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melancholy indeed if the cup were now to be once more dashed from
his lips and he was obliged to refuse the signal honour。 In his
perplexity he went to the Bishop of Birmingham and explained the
whole situation。 The Bishop assured him that all would be well；
that he himself would communicate with the authorities； and put
the facts of the case before them。 Accordingly； while Newman
wrote formally refusing the Hat； on the ground of his
unwillingness to leave the Oratory； the Bishop wrote two letters
to Manning； one official and one private； in which the following
passages occurred：
'Dr。 Newman has far too humble and delicate a mind to dream of
thinking or saying anything which would look like hinting at any
kind of terms with the Sovereign Pontiff。 。。。 I think； however；
that I ought to express my own sense of what Dr。 Newman's
dispositions are； and that it will be expected of me。。。 I am
thoroughly confident that nothing stands in the way of his most
grateful acceptance； except what he tells me greatly distresses
him namely； the having to leave the Oratory at a critical
period
of its existence； and the impossibility of his beginning a new
life at his advanced age。'
And in his private letter the Bishop said： 'Dr。 Newman is very
much aged； and softened with age and the trials he has had；
especially the loss of his two brethren； St。 John and Caswall； he
can never refer to these losses without weeping and becoming
speechless for a time。 He is very much affected by the Pope's
kindness and would； I know； like to receive the great honour
offered
him； but feels the whole difficulty at his age of changing his
life or having to leave the Oratory which I am sure he could
not do。 If the Holy Father thinks well to confer on him the
dignity； leaving him where he is； I know how immensely he would
be gratified； and you will know how generally the conferring on
him the Cardinalate will be applauded。'
These two letters； together with Newman's refusal； reached
Manning as he was on the point of starting for Rome。 After he had
left England； the following statement appeared in 〃The Times〃：
'Pope Leo XIII has intimated his desire to raise Dr。 Newman to
the
rank of Cardinal； but with expressions of deep respect for the
Holy See； Dr。 Newman has excused himself from accepting the
Purple。'
When Newman's eyes fell upon the announcement； he realised at
once that a secret and powerful force was working against him。 He
trembled； as he had so often trembled before； and certainly the
danger was not imaginary。 In the ordinary course of things； how
could such a paragraph have been inserted without his authority？
And consequently； did it not convey to the world； not only an
absolute refusal which he had never intended； but a wish on his
part to emphasise publicly his rejection of the proffered honour？
Did it not imply that he had lightly declined a proposal for
which in reality he was deeply thankful？ And when the fatal
paragraph was read in Rome； might it not actually lead to the
offer of the Cardinalate being finally withheld？
In great agitation； Newman appealed to the Duke of Norfolk。 'As
to the statement；' he wrote； 'of my refusing a Cardinal's Hat；
which is in the papers； you must not believe it； for this reason：
'Of course； it implies that an offer has been made me； and I have
sent an answer to it。 Now I have ever understood that it is a
point of propriety and honour to consider such communications
sacred。 This statement； therefore； cannot come from me。 Nor could
it come from Rome； for it was made public before my answer got to
Rome。
'It could only come； then； from someone who not only read my
letter； but； instead of leaving to the Pope to interpret it； took
upon himself to put an interpretation upon it； and published that
interpretation to the world。
'A private letter； addressed to Roman Authorities； is interpreted
on its way and published in the English papers。 How is it
possible that anyone can have done this？'
The crushing indictment pointed straight at Manning。 And it was
true。 Manning had done the impossible deed。 Knowing what he did；
with the Bishop of Birmingham's two letters in his pocket； he had
put it about that Newman had refused the Hat。 But a change had
come over the spirit of the Holy See。 Things were not as they had
once been： Monsignor Talbot was at Passy； and Pio Nono was
where？ The Duke of Norfolk intervened once again； Manning was
profuse in his apologies for having misunderstood Newman's
intentions； and hurried to the Pope to rectify the error。 Without
hesitation； the Sovereign Pontiff relaxed the rule of Roman
residence； and Newman became a Cardinal。
He lived to enjoy his glory for more than ten years。 Since he
rarely left the Oratory； and since Manning never visited
Birmingham； the two Cardinals met only once or twice。 After one
of these occasions； on returning to the Oratory； Cardinal Newman
said； 'What do you think Cardinal Manning did to me？ He kissed
me！'
On Newman's death； Manning delivered a funeral oration； which
opened thus：
'We have lost our greatest witness for the Faith； and we are all
poorer and lower by the loss。
'When these tidings came to me； my first thought was this； in
what way can I； once more； show my love and veneration for my
brother and friend of more than sixty years？'
In private； however； the surviving Cardinal's tone was apt to be
more。。。 direct。 'Poor Newman！' he once exclaimed in a moment of
genial expansion。 'Poor Newman！ He was a great hater！'
X
IN that gaunt and gloomy building more like a barracks than an
Episcopal palace Archbishop's House； Westminster； Manning's
existence stretched itself out into an extreme old age。 As his
years increased； his activities； if that were possible； increased
too。 Meetings； missions； lectures； sermons； articles； interviews；
letters such things came upon him in redoubled multitudes； and
were dispatched with an unrelenting zeal。 But this was not all；
with age； he seemed to acquire what was almost a new fervour； an
unaccustomed； unexpected； freeing of the spirit； filling him with
preoccupations which he had hardly felt before。 'They say I am
ambitious；' he noted in his Diary； 'but do I rest in my
ambition？'
No； assuredly he did not rest； but he worked now with no arriere
pensee for the greater glory of God。 A kind of frenzy fell upon
him。
Poverty； drunkenness； vice； all the horrors and terrors of our
civilisation
seized upon his mind； and urged him forward to new fields of
action and
new fields of thought。 The temper of his soul assumed almost a
revolutionary
cast。 'I am a Mosaic Radical；' he exclaimed； and； indeed； in the
exaltation
of his energies； the incoherence of his conceptions； the
democratic
urgency of his desires； combined with his awe…inspiring aspect
and his venerable age； it was easy enough to trace the mingled
qualities of the