is responsible only for the -penitent kneeling before him, and not for those whose confession he -has not begun. He heard all he could. - -His routine of daily work on these little missions was to get up at -five, and hear confessions all day until midnight, except whilst -saying mass and office, giving his lecture and taking his meals. He -took no recreation whatever, and if he chatted any time after dinner -with the priest, the conversation might be considered a continuation -of his sermon. At a very moderate calculation he must have spent at -least twelve hours a day in the confessional. Some of these apostolic -visits he prolonged to a week when circumstances required. He gave 245 -of these missions from June, 1858, to September, 1864; he was on his -way to the 246th when he died. A rough calculation will show us that -he must have spent about twenty-two weeks every year in this -employment. Let us just think of forty journeys, in cold and heat, -from parish to parish, sometimes on foot, sometimes on conveyances, -which chance put in his way. Let us follow him when he has strapped -his bags upon his shoulder, after his mass, walking off nine or ten -miles, in {466} order to be in time to begin in another parish that -evening. Let us see the poor man trying to prevent his feeling pain -from his sore feet by walking a little faster, struggling, with -umbrella broken, against rain and wind, dust, a bad road, and a way -unknown to add to his difficulties. He arrives, he lays down his -burden, puts on his habit, takes some dinner, finishes his office, -preaches his first discourse, and sits in the confessional until -half-past eleven o'clock. Let us try to realize what this work must -have been, and we shall have an idea of the six last years of Father -Ignatius Spencer's life. - -We give a few extracts from his letters, as they will convey an idea -of how he felt and wrought in this great work. - -On the 10th of August, 1858, he writes from the convent in Kells, -where he was helping the nuns through their retreat:-- - - "I have an hour and a half before my next sermon at 7; all the nuns' - confessions are finished, and all my office said; I have therefore - time for a letter. I have not had such an afternoon as this for many - months. The people of this town seem to think the convent an - impregnable fortress, and do not make an assault upon me in it. If I - was just to show myself in the church I should be quickly - surrounded. The reflections which come upon me this quiet afternoon - are not so bright and joyous as you might expect, perhaps, from the - tone of my letter to M ----, but rather of a heavy afflicting - character; but all the better, all the better. This is wholesome, - and another stage in my thoughts brings me to very great - satisfaction out of this heaviness. I do not know whether I shall - explain myself to you. I see myself here so alone, though the people - come upon me so eagerly, so warmly, and, I may say, so lovingly; yet - I have not one on whom I can think as sympathising with me. I see - the necessity of a complete radical change in the spirit of the - people, the necessity, I mean, in order to have some prospect of - giving the cause of truth its victory in England, and making this - Irish people permanently virtuous and happy. This is what I am - preaching from place to place, and aiming at instilling into the - people's minds in the confessional, at {467} dinner-tables, in cars - on the road, as well as in preaching; and, while I aim at it, the - work is bright enough." - -Oct. 11, 1860, he writes: - - "I can hardly understand how I can go on for any long time more as I - am doing, and not find some capable and willing to enter into them. - Here I am through the 112th parish, with the same proposals which no - one objects to, but no one enters into nor seems to understand." - -May 6, 1861.-- - - "It seems my lot to be moving about as long as I can move. I am very - happy in the work I am about when I am at it, but I have always to - go through regret and sorrow before moving, particularly when - leaving my home. ... I have now gone through 132 parishes. No - movement yet, such as I am aiming at. It always goes on in the form - of most interesting missionary work, and is a most agreeable way of - doing my begging work. I have been through 123 of these parishes - without asking a penny from any one, but they bring me on an average - more than £21 a parish in _Ireland_. I have worked through eleven - parishes in the diocese of Salford (England) out of that number, and - these do not yield half the fruit of the Irish missions in point of - money, but are otherwise very satisfactory.'' - -In a letter written in December of the same year: - - "I am preparing for another year's work like the last, going from - parish to parish through Ireland, collecting for our Order, and at - the same time stirring the people to devote themselves to their - sanctification. They give their money very generously, they listen - kindly to my sermons, and I never have a minute idle in hearing - confessions; but hitherto there is no attention such as I wish paid - to my proposals. I have made these little missions now in 160 - parishes in Ireland, and to eleven Irish congregations in England. I - am, thank God, in as good plight as ever I was in my life for this - kind of work, and this seems to give a hope that I may at length see - the effect of it as I wish, or the fruit may spring up when I am - dead and buried. If death comes upon me in this way, I will at least - rejoice for myself that I am dying more like our Lord than if I - finished my course {468} crowned with the most brilliant successes; - for when He died people would say He had utterly failed, but He was - just then achieving His victory. Whatever way things take we cannot - be disappointed if we keep faithful to God." - -The lovingness described as subsisting between himself and his dear -Irish people gave rise to many incidents, amongst which the following -is rather peculiar. At one place, where he had just concluded a little -mission, the people gathered round him when he was about to go away. -He heard many say, "What will we do when he is gone?" and several -other exclamations betokening their affliction at having to part from -him. He turned round and asked all he saw to accompany him to the -railway station. When they arrived there he addressed them again in -something like these words: "Now, stand here until you see the train -start, and when it is out of sight, I want you all to say, '_Thank -God, he is gone_.'" - -He met a great many refusals and cold receptions on these missionary -tours, but in general he was very well received. The exceptions were -dear to him, as they were profitable to himself, and he seldom spoke -of them unless there was some special lesson they were calculated to -convey. - - -{469} - - -CHAPTER XVII. - -Father Ignatius At Home. - - -The work of the little missions kept Father Ignatius very much away -from the community. His visits at home were like meteor flashes, -bright and beautiful, and always made us regret we could not enjoy his -edifying company for a longer time. Those who are much away on the -external duties of the Order find the rule a little severe when they -return; to Father Ignatius it seemed a small heaven of refreshing -satisfaction. His coming home was usually announced to the community a -day or two before, and all were promising themselves rare treats from -his presence amongst them. It was cheering to see the porter run in, -beaming with joy, as he announced the glad tidings, "Father Ignatius -is come." The exuberance of his own delight as he greeted, first one, -and then another of his companions, added to our own joy. In fact, the -day Father Ignatius came home almost became a holiday by custom. Those -days were; and we feel inclined to tire our readers by expatiating on -them, as if writing brought them back. - -Whenever he arrived at one of our houses, and had a day or two to -stay, it was usual for the younger religious, such as novices and -students, to go to him, one by one, for conference. He liked this very -much, and would write to higher Superiors for permission to turn off -to Broadway, for instance, on his way to London, in order to make -acquaintance with the young religious. His counsels had often a -lasting effect; many who were inclined to leave the life they had -chosen remained steadfast, after a conference with him. He did not -give common-place solutions to difficulties, but he had some peculiar -phrase, some quaint axiom, some droll {470} piece of spirituality, to -apply to every little trouble that came before him. He was specially -happy in his fund of anecdote, and could tell one, it was believed, on -any subject that came before him. This extraordinary gift of -conversational power made the _Conferences_ delightful. The novices, -when they assembled in recreation, and gave their opinions on Father -Ignatius, whom many had spoken to for the first time in their life, -nearly all would conclude, "If there ever was a saint, he's one." - -It was amusing to observe how they prepared themselves for forming -their opinion. They all heard of his being a great saint, and some -fancied he would eat nothing at all for one day, and might attempt a -little vegetables on the next. One novice, in particular, had made up -his mind to this, and, to his great surprise, he saw Father Ignatius -eat an extra good breakfast; and, when about to settle into a rash -judgment, he saw the old man preparing to walk seven miles to a -railway station on the strength of his meal. Another novice thought -such a saint would never laugh nor make anybody else laugh; to his -agreeable disappointment, he found that Father Ignatius brought more -cheerfulness into the recreation than had been there for some time. - -In one thing Father Ignatius did not go against anticipation; he was -most exact in the observance of our rules. He would be always the -first in for the midnight office. Many a time the younger portion of -the community used to make arrangements overnight to be in before him, -but it was no use. Once, indeed, a student arrived in choir before -him, and Father Ignatius appeared so crestfallen at being beaten that -the student would never be in before him again, and might delay on the -way if he thought Father Ignatius had not yet passed. He seemed -particularly happy when he could light the lamps or gas for matins. He -was childlike in his obedience. He would not transgress the most -trifling regulation. It was usual with him to say, "I cannot -understand persons who say, 'Oh, I am all right if I get to -Purgatory.' We should be more generous with Almighty God. I don't -intend to go to Purgatory, and if I do, I must know what for." "But, -Father Ignatius," a father would say, {471} "we fall into so many -imperfections that it seems presumption to attempt to escape scot -free." "Well," he would reply, "nothing can send us to Purgatory but a -wilful venial sin, and may the Lord preserve us from such a thing as -that; a religious ought to die before being guilty of the least wilful -fault." We saw from this that he could scarcely imagine how a -religious could do so, or, at least, that he was very far from the -like himself. - -One time we were speaking about the Italian way of pronouncing Latin, -which we have adopted; he noticed some imperfections, and one of the -Italian Fathers present remarked a few points in which Father Ignatius -himself failed. One of them was, that he did not pronounce the letter -_r_ strong enough; and another, that he did not give a its full sound -when it came in the middle of a word. For some time it was observed -that he made a most burring sound when he pronounced an _r_, and went -so far in correcting himself in the other particular as to sin against -prosody. Sometimes he would forget little rubrics, but if any one told -him of a mistake, he was scarcely ever seen to commit it again. - -Whenever he had half an hour to spare he wrote letters. We may form an -idea of his achievements in this point, when he tells us in the -Journal that on two days which remained free to him once he wrote -seventy-eight. A great number of his letters are preserved. They are -very entertaining and instructive; a nice vein of humour runs through -all those he wrote to his familiar friends. - -These two letters may be looked upon as the extremes of the sober and -humorous style in his letter-writing:-- - - "When I used to call on you, you seemed to be tottering, as one - might say, on your last legs. Here you are, after so many years, - without having ever seen health or prosperity, and with about as - much life in you as then, to all appearance. All has been, all is, - and all will be, exactly as it pleases God. This is the truth, the - grand truth, I would almost say the whole and only truth. There may - be, and are, plenty of things besides, which may be truly affirmed, - yet this is the whole of what it concerns us each to know. For if - this is once well understood, of course it follows that we {472} - have but one affair to attend to, that is, to please God; because - then, to a certainty, all the past, present, and future will be - found to be perfectly and absolutely ordered for our own greatest - good. If this one point be well studied, I think we can steer people - easily enough out of all low spirits and melancholy. Many people can - see the hand of God over them in wonderful mercy in their past - history, and so be brought to a knowledge that their anxieties, and - afflictions, and groans, in those bygone days were unreasonable - then. "Why do they not learn to leave off groaning over the present - troubles? Because they do not trust God to manage anything right - till they have examined His work, and understood all about it. But - He, will be more honoured if we agree with Him, and approve of what - He does before we see what the good is which is to come of it. In - your case, if we go back to the days when I first saw you at ----, - when your father was in a good way of work, and you were in health, - there was the prospect then, I suppose, before you of getting well - settled in the world; and if all had continued smooth and - prosperous, you might now be a rich merchant's wife in Birmingham, - London, or New York, reckoned the ornament of a large circle of - wealthy friends, &c. But might there not, perhaps, have been written - over you as your motto? _Wo to you rich, for you have received your - consolation. Wo to you that laugh now for you shall mourn and weep_. - You may be disposed to answer, you do not think you would have been - spoiled by prosperity. But if you are more or less troubled or - anxious at being in poverty, sickness, or adversity, it shows that - you would be, just in the same measure, unable to bear prosperity - and health unhurt. Wealth and prosperity are dangerous to those only - who love them and trust in them. If, when you are in adversity, you - are sorry for it, and wish for prosperity, it shows love for this - world's goods, more or less. And if a person loves them when he has - them not, is it likely he would despise them if he had them? God - saves multitudes by poverty and afflictions in spite of themselves. - The same poverty and afflictions, if the persons corresponded with - God's providence and rejoiced in them, would make them {473} - first-rate saints. The same may be said, with as great truth, of - interior afflictions, scruples, temptations, darkness, dryness, and - the rest of the catalogue of such miseries. A person who is - disquieted and anxious on account of these, either does not - understand that God's gifts are not God, or if they do understand - it, they love the gifts of God independently of the giver. And so I - add that such a one, if he enjoyed uninterrupted peace and serenity - of soul, would stop very short indeed of the perfection of love to - which God intends to lead him if he will be docile. Now, as to your - case, if you are still alive and still serving God, and desiring to - do so better and better, it is clear that your afflictions, exterior - and interior, have not spoiled or ruined you. And as God loves our - peace and happiness, we may conclude that he would not have kept you - down and low, if it had not been necessary for your good. What have - you to do at last? Begin again to thank, praise, bless, adore, and - glorify God for all the tribulations, past and future, and he may - yet strengthen and preserve you to do abundance of good, and lay up - a great treasure in heaven." - -The next letter is to a nun about a book which was supposed to be -lost:-- - - "The second perpetual calendar has been found. I had no thought it - would; but took my chance to ask, and somebody had seen it, and it - was looked for again and found. It has been a clumsy bit of business - on our part; but it ends right. It gives another example of the - wisdom of a certain young shepherdess celebrated in the nursery in - my early days-- - - "'Little Bopeep - Has lost her sheep, - And doesn't know where to find them. - Let them alone, - And they'll come home, - And bring their tails behind them.' - - "There is great philosophy in the advice given to the heroine of - these lines. - - "It seems by what you said the other day, that you {474} expected a - long tail to this sheep, but I don't think the tail ever grew. Any - way, it never brought a tail so far as this house. However, if there - does exist a tail to it, I recommend to you the calm philosophy of - little Bo-peep, and it will, I dare say, follow in time." - -The little rhyme given above was a favourite with Father Ignatius. -When he saw any one looking for a thing with anxiety he generally -rhymed it out with peculiar emphasis. It might be safely said that he -never wrote a letter, preached a sermon, or held a conversation -without introducing resignation to the will of God, the desire of -perfection, or the conversion of England. - -As he was always a Superior, the religious could come to him and speak -whenever they pleased. He was ever ready to receive them, he laid down -his pen, or whatever else he might be at, directly he saw a brother or -father wished to speak to him, and he listened and spoke as if this -conversation was the only duty he had to discharge. - -In recreation he was a treasure. We gathered round him by a kind of -instinct, and so entertaining was he that one felt it a mortification -to be called away from the recreation-room while Father Ignatius was -in it. He used to recount with peculiar grace and fascinating wit, -scenes he went through in his life. There is scarcely an incident in -this volume that we have not heard him relate. He was most ingenuous. -Ask him what question you pleased, he would answer it, if he knew it. -In relating an anecdote he often spoke in five or six different tones -of voice; he imitated the manner and action of those he knew to such -perfection, that laughter had to pass into admiration. He seldom -laughed outright, and even when he did, he would very soon stop. If he -came across a number of _Punch_, he ran over some of the sketches at -once and then he would be observed to stop, laugh, and lay it down -directly, as if to deny himself further enjoyment. It is needless to -say there was nothing rollicking, or off-handed in his wit--never; it -was subdued, sweet, delicate, and lively. He would introduce very -often amusing puzzles, such as passing the poker around, or the game -of "He can do little who cannot do that, that, that." Then to see his -{475} glee when some one thought he had found out the secret by his -keenness of observation, and was far from it; and how he laughed at -the _denouement_ of the mystery, when all was over, was really -delightful. He often made us try "Theophilus Thistlethwick," and -"Peter Piper," and used to enjoy the blunders immensely. In fact, a -recreation, presided over by Father Ignatius, was the most innocent -and gladsome one could imagine. - -He had a few seasons of illness in the closing years of his life; in -1861 he was laid up for several days with a sore foot, in Highgate. -When one of us is ill, it is customary for the members of the house to -take turn about in staying with him, and we are allowed to go at all -times to visit an invalid. Whenever Father Ignatius was asked how his -foot was, he would say it was "very well," because it brought him some -pain, and that was a valuable thing if we only knew how to turn it to -good account. He felt very grateful for the smallest service done him -in sickness. It is supposed that he wrote more letters during his -illness, and held more "profitable" conversations than in any other -equal period of his life. No one ever found him idle. He read, or he -wrote, or he talked, or he prayed, or he slept. Lying awake and -listless in bed, even when suffering from acute pain, seemed an -imperfection to him. Complaint was like a language he had forgotten, -or knew not, except as one knows sin by the contrary virtue. - -He suffered greatly from drowsiness. When he went to meditation he -would nod asleep, and the exertions he made to keep himself awake made -us pity him. He would stand up, even sometimes on one foot, extend his -arms in the form of a cross, and do everything he could possibly think -of in order to keep awake. During his rectorship in Button, after -returning from a sick call on a cold winter's evening, he was obliged -to walk about saying his office. He dared not sit down, or he would go -off asleep, and had to avoid going near a fire, or no effort could -keep him awake. Notwithstanding this, he was the first to matins, and -seldom went to bed again before prime. When others were ill, Father -Ignatius was all charity; he would make sure first that {476} they -took their sickness in a right spirit, and thanked God for it, then he -would see that all kinds of attention were paid to them. As for sick -calls, no matter at what hour of the day or night they came, he would -be the first to go out and attend them. He liked assisting at -death-beds; he felt particular pleasure in helping people to heaven. - -He received all kinds of visitors. He went immediately to see any one -that wanted to speak to him, and never kept them a moment waiting if -he could possibly help it. When distinguished visitors were coming he -did not make the least preparation, but just treated them like any one -else. His sister promised to visit him in Highgate in December, 1859. -Neither she nor any member of his family had ever been in one of our -monasteries; he therefore looked upon this as a kind of event. Father -Ignatius had a wretched old mantle, and one of the students went to -him to offer him his, which was quite new, for the day. He would not -at all accept of it, and lectured the other upon human respect for his -pains. - -He was very fond of conducting the walk the students take every week. -He brought the London students often through the City, and wonderful -was his knowledge and reminiscences of the different places they -passed by. He took them once to the Zoological Gardens. They went -about looking at the different beasts, and he had his comments to make -on each. He drew a moral reflection from the voraciousness of the -lion, the fierceness of the hyaena, the vanity of the seal, and the -stupor of the sloth. When he saw the flamingo, he stayed full ten -minutes wondering what might be the use of its long, thin legs. The -hippopotamus amused him beyond all. "Look at his big mouth," he would -say; "what in the world does he want it for? Couldn't he eat enough -with a smaller one?" During their walks, a lord, perhaps, would turn -up, and address him as, "Ho, Spencer! is this you? How d'ye do? It is -some years since I saw you?" After a few words they would part, and -then he'd tell his companions about their college days, or field -sports. - - -{477} - - -CHAPTER XVIII. - -A Few Events. - - -In 1858 we procured the place in Highgate, known now as St. Joseph's -Retreat. The Hyde was never satisfactory; it was suited neither to our -spirit nor its working. At last Providence guided us to a most -suitable position. Our rule prescribes that the houses of the Order -should be outside the town, and near enough to be of service to it. -Highgate is wonderfully adapted to all the requisitions of our rule -and constitutions. Situated on the brow of a hill, it is far enough -from the din and noise of London to be comparatively free from its -turmoil, and sufficiently near for citizens to come to our church. The -grounds are enclosed by trees; a hospital at one end and two roads -meeting at the other, promise a freedom from intrusion and a -continuance of the solitude we now enjoy. Father Ignatius concludes -the year 1858 in Highgate; it was his first visit to the new house. - -Towards the end of the next year we find him once more in France with -our Provincial. They went on business interesting to the Order, and -were nearly three weeks away. Father Ignatius ends another year in -Highgate. It was then he translated the small "Life of Blessed Paul" -from the Italian, a work he accomplished in about one month with the -assistance of an _amanuensis_. - -He gave a mission with three of the fathers in Westland Row, Dublin, -in the beginning of the year 1860, and started off immediately after -for his circuit of little missions. Our Provincial Chapter was held -this year, but all were re-elected; so Father Ignatius remained as he -was, second Consultor. It was this year he visited Althorp, after an -absence of eighteen years from the home of his childhood. This visit -{478} he looked back to with a great deal of satisfaction, and his joy -was increased when Lord and Lady Sarah Spencer returned his visit in -Highgate, when he happened to be there, the next year. The friendly -relations between him and his family seemed, if possible, to become -closer and more cordial towards the end of his life. - -He told us one day in recreation, when some one asked what became of -the lady he was disposed to be married to, once in his life: "I passed -by her house a few days ago. I believe her husband is a very excellent -man, and that she is happy." - -In 1862 he visited Althorp again. We saw him looking for a lock for -one of his bags before he left Highgate for this visit, and some one -asked him why he was so particular just then. "Oh," he said, "don't -you know the servant in the big house will open it, in order to put my -shaving tackle, brush, and so forth in their proper places, and I -should not like to have a general stare at my habit, beads, and -sandals." There was, however, a more general stare at them than he -expected. During the visit, the volunteer corps were entertained by -Lord Spencer. Father Ignatius was invited to the grand dinner; he sat -next the Earl, and nothing would do for the latter but that his uncle -should make a speech. Father Ignatius stood up in _his_ regimentals, -habit, sandals, &c., and made, it seems, a very patriotic one. - -This visit to Althorp Father Ignatius loved to recall to mind. It was -a kind of thing that he could not enjoy at the time, so far did it go -beyond his expectations. He went merely for a friendly visit, and -found a great many old friends invited to increase his pleasure. When -the ladies and gentlemen went off to dress for dinner, it is said that -Father Ignatius told Lady Spencer that he supposed his full dress -would not be quite in place at the table; he was told it would, and -that all would be much delighted to see a specimen of the fashions he -had learnt since his days of whist and repartee in the same hall. At -the appointed time he presented himself in the dining-room in full -Passionist costume. Lord Spencer was quite proud of his uncle, and the -speech, and the cheer with which it was greeted at the {479} -Volunteers' dinner only enhanced the mutual joy of uncle and nephew. - -As usual, this joy was tempered, and the alloy was administered by a -clergyman, who evidently intended to get himself a name by putting -himself into print in one of the local papers. This was a Mr. Watkins. -He wrote a letter to the _Northampton Herald_, containing a great deal -of shallow criticism and ignorant remarks on Father Ignatius, and a -sermon he preached at the opening of the cathedral. A smart paper -warfare was carried on for some time between the two, which earned the -Rev. Mr. Watkins the disapproval, if not the disgust, of his -Protestant clerical and lay neighbours. This was rather a surprise, as -all the old acquaintances of the _quondam_ Mr. Spencer had the highest -regard for him; but this writer seems to have been one who never had -the opportunity of forming a just opinion of his abilities or -character. Ignorance may excuse his blunders, but the longest stretch -of charity can scarcely overlook his manner of committing them. - -After the visit to Althorp, Father Ignatius went to see Mr. De Lisle -at Grace Dieu, and was present at the blessing of the present Abbot of -Mount St. Bernard's. The secretary of the A. P. U. C. sent him another -letter after this visit, which met the fate of similar communications -on former occasions. - -We find him in the beginning of the year 1863 in Liverpool, engaged in -a mission at St. Augustine's. - -After this mission he came to Highgate, on his way to Rome for our -general chapter, and the few days he had on his hands before his -departure were spent in visiting Lord Palmerston, Mr. Gladstone, and -other notabilities, as well as receiving a visit from his nephew. - -He arrived in Rome for the last time on the 22nd April, 1863. How -strangely do his different visits to this city combine to give an idea -of the stages of opinion through which his chequered life was fated to -pass. In 1821, he entered it, promising himself a feast of -absurdities, determined to sneer at what he did not understand, and -repel by his thick shield of prejudice whatever might force itself -{480} upon him as praiseworthy. He found something in his next visit -in the pagan remains to please his Protestant taste, and left it for -Germany with a kind of regret. In less than ten years he is there to -despise the glory of the Caesars, and thinks more of a chapel which -Peter's successor has endowed or adorned, than the platforms on which -the fangs of the leopard tore the flower of our martyrs. His other -visits were mostly official. He came glowing with the fervour of new -projects, and left with only their embers generating a new step in his -spiritual progress. Rome was always Rome, but he was not always the -same. Any one who takes the trouble to compare his different visits -with each other cannot fail to learn a lesson that will be more -telling on his mind, than what comments upon them by another's pen -could produce. - -The General Chapter Father Ignatius was called to attend in 1863 had -to deal with subjects that deeply concerned the interests of our -Order. In this Chapter, our American province was canonically erected -in the United States. A colony of ten Passionists was sent to -California, and the Hospice of St. Nicholas, in Paris, established. -Father Ignatius had, as usual, some papers to submit to the Roman -Curia. The work to which his "little missions" were devoted had not -yet received the seal of the Fisherman, and, until it was so blessed, -its excellence could be a subject of doubt. He did receive the -pontifical benediction for this, and for the institution of a new -congregation of nuns, and began to enjoy the riches of this twofold -blessing before he took his departure from the Eternal City. - -Father Ignatius, ever himself, did not lose sight of lesser claims on -his gratitude in the greater ones his zeal proposed to him. There was -a family whom he had received into the Church during the course of his -labours on the secular mission. The father, and four daughters, and a -son, were all baptized by him. They were his great joy. He first -received one girl, then the father, then another (who dreaded to speak -to him), a third, and a fourth yielded to his charity and meekness in -following the workings of grace. For them he always entertained a -special regard, he would stay with {481} them when missionary work -called him to a town in which they dwelled, and delighted to caress -their children, edify themselves, and make himself at home in their -dwellings during his stay. He obtained a rescript granting them a -"plenary indulgence," signed by the Holy Father himself, which is -still treasured up as a beautiful heirloom in their families. These -favoured objects of his predilection were Mrs. Macky, of Birmingham; -Mrs. Richardson and Mrs. Marshall, of Levenshulme, Manchester. - -Before leaving Rome in 1863 he preached to nuns and schools, upon the -conversion of England, with the same zeal as he did in 1850, if not -with greater. That leading star lived with him; it is to be hoped it -has not died with him. If the nineteenth century were an age of faith, -and that the belief in God's miraculous interposition would move any -to make experiments of holy wonders, we should expect to find engraved -on his heart after death: "The Conversion of England!" - -On June 21, after exactly two months' stay, he left the terrestrial -Rome, or city of God, for ever. He arrives in London on the 3rd -August, visits convents for his "crusade," now doubly dear to him; -communicates his glad tidings to the infant congregations of nuns of -Sutton, and holds himself in readiness for the approaching provincial -chapter. The nuns here mentioned are a society established, a few -years before, by our Father Gaudentius. Their primary object is the -care and instruction of factory girls, their subsidiary one, the plain -instruction of poor children. - -Father Ignatius loved this institute. One of his common sayings was, -"I do not understand how a girl with a wooden leg, no means and great -docility, cannot make the evangelical vows," and he found himself at -home with a sisterhood where his problem would be solved in part at -least. He brought their rules to Rome, at this time, and received all -the Pontifical sanctions he could possibly expect under the -circumstances. - -On August 21 of this year, our Provincial Chapter was held at -Broadway. Here Father Ignatius was elected Rector of St. Anne's -Retreat, Sutton. He entered on the {482} office with a great deal of -zeal and courage. In his first exhortation to the religious, he -remarked that "new brooms sweep clean," but as he was a broom a little -the worse for wear, which had been trimmed up for action after having -so long lain by, the aphorism could not apply so well to him. It was -nine years since he had filled the office of rector before, and the -interval taught him many things regarding religious discipline which -he now brought into action. - -His rule might be called _maternal_ rather than paternal, for it was -characterized by the fondness of holy old age for youth. One change -remarked in him, since his former rectorship, was, his spicing his -gentle admonitions with a good deal of severity when occasion required -it. He spoke to the community, after the evening recreation, once upon -the conversion of England, and the bright look the horizon of -religious opinion wore now in comparison to the time he first began -his crusade. He hoped great things for England. At this part of his -lecture, some ludicrous occurrence, which he did not observe, made one -of the younger religious laugh. Father Ignatius turned upon him, and -spoke with such vehemence that all seemed as if struck by a -thunderbolt. They never heard him speak in that way before, and it was -thought by many that the meek father could not "foam with -indignation," even if he tried. - -Towards the close of 1863 he professed several of the nuns of the Holy -Family, for whom he had procured the indulgences at Rome, and he -assisted at the deathbed of their first rev. mother early in 1864. - - -{483} - - -CHAPTER XIX. - -Trials And Crosses. - - -The days of the religious life of Father Ignatius might be numbered by -his trials and crosses. It was not that a goodly share fell to him, as -became his great holiness; but he happened to be so very keenly tried, -that what generally assuages the bitterness of ordinary trials served, -by a special disposition of Providence, to make his the more galling. -His trials were multiplied in their infliction; the friends to whom he -might unburthen himself were often their unconscious cause; and the -remedies proposed for his comfort would be generally an aggravation of -his sufferings. He had an abiding notion of his being alone and -abandoned, which followed him like a shadow, even unto the grave. This -feeling arose from his spirit of zeal. He burned to be doing more and -more for God's glory every day, and sought to communicate to others -some sparks of the flames that consumed himself. His projects for -carrying out his ideas seldom met the cordial approval of superiors, -and when he received such sanction, it was only after his schemes had -been considerably toned down. This restraint he had always to bear. - -When his plans were tolerated, or even approved, he could not find one -to take them up as warmly as he wished. In fact, he found no second. -Catholics have an instinctive aversion to anything that wears the -appearance of novelty in their devotions. Father Ignatius's plans for -the sanctification of Ireland, the conversion of England, and the -perfection all should tend to, were very good things. No one could -have the least objection to them; but, somehow, every one could not -see his way to working them out. When {484} Father Ignatius proposed -the means he intended to adopt, the old Catholic shrugged his -shoulders as if he had heard a temerarious proposition. It was new; -the good old bishop that gave his life for his flock, or the saintly -priest he had listened to from childhood, never proposed such a thing. -He never read it in his books of piety, and though it seemed very -good, it "did not go down with him." He listened to the holy -Passionist, because he reverenced him; but he never encouraged his -zeal with more than a cold assent. - -Father Ignatius found this want of correspondence to his suggestions -in every person even his own brethren in religion failed to be of -accord with him. He was perpetually speaking upon his favourite -topics, and never seemed satisfied with the work of his -fellow-labourers if they did not take up his ideas. He often drew down -upon himself severe animadversions on account of this state of mind. -When fathers returned to the retreat, tired and wearied after a number -of missions, they felt it rather hard to be told that they had done -very little, because they had not set about their work in his way. He -would be told very sharply that they should wish to see what he had -done himself; that his chimerical notions looked well on paper, or -sounded nicely in talk; that there was a surer way of guiding people -to heaven than talking them into fancies beyond their comprehension. -These remarks only served to bring out the virtue and humility of the -saintly man. He became silent at once, or turned the conversation into -another channel. - -He had a still severer trial in this point. He very frequently -attributed the caution of his superiors to want of zeal, and used to -lecture them without human respect on what he thought to be their -duty. On one occasion he went so far as to complain of this to -Cardinal Wiseman; but the explanation was so satisfactory that he gave -expression to different sentiments for the future. Whenever they spoke -positively, he immediately acquiesced, and was most exact in carrying -out their injunctions. His zeal was unbounded, and one of his -superiors always said: "Father Ignatius will become a saint by the -very thwarting of his plans." If he had not the virtue of submitting -his judgment, it is hard to {485} say into what extravagances he might -rush. This one trial was the staple of his religious life for more -than thirty years. - -We shall now give a few instances from his letters, and from anecdotes -recorded of him, to show the spirit with which he bore this and -kindred trials and crosses. - -In 1853 he received a very severe letter from one of our Belgian -fathers, who is in high repute for learning and virtue. He forwarded -the letter to Father Eugene, who was then Provincial, accompanied by -these remarks:-- - - "I thought of answering the enclosed letter from Father ---- at - once, before sending it to your Paternity; but, on looking it over - again, I have changed my mind. The rule which I make for myself is, - to mind what my superiors say on this matter and the conversion of - England, and to charge them to stop my proceedings if they - disapprove of them. I shall take what they say as coming from God, - who has a right to dispose of all souls, and who may judge that the - time for grace in England is not come, or never has to come. - Besides, they are the proper judges whether my proceedings are - correct _in toto_ or in part. Your Paternity has lately expressed - your mind upon the matter, and I have no scruple on the subject; but - it is well you should know what others feel. I beg you to take this - letter from Father ---- as kindly meant, and, with me, to be - thankful for it." - -Another to his Provincial:-- - - "With regard to the principal topic of your Paternity's letter, I - will first thank you, and thank God that I am thought worthy to be - spoken and written to, without dissimulation or reserve, of what - people think of me. If I make use with diligence of their remarks, I - shall be able to gain ground in the esteem of God, and, perhaps, - also in men's esteem; but that is not of consequence. Now, I suppose - it would be best not to have said so much in explanation of my - intentions in time past; and certainly I have said things which were - vexing in the course of these explanations. It is no justification - of this to allege that your Paternity's style of writing admonitions - and reproofs is more severe than that of some persons, because I - ought to receive {486} all with joy. But the cutting tone of some of - your letters excites me to answer more or less in a cutting tone on - my side, and I have given way to this temptation. It appears to me, - it would be better if with me and others your tone was not so - cutting. But God so appoints it for us, and so I had better prefer - his judgment to my own, and persevere correcting myself, till I can - answer cutting letters with the same gentle, affectionate language - as I might the mildest ones. In this way I shall be the greatest - gainer. So I will conclude with leaving it to your Paternity to - decide in what tone you will correct me--only begging that you will - not omit the correction when you see me in the wrong, and that you - will inflict it, for charity's sake, at the risk even of suffering - pain from my hasty and improper answers, which I cannot expect to - correct at once, though I will try to do it. Will you let me meet - you at the station when you pass through London, and accompany you - to the station for the Dover Railway?" - -In another letter, he writes:-- - - "I am frequently assailed with black doubts about the prudence of - all my proceedings; but these pass by, and I go on again with - brighter spirits than ever, and, in the end, I am astonished how - Providence has carried me clear of danger and perplexities when they - have threatened me the most. I trust it will be so now. - - "I beg your Paternity will write to me again what you decide about - St. Wilfrid's functions, and tell me what I can do by writing - letters or otherwise. I feel better qualified to do what I am told, - than to give advice what others should do." - -As may be seen from some of the letters introduced above, Father -Ignatius had to endure trials from the want of sympathy with his ways, -in many of the English converts. One celebrated convert went so far as -to prohibit his speaking of the conversion of England to any of the -members of a community of which he was Superior. Another used to tell -him that "England was already damned," and that it was no use praying -for it. A third treated him to some sharp cuts about the work of his -little {487} missions, when answering an application of Father -Ignatius to give one in his parish. These and many other crosses of -the like nature, he used to complain of with deep feeling among his -fellow religious. It is remarkable that those who crossed him had -great respect for his holiness, and, very likely, their opposition -proceeded from not giving him credit for much prudence. - -An incident that happened to him in one of his journeys in Ireland -will give an idea of how he bore humiliations. He was walking to one -of the principal towns in Tipperary, and a vehicle overtook him on the -road. The man in the car took compassion on the poor old priest, and -asked him to "take a lift." Father Ignatius took his seat at once; -before they had proceeded far together, his companion perceived that -he spoke in an "English accent," and began to doubt his being a -priest. There had been some ugly rows in the town, lately, on account -of a gang of "soupers" that infested it, and it struck the good -townsman that his waggon was carrying a veritable "souper. "What," -thought he, "if the neighbours should see me carrying such a precious -cargo?" And, without asking or waiting for an explanation, he -unceremoniously told Father Ignatius "to get down, for he suspected he -wasn't of the right sort." Father Ignatius complied at once, without -the least murmur. When the man was about a mile ahead of his late -fellow-traveller, and could not stifle the remorse occasioned by his -hasty leave-taking, he resolved to turn back and catechise him. The -result satisfied him, and the good father was invited to take a seat a -second time. To atone for his almost unpardonable crime, as he thought -it, the man invited him to stay at his house for the night, as it was -then late. Father Ignatius said he was due at the priest's house, but -in case he found nobody up there, he should be happy to avail himself -of his friend's hospitality. They parted company in the town; Father -Ignatius went to the priest's, and the other to his home. They were -all in bed in the presbytery, and no answer was returned to the -repeated knocks and rings of the benighted traveller. He went to the -friend's house, but found _they_, too, were gone to bed. No word was -left about {488} Father Ignatius, and his strange accent made the -housewife refuse him admittance. He went off without saying a word in -explanation. The man bethought himself shortly after, and sent -messengers to seek him, who overtook him outside the town, walking off -to the next, which he expected to reach before morning. - -Another time he undertook the foundation of a convent in -Staffordshire. With his usual indifference in matters temporal, he -made no material provision whatever for the reception of the sisters, -except a bleak, unfurnished house. The reverend mother came, with -three or four sisters, and was rather disconcerted at what she found -before them. Father Ignatius was expected in a day or two, and as the -time of his arrival approached, the reverend mother went into the -reception-room, and there sate-- - - "A sullen dame, - "Nursing her wrath to keep it warm." - -Father Ignatius got a very hot reception. The lady scolded him -heartily for his carelessness, and descanted most eloquently on the -wants and grievances she had to endure since her arrival. He replied -calmly that it was not his fault, that that department of the -proceedings devolved on the parish priest. This only fired her the -more--"Why didn't he tell the parish priest?" He then waited, quietly -standing until she had exhausted her stock of abuse; whereupon he -asked if she had done, and on receiving a nod in the affirmative, he -said: "Oh, well, I know how I must approach your ladyship in future, I -must make three bows in the Turkish fashion." So saying, he bowed -nearly to the ground, retreated a step and bowed again, a third step -backwards brought him to the door of the apartment, and when he had -bowed still deeper than before, he stood up straight, took out a purse -with some sovereigns in it, and spun it to the corner of the room in -which the good nun sat petrified with astonishment:--"Take that now, -and it may calm you a bit," was the good morning he bid her, as he -closed the door after him, and went his way. - -The tongue of slander assailed him again the last year of {489} his -life. We will give the occurrence in the words of the only one to whom -the reverend mother told it in confidence. Father Ignatius himself -never spoke of it. - - "As our dear Lord loved him much, he wished to try him as he had - tried the dearest and best-beloved of his servants. Therefore he - permitted that his character should be assailed in the most vile - manner by one who, through mistaken zeal, gave out the most - injurious insinuations regarding our dear father and the late - reverend mother. When Father Ignatius heard of it, he sent for the - reverend mother to exhort her to bear the calumny with love and - resignation. In speaking to her he said that God had asked all of - him, and he had freely given all but his good name, and that he was - ready now to offer as it had pleased God to ask for it; for all - belonged to Him and he thanked Him for leaving him nothing. 'Will - you not.' he continued, 'do the same? Do you not see that God is - asking you for the dearest thing you can give? Give it, then, - freely, and thank Him for taking it, for don't you see that by this - you are resembling Him more closely? Besides, He has permitted this - to happen, and if we do not give up our good name, which already - belongs to Him, cheerfully and willingly, He will take it, in spite - of us, and we shall lose the merit of our offering. How foolish, - therefore, is it to go against God! Let us resign ourselves - unreservedly into his hands. However, to remove any scandal that - might follow, and to show this good priest that I have no - ill-feeling against him, I will go and visit him on friendly terms.' - And so he did." - -Besides casual attacks of illness brought on by his want of care or -great labours, he suffered during the latter part of his life from -chronic ailments. His heart often troubled him, and medical men told -him that he would very likely die of disease of the heart. He had an -ulcer in one of his ancles for a number of years, and was often -obliged to keep his bed on account of it. No one ever heard him -complain, and yet his sufferings must have been very acute. We never -remarked him rejoice so much over this painful sore, than when one of -the fathers, who respected him much, and {490} wanted to test his -mortification, became a Job's comforter. He said: "You deserve to be -lame, Father Ignatius, you made such use of your feet in the days of -your dancing and sporting, that Almighty God is punishing you now, and -the instruments of your pleasure are aptly turned into instruments of -pain." He said it was quite true, and that he believed so himself, and -that his only wish was that he might not lose a particle of the merit -it would bring him, by any kind of complaint on his part. He got a -rupture in 1863, and he simply remarked, "I have made another step -down the hill to-day." - -Whilst labouring under a complication of sufferings he never abated -one jot of his round of duties, though requested to do so by his -subjects. He was Superior, and exercised his privilege by doing more -than any other instead of sparing himself. He did not take more rest -nor divide his labours with his companions. During the time of his -rectorship in Sutton, he used to preach and sing mass after hearing -confessions all morning; attend sick calls, preach in some distant -chapel in the evening, return at eleven o'clock, perhaps, and say his -office, and be the first up to matins at two o'clock again. The only -thing that seemed to pain him was a kind of holy envy. He used to say -to the young priests: "Oh, how well it is for you that are young and -buoyant, I am now stiff and old, and must have but a short time to -labour for Almighty God; still I hope to be able to work to the last." -This was his ordinary discourse the very year he died, and the young -fathers were much struck by the coincidence between his wishes and -their completion. - -Father Ignatius Paoli, the Provincial, gave the cook orders to take -special care of the indefatigable worn-out Rector. He was not to heed -the fasts of the Rule, or at least to give the Superior the full -supply of meagre diet. Father Ignatius took the indulgence thankfully -for two or three days after returning from a mission; but when he saw -a better portion served up for himself oftener than was customary for -the other missionaries, he remonstrated with the brother cook. Next -day he was served in the same manner, he then gave a prohibition, and -at last scolded him. {491} The good brother then told him that he was -only carrying out the Provincial's orders. Father Ignatius was silent, -but, after dinner, posted off to the doctor, and made him give a -certificate of good health and ability to fast, which he forwarded to -the Provincial. Father Provincial did not wish to deny him the -opportunity of acquiring greater merit, and, at the same time, he -would prolong so valuable a life. To save both ends he placed him -under the obedience, as far as regarded his health, of one of the -priests of his community, whom he strictly obeyed in this matter -thenceforward. - -Once he went on a sick-call in very wet weather, and either a cramp or -an accident made him fall into a dirty slough, where he was wetted -through and covered with mud. He came home in this state, and finding -a friend of his at the house, who more or less fell into his way of -thinking, he began to converse with him. The good father began to -speak of the conversion of England, and sat in his wet clothes for a -couple of hours, and likely would have stayed longer, so thoroughly -was he engrossed with his favourite topic, if one of the religious had -not come in, and frightened him off to change garments by his surprise -and apprehension. - -He seemed indifferent to cold; he would sit in his cell, the coldest -day, and write until his fingers became numbed, and then he would warm -them by rubbing his hands together rather than allow himself the -luxury of a fire. He went to give a retreat somewhere in midwinter, -and the room he had to lodge in was so exposed that the snow came in -under the door. Here he slept, without bed or fire, for the first -night of his stay. It was the thoughtlessness of his entertainers that -left him in these cold quarters. In the morning some one remarked that -very probably Father Ignatius slept in the dreary apartment alluded -to. A person ran down to see, and there was the old saint amusing -himself by gathering up the snow that came into his room, and making -little balls of it for a kitten to run after. The kitten and himself -seem to have become friends by having slept together in his rug the -night before, and both were disappointed by the intrusion of the -wondering visitor. - -{492} - -His humility was as remarkable to any one who knew him as was his -zeal; and on this point also he was well tried. It is not generally -known that in the beginning of his Passionist life he adopted the -custom of praying before his sermons that God's glory would be -promoted by them and himself be humiliated. At the opening of Sutton -Church in 1852, he was sent for from London to preach a grand sermon -in the evening. A little before the sermon he was walking up and down -the corridor; the Provincial met him and asked more in joke than -otherwise: "Well, Father Ignatius, what are you thinking of now?" "I -am praying," he replied, "that if it be for the glory of God my sermon -may be a complete failure as far as human eloquence is concerned." We -may imagine the surprise of his Superior at hearing this extraordinary -answer; it is believed that this was his general practice to the end. -Contrary to the common notion that prevails among religious orders, he -wished that the Order would receive humiliations as well as himself. -He wished it to come to glory by its humiliations. On one occasion, he -expected that the newspapers would make a noise about something that -might be interpreted as humiliating to the community of which he was -Superior. Father Ignatius addressed the community nearly in these -words: We shall have something to thank God for tomorrow; the -Protestants will make a great noise in the papers about this affair, -and we must be prepared for a full feast of misrepresentations. Let us -thank God now in anticipation." He was disappointed, however, as the -papers were content with a bare notice of the matter. - -Many persons did not give him credit for great humility; they thought -his continual quoting of himself, and his readiness to speak about his -doings, was, if not egotism, at least inconsistent with profound -humility. We cannot answer this imputation better than by giving -Father Faber's description of simplicity, which every one knows to be -the very character of genuine humility:-- - - "But let us cast an eye at the action of simplicity in the spiritual - life. Simplicity lives always in a composed consciousness of its own - demerit and unworthiness. It is {493} possessed with a constant - sense of what the soul is in the sight of God. It knows that we are - worth no more than we are worth in His sight, and while it never - takes its eye off that view of self, so it does not in any way seek - to hide it from others. In fact it desires to be this, and no more - than this, in the eyes of others; and it is pained when it is more. - Every neighbour is, as it were, one of God's eyes, multiplying His - presence; and simplicity acts as if every one saw us, knew us, and - judged us as God does, and it has no wounded feeling that it is so. - Thus, almost without direct effort, the soul of self-love is so - narrowed that it has comparatively little room for action; although - it never can be destroyed, nor its annoyance ever cease, except in - the silence of the grave. The chains of human respect, which in the - earlier stages of the spiritual life galled us so intolerably, now - fall off from us, because simplicity has drawn us into the unclouded - and unsetting light of the eye of God. There is no longer any - hypocrisy. There is no good opinion to lose, because we know we - deserve none, and doubt if we possess it. We believe we are loved in - spite of our faults, and respected because of the grace which is in - us, and which is not our own and no praise to us. All diplomacy is - gone, for there is no one to circumvent and nothing to appropriate. - There is no odious laying ourselves out for edification, but an - inevitable and scarcely conscious letting of our light shine before - men in such an obviously innocent and unintentional manner that it - is on that account they glorify our Father who is in - Heaven."--_Blessed Sacrament_, Book II., c. vii. - -The secret by which Father Ignatius arrived at this perfect way of -receiving trials was his _thanking God_ for everything. When some one -objected to him that we could not thank God for a trial when we did -not feel grateful, "Never mind," he would say, "you take a hammer to -break a big stone; the first stroke has no effect, the second -seemingly no effect, and the third, and so on; but somewhere about the -twentieth or hundredth the stone is broken, and no one stroke was -heavier than the other. In the same way, begin to thank God, no matter -about the feeling, continue, {494} and you will soon break the hardest -difficulties." His maxims and sayings on resignation would fill a -good-sized volume were they collected together. We shall conclude this -chapter with one picked by chance from his letters: - - "In trials and crosses we are like a sick child, when its mother - wants it to take some disagreeable medicine. The child kicks and - screams and sprawls, and spits the medicine in its mother's face. - That is just what we do when God sends us crosses and trials. But, - like the mother, who will persevere in giving the medicine until the - child has taken enough of it, God will send us crosses and trials - until we have sufficient of them for the health of our souls." - - -{495} - - -CHAPTER XX. - -Foreshadowings And Death. - - -Father Ignatius, for some months before his death, had a kind of -sensation that his dissolution was near. He paid many _last_ visits to -his old friends, and, in arranging by letter for the greater number of -flying visits, he used generally to say, "I suppose I shall not be -able to pay many more." Writing to Mrs. Hutchinson in Edinburgh from -St. Anne's Retreat, Button, in March, 1864, he says: "When I wrote to -you some months ago in answer to your kind letter, I think I expressed -a hope that I might again have the pleasure of conversation with you -before the closing of our earthly pilgrimage. It was a distant and -uncertain prospect then. Now it is become a near and likely one, and I -write to express my satisfaction at it." He was heard to say by many -that the volume of his journal he was writing would last him till the -end of his life, and it is a curious circumstance that the last page -of it is just half-written, and comes up to September 18, less than a -fortnight before his death. - -Our Father-General came from Rome to make the visitation of this -province in May, 1864, and Father Ignatius acted as interpreter -throughout the greater part of the visit. He was as young as ever in -his plans for the conversion of England, sanctification of Ireland, -and advancing all to perfection; and the approbation of the General to -the main drift of his projects inflamed him with fresh ardour. A -characteristic incident occurred during this visit. The Father-General -was inspecting the books Father Ignatius was obliged to keep, as -Rector of Sutton, and he found them rather irregular. The entries were -neither clear nor orderly, and it was next to an impossibility to -obtain any {496} exact notion of the income and expenditure of the -house. The General called the Rector to his room, in order to rebuke -him for his carelessness. He began to lecture, and when he had said -something rather warm looked at Father Ignatius, to see what effect it -might produce, when, to his surprise, he found that he had nodded off -asleep. He awoke up in an instant, and complimented the Father-General -on his patience. Such was the indifference he had reached to by the -many and cutting rebukes he had borne through life. - -In August, 1864, Father Ignatius wrote a long letter to Father -Ignatius Paoli, our Provincial, about his doings, and he seemed as -fresh in them as if he had but just commenced his crusade. We shall -give one extract from this letter: - - "I could hardly have the spirit to keep up this work (the - sanctification of Ireland) if it was not for aiming at a result so - greatly for the glory of God, and working with a resolution to - conquer. How exceedingly would it add to my spirit if I knew that - our body was penetrated with the same thought, and we thus were - supporting each other!" - -So late as September 8 he had prepared a paper embodying his -intentions, which he intended to submit to Roman authority. Ever -himself to the last. - -Before leaving the retreat for his "_raid_" as he called it, in -Scotland, he called all the members of the community, one by one, to -conference; he did the same with a convent of nuns, of which he had -spiritual charge. He gave them all special advices, which are not -forgotten, and his last sermon to his brethren, a day or two before he -left, on the conversion of England through their own sanctification, -was singularly impressive. It moved many to tears; and, those who -heard him, say it was the most thrilling ever heard from him on the -subject. In talking over some matter of future importance with his -Vicar, before he left for Scotland, he suddenly stopped short, saying, -"Others will see after this," or some such words. All those who spoke -with him confidentially recall some dubious half-meaning expressions -that seemed to come from an inward consciousness of his approaching -end. - -He was remarked to be very sombre and reflective in his {497} last -missions, but now and then his usual pleasant mood would show itself. -The Rev. M. Conden, the priest at Cartsdyke, Greenock, in whose church -he gave a little mission from September 14th to the 18th, writes as -follows about his stay with him:-- - - "He preached morning and evening, heard confessions daily, pledged - 200 young teetotallers, and received about £14 in voluntary - offerings, for which he seemed most grateful. This mission, he said, - was his 242nd of the kind; and the number of his teetotallers, since - he himself took the pledge from Father Mathew in 1842, was 60,000. - - "Every moment of his time here (refection hours alone excepted), - from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., was employed either in the mission - exercises, or at his office, or in prayer, or in writing letters to - arrange his future movements. He never rested. He seemed to have - vowed all his time to some duty or other. - - "Wood Cottage (late the Free Church Manse, but now the priest's - house in Cartsdyke) rests on an eminence overlooking the town, - harbour, and bay of Greenock, and is at a distance of from five to - ten minutes' walk from St. Laurence's chapel. I noticed that the - zigzag uphill walk fatigued him, and I offered to provide a - conveyance; but he would not permit me, 'as he could not read his - office so well in the carriage as when walking.' - - "As he passed twice or thrice daily to and from my house and the - chapel, his massive form and mild mien, his habit half concealed by - his cloak, his broad-brimmed hat, and his breviary in hand, - attracted the attention of the old and the curiosity of the young. - One day, some of the latter followed him and eyed him closely, - through the lattice-work in front of the cottage, until he had - finished his office in the garden. He then turned towards the - youngsters, and riveted his looks on them with intense interest and - thoughtfulness. You might have imagined that they never had seen his - like before, and that he had seen children for the first time in his - long life. At length one of the lads broke the spell by observing - {498} to the others in a subdued and doubting tone, 'A big - Hie-lander!' 'A Highlander,' said Father Ignatius, turning to me; - 'they take my habit for an elongated kilt.' - - "At dinner he was always very happy and communicative, that day in - particular. - - "'My religious habit,' said he, 'subjected me to many humorous - remarks before the Ecclesiastical Titles Bill, and to annoyances - after it. One time a boy would cry out at me, "There's the Great - Mogul;" another, "There goes Robinson Crusoe." "That's Napoleon," a - third would shout; whilst a fourth, in a strange, clear, wild, - musical tone, would sing out: "No, that's the devil himself." But, - he continued, 'nothing half so sharp was ever said of me as of a - very tall, lath-like Oratorian, who stood leaning, one day, against - a wall, musing on something or nothing. Some London wags watched him - attentively for some time, and, being divided in their opinions - about him, one of them at length ended the dispute by observing, in - a dry and droll way, "Why, that fellow must have grown by - contract!"' - - "Even after his frugal refection, Father Ignatius would never rest. - Then, too, he must either read his breviary, or say his rosary, or - write letters. On the day he finished his mission (Sunday, September - 18), I besought him, as he had allowed himself little or no sleep - since he began it, before proceeding to Port-Glasgow, to commence a - new mission there that same evening, to recline on the sofa, even - for half an hour. 'Oh no!' said he; 'I shall try to have my nap in - the carriage, on my way.' The distance from Cartsdyke to Port - Glasgow being no more than two or three miles, and there being a - toll-bar about midway, he could have very little of his nap. - - "During his mission here, he remarked repeatedly, both publicly and - in private, that his health was never better, and his mind never - clearer. He promised himself yet twenty years to work for the - conversion of England, the sanctification of Ireland, and the unity - of all in the faith. Might he not live to see this realized? Twenty - years might {499} do it, and were not his physical and mental powers - fresh enough? - - "But, with all this hope of heart and soul, I could, now and then, - notice a shade of apprehension passing over his countenance, and - hear, not without tears, his humble, but earnest self-reproaches at - his inability to 'brighten up.' The manner in which he did this - showed me plainly that he had a strong presentiment of his - approaching end. - - "My cottage being at some distance from my chapel, the bishop had - allowed me to fit up in my house a little oratory, where I might - keep the Blessed Sacrament, and say mass occasionally. By the time - that Father Ignatius had concluded his mission, I had completed my - oratory, and asked him to bless it. 'Under what title?' he asked. - 'Under that of "Our Lady of the Seven Dolors," this (Sunday, - September 18) being that festival of hers,' I replied. Father - Ignatius became silent and absorbed for a considerable time and then - said:-- - - "'Beautiful title! and appropriate! Here are the stations of the - Cross! And this is the Feast of the Seven Dolors! Beautiful title!' - - "'This,' he continued, 'reminds me of what I once read of St. Thomas - of Canterbury. When passing for the _last_ time through France to - England, he was asked, by a gentleman who entertained him, to bless - a little oratory which might be a memorial of his visit. "Under what - title?" asked the Archbishop. "I shall leave the selection to your - grace," said the host. "Well then," rejoined the Archbishop, "let it - be to the _first English martyr_." He was _himself_ the first - martyr. - - "'Our Lady of Dolors!' Beautiful Title! I am a Passionist. Here are - the stations of the Cross; and this is the Feast of the Seven - Dolors,' repeated Father Ignatius; and again he became absorbed and - silent, so long that I thought he wanted never to bless my little - oratory. He blessed it, however; and now is it by mere accident that - on this, the eve of St. John of the Cross, Father Ignatius's - disciple and friend, Father Alban, comes to bless the oratory cross, - {500} and set up the little memorial tablet which I have prepared - with the following inscription?-- - - ORATE PRO ANIMA - - REV SSMI. PATRIS IGNATII (SPENCER) - QUI DIE OCTODECIMO SEPTEMBRIS, A.D. 1864. - - HOC ORATORIUM - - SUB TITULO 'B. V. MARIAE DE SEPTEM DOLORIBUS,' - - BENEDIXIT. - - R.I.P." - - -In a letter to Father Joseph about this time, Father Ignatius says:-- - - "I proceed to say that I have two more moves fixed: for Sunday the - 18th, to Port Glasgow; Thursday the 22nd, to Catholic Church, East - Shaw Street, Greenock. _During the week following I shall suspend - missionary work, and make my visit to Mr. Monteith, and re-commence - on Sunday morning, October 2nd. I have got two places to go to in - Scotland, Leith and Portobello, and I wish to get one more to go to - first._" - -This sentence we put in italics, as it seems to signify a clear -foreknowledge of his death. This one other place he did get, and it -was Coatbridge, his last mission. His letters, after this, are more -confused about his future; it would seem his clear vision failed him. -At all events, this much may be gathered from his words, that he -_knew_ for certain his dissolution was near, and _very probably_ knew -even the day. There is nothing whatever in his plans for the future to -militate against this conclusion. The most definite is the following, -which we quote from his last letter to Father Provincial, dated from -Coatbridge, Sept. 28: "I _am going_ on Saturday to Leith; on Thursday, -Oct. 6, to Portobello; on Monday, Oct. 10, to Carstairs (Mr. -Monteith's), for a visit and _repose_." Did he know that repose was to -be eternal? He kept to his first arrangement about the visit; but we -must hear something about his last little mission. - -We subjoin two accounts of this mission. The first was sent us by a -gentleman, Mr. M'Auley of Airdrie, who {501} attended the mission, and -the next by the Rev. Mr. O'Keefe, the priest. - -Mr. M'Auley writes: - - "I was witness to his missionary labours for the last five days of - his life in this world. On Sunday, the 25th September, Rev. Michael - O'Keefe, St. Patrick's Catholic Chapel, Coatbridge (a large village - two miles from Airdrie, and eight from Glasgow), announced to his - flock that Father Ignatius would open a mission there on the - following Tuesday evening at eight o'clock, and close it on Saturday - morning, 1st October. Accordingly, the beautiful little church was - crowded on Tuesday at eight, when the saintly father made his - appearance and addressed the people for upwards of an hour. He gave - them a brief outline of his conversion, his different visits to - Ireland and the Continent, the grand objects he had in view--namely, - the conversion of his country to the Catholic faith, the faith of - their fathers; as also, the conversion of Scotland and the - sanctification of Ireland. He then showed the power of prayer, and - said that the conversion of Great Britain could only be attained by - prayer. He said the sanctification of Ireland should begin by - rooting out the vices and disorders which prevail. These, he - remarked, were drunkenness, cursing, and company-keeping, and that - they would form the subjects of his discourses for the three - following evenings. - - "He then showed the utility of missions, and mentioned that this was - his 245th; and closed, as he did on the subsequent evenings, by - saying three _Hail Marys_ for the conversion of England, one for the - conversion of Scotland, and one for the sanctification of Ireland. - Each of the first three was followed by, _Help of Christians, pray - for us;_ that for Scotland by, _St. Margaret, pray for us;_ and that - for Ireland by, _St. Patrick, pray for us_. He also mentioned that - he had received from his Holiness, Pope Pius IX., an indulgence of - 300 days for each Hail Mary said for the conversion of England. On - the following four days he said mass every morning at seven o'clock, - and, on the three first, heard confessions from six o'clock in the - morning until eleven at night, with the exception of the time - required for {502} his devotions and meals. On Saturday morning he - heard two confessions before mass. I was the last he heard, and I - trust the fatherly advice he then gave me shall never be eradicated - from my memory." - -Father O'Keefe writes:-- - - "I am just in receipt of your letter, and beg to inform you that I - have not words to express the sorrow I feel for the sudden death of - the good and holy Father Ignatius. _Deo gratias_, there is one more - added to the Church triumphant. He reached my house about five - o'clock on the 27th ult., and left this on Saturday morning at a - quarter-past nine o'clock, during which time he enjoyed excellent - health. He told me that he was going direct to Leith, to open his - little mission there on Saturday night; and thence to Portobello for - the same purpose, after he had done at Leith. He also told me that, - after finishing his mission at Portobello, he would return home to - St. Anne's Retreat. He intended to pay a visit to Mr. Monteith this - week. On Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday nights he had supper at - half-past ten o'clock, and then returned to the confessional until - about a quarter-past eleven. On Friday night he told me to defer - supper till eleven; yet, late though it was, he returned after - supper to the confessional, and remained there until a quarter-past - twelve. When he came in, I said: 'I am afraid, Father Ignatius, you - are over-exerting yourself, and that you must feel tired and - fatigued.' He said, with a smile: 'No, no; I am not fatigued. There - is no use in saying I am tired, for, you know, I must be at the same - work to-night in Leith.' He retired to his room at half-past twelve - o'clock, and was in the confessional again at six o'clock in the - morning. He said mass at seven; breakfasted at half-past eight; and, - as I have already said, left this at a quarter-past nine for the - train. On seeing him, after breakfast, in his secular dress, I - remarked that he looked much better and younger than in his - religious habit. The remark caused him to laugh very heartily. It - was the only time I saw him laugh. He said: 'I wish to tell you what - Father Thomas Doyle said when he saw me in my secular dress: "Father - Ignatius, you look like a {503 } broken-down old gentleman." And he - enjoyed the remark very much.'" - -The remainder of his life is easily told. He arrived at Carstairs -Junction at 10.35 a.m.; came out of the train, and gave his luggage in -charge of the station master. He then went towards Carstairs House, -the residence of Mr. Monteith. There is a long avenue through the -demesne for about half a mile from the station, crossed then at right -angles by another, which leads to the grand entrance; this avenue -Father Ignatius went by. He had just passed the "rectangle," and was -coming straight to the grand entrance, when he turned off on a bye -path. He perceived that he had lost his way, and asked a child which -was the right one. He never spoke to mortal again. - -On a little corner in the avenue, just within sight of the house, and -about a hundred paces from the door, he fell suddenly and yielded up -his spirit into the hands of his Creator. May we all die doing God's -work, and as well prepared as Father Ignatius of St. Paul! - - -{504} - - -CHAPTER XXI. - -The Obsequies Of Father Ignatius. - - -The divine attribute of Providence to which he was so fondly devoted -during life guided him in his last moments. He did not intend to visit -Carstairs before the 10th of October, but our Lord, who disposes all -things sweetly, had ordained otherwise, by the circumstances. The -train he came by was due at the junction at 10.35, and the train for -Edinburgh would not start before 11.50. He had more than an hour to -wait, and he thought perhaps he might as well spend part of that time -at Mr. Monteith's as at the Railway Station; besides he could get a -fast train to Edinburgh at 3.0, which would bring him to Leith a few -minutes after six, and this would be time enough, as his mission was -to commence on the next day, Sunday. Such seems to have been the -simple combination of circumstances that directed his steps to -Carstairs House, as far as human eye can see. We cannot but admire the -dispositions of Providence; had he taken any other train, he might -have died in the railway carriage, or at a station. How convenient -that he died within the boundaries of the demesne of a friend by whom -he was venerated, and to whose house he was always welcome! - -And then how remarkable was that other circumstance of his being -alone. Servants and workmen were passing up and down the place the -whole morning, but at the moment God chose to call his servant, no -human eye saw him, and no hand was ready to assist him. On measuring -the respective distances from where he had turned off the avenue, to -where his body was found, and to the house, it was seen that, had he -gone on straight, he would have {505} fallen just on the threshold. It -was God's will that angels instead of men should surround his lonely -bed of death. - -He must have arrived at the spot where his body was discovered about -11 o'clock. A few minutes after, one of the retainers was passing by, -and ran at once to the house to give the alarm that a priest lay dead -at such a part of the avenue. Mr. Monteith, and Mr. Edmund Waterton, -who was on a visit there at the time, were going out to shoot. They -laid down their guns, and went in haste to the spot. Monteith did not -recognize the features; they were drawn together by the death-stroke. -They searched for something to identify him. What was the good man's -surprise when he found among the papers of the deceased a letter he -had written himself to Father Ignatius a few days before. The truth -then flashed across him. It was no other than his own godfather, his -constant friend and counsellor, the man whom he venerated so much, -Father Ignatius the Passionist. Immediately, a doctor was sent for, -the body, which all now recognized, was brought to the nearest -shelter, and every available means tried to restore consciousness, but -to no effect. Medical examination showed that he died of disease of -the heart, and in an instant. The spot whereon he lay bore the impress -of his knee, and the brim of his hat was broken by his sudden fall on -the left side. As soon as they were certain of life being extinct, the -body was brought into the house, the luggage was sent for, a coffin -was provided, the secular dress was taken off, and the corpse robed in -the religious habit. The sacristy was draped in black, and two -flickering tapers showed the mortal remains of a pure and saintly -soul, as they lay there in a kind of religious state for the greater -part of three days. - -Telegrams were sent immediately to our principal houses, and to -members of the Spencer family by Mr. Monteith. The shock was great, -and not knowing the manner of his death did not serve to make it the -less felt. Fathers of the Order went from the different retreats to -Carstairs, and arrived there, some on Sunday, and some on Monday -morning. Those who went were struck by the appearance of the corpse; -the marble countenance never looked so noble as in {506} death, and we -looked with silent wonder on all that now remained of one whom the -world was not worthy of possessing longer. - -About 10 o'clock a sad cortége was formed, and the coffin was carried -by the most worthy persons present to the train that conveyed it to -Button. Every one on hearing of his death appeared to have lost a -special friend; no one could lament, for they felt that he was happy; -few could pray for him, because they were more inclined to ask his -intercession. The greatest respect and attention were shown by the -railway officials all along the route, and special ordinances were -made in deference to the respected burthen that was carried. - -Letters were sent to the relatives of Father Ignatius by our Father -Provincial, and they were told when the funeral would take place. No -one came, and those who were sure to come were unavoidably prevented. -Lord Lucan had not time to come from West Connaught, and Lord Spencer -was just then in Copenhagen. His regard for his revered uncle, and his -kindly spirit, will be seen from the following letter, which was -published in the newspapers at the time, and is the most graceful -tribute paid to the memory of Father Ignatius by any member of his -noble family. - - "_Denmark, Oct_. 16, 1864. - - "Rev. Sir,--I was much shocked to hear of the death of my excellent - uncle George. I received the sad intelligence last Sunday, and - subsequently received the letter which you had the goodness to write - to me. My absence from England prevented my doing what I should have - much wished to have done, to have attended to the grave the remains - of my uncle, if it had been so permitted by your Order. - - "I assure you that, much as I may have differed from my uncle on - points of doctrine, no one could have admired more than I did the - beautiful simplicity, earnest religion, and faith of my uncle. For - his God he renounced all the pleasures of the world; his death, sad - as it is to us, was, as his life, apart from the world, but with - God. - - "His family will respect his memory as much as I am sure you and the - brethren of his Order do. - -{507} - - "I should be much obliged to you if you let me know the particulars - of the last days of his life, and also where he is buried, as I - should like to place them among family records at Althorp. - - "I venture to trouble you with these questions, as I suppose you - will be able to furnish them better than any one else. - - "Yours faithfully, - "SPENCER." - -The evening before the funeral the coffin was opened, and the body was -found to have already commenced to decompose. The tossing of the long -journey from Scotland and the suddenness of the death caused this -change to come on sooner than might be expected. A privileged few were -allowed to take a last lingering look at the venerable remains, many -touched the body with objects of devotion, and others cut off a few -relics which their piety valued in proportion to their conception of -his sanctity. - -At 11 o'clock on Thursday, October 5th, the Office of the Dead -commenced. A requiem mass was celebrated, and the funeral oration -preached by the Right Rev. Dr. Ullathorne, Lord Bishop of Birmingham, -and particular friend of the deceased. We give the following extracts -from an account of the funeral as given by the _Northern Press_; the -Bishop's sermon is taken from the _Weekly Register_. - - At eleven o'clock the solemn ceremonies commenced. The church, which - was crowded, was draped in black, and the coffin (on which were the - stole and cap of the deceased nobleman) reclined on a raised - catafalque immediately outside the sanctuary rails. On each side of - the coffin were three wax-lights, and around were ranged seats for - the clergy in attendance. Solemn Office for the Dead was first - chanted, and amongst the assembled clerics were the following: The - Right Rev. Dr. Ullathorne (Lord Bishop of Birmingham); Benedictines: - Right Rev. Dr. Burchall (Lord Abbot of Westminster), Very Rev. R. B. - Vaughan (Prior of St. Michael's, Hereford), Very Rev. T. Cuthbert - Smith (Prior of St. George's, Downside), Very Rev. P. P. Anderson - {508} (Prior of St. Laurence's, Ampleforth); the Revds. P. A. - Glassbrooke, R. A. Guy, J. P. Hall, and Bradshaw (Redemptorists); - the Very Rev. Canon Wallwork, the Rev. Fathers Walmsley, Grimstone, - Costello, Kernane (Rainhill), M. Duggan, M.R. (St. Joseph's, - Liverpool), S. Walsh (of the new mission of St. John the Evangelist, - Bootle); Father Dougall; Father Fisher, of Appleton; Father O'Flynn, - of Blackbrook, near St. Helen's; and the priests and religious of - the Order of Passionists, who were represented by members of the - order from France, Ireland, and England. A number of nuns of the - convent of the Holy Cross, Sutton, occupied seats beside the altar - of the Blessed Virgin, and with them were about twenty young girls - apparelled in white dresses and veils, with black bands round the - head, and wearing also black scarfs. When the Office for the Dead - had concluded, a solemn Requiem Mass was begun. His Lordship the - Bishop of Birmingham occupied a seat on a raised dais at the Gospel - side of the altar; and the priests who celebrated the Sacred - Mysteries were:--Celebrant--the Very Rev. Father Ignatius (Paoli), - Provincial of the Order of Passionists in England and Ireland; - Deacon--the Very Rev. Father Eugene, First Provincial Consulter; - Sub-deacon--the Very Rev. Father Bernard, Second Provincial - Consulter; Master of the Ceremonies--the Very Rev. Father Salvian, - rector of St. Saviour's Retreat, Broadway, Worcestershire. The mass - sung was the Gregorian Requiem, and the choir was under the - direction of the Rev. Father Bernardine (of Harold's Cross Retreat, - Dublin, and formerly of Sutton). Immediately after the conclusion of - the Holy Sacrifice, the Right Rev. Dr. Ullathorne ascended the - pulpit (which was hung in black) and preached the funeral sermon. - - His Lordship, who was deeply affected, said:--The wailings of the - chant have gone into silence, the cry of prayer is hushed into - secret aspiration, and stillness reigns, whilst I lift my solitary - voice, feeling, nevertheless, that it would be better for me to weep - over my own soul than to essay to speak the character of him who is - gone from the midst of us. A certain oppression weighs upon {509} my - heart, and yet there rises through it a spring of consolation when I - think upon that strength of holiness which has borne him to his end; - who, if I am a Religious, was my brother; if a Priest, he was of the - Holy Order of Priesthood; but he was also, what I am not, a - mortified member of an institute devoted to the Passion of our Lord, - who bore conspicuously upon him the character of the meekness and - the sufferings of his Divine Master. - - My text lies beneath that pall. For there is all that Death will - ever claim of victory from him. The silver cord is broken, and the - bowl of life is in fragments; and yet this death is but the rending - of the mortal frame that through the open door the soul may go forth - to its eternity; upon the brink of which we stand, gazing after with - our faith, and trembling for ourselves whilst we gain a glimpse of - the Throne of Majesty, on which sits the God of infinite purity, - whose insufferable light searches our frailty through. - - I will not venture to recount a life which would ask days of speech - or volumes of writing, but I will endeavour at least to point to - some of those principles which animated that life, and were its stay - as well as guidance. For principles are like the luminaries of - Heaven, or like the eyes that cover the wings of the Cherubs that - sustain the Chariot of God in the vision of Ezechiel. They are - luminous points planted in the midst of our life, which enable us to - see whatever we look upon in a new light, and to enhance the scene - of our existence. Listen, then, dearly beloved, and hang your - attention on my voice, whilst I speak of him who was once called in - the world the Honourable and Rev. George Spencer, a scion of one of - the noblest houses of the nobility of this land, but who himself - preferred to be called Father Ignatius of St. Paul, of the - Congregation of Regular Clerics of our most Holy Redeemer's Passion, - a name by which he was loved by tens of thousands of the poor of - these countries, and known to the Catholics of all lands. - - Father Ignatius was born in the last month of the last year of the - last century; at the time when his father was First Lord of the - Admiralty. Brought up in the lap of luxury, and encircled with those - social splendours that belong {510} to our great families, he was - educated as most of our noble youths are; sent early to Eton, and - thence to Cambridge. I will not stay to trace his early life. In his - twenty-second year he received Anglican orders, and was inducted - into the living that adjoined the mansion of his fathers, where, for - seven years, he toiled to disseminate to those around him what light - of truth had entered his own mind. He himself has recorded that he - had about 800 souls committed to his care. And here we begin to see - the opening of that genuine purity and earnestness in his character - which he developed with time to such perfection. His simplicity of - soul and passionate love of truth enabled him to see some of the - leading characteristics of truth in its objective nature. He saw - that truth was one, and that the Church, which is the depository and - the voice of truth, must of necessity be one. He found his parish - divided by the presence of the sects of Unitarians, Anabaptists, and - Wesleyans. These he sought out, conversed with them, and discussed - with them the unity of truth and the authority of the Church. But - the more he urged them with his arguments the more he found that - they threw him back upon himself, forcing him to see, by the aid of - his own sincerity and love of truth, that he stood upon something - like the self-same grounds which he assailed in them. The very - sincerity with which he read the Gospel; the sincerity with which he - prayed; the sincerity with which he strove to penetrate into those - duties and responsibilities which then appeared to him to be laid - upon his conscience; and his sincere love of souls, drew his own - soul gradually and gently towards the one broad horizon of truth and - the one authority. He had already, from reading the Gospel, - determined on leading a life of celibacy as the most pure and - perfect, and to keep himself from the world for the service of his - Divine Master. And what effect that resolve had in humbling his - heart and bringing down the light and grace of God into his spirit, - he himself has told us in that narrative of his conversion which he - drew up at the request of a venerable Italian bishop, soon after his - conversion. The results, I say, he has told us; he presumes not to - point to any cause as in himself. - -{511} - - But whilst yet perplexed between the new light he was receiving, and - the resistance of the old opinion which he had inherited, he - received a letter from an unknown hand, inviting him to examine the - foundations of his faith; this led to correspondence, and so to - contact with members of the Church, and the errors which had - encompassed him from his birth dispersed by degrees, until at last - the daylight dawned upon him, and grew on even to mid-day, and he - hesitated not, even for one week, but closed his ministry, and - entered into the Church of God and the fulness of peace. Then it was - he found that the correspondent who had awakened him to inquire was - a lady, who, converted before himself, was then dying in a convent - in Paris which she had but recently entered; and he hoped, as he - said, to have an intercessor in heaven in one who had so fervently - prayed for him on earth. - - No sooner had Father Ignatius entered the Church than he put himself - with all simplicity and obedience under the guidance of the - venerable prelate, my predecessor, Bishop Walsh, who sent him to - Rome, there to enter on a course of ecclesiastical studies. In 1830, - there we find him in the holy city, imbibing that Apostolic light, - and bending himself over the written laws of that truth which was to - fit him, not only for the priesthood, but also for a singular call - and an unprecedented vocation. Father Ignatius was marked out by the - Providence of God for a special apostleship, and he had something - about him of the spirit of the prophet and of the eye of the seer. - He pierced in advance into the work to which God called him, and - there were holy souls who instinctively looked to him as an - instrument for the fulfilling of their own anticipations. There was - in Italy a Passionist Father, who from his youth had had written in - his heart the work of England's conversion. It had been the object - of all his thoughts, and prayers, and hopes. Father Dominic had - moved all the souls he could with kindred ardour for this work. And - before they had ever beheld each other, the hearts of those two men - were sweetly drawn together. Let us hear what Father Dominic writes - to an English gentleman, himself a convert, ardent for the - conversion of his {512} country, on the day of Mr. Spencer's first - sermon in Rome, after being ordained deacon:--"On this day," he - writes, "on this day, the feast of the Most Holy Name of Jesus, Mr. - Spencer begins in Rome his apostolic ministry; to-day, he makes his - first sermon to the Roman people in the church of the English. Oh - what a fortunate commencement! Certainly that ought to be salutary - which commences in the name of the Saviour. Oh, how great are my - expectations! God, without doubt, has not shed so many graces on - that soul to serve for his own profit alone. I rather believe He has - done it in order that he might carry the Holy Name of Jesus before - kings, and nations, and the sons of Israel. Most sweet Name of - Jesus, be thou in his mouth as oil poured out, which may softly and - efficaciously penetrate the hardest marble." - - This was written by a man who had never stepped on English soil, - about one whom he had never seen in the flesh, but whom he felt to - have one common object in one common spirit with himself. But it was - written by a man in whose heart God had written in grace the - words--_England's Conversion_. - - It was whilst yet a Deacon, that Father Ignatius was visited at the - Roman College by a Bishop who had come to Rome from the farthest - corner of Italy, who on his soul had also the impression that great - conversions were in store for England, and who asked that his eyes - might be blessed with so rare a spectacle as that of a converted - Anglican minister; and it was at the request of the Bishop of - Oppido, for the edification of his flock, to whom the news had - reached, that Father Ignatius wrote the narrative of his conversion; - the translation of which brings us in view of another of those - remarkable men who were then preparing themselves for entering on - the work of the English mission, for that translation was done in - Rome by Dr. Gentili. - - It was under the direction of Cardinal Wiseman, then President of - the English College, that Father Ignatius was pursuing his studies, - when, at the end of two years, he broke a blood-vessel, and was - summoned, in consequence, {513} by Bishop Walsh, to hasten his - ordination and return to England. Cardinal Wiseman arranged that he - should receive the order of priesthood from the Cardinal Vicar in - that very Church of St. Gregory, from which the Apostles of England - had been sent to our shores, and that he should say his first mass - on the Feast of that Venerable Bede, whose name is so intimately - entwined with the literature, the religion, and the history of - England. How Father Ignatius himself viewed these signs and his - approaching ordination, he himself expressed in a letter to Father - Dominic, in these terms: "Ten days ago I received orders from my - Bishop, Dr. Walsh, to proceed to England without delay. You know the - value and security of obedience, and will agree with me that I ought - not to doubt of anything. The first festival day that presented - itself for ordination was that of St. Philip Neri. Judge, then, what - was my joy when, after that day had been fixed upon, I discovered - that it was also the Feast of St. Augustine, the first Apostle of - England, sent by St. Gregory. It seems to me that Providence wishes - to give me some good omens. It is enough, if I have faith and - humility." - - Of the grace of humility, that virtue of the heroic virtues which - had already taken possession of his heart, I cannot give you better - proof than his own communing with the heart of Father Dominic, who - had hinted rumours of his rising to ecclesiastical dignities. He - writes in reply: "I can assure you it would give me the greatest - displeasure. My prayer is that God would grant me a life like that - of His Son and the Apostles, in poverty and tribulations for the - Gospel. I must submit, if it be His will to raise me to any high - worldly dignity; but it would be to me the same as to say that I am - unworthy of the heavenly state, which I long for upon earth. Jesus - Christ sent the Apostles in poverty. St. Francis Xavier, St. - Dominic, and so many other great missionaries, preached in poverty, - and I wish to do the same, if it be the will of God." - - Here you behold the heart of this ecclesiastic, so young as yet in - the Church, yet so mature in spiritual sense. On his return home, he - meets his dear friend Father Dominic {514} face to face for the - first time, in the diocese of Lucca, and the latter writes to his - friend in England:-- - - "How willingly would I go to England along with dear Mr. Spencer; - but the time destined by the Divine mercy for this has not yet - arrived. I hope, however, that it will arrive. I hope one day to see - with my own eyes that kingdom, which for so many years I have borne - engraven on my heart. May God be merciful to us both, that so we may - meet together in the company of all our dear Englishmen above in - heaven, to praise and bless the Divine Majesty throughout all ages." - - I have lingered upon the first communing together of these two men, - because it is so instructive to see how it was not merely in the - schools, even where religion was studied under the shadow of the - successor of St. Peter, but still more by drawing fire from the - hearts of saintly men, that Father Ignatius was prepared for his - future work. Returned to England, he has left it on record how - affectionately he was received by his venerable father and his noble - brother, Lord Althorp, then in the midst of his official career as a - chief leader of the destinies of his country. Who that remembers - those days does not recall the amenities of a character of humanity - so gentle and true, that even in the midst of the most intense - political strife he embittered no one, and drew on him no personal - attack. By his noble relatives, Father Ignatius was received with - the old affection, and their entire conduct towards him was an - exception indeed to the treatment which so many members of other - families have experienced in reward for their fidelity to God and to - their conscience. For fifteen years Father Ignatius toiled in the - work of the mission in the diocese of Birmingham, generously - expending both himself and the private funds allowed him by his - family in the service of souls. He founded the mission of - Westbromwich, and the mission of Dudley; he raised there churches - and schools, and preached and conversed with the poor unceasingly. - He was called to Oscott, and a new office was created for him, that - of Spiritual Dean, that he might inspire those young men who were - preparing for the ministry with his own {515} missionary ardours. - The office began with him, and ended when he left the establishment, - although unquestionably one of the greatest functions which could be - exerted in our colleges would be the office of enkindling in - youthful hearts that fire of charity for souls which is the true - creator of the missioner. But the time was coming when he was to - pass from the ordinary life of a missioner, led in an extraordinary - manner, and to pass into that religious congregation where he was to - carry out his special mission, his Apostleship of prayer. During - those fifteen past years he had not lost sight of Father Dominic. In - 1840, that holy man, with the name of England written on his heart, - reached Boulogne with a community of his brethren. In the same year - he visited Oscott, where those two men of God embraced each other - anew; and in the following year the desire and prayer of so many - years was realized. The Passionist Fathers were established at - Aston, in Staffordshire, with Father Dominic as their head and - founder; and whoever will look over the correspondence, so deeply - interesting at this moment, which is printed as an appendix to the - life of the Blessed Paul of the Cross, will see how great a part the - Rev. George Spencer had in the work of bringing the Passionists into - England. - - It was in the year 1846, that, making a retreat under the Fathers of - the Society of Jesus, God revealed to his heart his vocation to join - the Passionists, and become the companion and fellow worker with - Father Dominic. He cast himself at the feet of that holy man, and - petitioned for the singular grace of being admitted to the Order. - Their joint aspirations for England had brought them together, and - their love of the Cross made them of one mind, and after the first - ironic rebuff with which the spirit of the petitioner was tested, I - can imagine the smile with which that man of God, so austere to - himself whilst so loving to his neighbour, recalled the time, long - past, when they wondered if ever they should meet in the flesh face - to face. There before him was the man drawn by his prayers into his - very bosom, of whom he had predicted, sixteen years ago, that he - would carry the name of Jesus for the conversion of England {516} - before the kings and nations of the earth. In the Order he was - distinguished by his simplicity, his humility, his - self-mortification, his patience in suffering, and his obedience. I - would gladly dwell on the traits of those virtues which formed his - personal character, but time urges me to proceed. He filled - successively the office of Consultor, of Novice-master, and of - Rector, and it was to him that Father Dominic provisionally - consigned his authority at his death. But his great and singular - work was his Apostleship of prayer for England. Many had been the - questionings in many hearts, as to whether this country would ever - in any serious numbers return to the faith or not. And many had been - the speculations as to how this could be accomplished; some dreamt - it must come by missions; others, by learned writings; others, by - the preaching of the Gospel; some had one scheme, some another, but - in each there was something defective, something not altogether - divine; something that was human, and resting more or less on the - will of man. But Father Ignatius consulted the light and grace of - his own soul, he penetrated to the true principle, he recalled his - own history, he saw that conversion is the work of God, that the - work itself is the work of grace, and that all that man can do, is - to invoke God to put forth His power. Prayer that is pure, sincere, - earnest, and of many souls, God always hears and inclines to grant. - There are many ways of approaching to God, but there is one which He - loves for its tender alliance with the Divine Humanity, for its - humility and its beautiful faith, and that is the approach through - her who is at once the Virgin Mother of God and ours. Let us plead - to God through the Mother of God, and let her plead for her sons on - earth to her Son in Heaven, and behold our prayer is tripled in its - strength. So Ignatius looked to God through the eyes of Mary, prayed - to God through the heart of Mary, and appealed through the purity of - Mary, for a people who had forgotten her. And he went forth on his - Apostleship of prayer over Italy and France, and Hungary and - Austria, and the rest of Germany; and over Belgium and England, and - Ireland and Scotland, and he corresponded with the other kingdoms of - Christendom. He {517} went before emperors and kings, and before - ministers of state, and asked them to pray for the conversion of his - country. He sought the Bishops in their dioceses, and the priests in - their parishes, and holy religious in their convents, and devout lay - persons in their houses, and prayed them to pray to God, and to set - other souls to pray for the conversion of England. His faith was - strong that from her conversion a great radiation of truth would - spread forth in the world, and that all that was needed was the - general prayer of believing souls, that God might grant so great a - grace to the world. And so the name of Father Ignatius grew familiar - on the lips of Christendom. Prayer arose in many countries; the - Bishops issued pastorals, a day in the week was appointed for prayer - for England. Prelates spoke of it in synods, and the clergy - discussed it in their conferences. And all pious souls added on new - prayers to their habitual devotions for the conversion of England. - And as for the apostle of this prayer, he went on nourishing the - flame which he had enkindled, and stirring the zeal of his brethren - until, to use his own words, often repeated to his superior, this - prayer, and the preaching of this prayer to God through Mary, had - become a part of his nature, an element inseparable from his - existence. He had but recently recommenced the work of this mission - in a somewhat altered form, basing the conversion of the English - upon the sanctification of the Irish people, but still his cry - was--Pray for England. There can be no doubt, as sundry facts point - out, but that he had a strong impression of late that his end was - drawing near. And not long before his death he called the brethren - individually to his room, and exhorted each with solemn earnestness - to be instant in the mission of prayer for England. - - And what has been the result of this Apostleship? That result Father - Ignatius himself summed up but a few days before his death. On the - 8th of September, he addressed a letter to an Italian periodical, - from which I translate the following passage as the fit conclusion - of this subject. He says:-- - - "It is more than thirty-four years since a worthy Bishop of a - Neapolitan diocese came to seek me in the English {518} College at - Rome, wishing to look with his own eyes upon a converted Anglican - clergyman; a sight so grateful to a noble Catholic heart, and in - those days so rare. On what proof he spoke, I know not, but he - assured me that the first Carmelite Scapular ever given, and given - by that English Saint, Simon Stock, was secretly kept in England, - and that he looked on this as a pledge that our country would one - day come back to the faith. Be this assertion well or ill founded, - the memory of him who made it is dear to me as is the memory of the - presence of every one who bespeaks hope and peace for England. - - "What have we seen in our days? Conversions to the faith so numerous - and so important that the whole world speaks of them. And this - movement towards Catholicism is of a character so remarkable, that - the history of the Church presents nothing like it. - - "It is true that other nations have been converted, whilst England - has stood to her Protestantism; but a first step has been made in - this country, which, as far as I know, has no parallel. In other - cases, it was the sovereign who made the first movement, having had - no learned opposition or persecution from his subjects; and, as in - the instance of St. Stephen, of Hungary, the conversions which - followed came easily, and as it were naturally; or conversion began - with the poor, who, though it cost them persecution and privation, - had yet but little to lose. But this has not been the case in - England. Here the work of conversion grew conspicuous among the - ministers of the Protestant Church, of whom hundreds of the most - esteemed and learned have been received into the bosom of the - Church, and also among the noble and the gentle families of the - kingdom; so that it may be said that scarcely is there a family that - is not touched by conversion, in some near or more distant member of - it. I say that this order of conversion is new, this operation of - grace is most singular. Great numbers of those clergymen had - prospects before them by remaining in Protestantism, flattering - enough, of earthly felicity, wealth, and honour; and by their - conversion they fell upon poverty, distress, and contempt, - especially those men who, by reason {519} of their families, could - not embrace the clerical state. The sacrifices of the lay gentry - have not always been so great; but even here how many have closed - against themselves the path of honours and distinctions; how many - have been discarded by their kindred and friends; how many of the - gentle sex have abandoned the prospect of a settlement in life - befitting their rank and station; while all have turned from the - world to obey the voice of God; and that, in a country like this, - where the world holds out allurements so specious and so attractive - in every kind. - - "But these great results can neither be attributed to the force, the - eloquence, or the industry of man. Man has positively had no part in - the work, except by prayer, and this praying has been professedly - offered to God through Mary; through whom all the heresies of the - world are destroyed." - - I have no time to dwell upon this summary of results so beautifully - told and so remarkably timed. But it is impossible not to notice - that the great tide of conversion that has flowed so unusually, has - passed through the two classes to which Father Ignatius himself - belonged, that of the clergy and that of the gentry. It is a - wonderful result following a most unprecedented combination of the - voices of Catholic souls of many nations in prayer, set in motion by - the very man who is summing up the result of the work, before he - goes to his reward; nor do I believe, although his tongue is silent, - and his features settled into cold obstruction, as we looked on them - last night, that the prayer of his soul has ceased; no, his work - goes on, his Apostleship is not dead. Purged by the sacrifice, I - seem to see his spirit all this time. For you know that when a holy - man quits this life, and has not loved it as he has loved God, he - goes away no further than God, and God is very near to us. Have you - never lost a dear parent or a child, and have you not found that - when freed from the body the spirit of that one had more power over - you; seemed to be freer to be with you at all solemn times, and to - impress you with its purely spiritual qualities and virtues, all - gross things having ceased though the purification of death and the - final grace? and so I conceive his {520} spirit standing by my side - and saying still, at each interval of my voice,--"Pray for England: - pray for her conversion." To you, fathers of the rude frieze, - brethren of his Order, with the name of Christ on your breast, and - the love of His passion in your heart, he says--"Pray for England: - pray for her conversion." Superiors of the Benedictine Order, whom a - special circumstance has brought here to-day, Father - President-General, representative of St. Benedict, as of St. - Augustine, and monastic successor of that first Apostle of England, - to you, and to you, Priors of the Order, he says--"Fail not from - the work of your forefathers, pray for England: pray for her - conversion." To you, brethren of the priesthood, men consecrated to - this mission, who know his voice familiarly, to you he says with the - burning desire of his heart,--"Pray for England: pray for her - conversion." Daughters of the virginal veil, who are his children, - whilst in the inferior soul you suffer the grief of loss, in your - superior soul you rejoice that he is with God; to you also he - says:--"Pray for England: pray for her conversion." Dearly beloved - brethren, how often in his missions and his ministries has he - written those words upon your hearts. Let them not die out. Let them - live on with something of his flame of charity. Be you as his - missioners; carry these words to your children and your brethren. He - prays yet, and will ever pray until the work be finished. Even in - the presence of his God, neither the awe nor the majesty of that - unspeakable presence can I conceive as interrupting the prayer which - has become a portion of his nature--"God, have mercy on England. - Turn, O Jesus, Thy meek eyes upon that people. Let pity drop from - Thy glorious wounds, and mercy from Thy heart. In what she is blind, - in what she sins, forgive her, for she knows not what she does. Have - mercy on England." When joined to his beloved Dominic, and with - blessed Paul, and meeting Gregory, and Augustine, and Bede, I - conceive him urging them to join yet more earnestly with the prayers - he left ascending from the earth, following his mission still in the - heavens; nay, even pressing to be heard in the circles of the - angels, whose meekness and purity he loved so well, and {521} still - his cry is: "Pray for England: pray for her conversion." - - It remains for us to turn one last look upon his mortal remains, to - consider our own mortality, and to prepare us for our approaching - end. How beautiful, how sublime was his departure. Father Ignatius - had often wished and prayed that, like his Divine Lord, like St. - Francis Xavier, and like his dear friend and master in the spiritual - life, Father Dominic, he might die at his post, yet deserted and - alone. God granted him that prayer. He had just closed one mission - and was proceeding to another; he turned aside for an hour on his - way to converse with a dear friend and godson; he was seen ten - minutes before conversing with children. Was he only inquiring his - way, or did he utter the last words of his earthly mission to those - young hearts? And here alone, unseen but of God and His angels, he - fell down, and that heart which had beaten so long for the love and - conversion of England stopped in his bosom. Crucified was he in his - death as in his life to this world, that he might live to God. - -When his lordship, the Bishop, descended from the pulpit, the -procession to the place of burial was formed, and issued from the -church in the following order, the choir singing the _Miserere_:-- - - The Children of the Schools of the Convent of the Holy Child. - - The Rev. Father Bernard (Superior of the Order of Passionists, - Paris), carrying a Cross, and having on each side an Acolyte, - bearing a lighted candle. - - The Thurifer. - - Boys two abreast. - - The Regular Clergy. - - The Secular Clergy. - - THE COFFIN. - - The Lord Bishop of Birmingham. - - The Laity. - -As the melancholy _cortége_ moved along, the clergy chanted the -_Miserere_, and when the procession arrived at the vault, {522} the -coffin (which was of deal) was placed inside a leaden one, which was -again enclosed in an outer shell of oak. Upon this was a black plate, -bearing the following inscription:-- - - FATHER IGNATIUS OF ST. PAUL - - (THE HON. AND REV. GEORGE SPENCER) - - DIED OCT. 1, 1864, AGED 65 YEARS. - - _R. I. P._ - -Placed inside the coffin was a leaden tablet, on which the following -was engraved:-- - - "MORTALES EXUVIAE - - "Patris Ignatii a S. Paulo, Congregationis Passionis, de Comitibus - Spencer. Minister Anglicanus primum; dein, ad Ecclesiam Catholicam - conversus, sacerdotio Romae insignitus est anno 1832. Mirum, qua - animi constantia per triginta et amplius annos pro conversione - patriae laboraverat. Inter alumnos Passionis anno 1847 adscriptus, - omnium virtutum exemplar confratribus semper extitit. Angliam, - Hiberniam, Scotiam, necnon Italiam, Germaniam, et Galliam - peragravit, populum exhortans ad propriam sanctificationem, et ut, - veluti sacro agmine inito, preces fundant pro conversione Anglise. - Dum perjucundum opus in Scotia prosequeretur, calendis Octobris anni - 1864, sacrificio missae peracto, ad invisendum antiquae - consuetudinis amicum (Dom. Robertum Monteith) pergens, ante januam - amici repentino morbo correptus, a Deo cujus gloriam semper - quesierat et ab angelis quorum puritatem imitaverat, opitulatus, - supremam diem clausit, aetatis suae anno 65to. Requiescat in pace." - - TRANSLATION. - - The mortal remains of Father Ignatius of St. Paul, belonging to the - Congregation of the Passion, and of the noble family of Spencer. He - was at first an Anglican minister; then, having been converted to - the Catholic Church, was ordained into the priesthood at Rome in - the year 1832. It is wonderful with what constancy of mind for more - than thirty years he laboured for the conversion of his country. - {523} He was numbered among the sons of the Passion in the year - 1847, and always presented an example of all virtues to his - brethren. He travelled through England, Ireland, Scotland, and even - Italy, Germany, and France, exhorting the people to their own - sanctification, and forming themselves, as it were, into a sacred - army, to pour forth prayers for the conversion of England. While he - was prosecuting his pleasing work in Scotland, on the 1st of - October, 1864, and, having offered up the sacrifice of the mass, he - was going on a visit to a friend he had long been acquainted with - (Mr. Robert Monteith), when he was carried off by sudden death in - front of his friend's door, being assisted by God, whose glory he - had ever sought, and by the angels whose purity he had imitated. He - closed his life in the 65th year of his age. May he rest in peace." - -When all the arrangements were completed, the coffin was placed upon -the tier appropriated for its reception, and the bishop and clergy -retired. - -Thus has ended the life of one who for fifteen years pursued his -missionary work, as a priest of the Order of the Passion, with an -ardour that has seldom been surpassed. Truly may it be said of him, -"Dying, he lives." - -Favours are said to have been obtained from heaven through his -intercession, since his death; and it is even recorded that miracles -have been performed by his relics. These facts have not been, as yet, -sufficiently authenticated for publication; and, therefore, it is -judged better not to insert them. We confidently hope that a few years -will see him enrolled in the catalogue of saints, as the first English -Confessor since the Reformation. - -Every step we make, as we recede from this last scene, brings us -nearer to the moment when the requiescat ought to be heard over -ourselves. For - - "The pride of luxury, the pomp of power, - And all that beauty, all that wealth e'er gave, - Await alike the inevitable hour;-- - The paths of glory lead but to the grave." - -How vain is a life spent in pursuit of riches! when the {524} shroud -that envelops our bones will have to be given us. How vain are the -appliances of comfort and pleasure which wealth can spread around us! -when the body we pamper is to be the food of worms. How vain, is power -and extent of territory! when the snapping of the thread of our -existence will leave us completely in the hands of others, and confine -us to less than seven feet of earth. - -Let the example of the holy Passionist, whose life we studied, make us -recognise this truth, before it is too late--that all is vanity but -the service of God. He tasted the sweets of this world until he found -out their bitterness; let his example deter others from plunging into -the whirl of dissipation, from which few can come out uninjured. He -laid down his honours, his titles, his property, at the foot of the -cross, and he joyfully placed _its_ transverse beams upon his -shoulder. There was nothing this world could give him which he did not -sacrifice unhesitatingly. He never took back from the altar a single -particle of the offerings he placed upon it. Since the moment he -understood that the end of his existence was the happiness of the -blessed, he went straight to his eternal goal, and turned not to the -right hand nor to the left. God was always in his mind; God was on his -lips; God was in his works. We cannot admire his sacrifices, for it -would be a mistake to suppose his mind was not noble enough to feel -that all he could give was only a barter of earth for heaven. - -Let the world applaud its heroes, and raise expensive monuments to -remind others of their renown. Father Ignatius sought not the praise -of the world; its frowns were all he desired. He looked not for its -sympathy, he crossed its ways, he gave the lie to its maxims, he -trampled it under his feet. But the servants of God will not forget -him. They will turn off the high road to come as pilgrims to the spot -where his pure soul left its earthly tenement. To mark out the place, -Mr. Monteith has erected a cross upon the corner of the avenue where -the saintly father fell. Subjoined is an engraving of the monument, -and it fitly closes up this history, as it perpetually points to his -example. - -{525} - - -ON THIS SPOT THE HONBLE. AND REV. GEORGE SPENCER, -IN RELIGION, FATHER IGNATIUS OF ST. PAUL, PASSIONIST, -WHILE IN THE MIDST OF HIS LABOURS -FOR THE SALVATION OF SOULS, AND THE RESTORATION OF HIS -COUNTRYMEN TO THE UNITY OF THE FAITH, WAS SUDDENLY -CALLED BY HIS HEAVENLY MASTER TO HIS -ETERNAL HOME. OCTOBER 1ST, 1864. - _R.I.P._ - - -{526} - -Cox And Wyman, -Classical And General Printers, -Great Queen Street, Lincoln's Inn Fields. - - -[Transcriber's Note: The following list contains the words and names -flagged by the spell check, and verified by inspection.] - -AEgina -AEolus -Abbate -Abbaye -Abbé -Aberdovey -Aberystwyth -Acatholicorum -Accademia -Achensee -Achenthal -Acland -Addolorata -Adige -Adolphus -Adonises -Aebel -Affetti -Affi -Afra -Agneses -Agrippa -Ahamo -Aigle -Airdrie -Aix -Alban -Albano -Albemarle -Albergo -Albero -Alcantara -Alessandro -Alleine -Aloysiuses -Alphonsus -Alraschid -Alte -Althorp -Ambrosian -Amelia -Amhersts -Amiens -Amphitheatre -Ampleforth -Anastasius -Ancona -Angleur -Angliae -Angliam -Anglicanus -Anglise -Annecy -Annonciades -Antonelli -Apostolical -Apostolici -Apostolics -Apostolines -Apostolorum -Appleyard -Arcadinia -Archimedes -Archivium -Ardee -Arfi -Argentaro -Ariopolis -Arius -Armagh -Armytage -Athenry -Aucy -Auer -Augsburg -Augustin -Augustine -Augustus -Auxerre -Auxonne -Avona -Bac -Bacten -Badische -Bagshawe -Baily -Baines -Bains -Baldacconi -Ballina -Ballinasloe -Ballinrobe -Ballycastle -Ballyshannon -Bandry -Barbarossa -Bareau -Barnabites -Barnabò -Barnet -Baronne -Barras -Barrington -Basiaco -Basse -Battersea -Baudry -Bavino -Bavière -Bayerische -Beauharnais -Beauvais -Bede -Bella -Bellaymont -Belley -Benvenuto -Berchtesgaden -Bergamo -Bergues -Bermondsey -Bernardine -Bernardines -Bernardites -Bertin -Bessy -Bethusy -Beveridge -Bighi -Bingham -Birkenhead -Birr -Bishopsgate -Blackbrook -Blackstone -Blaise -Blanc -Blanco -Blandford -Blore -Blount -Bobbio -Bodalog -Bodenham -Bolognaro -Bolton -Bonald -Boniface -Bonquéan -Bootle -Bopeep -Borris -Bosketto -Bossuet -Botanique -Botolph -Botzen -Boulanger -Boulogne -Bourgoigne -Bourgoiner -Bourjéant -Bouverie -Bouvet -Bracebridge -Bradshaw -Brampton -Bramston -Brenner -Brera -Brescia -Bridget -Bridgman -Brigy -Brixen -Brock -Broek -Buckinghamshire -Bunyan -Burchall -Béguinage -Béguinages -Caesars -Caestryck -Caffi -Calasanctius -Caldaro -Caldaron -Calddaron -Callaghan -Caltern -Calvario -Camaldolese -Cambrai -Cameriere -Camperdown -Cancellaria -Canonico -Canova -Cantius -Capellani -Capellano -Capellari -Capistrano -Capitoline -Capriana -Capua -Cardham -Carità -Carlow -Carlsruhe -Carlton -Carnarvon -Carrara -Carraway -Carrick -Carrickmacross -Carstairs -Carthusian -Cartsdyke -Casiua -Castello -Castlebar -Castlerea -Catholicam -Catholici -Catholicising -Catullus -Caudatario -Cavallesi -Cavani -Cavanis -Cavendish -Cellini -Celso -Cenis -Certosa -Chaillot -Chamberry -Chanoine -Chanoinesses -Chapelle -Chargé -Charité -Charnpagnole -Cheapside -Childe -Cholmley -Chombard -Christies -Chrom -Chrysostom -Chrétienne -Chrétiennes -Churchism -Cigne -Città -Claires -Clarendon -Clerkenwell -Clermont -Clogher -Coatbridge -Coblentz -Coeur -Cointe -Colae -Coleridge -Coletines -Collegio -Collinge -Colney -Colomba -Colossians -Columb -Columbanus -Comitibus -Complin -Comte -Conden -Confrérie -Connaught -Connexion -Constantius -Consultors -Conte -Contessa -Contrada -Convardy -Conventual -Cooke -Cornelius -Corte -Costello -Cottril -Coultins -Councillor -Couronne -Courtene -Couvent -Coux -Covent -Cowper -Cranmer -Crawley -Croix -Cromwellian -Crowe -Crusoe -Cullinamore -Cullinge -Cumming -Cussel -Cuthbert -Damasus -Damietta -Dandolo -Daubeny -Decanus -Denison -Denys -Deo -Deschamps -Desgenettes -Dessin -Deum -Devon -Dezenzano -Dieu -Digby -Digbys -Directeur -Divisione -Doddridge -Doge -Dolors -Doluny -Domely -Domenico -Domini -Domitian -Domodossola -Domscholasticus -Donnel -Donnet -Doogan -Doria -Dorsetshire -Douane -Douay -Dougall -Drei -Drogheda -Drummond -Drury -Dubois -Duc -Dudley -Dugdale -Duggan -Dumez -Duncannon -Dundalk -Dundas -Dungannon -Dunton -Duomo -Durer -Durier -Durlet -Désingy -Döllinger -EXUVIAE -Easky -Ecclesiam -Ecclesiasticus -Ecoles -Econome -Edgware -Egna -Ehrhart -Elmesly -Elwes -Ely -Ennis -Enniscrone -Enniskillen -Episcopi -Eplingen -Errington -Erroye -Eryx -Esterhazy -Etonians -Eustachio -Eyre -Ezechiel -Falconeria -Ferdinand -Feretti -Ferrara -Ferrario -Ferrarrio -Ferronaye -Festus -Fidele -Fiumicino -Flandre -Florentin -Floriano -Folkestone -Fontainebleau -Fornari -Francesi -Franchismes -Frari -Fratelli -Frati -Fratte -Freakley -Fremantle -Friot -Froud -Frujberg -Frères -Fumagalli -Gaetano -Gagliardi -Gallard -Galliam -Galway -Gand -Ganymede -Garda -Gardiner -Garendon -Garnault -Gasthof -Gaudentius -Gavan -Gaèta -Genevese -Genoese -Gentili -Georgiana -Georgio -Germain -Germaniam -Germanico -Gernetto -Gervase -Gesang -Gesangen -Gesù -Ghent -Gibbs -Gideon -Gillies -Gingolph -Giovanelli -Girardon -Giuseppe -Giustiniani -Glassbrooke -Gloucester -Glyptotheke -Godley -Gorey -Gorres -Gort -Gothsburg -Gottez -Graf -Graffanara -Grahame -Gramont -Grandvilliers -Grantham -Gratz -Greci -Greenock -Grenville -Grettan -Griffiths -Grimstone -Grirgenti -Grises -Grosvenor -Grue -Grâce -Gudule -Gustavus -Guttenburg -Général -Göppingen -Görres -Görreses -Haffreingue -Hagley -Halford -Hallein -Hampstead -Handley -Handsworth -Hanicq -Hapsburg -Harleston -Haroun -Havant -Havre -Headfort -Heber -Hendren -Heneage -Heywood -Hiberniam -Highgate -Hilary -Hildersham -Hildyard -Hilloa -Hinckley -Hippolyte -Hodder -Hoffa -Holborn -Holme -Holyhead -Hornby -Hornsey -Hospitalieres -Hospitalières -Howley -Humanarianism -Hyde -Hôtel -Hüffler -Ignatii -Ignatius -Ignazio -Illyricum -Imola -Imperiale -Inglesi -Innspruck -Inspruck -Irvingites -Isabella -Isola -Italiam -Jacquenot -Jandel -Januarius -Jaques -Jardin -Jauch -Jaudel -Jeffreys -Jesu -Jette -Jeune -Johnstone -Julien -Jura -Kells -Kempis -Kenilworth -Kentish -Kernane -Kildare -Kilkenny -Killala -Kille -Kinnaird -Kirche -Kirchen -Kissengen -Kitzka -Knickerbocker -Koenigswinter -Kreutz -Krone -Krono -Kurtzrock -Köln -Kölner -König -Königswinter -L'Arco -L'Hospice -L'Hôpital -Lago -Laibach -Laing -Lanark -Lancashire -Landeck -Landherr -Lapons -Lateran -Lavinia -Lavorno -Lazarists -Lazzari -Lazzaro -LeSage -Leamington -Lefevre -Leicestershire -Leinster -Leith -Leuchtenberg -Levenshulme -Lichfield -Lichtenthal -Liguori -Lingdale -Lintz -Litchenstein -Lithgoe -Liège -Liége -Llanarth -Loewenstein -Londonderry -Londra -Londres -Longford -Lorenzo -Lorrha -Lothaire -Loughborough -Loughren -Louvain -Lowther -Lucan -Lucca -Luigi -Lurgan -Lutzou -Lyall -Lyne -Lythgoe -Lyttelton -M'Auley -M'Donnel -M'Ghee -M'Hale -MacMahon -Mackey -Macky -Maddalena -Madeleine -Maestricht -Maggiora -Maggiore -Maguire -Mahomedanism -Mai -Maison -Maitland -Malibren -Malines -Malou -Manheim -Manige -Mannering -Mantua -Mantz -Marais -Marano -Marenn -Marlborough -Marsomme -Martigny -Martyn -Marys -Maréehal -Matraey -Matsys -Matthias -Maude -Mawman -Maximilian -Mayence -Maynooth -McHale -Meagher -Melia -Mellerio -Mellon -Mercati -Mercede -Merionethshire -Messias -Methodistic -Mezzofanti -Mgr -Mildert -Millière -Mirum -Miserere -Mislin -Missionum -Miséricorde -Mittewald -Modena -Mohren -Moneti -Mongeras -Monico -Monreale -Mont -Montalembert -Montebello -Monteith -Montmartre -Montrose -Monza -Morey -Morley -Moselle -Moy -Mullingar -Mungo -Musée -Mère -Mörl -Mühler -Münster -Namur -Nannette -Nantes -Navarino -Neill -Nemfchatel -Neri -Nerincx -Nerlieu -Neuenburg -Neumarkt -Neuve -Newgate -Newry -Nicholl -Nicholls -Nives -Nobil -Nobottle -Noires -Noirlieu -Nore -Northampton -Northamptonshire -Nottinghamshire -Novara -Nuelleus -Nunzio -Nymphenburg -Nyon -O'Connell -O'Donnel -O'Flynn -O'Kane -O'Keefe -O'Reilly -OEdipus -Oakeley -Observantiae -Octobris -Odescalchi -Oldbury -Ollivant -Omagh -Omer -Oppido -Oratorian -Oratorians -Orioli -Osmond -Ospitaletto -Ostend -Osteria -Otaheitan -Oudley -Ouseley -Overbury -Ovid -Oxburgh -Oxley -Oxonians -Pacci -Packenham -Paderborn -Padua -Pagliano -Palais -Palladio -Pallotta -Palmerston -Paoli -Papi -Papin -Paroco -Pasaro -Pasquale -Passaglia -Passi -Passio -Passionis -Passionists -Passsionists -Patit -Patris -Pauvres -Pavia -Pazzi -Pearse -Peasly -Pensieri -Peppenheim -Percival -Persico -Perugia -Pesaro -Peterborough -Peterbro -Petits -Pffarr -Phillippses -Picquart -Piedmontese -Pietra -Pietro -Pilsach -Pinacotheke -Pio -Pittsburg -Placentia -Plainpalais -Polidori -Poligny -Pollien -Poole -Porte -Portobello -Poste -Postes -Powys -Poynter -Poète -Premonstratensian -Pritchard -Protase -Prémontré -Pugin -Puseyite -Père -Pères -Quarant -Quater -Quelin -Quin -Quintin -Raal -Raby -Radhoff -Raffaele -Raffaelle -Rainhill -Rathmines -Ratisbonne -Reale -Recollets -Reddington -Redemptorist -Redemptorists -Redentore -Reggio -Regierung -Reichenbach -Reichenhall -Reiner -Religieuses -Rennel -Resburg -Reverendus -Revolutionnaire -Riland -Rimini -Rios -Riva -Robertum -Roch -Rodolph -Rodrigues -Roehampton -Romae -Romney -Romonam -Rosamel -Roscommon -Rosinini -Roskell -Rosmini -Rossiaud -Rotundo -Rousses -Roveredo -Rovigo -Royale -Rugeley -Ryde -Régulières -Sabbato -Sacrement -Sacré -Sainte -Salesiani -Salford -Salle -Salut -Salvian -Sancto -Sankey -Saul -Sayburne -Scaligeri -Scheppers -Schlager -Schlussheim -Scholfield -Schutz -Schwartzenberg -Scotiam -Scylla -Seager -Sebastians -Secours -Sedgeley -Sedgley -Segnini -Segreto -Semei -Sens -Senufft -Sepulchrines -Servites -Sestri -Sevres -Sharples -Shenton -Shrewsbury -Sibthorpe -Sigismund -Silvestro -Simeon -Simeonites -Simplon -Sion -Sisk -Sitientis -Sitorstro -Slattery -Sligo -Snowdon -Società -Socinians -Soeur -Soeurs -Somal -Somers -Sonne -Sophia -Southcote -Southport -Southwark -Spence -Spencers -Spiritu -Spoleto -Sta -Stadler -Stafford -Staffordshire -Ste -Steigmeier -Stockport -Stourbridge -Stowell -Strabane -Strarzing -Strass -Strictioris -Stromboli -Stuttgard -Subdiaconate -Suide -Suir -Suisse -Sulpice -Sumner -Sunderland -Superiores -Superioress -Sutrio -Sweers -Swithin -Syriac -Séez -Séminaire -Tallier -Tavel -Tavola -Tegern -Teresas -Terracina -Tertiariae -Theatine -Theophilus -Thillay -Thistlethwick -Thonon -Thornton -Thorntons -Thorwaldsen -Throckmorton -Thurles -Thursby -Tillotson -Tipperary -Tipton -Titchmarsh -Tivoli -Tolérance -Tomline -Tommaso -Tonnerre -Torri -Tournai -Tournay -Towyn -Tractarianism -Tractarians -Trapani -Trappists -Trelawny -Trieste -Trinitatem -Troitteur -Trélouquet -Tuam -Tubal -Tuileries -Turpin -Turtinan -Tusmarchausan -Tyrannus -Tyrolese -Ullathorne -Ulm -Ulrick -Univers -Upton -Ursulines -Ushaw -Valais -Valens -Valle -Vanderghote -Vandervelde -Veich -Venuses -Verme -Vespasiani -Veuillet -Vicaire -Vicarii -Vicario -Viceregal -Vichi -Victoires -Vigoreux -Ville -Villiers -Vincentians -Vittadini -Vollemaux -Wallwork -Walmsley -Walsall -Wareing -Warrington -Warwick -Waterland -Waterton -Watkinson -Waverly -Wesleyans -Westbromwich -Westland -Westport -Wexford -Wheatley -Whelan -Whitechapel -Whitgrave -Wildbad -Wilfrid -Willoughby -Wilton -Wimbach -Wimbledon -Windischman -Windischmann -Wiseman -Wiseton -Witherall -Wodehouse -Wolverhampton -Woodchester -Woodwich -Woollett -Wrede -Wykes -Wyman -Yarmouth -Yoris -Zebedee -Zeno -Zenone -Zeuft -Zoccolanti -Zurla -absconditum -acatholicorum -acceptatio -accuratiore -adorans -adscriptus -advices -aetatis -agmine -alb -aliquid -alle -altitudo -alumnos -amici -amicum -amplius -ancles -angelis -animi -anni -anno -annonces -annos -antependium -antichristian -antiquae -anyways -apologised -apostacy -apostleship -apostolical -apud -arbours -archévêché -ardour -ardours -argumentum -armour -arti -ascetism -athanasian -attaché -auri -availeth -avocat -banc -baptised -beforetime -behaviour -believeth -bene -benedixit -beneplacitum -benigne -blameably -blaney -blessest -blomfield -blushings -bono -bonum -borga -bowings -brava -brington -brodo -bromwich -buon -burnings -burthen -burthensome -café -calendis -candour -capite -capitular -careth -catechise -catino -celebret -centre -chasse -chemin -cheque -chequered -châlets -château -clausit -coffinless -coloured -colouring -colours -committest -confluentia -confratribus -confrères -congregationis -connexion -conseilleur -consistorium -constantia -consuetudinis -contradistinguished -controverted -conversable -conversione -conversus -convictor -correptus -corruptions -corse -cortile -cortége -counsellor -coze -cracky -credas -criticises -cudgelling -cui -cujus -curé -d'Allinges -d'Avroy -d'Ere -d'Oro -d'acqua -d'affaires -d'hôte -d'hôtel -d'état -dantis -decrepid -defectible -defence -dei -dein -del -della -des -despatch -despatching -develope -diaconate -dignitas -dignitate -diligitis -disant -disedification -disfavour -dishonour -dishonourable -diuturniore -dolendum -doloribus -dost -drogget -duelling -dum -dura -ecce -ecstacy -eilwayen -ejusdem -emisit -employments -endeavour -endeavoured -endeavouring -endeavours -endureth -enfants -engraven -equalled -erecter -esse -est -estatica -eventless -examen -examens -excipere -exhortans -experimento -exposé -extenso -extitit -fames -famille -fastnesses -faubourg -favere -favour -favourable -favourably -favoured -favourite -favours -façade -felicitiously -fer -feretrum -ferventiori -fervour -fidei -fidelium -flere -foreshadowings -formá -formâ -fourchette -fourgon -frisonnant -froward -fulfil -fulfilment -fulfils -fulness -fundant -funzioni -gardes -gathereth -genere -gentem -gloriam -goldene -goldenen -gospelling -gras -gratias -gregorine -griefs -guardia -gulph -haereticorum -hap -harbour -hast -hateth -haud -heresiarchs -hibernian -hisce -hoff -holdeth -hominem -honour -honourable -honoured -honouring -honours -hosier -humour -humoured -humours -hyaena -illum -imbuta -imitaverat -immodesties -inclinato -inito -insignitus -instructum -interpositions -invisendum -ipsi -januam -jocosely -judico -jugiter -kilometres -knowest -l'Abbé -l'Eglise -l'Europe -l'Hôtel -l'Immaculé -l'Instruction -l'estatica -l'Étoile -laboraverat -labour -laboured -labourer -labourers -labouring -labours -lagune -laquais -laudo -laus -leadeth -les -levelled -levelling -licence -licences -lille -lionised -literis -lucifers -lustre -maccaroni -magnam -maigre -malades -maraviglia -marchant -mariae -materfamilias -maître -mein -mementoes -methodistical -minutanti -mio -misdemeanour -missae -mitre -mitres -monachism -monomonia -monsignores -morbo -mortales -moulding -mêlée -nautico -nazione -necessarium -necnon -neighbour -neighbourhood -neighbouring -neighbours -nempe -nobile -nobili -nomen -novercal -noviciate -novitiorum -novum -nulla -née -octodecimo -odorem -odour -omittant -omne -omnes -omnium -onked -opitulatus -oratorium -ortus -oscott -ostensoire -ostracised -otium -outstep -partibus -passeth -passionist -pastrycook -paters -patriae -patronised -pauperis -pensionnaires -pensionnat -peracto -peragravit -pergens -perjucundum -personarum -petens -pfarren -pfeiffe -phillipps -piissimis -pirotecnico -pleasantest -populum -pourtrayed -practise -practised -practises -practising -praecesserunt -praesertim -prebendary -preces -primissario -primum -probetur -proindeque -promovere -promptings -propositionesque -propriam -prosequeretur -prostrations -près -prône -puritatem -quam -quesierat -quod -quête -ratione -realise -recens -recognise -recognised -reconquest -reductio -reflectiones -regum -reinhabited -relaxations -reliefs -relievos -remodelled -repentino -rudenesses -rumour -rumours -rédiger -sacerdotio -sacrae -sacrificio -sacro -salus -salut -sanctificatione -sanctificationem -sandalled -satagit -satis -savouring -sawney -scagliola -scarfs -scattereth -sceptical -sceptically -scepticism -schismatics -scienze -scrupulosities -scuole -semel -semper -septem -septembris -servabit -shopman -signo -souper -soupers -soutanes -spettacolo -spiritum -splendour -splendours -stertation -stipendio -suae -suggestors -supremam -svegliarino -sympathise -sympathised -sympathising -temporals -tenour -testa -testimonialibus -thurifer -thurifers -tibi -tinging -titulo -travellings -triginta -triptic -trouvés -trésor -tuo -tête -unbaptized -unburthen -uncanonically -unclerical -unfavourable -unicum -unravelling -unsetting -unviolated -ut -utterings -veluti -vento -vestiaria -vetturino -vicaire -vicario -vielliards -viewiness -vigour -villegiatura -viribus -virtutum -vis -voiturier -volumus -votis -voto -wagen -waggon -wailings -whithersoever -wilful -wilfully -wrapt -zum -Écoles -Écu -Étienne -Évéché -élite -évêché - -[Transcriber's Note: End spell check list.] - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Life of Father Ignatius of St. Paul, -Passionist., by Rev. Father Pius A Sp. Sancto - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK FATHER IGNATIUS OF ST. PAUL *** - -***** This file should be named 51370-8.txt or 51370-8.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/5/1/3/7/51370/ - -Produced by Don Kostuch -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will -be renamed. - -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, -so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United -States without permission and without paying copyright -royalties. Special rules, set forth in the General Terms of Use part -of this license, apply to copying and distributing Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic works to protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm -concept and trademark. Project Gutenberg is a registered trademark, -and may not be used if you charge for the eBooks, unless you receive -specific permission. If you do not charge anything for copies of this -eBook, complying with the rules is very easy. You may use this eBook -for nearly any purpose such as creation of derivative works, reports, -performances and research. They may be modified and printed and given -away--you may do practically ANYTHING in the United States with eBooks -not protected by U.S. copyright law. Redistribution is subject to the -trademark license, especially commercial redistribution. - -START: FULL LICENSE - -THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE -PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK - -To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free -distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work -(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project -Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full -Project Gutenberg-tm License available with this file or online at -www.gutenberg.org/license. - -Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic works - -1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm -electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to -and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property -(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all -the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or -destroy all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your -possession. If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a -Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound -by the terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the -person or entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph -1.E.8. - -1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be -used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who -agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few -things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works -even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See -paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this -agreement and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm -electronic works. See paragraph 1.E below. - -1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the -Foundation" or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection -of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual -works in the collection are in the public domain in the United -States. If an individual work is unprotected by copyright law in the -United States and you are located in the United States, we do not -claim a right to prevent you from copying, distributing, performing, -displaying or creating derivative works based on the work as long as -all references to Project Gutenberg are removed. Of course, we hope -that you will support the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting -free access to electronic works by freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm -works in compliance with the terms of this agreement for keeping the -Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with the work. You can easily -comply with the terms of this agreement by keeping this work in the -same format with its attached full Project Gutenberg-tm License when -you share it without charge with others. - -1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern -what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are -in a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, -check the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this -agreement before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, -distributing or creating derivative works based on this work or any -other Project Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no -representations concerning the copyright status of any work in any -country outside the United States. - -1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: - -1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other -immediate access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear -prominently whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work -on which the phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the -phrase "Project Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, -performed, viewed, copied or distributed: - - This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and - most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no - restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it - under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this - eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the - United States, you'll have to check the laws of the country where you - are located before using this ebook. - -1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is -derived from texts not protected by U.S. copyright law (does not -contain a notice indicating that it is posted with permission of the -copyright holder), the work can be copied and distributed to anyone in -the United States without paying any fees or charges. If you are -redistributing or providing access to a work with the phrase "Project -Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the work, you must comply -either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 or -obtain permission for the use of the work and the Project Gutenberg-tm -trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. - -1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted -with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution -must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any -additional terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms -will be linked to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works -posted with the permission of the copyright holder found at the -beginning of this work. - -1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm -License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this -work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. - -1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this -electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without -prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with -active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project -Gutenberg-tm License. - -1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, -compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including -any word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access -to or distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format -other than "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official -version posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site -(www.gutenberg.org), you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense -to the user, provide a copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means -of obtaining a copy upon request, of the work in its original "Plain -Vanilla ASCII" or other form. Any alternate format must include the -full Project Gutenberg-tm License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. - -1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, -performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works -unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. - -1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing -access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works -provided that - -* You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from - the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method - you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is owed - to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he has - agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the Project - Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments must be paid - within 60 days following each date on which you prepare (or are - legally required to prepare) your periodic tax returns. Royalty - payments should be clearly marked as such and sent to the Project - Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the address specified in - Section 4, "Information about donations to the Project Gutenberg - Literary Archive Foundation." - -* You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies - you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he - does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm - License. You must require such a user to return or destroy all - copies of the works possessed in a physical medium and discontinue - all use of and all access to other copies of Project Gutenberg-tm - works. - -* You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of - any money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the - electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days of - receipt of the work. - -* You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free - distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. - -1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic work or group of works on different terms than -are set forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing -from both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and The -Project Gutenberg Trademark LLC, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm -trademark. Contact the Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. - -1.F. - -1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable -effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread -works not protected by U.S. copyright law in creating the Project -Gutenberg-tm collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm -electronic works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may -contain "Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate -or corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other -intellectual property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or -other medium, a computer virus, or computer codes that damage or -cannot be read by your equipment. - -1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right -of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project -Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project -Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all -liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal -fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT -LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE -PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH 1.F.3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE -TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE -LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR -INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH -DAMAGE. - -1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a -defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can -receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a -written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you -received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium -with your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you -with the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in -lieu of a refund. If you received the work electronically, the person -or entity providing it to you may choose to give you a second -opportunity to receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If -the second copy is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing -without further opportunities to fix the problem. - -1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth -in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS', WITH NO -OTHER WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT -LIMITED TO WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. - -1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied -warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of -damages. If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement -violates the law of the state applicable to this agreement, the -agreement shall be interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or -limitation permitted by the applicable state law. The invalidity or -unenforceability of any provision of this agreement shall not void the -remaining provisions. - -1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the -trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone -providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in -accordance with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the -production, promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm -electronic works, harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, -including legal fees, that arise directly or indirectly from any of -the following which you do or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this -or any Project Gutenberg-tm work, (b) alteration, modification, or -additions or deletions to any Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any -Defect you cause. - -Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm - -Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of -electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of -computers including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It -exists because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations -from people in all walks of life. - -Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the -assistance they need are critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's -goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will -remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project -Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure -and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future -generations. To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary -Archive Foundation and how your efforts and donations can help, see -Sections 3 and 4 and the Foundation information page at -www.gutenberg.org - - - -Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation - -The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit -501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the -state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal -Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification -number is 64-6221541. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg Literary -Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent permitted by -U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. - -The Foundation's principal office is in Fairbanks, Alaska, with the -mailing address: PO Box 750175, Fairbanks, AK 99775, but its -volunteers and employees are scattered throughout numerous -locations. Its business office is located at 809 North 1500 West, Salt -Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887. Email contact links and up to -date contact information can be found at the Foundation's web site and -official page at www.gutenberg.org/contact - -For additional contact information: - - Dr. Gregory B. Newby - Chief Executive and Director - gbnewby@pglaf.org - -Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg -Literary Archive Foundation - -Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide -spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of -increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be -freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest -array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations -($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt -status with the IRS. - -The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating -charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United -States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a -considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up -with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations -where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To SEND -DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any particular -state visit www.gutenberg.org/donate - -While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we -have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition -against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who -approach us with offers to donate. - -International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make -any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from -outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. - -Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation -methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other -ways including checks, online payments and credit card donations. To -donate, please visit: www.gutenberg.org/donate - -Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works. - -Professor Michael S. Hart was the originator of the Project -Gutenberg-tm concept of a library of electronic works that could be -freely shared with anyone. For forty years, he produced and -distributed Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of -volunteer support. - -Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed -editions, all of which are confirmed as not protected by copyright in -the U.S. unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not -necessarily keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper -edition. - -Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search -facility: www.gutenberg.org - -This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, -including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary -Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to -subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. - |