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faulty； Latin was not spoken at Rome； his writings had only
appeared in garbled translations。 And even Englishmen had
sometimes found his arguments difficult to follow。 He therefore
determined to take the utmost care to make his views quite clear；
his opinions upon religious probability； his distinction between
demonstrative and circumstantial evidence； his theory of the
development of doctrine and the aspects of ideasthese and many
other matters； upon which he had written so much； he would now
explain in the simplest language。 He would show that there was
nothing dangerous in what he held； that there was a passage in De
Lugo which supported him that Perrone； by maintaining that the
Immaculate Conception could be defined； had implicitly admitted
one of his main positions； and that his language about Faith had
been confused； quite erroneously； with the fideism of M。 Bautain。
Cardinal Barnabo； Cardinal Reisach； Cardinal Antonelli； looked at
him with their shrewd eyes and hard faces； while he poured into
their ears which； as he had already noticed with distress； were
large and not too cleanhis careful disquisitions； but； it was
all in vain they had clearly never read De Lugo or Perrone； and
as for M。 Bautain； they had never heard of him。 Newman； in
despair；
fell back upon St。 Thomas Aquinas； but； to his horror； he
observed
that St。 Thomas himself did not mean very much to the Cardinals。
With a sinking heart； he realised at last the painful truth： it
was not the nature of his views； it was his having views at all；
that was objectionable。 He had hoped to devote the rest of his
life to the teaching of Theology； but what sort of Theology could
he teach which would be acceptable to such superiors？ He left
Rome； and settled down in Birmingham as the head of a small
community of Oratorians。 He did not complain； it was God's will；
it was better so。 He would watch and pray。
But God's will was not quite so simple as that。 Was it right；
after all； that a man with Newman's intellectual gifts； his
devoted ardour； his personal celebrity； should sink away out of
sight and use in the dim recesses of the Oratory at Birmingham？
If the call were to come to him to take his talent out of the
napkin； how could he refuse？ And the call did come。 A Catholic
University was being started in Ireland and Dr。 Cullen； the
Archbishop of Armagh； begged Newman to become the Rector。 At
first he hesitated； but when he learned that it was the Holy
Father's wish that he should take up the work； he could doubt no
longer； the offer was sent from Heaven。 The difficulties before
him were very great； not only had a new University to be called
up out of the void； but the position was complicated by the
presence of a rival institutionthe undenominational Queen's
Colleges； founded by Peel a few years earlier with the object of
giving Irish Catholics facilities for University education on the
same terms as their fellow…countrymen。 Yet Newman had the highest
hopes。 He dreamt of something greater than a merely Irish
Universityof a noble and flourishing centre of learning for the
Catholics of Ireland and England alike。 And why should not his
dream come true？ 'In the midst of our difficulties； he said； 'I
have one ground of hope； just one stay； but； as I think； a
sufficient one； which serves me in the stead of all other
argument whatever。 It is the decision of the Holy See； St。 Peter
has spoken。'
The years that followed showed to what extent it was safe to
depend upon St。 Peter。 Unforeseen obstacles cropped up on every
side。 Newman's energies were untiring； but so was the inertia of
the Irish authorities。 On his appointment； he wrote to Dr。 Cullen
asking that arrangements might be made for his reception in
Dublin。 Dr。 Cullen did not reply。 Newman wrote again； but still
there was no answer。 Weeks passed； months passed； years passed；
and not a word； not a sign； came from Dr。 Cullen。 At last； after
dangling for more than two years in the uncertainties and
perplexities of so strange a situation； Newman was summoned to
Dublin。 There he found nothing but disorder and discouragement。
The laity took no interest in the scheme； the clergy actively
disliked it； Newman's authority was disregarded。 He appealed to
Cardinal Wiseman； and then at last a ray of hope dawned。 The
cardinal suggested that a bishopric should be conferred upon him；
to give him a status suitable to his position； Dr。 Cullen
acquiesced； and Pius IX was all compliance。 'Manderemo a Newman
la crocetta；' he said to Wiseman； smilingly drawing his hands
down each side of his neck to his breast； 'lo faremo vescovo di
Porfirio； o qualche luogo。' The news spread among Newman's
friends； and congratulations began to come in。 But the official
intimation seemed to be unaccountably delayed； no crocetta came
from Rome； and Cardinal Wiseman never again referred to the
matter。 Newman was left to gather that the secret representations
of Dr。 Cullen had brought about a change of counsel in high
quarters。 His pride did not allow him to inquire further； but one
of his lady penitents； Miss Giberne； was less discreet。 'Holy
Father；' she suddenly said to the Pope in an audience one day；
'why don't you make Father Newman a bishop？' Upon which the Holy
Father looked much confused and took a great deal of snuff。
For the next five years Newman； unaided and ignored； struggled
desperately； like a man in a bog； with the overmastering
difficulties of his task。 His mind； whose native haunt was among
the far aerial boundaries of fancy and philosophy； was now
clamped down under the fetters of petty detail and fed upon the
mean diet of compromise and routine。 He had to force himself to
scrape together money； to write articles for the students'
Gazette； to make plans for medical laboratories； to be
ingratiating with the City Council； he was obliged to spend
months travelling through the remote regions of Ireland in the
company of extraordinary ecclesiastics and barbarous squireens。
He was a thoroughbred harnessed to a four…wheeled caband he
knew it。 Eventually； he realised something else： he saw that the
whole project of a Catholic University had been evolved as a
political and ecclesiastical weapon against the Queen's Colleges
of Peel； and that was all。 As an instrument of education。 it was
simply laughed at； and he himself had been called in because his
name would be a valuable asset in a party game。 When he
understood that； he resigned his rectorship and returned to the
Oratory。
But； his tribulations were not yet over。 It seemed to be God's
will that he should take part in a whole succession of schemes；
which； no less than the project of the Irish University； were to
end in disillusionment and failure。 He was persuaded by Cardinal
Wiseman to undertake the editorship of a new English version of
the Scriptures； which was to be a monument of Catholic
scholarship and an everlasting glory to Mother Church。 He