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future was hidden； and all that was certain was that the past had
gone forever； and that his eyes would rest no more upon the
snapdragons of Trinity。
The Oxford Movement was now ended。 The University breathed such a
sigh of relief as usually follows the difficult expulsion of a
hard piece of matter from a living organism； and actually began
to attend to education。 As for the Church of England； she had
tasted blood； and it was clear that she would never again be
content with a vegetable diet。 Her clergy； however； maintained
their reputation for judicious compromise； for they followed
Newman up to the very point beyond which his conclusions were
logical； and； while they intoned； confessed； swung incense； and
burned candles with the exhilaration of converts； they yet
managed to do so with a subtle nuance which showed that they had
nothing to do with Rome。 Various individuals underwent more
violent changes。 Several had preceded Newman into the Roman fold；
among others an unhappy Mr。 Sibthorpe； who subsequently changed
his mind； and returned to the Church of his fathers； and then
perhaps it was only natural changed his mind again。 Many more
followed Newman； and Dr。 Wiseman was particularly pleased by the
conversion of a Mr。 Morris； who； as he said； was 'the author of
the essay； which won the prize on the best method of proving
Christianity to the Hindus'。 Hurrell Froude had died before
Newman had read the fatal article on St。 Augustine； but his
brother； James Anthony； together with Arthur Clough； the poet；
went through an experience which was more distressing in those
days than it has since become； they lost their faith。 With this
difference； however； that while in Froude's case the loss of his
faith turned out to be rather like the loss of a heavy
portmanteau； which one afterwards discovers to have been full of
old rags and brickbats； Clough was made so uneasy by the loss of
his that he went on looking for it everywhere as long as he
lived； but somehow he never could find it。 On the other hand；
Keble and Pusey continued for the rest of their lives to dance in
an exemplary manner upon the tight…rope of High Anglicanism； in
such an exemplary manner； indeed； that the tightrope has its
dancers still。
IV
MANNING was now thirty…eight； and it was clear that he was the
rising man in the Church of England。 He had many powerful
connections： he was the brother…in…law of Samuel Wilberforce； who
had been lately made a bishop； he was a close friend of Mr。
Gladstone； who was a Cabinet Minister； and he was becoming well
known in the influential circles of society in London。 His talent
for affairs was recognised not only in the Church； but in the
world at large； and he busied himself with matters of such varied
scope as National Education； the administration of the Poor Law；
and the Employment of Women。 Mr。 Gladstone kept up an intimate
correspondence with him on these and on other subjects； mingling
in his letters the details of practical statesmanship with the
speculations of a religious thinker。 'Sir James Graham；' he
wrote； in a discussion of the bastardy clauses of the Poor Law；
'is much pleased with the tone of your two communications。 He is
disposed； without putting an end to the application of the
workhouse test against the mother； to make the remedy against the
putative father 〃real and effective〃 for expenses incurred in the
workhouse。 I am not enough acquainted to know whether it would be
advisable to go further。 You have not proposed it； and I am
disposed to believe that only with a revived and improved
discipline in the Church can we hope for any generally effective
check upon lawless lust。' 'I agree with you EMINENTLY；' he
writes； in a later letter； 'in your doctrine of FILTRATION。 But
it sometimes occurs to me； though the question may seem a strange
one； how far was the Reformation； but especially the Continental
Reformation； designed by God； in the region of final causes； for
that purification of the Roman Church which it has actually
realised？'
In his archdeaconry； Manning lived to the full the active life of
a country clergyman。 His slim； athletic figure was seen
everywhere in the streets of Chichester； or on the lawns of the
neighbouring rectories； or galloping over the downs in breeches
and gaiters； or cutting brilliant figures on the ice。 He was an
excellent judge of horse…flesh； and the pair of greys which drew
his hooded phaeton so swiftly through the lanes were the
admiration of the county。 His features were already beginning to
assume their ascetic cast； but the spirit of youth had not yet
fled from them； so that he seemed to combine the attractions of
dignity and grace。 He was a good talker； a sympathetic listener；
a man who understood the difficult art of preserving all the
vigour of a manly character and yet never giving offence。 No
wonder that his sermons drew crowds； no wonder that his spiritual
advice was sought for eagerly by an ever…growing group of
penitents； no wonder that men would say； when his name was
mentioned； 'Oh； Manning！ No power on earth can keep HIM from a
bishopric！'
Such was the fair outward seeming of the Archdeacon's life； but；
the inward reality was different。 The more active； the more
fortunate； the more full of happy promise his existence became；
the more persistently was his secret imagination haunted by a
dreadful visionthe lake that burneth forever with brimstone and
fire。 The temptations of the Evil One are many； Manning knew； and
he knew also that； for him at least； the most subtle and terrible
of all temptations was the temptation of worldly success。 He
tried to reassure himself； but it was in vain。 He committed his
thoughts to a diary； weighing scrupulously his every motive；
examining with relentless searchings into the depths of his
heart。 Perhaps； after all； his longings for preferment were
merely legitimatehopes for 'an elevation into a sphere of higher
usefulness'。 But no。 there was something more than that。 'I do
feel pleasure；' he noted； 'in honour； precedence； elevation； the
society of great people； and all this is very shameful and mean。'
After Newman's conversion； he almost convinced himself that his
'visions of an ecclesiastical future' were justified by the role
that he would play as a 'healer of the breach in the Church of
England'。 Mr。 Gladstone agreed with him； but there was One higher
than Mr。 Gladstone； and did He agree？ 'I am pierced by anxious
thoughts。 God knows what my desires have been and are； and why
they are crossed。 。。。 I am flattering myself with a fancy about
depth and reality。 。。。 The great question is： Is God enough for
you now？ And if you are as now even to the end of life； will it
suffice you？ 。。。 Certainly I would rather choose to be stayed on
God； than to be in the thrones of the world and the Church。
Nothing else will go into Eternity。'
In a moment of ambition； he had applied for the Readership of