The Correspondence of Lord Acton and Richard Simpson: Volume 1

THE CORRESPONDENCE OF LORD ACTON AND RICHARD SIMPSON VOLUME I

THE

CORRESPONDENCE OF LORD ACTON AND

RICHARD SIMPSON VOLUME I EDITED BY

JOSEF L. ALTHOLZ AND

DAMIAN McELRATH

saw CAMBRIDGE AT THE UNIVERSITY PRESS 1971

CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY PRESS Cambridge, New York, Melbourne, Madrid, Cape Town, Singapore, Sao Paulo, Delhi Cambridge University Press The Edinburgh Building, Cambridge CB2 8RU, UK Published in the United States of America by Cambridge University Press, New York www.cambridge.org Information on this title: www.cambridge.org/9780521078191 © Professor J. L. Altholz and Father D. McElrath 1971 This publication is in copyright. Subject to statutory exception and to the provisions of relevant collective licensing agreements, no reproduction of any part may take place without the written permission of Cambridge University Press. First published 1971 This digitally printed version 2008 A catalogue record for this publication is available from the British Library Library of Congress Catalogue Card Number: 75-112466 ISBN 978-0-521-07819-1 hardback ISBN 978-0-521-08355-3 paperback

CONTENTS INTRODUCTION

THE CORRESPONDENCE, Letters 1-200 INDEX

page ix

3 221

INTRODUCTION

INTRODUCTION The Acton-Simpson correspondence possesses an interest which is both historical and biographical. Sir John (later Lord) Acton and Richard Simpson were the leading figures in the Liberal Catholic movement in England, a remarkable attempt to bridge the gap between the Roman Catholic Church and the secular principles of the nineteenth century. Their correspondence is the principal source for the history of this movement as well as a basic source for the biographies of these two men, each of whom was, in his way, an important figure in the religious and intellectual history of the age. Acton (1834-1902), cosmopolitan in family and education, a born Catholic and a German-trained historian, was perhaps the most erudite man of his century, the ' magistrate of history' and a minor prophet of political theory. The lesser-known Simpson (1820-76), educated at Oxford, Anglican minister and Roman Catholic convert, was a congenial person with a reservoir of literary talent. In February 1858, these two men joined in a common literary endeavour, the Rambler, whose editorship Simpson had just assumed. The story of the Liberal Catholic movement in England is largely the story of their partnership in this magazine and its successor, the Home and Foreign Review, until the demise of the latter in 1864. Beginning in enthusiasm, ending in defeat and disillusion, the story told by this correspondence epitomizes the history not merely of Liberal Catholicism but of many of the religious and intellectual movements of the nineteenth century. It has often been reserved for the twentieth century to revive interest in these great hopes and brilliant failures of the past. The narrative history of The Liberal Catholic Movement in England has been treated in a monograph by one of the present editors in 1962.1 The publication of the Acton-Simpson correspondence will provide documents to illustrate this narrative, which provides an adequate introduction to the subject. At the same time, the letters tell a story broader than that of a monograph, touching upon a variety of aspects of the intellectual, religious and political history of the period, and bringing to life the personalities of two fascinating men at the period of their most intense and exciting activity. 1

Josef L. Altholz, The Liberal Catholic Movement in England: The i Rambler' and its Contributors 1848-1864 (London, 1962). IX

' The life of Acton, both in its connection with the history of English historiography and in its relevance to contemporary political, ecclesiastical and intellectual controversies, has a significance more than merely biographical.'1 Interest in Acton since his death over sixty years ago maintains itself for a number of reasons, not the least of which are those poignantly perceptive phrases in which he clothed his significant insights into history. His vast erudition, wide range of intellectual interests and cosmopolitan correspondence have attracted much attention from scholars in many countries. Nonetheless he has remained somewhat of an enigmatic figure, whose scattered publications only imperfectly reflect his abilities and importance. In Acton converged two illustrious family lines. His father, Sir Ferdinand Richard Acton, was heir to the Acton title and estate at Aldenham. His mother was Marie Louise Pelline, daughter of the Due de Dalberg, and through her Acton inherited a connection with the old German nobility and an estate at Herrnsheim, near Worms. John Emmerich Edward Dalberg Acton was born in Naples on 10 January 1834. His father died three years later. His mother returned with her young son to Aldenham and in 1840 married Lord Leveson, who later became the second Earl Granville, a leading Liberal statesman. Acton's education, cosmopolitan and somewhat ecclesiastical in character, is extremely interesting.2 After initial studies at St Nicholas du Chardonnet (1842), where Felix Dupanloup was supervisor of the school, at Oscott (1843-8), where Nicholas (later Cardinal) Wiseman was in charge, and privately in Edinburgh, Acton went in 1850 to Munich where he studied under Ignaz von Dollinger. These Munich years were critical in determining Acton's cast of mind. The cast of Dollinger's mind was primarily historical. He impressed upon the young Acton the concepts of theology as a positive science and ecclesiastical history as the queen of the theological disciplines. History reveals truth and error, the scandals and the fallibility of churchmen. It is from error or the contact with error that development occurs. Living with Dollinger, meeting his scholarly friends, making frequent trips with him throughout Europe—all served to provide Acton with that superb education of which few could boast at the age of twenty-four. Acton wished to share his knowledge and his doctrines with his co-religionists upon his return to England and joined with Simpson in the Rambler in order to have a platform for that purpose. 1

2

A[elred] Watkin and Herbert Butterfield, 'Gasquet and the Acton-Simpson Correspondence', Cambridge Historical Journal, x (1950), 82. (Hereafter referred to as 'Watkin and Butterfield'.) Acton's education is the subject of a doctoral dissertation by James Holland of the Catholic University of America, based upon letters and notes of Acton from this period which have recently come to light.

The effect of Acton's joining the staff of the Rambler was to stamp this hitherto erratic organ of independent lay Catholic thought with the more definite character of the Liberal Catholic movement in its German form. As Dollinger's pupil, Acton had imbibed not only his love for history but his passionate devotion to the unhampered pursuit of truth. This had become the distinguishing trait of German Liberal Catholicism. The French Liberal Catholics, from Lamennais to Montalembert, had been concerned with political questions—the reconciliation of the Church to the modern liberal state; the Italians were absorbed in the national question—the reconciliation of the Papacy to the loss of its temporal power and the unification of Italy; but the Germans were devoted to the great intellectual question of the day—the reconciliation of theology to modern scientific (wissenschaftlich) thought. The Munich school, of which Dollinger was the most famous member, sought to replace the scholasticspeculative method of Roman theology with a positive and historical orientation. Above all, they insisted on freedom in conducting their inquiries, and thus they came into frequent conflict with the Roman Congregations which attempted to control their activities. Acton, linking the Munich school to the lay converts of the Rambler, sought to elevate the intellectual standards of the English Catholics to the level of German scientific objectivity. While he could become discouraged in his attempt to raise his Catholic compatriots from the intellectual morass in which he believed them mired, he remained devoted to the pursuit of truth to which all sensitivity and fear of scandal had to give way. We will subsequently examine these years between 1858 and 1864 in greater detail. After the termination of the Home and Foreign Review Acton began a decade in his life that encompassed activities which are among the most fascinating in his entire career. During this time he undertook his 'archival tour', wrote for the Chronicle and the North British Review, stood unsuccessfully for Parliament, became involved in the affairs and direction of the minority group at the first Vatican Council and uttered his final public protest against Ultramontanism in his letters to The Times in 1874. In later years Acton wrote a remarkable essay on his study of archives which has never been published. In it he describes with poignancy and wit the men and places with which he came into contact during the years 1864-8. Whatever the loss for posterity the discontinuation of the Home and Foreign had been, it was not an unmixed sorrow, for it rescued Acton from his exacting editorial chores and permitted him to make the ' archival tour' which he later recalled so vividly. Of the importance of this work he wrote: To renounce the pains and penalties of exhaustive research is to remain a victim to ill-informed and designing writers, and to authorities that xi

have worked for ages to build up the vast tradition of conventional mendacity. By going from book to manuscript and from library to archives, we exchange doubt for certainty, and become our own masters. We explore a new heaven and a new earth, and at each step forward, the world moves with us.1 These were important and formative years for the still young and impressionable Acton. His immense archival efforts helped to broaden his historical vision. He became more than ever conscious of the necessity of such rock-hewing to provide his history with validity and absolute scientific character. But he was over-extending himself as he conceived half a dozen projects upon which he sought to embark as a result of his studies. During these years Acton matured his peculiar theory of mendacity, which became evident at the time of Vatican I and dominant in the years immediately after. It is a remarkable coincidence that Acton embarked upon his archival tour, which eventuated in his horror and despair at the 'conventional mendacity' in which too many Catholics appeared to indulge, in the very year that Newman was defending himself in his Apologia from the charge of lying hurled by Charles Kingsley. A decade later, Newman and Acton ceased to correspond.2 Acton had written to him on a closely related question: ' It is the presumption in favour of papal acts, the tenderness for papal examples, that is the difficulty for Catholicism. I sometimes ask myself whether there is not here a point of fundamental difference which makes my efforts vain to understand the position of other Catholics.'3 Another disadvantage (which in the case of most historians would have been an advantage) of Acton's labours during these years was an excessive scrupulosity. Acton could never be certain whether he had ferreted out the ultimate archive or exhausted the final scrap or letter—an omission which would surely leave him also open to the charge of mendacity. This prevented him from writing anything of great value or great length. Acton was like someone who in a dream walked down a corridor opening door upon door without ever reaching the last door. With how many archives will a man's life-span permit familiarity? Meanwhile Acton and Simpson participated in various degrees in the Chronicle (1867-8) and the North British Review (1869-71), short-lived ventures which, after an interval, succeeded the Home and Foreign. The 1 2

3

From an unpublished essay by Lord Acton, in the possession of Douglas Woodruff (Woodruff Archives). See Altholz, 'Newman and History', Victorian Studies, vn (March 1964), 312-24. Newman's correspondence with both Acton and Simpson will be published in the appropriate volumes of The Letters and Diaries of John Henry Newman, eds. C. Stephen Dessain et al. Copies of the full correspondence are at the Birmingham Oratory. Acton to Newman, 9 December 1874, in Hugh A. MacDougall, The Acton-Newman Relations: The Dilemma of Christian Liberalism (New York, 1962), p. 136.

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large volume of correspondence between Acton and T. F. Wetherell, most of which has only recently been uncovered, treats this journalistic period of Acton's career in great detail. While politics, archival work and contributions to the Chronicle were occupying Acton, preparations were being made in Rome for an ecumenical council which was to meet in 1869. The issue of Infallibility was not mentioned in the decree as one of the reasons for which the Council was being convened. Nonetheless, from the beginning it was gingerly suggested in Ultramontane quarters as a most opportune and fitting concern for the Council's agenda, or simply for its unanimous proclamation. These sentiments appeared to have culminated in an article in the Civiltd Cattolica in which it was stated that the Catholics properly so called (as distinguished from the liberal Catholics) looked forward to the definition of the Syllabus of Errors and to the acclamation of Papal Infallibility. The article evoked a tremendous cry of indignation on the part of both liberals and moderates. Acton was determined to forestall the definition and his direct involvement in the struggle assumed the character and proportions of an international crusade. His home at Herrnsheim became the meeting place of bishops who were to become leading members of the minority group at the Vatican Council. Dupanloup, Bishop of Orleans, met Dollinger there on the fourth and fifth of September, 1869. Bishop Hefele of Rottenburg, and Ketteler, Bishop of Mainz, also made their appearance. These three represented roughly the three directions of the minority bishops. Acton described them in the following passage: 'Ketteler appears resolute on the right side, but on grounds of expediency, not like Hefele, of doctrine. Dupanloup looks forward to the question of opportunity as his vantage ground. They expect to get off on a quibble like a condemned criminal.'1 From the first Acton looked askance at the lack of tenacity, cohesion and perseverance of the minority bishops. The Fulda pastoral of the German hierarchy declared their resolution as to the inopportuneness of a definition of Infallibility. Acton had certain reservations: ' But you may bind these men with links of iron, and they will elude you.'2 The lack of episcopal resolution after so many words to the contrary stung Acton and partially explains the Acton tragedy. His daughter Annie wrote that the crisis of his career was to be discovered in the Council of 1870. At this great convocation of Catholic bishops from all parts of the world, Acton thought that he had found men who shared his views about the unhistorical nature of Infallibility. He became convinced for a short time that they would actively co-operate with him and make 1 2

Acton to Peter le Page Renouf, 18 September 1869. Pembroke College Archives, Oxford. Acton to Renouf, 25 September [1869]. Pembroke College Archives, Oxford.

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use of his historical knowledge to oppose the plans of the majority as a question not simply of tactics but of conscience. It was only slightly disappointing to discover that most of the minority bishops were not swayed by his convictions. It was, however, a bitter disappointment when he encountered the coldness and opposition of many of those ' who had been fighting in the breach with him' but had 'wavered, only to join the ranks of the triumphant majority'.1 Acton was torn between his loyalty to the Church, on the one hand, and his love for truth and the demands of his conscience, on the other. A partial attempt to resolve the ambivalence were made in his 1874 letters to The Times. It was not quite satisfactory, and from thence forward Acton resolved to live within the Church but according to his conscience. After this hectic decade Acton once again gave himself to historical endeavours and began work upon 'the greatest book never written', the History of Liberty. Two papers delivered at Bridgnorth were a start, and the work was uppermost in his mind until his intellectual forces were paralysed once again when it was thrust upon him that he stood alone in his view that the historian must be the moral judge of people and events. His exchange of letters and conversations with Dollinger bring out the divergence between the two men and reveal also Acton's philosophy of historical judgment. On the crucial point of historical morality Acton found himself unsupported even by his mentor: I troubled you with all this useless explanation because it is for me a very vital question. I find that I am alone. I do not see that this is decisive because I cannot obey any conscience but my own. But I not only cannot cite authorities on my side—I find that I have misunderstood the very teaching from which I start, and that my canons have become inconsistent with yours.2 The History of Liberty was laid to rest. In 1895 Acton was appointed Regius Professor of Modern History at Cambridge and a year later undertook the editorship of the Cambridge Modern History, one of the most ambitious projects of historical writing, which he did not live to see published. He died at Tegernsee on 19 June 1902. Richard Simpson was a diversely talented, delightfully attractive and genuinely Victorian figure to whom not nearly enough attention has been devoted. Interest in him is largely a by-product of the Acton revival and of the even greater outpouring of studies of Newman. Viewed usually in his peripheral relationships to better-known figures, rarely studied for his own sake, Simpson emerges as a disturbingly fascinating personality. His chance appearances in the backdrop of Victorian literature hardly do credit to the variety of roles he played in the Liberal Catholic movement. 1 2

Private notes of Anne Mary Catherine Georgiana Acton. Woodruff Archives. Acton to Dollinger, 16 June 1882. From a transcript in Woodruff Archives. xiv

Born in 1820, Simpson attended Merchant Taylors' School before matriculating at Oriel College during a critical period of the Oxford Movement. Metaphysics, which Newman was later to describe as his strength, was together with theology the subject which interested him most while at Oxford. Ordained an Anglican priest in 1844, he became vicar of the family living, the parish of Mitcham. Simpson's correspondence from 1843 reveals his interest in and leanings toward the High Church sentiment of Newman and Keble. His sermons and notebooks from this period demonstrate his conviction about the sacramental principle and specifically its manifestation in the Eucharist. The latter was central in bringing about his resignation from his parish, departure from the Church of England and entrance into the Roman Catholic Church, together with his wife, in 1846. Assured of a steady but modest income from the family inheritance, Simpson was unable during the next few years of his life to find an activity that could adequately occupy his interest. The loss of his ministry in the Anglican Church and his subsequent lack of qualification, due to marriage, to assume the same function in the Roman Church were a sore trial for Simpson and explain a great deal in his character and psychology. By nature and education he was fitted for the Christian ministry, and his theological training and reading demanded a form of expression which was eventually found in periodical writing. To occupy himself, during this period, he acted as a tutor, engaged in an occasional debate or lecture, made an annual trip to the Continent for research purposes, and did some translating. The adjustment for Simpson, as for most Oxford converts, was a difficult one. In 1850 Simpson embarked upon a literary career with a series of articles in the Rambler. Here began a close association and friendship with its editor, John Moore Capes, another convert, and an even closer relationship with the Rambler. The Rambler (1848-62), with its sequel the Home and Foreign Review (1862-4), was possibly the most outstanding English Catholic periodical in the nineteenth century; it was probably the most famous; it was certainly the most provocative. In keeping with his original design of the Rambler as an organ for lay converts, Capes sought to increase Simpson's role in its activities. Simpson was reluctant to do so during the editorship of James Spencer Northcote (1852-4), due to Northcote's repressive editorial habits regarding Simpson's essays. Upon Northcote's retirement Simpson did participate more fully both as a contributor and later as assistant editor, then as editor and finally as part-owner. In 1858 Acton joined the Rambler as a contributor and part-owner. Simpson's literary career divides itself into two parts. He revealed his literary versatility in the pages of the Rambler and the Home and Foreign xv

Review. He was equally at home writing on metaphysics and mathematics, history, art and architecture, Shakespeare, music and theology. He was a litterateur, humanist, humorist and occasional poet. In the pages of these reviews are to be found articles on a wide variety of subjects. After the termination of the Home and Foreign Review, Simpson's scholarly ability and depth were disclosed by his venture into the field of Shakespearian studies. The year 1864 is, then, a useful if somewhat artificial dividing stage. While the type of Rambler writing continued with contributions to the Chronicle and the North British Review, it was paralleled by Shakespearian studies for which he had prepared well by his previous intense study of Elizabethan and Jacobean England. In assessing Simpson's literary career from 1850 to 1864, it is necessary to recognize that he had a provocative pen, which goes far towards explaining the hostility he encountered during the course of his life. He spiced his writings with an impish flippancy to the despair of his friends and the chagrin of his opponents. Newman provided the classic description of this aspect of his style when he remarked that Simpson enjoyed flicking his whip at bishops, 'cutting them in tender places', throwing stones at sacred Congregations and discharging pea-shooters at Cardinals. The first article that Simpson sent to Montalembert's Correspondant evoked from the latter the caution: I still hope and trust you will be able to undertake this laborious and ungrateful (as we say) task—but to succeed in it, allow me to assure you that you must absolument attenuer votre langage et moderer l'expression de vos jugements. M. de Maistre says somewhere in his lately-published Correspondence: 'J'ai toujours observe qu'on peut tout dire: la maniere fait tout.' I am myself no great proficient in this maniere, but I very well feel the great advantage of it in others.1 Newman was not in agreement with this critique.2 It was not only Simpson's style which caused pain, but the actual contents. Newman did not believe that Simpson should be allowed to write on everything. Especially did the choice of theological subjects by this enfant terrible cause him to despair. Theological writing by a layman in a popular magazine was anathema to Newman. Simpson's penchant for theological themes was never overcome, and Acton's struggle to direct his friend to other subjects was no more successful until the final year of the Home and Foreign Review, when his attempt to distract Simpson with Shakespeare 1

2

Montalembert to Simpson, 10 May 1859, in Damian McElrath, 'Richard Simpson and Count de Montalembert, the Rambler and the CorrespondanV, Downside Review, LXXXIV, no. 275 (April 1966), 162-3. For the Simpson-Newman relationship see McElrath, ' Richard Simpson and John Henry Newman: the Rambler, Laymen and Theology', Catholic Historical Review, LII (January 1967), 509-33.

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worked to great effect. However, from 1862 until the end of the Review, Simpson became more and more disenchanted with the secondary role assigned to him. He objected, and rightly so, that there was hardly any subject which did not impinge upon theology. Simpson was in possession of a good deal of competent theological knowledge, but the Catholic world of the nineteenth century was not prepared to hear a layman in theological matters, no matter how competent he might be. That laymen ought not to write theology had been the unwritten law for some time. It derived from the subliminal principle that the terms 'lay' and 'theologian ' were incompatible. Simpson could reconcile himself neither to the law nor to the principle, being quite capable of holding his own in the theological arena. His inability to abide by the unwritten law goes far to explain the strong opposition with which his writings were received. In this area he was a man born out of due time. The relation between Acton and Simpson was more than just literary; it was one of friendship also. Simpson had great admiration for Acton's erudition, respect for his honesty and integrity, appreciation for his helpfulness, sympathy for his ideals and trials, and a willingness to help Acton whenever called upon, for example, in their literary endeavours, in Acton's campaign during the Bridgnorth election of 1868, and in the debate over Catholic allegiance in 1874. This close relationship may be seen in a letter sent by Simpson to his wife during one of his frequent trips to Aldenham: 'Acton and I spent yesterday afternoon, first in fishing, then in mud-larking, like babies in a brook—damming up first one stream, and opening another, he working with a rotten stick, and I with a stop horn wh. I picked up on the park. I think my visit will do me good.'1 But there was an element of pragmatism in Acton's relationship with Simpson. After Vatican I the two men appeared to draw farther apart, not from a divergence of views but more from difference of locale, and the correspondence between them lessened noticeably. A letter from T. F. Wetherell to Acton indicates that the relationship was almost at an end after the Gladstonian attack on Catholic allegiance.2 There is no mention of Acton in the remainder of Simpson's diary for 1875. Upon Simpson's death his wife apparently complained to Wetherell about Acton's lack of interest in her husband during the latter years of his life. Acton was responsible for impelling Simpson in the direction that his literary activity took during the second stage of his career. Acton was motivated, at least in part, by the desire to get Simpson away from 1 2

Simpson to his wife, 11 September 1862 (envelope). Mitcham Public Library, Simpson Collection. Wetherell to Acton, 17 December 1876. Woodruff Archives. xvii

b-2

theology and also by the need to have something in the Home and Foreign Review for the Shakespeare centenary of 1864. Simpson's Shakespearian contributions were quite in advance of his times. He endeavoured to correlate Shakespeare's dramas with a study in depth of the political, social and religious environment in which Shakespeare lived. F. J. Furnivall wrote: 'My conviction of the value of his papers on the Historical Plays, has deepened every time I read them, in order to lecture on these Plays. And I am certain that in them he has done enduring service to Shakespeare's memory.'1 Besides his relations with Furnivall as a friend, committee member and supporter of the New Shakespeare Society, Simpson was in correspondence with many of the outstanding Shakespearian scholars both at home and abroad; with James Spedding about the handwriting in the manuscript of Thomas More; with Clement Mansfield Ingleby over a mistaken allusion in the latter's Centurie of Prayse; and with Edwin Abbot with regard to the political allusions in Shakespeare's plays. These men represented the spirit of nineteenth-century Shakespearian scholarship, which substituted for the brilliant individual efforts of the previous century an equally brilliant but organized common scientific investigation of Shakespeare's drama, reflecting thereby the methods and aims of the contemporary historical school. Simpson's profound study of recusant history and of sixteenth-century England equipped him especially well to participate in such investigation. It had enabled him to produce the life of Edmund Campion, the scholarly competence of which still endures. His proposal of a scientific study of the political allusions in Shakespeare's dramas was well in advance of the work done by recent authors who have acknowledged the path-finding efforts of Simpson in this regard.2 Simpson was not enthusiastic about the next Liberal Catholic venture, the Chronicle, which lasted just a year. He did, however, contribute, especially serial articles on Shakespeare and other articles on contemporary events. He published the Shakespeare articles in book form in 1868, under the title The Sonnets of Shakespeare. This is the least satisfactory of his works, hampered as it is with a theory that was hardly adequate to explain the nature and arrangement of the sonnets. Simpson was more enthusiastic about the prospects of taking over the North British Review in 1869. He and Acton contributed significant sums of 1

2

Furnivall to Mrs Simpson, 19 April 1876, in McElrath, 'Richard Simpson on Shakespeare', Dublin Review, CCXL (Autumn, 1966), 274. This article describes the development of Simpson's ideas about Shakespeare's religious affiliation, including his suggestion that Shakespeare was a Catholic. See Lily B.Campbell, Shakespeare's 'Histories'. Mirrors of Elizabethan Policy (Berkeley, Cal., 1947), p. 5, and Irving Ribner, The English History Play in the Age of Shakespeare (Princeton, 1957), pp. 194-5.

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money to finance the new venture while Wetherell did the editing. Simpson also made a number of noteworthy literary contributions.1 At the time of the Vatican Council, there is much evidence of Simpson's displeasure with the Ultramontane position and the definition of Infallibility. His letter to The Times, in which he attacked the definition on the basis of the Papacy's historical position with regard to usury, was printed as a pamphlet.2 After the promulgation of the dogma he cut off his annual contribution to the parish mission at Mitcham, which depended largely on the support of himself and his brother William. He wrote to Dollinger of his sympathy for his cause and his displeasure with the Council. This attitude continued and revealed itself again sharply when Gladstone attacked the Vatican Decrees and Catholic Allegiance in November, 1874. Both Gladstone and Acton corresponded with Simpson at this time, the former regarding a point made against him about the Syllabus and marriage, and the latter especially when Manning demanded that Acton clarify his position as to acceptance or rejection of the Vatican Decrees. Simpson helped to draft Acton's letters in reply to Manning. During the last years of his life Simpson devoted his time to Shakespearian studies and social works. Recurrent bouts with stomach trouble harbingered the final struggle with the cancer to which he succumbed during a visit to Rome in April, 1876. The sentiments of Newman, expressed at an earlier date, were shared by many: ' I have a great opinion of his powers, and a great respect for his character, and a great personal liking for him.'3 It is time to say something about the nature and importance of the correspondence between Acton and Simpson. The chronological termini are 1858 and 1875. The correspondence is heaviest for the years from 1858 to 1864, the period of their collaboration on the Rambler and the Home and Foreign Review. It begins with Acton and Simpson becoming joint proprietors of the Rambler in February, 1858. A fruitful literary partnership was thus begun. A first crisis was encountered in March, 1859, when the hierarchy demanded that Simpson retire from the editorship of the Rambler. Newman, with a great deal of reluctance, undertook to edit the review, which he did for two numbers, May and July, before withdrawing at the request of his bishop, Ullathorne of Birmingham. The correspondence records in great detail the background of these events as well as the reaction and behaviour of the principals involved. 1 2 3

See The Wellesley Index to Victorian Periodicals, 1824-1900, ed. Walter E. Houghton (Toronto, 1966), I, 693-5. Papal Infallibility and Persecution—Papal Infallibility and Usury. By an English Catholic [Richard Simpson] (London, 1870). Newman to Acton, 13 January 1859, in Wilfrid Ward, The Life of John Henry Cardinal Newman (London, 1912), i, 485. xix

From September 1859, until May 1862, Acton was the editor, T. F. Wetherell sub-editor (except for brief periods when he dissociated himself from the magazine), and Simpson acted in a number of capacities, often-times doing the bulk of the work. The boldness, direction, spirit and thrust of the magazine remained the same. The antagonism of the hierarchy did not abate but, on the contrary, continued and increased. This was a factor contributing to the decision to change to a quarterly, and in July 1862, the Rambler became the Home and Foreign Review. The change did not prevent the impending condemnation initiated by Wiseman and imitated by most of the hierarchy. The correspondence provides a vivid description of this controversy. What the episcopal intervention did not succeed in accomplishing, a Papal Brief, Tuas Libenter, occasioned a little less than two years later. Acton believed and Simpson agreed that portions of the Brief, criticizing the Munich Congress over which Dollinger had presided in 1863, were inconsistent with a vital principle for which the review existed, the freedom to pursue truth unhampered by restrictions and rules from Roman Congregations. Acton and Simpson could neither reject the Pope's authority nor accept his doctrine; and so the review expired in April 1864. The correspondence between Acton and Simpson did not end in 1864. It provides occasional valuable insights into events in the lives of both men for the next decade. The letters also contain a description of the origin and the editing of the Chronicle and to some extent of the North British Review. The infighting in Acton's vain attempt to win the Bridgnorth election of 1868 is vividly described. Some indications of the English Liberal Catholic response to the opening of Vatican I can be obtained from the correspondence for the latter months of 1869. However, there are no letters during the year 1870, which is regrettable but understandable in view of Acton's tremendous activity at the Council. The background for Acton's final public response to the Council, his letters to The Times in 1874, is given in great detail. With this the correspondence ends. Intermingled with the chronological narrative are topics and themes that contribute to the importance of this correspondence. Dating from the great age of letter-writing—between the establishment of the penny post and the invention of the telephone—the letters give an intimate picture of the lives and thoughts of two significant Victorian intellectuals at the time of their most exciting activity. These documents illustrate the history of the Liberal Catholic movement in England and elsewhere; they shed light on that vast array of intellectual, religious and political personalities with whom Acton was acquainted; they display a range of xx

interests from the highest philosophy to the most petty (but not irrelevant) details of journalistic finances. The correspondence provides a running commentary on contemporary issues, people, reviews, writers and scholars, English and Continental, Catholic and non-Catholic, Liberal and Ultramontane. The letters clearly reveal Acton's immense erudition, his perceptive analysis of people and of the contemporary literary and scholarly world, and his passion for and mastery of history. Acton's comments were always incisive. There is hardly a topic suggested by Simpson for which Acton could not jot down relevant books or suggestions for directions that the essay might take. Acton's comments on the Roman question, the German problem, and other political matters are valuable both for their historical analysis and for the fact that they issue from the pen of a contemporary well-versed and comfortably at home in these matters. Of his short notices Simpson wrote:' You can come down upon your subjects from a greater elevation than the rest of us—we, when we want to criticize a book, are obliged to read up to it. It is quite another thing when your knowledge allows you to come down upon it at once.'1 From the beginning of their collaboration Acton and Simpson were unwilling to follow a Catholic party-line in politics or religion. The correspondence is full of details of the reaction, sometimes petty, sometimes warranted, engendered by their magazine's articles. There are glimpses of the Liberal Catholics' relations with the other segments of the Catholic press: Wiseman's Dublin Review, Henry Wilberforce's Weekly Register, John Edward Wallis' Tablet, Newman's Atlantis, and various publishing houses. Valuable are the insights into the low state of that Catholic intellectual life in England to whose improvement Acton devoted himself. The correspondence often introduces otherwise unknown figures and events and provides information which can be derived from no other source. Even the editorial trivia are valuable, since they provide insights into the running of a review, in both its literary and economic sides. The correspondence has led to the identification of individuals and attribution of articles which in turn has become a principal source for that immensely valuable reference work, the Wellesley Index to Victorian Periodicals.

Finally, throughout the correspondence there is a freedom of expression, a humour and a pathos, a description of personal sentiments, situations and reactions, which reflect the very human side of the figures involved. 1

Simpson to Acton, 30 June 1858.

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The history of the original documents is nearly as interesting as the story which they tell. As is usual with private correspondence, the letters written by each correspondent remained in the possession of the recipient and his heirs. Simpson's letters were misplaced or forgotten; Acton's, on the other hand, suffered from premature publication. Acton, particularly in his earlier years, was not careful about preserving correspondence.1 Many of Simpson's letters to him, especially those received when he was away from home, were simply lost. Most of the surviving letters were kept, after his death, at the family estate of Aldenham. After the main line of the family ceased to reside at Aldenham, a large part of the letters were removed by Douglas Woodruff, Acton's grandson-in-law and in his own right somewhat of an Acton scholar.2 Unknown to the family, however, many of the papers still remained in trunks and boxes in obscure corners of the house. Some of Mr Woodruff's papers, then kept in his London flat, were consulted by Professor Altholz in 1958, when preparing his study of The Liberal Catholic Movement in England. Passages from some of the letters were printed in that work—virtually the only publication of Simpson's letters to Acton to this date.3 The papers collected by Mr Woodruff are now at his home, Marcham Abbey, near Oxford, where they were consulted by Father McElrath in the preparation of this edition. In addition McElrath was able to use the papers which had been left behind at Aldenham; these had been rediscovered in 1965 by the present Lord Acton and removed to Marcham Abbey. After consulting further the Acton papers at the Cambridge University Library, and subject to the possibility of unexpected discoveries in the attics and closets of country houses, it is reasonable to say that the editors have a complete file of the surviving letters of Simpson to Acton. The story of Acton's letters to Simpson is quite different. Simpson took unusually good care of the letters he received, binding the letters from 1858 to 1861 in what he believed to be chronological order, and adding in pencil many of the dates which Acton often omitted.4 His nephew, William Simpson, gave the Acton letters and some related correspondence to Abbot (later Cardinal) Gasquet, for publication in Lord Acton and his Circle? The papers remained with Gasquet until 1

2 3 4 5

He lost nearly all of the letters from Dollinger prior to 1867. See Victor Conzemius, ed., Ignaz von Dollinger I Lord Acton: Briefwechsel 1850-1890, Vol. i, 1850-1869 (Miinchen, 1963), xxii. (Hereafter referred to as Conzemius.) He edited Acton's Essays on Church and State (London, 1952). A few additional letters were quoted by McElrath, 'Richard Simpson and John Henry Newman'. For a detailed discussion of these points, see Watkin and Butterfield, especially pp. 80-1. Abbot [Francis Aidan] Gasquet, Lord Acton and his Circle (London, 1906). (Hereafter referred to as Gasquet.)

xxii

either 1914 (when he left England) or his death in 1929, when they were placed in the archives of Downside Abbey, where they remain. Gasquet undertook the editing of Acton's letters at the request of the second Lord Acton, who was anxious to counteract the bad impression made by the recent publication of his father's letters to Mary Gladstone.1 The apologetic purpose of Gasquet's work, intended to rehabilitate Acton's Catholicity, boded ill for its scholarly objectivity, the more so since Gasquet was subject to pressures from the Acton family, from the daughter of J. M. Capes (who supplied materials on the early history of the Rambler), from T. F. Wetherell, the sole survivor of Acton's collaborators,2 and from his own regard for ecclesiastical interests and feelings. In addition, the autodidact Gasquet was not the most accurate of historians.3 The result was a most unsatisfactory edition, containing about half the text of half the letters (but not indicating what had been omitted), combining deliberate distortions and suppressions with casual inaccuracy, 'das Musterbeispiel einer willkiirlichen Auspliinderung und Verstiimmelung der Texte'.4 It would be superfluous to supply here a catalogue of Gasquet's omissions and distortions, which have already been exposed by Dom Aelred Watkin and Professor Herbert Butterfield. One example will suffice to show their significance. In discussing Jansenism and St Augustine, Acton wrote, ' I do most deliberately hold that errors condemned by the Church are to be found in the works of the Doctor Gratiae'; Gasquet altered this to 'I do not deliberately hold. . .'.5 'To turn the edge of Acton's more offensive phrases was almost one of the objects of editorial policy.'6 Deliberate purpose, however, accounts for only a portion of Gasquet's errors. The selection of letters was often arbitrary; sentences and paragraphs were omitted, not always with reason (and not always with dots to indicate the omission); letters or portions of letters were run together; and minor errors far exceeded the quota 1

2

3

4 5 6

Herbert Paul, ed., Letters of Lord Acton to Mary, daughter of the Rt. Hon. W. E. Gladstone (London, 1904). These letters, from the later part of Acton's life, gave offence by the sharpness of their criticisms of the Church. Wetherell supplied information to Gasquet and reviewed his transcriptions. He misinformed Gasquet about his own status as sub-editor of the Rambler. Wetherell, Miss Capes and the second Lord Acton all requested the omission of particular letters or passages. Their letters to Gasquet are preserved at Downside Abbey, Stratton-on-the-Fosse (near Bath), Somersetshire. An appraisal of his work may be found in M. D. Knowles, Cardinal Gasquet as an Historian (London, 1957). In much of his research Gasquet was assisted by the liturgical historian Edmund Bishop, who also helped to write some of the Introduction to Lord Acton and his Circle; but Bishop had no hand in editing the letters themselves. Nigel Abercrombie, The Life and Work of Edmund Bishop (London, 1959), p. 351. Conzemius, i, xvii. Acton to Simpson, [2] September 1858; Gasquet, p. 35; our italics. Watkin and Butterfield, p. 76. A delightful example of these alterations is the substitution of 'Newman' for 'old Noggs'.

xxiii

usually allowed to editors. Gasquet's editorship, in short, was incompetent; and only the inherent interest of the subject made Lord Acton and his Circle worthy of scholarly attention. Although it was possible, through internal evidence, to guess the extent to which Gasquet had mishandled his texts,1 his edition continued to be used for half a century for want of anything better. In the late 1940s, an American scholar wrote to the Abbot of Downside, inquiring whether the originals of the letters used by Gasquet were still preserved at the Abbey. The inquiry was referred to a young monk, Dom Aelred Watkin, who not only found the documents but discovered the extent to which they differed from Gasquet's edition. The modern Benedictine hastened to rectify the errors of his predecessor in an article written jointly with Professor Butterfield in 1950. Since then scholars have relied on the originals rather than on Gasquet. McElrath was kindly allowed to make Xerox copies of these documents, as well as of the Simpson letters in Mr Woodruff's possession. When Watkin and Butterfield wrote in 1950, they were not yet certain that Acton would ' emerge as one of those extraordinaryfiguresconcerning whom we wish so closely to examine the evidence that every scrap of his correspondence will be of interest to students'.2 The continuing revival of interest in Acton3 has provided an affirmative answer to that question. A scheme for the publication of a complete edition of his writings, to include even the manuscript notes preserved at Cambridge, was projected in the 1950s,4 but it did not reach fruition. Some volumes of collected essays5 and the magnificent edition by Victor Conzemius of Acton's correspondence with Dollinger may be considered instalments of the unfinished Gesammelte Werke. This edition will serve as another instalment. It will serve, also, to contribute to our knowledge of Simpson, and to provide illustrative documents to McElrath's forthcoming biography. Students of both Acton and Simpson quickly discover that their most urgent task is to clear away the misleading impressions left behind by previous writers.6 So cluttered is the field of religious history with 1 2 3

4 5 6

See Gertrude Himmelfarb, Lord Acton: A Study in Conscience and Politics (Chicago, 1952), p. 234. Watkin and Butterfield, p. 82. One may mention, in addition to works already cited, F. E. Lally, As Lord Acton Says (Newport, R. I., 1942); David Mathew, Acton: The Formative Years (London, 1945); Herbert Butterfield, Lord Acton (London, 1948); G. E. Fasnacht, Acton's Political Philosophy (London, 1952); Lionel Kochan, Acton on History (London, 1954); and numerous articles. The most recent (but not [definitive) biography is David Mathew, Lord Acton and his Times (London, 1968). Woodruff's edition of Essays on Church and State was to have been the first volume; Fasnacht's work on the Cambridge Mss. was cut short by his death. Notably Himmelfarb's Essays on Freedom and Power (Boston, 1948). Simpson has been a particular victim of this. See the examples cited in Altholz, The Liberal Catholic Movement in England, pp. 27, 245.

xxiv

prejudiced interpretations that a simple straightforward narrative is often the most daring revision. When, as in the case of Gasquet, wilful distortion is added to bias and carelessness, the most drastic remedy is the surest. The best way to correct Gasquet's work is, not to denounce it or to catalogue its errors, but to replace it with a complete and correct edition.1 Only by giving all the text of all the letters, on both sides of the correspondence, with a minimum of editorial comment, can we liberate future scholars from the unprofitable task of correcting dead historians. The main object of editorial policy has been the direct presentation of the full, unaltered text of the letters,' warts and all'. No effort has been made to correct errors, amend orthography or fill out abbreviations. All editorial comment has been confined to the footnotes. Uncertain readings of the text are duly indicated. The letters are presented in the order in which they appear to have been written, although it has not always been possible to determine the dating precisely; the assigned dates are given in the headings. The footnotes are intended to assist the intelligent reader, not to demonstrate the erudition of the editors. An absolutely complete annotation of Acton's richly allusive correspondence would be a catalogue raisonne of European literature and history. Such an ambitious effort is unnecessary for the purpose of this edition. The footnotes are deliberately brief and are confined to those necessary to clarify the text or to identify persons, events and contemporary works mentioned in the letters. The object here, as throughout the work, is to allow the documents to tell their own story. Where all or most of a letter has been previously published, whether by Gasquet or another, this fact is indicated in an asterisked footnote. In the case of Gasquet, the extent to which his text is distorted is indicated by a general remark; but we have refrained from listing all his specific errors, which will henceforth be of very limited interest. The editing of the text has been primarily the work of McElrath; the annotations are primarily the work of Altholz. Both editors share responsibility for the final result. The Acton-Simpson correspondence totals approximately 700 letters. The first 200 are included in this volume, which covers the period from February 1858 to August 1859, that is, from the beginning of the association to the preparation of the first number of the Rambler edited by Acton. Two further volumes will complete the series. The editors wish to acknowledge their indebtedness especially to Mr and the Hon. Mrs Douglas Woodruff for the use of the Acton and Simpson 1

Such a new edition has been desiderated by Conzemius, i, xvii. XXV

papers in their collection, and the permission to print the Acton letters; to Miss Lucy Simpson for her personal recollections and permission to print the Simpson letters; to the former Abbot of Downside, Bishop Butler, O.S.B., for the use of the Acton and Simpson collections at Downside Abbey. We wish to mention especially Father C. Stephen Dessain of the Birmingham Oratory for the kindness and special assistance we have received from him. His was but one example of the help and encouragement we have elicited from interested and sympathetic scholars. Among these we wish to thank Herbert Butterfield, Master of Peterhouse, Cambridge, Reverend Victor Conzemius, Reverend John Nurser, and Dom David Knowles. We are indebted also to the following: Dom Aelred Watkin and the staff of Downside Abbey; Mr and Mrs Walter Houghton of the Wellesley Index to Victorian Periodicals; Miss Elizabeth Poyser, the archivist of the Archdiocese of Westminster; Mary Ann Fout; Helen Hebrank. To all these and to many others whose wish to remain anonymous is reluctantly respected, we express our deep appreciation. Finally to the Syndics of the Cambridge University Press we express our thanks for undertaking the publication of the full Acton-Simpson correspondence.

xxvi

THE CORRESPONDENCE

ACTON TO SIMPSON

11 FEBRUARY 1858 16 Bruton St. London Thursday 11th. Feb 1858

My dear Simpson, I saw Dr. Rock1 yesterday who told me of something which will perhaps interest you. Both Sir Robert Throckmorton2 and William Maxwell3 have, he says, very valuable and important papers, which he has seen, relating to the period of the persecutions,4 and containing details, money-accounts &c. which would I imagine be useful to you. I thought it well to inform you of their existence in case you should care to consult them. -^ ,. Believe me Your's most sincerely J D Acton

SIMPSON TO ACTON 16 FEBRUARY 1858 My dear Acton Ward,5 though "highly flattered" at our offering him what we did, is yet obliged to refuse it—because 1. he has not the power to write popularly " never was there so heavy & dull a writer "—2. he has as much work as he can do for several years in writing & publishing his lectures—He enters at large upon his opinion & notions, & in a very friendly manner, but evidently his chief reason is that in his opinion the great thing to be corrected in the English Psthood is their unspirituality; that a review, of all ways, is the worst by wh to attempt this work—& " this unspirituality of our priests is so simply our one pressing evil that I have no heart to move a finger to the redress of any other—If we are to remain the godless body wh we are, I hope we may also remain the ignorant, uncivilized, disunited intellectually contemptible body that we are"— 1 2 3 5

Daniel Rock (1799-1871), priest and liturgical historian, D.D. 1825. Sir Robert Throckmorton (1800-62), 8th baronet, of Coughton Court, Warwickshire, M.P. 1831-5. His wife was Acton's aunt. William Constable Maxwell (1804-76), from 1858 10th Lord Herries of Terregles, 4 with estates in Yorkshire. The persecutions of Elizabethan Catholics. William George Ward (1812-82), converted 1845, a vigorous Ultramontane polemicist. Although a layman, he had been lecturing to the seminarians at Old Hall. In 1863 he became editor of the Dublin Review.

Strong, is it not? Then he goes on to say for what things he is grateful to the R. 1 1. we have faced much obloquy in refusing to bow the knee to Baal & to join in the most disgusting chorus of self-laudation—but our croaking is not up to the mark. 2. it is the only publication wh has the most distant perception of the immense intellectual work incumbent upon us in both philosophy & theology.— Such being the decision of Ward, to whom shall we offer the other two shares? Capes2 (who enclosed me a If?yesterday to direct to you) writes that he has a decided bite at Liverpool—But as not he but we will have to work with the biter, it is rather we than he who shd decide who is to have the first offers—Now what do you think of my writing to Ward again, asking him to buy one share, & to give it to Dr. Todd3 for the present, so as to make T our Theologus? For the other share I should like Charles Weld4 more than any one else; but if you know anyone among the moving party of the old Catholics whom you would like better, let him have the choice—John Arundell5 is the only one that occurs to me, and as a certain party looks forward to him as a person likely to do much (politically, I suppose), he might be a good one, but I confess to having great doubts—the only reason that I see why possibly there may be a great deal in him, is that certainly very little comes out. Other people that might be suggested are Aubrey de Vere6 & Allies,7 but I confess to a certain repugnance to both. Will you think of a few names? probably the right man will turn up in some quarter where we least expect it. Yours very truly R Simpson 1 Nelson Terrace Clapham S 1

2

3 4 5 6 7

Feb 16. 1858

This portion of Ward's letter is quoted by Gasquet in the Introduction to Lord Acton and his Circle, pp. xxxvi-xxxvii. Gasquet placed this letter in 1861, an error followed by Altholz, The Liberal Catholic Movement in England, p. 151. John Moore Capes (1812-89), converted 1845, proprietor and generally editor of the Rambler, 1848-58. His retirement involved the sale of shares: two to Acton, one each to Simpson and Frederick Capes, and two not sold. William Gowan Todd (1829-77), priest, doctor of theology (Rome) and author, later director of St Mary's Orphanage, Blackheath. Charles Weld (1812-85), eldest son of Humphrey Weld of Chideock, Dorset; barrister and J.P. John Francis Arundell (1831-1906), from 1862 Baron Arundell of Wardour, a Conservative in politics. Aubrey de Vere (1814-1902), poet. Thomas William Allies (1813-1903), converted 1850, secretary of the Catholic Poor School Committee 1853, professor of modern history at the Catholic University of Dublin 1855.

ACTON TO SIMPSON

16 FEBRUARY 1858*

Private

16 Bruton St. Feb. 16th. 1858

My dear Simpson, I shall deny myself the pleasure of coming to see you tomorrow, as I have important things to speak about, and I feel that I can generally do this best by letter. I will try however to come down before I leave town. With respect to the two remaining shares it would be well no doubt if Ward took one of them. As to the other, I can suggest no very suitable person for it. Please yourself in this, as you know best. As to Arundell, I know him only from a letter he wrote to me a week or two ago, which I thought slightly affected. But I gathered from it that he is a particular admirer of J. de Maistre,1 and I will, please God, admit into the political department no writings of men who are the devoted followers of any single school, least of all the followers of a writer so dazzling but so little to be trusted and less to be imitated, as Count de Maistre—for whom indeed I have the deepest respect, but it is no good reproducing ideas, and I will try to find men who think for themselves and are not slaves to tradition and authority. This leads me to speak of the position of the new shareholder. I presume you will not allow direct influence to anybody but Meynell2 and ourselves, now that Ward is not a fourth. Unanimity and compactness will add to the effect and influence of our writings more than anything else, and I think that we three would get on famously together. Any increase of numbers would, I fear, introduce a considerable risk of disagreement, or at least a certain indefiniteness and vagueness of opinion which would be ruinous. I do not know Dr. Todd personally and he is so much your friend that it would be indelicate, with my slight knowledge of his mind to say that I have doubts of being able to pull well with him. I will at any rate try to suppress the strong divergence of my opinions and feelings from some which he has expressed. As to Ward's refusal, provided he continues to wish us well I regret it only because I fear it will prevent the increase in the size of the Rambler which you projected. He seems to me a dangerous firebrand from your letter, and not so wise as spirited in his criticisms. Our clergy have other deficiencies besides a want of spirituality, and not less needing correction. * Gasquet, Letter i, pp. 1-8, with some omissions. The date of this (or the previous) letter may be in error: this letter is obviously a reply to the previous and would not likely bear the same date. 1 Count Joseph de Maistre (1753-1821), conservative political philosopher, one of the founders of Ultramontanism. 2 Charles Meynell (1828-82), priest, D.D. (Rome), professor of philosophy at Oscott, 1856-70. Meynell was assigned the 'philosophical' department of the Rambler,

5

Towards this at least we may do something. 2? I strongly doubt whether the scholastic, formal theology of Ward and others (pace Dr. Todd) is what is wanted in our time. In the only country where there is great intellectual activity joined to great learning, in Germany, Catholic theology has taken a different line, and with wonderful fruit. The adversaries of religion in England are the disciples of its adversaries in Germany, and I conceive that Catholic divines here cannot do better than follow the example of those who have so successfully combated every form of error in the country where the van is of the great fight. I am not disposed to accept the paradox about the necessity of ignorance in England, and I think any man so much inclined to despair and give up the contest is better out of the Rambler. But he is a good fellow and might still be made to render good service. You see that I speak with the confidence and openness of an old friend. The confidence you have placed in me makes it incumbent on me to tell you my thoughts about the Rambler, and the manner in which I propose to carry out what you have entrusted to me. I have thought and read a good deal on political subjects, and have read a great lot of the famous writers to try to find out a clear view which I could rely upon in public life. I will endeavor to turn these studies to account and to pursue them farther in the service of our common undertaking. Now thefirstpoint about it is that I am very far from agreeing with any of the more famous Catholic writers, or with any of the political parties in England. But I think that there is a philosophy of politics to be derived from Catholicism on the one hand and from the principles of our Constitution on the other, a system as remote from the absolutism of one set of Catholics as from the doctrinaire Constitutionalism of another (the Correspondant1 &c.) I conceive it possible to appeal at once to the example and interest of the Church and to the true notion of the English Constitution. I am not on this account an admirer either of all Catholic governments or of all constitutional governments, but I think that the true notion of a Christian state, and the true, latent, notion of the constitution coincide and complete each other. In this way it is possible to obtain a singular repose and confidence in judging political events and men both at home and abroad, and in this way the catholic elements of the Constitution may be restored to their proper importance, and the Catholic body may legitimately recover their proper influence in the state. I have no space here, but this is the brief sketch of a theory I should like to carry out, establish and apply in a series of articles. I think that we are no longer obliged to conduct ourselves with a view to momentary expediency, and that we need no longer humiliate ourselves and eat dirt to obtain the support of the liberal or radical party. We have got about as much as we shall get 1

The French Liberal Catholic periodical. 6

from them, and it would be well to see whether this alliance is a safe one. Those Catholics who profess independence generally stick up for one or two things and go into factious opposition when they do not obtain them. I would have a complete body of principles for the conduct of English Catholics in political affairs, and if I live and do well I will gradually unfold them. The Catholics want political education. I would try to get up a few such essays as the following: Ed. Burke1 as a teacher for Catholics. In the writings of his last years (1792-1797) whatever was protestant or partial or revolutionary of 1688 in his political views disappeared, and what remained was a purely Catholic view of political principles and of history. I have much to say about this that nobody has ever said. The best things are in some fragments of speeches and letters, but in a general way you will find what I mean, so far as profane politics are concerned, in the appeal from the New to the Old Whigs. 2. Whom do we thank for Emancipation? Neither the Irish Catholics nor the Whigs. I have much to say about this, to set us right with respect to an important moment of our history. 3 Contrast of foreign constitutions with our own, showing that there is properly no connexion, and no reason why we should like or admire them (as English-men) I have picked up much on my travels that throws a light on this important matter. 4 Liberalism and Liberality, how the two don't go together. 5 Political influence of the Church, with a good deal of historical illustration, and a result which will satisfy no party, and will astonish our old fashioned friends, Catholics as well as protestant. 6 Protestantism as a political principle—These two articles ought to be in successive numbers. A famous German, Stahl2 has written an eloquent pamphlet on the protestant side of this question, which has not been demolished. 7 Career of O'Connell3—not till I feel a little more confidence in myself. 8 Catholic Patriotism. 9 Civilization, what? 10 A series of notices of the great Catholic political writers of the continent, judgment of them and a few striking extracts (Maistre, Schlegel, Haller, Miiller, Bonald, Gorres, Montalembert &c). I might if it was wished, extend these notices to the greater protestant critics since the Revolution. II Then I have a great deal to say about Austria her character as a state and position towards the Church 12 If I have time I should like to give a view of parties and shades of opinion from Reviews and other organs, both in England and abroad. I have so many friends in almost all countries that I will try to put myself into correspondence with some who will give me good materials for articles on foreign politics, a subject I ought to treat carefully and elaborately from having been so much abroad. I should like to prepare several of these subjects for the first numbers 1 2

Edmund Burke (1729-97), Whig politician and conservative political philosopher. Friedrich Julius Stahl (1802-61), conservative Lutheran jurist, a convert from 3 Judaism. Daniel O'Connell (1775-1847), the Irish 'Liberator'.

after midsummer, in order that my doctrines may at once be clear, both to the public and to other contributors. I hope I can safely promise you that I will never write a line of unworthy conciliation or of virulent controversy. I should like, especially at first, until my line and tendency is better known, to avoid disputes. My ideas are however so little popular just now that disputes will arise soon enough, and it will be important to conduct them with forbearance & dignity. The list I have given is to be considered of course only a vague indication of the character of my designs and wishes. I told you that my studies have been chiefly in history, and this is of great use to me in political matters. But I have materials ready on so many points of foreign, partly mediaeval history, that, if I can make them interesting, I wd. sometimes send you a contribution to your own department. This will depend on whether you think such things can be made interesting to the Rambler's public. I will also do my part of the short notices and reviews, particularly of German literature, and as there are not many up to it, I would here go beyond my proper limits, if you like. All this depends on your experience of what is conducive to the advantage of the Review. I hope you will send me a line at once to say whether in a general way such a line as I have hinted at would do. I shall go and sit again for a few weeks at the feet of Dollinger,1 and will write nothing that I am not sure he would approve, or that I should not be able to stand by if I came into public life. I greatly doubt whether you would do well to publish our names. This can soon be given to understand, and there would be no secret about it. You might have all the advantages you wish in this way, and I suspect it would be better, but I do not say this because I dislike my own name appearing, with which on the contrary you may do what you like. Do you think it very necessary to give the Review a strong theological character, beyond Meynell's philosophy, and our common custom of taking the religious view of questions? If so would it not be well to get a neat historical essay from Dalgairns,2 and perhaps a review of biblical learning from Father St. John3 at Birmingham? I hope Capes will sometimes write for my portion, and that he will not care if I am not so strong against Napoleon4 as he is. A subject I forgot to mention above is this: I find a singular resemblance on many points between Russia and the United States, and could make something of an article showing the analogy between them and 1 2 3 4

Johann Joseph Ignaz von Dollinger (1799-1890), German theologian and church historian, professor at Munich since 1826. John Dobree Dalgairns (1818-76), converted 1845 (with Newman), priest of the London Oratory, devotional theologian. Ambrose St John (1815-75), converted 1845, closest associate of Newman at the Birmingham Oratory. Napoleon III, Emperor of the French 1852-70. 8

their equal incompatibility with good government and the true principles both of liberty and authority. I have allowed my letter to grow beyond all reasonable compass without having said half the things there were to say. At least I hope you will understand the temper in which I am anxious to conduct the political department of the Rambler. I am glad that I have plenty of time before me to get up the subjects I don't understand at all, and to go deeper into these I have studied. _> ,. Believe me Ever faithfully your's John Dalberg Acton I don't know when you will receive this letter, but I will try to come on Thursday about noon, as I soon leave town.

SIMPSON TO ACTON-22 FEBRUARY 1858 Dear Acton Ward has refused to take any shares, he is "in need of all his spare money for the expensive process of moving into the Isle of Wight.—& the end for which he is labouring is one wch could not be greatly promoted by a review"—not that he disparages reviews, "but every one has his particular attrait, & finding fault with the priest is his—he means finding fault with various existing Catholic ideas & tendencies, of wch the education given to the priests is the origin & representative." So I sent my note to Hanford1 on Saturday, but I have heard nothing from him yet. I also saw Burns2 on Saturday, who wanted to see me to propose some plan, but who when I told him what had been done, said that his plan was incompatible with it. It was to vest the R in a council of four, Manning,3 Allies, myself, & another,—but he told me nothing about the proprietorship. This morning however he has found courage to write what he had not pluck to speak, & he tells me that he has written to Capes "to offer to take his two shares, & to guarantee him the money at the end of the year"—& he purposes "to make some fresh arrangements for the sale of the Magazine (with July) wch. will enable us to pay the greater part of the proceeds the same month, so we can continue to pay 1 2 3

Compton John Hanford (b. 1819) of Woolashall, Worcs., projected translations of foreign Catholic literature. James Burns (1808-71), converted 1847, publisher (Burns & Lambert, later Burns & Oates). Burns published the Rambler. Henry Edward Manning (1808-92), converted and ordained priest 1851, Archbishop of Westminster 1865, cardinal 1875.

printer & paper maker in cash; & they must be recognized as much as possible. This with certain other rules & plans wch. we cd easily draw out would, with the proposed plan of better paid contributors etc, give the magazine a fair chance of getting on its feet I wd form a literary reunion for carrying on the mag., & let Allies &c enter into it, & if afterwards it were desirable to offer them shares it can be done. Meantime we shall test their utility & the shares will be safe with me. Manning offered to help for my sake as well as other reasons, & I can make use of him in any way that is desirable in virtue of this. We—i.e. you & I in the first instance—shd draw out a memorandum of points to be adhered to at our meetings, & then you cd consult the others—you acting editor to us, but to the public we must all appear & be said to be a phalanx of literary Catholics (making all use of the names of Sir J.A. & whoever else is most desirable) & thus I think we have a fair chance of opposing such a front to the shammers & toadies as will beat them off the field.— A few of the most useful papers & periodicals shd be taken in & circulated from one to another of the Council, & then at the monthly meeting any topic that they may suggest will naturally come up. So a plan may be found for getting books & reviewing on a system, so as to get a character for fulness & completeness in that department" Now I cannot answer this of Burns without hearing first from Hanford, & next from you—As to having the publisher a shareholder—1. we lose independence—but then we hold four shares to his two—& probably he would rather think twice before he made himself troublesome.—on the other hand—2. he wd push the mag. as a proprietor in a way he never wd do as agent. 3. He would be a means of communication with people, so as to get new writers, & to invite new persons to meet us at the occasional conferences at his house—And he might take some of the merely technical trouble off the Editors hands—We might I think get on better technically with him to advise. These are the points that strike me—Our position is this. Capes wants to sell—either we find him purchasers, or he finds them for himself. If we cannot, we must not object to those he finds except on rational grounds —& I am sure that now it will be best for the mag. that he shd sell—It wd be better that Burns shd hold the shares than he—We have no objection to make to Burns except that he clogs our independence in some measure. Still for all this I do not exactly relish the idea of admitting him into partnership, except on the one ground that his holding shares is a guarantee of his pushing our interest to the utmost. Revolve these matters, & resolve, & write me word. I will write three words to Burns to say that I await the answers of my colleagues before I can reply to his note—The contemplated meetings wd be with Allies, Todd, & Manning, but I have made Burns fully understand that you are absolutely supreme 10

in politics—So that if our conferences, at wch I hope you would often be present, suggested anything treading on your department I as Editor could do nothing therein without first consulting you, & submitting to you whatever is sent to me, or written by me. In other respects a periodical meeting like that is a good thought—you hear of the topics most canvassed at the time in Catholic society, the arguments used on them, & the opinions of certain men of weight about them—These men I suppose wd have the theological department, in conjunction with me, I as Editor & part proprietor always having a veto on their suggestions. Burns tells me that Hanford is now quite hipped, living like a hermit in one room, & attending with difficulty to external affairs—probably therefore I shall either receive no answer, or if any, a refusal. Yours ever, very sincerely R Simpson 1 Nelson Terrace Clapham Common London S

Feb. 22.

SIMPSON TO ACTON-27 F E B R U A R Y 1858 Clapham Feb 27. 1858 Dear Acton Matthew Bridges1 says in his hints—Cavenda—The R. must lay aside its Positivity & its Vulgarity. These are nearly allied. The way in wch some writers treat the Aristocracy & even the Hierarchy, as well as our religious opponents to say nothing about fools, has trod heavily on the prejudices or intellectual corns of many persons, who have become irritated, & withdrawn or withheld their subscriptions— Heaviness dulness, & feebleness shd also be got rid of, wh, might easily be done when the means of selection are greater through the higher rate copy money—The most clumsy vigour wd be less painful than feebleness. Personalities, papers on what may be termed "touchy topics" such as persecution, Equivocation, Poverty of the priesthood, & the like, shd be obviously avoided. There is a way of stroking the clergy from the ears to the tails, as you do a favourite cat, & at the same time legitimately contending for your own points so as not to excite the electric fluid. Agenda. The R. must be gone into as a regular business, not as an amateur affair, a regular office, exact punctuality of payment, & a regular 1

Matthew Bridges (1800-94), converted 1847, priest and author. 11

system of accounts—Visits to Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool, Glasgow, Dublin, to canvas for subscribers & advertisements, & explain that the Mag. is about to start on a new plan, expounding its features with discretion, & contriving to interest different parties in its success. It should include something of Politics; Criticism conducted upon a system of much greater breadth & depth than is the case at present—some exhibitions of pure Imagination as well as fancy, of wit as well as humour—a little very good poetry—History—Biography—& with plans of defence as well as attack properly organized, so as not to be departed from. The attacks shd be on such popular & palpable grievances as the Irish Establishment, the Anglican & Caledonian monsters in their turn—such bubbles as the Bible & Protestant missionary societies—the State of Religious parties—Portraits of living characters, & perhaps a monthly Review of the most striking current events. New discoveries might be taken up in Geography, Science &c, always aiming to draw out the salient points of a subject in good Anglo-Saxon English; eschewing at the same time the conventionalisms & affectations of the age. At present in the R. wit & humour are confounded, so that each destroys the other, & the result is either Nonsense or Farce or Melodrama— Pathos & Poetry are proscribed altogether. Desideranda—A staff of the best contributors shd at once be enlisted & secured by fair remuneration, prompt payment, liberal treatment in handling their various idiosyncrasies & always letting them keep the books they review or call for, at least in moderation. What is so complained of at present is the slashing style of the R. To be like Murat a beau sabreur is something—but you want the acuteness that can cut a floating veil of gossamer, as well as the force that pounds an adversary to pieces, or cuts through a bar of intellectual iron, this combination is requisite to render a periodical at once powerful & popular. To obtain it, you must have ability of various kinds hired for the purpose: whilst the management of it involves no little tact and temper, to say nothing of patience & perserverance. You see I have abridged the Bridges—What say you to a kind of double council, one consisting of men whom we can catch in London two or three times a year, eg. at the P. School committee—such as Stokes1 &c the other monthly. But I cannot enlarge, for I have several letters to write before Post time. _r . , Yours ever, very sincerely R Simpson 1

Scott Nasmyth Stokes (1821-91), converted 1845, first secretary of the Catholic Poor School Society 1847, Inspector of Roman Catholic Schools 1853. 12

6 ACTON TO S I M P S O N - 2 8 F E B R U A R Y 1858*

Sunday My dear Simpson, Many thanks for the copy you are so good as to send me of Mr. Bridge's remarks on the Rambler. I think there is a good hint or two among them. Is not the passage you spoke of in St Augustin in De Doctrina Christiana II 44? As to the proposed Council or Councils it seems to me that it is a harmless but then not very useful plan. For my part I should like to hear occasionally what they would have to say, not so much for the sake of their advice to be followed as of their errors to be made a note of and incidentally combated. I should not anticipate any difficulty from them. But we must remember that a council is a visible body, that the more there are in it, the more private reasons there will be for excessive discretion, that they will very naturally dislike to share any opposition or party obloquy we mayfindoccasion to provoke, that we shall be hampered by the reflection that we are committing respectable persons to views which cannot do good without raising contradiction and perhaps indignation. You and I would be upheld by the thought of the importance of such points, and of the good we might do, but we cannot expect a number of indifferent persons to share the same feeling to the full. I never converse with any even of the best and cleverest converts, Dalgairns, Morris,1 MacMullen,2 Oakeley,3 Allies, Marshall,4 Wilberforce5 &c&c&c&c&c without finding them stating what I hold to be most false. It is just the mistakes of these, our best men, that it will be best worth while to discuss. I cannot look for sympathy with my ideas in any * Gasquet, Letter n, pp. 8-11; omitted portion is given in A[elred] Watkin and Herbert Butterfield, 'Gasquet and the Acton-Simpson Correspondence', Cambridge Historical Journal, x (1950), 83. 1 John Brande Morris (1812-80), fellow of Exeter College, Oxford, converted 1846, ordained priest 1852. He was parish priest (in effect, Acton's chaplain) at Aldenham, 1855-60. A learned but eccentric orientalist, he was sometimes called 'Jack' Morris. He should not be confused with John Morris (later S. J.), Cardinal Wiseman's secretary. 2 Richard Gell Macmullen (1814-95), converted 1847, ordained priest 1848, canon of Westminster 1880. 8 Frederick Oakeley (1802-80), converted 1845, ordained priest 1847, canon of Westminster 1852. 4 Thomas William Marshall (1818-77), converted 1845, first inspector of Catholic schools 1847-60. 5 Henry William Wilberforce (1807-63), son of the evangelical leader, converted 1850, proprietor and editor of the Weekly Register 1854-63.

13

considerable number of men. Hope1 and Manning are the only ones that I feel likely, on most occasions, to agree with. There is so much that is utterly new and unexpected even to our wisest friends to be said, argued and illustrated in the process of politically educating the Catholic body in England that any increase of numbers at first is sure to dilute our sayings and diminish our strength. I hold this to be the case too in other than political questions, as to anybody acquainted with German learning and modes of thought the philosophy and Theology borrowed from France and Italy do not inspire much respect. But these are not my line, so I will say no more about them. Your plan of two councils seems almost superfluous inasmuch as Stokes and any other friends and wellwishers can be consulted privately as much as is needed, and the more prominence we give to the Council system the more it will expect to influence us, and it will be an instrument in the hands of Burns or anybody for the purpose of controlling the Editors. Let us have such a council, founded on nothing but the good wishes of its members towards the Rambler and on our invitation, numerous enough, nominally, to include both councils as you propose them, and then the absent ones could appear whenever they had an opportunity, being in London for poor schools or otherwise. If you at once establish yourself as the controller of the council, and take the initiative in all discussions, no harm can be done. I do not see why Stokes as well as Manning, indeed everybody who is distinguished for position or talent and at the same time a friend to the Rambler should not be nominally on the Council. I think we might make considerable use of correspondence, to get at all varieties of views and opinion. I would even recommend that we should offer to insert refutations and remonstrances, at least in the shape of letters, or even as articles. It is better that such discussions should be carried on on our own ground than that they should make themselves an organ elsewhere for the purpose of blackguarding us. It has occurred to me that I might receive payment for my contributions on the understanding that I wd. use the money for the purpose of obtaining contributions from abroad (from some distinguished political writers whom I have in my eye) which might be worked up into articles on Austria, Italy, France, Russia &c. a department I should like to do well. 1? No English journal does foreign questions well 2? No English journal keeps a judicial position aloof from all parties— 3? No English journal, in my opinion, represents the true constitutional doctrine 4? And none, I think, maintains the true Catholic view of public affairs. 1

James Robert Hope, from 1853 Hope-Scott (1812-73), converted with Manning 1851, lawyer.

14

Cannot we try to occupy some of these vacancies? The Bunbury1 who died is not the one I knew, who was in the army, and is a student of philosophy and friend both of Dollinger and the late Rosmini. I am not sure that he might not be useful to us. ^T . Your s ever sincerely John Dalberg Acton

SIMPSON TO A C T O N - 6 MARCH 1858 My dear Acton What we want to do with the council is on the one hand to give it no influence, & on the other—it is Burns' idea—to put it forward to the public as the "phalanx" from wch. the R. proceeds. Burns owns that your objections are all valid, but thinks they may be satisfied by some arrangement, which will come out when the plan is discussed after your return to London. When you come back, can you come out here to meet F. Capes,2 before our meeting at Burns'? J. M. Capes writes—I think I cd make a sufficiently interesting review of the mere facts of the present state of the Indian Government without touching on anything Acton may write hereafter—so he is going to do it for the next no. I am in a state of dyspepsy which results in being too light headed before dinner, & too heavy afterwards to do anything—So I am resigned to a delightful idleness. . , xr to Yours very truly R Simpson March 6. 1858. 1 Nelson Terrace Clapham Common S 1

2

'The Bunbury who died' is not clear; a Lt. Gen. Thomas Bunbury had died 13 April 1857. 'The one I knew' is probably Lt. Col. Henry William St Pierre Bunbury (1812-75), placed on half pay 1857, whose family had many Italian connections. Frederick Capes (1816-88), brother of John Moore Capes, formerly an ecclesiastical lawyer, converted 1846. He was Simpson's neighbour at Clapham. He became partproprietor of the Rambler in 1858, handled its financial affairs and supervised the 'department' of fine arts.

15

8 ACTON TO SIMPSON -7 MARCH 1858 Sunday My dear Simpson, I shall go up to town on Tuesday, and will try to see you on Wednesday. Perhaps we can have a meeting of the rambling Council soon after. I told my bishop1 of my having joined the Rambler, so the Cardinal2 probably knows it now, and I shall see on Tuesday evening what he thinks of it. I should bring you some sort of notice of MacKnight3 but I am scared at finding in the Rambler for April last year, p. 299 a saying about Burke which is nearly the opposite of what I shall have to say. I shall be more inclined to learn something about India from Capes' article, than to criticise. My knowledge of the subject is extremely slight, and reposes mainly on some conversations with Indophilers. I only hope that I shall not find myself obliged, when I know more about it, to take a very anti British view of things, like our friend Mr. Hodges,4 in a recent lecture. Morris is getting ready an article on Indian religion compared to Catholicism/Catholicity^) for the summer and will do it carefully. I shall have one or two more contributors to propose to you. It occurs to me as just possible that you may not have and might like to see one or other of the following books, the only at all out of the way ones that I have on the persecutions in England. Historia eccles. de martyrio fratrum ord. Francis, in Anglia, in Belgio et in Hybernia temp. Elizabethae regnantis reginae autore Bourchier 1583 Illustria ecclesiae Cath: trophaea—1573 De justitia Britannica quae contra martyres exercetur. 1624 Historia particular de la persecucion de Inglaterra y de los martirios mas insignes desde el ano 1570 por Fray Diego de Yepes obispo de Taracona 1599 a thick quarto I daresay you know them all and they are worth nothing. Otherwise tell me by tomorrow's post if I am to bring you any of them. Your's truly John Dalberg Acton 1

2

3

4

James Brown (1812-81), ordained priest 1837, taught at Oscott and Sedgley Park, bishop of Shrewsbury 1851. Nicholas Wiseman (1802-65), cardinal and archbishop of Westminster 1850. Acton had studied at Oscott College while Wiseman was its president in the 1840s. Thomas MacKnight, History of the Life and Times of Edmund Burke, 3 vols. (London, 1858-60), reviewed by Acton, Rambler, n.s. ix (April 1858), 268-73. Nicholas William Hodges, convert, assistant editor of the Weekly Register.

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9 SIMPSON TO ACTON-8 MARCH 1858 Dear Acton I should be much obliged if you would lend me Yepes—I have to go to look for him at the Museum if I want him—he would be more convenient as a guest— I think that Capes will take much the same view about Indian affairs as you wd—About the Burke remark—never mind such small inconsistencies—we dont hold byJ April last year. _T A , r Yours very truly R Simpson 1 Nelson Terrace Clapham S. March 8. 1858.

Collation at 12 on Wednesday

10 ACTON TO SIMPSON- ? MARCH 1858 London Saturday My dear Simpson, Wednesday next at 2 oclock I find that I shall have to be in the August presence of Her Majesty—I wish the meeting could be held at 11 or at 4—when I shall be able to appear. As I found the Cardinal had heard about the Rambler, I spoke to him about it on Thursday at Pugin's,1 and he was as gracious as possible. I said that I was sorry his book would not be out in time for a notice in the next No.—which was well received. It comes out on Monday or Tuesday. The animus of the Bishops was strongly anti Rambler, I find, but this was most likely inspired by the Cardinal, and would diminish if he became less hostile. I am in very great favour, for I hear he says that his only security in the affair of the school2 is my being one of the promoters. Ever your's J D Acton 1 2

Edward Welby Pugin (1834-75), architect, son of the Gothic revivalist A. W. Pugin. The Oratory School at Edgbaston, founded by Newman, opened in 1859. 2

17

ALM

11 ACTON TO SIMPSON- ? MARCH 1858 Saturday My dear Simpson, Unless better informed I hope to collate with you on Tuesday. You have perceived by this time why I am ashamed of my scribble about Macknight. Pray do not scruple to cut up or alter as much as you like— Knights British Cyclopaedia in the first page ought to stand K.'s English C. The article I believe to be written by Macknight himself His book is not particularly able, but respectable, and we Catholics ought to be the last to be severe upon him. I am afraid that when he comes to the time of Burke's repudiation of Whiggism he will subside into mere panegyric. What conclusions have you come to about our Council? Your friend Todd's question about Sardinia appeared to me so very elementary that I did not think it worth while to give more satisfaction upon political questions, or to come out with a profession of faith. I hope I shall find a constituency some day so little exacting as our Theologus. So much examination is not however enough to establish confidence, so it is in reality only a momentary comfort. I suppose you will tell Meynell of our satisfactory beginning with the Council & Burns. I would stop at Bath on my way up to town, but I fear I shall not have time. I hope you are progressing with the 4 last popes.1 Are neither William Palmer2 nor Seager3 likely and fit men to be contributors? Your's truly John D. Acton Sunday morning. Even the Register and Tablet4 have not praised the 'Recollections'. But I see an article announced in the Dublin5 which will be a curious performance. JDA 1 2 3 4 5

Wiseman, Recollections of the Last Four Popes (London, 1858), reviewed by Simpson, 'Sunny Memories of Rome', Rambler, n.s. ix (April 1858), 274. William Palmer (1803—85), a leader in the Tractarian movement, converted 1855, lived in Rome. Charles Seager (1808-78), earliest of the Oxford converts (1843), orientalist. The Weekly Register and the Tablet were the two Catholic weeklies. The Dublin Review, the leading Catholic periodical, was owned by Wiseman.

18

12 ACTON TO SIMPSON-26 MARCH 1858* Aldenham Friday My dear Simpson, Allies is writing a review of Buckle1 for the Atlantis2—that's why we can get nothing out of him. It will appear on the first of July. Would it not be a good plan to have one in the Rambler on that day? I think we might get up a better one than Allies', especially if we try the dodge we were proposing the other night at the Cardinal's. If three or four people read the book—you and I and Doyle3 and anybody else you can think of— we might exchange our observations and queries at once, and then each one should put down his remarks and discoveries and send them to whoever writes the article. This seems a capital opportunity for trying the association plan in the Rambler. How say you, and cannot five rather than four persons be made to join in it? I have had a long and very satisfactory talk with Newman on matters connected with the Rambler. He hopes before long to make the Atlantis a Quarterly. Will not that diminish our chance of being able to set up as a Quarterly? Your's ever truly John Dalberg Acton 13 SIMPSON TO ACTON-27 MARCH 1858 Clapham, March 27 Dear Acton I think we must review Buckle in the way you propose, & so I will get him, & read him as attentively as I can next week. We must however remember that it is not the book but the theory or certain arguments or * Gasquet, Letter in, pp. 11-12. 1 Henry Thomas Buckle, History of Civilization in England, vol. i (London, 1857), reviewed by Simpson, 'Mr Buckle's Thesis and Method', Rambler, n.s. x (July 1858), 27-42, and by Acton, 'Mr. Buckle's Philosophy of History', ibid. (August 1858), pp. 88-104. Both articles have erroneously been attributed to Acton and republished in his Historical Essays and Studies, ed. J. N. Figgis and R. V. Laurence (London, 1908), pp. 305-43. 2 The Atlantis was a semi-annual journal of the arts and sciences published by the faculty of the Catholic University of Dublin. 3 James Doyle (1822-92), artist and chronicler, compiler of Doyle's Official Baronage of England. 19

2-2

points of the writer that we have to review in our Monthly. Shall I ask Macmullen to read it & give us his ideas? Meynell would be a good coadjutor, would he not? I will speak also to James Doyle about it—the more contributors the merrier, & we must have a conference in Low week if possible—Burns has reverted to the idea of sending forth a circular to the priests, informing them of the change in the R—he thinks that the viva voce communication of the alteration will get on very slowly —He charged me to talk about this to you last Tuesday night, but I quite forgot it— --T . , ° Yours very truly R Simpson Did you get your proof? 14 ACTON TO SIMPSON PALM SUNDAY 1858 Aldenham Palm Sunday My dear Simpson, MacMullen & Meynell will be capital additions to the staff of Buckle's Reviewers. I got my proof & corrected it before I left town. Such a circular as Burns proposes would excite a degree of attention and expectation which, so far as I am concerned, I should not like to encounter. We ought to see more clearly what we want to do at Midsummer and what at New Year. The Chambertin has arrived in safety. Your's truly John Dalberg Acton

15 SIMPSON TO ACTON-29 MARCH 1858 Dear Acton You will be pleased to hear Capes' criticism on your art.1 "Acton's art. strikes me as very well expressed for so young a writer; I like its style & phraseology." He is a good judge, & so you may pat your own head. I have written to Mac2 about Buckle, & I hope he will join. Capes is 1 2

Presumably 'The Life and Times of Edmund Burke', Rambler, n.s. ix (April 1858), 268-73. Macmullen. 20

immensely amused with my "satire" on the Cardinal's book but he asks "is it possible that H.E. shd not guess who real original of the portrait?" —I think he furnishes the answer to his own question in the following— "Wiseman, I know well hates Baines.1 He abused him to me before I had been a Catholic two days. The fact is, B engaged W to help at Prior, where of course the two disagreed, & W, being the sub, had to go. Hinc illae &c". I have found Cochlaeus' Lutherus Septiceps, also another of his "Historiae Hussitarum, Libri XII." with several other things, fol. pp about 600 or 700." I suppose you have it—If not I will bring it with me. Yours very truly R Simpson Clapham March 29. 1858

16 ACTON TO SIMPSON -30 MARCH 1858* Aldenham Tuesday My dear Simpson, In spite of Capes' good-natured criticism my paper is utterly worthless, as everything I write without rewriting it two or three times, and this I had no time for. What he says about the Cardinal and Baines is quite new to me, and very important, as it will render your article a cause of special gratification to H.E. I am a little afraid of foolish correspondents of the Register writing about "transparent irony &c" Any foolish attack of that kind would however give an opportunity for a very indignant & triumphant reply. I got through Buckle last night. Setting aside the theory, the learning of the book is utterly superficial and obsolete. He is altogether a mere humbug and a very bad arguer. He has taken great pains to say things that have been said much better before in books he has not read. He has no knowledge of the classics and still less of theological literature. We can expose him completely. I find I was mistaken as to the importance he gives to physical phenomena. I am afraid Allies looks at the book with 1

Peter Baines (1787-1843), O.S.B., Vicar-Apostolic of the Western District 1829. Baines founded the seminary at Prior Park and involved his district in debts, about which Wiseman had spoken adversely to Capes. Wiseman made references to Baines in his Recollections of the Last Four Popes.

* Gasquet, Letter iv, pp. 12-13. 21

awe, and will treat it with respect. Had we better bring our review before his, or at the same time with it? I am revising the proofs of a new book of Morris I1 Eheu! Your's ever sincerely John Dalberg Acton If you are so good as to bring Cochlaeus I shall be very much obliged to you. 17 SIMPSON TO ACTON -3 APRIL 1858 Clapham, Ap. 3. 1858 Dear Acton I find that I cannot set off before Tuesday morning, so I write as in duty bound to prevent your breaking your heart—with anxiety about my safety on Monday. I hope to turn up on Tuesday evening unless per chance I am stayed on the way to see Capes & F. Cobb2 at Worcester. Yours very truly R Simpson T.O. I dont think I can read Buckle through. I am so riled with every assertion he makes. 18 ACTON TO SIMPSON -4 APRIL 1858* Easter Sunday My dear Simpson, I shall expect you on Tuesday. As you pass that way I hope you will bring Capes with you. I do not write to propose it to him because you say you may see him at Worcester, so I fear a letter to Woodchester would not reach him in time. Therefore pray invite and induce him to come, and explain why I do not write to him and intrust the matter to your keeping. But don't let him waste time packing his bag, but bring him on Tuesday. Your rooms are ready, for both, and Formby3 shall this 1

Probably Talectha Koomee; or, The Gospel Prophecy of Our Lady's Assumption (London, 1858), a verse drama. 'F. Cobb' is William Cobb, S.J. (1804-77), provincial of the English Jesuits 1848-56. * Gasquet, Letter v, p. 14. 3 Presumably a servant. 22 2

night air them. We can have a very satisfactory and private talk on all possible matters, especially as Badeley1 is not coming. My disgust in reading Buckle was balanced by the conviction that he can be thoroughly shown up, and convicted of having uttered nothing that is either new or true. You need only read the first part of the volume—but we can discuss it at leisure in a few days. Dalgairns has sent me his 'Mystics' in the shape of a pamphlet which brings them under our cognizance, and I am much tempted to notice one or two blunders he has fallen into. Your's truly J D Acton 19 SIMPSON TO ACTON • 13 A P R I L 1858 Dear Acton I begin to fear that Todd, of whom I hear nothing, may disappoint me, & send me away empty—it is therefore as well to be provided for the worst—or perhaps for the best, for he might be slow—Now I send for your inspection an article wh I wrote in a great hurry two or three months ago, and which may perhaps give offence—will you, if you have time, look at it, and honestly & with all freedom scratch & hack about all that is said less wisely or less well—The more you object, the better proof you will give me of your friendship—you must not let me do too rash a thing, especially after the Sunny Memories—That passage that Capes read out in his Bossuet seems to me very questionable—I think I shall write to him to ask him whether I may not omit it. Ch. Weld writes me from Rome that there is so much about Campion2 that I must positively go there next Winter—I am afraid that C. will cost me more than he will bring me— . , xr Yours very truly R Simpson Tuesday, 13th. secundo 1 2

Edward Badeley (1803-68), converted 1852, barrister, Q.C. Simpson was projecting his biography of Edmund Campion, the Elizabethan Jesuit martyr.

23

20 SIMPSON TO ACTON - c. 27 A P R I L 1858 Dear Acton I told you that after all enquiries I could make I remain convinced that the correspondence of the French ambassador in England with his government for the years 1580, 81 is only to be found in the Archives of the foreign office at Paris—On one hand I can scarcely complete my life of Campion without seeing these letters; & on the other, there are no means of doing so except through the intervention of the Ambassador. Can you therefore procure me a letter to Lord Cowley,1 to be delivered to him by John Somers-Cocks,2 begging Lord Cowley to obtain for Cocks & me all necessary permissions to enable us to go & work at those archives —Cocks is going off to Paris on Thursday, & I shall follow him in about three weeks, & As I do not want to lose any time there, I wish to find when I get there that he has made ready for me— For those years there must be a double correspondence—of Bodin, the extraordinary, who went with the D of Anjou, & of the ordinary ambassador—perhaps also letters of the Duke himself—also there may be copies of the letters of Don Bernadin de Mendoza the Spanish Ambassador—Also the letters from 1570 to 74 very likely contain some notices of Campion; quae cum ita sint, I dont want my permission too restricted, so as to cut me off from all things just outside its limits—I mention this, as at our State Paper Office they are very strict in keeping a man within the letter of his original demand— _r Yours very truly R Simpson 1 Nelson Terrace Clapham Common S Tuesday Morning— 21 SIMPSON TO ACTON -14 MAY 1858 Clapham, Friday, May 14 1858 My dear Acton I send, to wait for you at 16 Bruton St., certain lucubrations of mine for the July Rambler, about which we must write to one another between Paris where I shall be, at least till Midsummer, & London or elsewhere, 1 2

Henry Wellesley, 2nd Baron and 1st Earl Cowley (1804-84), ambassador to France 1852-67. John Somers-Cocks (1820-1906), married Ann Simpson (no relative) on 15 April 1858. 24

your then sojurn. They are, the old affair about the influence of Catholics in England, in which I have made certain corrections—all that you suggested—but which still, in Capes' opinion, wants more—This I don't want to be published if there is enough without—The chief things are a roughly written, but carefully considered, article on Buckle's major premiss—or rather on the conclusion of his induction—in wch. I put an extract from a letter of Macmullens, who has read it & reported on it. It was written originally as notes—if you will kindly look over it cut & hack & suggest as much as you like—the more the better—& then send word to me at Paris—I will write & tell you where to direct—I will rewrite it, or correct it, or add to it or retrench, as you judge most expedient. I have tried to keep out of your line; but if you would furnish me with information about the German statisticians who have answered Quetelet, & especially with that sentence out of one of them which you read me, it wouldfillup the lacuna I have been forced to leave at p 13. Mac thinks that many points require expansion but fails to specify them—would you give me some hints on the points that strike you as requiring it— I write in a great hurry, as I go to Paris at 7 o'clock tomorrow morning, & the house is upside down with painters, & I have to put away every thing, & make my preparations— The other 6 pp is a note for another kind of article on Buckle, showing that he is quite wrong in his ideas of certain old Pagan religions, both in fact & in principle—If it is of use to you—for you write the next article— I will give you fuller references. Todd has declined the censorship—He quarrels with my article on Brownson,1 which was too hurriedly written to allow me to send it to him, but which had the advantage of Hecker's2 correction—a much better man than Todd, who supplied the water gruel with which the May number commences.3 It is quite down to the level of Caudle,4 a sermon to good boys, of which I hope you will make profit. Capes will help us for July, also Frederic Capes—I will write from Paris as soon as I can get up the steam—Yours very truly _. o . J J R Simpson TO. P.S. I have left your Buckle in the hands of Macmullen at Chelsea—On second thoughts, I have " concluded " to leave the packet of papers in the care of F. Capes Eq . , r ^ 2 Victoria Road Clapham Common S 1 2

3 4

'Dr. Brownson's Experiences', Rambler, n.s. ix (May 1858), 337^6. Isaac Hecker (1819-88), American, converted 1844, joined Redemptorists 1845, ordained priest 1848, founded Paulist order 1858; sought a distinctively American presentation of the Roman Catholic faith. 'The Mission of the Laity', Rambler, n.s. ix (May 1858), 289-302. A fictional character. Mrs Caudle lectured her husband in Douglas Jerrold's 'Mrs. Caudle's Curtain Lectures', published in Punch in 1845.

25

who will send them to you immediately you write. This is done, for fear the papers if sent to you at Bruton St. might go through half Europe in ^c search of you & be lost at last.

22 ACTON TO SIMPSON -27 MAY 1858* Aldenham Thursday My dear Simpson, I sought you in vain last Saturday all over Paris from the Rue des Portes to the Hotel Bedford. I came on to England on Saturday night, and have already possessed myself of your papers, and seen Burns, Allies and Meynell. I will get the passages ready which you want for Buckle. Where are they and your MS. to go? and when are you coming back to England? Pray let me know exactly what you want to do for July. I shall have a notice on Russell's Mezzofanti1 ready, and on some other books. Do you want a second article on Buckle or one longish article? I will, if you like, do my best to demolish his learned reputation without reference to religion or philosophy. Five people are working at an article upon him for the July 'Quarterly', and he is waiting for that to appear before he answers all his critics, as I am told, contemptuously. Be sure and take notes at Paris of new French books fit for short notices. I have seen some sheets of the French translation of Dollinger, which is very bad, but it will hardly be out in time for a July notice. Your excellent paper on Brownson seemed to me incomplete as a Critique of him, from the omission [of h2]is last chapter: Conclusion, in which, as he does not speak of himself, but of all other things, he seems to me to appear in a much more characteristic light than anywhere else. I too hear that Todd is cross, but I am comforted when I think of his very dismal article, in which he selects two questions as samples of Catholic politics, about which I am sorry to say I disagree with him completely. July I understand will have a paper from each of the Capes, you on Buckle, your other paper, and I suppose, one on the times of persecution.3 I conclude therefore that * Gasquet, Letter vn, pp. 17-20. 1 Charles Russell, The Life of Cardinal Mezzofanti (London, 1858), reviewed by Acton in Rambler, n.s. x (July 1858), 61-3. 2 At this point the manuscript was destroyed. 3 To the July Rambler Simpson contributed, besides the article on Buckle, 'The Influence of Catholics in England', pp. 11—27, and 'Queen Elizabeth in Love', pp. 54-61. J. M. Capes contributed two articles, 'The Dead-Lock in Polities', pp. 1-11, and 'Hogg's Life of Shelley', pp. 42-53. 26

I may confine myself to Short Notices and if you and Capes do a few, we shall have enough to make that department almost a new feature. I am anxious to find time for a paper I have promised to the Jany. Atlantis, and if I do not write it now I expect I shall be too busy with the Rambler later in the year. Gladstone's book1 tempts me sorely to review it, but I am afraid it is hardly a suitable subject for our public. Meynell I suppose has told you of his difficulty with his Bishop about the Rambler. The same thing may recur, and it might be prudent for us to be independent of the regard which Meynell is obliged to have for his ecclesiastical position. Neither he nor Ullathorne,21 find, understood the drift of the observations on Baines, so I suppose they were much less generally seen through than we supposed. I thought you would follow up the dispute in the WR3 about your Westbury story. It seemed a happy diversion, and made you appear a martyr to the zeal with which you stuck up for the dicta of the Cardinal. His Eminence is intriguing to remove you from the Editorship, and Burns who sees £ S D is not to be trusted. Do not let any one review Guizot's Memoirs. I will get it done capitally in a month or two. Let me hear from you soon. I will write as soon as I have read your MS. but I found a new vol. of Origen here, and sat up last night reading him ag. Celsus. If you have not read it it is delightful. Believe me Your's ever faithfully John Dalberg Acton 23 SIMPSON TO ACTON-31 MAY 1858 6. Passage de la Madeleine Paris, May 31. 1858 Dear Acton I am delighted to get your letter; I only wish you had called in at the Mss. at the Library in the Rue de Richelieu, & you wd have found me on Saturday week—Concerning the July R—That which I have written on Buckle is only my contribution, begun in the way of notes, to be altered, slashed, cut & pulled out at the pleasure of my colleagues. His foundation 1 2

3

William Ewart Gladstone, Studies on Homer and the Homeric Age (London, 1858), reviewed in Rambler, n.s. ix (June 1858), 423. William Bernard Ullathorne (1806—89), Benedictine monk 1823, ordained priest 1831, missionary in Australia, vicar-apostolic of the Western District 1845, of the Central District 1848, bishop of Birmingham 1850-88, titular archbishop of Cabassa 1888. Weekly Register. The allusion appears to be to remarks of Simpson about Bishop Baines. 27

seems to me so utterly weak, that I thought it best to examine that, & not to attempt any counter theory, which it appears to me, would require a whole Rambler to itself. So I want you to read what I have written on Buckle; to write an introduction for it—to add at a certain page which I indicated in my letter some information about those German statistical writers who have over thrown Quetelet's conclusions; & to write a conclusion instead of mine, indicating the line you mean to take in a second article.—for I think that the man has obtained more consequence in England, than to be polished off so shortly—besides that his book would do for a peg to hang many interesting things upon. If you would write your first article, such as you contemplated, for July, it would be on all accounts much better; because we have talked sufficiently about the new management to make people look forward to something different in that number. Therefore I should most strongly recommend you to do it if you can without boring yourself over much— July will not have my other paper, unless the laziness of other contributors forces it in. As Editor I am always obliged to keep a paper in reserve to fill up unexpected gaps. But I would much rather keep what I have there to be written over again when I have time—My present idea of July is this— 1 2 3 4

Acton on things in general—introductory. J. M. Capes on I forget what— RS—with your introduction & end as aforesaid—on Buckle. F.C. on something slight & light. A charming despatch of Mauvissiere which I have found here, & which I have made into a little article entitled Queen Elizabeth in love, which I will send you in a day or two 6 Short notices

I

As to when I shall return. There is so much to do here, so much to be read & copied, that if it could be managed I should like to stop all June— If you dont like to write your first article now, could you not write a long introduction about Buckle, containing your ideas of what the philosophy of history should be; then you could make the transition to my contribution, which shows what Buckle's idea of it is; & end with promising an article to show what his erudition amounts to. Then this article would be the first for July. After you have done this, will you send Messers Levey, Robson & Franklyn Great New St. Fetter Lane E.C. writing upon it—"1st art. July Rambler". 28

I will look after new publications—the only one I have seen yet is the new Bollandist life of St. Ursula, quite destructive of fabulous stories, & which seems to require a longish notice. As to my article on Brownson— it was written to order, by the yard, to fill up a gap caused by a promised article not arriving—so having arrived at the end of my tether I was forced to omit the last chapter—which I was sorry to do—Todd is well displeased, & will have nothing more to do with us—You may find in Gladstone enough to hang a review upon, wh. shall be quite suitable to our public. About Baines, I did not see the Weekly till it was too late to make use of the occasion—As to the Editorship, if you would take it, I would be sub under you as I was under Capes—it might do good to the name of the thing. I feel that I am without political prudence, & I shall never get it, so it wd be better if I was always obliged to refer to you, who have some supply of the said article. No one but you shall do Guizot—More in a day or two—now I must finish for the post—only staying to tell you that I have found a most delightful journal of a M. de Maisse, ambassador frm Henri IV to Eliz. 1597-98; his descriptions of the Q are rich— _, ^ , Every yours very truly R Simpson Write as soon as you can to say what you will do.

24 SIMPSON TO ACTON-4 J U N E 1858 My dear Acton I send you the little paper about Mauvissiere's despatch, with the translation of the same; it will make about 7 pages, & will do to fill up— I have had a talk about the new books published here—my informant seemed quite occupied with one, so as to know of none else—Proudhon's book L'Eglise et la Revolution—which is infame illogical, & built on two principles, Dieu c'est le mal; & La propriete c'est le vol. I cannot see it in any of the shop windows, so probably the police are making kind enquiries about it. Would you mind writing to Capes, to ask him to send you his article as soon as he has done it; I will write to F. Capes at Clapham to touch him up, else he will forget that he has to write anything. When you write to the old Capes, will you ask him to write to D. Parsons,1 who talked of writing something for June—I dont know where he is, or I would see after him—Also will you jot down a few short 1

Daniel Parsons (1811-87), former Anglican minister, converted 1843. 29

notices of anything that may strike you, so that we may have matter to fill up. We must not make our number too monotonous or heavy. So tell Capes to put a thistle under his Pegasus' tail, to make the beast gambol & kick a little—Do you want any books procured for you in the capital? —The note to Walewski1 opened the doors for me—everybody was very polite; but there was nothing there; the Archives only begin with Richelieu—One volume about Q Eliz. out of which I got two interesting things —There must have been a general destruction of papers relating to 1580, 81; the years which I want—only one accidental volume of Mauvissiere can I discover. I should like to look for the correspondence of Don Antonio de Mendoza at Simancas, but not with the thermometer at 102 in the shade as it was yesterday—I saw it on the shady side of the Palais Royal at 33.5 centigrade. Women with the fairest complexions looked very much like perspiring veal cutlets. ^ . xr Yours very truly R Simpson 6 Passage de la Madeleine, Paris June 4, 1858 We leave this today for the Hotel du bon Lafontaine Rue de Grenelle St Germain

25 ACTON TO SIMPSON -6 J U N E 1858* Aldenham Sunday June 6 1858 My dear Simpson, I received this morning your extract and notice about Queen Elizabeth, and at the same time a very short political article from Capes, who promises also a short Review. We are threatened with a theological paper from Maguire,2 and shall greatly need some levity from Capes Junr. Your paper on Buckle is excellent, and I should do harm by prefixing nonsense of my own. Nothing has been written upon his book nearly so good as your paper. I wish you would follow up this style of writing. There are half a dozen systems prevailing in the country, one worse than the other, and if each of them received such elucidatory treatment as you have bestowed on this Positivist the result would be a complete Diagnosis of 1

A letter of introduction to Count Walewski (1810-68), illegitimate son of Napoleon I, foreign minister of France 1855-60. * Gasquet, Letter vm, pp. 20-3. 2 John Maguire (1801-65), D.D., former professor at St Edmund's, Old Hall, canon of Westminster, vicar-general to Cardinal Wiseman until deprived in 1858. 30

the state of English intellect. The Utilitarian school has much sympathy with the regular Positivists, tho' distinct from them, and both Macaulay's and F. Rogers' refutation are forgotten and unsatisfactory. J. S. Mill would afford a capital representative of this class. Then there would be the ' apostles of the Flesh', the Muscular Christians, more popular in their action, but with a kind of speculative foundation—Kingsley, Maurice &c. And if you could divest yourself of some of your sympathy for Carlyle you might handle well that most original and strikingfigurein our literary world. If you would pursue this idea, to which I am led by your most felicitous demolition of Buckle, it would make our own course clear and would do us no little service. If Proudhon's book is illogical I marvel, for that is not his defect, and though I doubt not it is blasphemous and detestable yet he is by no means intellectually despicable. Many of the Simancas papers are in Paris, where Mignetused them. Lenormant, of the Correspondant, can tell you all about them; he is to be found at the Imp. Library. But Mignet discovered, with all his opportunities, so little that is new about Mary Stuart that I daresay they are defective for the period. Capes' politics, I suppose, will begin the July No. Then Buckle. Then two more papers either Capes Sr. or Jr. or Maguire, and then Mauvissiere. A notice of a foolish old French bishop1 in Latin is to fill the last page, Capes insisting. For my part, if the Devil drives, I must needs do what you wish by way of introducing your Buckle—At least it depends a little on inspiration. I will take care to say a few startling things in the Short Notices. Can't you send one or two, written by way of relaxation during the heat? As to the Editorship I beg to refer you to a very good saying of Pope Zachary to Pipin the Short, which if you seek you shall find in Baronius. I find I was mistaken in supposing Burns had bought Capes' shares. As he is not a proprietor he need not be attended or listened to. I think we may faire notre deuil of Todd. Meynell has submitted to me his letter to his Bishop, representing the coming Rambler as a miracle of prudence and decency. If he answers civilly it will be good for us altogether, but he is such a horrible animal that I trust him not. Amherst's2 mitre is almost as good as if Macmullen had had it, for I had written to him just before about the Rambler, and he said that only his dulness of pen prevented him from helping us. If I do my part of Buckle for August, with a few short notices, it will be all I can do till November, for I shall be much distracted for a couple of months in the summer. I am almost afraid of John Arundell, but I will write to him for a contribution. Have you not made Veuillot's3 acquaintance? You pass his door daily, 44 Rue du Bac, 1 2 3

Caulet of Pamiers; see Rambler, n.s. x (July 1858), 72. Francis K. Amherst (1819-83), ordained priest 1846, bishop of Northampton 1858-79. Louis Veuillot (1813-83), French journalist, editor of VJJnivers 1844-60, 1867-83, the spokesman of the extreme Ultramontanes. 31

and that old goose Bonnetty is to be found hardby, 10 Rue de Babylone. You will have your revenge upon me in the July No. for the firebrand imprudence of my short notices. , . r J Your s sincerely John Dalberg Acton 26 SIMPSON TO ACTON -9 J U N E 1858 My dear Acton The devil does drive, therefore you needs must fit a head and tail to my notes about Buckle—In the head had you not better just say what the book is, how long, how much is to follow & a few things of that sort, just to put our public up the mark? or they will wonder who the devil Buckle is that he should have so long a notice. As to the rest, it seems a good opportunity to expound some of your views of history; I suppose you think it is the account of human life in general; Buckle you see abstracts life, and makes it an account of the improvement of our tools. Buckle's odd views would make your common sense ones come out with more clearness & precision—Also I beseech you to remember that my article was at first only meant for notes, as my contribution to the article we were to write in common—Therefore it is your part to alter me where I am weak, to add words expressions & sentences when they are wanted to strengthen or clarify; to put out redundances, & in a word, to treat me simply as one of the contributors to a common refutation of Buckle. As for your idea of following up Buckle with Carlyle, Mill, Maurice &c, it is a very good one, & I readily consent, provided you will help in it. If I am as successful with Buckle as your partiality judges me to be, it is to be attributed to the interest other people felt in him, which made them talk about him, & gradually filter their views through me. Refutations of popular views can only be successful after many talks together of people who understand them—Would not Proudhon come into this series? I called on Veuillot yesterday, but he was out—I must go again, & suck him for some information about books—If I get anything out of him I will put it into a short notice or two. I wrote to Capes yesterday to tell him that I cd. give him 3 or 4 pages on St. Ursula, but I think it wd be better to keep it for an article in Aug or Sept—we shall be too historical & heavy. For a bit of levity I should like to collect materials for an article to be called "Tartuffe" concerning pious vices—with examples such as the Public called "the Prodigal's return" (i.e. from water to gin) at Battersea: the Estaminet "In het hemeloyk" where the pious Mechlinians get drunk in the kingdom of heaven—The Epicerie "au 32

saint nom de Jesus" which attracts all the piety of the vieux Colombier, but keeps itself open on Sunday mornings, et id genus omne, lots of which may be got out of the Record—Ancient & modern anecdotes would come in equally well, & I dare say you cd supply me with a store. What is Maguire going to write about? He is quite as slow as Todd but in another way, & we must mind that he does not commit us to his queer views in Eccl politics—In which I think that we must take the Veron line, & insist that all scholastic views enlarging upon the dogmas of the faith are mere views & not dogmas, & that one view may be held as well as the other, both being equally orthodox, or only heterodox when perversely exaggerated by passionate controversialists—In this way only can we embrace both Bossuet & Bellarmine, Dollinger & whoever is his opposite. I have no doubt each view is right from some stand point or other;— one can find plenty of logic & correctness even in Buckle after one has found out his proper position, & reduced his universe to its proper proportions—But for all this we need hardly let Maguire give the tone to our theology, which would be hard, dry, forbidding & querulous in the extreme. Tell me about Pope Zachary & Pipin the short, & refer me not to Baronius, for whom I should have to wait half an hour in the salle de Lecteur here—I presume by your way of putting it that you will see me elsewhere before you relieve me of the Editorship. I had a Ire from Rome from Ch. Weld this morning in which he wants to know whether we wish him to take any shares—I dont know whether he means "dont you wish you may get it," or whether he is in earnest—he seems, like you & Pope Zachary, a little sardonic. I am glad that Burns is out of the way. I too am delighted at Frank Amherst being Bp. He & I were great friends at Rome—We must make him try to write something grandiose with the end of his baculum—As to F. Capes' levity, I am afraid if it is ordered for the occasion it will be horribly artificial—He is just like a French writer of Railway literature in his notions of the necessity of an introduction, and of the possibility of introducing anything by anything —He has not the knack of falling on his legs in medias res, without several preliminary flounders into everything else. What was the June R like? I dont think there was anything of mine in it except a few short notices— This letter, O Friend, have I written in the Ms room of the Bib Imp. being heartily tired of the cramped old writings I ought to have been unravelling— Mind you put our Buckle first, as the best leg of the July R. & not Capes' politics. ^T . , Yours very sincerely R Simpson 3

33

ALM

(the most interesting page of my Ms.) Paris, Hotel du Bon Lafontaine Rue de Grenelle St. Germain JUNE 9

PS. June 10. I have borrowed Proudhon, & I find that he will do excellently for the series. His title is "De la justice dans l'Eglise, et dans la Revolution" His aim to prove that justice is founded on a natural, not supernatural basis; therefore that it & the Church are incompatible; but that it is to be found quite pure in the Revolution. He is atheist, & identifies God & Devil, previously to denying both. But his alternatives are startling, & well worth displaying to the English public; I dont think a copy can be got now for love or money—P. is condemned to 4000fffine, & 3 years imprisonment, & the book suppressed. 27 ACTON TO SIMPSON-11 J U N E 1858* Aldenham June 11th. 1858 Alas good Simpson! Capes in consequence of a letter from you wrote yesterday to propose to make up the July No. and edit it in your absence. To whom I, touched with an untimely desire to go to Paris for a week, forwarded incontinent what MSS. I possessed. I conceived that Politics had a traditional claim to open the No. and sent Capes' paper, not a good one by any means, first—Moreover had no introduction ready to the Buckle, which Capes will prefix, briefly. But the matter of Quetelet, and the termination introductory to Buckle No. 2 I did subjoin. It will, I assure you, be a capital No. inasmuch as I have written nothing but a few notices which Capes will probably see cause to omit. I should have spoiled your Buckle by any Introduction of my own, and was extremely unwilling to write it —and I almost think it would be wasting good theory to use it merely as a set off against him who is without that very sufficiently shown up. I am glad your article comes out at the same time as those in the Atlantis Quarterly. I am delighted that you accept the idea of pursuing the critique of our chief un-Christian philosophers, and that you will add Proudhon to them. Have you read Donoso Cortes' reply to his former work? If you see Veuillot I wish you would refresh his memory about an edition of Donoso's writings which he was preparing. If you want to gratify him very much you might ask whether he is going on with the publication of * Gasquet, Letter ix, pp. 23-5, with omissions. 34

his own collected essays. I find a very good paper against the Benthamites in the works of a very accomplished American, Legare,1 which I daresay you will be glad to see when you tackle Mill Junr. Meynell thirsts for the demolition of Kant which he proposes to himself—which is akin to the wish that Judas may be hanged. He has made all things straight with his Bishop and piously hopes we shall not get him into a scrape. There is a good new book on S. Thomas by Jourdain, which I have been recommending to him. He is a very clever fellow. I wish he was not mad, and knew more. Maguire, wrote Capes, was to have done something on church history. Your words are golden, as to the line we are to take in theology. Above all we ought to bear in mind that theology is not a stationary science so that a man who says nothing that has not been said before does not march with his age. Nevertheless this philosophic view will be offensive to many. But I think we should do well to select some point on which to exhibit it. Potts2 is, to say the truth, too decidedly a partisan, and a goer of the whole hog. Your Tartuffe will be a very good subject. How often have I drunk Salvator Bier, at the Salvator Brau, at Munich! On the other hand when I used to ride out in the Bois de Boulogne A.D. 1845, there was an auberge near the Arc de FEtoile "au pauvre diable". You will be able to make better discoveries on this subject in Paris than anywhere else Interrogaverunt de regibus in Francia, qui propter suam amentiam illis temporibus non habebant regalem potestatem, si bene fuisset an non. Et Zacharias P. mandavit Francis, ut melius esset vocari Regem ilium qui haberet prudentiam et potestatem, quam ilium, qui sine regali potestate solo nomine Rexerat. Append, ad gesta Franc. Capes has taken Comte's Catechism of Positivism to write about it for August. Meynell is watching for the appearance of Hamilton's lectures to review them, and I, of Dyer's Modern History for the same purpose. The June Rambler had a theological article with one or two mistakes in it, on Laforet,3 by whom I know not. There is no antithesis to Dollinger, or the German divines, as in the case of Bossuet and the Romans, for certain reasons which we might discuss. Faber4 and Morris, if any, would be near the mark. Lots of new materials have been published for the life of S. Charles—so that I fear Thompson's5 book is 1 2 3

4

5

Hugh Sinton Legare (1789-1843), American lawyer, politician and writer. A nickname for J. M. Capes. 'Laforet's Exposition of Catholic Dogma', Rambler, n.s. ix (June 1858), 399-412. The author was the Rev. Mr Bonus, about whom nothing is known except that he left the priesthood in 1862. Frederick William Faber (1814-63), converted 1845, ordained priest 1847, founder and superior of the London Oratory 1849. A noted hymnologist, Faber was markedly Ultramontane in theology. Edward Healy Thompson (1813-91), converted 1846, translator, controversialist and religious biographer. Thompson's Life of St. Charles Borromeo was reviewed by Simpson, Rambler, n.s. ix (July 1858), 424. 35

3-2

not quite up to the mark, despite your favorable notice. I sent Potts your paper on Catholics, which seems to me greatly improved and likely to be effective. Don't tell Veuillot that he will be complimented in the next Rambler, for there is an allusion to him not exactly in that strain. Meynell has done Poe.1 , , xr Your s sincerely John Dalberg Acton 28 SIMPSON TO ACTON-27 J U N E 1858 1 Nelson Terrace Clapham Common S June 27

Dear Acton I am charmed with your short notices, especially with F. Felix & Philp2—the latter has set me to rights in some corners where I was about to extravagate—I am much younger than you in history, so I am disposed to accept your dicta as oracles—of Dollinger. I am rather sorry that my " Influence of Catholics in Engd " is printed, but I found the reason here, in the shape of Maguire's dull article which was cooling itself in a brown paper parcel at my house, where also reposed a notice by F. Tickell3 on a little book of his own, which he particularly wanted to be printed in the June no. I have written to him to explain. I will send you Maguire, & a thing I have written on Margotti's new book—If old Ventura4 could see & understand your notice of Felix how long would you remain the " fervent et savant catholique Anglais " which you now are said to be? tradition p 2. How the old fox cusses—I cannot for the life of me get on with the book, & I am wicked enough to prefer infinitely, as amusing reading, Proudhon. I hope that you are working at Buckle, & that when you come to London next I may be more fortunate in seeing you than I was at Paris. Have you Proudhon? I cd not get it at Paris—I borrowed it, but had to return it immediately. Also if I am to 1 2

3

4

Rambler, n.s. x (July 1858), 68-70. Joseph Felix, Le Progres par le christianisme (Paris, 1858), reviewed by Acton, Rambler, n.s. x (July 1858), 70-2. R. K. Philp's History of Progress in Great Britain, Part i (London, 1858), was reviewed in ibid. 63—5. George Tickell (1815-93), converted 1844, entered Society of Jesus 1845, spent most of his career at Stonyhurst College, devotional writer, was acquainted with the Weld family. Gioacchino Ventura (1792-1861), Italian priest and philosopher, general of the Theatine Order 1830, liberal nationalist in 1848, exiled from the Papal States, lived in Paris after 1851. 'Tradition' refers to La tradition et les semi-pilagiens de la philosophie ou le semi-rationalisme devoiU (Paris, 1856), a work against 'traditionalism', in which some remarks of 'un fervent et savant catholique anglais, M. le chevalier Acton', are cited, p. 2, n. 1. 36

begin a course of Mill & other agreeable people, will you lend me the materials necessary? They have not sent me the first sheet of the July R so I have not seen Capes' politics—but he must not be allowed to interfere with you, as he was perfectly cognizant of the conditions—so if you feel annoyed I will preach to him about it; or if you choose I will remind him that he may be careful in future. Yours very truly R Simpson 29 ACTON TO SIMPSON -29 J U N E 1858* Aldenham June 29th My dear Simpson, I did not expect you back in England so soon. Last Monday week, after I had seen Mrs. Simpson, I went to the MS room where they showed me your place, but you were not there, and I left Paris the same day. I will send you all the books I have that can be of use in your series of articles on the systems of the day. Si nous pouvions faire la statistique des doctrines morales de notre epoque, c'est par Futilitarisme que nous commencerions, says Vinet,1 and proceeds to give a very clever critique of it. If you propose doing the same you shall have this book, a paper by Legare, a very accomplished American, Rogers' (feeble) article in the British critic, Macaulay's 3 articles in the Edinburgh, one in the Quarterly, 1838, a volume containing Bentham's chief works with Burton's elaborate introduction, Mill's essay on Government, and a little volume containing the 'spirit of Jeremy Bentham'. There is much about him in the earlier Nos. of the Westminster when Bowring was editor—the article J.B. in Knight's Cyclopaedia is good. I have not seen that in the Enc. Britannica. Shall I make up a parcel of these? As to Carlyle, which of his works do you want? His philosophy of history and his English politics are the 2 points—the former best in Past and Present, with the help of 'Hero Worship', the other in 'Chartism' & 'Latter day pamphlets'. His histories merely teaching by example the doctrines of the two first books. Some light thrown on him by comparing Emerson. The Americans, (Alex. Everett in the North American Review) appreciated him long before he was known in England. Observe the simplicity of style in his Schiller (1827) compared to later works. In his * The last half of this letter is printed in Gasquet, Letter vi, pp. 15-17, misdated 'End of May, 1858'. 1 Alexandra Vinet (1797-1847), Swiss Protestant, advocate of the separation of church and state, whose doctrines of freedom of conscience had much influence on Acton. 37

four vols. of essays there is much empty trash, as he writes of things he understands not, on Heyne, for instance, tho' he is not a classical scholar. 1 have not, nor seen, Proudhon. If he is to be had, Jeffs, in the Burlington Arcade will get him. Would you not take the socialist doctrine altogether, not only in this book? It needs no great reading. Mill in his political economy has written well on them, see also a paper of Brownson's a few years ago, and Donoso Cortes' book against Proudhon, which I can send you in Spanish, but it is to be had in French. Also Sudre, histoire du Communisme. The best things are in German, and I will, if you like append notes from the Germans to the first sketch of your article, and return it to you to be worked up. Mill Junior, as editor of the Westminster, ought to be carefully got up—there are only 2 books, his logic and his political economy—but he is a serious thinker. I have no books and no knowledge of the Maurice-Kingsley school, whose genesis begins with Sr. Arnold and [Note by Simpson]— 2nd sheet of a Ire received in Paris about the end of May, 1858 approving my Buckle, and proposing to me to continue that line of writing— [Note by Gasquet]— Error of Simpson's This completes the letter of 29 June below. the influence of the Germans. If I was you I would undertake this as a regular series, and refer at the beginning of the next paper of the kind to that on Buckle, as the beginning of these analyses. Who will do among Catholics the same thing? There have been in our time varieties enough of opinion and doctrine amongst us, represented by able men, and pointing out many dangers to which we are exposed and which we don't always escape. There would be Lamennais,1 a very suggestive and prophetic figure, admirably done by the Infidel Renan, in the Revue des 2 Mondes of last September. Then the theory of the Old French Catholics before the schism of 1848, best represented by Lacordaire,2 whom it is pleasant to read. After which the 2 new schools, and the remains of Gallican and Jansenist ideas still to be found. In Italy Gioberti,3 whose posthumous works are the best Italian writings since Vico, but so full of wickedness that I dare not write a notice of them, but his earlier character was well sketched by Brownson4 and Rosmini,5 whom Bunbury 1 2 3 4

5

Felicity de Lamennais (1782-1854), the founder of Liberal Catholicism in France, left the Roman Catholic Church in 1834. Jean-Baptiste Lacordaire (1802-61), French Dominican priest, Liberal Catholic. Vincenzo Gioberti (1801-52), Italian philosopher and Liberal Catholic. Orestes Augustus Brownson (1803-76), American writer, of varied religious and philosophical principles until his conversion to Catholicism in 1844, editor of Brownson's Quarterly Review 1844-64, 1873-5. Antonio Rosmini-Serbati (1797-1855), Italian priest, founder of the Institute of Charity (Rosminians), philosopher and Liberal Catholic. 38

knows well—finally the Civilta cattolica,1 that is to say Taparelli, a clever, narrow, half learned fellow who has collected all his best things in 4 volumes. Besides which Balmes is a curious appearance and Brownson still more curious, and a very remarkable sign of the times worthy of dissection— a good subject. Add to which our dear friend Ventura—of whose compliments to me I was ignorant. &c&c&c. All this would lead us to the cave of Aeolus, and explain whence the winds come that blow at Brompton and York place, in Maynooth, at Birmingham2 &&& Do not regret the appearance of your paper on the Catholics. It will give an eclat of a certain kind to the July No. besides that on Buckle. My disagreement with Capes' politics, who wrote to ask me whether he might write the article, is of no consequence, and we will not say a word about it. I'll write a paper on the same subject next winter. I'll have Buckle and Guizot ready for August. Do write several short notices, of at least half a page each—I shall have some too on several new books. The little compliment to Montalembert3 in the notice of Villemain4 was necessary after the indirect remarks in that on Felix. This week I suppose we shall have Allies on Buckle in the Atlantis—I hope you come home richly laden with Lutetian spoil. I am afraid my dicta on Philp cannot claim to be verba magistri. Who wrote on Laforet in June? Your's sincerely John Dalberg Acton

30 SIMPSON TO ACTON -30 J U N E 1858 Dear Acton The author of Laforet was Bonus—who had to rewrite his article before it was admissible—In spite of some inaccuracies it was not so bad after all, was it? I am overpowered with the bare idea of the amount of reading you prescribe to me. I was once ill at Lyons; the doctor came, & when he went said he wd send the medicines. After an hour or two there was a 1 2

3

4

Jesuit newspaper, published at Rome. * Brompton' refers to the London Oratory (Faber and Dalgairns); York Place was at this time Cardinal Wiseman's residence; Maynooth is the great Irish seminary; 'Birmingham' may refer either to Newman's Oratory or to Bishop Ullathorne. Charles Forbes Rene, Comte de Montalembert (1810-70), political leader of the French Liberal Catholics and contributor to the Correspondant. Review of M. Villemain, La Tribune Moderne: M. de Chateaubriand (Paris, 1858), Rambler, n.s. x (August 1858), 40-2. 39

kick at my door evidently proceeding from a man who had lost the use of his hands—I opened, & there stood a person, in each hand a litre bottle; his apron held in his teeth, & in his apron, a bottle of Quince syrup,— item a pound of linseed—item a bottle of balm of Gilead—item an electuary—item several plaisters, a squirt, & other things of which I had never heard before—This drink & thou shalt live said the Doctor, & I obliged. But I am very doubtful whether I shall follow your prescriptions as conscientiously. But if you will send the books, we will try. There is no notice of Villemain printed. As the size of the R. is limited, it has generally been the rule to make the short notices elastic to a certain extent, & to leave the printers to select from them as much as they want. It appears they have not selected V. so Montalembert will have to wait till next month for his compensation. After reading them again, I am satisfied that your short notices are the best as a whole that we have ever had in the R. You come down on your subjects from a greater elevation than the rest of us—we, when we want to criticize a book, are obliged to read up to it. It is quite another thing when your knowledge allows you to come down upon it at once. You mention Bunbury as up with Rosmini—do you think he would write about him? & would you get at him to ask him?—Who is to do the analyses of the Catholic writers I dont know, except you will undertake them; unless we carry out the idea of a common labour, & have a meeting at Oscott or in London to talk for two or three days about the matters— subjects to be advertized a month before the meeting. I saw Manning yesterday, he was very affectionate, & pressed me to go & lunch & have a talk with him—an event that I hope will come off soon —Have you any observations to make on Maguire—if so, write as soon as you can, because I must propose the alterations & omissions that will be necessary. I will not use your name as that of "the partner in the City". Yours very truly R Simpson also slash about Margotti as much as you like—I am not proud. June 30.

40

31 ACTON TO SIMPSON -30 J U N E 1858* Aldenham June 30th. My dear Simpson, I received Dr. Maguire's1 paper this morning, and lost no time in reading it. As a critique of the ' Analecta' and their way of doing business it is excellent, and I can only complain that it is not severe enough in censure. That journal does no end of harm, and is conducted in the worst and lowest spirit which orthodox and virtuous men are capable of. It is highly necessary that a firm protest should be made against a paper that exercises such injurious authority. But the rest of the article, so far as it touches Jaffe, is less complete, and requires a little modification before it can appear. Dr. M. is a theologian, and has overlooked the fact (as the Roman critic has done also) that the book is written merely for the use of historians. Jaffe is wellknown as a diligent rather than able historical writer, and has published two useful works on the history of the empire in the 12th century. The plan of his present work was suggested by the 'Regesta Imperii' of Bohmer, the most learned and accurate of all historians; who has given an exact chronological abstract of all papers emanating from the emperors in the 9th-13th centuries, accompanying the documentary notices with exhaustive references to the historians, so that his work is as good as a complete history of the times. He also gives very full and instructive prefaces. Jaffe, on a larger field, confines himself to the mere facts and words of the documents. Had his design been hostile he could have fulfilled it much better by following more closely his model, and giving such malicious extracts from the historians as he could easily have found in Gieseler. The fury of the Roman critic is very easily explained [by an enemy]2 by the fact that Jaffe, as well as his publisher, is a Jew, and that the appearance of such a work by a young Jewish physician of Berlin is a most bitter censure of those who sit at the fountain head of ecclesiastical learning and have done so little to extend it. For the same reason I think it hardly just to say that it 'would be an easy undertaking' to continue the work, seeing that 2016 vols. of pontifical regesta are in the Vatican; for Jaffe may make pretty sure that he will not be allowed to use them. He is at work however at the continuation, and has been for the last eight years. The interest and importance of his * Gasquet, Letter x, pp. 26-8, with omissions. 1 'German Jews and French Reviewers', Rambler, n.s. x (August 1858), 104-20. 2 In Simpson's writing. 41

book would be better described as historical. I think Dr. M. dwells too much on the theological value of it. As there is a short list of the most important ecclesiastical publications of Protestant Germany, it ought to be nearly complete. The additions of Oehler's Tertullian & Otto's Justin and Apologists would make it so. If Dr. Maguire is the author of the June paper on Laforet, pray tell him that Generationism as held by Klee, has been recently condemned at Rome in the work of Frohschammer,1 a professor at Munich who refuses to submit. I rejoice at your exposure of Margotti.2 I would, if I were you, say a word of respect for those who are somehow fighting the battle of religion in Piedmont—for though they may be, like this good man, slaves of the Univers, yet it is a contest in which we must greatly sympathize with the Catholic party, who really have to go through real trouble for their cause. At least I would do this from motives of prudence, in order not to give a fair opening to imputations of want of sympathy &c. I have put in pencil on the back of your paper, one or two notes. I think that it wd. be well to make more, if you think it can well be done, of Margotti's good saying quoted at the bottom of page 3 in your MS. and of the inconsistency of writing the book in the face of this truth. Then I am afraid of your attack on the Vatican. The difficulty is chiefly with the MSS. For the printed books and MSS. not in the Archives, they are often very civil. Dollinger had all he wanted, and some protestants, who were forbidden by a standing rule, to use the catalogue, were helped by the under librarian in every way in his power. There is a great deal of chance in this. But it is a very doubtful question whether all the documents in Rome could be made public. Pius VI, when the French came, destroyed the most scandalous acts, and a party in Rome, Cardinals amongst others, wish for unrestricted publication. I know that Dollinger has a paper on Boniface VIII which he found at Florence, and which he cannot make up his mind to publish. I only mean to argue that we can hardly help recognizing a certain degree of secrecy in the Vatican, tho' not of course in the printed books— but that they are not so very rich in—and the Library of the Minerva is really better for working purposes. I received the Atlantis this morning. Arnold's Alcibiades and Hagan's Joan of Arc, are open to criticism. Shall we not notice it in August? Will you let Maguire see the first sheet of my letter? Your's ever sincerely John Dalberg Acton 1

2

Jakob Frohschammer (1821-93), philosopher, ordained priest 1847, professor at Munich 1854-62. His work on the origin of the soul having been condemned, Frohschammer refused to submit. See Acton, ' Conflicts with Rome', Home and Foreign Review, iv (April 1864), 667-96. 'Italian Statistics', Rambler, n.s. x (August 1858), 120-34, a review of Giacomo Margotti, Roma e Londra Confronti (Turin, 1858). 42

32 SIMPSON TO ACTON • 1 JULY 1858 Dear Acton, Read Capes1—he is unpleasant. Poor Potts is too bumptious; besides, as I have written to him, he is a practical Pelagian, & like old daddy longlegs who would not say his prayers. I have told him to examine his doubts to the bottom, to read, think, & avoid the example of the said daddy—how he will take my advice I know not, but clearly we must cut him off. I noticed two or three things at Aldenham, which I laid up in my memory. 1. A fanatical dread of making converts when I talked of a converting society, or something of that sort. 2. A prophetical dictum, that I should someday develop my views on original sin in a way that wd surprise me. I forget what led to my remark about Strauss, but he is evidently going the way of universalism, unless he can be stopped. He is vexed, disappointed, hurt, at something; & this something comes from the clergy—I don't know what it is, but it's a pity. I am going to see Maguire tomorrow & I will take him your note, & get him to introduce the additions & alterations you suggest—Many thanks for all your suggestions about my paper—they shall be attended to. Capes' hint about Wilberforce is useful. Bonus is afiercegenerationist. I am as vehement the other way, so I insisted that he should put all he said about it in an hypothetical way. Had we not better work up into a "correspondence" a few corrections of facts &c that ought to be made? We might say—various correspondents have sent us the following observations on certain facts & opinions that have been recently printed in our pages—Estcourt2 sends me some for my brothers paper on Lord Montague, and one on my paper on Lawrence Vaux.3 The next thing to perfect accuracy is a willingness to correct accidental mistakes. Yours very truly R Simpson July 1. 1

2 3

J. M. Capes, who was assailed by doubts which eventually led him to leave the Roman Catholic Church. See Altholz, Liberal Catholic Movement, pp. 22-3, 73-5. Altholz's suggestion that this discussion was the genesis of Newman's Grammar of Assent has been found to be incorrect. Edgar Edmund Estcourt (1816-84), converted 1845, ordained priest 1848, canon of Birmingham and secretary to Bishop Ullathorne, had an interest in recusant history. William Simpson, 'Lord Montague's Troubles', Rambler, n.s. ix (June 1858), 41621; Richard Simpson, 'Laurence Vaux', ibid, vni (December 1857), 399-418.

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33 ACTON TO SIMPSON-2 JULY 1858* Aldenham July 2d. 1858 My dear Simpson, Capes' letter explains in a way I was hardly prepared for the anomalies which it was impossible not to observe in his life and conversation. I did not hear his prophecy to you about original sin, but it says much for his own want of trust. What struck me most was his contempt for everything ascetical, and his dislike for prayer under the guise of weak health. Intellectual contempt for fellow Catholics has brought many men, within my knowledge, to nearly the same pass. The difficulty with him is increased by his impulsive character and by his impatience of laborious study. I fear that everything which gives him annoyance or discomfort will confirm his present disposition, so I vote that we in particular should be very careful in our communications with him. There must be, I imagine, some one circumstance lying at the bottom of his feeling towards the clergy—probably something connected with the Cardinal. When I consider how many things there are in the Catholic body to nourish such feelings I can't help thinking it a very painful and deplorable case. He wrote to me some time ago to know when Dollinger was coming over, and to make sure of meeting him. Now I understand the cause of this eagerness it strikes me as a very fortunate thing. Dollinger has a great liking for Capes, and his cool, matter of fact, common sense exposition of doctrine would I think be peculiarly suitable to C.'s state of mind. I wonder whether he has ever read Pascal. I'll give a dose of him in the Short Notices of next month. You say we must cut him off, and seem to have protested against his article on Comte—but do you mean that the R. ought to be entirely deprived of his assistance? He is evidently anxious himself not to have us associated in the public mind with his present uncertain views, and would be careful in writing, and the connexion with the R. would, I should think, be a hold upon him. You know him however much better than I do. Is anybody disposed to join us in partnership by taking part of the remaining £lOO's worth? C. proposed that I shd. take half and you and his brother share the remainder. If you like I wd. agree to that. He seems low from want of cash, and said, when he was here, that he could not afford to subscribe to Mudie's.1 Do you think that is literally the case? It would be an additional reason, if possible not to discourage his writing. * Partially printed in Gasquet, Letter xi, p. 29. Gasquet excised Capes' name. 1 A lending library, founded 1842. 44

Will you write or speak to Wilberforce, or shall I? The worst of admitting corrections is that it makes other people look wiser than ourselves, unjustly, inasmuch as Bonus is not 'we'. I send you a small parcel of Utilitarianism. Mill's essay on Gov't and Burton's Introduction are the real authorities. The other articles are very short and you will soon skip o'er them. If you think that the Catholic Vulgar Errors may follow your infidels, there is no reason why you should not do them yourself. If any are done by other people, it must be understood that the object is not to show the merits of Ventura, Rosmini &c—but to explain what are the pitfalls to which in our day eminent Catholics are exposed. This alone will give consistency and unity to the whole. I do not know where Bunbury is, don't you? He was at Boulogne, but meant to settle in London, where some of our friends must surely know his whereabouts. If I knew it I would write to him, as we are old friends and have talked much German philosophy together when on a journey through Switzerland. He would write, I have no doubt well—whether to Meynell's taste I know not—God knows. Before and since his military career he studied the old philosophers rigorously and went to Lombardy to spend some time with Rosmini. I think it would be well to multiply our writers of short notices. I have urged Allies to write some, and there are others. If always kept up to the mark of ten pages or so, they would be very effective. Dalgairns has read two new books, I am informed, on subjects he understands better than I do, and I want him to notice them instead of me, but I will not write to him if you think we had better keep clear of the London Oratory. Reading a book on Piedmont a supplementary idea occurred to me about Margotti. Could you not say that it is our so called friends and admirers in Italy who bring us into contempt and provoke these exaggerations against England by turning parliamentary institutions into a weapon against the church? A rap on both sides is a favorite dodge of mine. If you think it had better not appear in your paper on Margotti, I'll bring it to bear in a notice of Chiala's work on Piedmont. I cannot be of use in dissecting our Catholic friends for my ways of reading lead me on the contrary to look out only for what is good and useful in all writers, and I have never taken the trouble to analyze their mistakes; so that nobody will learn more from your articles than myself. You will see by my paper on Buckle what a wretched critic I am. Veuillot and Montalembert are the only two whom I think I see pretty well through, and I think of short noticing the former together with Sacy's Varietes in September. Some day or other, but not yet, I shd. like to have a fling at Brownson. _, A , , Ever truly your s J D Acton 45

34 SIMPSON TO ACTON-3 JULY 1858 My dear Acton The enclosed will explain a little more clearly C's state of mind. It is not in the evidences, but in the dogmas of the Church that he finds his difficulty. I fancy that divorce is a case in point. He was rather mad at a savage article I wrote, prophesying all ill to English society from the Divorce bill—why, unless he thought divorce historically & morally necessary? However you see he is rather close, & does not want to divulge his objections till he has them all pat. I had objected to his taking Comte out of my mouth, but on the receipt of his note I at once begged him to do it1—As to the separation, I only mean in inspiration, in editorial responsibility, in ownership—Let us use him as much and as kindly as we can, for it is a miserable case, & deserves the most considerate management. He is low from want of cash, but still I think his offer only fair, that we should hold the two shares in common, & in trust, to pay him what they shall be worth say this time year—The first share a man buys has an adventitious value, because it gives him a hold on an organ of Catholic opinion—the second share should be taken at its market value—if you buy another share for £50, you will have made him a very handsome present— I give up the idea of corrections—also if you wd communicate with Wilberforce it wd be better, as there is a feeling, not expressed but understood, between us, which makes us a little shy in communications —As to Catholic vulgar errors, one has not heart to think of them when one has their refined errors & the consequences thereof before ones eyes in Capes' person—The new Correspondant too is a lesson—It is too embittered against the Ultramontanes & traditionalists; it makes a personal into a political & ecclesiastical enmity & throws charity to the winds—while Guizot, Taine (Who is only a French Buckle & water) are touched with a pair of gloves on. Also look at the list of Catholic glories of France under Richelieu at p 191.1 will write to Boulogne to Bunbury's mother to know his address—I dont at all see why we should keep clear of the London oratory especially in notices of books that do not concern them—Only we must be perfectly independent of the schools & not be humble echoes of Faber, or puffers of his books when they appear—So if Dalgairns would write, why should he not? Thanks for the hint about Margotti—I will bring it in at the end, but this need not prevent your 1

Capes' article appeared as 'The One True Religion', Rambler, n.s. x (September 1858), 164-73. 46

doing the same in a short notice—we shall not hit on the same expression & the repetition of an idea gives unity & adds force—I went to Maguire last night, & gave him the first sheet of your letter—He was much flattered by your opinion, & promises to embody all your hints, & to let me have the paper again on Monday. I had gained his affections by abusing the Univers, but I rather shocked him by declaring myself a disciple of Veron, & by saying that I thought an Ultramontane quite as good a Christian as a Gallican, & vice versa; also by claiming the right of thinking exactly and saw reason to think outside the denned dogmas of faith— Yours very truly R Simpson July 3. By his suspicion that Newman1 is disappointed, Capes betrays his own feeling—what is the object of this feeling? is it the effect of the Catholic dogma on his mind? But under pretence of ill health he has never allowed it to work or is it disappointment at the way in which his teachings have been received by the world? But this is expecting a reception that our Lord himself did not get. The stalest of all common places is the mutual misunderstanding of good men—

35 ACTON TO SIMPSON -4 J U L Y 1858 Aldenham July 4th. Dear Simpson, What Capes says of Pyrrhonism indicates Pascal as the very thing for him. But I can hardly help thinking that personal causes play a greater part than he admits to himself. I almost doubt whether he has ever studied the writers who have tried to harmonize, as he says, the facts of history. The proposal to write a new paper on Comte certainly struck me as unnecessary. I gather that there will be two of his papers in the August No. Dr. Maguire, and Buckle—and the rest by yourself. Then I will keep over Guizot2 for September, when I shall be away and unable to do anything more. I will write to Wilberforce and Dalgairns. Are you sure a 1 2

John Henry Newman (1801-90), the greatest of the Oxford converts (1845), ordained priest 1847, superior of the Birmingham Oratory 1848, cardinal 1879. Acton translated Ferdinand d'Eckstein, 'M. Guizot and his Contemporaries', Rambler, n.s. x (October 1858), 217-29, and (November 1858), 289-301. 47

letter sent to Boulogne will find Mrs. Bunbury? I thought she was dead. If I was you I would put 'to be forwarded' on the back. The Correspondant is so bitter and quarrelsome, I think, because it has no clear view of its own, and lives by contradicting other people. No mind of equal power is less constructive than Montalembert's. None of them have anything new to say. I gather from your letter that Maguire is a Gallican, which is as bad, I think, as an Ultramontane. Caulet, the bishop whom he admires was in reality a Jansenist. Miracles took place after his death, but the King suppressed the inquiry after eleven cases had been constates. In Theology, not of course in practice, Gallicanism as well as Ultramontanism seem to me the productions of an imperfect state of learning impossible now-a-days in men who are up to the mark. Ever truly your's J D Acton

36 ACTON TO SIMPSON-6 JULY 1858* Aldenham July 6th Dear Simpson, Allies writes that the Dublin is given up1 unless somebody takes possession of it, and proposes to me to do so. This has happened therefore sooner than we expected. What do you think the best course for the Rambler? Shall we become Quarterly? I think it will not do, but I want to know what you think and whether anything can be done. Can both subsist together under similar management? If that could be, without mutual prejudice, it would silence, at least, all the low, blackguard, foolish voices, and reduce them to the ' Cabinet' and the Weakly W. The two Reviews might play skilfully with each other's hands, and represent in different ways the same opinions. I would stick to history in one and to politics in the other. Pray consider carefully whether we can take advantage of this shipwreck in any way, and if not whether the continuance of the D. in my hands or its total extinction (with the danger indeed of its falling among thieves) will suit our common interests best. Perhaps Allies will meet you. I expect Burns put him up to writing to me. * Watkin and Butterfield, pp. 83-4. 1 Henry Bagshawe, editor of the Dublin Review, announced his resignation in a circular dated 25 June 1858. No new editor had been found.

48

Is it contrary to periodical etiquette for us to notice the Atlantis? Neither Hagan1 nor Arnold2 is up to the mark, but we could cry up Newman's3 paper by way of compensation. Ever sincerely your's J D Acton Buckle is keeping me up all night. 37 SIMPSON TO ACTON -7 JULY 1858 Clapham, July 7 Dear Acton First about the August R. Capes has only spoken to me about Comte's Catechism. I expect no other article from him. Then there is Maguire (also has not returned me the Ms. corrected) Buckle, & Margotti—Four articles. Tickell S. J. has sent a long & very spiritual notice of his Tr. of the devotion to the Sacred Heart, which must go among the short notices—I hope you will have ready some of those things (short notices) —Maguire is a Gallican A.I. About the Dublin—Burns always talked of looking out for its fall in order to make the R. quarterly—but this you do not like—Therefore neither the idea of incorporating the two into one Quarterly. If this is not done, doubtless it would be best that the Dublin should be in friendly hands—& no hands better than yours, only in time you will be certain to neglect one or other, unless we can draw more real distinction than history for one & politics for the other—I think it might be done in this way—if the R. were assimilated more to the Protestant Monthlies, & were opened to stories, poetry, episodes of history, criticisms of books like Capes on Hogg, & pious articles, such as Northcote used to get for it. I believe they appealed to a large audience. Then keep the heavier & more serious work for the Quarterly—General views of history—Criticisms of serious books like Buckle—Philosophy—Discussions on politics—Dry subjects like Maguire on the Annales Juris pontificii, or a critique of F de Buck's life of St. Ursula. Treatises on historical questions like the consecration of Parker, English Ordinations, Pius V's Bull, & such like, which require comparisons of authorities, & can never be more than half done in the Rambler, where no space is given for them—In this way I would give you all the help in my power, which I am afraid wd not be worth much— 1 2 3

4

John O'Hagan, 'Joan of Arc', Atlantis, I (July 1858), 245-84. Thomas Arnold [Jr], 'The Genius of Alcibiades', ibid. pp. 284-301. 4 On the Formula, /xi'a vois TOV deov Xoyov aeaapKcofievrj^, ibid. pp. 330—61. 49

ALM

but I could correct the proofs for you, & see the things through the press, provided the Dublin was printed by somebody more intelligent than Richardson.11 have no money to spend in joining the purchase, but if I had, & you were willing to make it a concern of shares, I should be glad to join. The books which you sent off on Saturday have not yet arrived—do they come by goods train? Why not notice the Atlantis?—if not strictly in order with an old periodical, surely it is with a new one, else how can it ever get into notoriety, if its elder brothers say nothing about it? Macmullen has begun to read, & itches to write. We shall have him soon „ . —also David Lewis.2 Yours very truly R Simpson 38 ACTON TO SIMPSON • 8 JULY 1858* July 8 My dear Simpson, Capes in his letter to you speaks of a political article which he had offered me to write for August, and which I accepted. I'll send you a miserable Buckle and a few short notices. I hope there will be some besides mine. You are quite mistaken in thinking I do not like the plan of Quartering the Rambler. My doubts about it are twofold. First I thought you preferred monthly writing, and secondly if there is only one review there is an opening for another, very bad one, to be set up. A monthly can be lighter and more popular, a quarterly more learned. If you see our way to make the Rambler a quarterly, say next January, if you think it suits your literary habits, and will answer, I should greatly rejoice at it. For me it would have this advantage, that several things I have more or less prepared require much more space than we can afford. If we resolve upon this, we must of course keep up definitely our character and tendency in the quarterly form. If on the other hand, according to your very pleasant plan, we keep them both in our hands, we cannot escape the booksellers. To start the Dublin as I should wish, an outlay of money would be required which I don't know where to look for unless Burns chooses to make a venture. If that could be done I would keep the two reviews distinct in such a way as to play into each other's hands. The remuneration should be the same 1

Thomas Richardson (1797-1875), converted 1853, publisher at Derby, published the Weekly Register and the Dublin Review at this time. David Lewis (1814-95), converted 1846, translator. * Watkin and Butterfield, pp. 84-5. 2

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in both. The Dublin would have a broad bottom and less definite tendencies than the Rambler, wh. would be the sharp end of the wedge and the other the broad end. Notices of books shd. be confined to the Rambler. In this way, opening, with certain restrictions, the Dublin to all parties, with a more severe test of literary merit only, we could make them all labour unconsciously for good ends, and serve to increase the momentum of the Rambler, and the Dublin, starting without jealousies or animosities would preserve the harmony between the Rambler and the pensive public. In all which things the Atlantis must be in some measure considered. I shall hear from Newman about it tomorrow. I am told that the market value of the Dublin is = 0. Which of the two plans do you think best, and which most feasible? Bagshawe1 talks of a Committee. Perhaps something is doing in London. Perhaps the Cath. publ. socy. will take it up, edente Turnbull.2 The danger we run from a new periodical is not from the power of wits but from the power of stupidity. What if a virtuous, innocuous periodical were set up, quarterly if we remain monthly, monthly if we become quarterly, edifying and complacently triumphant, backed by many a bishop and by the pack of the Univers? Dissension would greatly increase and we should become exceedingly quarrelsome. As I believe your powers of work to be inexhaustible I think we could manage to conduct them both together. I have a sick friend in Tyrol who publishes two reviews by himself, and a foolish friend in Paris, Bonnetty, who has done the same for 20 years. Macmullen will be a splendid accession of strength. Lewis, even without his wife, an increase of weight. Ever faithfully your's J D Acton The books are on the road.

39 SIMPSON TO ACTON-8 JULY 1858 Clapham July 8. 1858. Dear Acton Capes writes to me that his head is so bad that he cannot undertake to write about Comte—so we have nothing from him for August except about a page & a half of short notices. Hence if Guizot is ready that 1 2

Henry Ridgard Bagshawe (1799-1870), convert, barrister, editor (often only nominal) of the Dublin Review 1837-63, county judge 1861. William Barclay David Donald Turnbull (1811-63), converted 1843, lawyer and antiquary. 51 4-2

would be the thing to put in—otherwise there is a scrawl of mine which I have just begun, but which I am afraid is rather stuff, or at any rate very elementary & childish, about France.1 I will try & send it you tomorrow—I shall see Macmullen tonight, & I will consult him about the Dublin. Your books have not arrived, nor Maguire's corrected Ms. Yours very truly R Simpson 40 ACTON TO SIMPSON-9 JULY 1858* Aldenham Friday Dear Simpson, We shall have too many Reviews with Guizot, therefore your paper on France will be highly opportune. Buckle will be miserably done, and I will never review a bad book again. I can send several pages of Short Notices—how late will not be too late? ^r , , , Your s truly J D Acton 41 SIMPSON TO ACTON-9 JULY 1858 Dear Acton I have to go and dine with Manning at 1 today, so I cannot send my article (which I am afraid of, not as quarrelsome but as stupid) till tomorrow. I told Mac yesterday about the Dublin—he was most decided & in a moment—Let it go, he said & then either put the R. into its place, or start another quarterly instead—Dont have anything to do with it, unless—which he does not believe—it is to be given up totally by every one of its present proprietors— He fancied that the whole offer was a ruse to disconnect you from the Rambler, & he has no notion but that somehow or other the Cardinal will continue to hold the reins of the D. while it exists. Of course this is possible, but you are not the kind of man that they would attempt to catch by such very palpable angling, & I dont quite think it probable. 1 'France', Rambler, n.s. x (August 1858), 73-88. * Most of this letter is printed as the opening of Letter XII, dated 11 July, in Gasquet, p. 30.

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I think that most likely the Dublin cannot go on. I think also that the Cardinal would rather see it in your hands than in any others of those who would be willing to continue it (Now that Sir Brian Oliphant Knight1 has run away with his second loving wife) & that if you would give him a personal assurance that it should not be carried on in any spirit of opposition to him he would be content without any reservation of rights to control. But I will talk to Manning & write tomorrow— In great haste Yours very truly R Simpson July 9. 42 SIMPSON TO ACTON • 10 J U L Y 1858 Dear Acton I told Manning of the Dublin plans yesterday. He thinks the offer made bond fide, for he has also heard that it is going. He would rejoice if you determined to take it, after fully counting the cost—which is great labour, entering upon it as a business, & perseverance. He quite thinks that the quarterly & monthly in the same hands may be kept perfectly distinct, the Q. being the place for "treatises", the M. for "electric sparks from the brazen head"—if he had said wooden I should have thought he was personal to me. Also Manning has promised, if he can make the time to write to me in the form of a letter some very sensible remarks that he made on Buckle— wh letter I would publish with his name immediately after your article— it is on the philosophy, not on the criticism of Buckle, & therefore cannot come into competition with it. I send you my France with fear & trembling—It has cost me more scratching of head & biting of pen than anything I have written for a long time, & is the stupidest probably. Will you scratch & scrawl over it with your accustomed good will? I think that matters look as if we should commence firing the double barrelled gun in January. The books have come—what a dose! Legare is ' cute, but he might be deeper. I have plunged into Jeremy2 himself—not secundum artem, but into the ana. , , XT Yours very truly R Simpson 1 2

The reading of this name is uncertain, and the person named cannot be identified. Jeremy Bentham (1748-1832), the Utilitarian philosopher.

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July 10. The short notices should be sent as soon as any of them are done—the last may be in time up to the 20th or even 21 & 22—in cases of great squeeze we have done it up to the 24th.

43 ACTON TO SIMPSON-11 JULY 1858* Aldenham July 11th. My dear Simpson, Your French article is very original and much to the present purpose. I have only marked one or two things. For instance Talleyrand won't do as the representative of official bourgeoisie, and your witty abbe, Timon, was an infidel deputy, Cormenin. Manning and not Macmullen is clearly right. I had no copy of the circular sent to me, and the Cardinal I have no doubt would have written to me with unction if he had thought of my taking up the matter. I am glad you look forward to a double shot next January. I cannot make out what Burns wants, but the two could be kept perfectly distinct. Politics are much better in a monthly garb than in a quarterly, and the short notices ought, I think, to be confined to the Rambler. We might get up the novel department with greater care, and everybody look to the R. for your old English Catholics. All this would exclusively belong to our monthly gun. As to the difficulty with regard to the Atlantis that foolish old man Newman writes to me this morning: u To make the chance of mutual interference still less, I wrote on receipt of your letter to a friend in Dublin, to express, what I had on other grounds felt, viz the desirableness of the Atlantis contracting its range of subjects, and of even confining itself to scientific." Of course he must be rebuked for this, but it shows his animus towards the plan, and starts also, in my mind, the question: how far the Dublin might safely become a receptacle, as Manning says, for regular treatises. The combination with the Rambler would I imagine give it a rather more serious character. As to Burns I do not think he is inclined to do anything bold. He talks of everybody being ready for sacrifices at first &c. whereas a regular payment to contributors is the first thing to look to in trying to revive the Dublin. Unless he shows some enterprise I expect it will be no go. I see the Tablet has collapsed at the same time as the Dublin. I have written to the Cardinal on a totally different question, and though I have not * Gasquet, Letter xn, pp. 30-2, with some omissions. 54

mentioned these matters I expect to elicit some remarks or other about them which may show how the wind lies. If we take the Dublin could not you get up an elaborate article founded on some considerable inedita, and then print the article separately with the documents appended? It would be a good advertisement. I could do the same on some questions of modern continental history about which I have important unpublished matter. Moreover the present occasion seems a likely one to break down Newman's rule about not writing for reviews; I expect we could get something out of him. They sell/print 1000 copies of the Atlantis. I did not know copying could be done so cheap in Belgium as I find it can by your article. I will have lots of things copied for me out of the library of Burgundy where there are some rare treasures for modern history. Your's sincerely J D Acton P.T.O. Pray look at the article on Buckle in the Quarterly which I've not seen, and be ready to make any corrections which that may suggest to my detestable article. 44 SIMPSON TO ACTON • 14 JULY 1858 Dear Acton We are none of us judges of our own writings. We judge by our ideal standard—I dare say that your article falls far short of what you had dreamed of, but those who had formed no ideal standard on the matter will thank you for a most satisfactory & demonstrative proof of Buckle's unlearning. The only thing I am sorry for is that my bit on the Mexican divinities takes up so much room. Of course, by the hypothesis, your article must be fragmentary—it was to show bit by bit that B. was not so great an historian as he pretended to be—this you have done capitally —& if your artistic taste is not satisfied, it is because your material could not be worked up into a total, round, in a ring fence. About quotations in foreign tongues. Our circulation is a good deal among young men's societies & the like, who dont understand latin or French, ergo, it is our general rule to translate either in the text or notes —I will do your latin into english in the notes. What do you say to writing a short squib of a couple of pages on the prospects of Catholic literature, apropos of the Dublin—Tablet smash? I propose it to you, because of your excellent little sketch in a letter1 to me, wh I transcribe for your refreshment— 1

Letter 38, 8 July 1858.

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" The danger we run frm a new periodical is not from the power of wits but from the power of stupidity. What if a virtuous innocuous periodical were set up, quarterly if we remain monthly, monthly if we become quarterly, edifying & complacently triumphant, backed by many a Bp, & by the pack of the Univers? Dissention wd greatly increase & we shd become exceedingly quarrelsome". Here is your text—only enlarge it. If you manage to get the Dublin into your hands, I will work hard for it, as I work for the Rambler—only dont let me appear. Nobody has any confidence in me, so put yourself forward—I am quite content to be unnamed—& if you think there is reasonable hope of your getting it, I will begin at once to work so as to get something for it as good as I can make it— For an historical subject—an examination into the quantity & quality of apostacy among the clergy in the first few years of Elizabeth—our ideas are all wrong upon the matter (?) But it wd be a pity to write it before the Venetian reports are published. Bentham I am just beginning to see through—I think I can make a scientific demolition of the greatest happiness principle as applied to ethics, leaving it standing as applied to legislation & politics, though modifying there by ethical considerations—but you shall see when I have written what I want— I will read over your article again when I come from Mitcham tonight, & will make whatever corrections seem necessary—In my first reading I was not critic but learner. _, L . Ever yours very truly R Simpson Over Clapham, Wednesday Impium is good eccl. latin—it is the equivalent of aaefies—now evaefirjs being much more like orthodox than pious in our sense, impium, the reverse, means blasphemously heterodox. See Newman, Athan. Ox. tr. 1. note a. 364 note b—it is as applicable to dogma as to the person who holds it; therefore declinable, & as legitimate in neuter as in masculine, ergo stet credo quia impium.

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45 ACTON TO SIMPSON

16 JULY 1858 Aldenham Friday

My dear Simpson, I have been drinking port wine for two days and nights with a sporting parson and a tipsy Squire of this neighbourhood, so that I cannot undertake the squib you propose on the state of Catholic Journalism, inasmuch as it will require great circumspection, and pending the arrangement of the Dublin property I think I had better hold my tongue. You however might with great incisiveness discuss the subject and make our public aware of its importance. Wilberforce says the announcement about the Tablet is only a lying dodge. I will try to get my interrupted short notices ready in a day or two. I am infinitely comforted at your good natured view of my Buckle. I wrote in great disgust and without the smallest satisfaction. I will leave my Latin quotations to be dealt with by you on all occasions. When irrelevant, strike them out, and when pedantic, translate them; only ought not the Latin to be in the note and the English in the text? The levity of my pursuits for the last few days appear in the discovery of the following passage in Moliere which would suit Buckle to a T. Sganarelle says to Don Juan: Qu'est ce done que vous croyez? D. J. Ce que je crois? Sg. Oui. D.J. Je crois que 2 et 2 sont 4, Sganarelle, et que 4 et 4 sont 8. Sgan: La belle croyance et les beaux articles de foi que voila! Votre religion, a ce que je vois, est done l'arithmetique? II faut avouer qu'il se met d'etranges folies dans la tete des hommes, et que pour avoir bien etudie, on est bien moins sage le plus souvent." Don Juan Acte iii sc. 2. As to the Dublin I have been waiting for some days for the result of a letter of mine to Burns, who is taking time to consider. Newman very encouraging, all but promises an occasional article. Your subject, for the early Dublin, is a very capital and interesting one. I think, if Burns has a grain of sense and enterprise, we shall get on like a house on fire. If he will accept my conditions we shall make his fortune. Many things, it appears, conspire to hasten the downward progress of C's confidence in Revealed Religion. An honest minded man would not give up his faith, I am sure, until he knew all that had been said for it by the very greatest of its defenders. Considering the influence of Pierre Leroux in converting Brownson I think Proudhon very likely to be not without effect on Capes. I send you Fangere's Pascal, the first faithful reprint of his MS. I do not send the book to him, because I am uneasy at 57

the sight of my own pencil marks. They are often opposite passages so very much to the purpose in this case, see particularly the end of the second vol: that I wish you wd. decide whether there is any indelicacy in sending him the book. I have other copies and he may keep this as long as he likes. Cousin, about 15 years ago1 him. You will judge whether it is advisable to forward it to him. Written in the 15th century, it is a resume and double distilled essence of the Mediaeval philosophy, in anything but a repulsive form, and with extraordinary ability, me judice. Just run your eye down some of the pages where my marks are. I think you will appreciate him. Doll, used to tell me, to understand the Scholastic philos: to read this book, the S.C. Gent, and Suarez' Metaphysics. I broke down over the latter, but enjoyed the others so much that I thought I understood them. There is a great similarity in the idea between Raymundus' book and the Analogy, but I have not the smallest doubt that the old one is by far the best. Butler knew it not. I have had thoughts of instituting a comparison. But it wd. be much better done by an Oxford man who knows all the points about Butler, and would be really interesting, and might lead out: men, more than any other thing to the study of mediaeval divines. If Capes is saved, and would take it up, it wd. be a good idea. Has he read the Sum. c. Gentiles? I've a charming new octavo edit: if you like I'll send it. S. August: I know very imperfectly, but in his first vol: which I have read, several books ought to help C. now: as de ordine, the beginning of the soliloquia also de vera religione. I mention this because I have always heard that he had not read much, and if the thing is to be done by head, some of these great fellows will astonish him. So also Leibniz Theodicee and Origen's 7T€pl, apxd of wh. I've a neat small ed: wh. you may command, if you think they can be useful. sincerely your s J D Acton 46 SIMPSON TO ACTON-18 JULY 1858 Dear Acton This will give you more insight into Capes—He is wrong at both ends— He wont receive the notion of God as revealed—So he questions the authority on wch he receives the revelation & thinks with bible alone he cd make a God such as he wants. After this what do you think of 1

A page is missing here. The work referred to is probably by Raymond Lull, the Majorcan mystic.

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Raymond for him? Rather some Preaugustinian Father—say Origen—or who has treated morally & aesthetically as well as ontologically the De Deo trino et uno't I am at a puzzle, but I am comforted to think his objections are so manifestly unfair & illogical. I am afraid that I cannot make anything about our periodical literature I think I will ask Capes to do it. xr A , Yours very truly R Simpson July 18.

47 ACTON TO SIMPSON • 19 J U L Y 1858 Aldenham Monday Dear Simpson, I send you no Pascal for there will be enough and to spare without, as you have some short notices by Capes and my Villemain besides what I send you. If one is to be omitted let it be Curtis,1 but he wd. give variety of subject if there is room for him. Not but that he will be the better for your improving pen, as all the others, and I hope you will give them the benefit of it. I have given a short notice of O'Hagan and Arnold, because to say the truth, their articles provoked me—hoping that you would stick on some compliment to the Atlantis and the University, and to Newman's article, wh. I am no judge of, but it strikes me as the only bit of sound theology we have had for some time. Cheruel's book2 will interest you—Shall I send it? If anybody complains about Savonarola I am prepared for him. Ever your's J D Acton 48 SIMPSON TO ACTON • 20 J U L Y 1858 Clapham Tuesday Dear Acton I am much tempted to make your Cheruel into an article—it is important & well written. So are the rest. Gillis last year, or the year before, 1 2

George Ticknor Curtis, History of the.. .Constitution of the United States, 2 vols. (London, 1854-8), reviewed by Acton in Rambler, n.s. x (August 1858), 139^40. A. Cheruel, Marie Stuart et Catherine de Midicis (Paris, 1858), reviewed by Acton, ibid. pp. 134-6.

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preached the panegyric of Joan at Orleans1—I have it somewhere, but I have not read it—I will put a note, containing its title, & a word about its eloquence I shall be safe there—It was sent for review. The Atlantis I have not seen, but I am going to call on Baddeley this afternoon, & will ask him to let me look at Newman, & then I will add the compliments you want. Meynell wants 16 pp in Sept. for his Art about Hamilton, Kant2 &c, so Bentham3 will not appear till October. I send for your opinion an article in the pious line—I have received some letters, one especially from Ireland, urging such things—If you have any objection we will not put it in—if not, perhaps it may pass. About the Dublin, it is Oakeley,4 who has simply copied me, & whose fingers I wanted to rap. but I dont think it is worth while—especially if you are to have the Dublin it will be like damaging ones own nest. I am very busy now with the introduction to my Mosaic Cosmogony, in which I try to elucidate the question of Faith & science—If you have time to look it over I will send you what I have done; I think it might possibly be useful in argument with Capes. On second thoughts I send you the first quire of it—I have not half got through the second yet so I cannot send that— XT L , Yours very truly R Simpson

49 ACTON TO SIMPSON -21 J U L Y 1858 Wednesday My dear Simpson, Cheruel would easily have borne amplification enough to make him do for an article if I had thought of it in time, but elaborate short notices will do no harm, as they will attract attention to that department. In case you shd. miss the Atlantis I have made my compliment to Newman myself, and send it you for incorporation. If you have done the deed pray light your pipe with my paper. Your pious article is excellent. 1

2 3 4

James Gillis (1802-64), vicar-apostolic of the Eastern District of Scotland since 1852, preached a ' Panegyrique de Jeanne d'Arc' at the cathedral of Orleans in 1857, published by A. Gatineau. Charles Meynell,s The Philosophy of the Absolute', Rambler, n.s. x (September 1858), 173-90. Simpson, 'Jeremy Bentham's Greatest-Happiness Principle', ibid. (October 1858), pp. 229-50. It is not certain to what this refers. Oakeley had contributed two articles to the latest Dublin Review: 'The Messiah at Exeter Hall', XLIV (June 1858), 395-412, and 'Hue's Christianity in China', ibid. pp. 501-25. 60

I have not had time to read all your other MS. seeing that my mother is here, and I have done Newman since breakfast. I'll read and send it back tomorrow. If you think it worth while to rebuke Oakeley, by all means. I do not see any reason agst. it on the part of the Dublin. I have written to Russell1 about the latter who is at Ushaw conferring with the Cardinal about it. I still think Pascal will startle Capes. Each letter seems to come out stronger. There is nobody at all to the purpose before S. Augustine unless Origen, and Origen ag. Celsus, though triumphant in many things is so feeble, to our eyes, on others, that I think the Principia wd. do better, and will forward the vol: to you. With bad arguers one must consider not only what will give them a fair opening against one, but even an unfair one. There is something in what he says at the top of p. 4 of his letter. There must be a Monday about the beginning of September. I think it is the 6th. Will you come here on that day or the next, to meet Dollinger and stay till the end of the week after? , . , xr Your s ever truly J D Acton Pray correct, modify and change as much as possible my MS.

50 SIMPSON TO ACTON -22 JULY 1858 Dear Acton Your invitation to meet Dollinger is too tempting not to be jumped at —I found on Tuesday that the R. was quite full, so I withdrew Tickell's (& very glad I am, for it is horrid bosh—I must write however with a thousand excuses) & then there was just estimated room for all your short notices—I have now sent up the additions, telling the people to hold over a foolish affair of mine, which I hope will make room for them —Your fragments are too precious to light my pipe with—it is not for nothing that a man with a memory & other brains has read 6000 volumes more or less, & has talked with Dollinger & others of the greater lights. Dont bore yourself with my introduction, I am not in a hurry to have it back. I only wanted your opinion about it. If Lady Granville2 is still with you will you give her the enclosed card 1

2

Charles William Russell (1812-80), Irish priest, professor of ecclesiastical history at Maynooth College 1845-57, president 1857-80, unofficial sub-editor (and often actual editor) of the Dublin Review under Wiseman and Bagshawe. Marie Louise de Dalberg (1811 ?-60), married 1832 to Sir Ferdinand Acton (180137), married 1840 Lord Leveson, later 2nd Earl Granville. Lord Acton was her only son.

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& tell her that Miss Bulbeek was one of two sisters who used to visit the poor of Clapham a good deal, & out of about 15 shillings a week income they used every day to provide dinner for three, two portions for themselves, & one for some poor object that they found on their peregrinations—The old soul deserves some reward even here for her charity— Did you see any letter in Cheruel that mentioned the names of Campion or Parsons? if so I should be glad of the loan of the book. Yours very truly R Simpson Clapham July 22. 51 ACTON TO SIMPSON-22 JULY 1858 Thursday My dear Simpson, I have read the first part of your book1 with the greatest interest and instruction. I did not know you were about it and rejoice therefore the more. There must be a note to every future edition of the Vicar of Wakefield, as Mr. Jenkinson's difficulties as to the Cosmogony or Creation of the World no longer puzzle philosophers. I have only one suggestion, for the top of p. 27, I wd. put 'shave our beard or change our shirt.' When Spinola laid siege to Ostend, the Infanta, Isabella Clara Eugenia, Regent of Belgium, made a vow that she would not change her shirt till the town was taken, which it was after 3 | years; so she hung up her shirt in Brussels in a church, and the colour which the French call cafe au lait, is called in Germany Isabellenbraun. I have great great faith in the imposing effect of the unity of a series of articles on cognate subjects. Will Meynell deal with Hamilton as one of a set with Buckle, Bentham & Co., think you? Why Kant? MeynelFs philosophy, unlike your's, smacks of the schools. Kant was buried in Germany ever so long ago. In Rome where they are still terrified at il Lokianismo, he is of course a formidable personage. Ever your's J D Acton 1

The 'Mosaic Cosmogony', never published.

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52 ACTON TO SIMPSON • 23 JULY 1858* Aldenham 23d. July 1858 My dear Simpson, I wrote to Russell at Ushaw privately, saying that if no better plan was devised &c he might tell the Cardinal that I should be ready to carry on the Dublin Review, provided Burns got it out of Richardson's hands. They have accepted eagerly, and say I have relieved them from a great fix, and are quite of the mind that Burns wd. do better than Richardson. They also promise to support it as much as possible. They think it might be slightly modified so as to receive the Rambler into it. I daresay they thought they had me there, but I have explained to Russell as clear as day how the Dublin could not subsist without the Rambler, how they are necessary to each other, how they will agree and make harmony like the music of the spheres &c&c&c. I have also, by this day's post, told Burns of it, and spirited him up to the thing, laying down the conditions. There it rests, therefore, at the present speaking. It is a slightly difficult game to play, especially for the next few months, but I am pretty confident we shall be driving our team next January. A good reason too to make any formal change we may contemplate in the Rambler just then. Dollinger's coming will be no small help, over and against the venerabilities. The point is now how Burns will come round Richardson, and whether he will accept my conditions. One of them is that there should be no short notices in the Dublin. We cannot get up two such well, and cannot help noticing the same books, and can neither say the same about them twice over, nor anything else. And it is better to have the notices in our own review besides wh. a monthly notice of new books is more effective than a Quarterly. I have not spoken your name to anybody yet, not even to Burns. Don't for the sake of a compliment put in nonsense when I send it. The notice of the Atlantis is quite unconnected. I presume you have made a whole of it. I am sorry to say my mother has already promised her vote. I hope that MacMullen and Lewis are writing in earnest. Your's ever J D Acton * Gasquet, Letter XIII, pp. 32-3, with omissions.

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53 SIMPSON TO ACTON • 24 JULY 1858 24 July, Dear Acton Suppose Burns should not come to terms for the Dublin, what say you to trying Longmans?1 Things published by him have a much better chance of reaching societies & circulating libraries. He sends copies to his country correspondents, & so his books lie on counters where Burns' could never come. The Atlantis is published by him, & I should think he would be glad of an opportunity of publishing the Catholic organ, though perhaps not of owning it. Burns, as you know, is not altogether satisfactory —he has not the means of pushing a thing as we could wish. I really did not publish your addition to the Atlantis for compliment. The bit I had written was done in haste in Badeleys rooms, & when I came to think of it afterwards I discovered that I had complimented Newman at the expense of the University, & altogether had made a mess. So I was rejoiced at the opportunity of putting your addition instead of mine, though you have not made very clear whom you mean by the theologian who was removed by death. However I took it on trust that you mean somebody, & are as well able to defend the unnamed as you are to fight for Savonarola Are you not satisfied with your Buckle now it is in print? Just look at my translations, & alter what you think necessary—also suggest a title for Maguire. I have put "Official Criticism"—but official is not the right word—nor officious—Butler says that the critics proper motto is " Woe unto you Scribes"—But I dont see how to get that in either. I consider myself a judge in Music, so I feel certain of what I am going to say. I had the opportunity of hearing a symphony, twofiddlequartets, a cantata, some madrigals, & a bit of a piano concerto by one Lutz the Organist of St. George's Cathedral. I am sure that no such music has been written since the death of Mendelsohn. But the difficulty is to get it publicity. A man can't write his symphony and put it in the shop windows to shame the philharmonic if they wont play it, as he can shame the Academy if they wont receive his picture. No new musician can get his things played without a patron. Now in the number of the swells with whom you are acquainted do you know of any who aspires to be a Maecenas? Any who gives concerts? Any who would say a word to bring out, or to give a chance to a young composer? Lutz is a Tedesco, educated 1

Thomas Longman (1804-79), partner in Longman, Rees, Orme, Brown & Green, publishers, 1832, head of firm 1842 to death. The reference may also be to his brother and partner William Longman (1813-77). 64

at the Univ. of Wurtzburg for a lawyer, but made a musician by nature— very independent, & one who takes huffs easily if he thinks himself slighted—I dont think he will pay court to any body, but I am sure that he is a true artist & will do credit to any one that takes him up. He has only lately taken to composing like an artist, & the fecundity that he shows is wonderful. I have not spoken a word to him about this yet, only he was full of the impossibility of getting his things played in public when I saw him, & they tell me at S. George's that he is dying for the opportunity, people who are made patrons of Philharmonic societies &c, have opportunities to help without trouble to themselves which no one else has. Yours very truly R Simpson I should like, when you have the Dublin, an opportunity of developing my notion that Power, Reason, & Will are quite as much a priori forms of thought as Space & Time, however different in character. I have a lot of papers I wrote about it, with Meynells criticisms, but I would rewrite it as a review of the 3d. Edition (just out) of Whewell's history of Scientific ideas: (first part of his inductive sciences)—I see exactly how my system would correct all the sore places which he is content to patch up with affirmations of the a priori nature of this & that idea. Making, as Kant complains, the catalogue of these ideas unconnected & inorganic—a mere congeries. I dont know whether it has been done in Germany—where most things in that line have been done—but I got the idea from St. Bernard, de libero arbitrio. If you wd like to see the papers I showed Meynell I will send them, & you may get an idea of my system, & whether it is worth while making a long article about it for the first no. of the new Dublin. 54 ACTON TO SIMPSON -25 JULY 1858* r> c . 25. July Dear Simpson, Burns "is quite ready to act in the D." "The Editorship to be in your hands, & the arrangements as to paying £4.4/ a sheet & £100 a year to an assistant editor quite meet my notions. The review of course to be printed quite equal to the best periodicals e.g. the In Remembrances". Everything is satisfactorily settled but one. He has promised Allies that he shall be assistant editor, and asks me to appoint him, and Allies writes implying the same. I have answered that it cannot be as I have already arranged that with you, and have begged Bellasis1 to gild the pill for 5

* Watkin and Butterfield, pp. 86-7. 1 Edward Bellasis (1800-75), serjeant-at-law 1844, converted 1850. 65 ALM

Allies, who has moved so much in the business that I fear he made sure of it. He is to be one of 3 proprietors, with Burns and a third, that I have refused to be. I hope he may make £100 a year by the proceeds of the sale some day. At present my position is awkward, and I am afraid Burns, whom I have buttered considerably, may get out of it concern at the sound of your name. I have tried to show him that nothing could be better for the Rambler than your connexion with the Dublin. Perhaps you can send Macmullen or somebody to soothe Burns. Otherwise things look well, and I am sanguine. I really did not know that I had omitted Wilberforce's1 name in connexion with Newman. Pray put it in, if you can. If you did not understand it nobody else will. Have you not read his 'Eucharist', and don't I speak the words of truth and soberness? He knew what was doing abroad uncommonly well. I was much with him in Germany and know. Newman's ignorance of things foreign is deplorable. Do let me write in peace, with the certainty that you will not let anything very foolish pass. For Maguire I can only suggest: "German Jews and French Reviewers". He has not said a word about Jaffe being a Jew, which is the most remarkable thing about him. I return the sheets to you. My Buckle, or rather our—is grievously meagre in print. I am sorry I omitted one or two things I had prepared, as an analysis of his French historical notes and references. I know few musical authorities, but will try if I can to get a patron for your friend the Composer. Let us have your philos: art: by all means for the first DR. I am no philosopher at all, and have a very feeble smattering of German philosophy and of the hist, of Phil. I have misgivings about my use of the word postulate, p. 90. Can it be used so, as it is in German? Jack Morris' poem is out, full of atrocious theology. If you mean to expose it, do it at once when I'm away, 1st. September. I will draw up a list of contributors to be canvassed for the Dublin, and send it you for correction and amplification when I have received a list of the present writers in the Dublin. I also thought of a short sketch of what it is to be and aim at, to be privately sent to each contributor. I don't know what Burns & Co. will say to my insisting on not having Short Notices in the DR. It is an essential part of my plan for the conduct of the two periodicals. What a lot of work we shall have! I am afraid I shall be Sheriff next year. I think I'll get married at once as I shall have no time for courtship when we are in full swing after Jany. _, , . , & J Ever your s sincerely J D Acton 1 Robert Isaac Wilberforce (1802-57), archdeacon of the East Riding 1841, converted 1854, died while preparing for the priesthood. 66

55 SIMPSON TO ACTON-26 JULY 1858 Dear Acton I meditated this morning for some time whether I should say "let Allies be subeditor"—The sacrifice on my part wd be next to nothing now, but on the whole I fear it might lead to complications afterwards. Those who work more for love than money, or we may say for love & not for money, will soon be tired of work when they feel themselves used. Now Allies may be all that is pleasant to work with, but I have not tried him, & would rather not try him, when he has any veto or other authority. Hence the property in the Dublin should be distinctly divided. At present the only tangible property is the pair of covers & the name. This however is what constitutes the Review what it is, & is therefore of its essence. But this (as the C. told Frank Ward1) was vested entirely in the Cardinal, & is now entirely yours by free gift—This you must keep your own; lend it to Burns, dont give it—& only lend it so long as he keeps to the conditions; if he breaks them, retain the power of going to another bookseller & asking him to publish the next no of the Dublin Review. If you give the name to Burns we are thenceforward his hacks subject to his veto, under his supreme direction. All that Burns has he can give. Let him use Allies & pay him as much as he likes for correcting proofs, writing articles to be approved by you, answering letters for the publishers, & sending to the Editor what concerns him—with this we have nothing to do. But to be subeditor implies much more. It implies not a right but a power & opportunity of using the review as a vehicle for ones own views, of making it one's own organ to a certain extent. Now in all these respects I most unreservedly will submit to your judgment, but I dont feel inclined to work under Allies. I have not recognized in him any reasons for acknowledging him as master. I wonder whether Lord Petre2 would take any part in the Proprietorship—shall I propose it to him? or about Capes' shares of the Rambler? I have left your Postulate. I always use function—one is German the other a term of the differential calculus—he that could not understand one, could not understand the other— Capes thinks your article on Buckle " very interesting & instructive ", & imagines that you will have proved to be somebody by the time you are sixty—founding his vaticinations on "an intensity of gravity & seriousness" which he finds at the base of your soul,—& which, I will wager, 1 2

Francis Ridout Ward (1815-99), converted 1851, solicitor, associated with Newman. William Bernard Petre (1817-84), from 1850 12th Baron Petre. 67

5-2

make him think of anything but matrimony—a fresh mark of your wisdom, me judiee. But whether a man is permitted to work twelve hours a day afterwards is a question that experiment alone can determine. I hear but one expression of satisfaction at the prospect of your having the Dublin—Badeley had thought of you the moment he saw the circular —So Macmullen, Frank Ward.—The ecstasy of Dr. Rock would be difficult to describe ./..,. ., o utfanaticus aestuo etc Jack Morris, I vote, requiescat in pace, we can manage to forget him in the hurry of our new arrangements. I have written to Stokes to get an article for September or October, & to book him for the Dublin. Capes' idea of the " manichaeism " introduced by St. Austin is that it is "rather connected with the Atonement than wth predestination" (as I had guessed—he thinks that in the Church things are "tending to the Anti-Augustinian theory" & that "the Scotist doctrine on the Incarnation tends directly towards an explanation of the Atonement wch greatly modifies its difficulties." he thinks Jack Morris an authority here. I am out of my depth, but this seems to be the first opening he has shown. I saw Burns yesterday—the slyboots said nothing of Allies—but he mentioned one Harper,1 whom he thought the Cardinal wd try to have subeditor—he was so poor. If the new Dublin is to be a source of £100 a year to a few people who want it, it will share the fate of a school where the master is nominated not because he can teach, but because he wants the income. XT A , Yours very truly R SIMPSON

July 26. 56 ACTON TO S I M P S O N - 2 7 J U L Y 1858* Tuesday My dear Simpson, I got Bellasis to soothe Allies, and that point is settled even to Burns' satisfaction so far as the negative is concerned. New Complications are arising. Russell wants Richardson to be kept, and wants me to see the Cardinal and Bagshawe on Monday. I however mean to do nothing viva voce. The purple fades wonderfully at the post office. I shall be in London 1

One S. B. A. Harper discussed the editorship of the Dublin in a letter to Wiseman, 24 July 1858, and subsequently negotiated with Burns; he insisted, however, on a complete change in the manner of its operation. (Archives of the Archdiocese of Westminster.) * Watkin and Butterfield, pp. 87-8. 68

on Friday afternoon till I start for Germany on Sunday night. If we are to have a talk will you be at Burns' at between 3J and 4 on that day? I come up by the GWR. by the same train that we ^ame by, and will go straight to Portman St. If I am a little late the train is to blame. As to the property: Such as it is I imagine it is practically given over to me, in order that I may conduct it. Therefore in surrendering the pecuniary interest the whole management remains obviously in my hands. Burns wishes only to have a third of the property, and Allies another third. I was anxious to get rid of these matters at once, stipulating only for complete and undivided control. The test of which will now be the decision about Short Notices which I won't have. But Burns is excogitating a plan, he says, which will enrich both Reviews. As my name seems to have the same effect which the innocence of maidens has on wild beasts I shall be able to make my conditions and assert my will at once, and I do not anticipate any difficulty with Burns when once we start. Lord Petre would however be a very good ally in the Rambler property. Remember that—in all negotiations—Burns stands in great awe of MacMullen. You may safely exploiter that sentiment. One thing occurs to me about these agreements with Burns. The bishops have been thinking for sometime of a censorship, of the Catholic press—privately. Now the Reviews would be the first object of such censorship: and a fight would inevitably arise. Could we, think you, provide against that beforehand? It might be well to have an article ready, bristling with erudition, on the literary effect of censorship. Will old Rock mind about rounding off a sentence with Macaulay in the Short notice? If you can entertain Capes for a month, till he comes to meet Dollinger at Aldenham, I think all will go well. Jack Morris is so unphilosophical that he had better not deal with him. ^ , Ever your s J D Acton 57 SIMPSON TO ACTON-28 JULY 1858 Dear Acton I had no idea you were going off so soon, else I should have asked you to have your review of Guizot ready for September. Is it now too late to extract a few short notices? We have begun in a serious studious style from July, & it will be necessary if possible to keep it up. I have not heard of Stokes yet—Mac is too lazy to begin, though he has several ideas— I think I will offer to be his amanuensis. What I can count on for September are the following articles. 69

Meynell on Hamilton F. Capes on the Abbe Domenech's mission in Mexico1 (if necessary) My "pious article"2 Peter Collingridge3 of Winchester also wanted to write one in the Maguire line, for which I promised him a place in September, but this would leave no room for politics. Can you suggest a subject for a short article? The prospects of Catholic literature would do, but I am abroad in it, & should have to shunt off my thoughts into quite a new line, with the greatest uncertainty whether I should find anything there. But we will talk of this on Friday afternoon. I shall see you again before it is necessary to fix for October. Macmullen had a long talk with Bellasis on Monday afternoon about the D. He did not tell me all, for we met at dinner at Frank Ward's & were not alone—But his impression was that Burns wanted to get rid of me—He strenuously advised me to stick tight. Ward as a lawyer wants you to have a letter from the Cardinal clearly resigning to you the right to carry on the "Dublin Review" as your own property—Also to guard that property as the apple of your eye, & not even to lend it, much less give it to Burns. The objection to Richardson is more as printer than as publisher—If he printed it wd be impossible even to quote a foreign author in his own language, his Greek is worse after correction than before—Besides he is a greater screw than Burns. You say Burns wishes to have a third of the "property"—what property? The Name? if so you give up all. If the three proprietors think they could get on better & make the thing pay better with other management they obviously may hire another editor, refuse to publish your articles, & bring out the next number in the Catholic Candle4 style. Art. 1. must be—"The Dublin Review" with name, subscription list, &c, belongs exclusively to Sir J. Acton, who admits no one into any share whatever—&c. Then any agreement you like about allowing Burns to publish, he to have the pecuniary advantage as well as risk &c—But the above point must be clear, Judice Ward, Attorney & Solicitor. You should have therefore 1 2

3 4

Frederick Capes did not write this article, but contributed instead 'Novels and Novelists', Rambler, n.s. x (September 1858), 200-7. It is not clear which of Simpson's articles was the 'pious' one. He contributed: 'The Pope and the Patriarchs', 145-64, based on a manuscript by the Bollandist Anthony Tinnebroeck; 'How Doth the Little Busy Bee!', 190-9, a satire on evangelical hymns and a defence of Mariolatry; and' Thomas Woodhouse', 207-12, on a recusant martyr. Probably C. F. Peter Collingridge, priest, later author of several pamphlets on the ' civil principality' of the Pope. The Lamp was a Catholic monthly written for a popular audience. 70

1. A letter from the Cardinal, giving or implying total renunciation— else he may claim reentry on the premises: if the business prospers. 2. Absolute assurance that you transfer no part of this property to any one whatever. Censorship! what fun. But in this "free country" we must accept it before it can act, or we might bring an action against it at Common law, & leave Lord Campbell1 to charge against it. Only fancy his platitudes & his triumphant vindication of "The Catholic Wasp" or whatever stinging thing first excited their grandeurs into action. We might have our own Censor of course, & I vote we would have old Newman—& then for his protection his office wd only reach to Theology, pure or mixed— not to politics, science, criticism, or sketches of character;—of course we would retain the liberty of recording our opinion about Bishop Baines. They may talk as much as they like—the thing is impossible—we might drag out time in negotiations, objecting to this person & that detail, till some new combination arose & the thing would drop itself. It is the invitation to the ducks "dilly dilly come & be killed"—I dont feel goose enough not to resent being taken for the congener. Capes' crotchets are infinite—if one hole seems closing, the pus breaks out in a fresh place—look at this precious thing—& bring it with you on ^'

Yours very truly R Simpson

July 28. 58 ACTON TO SIMPSON-29 J U L Y 1858 July 29— My dear Simpson, I have had a long and unsatisfactory letter from Bagshawe who wishes to remain editor, with me, to keep Richardson, to have a censor &c &c &c. My answer was that I would agree to no conditions whatever, and that I could not act with him or Richardson. My letter is so clear and explicit that I can go away in peace without any danger of being misunderstood. Ward's suggestions are substantially what I should have considered necessary myself. There is stock and copyright to be bought of Richardson. Such a contingency as you suggest, of Burns & Co. throwing me over, must of course be provided for, and can be without obliging me to have 1

John Campbell (1779-1861), from 1841 Baron Campbell of St Andrews, Lord Chief Justice of Queen's Bench 1850-9, Lord Chancellor 1859-61, strongly anti-Catholic.

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any pecuniary connection whatever with it. There must be a paper from the Cardinal and one from Burns. I have asked Newman to do us the service you mention, carefully weighing my words—still I doubt whether he will accept. I am nearly sure of an article by him for January. I am nearly sure the day will come when there will be a fight about a censorship. I will try to send you from abroad a couple of short notices. The ablest Frenchman I know (only he happens to be by birth a Dane)1 has given me a paper on Guizot. It came so late that I have not been able to translate it. I send it to a German scholar, who will translate it, but not very well as to style. He will send it you, and if it is wanted for Sept. touch it up, and curtail it carefully for I fear it is too long. The writer is so great a man that it will be well to get more out of him about France which no Frenchman knows better. Can't Capes do anything for September? There were suitable passages on the Gauls in Suetonius, in Caesar, and especially in Silius, but I could not quote Lasaulx's discoveries as my own, with others, and giving his name, could not well add, without clumsiness. x r , Your s ever J D Acton

59 ACTON TO SIMPSON-25 AUGUST 1858* The Hague Wednesday August 25th. 1858 My dear Simpson, I have only just learnt, by letters which I found at Brussels, that the Cardinal has broken off the negotiation about the Dublin Review. You probably know more about it than I do, and we shall be able to compare notes the week after next. We should have got up a better January number than I expect they will. Bagshawe does not write as if the C. was sanguine. I have little doubt we shall have another chance soon. Be sure to come to Aldenham on the Monday, and bring Macmullen with you, and encourage Manning to come if you see him,—he was not sure. I am up to my chin in Dutch pamphlets of the time of the Duke of Alba, but shall be in London by the end of next week, and if you write at once, having news, I shall find your esteemed favour at Ghent, poste restante. Dollinger went to Munich from the mountains where he was staying, for a day or two, on purpose to look up passages on the questions started by 1

Ferdinand Eckstein (1790-1861), known as Baron d'Eckstein, converted 1809, resided in France, editor of Le Catholique, 1826—9, was Acton's closest friend among the French Liberal Catholics. * Gasquet, Letter xiv, pp. 33-4, with omissions. 72

Capes' paper.1 I hope nothing has happened since the last time I heard from him. I have written to nobody in London to sing the dirge of our plan, because I do not feel sure that there has not been treachery somewhere—but I have heard only from Bagshawe and Bellasis. I had written to Ward2 to engage him for the Dublin, and got a foolish, friendly, contradictory denial in reply, in which he complains only of my saying that Petavius & Bossuet were great divines, and concludes therefrom our views are so different we could not agree. Shall we be able to ' quarter' the R. in Jany. to oppose the DR better, or think you we had better not? I hope to be industrious during the winter. I am afraid I shall have only some short notices for October. I saw Bunbury in Bavaria. He reads a great deal, and I tried to get hold of him, but he would promise nothing, as he has never written and is shy. But he is coming to live in London, where he will be at your mercy. Did our August No. offend others beside Ward? By an odd coincidence Dollinger one day cited your July saying3 about papal robbery as likely to offend, though he thinks it perfectly just and true. Faber made, through Morris,4 an ingenious & paternally solicitous attempt to get the censorship of our Dublin for Dalgairns! Your's ever faithfully John D Acton I suppose you did not think it worth answer. [MS torn] es attacks on the 5th August.

60 SIMPSON TO ACTON-25 AUGUST 1858 Dear Acton I have held over Guizot, not because I did not want it, but because Mr. Spinks'5 translation did not do justice to the writer—In some places he made nonsense of the arguments, & everywhere lost the delicacies of expression—I spent two days in laborious endeavours to correct it, but a grammar & dictionary do not quite make up for a want of knowledge of the language— 1 2 3 4

5

J. M. Capes had privately printed a statement of his religious difficulties. W. G. Ward. In 'The Influence of Catholics in England', p. 17. Probably John Morris (1826-93), converted 1846, ordained priest 1849, canon of Westminster and secretary to Cardinal Wiseman and Archbishop Manning 1861-7, entered Society of Jesus 1867; not to be confused with John Brande Morris. Charles Anselm Spink (c. 1816-85), educated at Oscott, was Acton's tutor in 1840, later taught at Sedgley Park School. 73

The enclosed will account for the concluding paragraph of the Rambler —As usual, the Cardinal, who thinks that I am the writer—which idea I by no means would have corrected for fear of a possible complication about you & the Dublin—spent nearly a whole month in considering how he should hit us hard, & laid the peccant matter1 before ten doctors,— but thanks to Maguire, we shall smother the flames with the sentence I have inserted under the head of "Correspondence"2—Those fellows can never make any communication before the month is nearly up— they consult in hugger mugger, & just blow up the business as they fancy we have finished our printing— I have to go to Belgium tomorrow night, but I shall be back in time to get to Aldenham by the time you mentioned (the 6th or 7th of Sept) & I will bring with me the Guizot, & what I have written about Bentham— If this letter happens to reach you abroad, & your way lies through Belgium, I shall be at Ghent, at the Hotel in the Grand Place, & I shall return by the mail from Ostend on Thursday or Friday next week— I am afraid that the absence of Guizot has made this month's Rambler very weak—However we must try to turn out something better in October—I was carried off to Somersetshire on the 14th & only returned on the 23rd. so I have had an idle fortnight— Yours very truly R Simpson Clapham S. Aug 25./58 1

2

In the review of Cheruel in the August Rambler, p. 135, arguing for openness in Catholic historical study, Acton remarked: 'Nor because St. Augustine was the greatest doctor of the West, need we conceal the fact that he was also the father of Jansenism.' In 'Bossuet', Rambler, n.s. ix (June 1858), 388, Jansenism had been described as ' Augustinian'. This article has usually been attributed to Acton, as by Altholz, The Liberal Catholic Movement in England, p. 77, and is printed among Acton's works in Woodruff, ed., Essays on Church and State, pp. 230-45. There is better evidence, however, that the author was J. M. Capes. He is listed as the author in Simpson's notebook, the best source for attributions in the early Rambler. 'A Correspondent has, with great kindness, warned us that umbrage has been taken at a sentence referring to St. Augustine in our last number, and has told us that inferences have been drawn from it injurious to our reputation for orthodoxy. In order to remove all ground for such suspicions, we protest that we never intended to identify any errors which the Church has proscribed with the teaching of 'the greatest doctor of the West' when properly understood; and that we sincerely hold and profess whatever the Holy See has propounded, and condemn what it has condemned, on the questions of grace, free-will, and justification.' Rambler, n.s. x (September 1858), 216.

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61 ACTON TO SIMPSON-2 SEPTEMBER 1858* 16 Bruton St Thursday My dear Simpson, I found your note here, with Maguire's, on my arrival on Tuesday night. I am afraid we were in Ghent at the same time without knowing it. Dollinger, who is here, is fattening with laughter at the ignorance of our divines betrayed in the Augustinian dispute. I should have let Maguire, whom I met today, know that I was the author of the offensive passage, only I thought he knew it probably already—and moreover I think it must not be allowed to drop. I could not subscribe what you have written under 'correspondence' and propose to show why I do most1 deliberately hold that errors condemned by the Church are to be found in the works of the Doctor Gratiae. I think it is worth following up in order that men may learn that we do not choose even our illustrations without deliberation, and are ready to justify everything we write. There could be no better opportunity than this, as it will at the same time [help to]3 break down that narrow and invincible ignorance with which our theologians judge the writings of other people. This must be done not in my name but in the name of the R. and the only difficulty will be to avoid contradicting what was said in last No. Be sure and be at Aldenham on Monday, for dinner. Dollinger has never read the paper on original sin,2 and I am not sure I have that No. I think him strongly inclined to agree with you, so perhaps you will think it worth while to bring it down. I do not think the Sep. R. has suffered by the omission of Guizot. I foresaw the defects of Spink's translation, but it was too late to do it myself. Do not let Meynell write Xoyos without an accent, and why do you allude to the asses on Clapham Common? Owen's autobiography will give matter for a new article in your misbelieving series. There is some new Burgundy on its way to Aldenham. Your's ever truly J D Acton * Gasquet, Letter xv, pp. 34-5, with distorting omissions. 1 Gasquet (p. 35) misreads this as 'not'. 2 One of the following, by Simpson: ' The Immaculate Conception Viewed in Connection with the Doctrine of Original Sin', Rambler, n.s. iv (July 1855), 25-37; 'On Original Sin as Affecting the Destiny of Unregenerate Man', ibid, v (May 1856), 327-45; 'R.P.S. on the Destiny of the Unregenerate', ibid, vi (July 1856), 28-47. These articles had been delated for heresy, causing Simpson's first clash with ecclesiastical authority; Simpson apologized but did not recant. 3 Written by Simpson.

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62 SIMPSON TO ACTON • 3 SEPTEMBER 1858 Dear Acton I was afraid that I was doing a disagreeable thing in putting the sentence into the Rambler, but I was assailed on all sides, & had no one who knew about the subject to consult. I went to see Maguire, & objected to him that Petavius proves that the Antenicene Fathers were the Fathers of Arianism; why not in similar way Augustine the father of Jansenism? He owned the validity of the comparison, but asserted that the sentence was piis auribus offensiva, that we should have a great row & be even proclaimed Jansenist if we did not explain. So I concocted what you have read, taking care to put in the words "when properly understood", in order, if necessary, to profit by the quibble that by properly we mean not what Augustine probably meant, but what a Catholic must now hold, if he accepts the words. I do not know whether you will condescend to avail yourself of such a hole to creep out at, but if you will, it removes all difficulty of avoiding contradiction to what has just been said. I asked F. de Buck1 his opinion on the expression "Father of Jansenism"—he laughed, & said we must retract it, & enlarged on the benefit of being independent of any society, censorship, or the like; that we could say what we liked, & if we found it too strong explain it away in the next number—This was only last Monday, after the thing was printed —I enclose you a lucubration by Meynell on the same subject. What we want is a name. The Cardinal thought that I was the author, & called me a "troublesome person", & wanted to put the whole affair down. Maguire came in like the Deus ex machina. If I could have used Dr. Dollinger's name to him he would not have dared to make any remark—but not knowing your real meaning; knowing very little about St. Augustine, & pitched into on all sides, I was fairly done. Would Dr. Dollinger write a letter to the R. on the question? His name would save a row which otherwise the discussion will occasion if carried on in our own. At Aldenham by 7.30 or 7.45 on Monday. The buss to Bridgenorth does not allow any sooner arriving—Mac comes with Capes, I suppose— Allies with me. De Buck strenously advises us to take advantage of every controversy going on—like on Confession2—& to put in our oar in a very censorial judgmatical way—giving reason to one side and wrong to the 1 2

Victor de Buck (1817-76), Belgian, entered Society of Jesus 1835, ordained priest 1848, Bollandist 1840-5, 1850-72; a rigorous scholar and a friend of Simpson. See Simpson, 'The Confessional', Rambler, n.s. x (November 1858), 302-14. 76

other magisterially. He says also that the historical development of the sacrament of Penance has yet to be written, & refers to a book of some German theologian, (I fancy the name was like Amort) as the best on the matter. If you think that the subject shd be taken up will you take Dr. Dollinger's advice about the matter. I have been away from home nearly the whole month, & besides have purposely avoided speaking about the Dublin. I fancied if the Cardinal thought that I was to have a finger in the pie, he wd see me hanged before he would pass the dish towards me. To my annoyance, I find that my Bentham must be rewritten—such a bore! The donkeys on Clapham Common emanate from F. Capes, to whom I left the article to be written when I went to Belgium—with that exception he had done well, I think. I will look out & bring my letters on original sin, which I rather tremble to submit to the Doctor. Yours very sincerely R Simpson Clapham Sept. 3. 1858. 63 SIMPSON TO ACTON 13 OR 20 SEPTEMBER 1858 Clapham, Monday Dear Acton I send you the short notice of the Dublin;1 cut out any thing you think too strong. I have not yet digested all your wet & dry champagne, & so I write what I can, not what I would—it remains for you to see that what I say does not stand in the way of future negotiations. I have begun Robert Owen. It would be purgatory to have to read through such flummery. He is 87, & writes like it. He should have a nurse to tuck him up, & feed him, & use his Mss to feed fires. Lamb promises better; but if we are to do Socialism in its various phases need the old idiot (such he is now, whatever he was at first) Robert Owen come first? Send me your 6 pp of short notice as soon as you can—Did you or did you not say you were going to do Perrone's new volume De Matrimoniol My hommages to the Professor—I have shot an enemy with his artillery. F. Coffin2 had been diligently primed by some one with objections 1 2

Rambler, n.s. x (October 1858), 285-8. Robert Aston Coffin (1819-85), converted 1845, ordained priest 1847, joined Redemptorists 1850, provincial 1865, bishop of Southwark 1882. At this time he was in charge of the mission at Clapham, where Simpson resided. 77

in the Northcote1 style, which I met with the lights orfiresthat I learned at Aldenham, & silenced the gentleman. It is wonderful how the weakly feeble force2 leads public opinion "in our regard"— I am very backward with this R. No Brialmont—No Cock-robin—& a sheet & a half to fill up! F. Capes in despair about his brother, & the pond of his frivolity creamed over with the crust of sadness & seriousness. Do you think we could do an account of the Professor's progress to the Lakes, with notes of his conversation, to balance the Irish progress of Ballinasloe?3 F. Capes shakes his head gravely about our Morgue, & thinks it wd not be reputable—but he is never himself when he has any family grief. When his step-mother's great aunt died on Holy Saturday he wanted once to give us Nosoon's dismal mass in Z minor on Easterday. In the presence of his brother's spiritual sickness he wants the Rambler to preach nothing but prayer. ^ . . .Lver yours most sincerely R Simpson 64 ACTON TO SIMPSON -24 SEPTEMBER 1858 Sept. 24th My dear Simpson, I had not time to finish, still less to read over, the affair about Theiner4 —or which was to have been about Theiner. An inexorable train interrupted me, and I could do no more. I am afraid it was hardly fit for publication, and hope you have deftly made it so. I have been in much trouble, for the professor has had an attack of fever and ague, of which he was only cured yesterday by Dr. Simpson5 of Edinburgh. I hope he is all right again and that we can go towards the West tomorrow. We came home just after the birth of a little girl, and I acted as godfather with Lady Henry Kerr.6 We shall be in town next week, and stick to our plan 1

2 3 4 5

6

James Spencer Northcote (1821-1907), converted 1845, editor of the Rambler 1852-4, ordained priest 1855 after the death of his wife, vice-president of Oscott College 1860-77, provost of Birmingham 1884, archaeologist and authority on the Roman catacombs. Northcote appears to have been a conservative influence on the Rambler. Henry Wilberforce's Weekly Register. Cardinal Wiseman made a tour of Ireland in 1858. Acton, 'Father Theiner's Publications', Rambler, n.s. x (October 1858), 265-7. Probably Sir James Young Simpson (1811-70), M.D. 1832, professor of medicine and midwifery at Edinburgh 1840, first to use chloroform for anesthesia 1847, baronet 1866. Louisa Dorothea Hope (1812-84), married Lord Henry Kerr (1800-82) 1832, both converted 1852. 78

for Hampton Court on Saturday. There has been nothing at Edinburgh for me, and I dare say it would have been too late, if you had sent anything. Nothing can exceed the prosperity and external, material, appearance of Ushaw,1 except its intellectual deficiencies. In this respect it certainly seems below Oscott.2 I hope, more and more, that you will do something with that neat little volume of infidelity. If Capes goes away, and the professor seems to think like you that he will, it would be well to have something to point to in the Rambler as a precaution of foresight. ° Your s ever J D Acton 65 SIMPSON TO ACTON -27 S E P T E M B E R 1858 Dear Acton The abominable post office has acted the paternal part of providence, & deprived me of the darling but perilous pleasure of pitching into the Dublin—I made a stunning notice & sent it you last Monday, directed to Douglas' Hotel, St. Andrews Square, Edinburgh—There it is, or ought to be, awaiting your demand. I am very sorry to hear of your anxiety for the Professor, but I had misgivings that such might be the case, partly from a cause that was no cause, namely not hearing from you—& partly because I had noticed that he appeared knocked up during the last two or three days of my seeing him—not so game at a walk, not so keen at argument, drowzier at dinner—but then there was no Meynell to amuse him—& earlier to bed. I fancied he was ill at Durham—but now give him my truest congratulations at having recovered— I was obliged, being disappointed by the Dublin, to make your Theiner an article—else I had not matter to fill up. If it is not much about Theiner, it is sententious, wise-sounding, oracular, & knock-medownative all of which are virtues in a review, the first postulate of whose very existence is extraordinary superhuman sagacity. As I dont know whether this note will reach you I will write no more— except to send another to 16 Bruton St. . , xr r Yours very truly R Simpson Clapham, Sept 27. 1858. 1 2

The Roman Catholic seminary for the northern dioceses. St Mary's College, Oscott, near Birmingham, the seminary for the southern dioceses. Lay boys were also educated here; Acton had been one of them.

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66 ACTON TO SIMPSON -30 SEPTEMBER 1858* Thursday Dear Simpson, I have finished Eckstein1 as well as I could, nearly literally. I do not see why your Phrenological paper2 should be in any way altered—for I read it with great pleasure and contentment. You do not give the date of Harrington's letter,3 and saying he was taken in 1593, refer his letter to Documents of 1592. Both are interesting lives and have more than usual individuality. Oakeley wrote yesterday for an exposition of my proposal,4 which I sent and gave him. We seemed to agree on most points, and he talks of advising the Cardinal to come to terms with me. Thompson however is not disinclined to accept, and I know not what will come o't. Carlyle's book5 is of little real value and more affected than anything yet written in prose. The professor is in better spirits as our departure approaches. Your's ever J D Acton 67 ACTON TO SIMPSON 1 OCTOBER 1858 16 Bruton St. Friday morning My dear Simpson, We propose to start for Hampton Court from the Waterloo bridge station tomorrow at half past ten in the morning. Shall we find you there or on a station on the road? Twice I sent to Douglas'6 and twice I had no answer, but lo! a very * Gasquet, Letter xvi, p. 36, dated October 1858. 1 Acton's translation of Eckstein's second article on Guizot. 2 Simpson, 'Mr. George Combe and his Phrenology', Rambler, n.s. x (November 1858), 373-88. 3 Simpson, 'William Harrington', ibid. pp. 399—407, one of a series on recusant martyrs. 4 Regarding the editorship of the Dublin Review, which in fact had been resumed by Bagshawe. 5 Thomas Carlyle, History of Frederick II of Prussia, Called the Great, 6 vols. (London, 1858-65), reviewed by Acton in Rambler, n.s. x (December 1858), 429. 6 Acton's hotel in Edinburgh.

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sufficient notice of the venerable Dublin.1 I hope therefore and presume that no harm was done thereby. It was mere treachery putting Theiner so prominently in. I had not, ut supra dixi, time even to look through it, and it grievously disfigures a very good number. Martineau has collected his infidel writings—which will afford more food for your powder. Your's ever J D Acton 68 SIMPSON TO ACTON 13 NOVEMBER 1858 Clapham Nov. 13. Dear Acton The printers are exceeding greedy—They make great supplication to have Dollinger2 by Wednesday morning, otherwise they say he will come first with difficulty—perhaps you can send him me piecemeal, so that I can stop their maw with a bit of him on Tuesday. Macmullen I saw yesterday—He says the Dublin signature scheme3 is modified, & only retained for those who do not wish to commit themselves to the general views of the thing—Qy. If the review is so disgracefully flunky that you dont like to write for it anonymously is the matter mended by your proclaiming your name & your shame to all the world? Without the signature you might pass muster as John Smith—with it you can only be J.A.—wch an irreverent public might fill up in an uncomplimentary way. Now David Lewis is spoken of as editor, but the thing is more in nubibus than ever—Mac sees Howard4 every morning, & inculcates on him the following truth—"Here you have just the very man who is even ideally fitted for Editor, Acton—he offers himself—yet under the you go searching in heaven above, on earth beneath & in earth for what you know does not exist anywhere—another competent person to be editor of the Catholic Review—you must return to him, or you will go to the dogs". Stick out, I think it must sooner or later drop into your mouth—Otherwise do think of making Newman quarter the Atlantis. 1 2 3 4

Simpson's review of the Dublin Review for July 1858 was published in the Rambler, n.s. x (October 1858), 285-8. Dollinger's letter on 'The Paternity of Jansenism', Rambler, n.s. x (December 1858), 361-73. Articles were generally unsigned. The ' signature scheme' was an attempt to attract writers to the Dublin by allowing signatures. Edward Henry Howard (1829-92), of the family of the Duke of Norfolk, at first a Guards officer, ordained priest 1854, attached to the Vatican, archpriest's vicar of St Peter's, cardinal 1877, cardinal bishop of Frascati 1884. 6

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ALM

Mac thinks that you ought to write about Montalembert1—it wd be an excellent opportunity of showing our complete independence—write on him, say exactly what you think, about 4 to 6 pages & we will have this no. a half or quarter sheet longer than usual— Also he thinks that if M.2 wd write in the R. we shall be precious fools if we dont accept him. If he writes an article it will be known to be his, his name will cover a multitude of sins, & at the same time it will be clear that he is not the R., but only a contributor of too great calibre to be forced to speak exactly as "we" shd wish. Inspector Marshall told Mac that an old able respectable &c &c priest had told him that there had been a meeting of Converts & others at Aldenham, half had agreed to apostatize, the other half were to remain where they are as Jacobin club, sowing seeds of discord among Catholics through the pages of the Rambler. And so ends my budget; give my love to Jack Morris. Ever yours R SIMPSON

Remember—a short art—4 to 6 pp on Montalembert. unless you put it off for your art on Cath. literature in Jany.

69 ACTON TO SIMPSON 13 NOVEMBER 1858* Saturday night My dear Simpson, I have done a good bit of the translation3 and will finish it as soon as possible. Tell me if you think we ought not to say anything about Montalembert's essay. If so I will not finish a short notice upon it which I began in the train today. Toovey,4 to whom I ' occasionally' spoke of the Lingard club, at once offered to publish without remuneration for himself. What that will amount to we shall see when the apple ripens, meantime I thought it worth making a note of. Finding a note from the Cardinal here, with a copy of his reply, I have 1

Acton wrote 'The Count de Montalembert', Rambler, n.s. x (December 1858), 421-8. Montalembert. * Watkin and Butterfield, pp. 88-90. 3 Acton translated 'The Paternity of Jansenism'. 4 James Toovey (1813-93), bookseller, converted 1846. 2

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written to him thanking, disputing the case of Lamennais,1 and recommending L's new letters to his notice. Then I bestow a reproof on him for concluding that the R. had identified itself with Tierney's2 view—for his note implied this. Then proceeding in a friendly way I say that it is the accumulation of such little mistakes that breeds an atmosphere of suspicion against that estimable monthly—that this unhappily creates difficulties in our path, and unjustly hurts us—which is not a small thing to men who with a good conscience make writing their occupation. That I have heard no end of misquotations as well as misrepresentations of what I, lamblike, have innocently said, and that things without guile had been denounced to him by those who knew nothing about the matter— but that he—who knows all things—should attend to such bosh comes only from his foolish misgivings about the R. So it came to pass that Aug. was called the Father of J. and the writer of these words was likened to the father of Lies. That it had appeared more wise and merciful to let the storm subside before answering, but that he must prepare for a stunning reply next No. which wd. astonish rather than offend, and wh. tho' it wd. not convert enemies, would most certainly satisfy Y.E. whose blessing &c&c. Southwarkensis3 told me that somebody had written to the C. to denounce the above heresy, and at the same time that about Wilberforce & Newman. Who it was he said not. He was troubled in his mind when I announced a reply, and fetched down a small 12mo. on the subject, which happened entirely to agree with me. Confused he dismissed me. Why is HE. gone to Belgium? and will Cullen4 be another Cardinal? He is of the wood out of which they make them. Sunday morning. I have just received your's and rejoice that we had the same thought about Montalembert. I will do it briefly and carefully, not at all concealing my objections to part of his opinions, and just hinting at my view, wh. will be very unpopular, that the French people are no better than their master—finishing perhaps with a quotation from S. Thomas. I cannot ask M. to write for us in the midst of his present anxiety, but I will do it afterwards, provided our observations do not offend him, impatient of contradiction and criticism. I suppose if I do this you'll not want many short notices besides what you have got. Lewis accepting the DR would oddly contrast with little Allies, who after I had once refused 1

2

3 4

Wiseman's assertion that Lamennais (and not the historian Lingard) had been made a Cardinal in petto was attacked by Canon Tierney, 'Was Dr. Lingard Actually a Cardinal?', Rambler, n.s. ix (June 1858), 425-32. A controversy ensued: see W. G. Roe, Lamennais and England (London, 1966), pp. 127-31. Mark Aloysius Tierney (1795-1862), ordained priest 1818, chaplain to the Dukes of Norfolk from 1824, canon of Southwark 1852, a distinguished antiquary and church historian of pronounced Gallican views. Bishop Grant of Southwark. Paul Cullen (1803-78), archbishop of Dublin 1852, cardinal 1867. 83 6-2

to make him joint editor, refused to accept it unless I should join him. But I do not think him a likely man seeing his little sympathy with the genus episcopabile, and the probable gravity of a review in his hands would be worse than even I should make it. I almost doubt whether MacMullen will talk over the feeble genius of Howard with such very palpable stuff as you fill your letter with about me. I will send you some at least of Dollinger on Tuesday. Look through it, and remove the Teutonisms and the errors of theological phraseology. I see by the Register that Raby1 makes more impression than some of your own articles. It is wonderful what nonsense people will bear in foreign history and politics. Burns will be the better for your admonition, but not in disposition. Newman seems to be in Dublin. We shall hear soon who is to succeed him. , Your s ever J D Acton After Sermon: Jack Morris has just preached about our Lady—that "we ought to pray for a fervid desire of leaning on those beautiful breasts."

70 SIMPSON TO ACTON 15 NOVEMBER 1858 Dear Acton I have scarcely a minute to write; but it strikes me that it wd be well for me to write to the Cardinal in the same sense as you have written— It is ridiculous standing aloof, & letting all sorts of suspicions intervene between us. We shall never be cordial, but we may as well be civil—So tell me whether you think my letter will do; I cant bring my stomach down to much lower diet— I have already written 32 sides = 21 pp of my metaphysics & dont yet see an end even looming in the distance—I must make it 40 pp—then will it be too long for the possible Dublin or the Atlantis? New books sent down today— The Three Archbishops Lanfranc Anselm—a Becket—by Washington & Mark Wilks— 1st Vol of History of France by Crowe—abominable in its Albigensian part. A memoir on India by Baptist poet—foolish, but a wonderful compilation of horrors & details of injustice &c &c—interlarded all through with texts— Remains of Sir Humphrey Davy a good lot, is it not? 1

Richard Raby (1816-81), author and translator, lived at Munich. 84

Toovey's offer seems very likely. The smell of his shop is antiquarian His customers are the kind of men to buy Dryasdust—but he will run us into expenses with printers, unless it is compounded with the Leipsig notion. There is a certain spirit in Raby that finds admirers—an unctuous assumption of right, Dominus vobiscum, Benedicite, Hosanna—that must take all pious old women by the beard & hold them tight. May your Montalembert be as a short leader? I dont think Lewis will accept—Many men are talked of who have not been talked to. He only knows one subject in the world, Canon law, & he wd be dryer than any conceivable dryasdust— Ever yours very truly R Simpson Nov. 15. 71 ACTON TO SIMPSON

15 NOVEMBER 1858*

Monday Dear Simpson, Here is half of Dollinger's precious letter. The rest tomorrow. I do not know how to translate Partikularismus der Gnade. of grace. Do see that the phraseology will do. Do not forget to prefix a short note—that we are happy to enrich our pages with the following letter wh. we have received from a divine equally well known in England and abroad—not for the purpose of reconciling people to our expression, for that we cannot hope for until theological matters are better and more generally understood in this country, but for the sake of such a specimen of learning, &c. and because we could not allow the accusation made against us to affect or delude those who bear us hitherto no ill will. I am sure you will do much better than I can suggest. I don't know whether we can add that it is some consolation for those who have at heart the reputation of English theology to know that not a single divine whose opinion deserved attention mistook or disliked the passage. Inasmuch as Newman thoroughly approved of it, and was the only person in England who did. Faber was very wrathful, and Morris1 is miserable about it. I feel almost certain that not a convert will be made by Dollinger's admirable paper. He wanted a few copies struck off separate, with separate paging. Will you get this done, at my expense, with a wrapper, and I suppose a note * Gasquet, Letter xvn, pp. 37-8, with omissions. 1 John Brande Morris. 85

saying it appeared in the Rambler? I would send the copies partly to Dollinger, partly to friends, not to sell it—and so it will serve as an advertisement of the periodical in which it appeared. Your's ever overhurried J D Acton Morris hears much what you describe about our party at Aldenham and wants it to be loudly proclaimed that he is not theological adviser to the R. and has never been consulted on any one occasion.

72 SIMPSON TO ACTON-16 NOVEMBER 1858 Dear Acton What an admirable letter of Dollinger's! It makes me feel so impudent, that I am afraid I shall express myself something too pugnaciously in the preliminary note—It certainly has had the same effect on you. Particularismus I take to be not the particular action, but the particular election of grace—grace given to A & not to B—the respect of persons which Calvin attributes to God. I do not know the technical word for it, unless it is particular election; can you ask Jack Morris? "election of grace" seems humbug—"selection of grace" is better but not technical —"particular election & reprobation" is a paraphrase, & possibly is not what the Professor means in the passage—what of " partial distribution" ? I will leave it as it is now & correct in the proof— Note1—

We are happy to enrich our pages with the following Ire, which we have received from a divine of European reputation both as Theologian and as a historian. We publish it, not certainly with the expectation of reconciling our critics to the expression which it defends—for that is not to be hoped for until Theology is made a matter of more profound & more systematic study than it has hitherto been in this country: But because it would be a crying shame to permit such a specimen of learning to be lost; and because we are loth to allow the unfounded accusations made against us to delude those who have hitherto borne us no ill-will, or to undermine our credit by sowing suspicions of our orthodoxy. It is our right, as well as our duty towards ourselves & those who think with us, to prove that the denunciations made against us spring rather from the 1

Cf. Rambler, n.s. x (December 1858), 360. 86

timidity of ignorance, the dogmatism of party views, or a ceremonious reverence for great names, than from such a knowledge of the subject in dispute as could give those who denounced us a right to sit in judgement upon our opinions. We may at the same time suggest the possibility that what is true in the present case has been more or less true in former instances where we have suffered from similar misinterpretations of our meaning, or prejudiced condemnations of our views"— Is this too strong? I will tell the printer not to put it in type till Thursday, so as to admit your corrections. Make Montalembert 5 or 6 or even 7 pages—& let me have it at latest by Monday Morning—I will work away at short notices enough to fill Yours very truly R Simpson Nov. 16./58

73 ACTON TO SIMPSON-16 NOVEMBER 1858* Tuesday Dear Simpson, The longer your metaphysics are, the better, it strikes me. My notion of a Quarterly is that there ought not to be too many articles or too short ones. A good article is better long than so short as to make room for a less good one. 25-50 pp. seems to me the limits. Abundance of short notices would allow the articles themselves to be less of reviews and more of dissertations. The possible Dublin is however a very problematical thing. Oakeley writes it is still sub judice, between Thompson and Ward, and that at a meeting in a few days an alternative (as I read it) will be drawn up, and then I am to hear further from him. The plan I was so good as to propose that 'Newman should have a theological control but no positive share in the direction' did not appear satisfactory to all parties. Perhaps they thought this formula ingenious; I shall put them into a fix by saying I shd. be glad to give Newman as much share in the direction as he wd. take. Montalembert will perhaps fill about four or five pages. Pray get the note N corrected. Dollinger sent me a bit of it wh. was wanting, today. * Gasquet, Letter xvm, pp. 38-40. 87

Your letter to the Cardinal1 is in tone and substance exactly corresponding to mine, and I think the step a good one. So long as we do not say anything, unscrupulous accusers, saying falsehoods, will naturally be believed, and as I told the Cardinal, no amount of caution in editing and writing can remove existing impressions or alter the light in which each number is looked upon. I like the boldness with which you protest that no impertinent reference to H.E. is ever intended. The Wilks'2 are newspaper writers. I should not think able to write on the 3 archbishops without a present practical object. As to Crowe3 it might be worth while to point out that the Albigenses gave the Catholics no choice—they were the aggressors, and being weaker were exterminated, and that their tenets were dangerous not as religious only but as social—the state—every state—was as much menaced by them as the Church. It was not a purely religious war. _.T , r J to Your s ever J D Acton

74 ACTON TO SIMPSON-17 NOVEMBER 1858 Wednesday Dear Simpson, I am in spirits about Dollinger's letter because I never had one moment's misgiving about the propriety of the phrase I used. Your note strikes me as very well written and very good. I would put something in place of 'such a specimen of learning', "such valuable observations, or dissertations &c" because there was hardly space to justify the expression real 'learning'. But let it be just as you think best. Then instead of 'a right to sit in judgment' why not 'authority', as right came just before? There's hypercriticism for you. Otherwise I do not think it at all too strong, and I hope no cautious friend will get you to soften it. Jack Morris gives no light on Partikularismus, but I think ' exclusiveness' would be near the mark. I hope you have generally watched over the language of the translation. I am afraid the last short sentence is not good English, and probably others besides. I am only waiting for the new edition to read Johnson's Dictionary. , xr Your s ever J D Acton 1

2

3

Simpson wrote to Wiseman, 15 November 1858, explaining the Rambler's position on the Tierney—Wiseman controversy over the cardinalate of Lingard or Lamennais; see Gasquet, pp. 39-40 n., for a partial text of his letter. Washington and Mark Wilks, The Three Archbishops: Lanfranc, Anselm, A Becket (London, 1858). This refers to Eyre Evans Crowe, History of France, 5 vols. (London, 1858-68).

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75 SIMPSON TO ACTON

17 NOVEMBER 1858

Dear Acton On second thoughts, is not "particularizing"—the best word? Aug.1 concludes the species of grace from the use a man makes of it—wh is all one as if you concluded the effect of a spirit by the ease with wch. it makes individuals drunk. So that you would call the same spirit above proof today because two glasses made A drunk; & below proof tomorrow because B imbibed six without effect. Just so the same grace is merely sufficient (i.e. insufficient) to the sinner, & efficacious to the good man. But if you say that an external force modifies the glass of spirit to each individual, there is evidently no virtue in soberness, no vice in drunkenness—&c sobriety & inebriety follow from the mere caprice of the external power that qualifies the draught. So the particularizing of grace takes away all merit, & leaves our salvation & damnation to the mere pleasure, good or otherwise, of some being external to us. So what do you say to "particularizing"? I have ordered 100 copies to be struck off separate—it will not come to more than 10 or 12 shillings—I doubted whether to have D.D's name put at length in these copies—so I have said nothing about the matter—If it is to be so, write—if not hold your peace about it— I shd be glad if you cd make Montalembert as long as possible What I have now, without Mont., or short notices is 5 7 | pp. leaving 14| To be filled up. Capes shirks C. Lamb, & gives me two shady short notices instead. Will you make a notice about Carlyle.2 I enclose what I wrote, wh is merely a reminiscence of what you & the Professor said, perhaps you can add a few sentences to it if you find that less trouble than writing another— xr A , Yours very truly R Simpson Wednesday, Nov. 17. 1 2

St Augustine. Acton did so: Rambler, n.s. x (December 1858), 429-31.

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76 ACTON TO SIMPSON 18 NOVEMBER 1858 Thursday Dear Simpson, I began a short notice of Carlyle and will finish it—but your letter contained no enclosure. I must leave the decision about Partikularismus to you and any divine you can get hold of. I think a line had better stand in place of Dollinger's signature, even in the separate copies. I suppose your note will be omitted therefrom. I have just had a long letter from Oakeley about the DR.1 It seems that Newman was the great objection and it is clear that Faber has been meddling against him. He offered to take it in hand himself, but his people would not agree to it. The Cardinal thinks a theological censorship a merely negative security, and wants some control over the general principles of the Review. This Ward offers to give him. He will take Thompson and Lewis as assistants, and allow everybody to put a X mark to his article who does not like to have it anonymous. This plan is to be discussed at an early meeting, and O. asks me for my opinion about it, which he shall have by to day's post. , xr J J r Your's ever J D Acton P.T.O. I have finished a longish communication to Oakeley, and have told him my mind upon Ward's plan. You must be quite wrong about 57 pages—you forget Mansell?2

77 SIMPSON TO ACTON 18 NOVEMBER 1858 Dear Acton I forgot to put Carlyle into my note yesterday so I send it, with another notice, philological which I hope is not humbug, though I know nothing about it. Will you look at it & scratch it where it wants to be scratched. I have been obliged to write long short-notices on some books, so as not to be short of matter—for Capes had promised me 8 pp of Lambe,3 wch you only replace with pp of Montalembert. 1 2

This refers to the continuing discussions about the future of the Dublin Review. Simpson reviewed 'Mansel's Bampton Lectures', Rambler, n.s. x (December 1858), 3 407-15. Frederick Capes' promised review of Lamb was never published. 90

J. M. Capes & Macmullen both advised me to leave out the sentence1 about no hope of converting our critics till Theology is properly learned in Engd. So I said "not only with some small hope of reconciling our censurers, but much more because it wd be a crying shame to permit so finished a piece of critical learning to be lost &c"—I think I had also made the other change—of authority for right. I showed it to Mac, & the two Capes, & all approved it as it was altered, so we dont err this time for want of laying our heads together— Some man whom Mac wd. not name, but who, he said, is a great fool, lamented that the "impudence" of the R. has become "screaming" since you joined—not bad, is it? Mac recommended an article on the Rambler—beginning by saying that it was nonsense to pretend that we did not know what was said of us, & to prove elaborately that the persecution to wch we have been exposed is only an underhand method of introducing a censureship; it cannot be done above-board as in France, so the flunkeys who "haunt the antechambers of the great" seize on every pretext to damage the credit of a periodical which they know annoys their master by its independence— & appealing to the public against such a dirty mode of proceeding Perhaps you may make some use of this in your article for Jany—or will you write an extra page of comment on Montalembert's passage where he escapes from the stuffy malaria of the antechambers of the court to take a life bath in the atmosphere of free England. Yours very truly R Simpson Thursday T.O. I have made 3 or 4 alterations in your translation—but your English is better than mine generally— 78 SIMPSON TO ACTON-19 NOVEMBER 1858 Dear Acton The enclosed is only something on hand to fill up a possible gap; but even so I wd not publish it without you seeing it, especially as the possible effect of it might be to injure the impression of Dollinger's letter, or to increase irritation—I do not think it will be wanted, as I have written about 2 pp on Miss Caddell, & I suppose 2 more on Delfortrie2—There were only 9J pp to make up when I went last to the printers—but that 1 2

In the prefatory note to Dollinger's letter. Neither of these was published in the December Rambler. 91

supposed about 2\ or 3 pp of bad short notices held over from last time which had better pass into oblivion. Just two years ago the Cardinal was writing his famous article1 about the Rambler only representing a convert clique—Now he is putting it into the hands of Oakeley, Ward, Thompson, & Lewis, four men who probably differ in everything except the fact that they are converts & only represent converts, & have always looked at things from a convert point of view— I can't find a soul who knows anything about particularismus—is not ismus = izing? i.e. the division of grace into sufficient, effectual &c? if particularizing is literal it had better stand, because as there is no fixed technical in English it may as well borrow the German as any other term. Yours very truly R Simpson Friday. 79 ACTON TO SIMPSON 19 NOVEMBER 1858 Friday Dear Simpson, I believe, in your philological notice, it is a mistake to derive queen as you do—I always that she came from the German Konigin and was the only English word that preserves the German feminine termination, except vixen from Fiichsin. But to say the truth I know very little about it. I will send Montalembert and a combined Carlyle on Monday. I am afraid the paper on Montalembert will add to the disgust of Macmullen's friend. I almost regret the omitted passage in your note. Our answer is decidedly not intended as an appeal to the theological knowledge of our readers. As it stands, I am bound to confess I do not think it strictly true. I think some use might be made of Macmullen's suggestion, in January, but obiter, not in a special article or if in a special article, it must be by you. Your's ever J D Acton 1

'The Present Catholic Dangers', Dublin Review, XLI (December 1856), 441-70. See Altholz, The Liberal Catholic Movement, pp. 34-8.

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80 S I M P S O N TO ACTON - 2 0 N O V E M B E R 1858

Saturday. Dear Acton You have every right to have the note of the letter you procured made to your taste, not doctored to mine. So let us change it to 'we print it "if with small hope of reconciling our censurers to the expression that we used, yet because it wd be a crying shame" &c only leaving out the hint of the low ebb of theological learning in Engd, wch., as a personality on every priest, if said must also be proved, not just cavalierly asserted in a note, & then left. I have scratched out Queen from the derivatives of quens. I fancied she was the woman, as the Parson is the person but as it is doubtful, and as you think otherwise, & as the notice (from its subject matter) will be infallibly attributed to you, it is better out than in. Say obiter what Macmullen advises. We should be prepared to say something strong in January, for this next number, in spite of our letters to the Cardinal, will make some sensation I think, even in that quarter. Yours very truly R Simpson 81 ACTON TO SIMPSON-21 NOVEMBER 1858* Sunday Dear Simpson, Pray read with a critical eye and pen what I have written. I have no misgivings as to the truth, but I am not so sure of the wisdom of it. It seemed ungracious to take this opportunity to go more into the errors of Montalembert's earlier career—Indeed I am afraid I have done it too much as it is. I could not omit the quotation about Spain without omitting that point of censure altogether, and it was a passage I was very much provoked with.1 Correct everything you can except the punctuation of the last sentence. Can you think of any conceit by way of title? Of course there is another side of political doctrine which I have not touched on here, except in mentioning the Concordat with Austria— * Gasquet, Letter xix, pp. 40-1. 1 'The Count de Montalembert', p. 426. 93

I shall have however occasion enough to dwell on that afterwards. Do read Fitzgerald's1 letter in the Tablet. I have sent it to Montalembert, who does not read the Tablet. It is no use for us to go disputing with other English or Irish Catholics on general political principle. I think such controversies would be endless and hopeless. If my quotations are hacknied pray expunge them, ditto if Barabbas is profane. I do not yet know enough of the persecution of the editor of the Catholic review in Bavaria to say more about it, but it seemed unjust to overlook it. If this is enough you will not want to put in the fragment which I return. I did not attach so much importance to the impertinence of our note, but it will do very well as it stands. If your philology is attributed to me I shall revenge myself by writing a piece of metaphysics. You see I have fattened Carlyle, having read him. He will bear much shortening. , xr ° Your s ever J D Acton 82 SIMPSON TO ACTON-22 NOVEMBER 1858 Monday Dear Acton I think yours is an excellent article, & in completeness of design, in wholeness, much the best thing you have done. I have made a few trifling verbal corrections, & itched very much to make the last line "Here at least it is not the interference of government that will attempt to crush the independence of a Catholic review."2—but my wife cried out against my perpetual "nagging" that keeps up the raw of the other party. I find your sentences, when they seem awkward at first, both improve on second reading, & also present great difficulties to one who would alter them without lengthening them, & doing away with some of their force. They are the best clothing of your own thoughts—It is not as if I had to look over an affair of Wenhams3 which he has just sent me, on the uses of poetry, & which professing to be deep is the shallowest thing in the world, & in rejecting which therefore I shall shelter myself behind my partner in the country, who is himself writing a metaphysical paper on the same abstruse question—It is indeed out of the frying pan into the fire, if we 1

2 3

In the Tablet, 20 November 1858, p. 745, an Irish archdeacon, Michael Fitzgerald, had criticized Montalembert and defended the absolutism of Napoleon III. For this controversy, in which Acton took part, see Conzemius, i, 157-8 n. This did indeed appear (with minor change) as the last line of the article on Montalembert. John George Wenham (1820-95), converted 1846, ordained priest 1849, served at Mortlake, provost of Southwark. 94

have snuffed out Meynell because we did not quite agree with him, & because he made a fool of himself after Champagne & take up with Wenham, the shallowest of men. I wish you wd carry out your threats & give us some metaphysics. For title what say you to "Free Church, free men"— I have just received a most civil reply from the Cardinal explaining at length how, even if he had not understood the notice as he did, he cd not have published any reply—& so cd not have answered in the R. & secondly saying that he gladly accepts every disclaimer which I make of any personal feelings of hostility or disrespect. "No one can regret more than I do our unhappy differences in so small a community—There are however certain tests by wch different views will gradually be tried, & I feel no doubt that time will manifest so decided a result of their application as will leave no doubt in our Catholic mind which is right, & wch has to be the means of gaining to truth & elevating to piety. Gladly will I for one give up all the impressions of my whole life in favour of any course of handling Catholic matters, wch I shall see turns best the hearts of children to their Mother, & enlarges the bounds of charity, giving us internal peace & outward strength." Even here he tries to put us in an invidious position—the question is not whether his method or ours is the best, but, even admitting ours to be inferior, whether we have not a perfect right of free speech, in addressing ourselves to those intellects which by some natural deficiency are led to prefer the less perfect way, & do only what law obliged them to, not what counsel recommends—There is not one only road to Rome—He may still think his the shortest & surest, without filling up our cuttings or blowing up our bridges. xr to r & Yours ever R Simpson 83 SIMPSON TO ACTON-24 NOVEMBER 1858 Dear Acton I send you by this post my article on the "forms of the intuition"1— it would print into about 40 pp. Many things in it are repeated, & perhaps it might be shortened with advantage, though it wd be a troublesome business to shorten it. Will you look through it at your leisure, & tell me what you think of the system—Very possibly it is a mare's nest, but I think not; it has been vaguely floating & gradually forming in my 1

Two articles on this subject (a scholastic critique of Kant) were published in November 1859 and January 1860.

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mind for about 15 years, & nothing that I have read in that time has either shown me that another has preceded me in it, or has shown me sufficient reasons against it—You are welcome to make what use you like of it for the Dublin if it comes to you, or for the Atlantis. I have got rid of Wenham's article without the myth of your intervention. Will you like a good fellow set to work at once for the first Article in the Janry. R. I have not got a single thing written for it, except short notices, and a martyr to be martyred on the shortest notice. F. Capes is to give us 16 pp of hashed Lamb. The Cardinal has sent me his pamphlet1 wch. will call for another note— Yours ever R Simpson Clapham Nov. 24. 84 ACTON TO SIMPSON-26 NOVEMBER 1858* Friday Dear Simpson, Montalembert's condemnation is rather awkward for our article. A few changes, as ' late' for ' present' persecution, and a change in one passage of the last page but one would suit the article to present circumstances —But I am inclined to think it would be wiser to add a note2 saying it was in type before the news came, and adding perhaps a compliment. May I leave this to you? One might add that the Catholic view of the matter, wh. the French church might be expected to take is that expressed in the words of S. Ambrose: (Epist. 40.2) "Neque imperiale est libertatem dicendi denegare, neque sacerdotale quod sentias non dicere . . . Siquidem hoc interest inter bonos et malos principes quod boni libertatem amant, servitutem improbi. Nihil etiam in sacerdote tarn periculosum est apud deum, tarn turpe apud homines, quam quod sentias non libere denuntiare." It would be presumptuous in me to venture an opinion as to the validity of your metaphysical article. I have put the allusion to the German criticism on Whewell3 in an authentic shape, which you will be 1

Nicholas Wiseman, Letter to the Canons of the Cathedral Chapter of Westminster

(London, 1858), 'Printed, not published', a reply to Tierney on the LingardLamennais controversy. * Gasquet, Letter xx, pp. 42-3, last half of letter omitted. 2 Rambler, n.s. x (December 1858), 432. 3 William Whewell (1794-1866), fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge, 1817, master 1841, professor of mineralogy 1828-32, of moral philosophy 1838-55, author of several scientific works.

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able to correct in the proof. I shall be at Birmingham on Monday, being due in Worcestershire tomorrow, and will take the paper with me, to give to Newman. If you object, send a line to the Queen's Hotel, Birmingham. I have lost all expectation, and I confess all desire, of having the Dublin Review. I will talk to Newman about quartering the Atlantis. I will try to get a paper ready for Jany. and perhaps a short thing on our literary affairs. I suppose it will be better to make no allusion to the Cardinal's pamphlet—but he has overlooked what I think a strong argument agt. Lingard, that at the time referred to his medieval vol. had very narrowly escaped the Index, and the vol. on the Reformation, wh. alone can be said to have confuted heretics, had not, if I remember rightly, appeared. I have written to Allies advising him to accept the Dublin, but on second thoughts I kept the letter, till I have seen Newman. Allies will be little more than a cats paw of Faber. _r , r Your s ever J D Acton Perhaps so: The above was in type when we heard of the condemn, of M. It is hard to believe that the Catholic body in France, in wh. there are many yet who have not bowed the Knee to Baal will not be awakened by this outrage to a sense of their degradation. It is time that they shd. remember the words of S. Ambrose. Do you think something might be made out of that? Have you not taken note of a later american similitude, that a certain man's voice was ' like the tearing of a strong rag' ? 85 SIMPSON TO ACTON-27 NOVEMBER 1858 Dear Acton I have put your note at the end, after the short notices, in large type, leaving out the notice of the Russian book—A reference "See note at p 432" is inserted at the end of your article. Certainly offer my paper to Newman and also the enclosed note, which obviates an objection sure to occur. I hope the Atlantis will turn itself to a Quarterly, letting perhaps the scientific reports be published in the form of an appendix to the Jany & the July numbers. Several considerations urge this plan— 1. Burns' notion is that the Dublin will & must be given up. 2. Newman remains head & soul of the thing, not put there in opposition to anyone, but by simple right of succession, & in matter of course. 7

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ALM

3. The scientific character that the Atlantis has hitherto had, goes far to justify the very serious & erudite tone which it would be sure to assume in its new form. 4. It would take the wind out of Fabers sails, & would almost compel Allies & men who have not yet committed themselves to join Newman— 5. It would naturally command the support of the Dublin University— I suppose an influence not to be sneezed at—About noticing Tierney & the Cardinal. Shall I take this opportunity of offering a "Gobbet"? I can write, tell him I have reed & read his paper, that it establishes the fact that Lingard was no Cardinal, (the fact is only established by the new reading of the Popes allocution wh he has procured—the old reading or readings certainly favoured Lingard) & that Sir J Acton suggests an additional argument viz—&c & then asking him whether his request not to publish any part of his paper, goes so far as to say it would be disagreeable to him to have thus much said about it in the Jany. R.? I dont see why it wd be presumptuous in you to give an opinion on my metaphysics—I have no hope that it will fall under the eyes of critics more friendly, or more able to judge of at least the general impression of things, than you—if to you it seems not logically put, or not intelligible, or a mare's nest, it will seem still worse to others, & I had better recast it—But I think I shall fight tooth & nail for the system—I was obliged to leave out one most important part, the Categories as derived from these new forms, partly because it would have made the paper too long, and chiefly because it is a very difficult matter, & I have not finished them yet, nor can I till I get my Kant back from Bonus. For Jany R. 1 Acton on Politics1—14 to 16 pp— 2 Minardi2 on Xtian artistic tradition of the nativity, with notes by Charles Weld— 3. Hashed Lamb by F. Capes— 4. Our literary prospects—Acton3— 5. John Jones Martyr—R Simpson4 6 Short Notices— will that do? but as Jones is short, Minardi not long, literary short, probably another Article will be wanted—but there is not room—nor 1

2 3 4

'Political Thoughts on the Church', Rambler, n.s. xi (January 1859), 30-49, republished in The History of Freedom and Other Essays, ed. J. N. Figgis and R. V. Laurence (London, 1907), pp. 188-211. Tommaso Minardi, 'The Christmas of Christian Art', ibid. pp. 1-17. Deferred until February. Rambler, n.s. xi (January 1859), 49-55.

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have I time—for Proudhon. So we must trust to F. de Buck on Confession (I send him the Bp of London's charge today) or something that may turn up—Have you read Brownson's absurd defense of State Education in his first article & his absurder Art. on Catholicity in the 19th Century? _ Ever yours R Simpson Saturday, Nov. 27— Wenham has returned to the charge—he wants to alter—I shall tell him his altered art must be sent to you, for you to decide—

86 ACTON TO SIMPSON -30 NOVEMBER 1858 Tuesday night Dear Simpson, I have given your paper to Newman, with the supplement, and he received it with great satisfaction. I also urged the plan of a quarterly upon him, with many arguments that seemed to make an impression on him. I read your observations on the point to Darnell,1 who will use them, and I pressed particularly the opposition efforts made by Faber, and the advantage of having a knot of writers to depend upon always, in the Dublin professors. Old Noggs2 seemed really pleased with the suggestion and with the eagerness with which it was pressed. Your paper coming to him at the same time was a substantial sign of sincerity. He says he will consider it, and write to me soon. Meantime I have made sure of his man Friday,3 of the poet of the great fish4 and of Darnell. Before them I was able to put the situation of things with reference to Newman's influence generally, and particularly as opposed to the dangerous counter influence of Wiseman, Faber & Co. He has resigned Dublin, and is beginning his school,5 with the express approbation of his bishop, who spoke to me today at great length, with great respect of him. Do not mention the argument on Lingard until I have verified its tenableness. I mentioned it at first without book, and am not sure. I have a visitation of relations coming for a few days, which makes me 1 2 3 4 5

Nicholas Darnell (1818-92), converted 1847, ordained priest 1849, a member of Newman's Birmingham Oratory. Newman. St John. Probably Edward [Austin] Caswall (1814-78), converted 1847, member of Birmingham Oratory 1850, poet. The Oratory opened a public school for lay boys in May 1859; Darnell was the first headmaster. 99 7-2

anxious about my part in the Jany. No. I will do what I can, for quantity, but I am afraid it will be the worse for this distraction, and I would not have you counting upon more than one article. I have not read Brownson's last No. for I have given up reading what seems to me so very watery and full of repetition of old things. I admire how easy R.S. comes off in your sketch of the Jan. No. Capes wants to take pupils. How can one encourage such a plan under present circumstances?1 I have made no secret to anybody that the letter is to be by Dollinger. NB. I have just found that my chronology2 was wrong, vol. V (Elizabeth) having appeared in 1823. The argument remains however, that in 1824 the inquiry took place as to his orthodoxy, for the Index, when he was saved only by the English students, and that 1826 was very soon to make him cardinal. I think one may add that Lingard's principles were more likely to get him a hat in Pius VII's time than under Leo. No man could think of naming both Ling. & Lamennais, and if one knew Leo better than I do it wd. be easy to determine which was most likely. But all the evidence for Lamennais seems very feeble. _r J Your's J D Acton 87 SIMPSON TO ACTON-3 DECEMBER 1858 Friday, Dec. 3. Dear Acton I am very glad to hear about Newman's entertaining the notion— Could you get Dollinger to write him a letter, urging the same course? It would be good to put on the screw from all sides at once, so as to squeeze him into the course which I am sure would give him that which a few years ago he would have rejoiced to find—a quarterly organ under his own superintendence. He owes it to his own influence, & to us whom he influences, & to the Anglican body which his influence may still reach to put himself out in this manner. I have translated one of Minardi's lectures.3—it is very good, but Italian like, awfully long winded—though I have compressed it nearly one third. What a sight it is to see a whole nation pouring itself out in 1 2 3

This refers to J. M. Capes' loss of faith. Regarding Lingard. 'The Christmas of Christian Art'. Tommaso Minardi (1787-1871), Italian artist, professor of fine arts at Perugia 1817, at the Academy of St Luke in Rome 1821-58. 100

expletives! Minardi is the President of Accademia de S. Luca, &, teste Weld, the only Italian painter in existence. Fred. Weld1 is on his way back from New Zealand. I pumped Charles W. yesterday to know whether he would take one of the vacant shares of the Rambler—his only duty being to write. C.W. thought it very probable, & added that it was the best thing he cd do. Macmullen thinks these two brothers two of the cleverest fellows he knows, especially Fred. C.W. wants to know where you got your library plate (your arms &c) engraved—I told him I thought your man secured a good one. I have heard from the Abbe Cheruel,2 a great ally of the Univers—he says about Montalembert—Je comprends que M. excite beaucoup de sympathie chez vous, il le merite bien de votre part, car d'apres ce qu'on m'a dit de son article, que je n'ai pas lu, il jette la France aux gemonies, pour porter l'Angleterre au capitale. Vous seriez done des ingrats de ne pas aimer Fecrivain qui fait de vous des triomphateurs aux depends de cette France humiliee qui ne peut plus entendre a la tribune la belle voix du grand Montalembert. Je puis vous dire que sur ce personnage comme sur beaucoup d'autres points, l'Angleterre et la France sont d'opinions bien differentes. Tous ceux qui connaissent Montalembert, chez nous, savent qu'il est malade d'une foule de discours rentres, che gli fanno girare la testa. Je crois que son fameux article ne vaut pas six mois de prison, et 3000 francs d'amende, mais je pense qu'on a voulu punir en cette occasion beaucoup de paroles et d'actes qu'il se permet depuis longtemps contre tout ce qu'il aimait le plus autrefois. J'ai connu un homme de beaucoup d'esprit qui me disait de lui — e'est un homme charmant que Montalembert, quel malheur qu'il change tous les jours d'idee fixe. — je ne connais pas de portrait mieux ressemblant. What a notion of justice & liberty in a Grand Vicaire! I have written to the Cardinal, but I have not heard yet. Let us have as much as you can for Jany. & in return I will work away at Proudhon for Feb. I have been meditating a little affair on national education & bureaucracy3 to fill up in Jany—but it will be foolish, as I am a beginner in Benthamism & politics. xr r Yours ever R Simpson 1

2 3

Sir Frederick Weld (1823-1911), younger brother of Charles Weld, emigrated to New Zealand 1844, member of House of Representatives 1853-65, prime minister 1864-5, governor of Western Australia 1869-75, of Tasmania 1875-80, of Straits Settlements 1880-7, knighted 1880. He returned briefly to England in 1858 on the occasion of his marriage. Pierre Adolphe Cheruel (1809-91), French historian. 'Bureaucracy', Rambler, n.s. xi (February 1859), 113-25.

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88 ACTON TO SIMPSON 10 DECEMBER 1858 Friday Dear Simpson, I have had the house full of company, and was besides so ill for some days that I could neither attend to their entertainment nor to any more serious matters, and have allowed my correspondence to fall into arrear. Newman has written to me suggesting the difficulties that occur to him, and asking if I can remove them. I do not think them very great, and he evidently is anxious to have the plan facilitated for him. All his objections turn on the present exclusive character of the Atlantis, and must be answered by urging the need of extending its range rather than shifting its character. Weld co-editor and proprietor wd. be very satisfactory. My engraver is Weigall at the bottom of S. James' St. a very excellent artist. He is just doing a seal for me, which I expect will be very handsome. I hope you have bowled over your friend the Abbe [Cheruel, and his sayings about Montalembert.]1 Pray do lots of bureaucracy and education, and let me have a peep at the art article. My paper will be the worse for the hurry in which it will have to be written. ^ , Ever your s J D Acton 89 ACTON TO SIMPSON 12 DECEMBER 1858 Sunday Dear Simpson, I hope sincerely that you will find that you have been claiming exemptions this month on false pretences. If I was you I would not be particular about accepting Stokes' seditious dissertation on education,2 as it cannot give more offence than the December No. I do not think on the whole that the eminent divines who attack Dollinger in the last Register are worth answering, for they offer nothing tangible to answer. You must take your share in Montalembert's compliments which I send you. His wife writes that the Univers has used our article to show that we are on their side, and against Montalembert. I have asked Allies for 1 2

Written in by Simpson. Scott Nasmyth Stokes, 'The Royal Commission on Education', Rambler, n.s. xi (January 1859), 17-30. 102

the No. to see whether it is worth taking notice of. Colletta's history of Naples is the popular book, and very brilliant, but revolutionary and not to be trusted. Coppi's Annali d'ltalia, a continuation of Muratori, are dry, but good. Best of all Ferrer del Rio, a Spaniard. Storia de Carlos terceno, four vols. The old feudal connection of Naples with Rome was a source of great jealousy, and Tanucci had had a book put on the Index. His plan of reforming, and opposing the papal authority went hand in hand with the endeavor to reduce the nobility who were almost as independent as in Germany to a position about the court like that they enjoyed in France. He was full of French ideas, and aimed at the absolutism of the crown over church and nobles, like most other Italian ministers in those days. I will send you Colletta by tomorrow's post. I have not the Spaniard. The political views of the Saint1 are best understood by remembering that he lived at the time of the conflict between the old feudal rights, and ecclesiastical influence, and the growing absolutism, the age of Richelieu, in short, or Philip II. The question of the Jews and of the Inquisition were the chief disputes in his early life. I do not know how he regarded them. _, , Ever your s John D Acton Newman is taking time to consider my very long answer to his objections. 90 SIMPSON TO ACTON 13 DECEMBER 1858 Dear Acton I congratulate you on Montalemberts appreciation of your excellent article, wh. I can only accept what is really mine—nothing. By all means write another short thing to protest against the Univers—it is the most impudent thing I have heard of a long while. It would do us a great deal of good if we could without damage to our delicacy just lay hold of M's skirts in this ascent of his to Olympus—surely he would not be Tartuffe enough to go in a spencer on the occasion—& mend our waned popularity by making it generally known that M. considers the R. article the only one that hit the nail on the head, & discovered his real guiding principle. If he wd write us a short letter—A page wd suffice—wd we not print it first, like the Professors, with even a more glorious introduction than that! F. Capes, liking kidneys & sausages for breakfast better than freedom 1

If this sentence is related to the previous passage (dealing with eighteenth-century Naples), 'the Saint' is probably Alphonsus Liguori (1696-1787). 103

of liver, has incapacitated himself from hashing Lamb. Per Contra, Stokes has sent me an excellent article of 13 pp.—leaving 30 pp to fill up. How many will you undertake? Answer immediately, as I may else write something too long about Martineau.1 Of the Divines of the weakly2 1 is half inclined to agree & friendly so there is no use in answering him— 2 is fond (not of us) foolish & spiteful, too thick to understand an argument. We said—"Some divines of great name have done what our contributor did"—he answers "Some have not"—One might say to him— here is the result of your system. You compel us to be hypocrites & to say of a man's opinions the exact contrary of what you & we know to be truth—so Petavius & Tourneley spoke of Aug.—& then when we are dead, you quote us as witnesses on your side—It is arguing the question on a false issue. We ask "is it true"? You answer "it is filial". I hope you reed the rough copy of the art article yesterday? I sent Weld his own copy & my fair one by the same post, but I have heard nothing of their safety. Your book came right, & is in the hands of F. Bridges. I beseech you leave me as little to do as possible. My mother, though rather better yesterday, is still in a most dangerous state, quite enough so to interfere with my equanimity. _r J J ^ Yours ever R Simpson Clapham Dec. 13./58 T.O. I have written to Burns to tell him to convey 3 or 4 copies of the Dec. R. to Montalembert. 91 ACTON TO SIMPSON 14 DECEMBER 1858 Tuesday My dear Simpson I hope to send you 16 or 17 pages partly on Thursday, and the rest on Friday. They will be perfectly worthless, but will do tofillup, particularly if not put first. I will certainly try, if I can, to do something else by Monday or Tuesday, but I do not feel sure of success. I have seen the Univers, and do not see how anything can be made of it. If you have about 14 pages on Martineau easily ready, they will be well bestowed. I am afraid I can hardly ask Montalembert to write to or rather, 1 2

Simpson wrote 'Martineau's Studies of Christianity', Rambler, n.s. xi (February 1859), 90-103. The Weekly Register for 11 December had published two letters against the Rambler and Dollinger's letter on Jansenism.

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for, us or to publish his admission of the justice of our objections. He will however certainly recommend us in Paris, which, added to the counter recommendation of the Abbe Chantrel,1 ought to satisfy all parties. As to popularity I do not think that Montalembert can do much for us in this country, as his is not a popular cause with our public. I have sent Dollinger's letter to all the bishops, and to all the colleges, and to all the divines I could think of. I sent it "with my compliments" to Todd, because I suppose he is the divine who wishes there were some authority to stop our impudent voices. His argument was, as you justly say, so utterly beside the point, that I think we can leave him to his own conscience. I assure you I have never yet felt more painfully than now my inability to take a great part of the great burden off your hands. Your's ever John D Acton 92 SIMPSON TO ACTON 15 DECEMBER 1858 My dear Acton Last night I read my Martineau aloud to my wife, & we agreed that it was too dry & pedantic to print. So I have got a volume about Algeria & read it, & shall be able to make up some 12 or 14 pp by extracts etc. In the meanwhile send me what you can—I am just starting on what I expect will be my last visit to my mother, as paralysis has already reached her bowels—& I find that I am more put out of the way of writing than I thought I should be. I cannot hear of that rascal Weld, who has my MS. of Minardi2— Perhaps it would be best if you wd send back the one I sent you, which with some corrections will do well enough. Yours ever R Simpson Dec. 15. 58 1 2

This appears to be a mistake (or a joke?) by Acton; the reference is to Cheruel. Charles Weld wrote an introduction to Minardi's 'Christmas of Christian Art'.

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93 ACTON TO SIMPSON 15 DECEMBER 1858 Wednesday My dear Simpson, I will send six or eight pages by tomorrow's post, the rest next day. You can tell your friend the abbe,1 whose handwriting it is a pleasure to read, that your collaborateur is painfully aware of the truth of what he says respecting the dispositions of the French clergy towards Montalembert. The note seems to have riled him more than the article. I wish he was also right in his notion that the Rambler goes down with Protestants. I am happy to say that my backbone has been pronounced improved. Your's ever J D Acton 94 ACTON TO SIMPSON 16 DECEMBER 1858* Thursday My dear Simpson, The bottled wisdom you spoke of has come out in the shape of ditch water. This is about half—the rest tomorrow.2 It has been almost entirely written in the last week, during the interval between midnight and bed time, and is, I am afraid grievously confused. I wish you would keep your Martineau to relieve the dulness of this affair. If you can get any one to correct it, do. I wish I had succeeded in showing the truths as clearly as I see them. , _. A , J D Acton 95 SIMPSON TO ACTON 17 DECEMBER 1858 Dear Acton As I said once before, you to whom the idea is clearer than the expression, are dissatisfied with the latter; Your readers, not having the former term of comparison in their minds, have no ground for that feeling; for my part I read as a learner, & I am excessively pleased with the Article— Dont cut it too short however, or I shall be in a fix—we have at present. 1

Cheruel, whose letter (13 November 1858) had been forwarded by Simpson to Acton. The remark about the handwriting appears to be sarcastic. * This letter is printed as the first part of Gasquet, Letter xxi, p. 43. 2 'Political Thoughts on the Church.' 106

Weld & Minardi (to whom I give the first place, as the subject of the season, & in gratitude for a gratuitous article.)—16. Stokes Acton RS.

13. 16 14

Leaving as you perceive 13 pp—To be filled with short notices? or have you any subject on wh you could write 4 pp? Not Montalembert & the French Clergy? M & the Univers? An indignant protest against STP's1 demand for a censorship? Otherwise there will be with some trouble enough short notices—There are 2\ pp in type. I left other 5 pp yesterday —leaving 6 pp. I wrote about another page last night—& the remaining 5 will be more easily filled with large than with small print. I saw Burns yesterday. He began " I have been thinking of a plan all day"—it turned out to be—why not make the Atlantis a Quarterly? I pumped to find whether any suggestion to that effect had reached him, but he declared that no one had spoken about it to him, nor he to anyone. I told him that such a proposition had been made, & was not yet decided upon. He told me the result of the Dublin—Ward & Co made their proposals in writing to the Cardinal, after Oakeley had in vain tried viva voce to get him to consent to drop the D. for a quarter, & then to begin a new series.—It was to be vested in 4 proprietors, approved by the Editor & his Subordinates—the Editor, Thompson, to have complete control—in fact they demanded what you asked. When Oakeley left the paper the Cardinal said that for 20 years he had always seen the proofs, 6 that he should expect to see them still, & have a legitimate influence. He was told to read; he did so, & at last sent Thompson a formal letter, wondering that people should treat him so badly—him, the Creator of the Dublin, from whom it had borrowed its European reputation, and indignantly refusing to accept the terms. The wd. be undertakers are disgusted and swear never to have anything to do with him in the future, declaring that all this clumsy machinery was only to enable him to find some scrub who would have been willing to work for nothing under him & Bagshawe. I found my mother better on Wednesday, but she relapsed into her old state of unconsciousness yesterday. There are no hopes of recovery, but I suppose she may go on a week or two— Yours ever R Simpson Dec. 17. 1858.

'STP' is John Gillow (1814-77), ordained priest 1842, professor of theology, Ushaw College 1842, vice-president and D.D. 1860. Gillow was the author of one of the letters in the Weekly Register of 11 December against the Rambler.

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96 ACTON TO SIMPSON 17 DECEMBER 1858* Friday My dear Simpson, I have been swelling out my foolishness beyond measure in order that there might be matter at least to occupy space, so that I have not got the end quite done yet. Sunday intervenes, so it cannot arrive until Monday morning, about 2 or 3 pages more. I have put in lots of quotation because of the oddness of some of the views. You can at any rate strike out those that seem irrelevant, or put the Latin into notes. You know how incapable I am of writing in a hurry. , , XT Your s every truly John Dalberg Acton 97 ACTON TO SIMPSON 19 DECEMBER 1858 Sunday Dear Simpson, I believe if my dismal botchery is not curtailed it will fill above 17 pages. I can add more quotations if you want to fill up. I send you Meynell's letter in which he addresses corvine reproaches to you. It is otherwise so much to his honour that it would be but fair to show it to Macmullen. You will receive also from Darnell, to whom I sent it for Newman's delectation, a pleasant and friendly bit of sincerity from Faber. I have answered him gravely and civilly, and, I hope, with imperceptible contempt. Jack Morris is delighted at Faber's letter and keeps asking me whether this or that passage is not 'uncommonly clever'—in all which glee he expects me to join. I have completely upset F's only point against Dollinger's letter.1 At the same time my bishop wrote a friendly warning about the dangerous ways of converts—to which, as it was provoked by sending him D's letter—the answer was easy. You shall have Newman's letter2 as soon as I have answered it. He can not quarter the Atlantis, and when you read what he says of himself, you will admit no more is to be said. But he is anxious to get you as a regular contributor—as you will see. * This is the second half of Gasquet, Letter xxi, pp. 43-4. 1 Faber later delated Dollinger's letter to Cardinal Wiseman. 2 Newman to Acton, 16 December 1858.

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I will try and send a couple of short notices by Wednesday or so. I go on Tuesday, till Monday after to Sir R. Throckmorton's Buckland Faringdon, Berks, where I ought to get the proofs, unless it will be soon enough on Monday or Tuesday when I shall be in London. Your's ever truly J D Acton 98 SIMPSON TO ACTON -20 DECEMBER 1858 Dear Acton There are just 3 | pp. left to fill up; will your short notices do it. If you write more it will be as well, as we can omit one or two of mine; It will be best to do so, for this month I seem to have lost the power of writing in a hurry, & have penned much bosh—among other things two articles that are really too bad to publish. Your article is not ditchwater—it is real bottled wisdom—more in the stout than the champagne line, perhaps, as regards the manner, but in matter most important & very true. One comfort in not saying a thing as you like it is, that in 6 or 8 months you may say it again in better method. I have sent Meynell's letter to Mac. My first impression was to write an apology to Meynell for my impudence to him, which, though called out by his flippancy to the Professor, perhaps exceeded it in amount— However I have not done so, hoping that he did not quite take it all in. Have you quite taken in & digested the fact that months revolve with fearful rapidity, & that if you dont want to be hurried for February, you must soon determine what you are going to write, & set about writing it? I have absolutely got nothing for it but the two rejected articles— However as a man has just called, & it is post time I must end. Yours very truly R Simpson Dec. 20. 99 SIMPSON TO ACTON-21 DECEMBER 1858 My dear Acton Newman only asks you & me to promise literary contributions for 3 years to the Atlantis in the event of its becoming a literary (not politicoreligious) quarterly, with a moveable scientific appendix, separately paged & sold. 109

Of course this is not what you want; but does N. intend to hint that in three years time it may grow into what you want?—"The time has not yet come for a new review"—he feels "used up, wants rest for a year, & then wants to return to his old studies, & produce something solid"—on the other hand, we " could well afford to wait a year or two ". What is the gist of all this? Is it to hint that possibly after a three years course as a literary quarterly it may devolve upon you to edit the Atlantis as a politico-religious one? Does he mean it as an invitation to get your foot in, & secure a place in the affairs for these three years, & then trust to the chapter of accidents for the power of transforming it? Otherwise I dont see what you get by engaging for three years, when you could probably have inserted any article which you wished in any number, without such engagement. However, whatever is the meaning of it, if you are disposed to make the engagement I will go with you—If it is only to give us an opportunity " t o feel our way"—to prove " t h a t we had given such time to patient study and thought that we had a right to take part in current events"— I suppose the Atlantis is a good field for such investigation & proof. But even then, why engage? If we had made such engagement to the Atlantis, & it came to be thought that the Rambler should become Quarterly, would it be argued as an hindrance, that we had induced (partly) the conductors of the Atlantis to make it quarterly by our engagement, & that we ought not to set up another Quarterly, which must be more or less an opposition affair, while that engagement lasted? If there are no hopes of making the Atlantis a quarterly after your fashion, would it not be as well to try what could be done in union with the " Lingard Society " ?1 —It might have a quarterly, with a separable appendix, not scientific, but historical & documentary, like the proposed Atlantis. Such a course might narrow the Lingard Society, but would it not provide a basis for a new Quarterly? I wont send you back Newman's letter yet; for I have not considered it much—I was called away from Clapham early this morning to be present at my Mother's agony—no one thought that she could live over today—But it appears to me that she may go on breathing for 12 or 24 hours longer— Yours very truly R Simpson Mitcham, Dec. 21. 1858. 7.30. pm. 1 Acton projected an English Catholic historical society under this name.

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100 SIMPSON TO ACTON -23 DECEMBER 1858 Dear Acton The end not yet, so I am not yet out of my wood. I return you Newman's letter & the philosopher's1" w h " says Mac. u is no doubt creditable to him"—Also a fresh arrival from the Cardinal, with a piece of news for us & the Professor. Darnell sent me Faber's note; what a namby pamby donkey the fellow is—" Learning never sarcastic " ! Wine is always milk & water, vinegar is oil, & anathemas, in Faber's mouth, are Dominus vobiscum. Shade of St. Jerome, fancy violence & learning being incompatible! I suppose that his models of learning are his own hydrocephalic volumes, which for lack of shackles of law, art, & form, like certain angels we wot of, are in danger of spilling their seas, & running away in formless deliquium. I have not had your short notices yet—I think two pages will be enough. Yours very truly R Simpson Clapham Dec. 23. May I show Faber's Ire to Macmullen?

101 ACTON TO SIMPSON -24 DECEMBER 1858* Buckland Friday Dear Simpson, I sent what I could, but it was cut short by post time yesterday. I will let Dollinger know at once that the Cardinal proposes to send him to Rome for the Index, or as I imagine his announcement is to be understood, has sent him, & us. The plot thickens. Pray ask Macmullen to be careful that nobody knows he has seen Faber's letter. Allies &c, or any of the Faberians would be questionable. He has answered my answer, very politely. The Cardinal's Xmas blessing, by the bye, is charming. Dalgairns 1 Meynell. * Watkin and Butterfield, pp. 90-1.

Ill

writes me a long letter, to "express his indignation" at the professor, to whom also I must send a friendly acknowledgement. I did not understand Newman's drift, and wrote simply that our wish had been to get him as editor of an influential English review, and that as he is otherwise busy we shd. say no more. He now writes that he wants to see me, that he had forgotten to say that it was part of the plan contemplated in his first letter to make the Atlantis Quarterly, and that he agrees with what I said. So his object is, in quartering it, to make sure of our help in filling up its pages, that is the meaning, the most satisfactory meaning, as it seems to me, of his letter. We had best be prudent in speaking of this. Your's ever J D Acton Can we fairly open our pages to two letters on one side, without any on the other, without seeming to agree with the man who uses our pages. Let me know in Bn. St.1 whether I can see you on Tuesday or Wednesday.

102 SIMPSON TO ACTON-24 DECEMBER 1858 Clapham, Dec. 24. Dear Acton My dear Mother2 died yesterday afternoon, we have every reason to think, a Catholic; though as she was very violent against us when she was well, one cannot be quite certain of even the strongest signs of a person half paralyzed, & scarcely able to speak— I find from the printers that the matter they have rather exceeds their calculations, & therefore, as they are full, I think I will keep back the notice you have been kind enough to send me today—otherwise they will have to pull some of their work to pieces, & I shall have to go up & see what is to be omitted—So we will keep it for February. Stokes' article will make a jolly row—but it is just what should be said. F. Coffin last night was begging me not to publish it, & brought down the BP S circular, to argue upon—but with Stokes' help I so demolished Dr. Grant,3 that I left Coffin in a state of great doubt whether he ought to protest against the Bp. or obey him— XT A _ Yours very truly R Simpson 1 2 3

Bruton Street. Emily Cranmer, originally Dixon (before 1791-1858), married William Simpson 1818. Thomas Grant (1816-70), rector of the English College in Rome 1844, bishop of Southwark (Simpson's diocese) 1851.

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103 SIMPSON TO ACTON-25 DECEMBER 1858 Clapham Christmas day. Dear Acton I have asked Mac to call on me on Tuesday about 4 PM. Can you come about then, & kill two birds with one stone? or can you lunch at two? I have not shown Faber's Ire to Mac—only asked your permission to do so— Ought I not to answer the Cardinal? Ought we not to put every obstacle into the way? E.G. to demand to see the translation—to refuse to give up the author's name—&c &c Together with any of the underhand methods of influencing judges which are not dishonourable at Rome— But we will talk of this on Tuesday. If you want to be overwhelmed with gratitude send 5 shillings' worth of postage stamps to the Rev. Thos. Martin, Haslingden, Lancashire, for the Church Building Fund of his mission— „ Yours ever R Simpson It is late to say a happy Xmas to you, but not too late to wish it— I find that it is at two that I have asked Mac to come on Tuesday. We can put in any correspondence we like without committing ourselves to it—Are the letters you speak of some with which we really disagree, or only wish not to appear to agree—In the former case we might put at the top that the Correspondence is not to be taken as enunciating the views of the Rambler. Do you remember in any article in the Dublin a long argument to prove that the Roman Index or Inquisition is not valid out of Rome? I think it ought to come in the article about Galileo—I know it comes somewhere—It would be a good extract to bring forward, or to have ready in case of any rough proceedings of the "superior authority"—

104 ACTON TO SIMPSON-27 DECEMBER 1858 Dear Simpson, I had no opportunity to write from Buckland to tell you that I very sincerely felt for your misfortune, and also for the singular grace which has brought consolation in the midst of your sorrow. 8

H3

ALM

I only just catch post time at Badeley's, whither I came this afternoon, and will be with you tomorrow at 2 o'clock. Your's very sincerely J D Acton 105 SIMPSON TO ACTON-29 DECEMBER 1858 Clapham, 29 Dec. Dear Acton I enclose you two "recusant" articles1—the big paper one wants notes —will you pencil something behind it, if only indications of where notes are wanted. The little one was written when I was abroad, & seems to me unsafe, but perhaps curtailment will mend it. I forgot to ask you yesterday what letters they were which you proposed to insert in the R. have you got them yet? or are they only kilts of your own, accommodation bills as it were, opinions too strong to come in as articles? Because many such opinions might come in as correspondence, which will not be endured as articles. I hope you found H.E.2 in the blandest mood yesterday—did anything of note pass between you? How long an article can you promise me on the English Cath. Press?3 & will you write another besides?—or make up with an ocean of short notices? xr Yours ever R Simpson 106 SIMPSON TO ACTON -31 DECEMBER 1858 Dear Acton This from Capes.4 About his proposal in the P.S.—I have told him that we propose making Newman the Proctor of both sides (the Professor & ourselves) &, if that arrangement is made, that N. will have the entire control of all that is inserted on the subject—therefore that he must wait for an answer, & that he must write such a Ire as N. wd approve. 1 2 3 4

One of these was 'Foreign Protestant View of England in 1596', Rambler, n.s. xi (February 1859), 137-46. The other was not published. His Eminence, Cardinal Wiseman. 'The Catholic Press', Rambler, n.s. xi (February 1859), 73-90; republished in Essays on Church and State, ed. Woodruff, pp. 260-78. J. M. Capes. 114

I did not tell him that under present circumstances we shd be loth to admit any article on religious matters from him; for in spite of his unlucky contrast "historical investigation" v—"ipse dixit" of the Pope (?), I think he is improving & gradually divesting himself of all ideas of apostasy, remaining where he is, a lukewarm Catholic, who will receive the Sacraments on his death bed—Therefore we will not disgust him by telling him that his religious contributions cannot be received—On the contrary, if he will write such a letter as N. would approve, should you not be very willing to insert it? I hope you reed a couple of articles I sent to you—I feel that my remarks are bosh, but I am just now so entirely unstrung that I cannot do better— What about Newman? The Atlantis? & the Cardinal?—Did you find the proofs of the first sheets of the R. at Aldenham? & have you read Stokes? . . , My poor Mother is buried today— x r r Yours ever most sincerely R Simpson Dec. 31. Clapham 107 ACTON TO SIMPSON

1 JANUARY 1859*

New Year's Day My dear Simpson, The paper relating to Bouillon's embassy1 has not been printed, and deserves to be. I have appended a few frivolous notes, at your discretion. Thuanus2 relates that Burghley wished to introduce conditions favourable to the Huguenots, to which Bouillon, himself a Huguenot, though a very loose one, would not consent. I suppose he thought he ought to accept as few conditions as possible. The four passages at the end, from the affaires etrangeres are printed in: Memoires de Bellievre et de Silleri 1696 and can be quoted there from as follows, p. 52 p. 57 p. 158 p. 194. I have ventured on one or two suggestions in the text of the other paper. The allusion to the dispute between Hadrian and Frederic on the word beneficium is happy and quite historical. There is no need for your caution, for it is perfectly true. Both papers are of the same date for the first year of Gregory XV is 1621. Are you sure you are right, p. 2 of the extract, in translating tiranneggiata 'usurped'? Tyrannus means, in mediaeval * Gasquet, Letter xxn, pp. 45-8, with some omissions and changes. 1 'Foreign Protestant View of England in 1596.' 2 Jacques Auguste de Thou (1553-1617), French historian. 115 8-2

Latin, a prince whom for de jure or de facto wrongs it is advisable to smite under the fifth rib. I do not know whether it has quite the same comprehensive meaning in the Italian participle. I do not know to what letters you allude as having been spoken of in one of mine. I rather think it must be an allusion to Tierney that you have so understood. My article1 will be, I suppose, twelve dull pages—together with a few short notices. I will not promise one on Gregory VII though the notice in the Tablet was by Formby.2 It strikes me that Capes means the ipse dixit of a Saint like S. Austin, not of the pope. As to his proposed letters the title3 would be capital, but is there anything tangible to write upon? At any rate it had best be referred to Newman. Where is that Scripture he seems to allude to "Numquid indiget Dominus vestro mendacio"? I should like to quote it, but I daren't quote when I do not know the place. I quite agree, that, without exactly encouraging him, we ought not formally to exclude him. Stokes is excellent. I saw the Cardinal, who said nothing of interest, and spoke to me just like anybody else. But he was altogether low. Fool Stonor4 on seeing me exclaimed "hallo! what's brought you to London? Jansenius?" I made Wallis'5 acquaintance, who, at first talking, pleased me much. The only notability was a Parsee Jeejeebhoy, from Bombay, not the famous merchant of that name, who came out of a legitimate curiosity to see a live Cardinal, but was commonly taken for Mgr Persico, and treated according. I had a 3 hours' talk with the venerable Noggs6 who came out at last with his real sentiments to an extent which startled me, with respect both to things and persons, as HE, Ward, Dalgairns &c&c&c, natural inclination of men in power to tyrannize, ignorance and presumption of our would be theologians, in short what you and I would comfortably say over a glass of whiskey. I did not think he could ever cast aside his diplomacy and buttonment so entirely, and was quite surprised at the intense interest he betrayed in the Rambler. He was quite miserable when I told him the news, and moaned for a long time rocking himself backwards and forwards over the fire, like an old woman with the tooth ache. He thinks the move provoked both by the hope of breaking down 1 2 3 4

5 6

'The Catholic Press.' Henry Formby (1816-84), converted 1846, ordained priest 1847, author. ' C [J. M. Capes], 'Caesarism, Diabolism, and Christianity', Rambler, n.s. xi (February 1859), 126-37, on the divine (rather than diabolical) origin of the state. One of the sons of Lord Camoys; most likely Edmund Stonor (1831-1912), a priest, later canon of St John Lateran and titular archbishop of Trebizond; but possibly Thomas Edward Stonor (1824-65) or Francis Stonor (1829-81), clerk of the House of Lords. John Edward Wallis (1821-88), barrister 1847, proprietor and editor of the Tablet 1855-68, from 1874 in consular service in Egypt. Gasquet (p. 47) replaces 'Noggs' with 'Newman'.

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the R. and by jealousy of Dollinger. He asked whether we suspected the Jesuits or Errington,1 and at last inclined to my notion that the source is in Brompton. He has no present advice, being ignorant of the course of such affairs in Rome, and not believing it much security to be in the right in such cases, except that we should declare, if you can make up your mind to do so, that we do not treat Theology in our pages. He thinks such a declaration would go a great way. If you wish it can be done at the end of my paper, when I come to speak of our position and aims, subject, as the whole article will more particularly be, to your correction. He wants us to have rather more levity and profaneness, less theology and learning. A good story, he thinks, would turn away wrath, and he enjoys particularly your friendly encounters with Bentham, Combe, Buckle and the like. On the other hand he wants our more ponderous efforts to be devoted to the Atlantis which he would be ready to quarter, Longmans urging him thereto, and Sullivan2 promising 400 subscribers in Ireland. There are some difficulties in the way, but I think we can promise him contributions with willingness. He has an unhappy plan of printing scientific articles separately, with other pagings, but to include all articles that treat their subject, whatever it may be, scientifically, under the head of science. I have promised him a letter attacking this plan, and he promised to send me the results of further reflection on the course to be pursued by us. He is most entirely friendly, and considers the Rambler invaluable, to be kept, in terrorem, according to Me. Swetchine's answer to the vers latin, quis custodiet custodes? for the authorities. The first article in the Dublin is Bowyer's.3 The second, I daresay, the Cardinal's. The one on German unbelief mere bosh.4 Your's ever J D Acton 1

2

3 4

George Errington (1804-86), ordained priest 1827, bishop of Plymouth 1851, coadjutor archbishop of Westminster 1855, deposed 1860; a leader of the 'old Catholic' opposition to Wiseman and the converts. William Kirby Sullivan (1821-90), 1854 professor of chemistry at the Catholic University of Dublin, 1873 president of Queen's College, Cork; editor of the Atlantis. Sir George Bowyer (1811-83), 7th baronet, barrister, converted 1850, M.P. 1852-68 and 1874-80, Wiseman's spokesman in Parliament. The articles are, respectively, 'Protestant "Spiritual Destitution'", Dublin Review, XLV (December 1858), 267-90; 'The Monuments of the Catacombs—Baptism', ibid. pp. 290-313 (not by Wiseman, but by Dr Moran); and 'German Theories of Christianity and its Origins', ibid. pp. 404-13.

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108 SIMPSON TO ACTON -3 J A N U A R Y 1859 Clapham, Jany 3./59 Dear Acton I am delighted to hear about Newman—by all means let us take his advice about excluding theology—though of course this does not cut us off from reviewing books like Martineau's, which do not lead us into Theology proper, but only into an exposition of the false principles of our opponents—Who is to do the good story? Have you spoken to Lady G. Fullerton?1 Would Brompton allow her to write for us? Would Newman do an anonymous bit of satire—some slight throw-off, a rejected chapter of Callista or of Loss & Gain? It has come to be time for those who wish well to the R. to give it a little help. We will have the Duke de Bouillon's report in our next—The other affair is too short & acid—The view is needlessly offensive, except it is carried out farther. Capes writes this morning " I think I can promise, & I have indeed begun something, say 10 or 12 pp. a propos to one or two things in the new R." I want to do Martineau, I want to make an essay on bureaucracy, I want to write a few pages more on Marshall's China2—& I have sucked my pen all the morning, got sulky, turned my wife out of the room, & got a headache, but have achieved nothing more. I hope my barren wits will get a little better before the printers come to be too greedy. I have not seen the Dublin yet Milton's life awfully tedious, but contains a whole magazine of interesting matter— Your article on the press with our disclaimer of being a theological review must come first—I will try & do Martineau somewhat in the style of Combe & Bentham. Buckle has seen our articles, & confesses there is something in them. Has Formby's letter to you on bureaucratic Belgium any happy phrases that can be appropriated to the subject? I am afraid that Stoke's article will blow him (F.) miles away from us again, so I am anxious to explain in a style grateful to his feelings. _T r J & te Yours ever R Simpson T.O. 1 2

Lady Georgiana Fullerton (1812-85), converted 1846, novelist. She was the sister of Acton's stepfather Lord Granville. T. W. Marshall, Christianity in China (London, 1858), reviewed in Rambler, n.s. xi (February 1859), 69-70.

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I find no "Numquid indiget Dus vestro mendacio?"—I suppose it is formed from Rom. III. 5 & 7. Why don't you instruct Mullens1 in the Doctrine that by the Booh-post if you write that word over your direction & leave your enclosure open at both ends you only pay Id for 4 oz, 2d for 8 oz & so on? He always puts a 4d or 6d stamp on your missives, & so makes you contribute inordinately to the national revenue—You might possibly buy a shelf of books with these legitimate savings in the course of a few years.

109 ACTON TO SIMPSON-4 JANUARY 1859* Jany. 4, 1859 My dear Simpson, I send you Newman's very remarkable letter.2 Although his recommendation that the Rambler should be at the same time instructive, clever and amusing eliminates me from the list of contributors I believe his advice the best, though I do not feel sanguine about the effect which our announcement of not treating theology will have. People are quite as sensitive about other things as about theology. By all means do Martineau. Formby has got no light about Bureaucracy. If you set to work on the subject I will send you a note or two, being familiar with the acting of the system. I have found the passage in Job. I think it will be fit to quote. Your's ever J D Acton 110 SIMPSON TO ACTON -5 JANUARY 1859 Jany. 5 1859 Dear Acton I doubt about both the things I send you, Capes' letter & my Martineau, if judged according to Newman's anti-theological standard—but I have no doubt about their unfitness for a " magazine which is only to be 1

Presumably a servant. * Printed (with an omission) as the opening paragraph of Gasquet, Letter xxnr, pp. 2

48-9. Newman to Acton, 31 December 1858, printed in Wilfrid Ward, The Life of John Henry Cardinal Newman, 2 vols (London, 1912), i, 482-5. 119

"instructive clever & amusing."—Capes rides the Hobby of Manichaeism quite lame, & read by the light of our knowledge, is dangerous in parts; but I shall suggest to him one or two alterations, if you think we can accept it—In Martineau I forgot to insert a reason why a Catholic can enter into the views of a heresy, though not vice versa—as a quart can fill a pint, as power knows weakness knowledge ignorance, but not vice versa. Newman's letter I keep to copy, as it is one of our "Archives"— A new difficulty has arisen with me—My mother's death had such an effect on my brother the priest1 as to act on his brain—they did not bleed him, & now he has all kinds of hysterical attacks, & the Bishop writes that he is going to send him to me for 5 or 6 weeks, to keep him perfectly quiet, never to mention certain subjects to him, in short to make me his nurse— Capes says " shall I follow up the thing I send with a sequel for March, with the headg. "Is Eccls. hist, an old almanack?" not "idling with the Aug n. row, but showing the absurdity of mis-interpreting histy in order to make it square with a hypothesis?" I had an hour's jobation from Coffin this morning on the "tone" of the R. mere bosh. If I can write on bureaucracy I will send you my article to be added to. I wish we could carry out our idea of joint articles. Could you not rewrite all that I have said in Martineau about laymen initiating Christian thoughts? There must be a vast number of lay doctors. Newman objects in his letter to laymen writing on theology till better instructed I dont agree with him. Very much the reverse. Omitting theology may we still "take a certain historical view of the persons of heretics, while condemning their writing"? May I say that such a martyr held such & such views? May I give an account of the quarrel of the English Jesuits at Liege with the Baianists of the Seminary in 1700? May I quote the inculpated sentences of the English Fathers? Is this history or theology? To interpret too strictly the term theology is to reduce us to the level of the Lamp—in which case I shall respectfully decline to write at all. I should like to have a talk with you & Newman, & get out exactly what he means—Are we to be a kind of Frazer's magazine, coming out at intervals with a stunning attack upon Bishops & Cardinals? Yours ever R Simpson 1

Robert Simpson (1824-87), convert, ordained priest 1848.

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Ill ACTON TO SIMPSON-6 JANUARY 1859* 6th Jan. 1859 Dear Simpson, Capes' letter contains a great deal that confirms what I meant to say in my article, and that strikes me as very true, and to the purpose. S. Augustine was not the only one whom he wd. call a Manichee. Gerson says opp. ii 253 civile dominium, seu politicum, est dominium peccati occasione introductum—and Dante calls it remedium contra infirmitatem peccati. But it will not do to press the analogy with Manichaeism too far—only as one speaks of prostitution among public men. It is quite wrong, but not heretical, to give the state a sinful origin, like war. Is it right (p. 5) to include domestic, in civil society? I imagine the 4th commandment and the sacrament of matrimony give it its place in the religious department. Then in p. 8 it must be observed that there could be no conflict between political and religious obligations before Xty separated the two orders. The fathers did not fully understand the political consequences of Xty which it was the business of the Middle Ages to evolve. Calvinism as Capes says truly afterwards mixed up the religious and political order, overlooking the political, as Machiavelli did by overlooking the spiritual; one led astray by the Jews, the other by the Gentiles. At pp. 13.14 a quotation from Burke occurred to me Works i 404: (writing to a catholic): " In your situation, I would be so far a friend to the court, as not to give occasion to every friend to the constitution to become an enemy to me and my cause". Is it true that time p. 17 is a portion of eternity? As to the Concordats, 21.22. what he says will, I think, hardly stand fire. The idea of compromise is of modern growth, but so is the Concordat altogether. It is a consequence of the obscuration in the minds of men, statesmen especially, of Capes' very true and just notion that the church and the state have the same origin and the same ultimate objects. When this was understood there were no concordats. There was none for instance with Charlemagne, at the revival of the empire, or with Otho. The first thing we call by that name is the Calixtine Concordat of 1122, but the name does not belong to it, and was unheard of at the time. It is first used early in the fifteenth century, when the old harmony was dissolved and real compromises needed and made. When the states no longer agreed with the principles of the Church, the pope tried to bind them by compact and agreement, purchased by some * Printed with the letter of 4 January in Gasquet, Letter XXIII, pp. 49-51, with minor omissions. 121

sacrifice on his part and therefore the more sacred, to a certain line of conduct which they would no longer follow from principle. I do not know whether you will agree with this or think it worth suggesting to Capes. Newman does not take the term 'theology' so strictly as you seem to understand it. For instance he wd. not allow his article on S. Cyril to be theology. Then he thinks more of the effect on others, of the occasion which it gives to complain of imprudence on the part of laymen, than of the real danger of it. Such articles as this on Martineau, wh. I have not had time to read because of Morris' long sermon, but will send tomorrow, particularly suit his taste. I have told him 1. that our theology was not all done by laymen 2. that history and politics startle good people just as much as heresy. Altogether his view would be satisfied if there was less Latin in my articles, and if we avoid ex professo theological articles with theological titles to them, and affirm that we do not profess to teach theology. I suppose Blackwood1 is nearly the model he has in his eye. I propose to come it strong (and long, I hope not wrong) in the paper on our literary prospects, on the cache-cache system Capes attacks. An article and a letter in the same No. agreeing thoroughly on the point will play into each other's hands. Your's ever J D Acton 112 ACTON TO SIMPSON -7 JANUARY 1859* Jan.7 1859 Dear Simpson, Your critique of Martineau is as good and powerful as usual. In treating of the position of laymen in the development of religious knowledge will it not be important to speak as always as replying to Martineau, not to Catholic nightcaps? I rather think one or two expressions look too much like a protest against what we wot of, which will diminish the force of the remarks. The words p. 16, that Cn. thought is free will, by the help of very little misconstruction, be objected to, if you do not more clearly define the meaning, p. 17. thinking that the ignorance of the clergy (in great part) is the right contrast to the knowledge of laymen, Bellarmine's amusing account of the way he put down the theological presumption of Clement VIII occurred to me. It occurs in a book which is of the utmost rarity, ipse saepe admonui Pontificem ut caveret fraudes, i.e. in congr. de 1 BlackwoocTs Edinburgh Magazine. * Thefirstsentences, up to 'Martineau', are incorporated in Gasquet, Letter xxiv, p. 51.

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auxil. div. gr., et ut non putaret se studio proprio, cum Theologus non esset, posse ad intelligentiam rei obscurissimae pervenire. I presume you are right in saying that a Catholic understands heresy as a quart pot can fill a pint, as power includes weakness, and ignorance is included in knowledge. But I should have hesitated about it myself. It is not a question of degree, and error is not to truth as part to the whole, or as the less is to the greater. If you, individually, have an intimate knowledge of certain forms of heresy, it is I think, not because you are a catholic but because you were, bona venia, a heretic. I think you do native Catholic divines too much honour, practically, in supposing that they really penetrate the systems of heretics. This at least always strikes me in all but the greatest Catholic controversialists, even in Mohler,1 almost the greatest of all, that they attack particular errors rather than an erroneous system altogether distinct from their own. How hard the best writers find it to familiarize themselves with the religious systems of Hindus, Greeks &c. If you compare the Symbolik with the works protestant theologians have since produced it strikes you at once that Mohler is far more successful in stating Catholic doctrine than in refuting Protestant, and that protestants have more to say. I have not, so farewell. , XT Your's J D Acton 113 SIMPSON TO ACTON • 8 JANUARY 1859 Dear Acton I have altered the slaps at our nightcaps into slaps at Martineau very carefully, & I think with great improvement. I dont know whether you will approve of the addition (18 bis) which I enclose—it comes in in that place. Also, in consequence of your criticisms, which are evidently right, I have cancelled that addition, & written another (2 bis) which I also enclose. Also, will you give me a reference for that capital quotation from Bellarmine, which I have added as a note with this introduction "If knowledge belonged to the clergyman by any supernatural influx connected with his orders or jurisdiction, of course its fulness wd. belong to the Pope; & then how shall we account for Bellarmine's rebuke administered to Clement VIII in the matter of the Congregation de auxiliis? 1

Johann Adam Mohler (1796-1838), German church historian, friend of Dollinger, author of Symbolik (1832). 123

You dont object to the insertion of the note, do you? Do you see the announcement of Bentley's new quarterly1 in the Saturday? You shd. let Newman see it. In copying out N's letter I came to understand it better;—it is certainly the best advice that could be given, but is very very difficult to follow—after making the R. a monthly review, to return to the Magazine is an unpleasant fall—As for the story, if we could get a regular good one, and one with some satiric allusions to the things we wish to attack, we should not demean ourselves by it—but to aim at being " clever amusing & instructive"—why it is advice for the "Lamp" or the Weakly Wilberstrong2 not for an affair that looks higher—But this must be interpreted with many grains of salt. And we must eschew Theology, & distinct statements of any but the most palpable Truisms. I have had correspondence with F. Christie3 about my "Combe & his phrenology" wh he considers "bosh", & with Marshall about his "Christianity in China", both of which correspondences have pulled down my ideas of the respective writers— Could you get Eckstein to write about the thesis he says he cd. prove— that all family & national institutions were originally based on the idea of purification or sacrifice? When do you think that Meynell's article will be forthcoming?4 Ever yours R Simpson Clapham, Jany 8./59 114 ACTON TO SIMPSON -9 JANUARY 1859* Jan. 9 1859 Dear Simpson, The addition at 18b is capital, and the other passage seems quite irreproachable. The passage is from: Vita venerabilis card. Rob. Bellarmini S.J. quam ipsemet scripsit. p. 31. It is a book extraordinarily rare, no bio- or biblio-graphical writer that I have seen knows of it, and the same is probably the case with our readers. It was printed—perhaps privately—at the time when his beatification was discussed. I possess it 1

Bentley's Quarterly Review commenced with the March 1859 issue. Henry Wilberforce's Weekly Register. Albany James Christie (1817-91), converted 1845, entered Society of Jesus 1847, ordained priest 1852. 4 It was never published. * Gasquet, Letter xxiv, pp. 51-3, with omissions. 2

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bound up with the opinions of several eminent Cardinals upon his claims. I propose to quote another passage in my article, which will also, I think, be to the purpose. He relates how Sixtus V put him on the Index, and relates how good natured he was, in preventing his Bible from appearing with such gross blunders as it contained, and correcting it himself before it was published. I thought of finishing with this quotation unless you think I had better not. Will it do to quote the page of the same rare book in two different articles? or shall we leave them in one case to find the passage themselves? By the bye the life is in the 3d. person, and he calls himself N. so it stands,: ipse tamen N. saepe admonuiJ pontif. perhaps it will not be worth while to quote it as it stands. Bentley's new quarterly is, I suppose to be edited by Hughes (Tom Brown)1 and Watson,2 the writer of French articles for the Saturday. If it is so, we must keep an eye upon it, as Watson is a man to be got at, by judicious treatment. He says he would be a Catholic if he could be one of the school of Bossuet, but that now we have changed into quite a different set. If he ever utters such a sentiment we could down upon him with a very interesting dissertation of old and new Catholicism. I imagine it must have riled Marshall to find you coinciding in one point of criticism with the Saturday wh. review by the bye makes an unusual blunder this time, talking of the fair of Beaucaire interesting the Normans, as that of Leipzig the Germans, whereas Beaucaire is in Provence. I will refresh Meynell and old Eckstein, the object of your well turned note. Believe me Ever Your's J D Acton All Newman's remarks reduce themselves really to the wisdom of declaiming that we do not profess theology. I see we come in for some pepperment in the Tablet. Bellasis has just been here. I find they are quite sure of their case, which I had no notion of.

115 SIMPSON TO ACTON -10 JANUARY 1859 Dear Acton I send by this post an article, disjointed & unsatisfactory, about Bureaucracy. As it trenches on your province I should be as glad not to publish it, as to publish it. Anyhow it cannot come in the same no as 1 2

Thomas Hughes (1822-96), author of Tom Brown's School Days (1858). Probably Christopher Knight Watson (1823/4-1901), secretary to the Society of Antiquaries. 125

Martineau, for the two together wd be too long. So tell me which we shall have in February1—utrum horum maoris accipe, as the Eton Latin grammar observes. Mudie has sent down a tr. of Colletta2 in 2 Vols.—will you notice it? Here is a Ire from Burns; had we better keep up the ball in the Rambler alone, or in the Tablet & R.? Shall we ask Stokes for another article3—? If so, to save a Post (time is drawing on) will write to him a line—SN Stokes, Southport Lancashire— Here is a communication from Dr. Weathers,4 Pres. of St. Edmund's— I suppose that we must either tell him of our decision under N's advice not to admit theology—But is this theology?—or accept it. If not too long, besides it may give the Professor an opportunity of answering. To save a post will you also write to him? It will serve the double purpose of mystifying people about the editorship. If Martineau is put off till March the question about the same rare books being quoted in two articles solvitur ambulando. If not, where is the harm? I know I made a scruple about it in November—so as to divide Combe from the Confessional5—but it was a scruple—I think it is perhaps better to get the appearance of unity of thought. You had better tell Weathers that you cannot quite answer for publication in Feb. as the R is usually made up early in the month—but in March. There is a new book in 2 Vols. History of British Journalism, by Alex. Andrewes. Ld. Bentley of wh you shd write a short notice.6 Yours ever R Simpson Clapham. 10. Jany/59 1 2 3

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5 6

The February issue contained both Simpson's 'Bureaucracy' and 'Martineau's Studies of Christianity'. Pietro Coletta, History of the Kingdom of Naples, tr. S. Horner, 2 vols (Edinburgh, 1858). The book was not reviewed. S. N. Stokes,' The Royal Commission and the " Tablet"', Rambler, n.s. xi (February 1859), 104-13. This article, which was to prove fatal to Simpson's editorship, was a response to the Tablet's attack on Stokes' earlier article on education. William Weathers (1814-95), ordained priest 1838, professor and later president of St Edmund's College, Old Hall, 1851-69, president of St Thomas Seminary, Hammersmith, 1869—92, titular bishop of Amycla and auxiliary bishop of Westminster 1872. On 30 December 1858 Weathers wrote to Simpson, enclosing a paper in reply to Dollinger which he sought to have published in the Rambler. This and a letter of 14 January are bound up in the volume of Acton correspondence, Downside MSS., ff. 138, 144-5. The reference is to Simpson, 'The Confessional', Rambler, n.s. x (November 1858), 265-7. It was not reviewed.

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116 ACTON TO SIMPSON 11 JANUARY 1859* Jan. 11, 1859 My dear Simpson, Dollinger writes to the following effect: That the C.1 may by denouncing my letter try to hit 2 flies with one blow seems to me very likely. On reading it in the R. again I see that if they particularly wish to do so they can very easily fix upon one or two propositions in it, as grounds for censure. I judge namely from the stand-point of the good people of the Index, for most of whom whatever does not stand in their compendia, or suit their compendium-wisdom exists not. It is therefore very possible, yea not improbable, that the No. of the Rambler may be put on the Index on account of, and with express mention of the letter. That this, if it is intended, can be averted by any step on your part or mine, I do not believe. What is once denounced in Rome is abandoned to its fate. The best thing will be to make as little noise as possible about it, and to hold your peace. The Rambler will very easily get over it, particularly if you follow Newman's wise advice to avoid theological matters, and must make its way through the thornbushes of ill will, of misrepresentation, and of its own faults. That is the substance of his letter. What light do you think this throws on Weathers? Our letter was a defence, not a piece of controversial writing—and in sending us up to Rome they enjoy the advantage of the last word. The opposite view has been moreover abundantly expressed in the papers, and in the common view. We shall spoil the effect of our opinion if we open our pages to a discussion which Dollinger, I am persuaded, will not continue. Therefore I return W's letter to you unanswered, for you to make up your mind about it. To Stokes I have written asking for another article. I have so much correspondence this morning, that I'll keep bureaucracy till tomorrow. I don't think we ought to answer those fellows in the newspapers. I will send you some remarks on Colletta, if you like to fit them onto the translation. Your's ever J D Acton Watkin and Butterfield, pp. 91-2. Cardinal Wiseman.

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117 ACTON TO S I M P S O N

13 J A N U A R Y 1859*

Dear Simpson, When Aristotle says that where the law is not supreme there is no he contrasts law with personal—or collective—will, OTTOV firj not OTTOV [XT] vo\ioi apx*1 You2 will do him no injustice, but this passage is not quite fairly quoted, and might be objected to. What immediately follows is excellent. The contrast is between the ancientmodern, and the mediaeval state. A learned bureaucratic writer declares the Teutonic race incapable of forming a real state, p. 9 at the top you represent the passport vexation as of democratic origin—but it is just as much Russian as French, and in America has not proved itself the necessary result of ballot and universal suffrage, p. 15 bureaucracy is undoubtedly the weapon and sign of a despotic government, inasmuch as it gives whatever govt. it serves, despotic power. The Swiss govt. is perfectly despotic, and the constitutions in Germany, Piedmont etc. make the state-power as despotic as in France. I have said in the article I am just going to send you much to the same effect as your's p. 16. There would be an admirable harmony in the whole No. if you will print both this and Martineau. I see it is too much for your pugnacity to allow blows to be administered impune to us. Yet I think, with reference to the end of your article, agt. the Tablet, that it is very hard to carry on controversy with weekly papers—and where a dispute cannot be carried through, thoroughly and decisively, it seems better to disdain engaging in it. They are sure to attack us every time, and it is hard to be always replying to them. Presently we shall be able to represent ourselves as mild and simple people, the objects of constant, violent and unprovoked attack. This is a doubt, with me; pray consider it and decide, after consideration, as you like. Your note on Bright 3 is delightful. In the hope that you may be induced to put both Martineau and 'Bureaucracy' into this next No. I shall eschew sending you any short notices. The X I I Tables said salus populi suprema lex, instead of jus cujusque suprema lex. _T , r Your s ever J D Acton * Gasquet, Letter xxv, pp. 53-4, with omissions. 1

2 3

In the original, Acton underlined VO/JLOL and apxThese references are to the draft of Simpson's article on 'Bureaucracy'. John Bright (1811-89), Radical politician. A note on him was appended to 'Bureaucracy', Rambler, n.s. xi (February 1859), 125.

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118 SIMPSON TO ACTON 13 JANUARY 1859 Dear Acton I will let the printers have both Martineau & Bureaucracy, but verylikely one will have to stand over—with Capes' letter, & Bouillon, they only leave 24 pp for you & Stokes, who has written this morning to promise me an article in reply to the Tablet tomorrow. If it interferes with your length I will get up a Martyr in four pages to substitute for Bouillon, wh will leave 28 pp. Thanks for your hints about Aristotle etc—all of wh I have incorporated; & I have cut out the last page, so as to leave the Tablet alone—I hope Stokes will point out that the same quarrel is going on in America, & that Brownson opposes the Bps as we do. I have not yet got an idea for the March No—I have been hard at work on my "Xtian philosophy of Creation" of wh you saw one quire; I finished it yesterday, & am going to take it up to the printers to get them to give a rough estimate of the cost of printing. Whether I shall be able to afford to publish it is another matter—The first thing is to see what it would cost. I wrote to Weathers to say that I had reed notice that the Dec. R. would be submitted to the Index. That in consequence of this indignity I cd not ask the distinguished author of the letter to write again; that though I was certain that he could satisfactorily answer Dr. Giunchi's if?,11 was not so sure that any of our ordinary staff could; moreover for all I knew silence on the point wd be imposed upon us before we cd answer —Therefore to admit the 2d communication would be very unwise tactics on our part &c—& refusing the letter. I might have told him how in Elizths days the priests were sometimes allowed to have a dispute, moderated & stopped at pleasure by some envoy of the Privy council, before they were hanged. F. de Buck once talked to me in a very amusing way about getting on the Index, which he seemed to consider a kind of test of being a good writer. I wish I could get him to write a little, but he is very busy, & though he promises, his performances are generally lacking— Yours ever R Simpson Jany. 13. 1859. 1

Dr Antonio Giunchi, an Italian priest, taught theology at Old Hall. Giunchi was the author of the paper forwarded by Weathers. 9

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119 ACTON TO SIMPSON-14 JANUARY 1859 Friday Dear Simpson, I send you a piece of MS. the rest on Monday. Altogether I suppose 14 pp. Please scratch and alter as much, not as you please, but as you can —so as to make it look tidy. I have purchased by my unscrupulous criticisms on your papers the right to have mine improved. I suppose Stokes will not be very long. Will not Longman give you monies for your book? The subject is so very popular—most books of that kind sell well— especially with a good title. A good monster opp. the title page would, I imagine, also be a recommendation. Surely F. De Buck would be driven to do something for us by his interest in the straits we are in. Do you know that the seal of confession is not kept in political matters by the neapolitan clergy? I have made a sort of promise not to publish what I know about it. ^T , Your s ever J D Acton 120 SIMPSON TO ACTON 15 JANUARY 1859 Saturday Dear Acton At p 4 of your valuable article1—which I have spent the whole morning m minutely correcting in tense, & alterating words too often repeated— You introduce our periodicals with "one or two general remarks. 1. Nothing serious or durable. 2. practical, popular, immediate & general in effect. 3. "striving to bring down philosophy from heaven to homes of men"—I want you to enlarge these remarks, which are one of the corner stones of the article, and are yet huddled together in so very few lines, & couched in such pale generalized language, that they will either mystify, or escape our readers. I do not myself feel sure what you mean by 3—is it dashing the milk of religion with the water of namby pamby sentiment? or is it adapting general principles of religion, politics &c to our special circumstances? or simply popularizing abstract truths? Explain friend. Might you not add that much our literature is a hunting 1

'The Catholic Press'. 130

for petty abuses in the spirit of Jew attorney?—but all I want is a clearer statement of our literature of particulars without generals, conclusions without premisses, dogmatism without learning—You can write half a page, & I will substitute it—After the three remarks you go on "The value of these efforts is undoubtedly great; It is a plan adopted by men capable of higher things, sanctioned by great examples &c But is it not beginning at the wrong end? &c" I have also taken a liberty in p. 2, to make a contrast more intelligible. Cocks has been asked by Lady Blount your neighbour to ask you for a note of introduction for her boy Bobby1 at Bonn the 2d Bobby, teste Cocks, is a very nice boy, the best & most gentlemanly of the family. Can you do anything. I send Stokes' reply by this post. Yours ever R Simpson 121 ACTON TO SIMPSON-16 JANUARY 1859 Sunday Dear Simpson, I have tried to put in something, I don't know whether it answers your purpose. I did not want to be so distinct as to point out individuals. I hope the rest of the article will give you as much trouble as the first part. I am not at all sure that it is judicious, so pray modify it to such an extent as will enable you to subscribe to it. Writing in coolness and solitude some of the conceits, as that about vermin, may be too bad. I go off, you see with a flourish of trumpets at the end. Pray inspect that narrowly. Like Gothe in Faust I forgot the beginning before I got to the end. If it is too long, pray judiciously curtail. Pray tell me whether it will do to write to a friend at Bonn, or send to Blount himself. If the latter, where does he live? Shall we ask Newman to review Giunchi? _r , Yours J D Acton 1

Robert Joseph Blount (1839-74), third son of Sir Edward Blount, 8th baronet, who married in 1830 his cousin Mary Frances Blount (d. 1893).

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122 SIMPSON TO ACTON 17 JANUARY 1859 My dear Acton I hope you have found out that you did not send the conclusion of your article—Stokes' arrived safely & your note—so I presume that the Post is not in fault. The first part I read over to F. Capes this morning—he agrees with me that it is out & out the best you have yet written—I dont think there is any imprudence in it. I suppose, if you will send a note to Lady Blount enclosing some introductory epistle for her boy Bobby her desires will be fulfilled. Stokes writes to ask what are "the six points" delated to Rome? your Dictionary of Anecdotes defines Delateur Accusateur secret qui craint la lumiere et les preuvres. On voit par cette definition qu'il n'y a qu'un lache qui peut se charger du metier de Delateur. Could we not have a letter in the March N° detailing all the great writers who have ever been on the Index? I shall not have more than a page & a half of space for short notices —& F. Capes wants I don't know what all for a letter to protest against C. Weld's art notions1—There will be no keeping the peace between rival amateurs—I am afraid there is no logic of art. Certainly ask Newman to review Giunchi. Also ask him to write for the Rambler a sequel to Callista, showing the sayings and doings of Jucundus after he was converted & raised to the Cardinalate. F. de Buck has sent me no article, but a little Latin life of his friend F. Tinnebroeck2 to remind me that he is in terra scribentium. I have just read through the Journal of the pious harlot Mrs Dalrymple Elliott3—You should read it—You cannot lay it down. There is also a new book of Morley's that I have looked through today— Bartholomew Fair. The two books may be read together for a comparison of English & French snobs. A Mr. Ross publishes the correspondence of Marquis Cornwallis— instead of his own portrait he gives a pedigree to show his relationship to the family—& perhaps to show also how many of them died at Inkerman 1 2

3

Capes' letter was published anonymously, Rambler, n.s. xi (February 1859), 146-8. Antoine-Hubert Tinnebroek (1816-55), S.J. 1836, associated with the Bollandists 1840-5, 1850-5. Grace Dalrymple Elliott, Journal of my Life, during the French Revolution (London, 1859). Lady Elliott, mistress of the future George IV, lived in a convent in Paris and was imprisoned during the Revolution. Neither this, nor any of the other books mentioned, was reviewed.

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& elsewhere—He lost his own eldest son at Sebastopol; one cannot envy him his empty comfort of the pedigree! About Giunchi, shall I write to Weathers to propound a doubt? Whether St. Aug. in damning unbaptised children to the torments, the paenam sensus of hell, did not in that one tenet hold all that is bad in Calvinism & Jansenism:—the condemnation by God alone, without any concurrence of His creatures, this creature to torments which it cd. not avoid? There is predestination & every thing else evil. It is vain to reply that such children have no free-will—Because they have free will, but only at present a want of knowledge that renders their freedom irresponsible. Tolle liberum arbitrium, non est quod salvetur; but baptized infants are saved; & free will is not given at baptism; therefore infants have, implicitly, free will— If Hell is natural enjoyment, then there is nothing to complain of; if as St. Aug. says it is onlyfire& brimstone, then there is all Calvinism & Jansenism & a dash of Maniehaeism in the nutshell of this abominable little proposition. Perhaps G. Will answer it—perhaps only walk round it, any how we may possibly draw on a discussion. Ever yours R Simpson

Monday Afternoon. 123

ACTON TO SIMPSON-17 JANUARY 1859 Monday Dear Simpson, You have probably heard the news that I have just been told in confidence, that the Dublin is to be started anew, chiefly under the inspiration of the London Oratory. This will render some modification of my article necessary. Ought we not to anticipate the announcement by saying more distinctly how much we should rejoice at a new arrangement of it? And are not some other changes needed from the same reason? Ward, Thompson, Lewis, Dalgairns and Oakeley are to carry it on. But I am told to 'keep the news private'. It is very possible you may think my paper altogether will want to be altered to meet the new circumstances. I think we might by the side of our depreciation of the old Dublin, bestow a sort of conciliatory patronage upon the new, so that the future quarrel should come from them. I am glad we set up decidedly as our's the principle of free inquiry, both in practical and literary questions. Newman writes1 ' I half suspect something is to be determined before 1

Newman to Acton, 16 January 1859, Birmingham Oratory. Newman dated this '1858' by mistake. 133

the end of the month on the notice to be taken of the Rambler.' Also 'Stokes' article1 was startling, the bishops consider the writer is not in possession of the real grounds of their decision, and that he attempts to answer difficulties which he has not mastered.' Also Meynell writes of Ullathorne's general good will towards us. He writes also bosh about the attention due to fogydom. The cardinal is 'to retain a general control over the review'. Newman has civilly, almost affectionately, declined to contribute. Giunchi's paper will doubtless appear in their first No. It would be almost worth while to recommend it to Weathers, who seems a good old fellow. Stokes' answer2 seems to me dignified and well written. Hardly conclusive? I have just read your ancient critique on Newman. It is very unlikely now, but what if one should be asked to write for the Dublin? The passage I quote from Tertullian is from a Montanist work of his. Does that matter? In consideration of your dislike of Latinity I denied myself the pleasure of introducing no end of other passages to the same effect. Bunbury is in London. Meynell is writing on Rosmini v. Gioberti.3 I suppose Stokes told you that Bp. Turner speaks with approbation of his art: Newman says he much regrets having seen nothing of you since you dined together off flies at the Capitol.4 He always speaks of you with real friendship. , xx r

\ours ever J D Acton 124 ACTON TO SIMPSON

18 JANUARY 1859

Tuesday Dear Simpson, The post was in fault; I cannot imagine why my paper which was posted at the same time as the others arrived late. I am afraid I am very much disposed to agree with Capes about the art question. I am little better than a narrow minded Goth. I hope that besides other needful changes you will introduce what 1 2 3 4

'The Royal Commission on Education', in January, which had criticized the attitude of the bishops to the commissioners. 'The Royal Commission and the "Tablet"'. This eventually appeared as 'Rosmini and Gioberti', Rambler, 3rd ser. i (September 1859), 353-70. In Rome, 1846. This is from Newman to Acton, 13 January 1859, Birmingham Oratory.

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becomes necessary in consequence of the new arrangement of the DR.1 Your point will be useful to Giunchi. Is he a shining light? Has he read six and forty quarto volumes of Arnauld's works? I marvel greatly what the six points can be. Newman seems to know something of what is going on. I believe we had better not show any curiosity about it. Does not Macmullen see Lewis? He will be able to find out from him the dispositions of the new Dublin. ^T , r Your s ever J D Acton 125 SIMPSON TO ACTON 18 JANUARY 1859 Dear Acton At p 26 of your Ms. after "establishment of such a review will be a great benefit to the Cath: body, & more especially a boon to us, for it will enable us fairly to pursue our proper ends & occupy our legitimate place" I have added "And therefore we need scarcely say how glad we are to hear that a new arrangement is on the point of taking place, & that an infusion of young blood is likely to give new vitality to our old & respected review; without any feelings of envy, and renouncing the idea of competition, we shall cordially hail the appearance of a worthy representative of our intellectual culture, & shall anxiously look for the announcement of wider views, & of an enlarged plan" Then yours "The great question has hitherto been not what principles shall prevail, but whether principles shall prevail at all" &c I would not make any other modifications. The criticism of the past Dublin is necessary to fix the managers of the new to an altered plan. I have very little expectation of their power to follow out what you propose. What do they know, on what subject can any of them write, except on Puseyism & matters thence flowing? What effect has this arrangement on the idea of quartering the Atlantis? Shall you follow Newman's plan & decline to write? I am not likely to be asked, but most certainly I should & shall decline. Also, can the present arrangement outlast a year without a quarrel? Could some one not get a mischievous paragraph inserted in the Protestant papers from which it would leak into ours to the effect that "in spite of the jealously of the old school, the converts have now, by the help of the Cardinal, wriggled up to the surface of the Catholic literary world, & the old organ of that community the Dublin Review has we understand been committed to the hands of five converts, three laymen & two priests, under the inspiration 1

Dublin Review. 135

of the London Oratory, & under the general control of the Cardinal who is one of the original founders of the review." It wd be only paying the great man in his own coin—though we cannot do both this, & print our offer of cordiality. I had a talk with Allies the other day, & I see that Stokes has not mastered the difficulties—they are chiefly difficulties of etiquette. "Why did you not propose this or that"? said I—"It was not our place to propose—it was theirs". So they1 stood on their dignity, & treated all advances with suspicion like an old maid repelling the politeness of a young swell with freezing dignity & withering silence. What is "the notice to be taken of the Rambler"? is it Stokes, or is it Dollinger? or both, or neither, but the general tone &c &c? I have cut out your "vermin"—at the urgent request of my wife & of F. Capes. Aristophanes is excellent—I must look at the Acharnae. Yours ever R Simpson Jany. 18. 59. Will you write to Bunbury? Also, is Newman likely to be in Town soon? I should very much like to see him; I was never at ease in his presence; but it was the awe of a superabundant admiration. When I was an undergraduate I made all sorts of absurd schemes to introduce myself to him— At last I found a mistake of a shilling in my battel-bill; Newman was bursar, so instead of going to the College Butler to set the thing right, I went straight to the venerable Noggs, tendered my shilling to one as ill at ease as I was, received a superabundance of thanks, & stammered out something in reply. Nothing came of our interview. It was much the same at Rome. I was in his presence a caunopolite to use one of Aristophanes' words. But a man of 40 is nearer on a par with a man of 60 than a raw schoolboy of 20 with a man of 40—& such a man as Newman was.

126 ACTON TO SIMPSON -19 JANUARY 1859* 19 January 1859 Dear Simpson, My authority was a confidential letter of Oakeley, confidentially communicated to me by Newman. 1

The Catholic bishops, in their refusal to deal with the Royal Commission on Education. * One paragraph of this letter is included in Gasquet, Letter xxvi, pp. 54—5, run into the letter of 22 January. 136

He states positively what I told you, and if something definitive had not been arranged would hardly have written to solicit Newman's aid, without saying a word about the uncertainty, or rather failure, described by Burns. Either Oakeley's letter is later, or some change subsequently occurred, or one of them lies in his throat. On general grounds the latter would perhaps be the likeliest explanation, but I daresay there have been new difficulties since Oakeley wrote. I think there ought to be stronger grounds than these to justify the entire omission of some allusion to the arrangements in course of discussion. If you have added a little strength to my article it might hit them a blow between wind and water that would greatly disturb the negotiations. The notice to be taken of the Rambler refers doubtless to S Augustine. I daresay you will receive a friendly communication before the end of the month. Do not write to me here after Saturday, I go to town probably on Monday, and if you penetrate to London on one of the following days perhaps you will make an appointment with me. I do not imagine that any change in the Dublin will have any effect on Newman's design if it can be carried out in spite of other difficulties. He sees so many obstacles that he is a long time deciding upon a plan which he in general approves of. He seems to have no confidence in the support the University is likely to continue to the Atlantis. I mean pecuniary support. My doubts about the Catholic oath1 are assuming more and more consistency. Newman, Grant and Badeley have all conspicuously failed in removing them. Did I tell you how confident Bellasis is in the Shrewsbury case?2 I never heard any of them speak with confidence before this point turned up. Stokes has at any rate taken broader ground than the bishops, and right or wrong it is important that things so serious should be' ventilated'. Your's ever J D Acton 1

2

The oath imposed on Roman Catholic office-holders by the Emancipation Act of 1829. It is not clear what were Acton's doubts about this oath, which he later took as a member of Parliament. In an effort to keep his wealth in Catholic hands, the 16th Earl of Shrewsbury (1791-1852) willed his estates to Lord Edmund Howard. The 18th Earl, a Protestant, contested the will, eventually winning the case in 1867. Bellasis was Lord Edmund's lawyer.

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127 SIMPSON TO ACTON-19 JANUARY 1859 Dear Acton Burns promised me an account of matters as soon as the meeting about the Dublin had taken place; I fancy it was at his house; any how, as they proposed him for publisher his knowledge is probably correct—so what do you think of the contradiction that follows? "The meeting" (says Burns whose letter I copy, because it is so badly written that it cost me half an hour to read & it will only cost two minutes to write) " took place, & it was determined not to proceed farther as it was felt to be useless to attempt to negotiate with H.E. Oakeley was to communicate this, & to say merely that the persons who had met would be willing to assist with an article occasionally—the Review going on on its present plank—with this proviso however, that they were to be paid properly. What Bagshawe & Co will say to this last is doubtful, & they all seemed to think the whole thing would go off upon this question of money, & so the D.R. come to an end in this way. We shall see". With this safe prophecy Burns concludes. Weigh these testimonies. I will call on Burns this evening, & find out his sources of information— but I cannot help thinking he is right, in which case my clumsy addition to your article will have to drop out again. Weld1 is too hot—But he does not mean to censure Gothic architecture, but Gothic high art. The distorted saints & grim angels of Pugin's painted windows—This we must explain. I will write as soon as I get any more news from Burns. Yours very truly R Simpson Jany. 19. 59. 128 SIMPSON TO ACTON -20 JANUARY 1859 Dear Acton I went to Burns last night. The meeting was held last Friday. On Saturday he saw Ward & Oakeley, & had a long talk with them about it. After all previous meetings they had told him everything that had passed, & he has no reason to suppose that they concealed anything from 1

In his introduction to Minardi's 'The Christmas of Christian Art'. 138

him this time—He did not talk with them under the influence of any suspicion, & therefore did not cross-examine them, but only gathered up what fell from them—The upshot of this was simply what he had told me—that nothing was concluded, no arrangement made or offered, except that the persons who had met were willing to write, provided they were paid. Bagshawe still remains where he was; Burns has received no proposition for printing—& he thinks that your informant must have been misinformed. When & from whom you had the information you best know—any how, if your informant received the intelligence before Friday, it must be wrong—it might have been a proposal, but it never was adopted as a resolution—if it comes through Oakeley on Saturday to Newman, & so to you on Monday Morning, Burns is puzzled about it. Any how he thinks we may leave in the sentence I have added to your article—Perhaps the expression of our cordiality may cast suspicion, & so leave the field open to the quartered Atlantis. Ward, I have heard, has made a study of the modern English schools, & would therefore come out well in that line—But he wd come out in a manner that would scandalize HE. because he has quite as much intellectual leanings towards the boldness of infidel thought as the Rambler can be accused of having. I have made F. Capes write about C. Welds introduction, & have made a note1 to explain it away. I also am a Goth in architectural matters, but I hate Gothic architects—they are such a pedantic dogmatic set. Yours very truly R Simpson Clapham 20 Jany. 59 129 SIMPSON TO ACTON -21 JANUARY 1859 Dear Acton It was not Burns who lied in his throat—He sent me the enclosed last night—Perhaps Burns is not to be the publisher, & so they no longer confided to him their secrets. I dined with Marshall yesterday—He is no more to be trusted than Faber; but there are two points he told me, one of wh. I hope is true, viz, that of the numbers of Priests that he sees the majority is decidedly in favour of the Rambler—The second is true on internal evidence. You 1

Editorial note, Rambler, n.s. xi (February 1859), 148.

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must have used in your answer to Fabers tasteful letter1 some expressions beginning "there is nobody in England that knows anything about " whatever it may be—I know you do sometimes use the formula. Well, these expressions are carefully put into circulation and the bumptiousness of the youth who can dare in such terms to teach theology to a formed theologian like Faber is much dilated upon—I have traced the reports to Oratory-haunters, who also spread abroad that we are in a conspiracy to impose Dollinger on England—that D. is a suspicious man, has been on the Index or near it many times, is a German & a rationalizer & so on. I enclose you something which is only an outpouring of savage indignation. Of course it cannot be published. But would something of the kind, written with calmness & dignity be useful? F. Capes thinks it would. Give me a line to say when you will be in Town on Monday, & whether you will be visible in Bruton St or elsewhere that evening. Otherwise I will try to see you on Tuesday Morning or Evening, but give me a choice of hours when you will be at home—On second thought I am engaged on Monday, but any hour on Tuesday or Wednesday will suit me—so fix one. Ever yours R Simpson 21. Jany./59 130 ACTON TO SIMPSON-22 JANUARY 1859* Saturday Dear Simpson, I am not sure of being in town on Monday, as I do not hear from my mother who is in Paris, and perhaps the stormy weather delays her arrival. The circumstance of the arrangement of the Dublin Review having been communicated to me as a secret raises a suspicion that there is some mystification of Burns going on, and perhaps of Thompson. Les absents ont toujours tort. As to the obnoxious formula which you attribute to me, I do not generally use it before people who are not likely to admit it—least of all therefore to Faber. But it was necessary to intimate as delicately as I could that I did not think he knew much about it. So I said something to this effect: ' I daresay there are not 3 people in England who 1

In connection with the 'paternity of Jansenism' controversy. * Gasquet, Letter xxvi, pp. 55-7, under date of 19 January, with significant omissions.

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approved of the passage,1 but I am not aware that the number of those is greater who 'have studied both S. Augustine and the works of the Jansenists in the original sources, and who have not derived their notions from mere compendia', whose opinion, therefore deserves the smallest consideration'. If that is not what offended him it was perhaps my saying that 'it is no doubt melancholy not to enjoy his approbation, but that it is a comfort to know that his opinion is not universal, at least among those whose approbation is an honour as well as an advantage'. Of course there is war to the knife between the Bromptoratory and all theology pursued on the German method, independently of conclusions. Dalgairns said that all Germans struck him as having something wrong about them. So I told him in my answer that ' I hoped his bad opinion would not prevent him from studying them, which wd. probably diminish the severity of his judgment, and would materially add to its weight.' When presumption is treated with contempt it necessarily retorts with an imputation of greater presumption on the part of its opponent. I like the end of your explosion better than the beginning, but surely you must rewrite it if you expect Newman not to be horrified at it. Many of the points are certainly good, but for the time both Doll, and Newman strongly recommend silence. I forgot to say I have sent a letter to Lady Blount, and have sent my subscription to your friend in Lancashire. _, , r Ever your s J D Acton On reading your note again I am provoked to a further explanation of the phenomenon that I pay no attention to Faber, whom you call a formed theologian, and for whose talents we have so much more respect than for his judgment or character. The Germans have a word: quellenmassig = ex ipsissimis fontibus, and another: wissenschaftlichkeit, which is nearly equivalent to the Platonic imarrjfjLr] as opposed to atadrjGLs, 8d£a, iivrjurj, ijjL7T€LpLa, avTaola etc. When a book of theology, history or any other science is destitute of these essential qualities it belongs to a wholly different category, and however meritorious in its proper sphere, is not treated or spoken of seriously. I might have Gibbon or Grote by heart, I should yet have no real, original, scientific knowledge of Roman or Grecian history, though I might make a great show of it and eclipse a better scholar. So in theology I might know profoundly all the books written by divines since the Council of Trent, but I should be no theologian, unless I studied painfully and in the sources the genesis and growth of the doctrines of the Church. A theologian cannot choose between the Fathers, the scholastic writers, or the modern schools any more than a historian can choose whether he will read Livy or Polybius, to write his 1

On Augustine as 'the father of Jansenism'. 141

history of the Punic war. Now I went through a three years' course of this kind of study of theology, so that although I did not exhaust any subject, and am therefore no authority on any question, yet I know very well the method on which it is necessary to proceed, and can at once detect a writer who even with immense reading of theologians, is but a dilettante in theology. That's why I said Newman's essay on S. Cyril,1 which on a minute point was original and progressive, was a bit of theology, which all the works of Faber, Morris, Ward, Dalgairns will never be. They have all got a regia via which leads them astray, and for scientific purposes all their labour is wasted. It is this absence of scientific method, and of original learning in nearly all even of our best writers, that makes it impossible for me to be really interested in their writings. Literally Faber's books are, to my judgment rather to be classed with Formby's Bible history, than with Newman's essay, or Mohler's Symbolik; and this no talent can redeem. Altogether this is almost an unknown idea amongst us in England. It is what I attempted to urge in my last paper. Everything else has only a momentary, passing, importance; it is like skirmishing and sharpshooting in a battle, tant que la garde n'a pas donne, as Napoleon said, aycovicrfia is TO irapaxprj/Jia is the motto of almost all our literature; and that is why as I say no progress can be made. Science is valueless unless pursued without regard to consequences or to application —only what the Germans call a subjective safeguard is required. I did not go farther into this in the article partly because it was already too long, and partly because I did not think you would agree with it. You want things to be brought to bear, to have an effect. I think our studies ought to be all but purposeless. They want to be pursued with chastity, like mathematics. This at least is my profession of faith, and it is on this ground that I shall say when we are condemned Eppur si muove,2 for we shall be condemned on what the same Germans would call a subordinate standpoint. Do not betray Newman; he says in a late letter:3 ' I should not be surprized if F. Faber patronized our school; but I should trust him as little if he did as if he did not.' _r Your s ever JDA 1

2 3

Newman, ' O n the Formula /u'a <j>vois rod deov Xoyov a€aapKa)fi€V7]\ Atlantis, i (July

1858), 330-61; reprinted in Tracts Theological and Ecclesiastical. 'But it does move'—the reputed protest of Galileo when forced to recant. Newman to Acton, 13 January 1859, Birmingham Oratory.

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131 SIMPSON TO ACTON 24 JANUARY 1859 Monday Dear Acton I am not sorry that I wrote in a way that you mistook, since it has made you write me that long letter; but I only intended to tell you in the most colourless way that it is being whispered about the Purlieus of the oratory that you used such an expression, to such a theologian. If I wrote anything to make you imagine that I considered Faber a formed theologian, I wrote just what I did not intend. I only meant (1) to express my suspicion that you had used the formula complained of, because it is not an uncommon one with you; it is open to all kinds of misconstruction on the part of those who do not know you—& (2) to tell you how the expression is being made use of against you. Pray dont take my gossip as the expression of my own opinion. For myself, though I never had any education in that line, I have always had the same notion of theology from original sources as you so well put together, and moreover I gave up nearly three years to that kind of reading for the purpose of my Cosmogony;11 read scarcely any books of theory, except for the purpose of finding references to original authors; I read the Fathers, the formulae of Mythology such as the Vedas, the Zendavesta, the Edda, & whatever else I could get hold of in the same way, the Geological & Astronomical treatises of Lyell, Murchison, Arago, Humboldt, eschewing like poison all "Mosaic geologies " &c &c. So I have a right to say that I understand & appreciate the principle you insist upon, that I have acted upon it in the only subject which I can be said to have studied at all profoundly, & therefore am not at all likely to mislike it in you. With this explanation I hope that my note will have lost all power of "provoking" you & I hope that you will not wait for my agreement or disagreement in your articles; you have passed so many of mine that I have afterwards found you did not agree with a bit, that I should be anything but reciprocating your good nature if I was stiff even on a point on which I felt immoveably certain—Think at least that I should always be as accommodating as you have proved yourself to be—You say that I want things to be brought to bear—this is so far true, that I feel in a monthlyfixabout the Rambler, & I naturally want everybody's knowledge to develop into an article. But I quite agree with you that 1 4

Religion and Modern Philosophy', Rambler, vi (September 1850), 185-204; (October 1850), 279-98; (November 1850), 373-90; (December 1850), 480-90; a defence of Mosaic cosmogony.

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Studies are to be pursued for mere knowledge; & carrying out the same principle I think that a Magazine should propose to itself mere truth in all that it undertakes, & have no other purpose, such as to pitch into this man, & write up this other man, unless so far as they are the representatives of the lie or the truth in the subjects they speak about. The explosion I sent you was a mere explosion of anger—I shall put it behind the fire now, for it would be suicidal to publish it. I quite forget how I expressed myself in my note to you, but I am afraid that the same exaltation overflowed a little into it. I dont know whether you think that my having studied the Cosmogonies in order to satisfy my scruples & doubts about Inspiration destroys the chastity of study. But I suppose that you only require the mind to be held in an even balance, without being biassed by its purposes & motives, & put the final cause of the studies completely outside consideration, provided only the method of their pursuit satisfies you. I would as soon be boiled as betray Newman—He is the man of whose approbation I should feel more proud than of any other persons, & under whom I hope some day to work—I had something to do with attributing the Word to the Goths1 to him. Macmullen judged by internal evidence that he must have written it, & I told Burns that he did on the strength of Mac's criticism—I have told the printers to send to you after tomorrow at Bruton St. XT Yours ever R Simpson 132 ACTON TO S I M P S O N - 2 7 J A N U A R Y 1859 London Thursday Dear Simpson, I am afraid I shall not be at home tomorrow when you proposed to come, having to go early into the city. I hope I shall have another chance of seeing you before Monday. I had a long talk with Allies, who is entirely in Faber's hands. There is great secrecy about the Dublin; he would only say that the Cardinal cannot be prevailed upon to resign his present influence. How scandalously and imprudently you have put my letter into notes to Capes' letter !2 I am not perfectly confident that they will all stand fire. Your's ever J D Acton 1

Charles Weld's anti-Gothic introduction to Minardi's 'The Christmas of Christian 2 Art'. 'Caesarism, Diabolism, and Christianity.'

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133 ACTON TO SIMPSON -31 JANUARY 1859* Monday My dear Simpson, I had not time to write before I left London to tell you that your paper on architecture1 seems to me excellent and particularly remarkable for technical knowledge for which I have the vacant admiration of ignorance. My own notions are derived from the study of history more than of art, and are as narrow as in politics. I believe Gothic art declined in an age which was fatal to other productions characteristic of the Middle Ages, and especially to those ideas of which art is the instrument and symbol, and that it was forgotten as completely as mediaeval history, law, poetry &c. during the ages in which the pagan revival prevailed. Steffens, an excellent German, said well, that Cologne Cathedral was a discovery of the 19th century, as Pompeii had been of the 18th. I can only consider Gothic art as a part of the mediaeval revival which distinguishes our age, and seems to me as important as the revival of pagan learning in the 15th century. It is the culminating point of my reactionary and contracted opinions, that a Grecian building, especially a Church, seems to me as great an anachronism now as an invocation of Apollo and the Muses in a poem. Quid plura? I have condemned myself. I did not tell you the other night that I had only come to the resolution of going abroad since I had discovered in London that my mother was not disposed to come and live at Aldenham—which was on the cards. Hence the suddenness of the thing. I am sure you have since confessed to yourself that periodical writing is in truth inconsistent with the sort of studies I have pursued, and with my slow and pacific habits of thought. I once imagined it would help to overcome my natural aversion to rapid and spiderlike production. As to the use I might otherwise be of to you I deceived myself from my ignorance of the real character of our public. In this respect no harm is done by my disappearance in addition to what we already knew. As to contributions you would have been obliged to find others to make up for my deficiencies, and as it is I will do what I can. I am very anxious to hear from you that you are on reflection less discouraged than you professed yourself when I told you of my impending banishment; and that you see your way to proper and efficient * Gasquet, Letter xxvn, pp. 57-9, dated 1 February, with omissions. 1 'The Development of Gothic Architecture', Rambler, 3rd ser. i (May 1859), 77-89. IO

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ALM

assistants. Tell me before Friday what books I can send or bring from Aldenham. I need not quote Horace to you, I am sure—Coelum non animum mutant &c— Believe me Ever faithfully Your's J D Acton 134 SIMPSON TO ACTON 1 FEBRUARY 1859 Feb. 1. Dear Acton I send you an article on the subject I mentioned to you. 1 1 dont think it is very wise, & I shall attend to all the scratches & notes that you make upon it. Tell me if you think that it requires the intercalation of any confessions of the faith to render it less obnoxious to misrepresentation. Also can you suggest a title. I enclose you a note from Burns which shows that the affair of the D.2 is not over yet—Feb—& they must come out all fools day—a short time for the preparation of the stunning first number. Relate to me anything that Newman said which may concern me to know. I must go & see him soon. Coffin wants to go with me, & have a regular reconciliation with his old chief. Coffin wanted me to explain to him how it was, if we were right in our "tone" that he had always felt a queer kind of inexplicable antipathy to Montalembert? What is one to say against this kind of arguments? I have given out to F. Capes that you are going to Spain for three or four months. I dont think it is a bad Rambler this time—Next Sunday I meet you, „ do I not? D o. Yours ever R Simpson 135 ACTON TO SIMPSON -2 FEBRUARY 1859 Wednesday Feb. 2 Dear Simpson, I return you an excellent article. I have ventured to suggest an addition page 13: Are you sure of the wisdom of referring so pointedly to the story of Wallis? He has one good answer, that he cannot be taunted 1 2

Presumably, the liberty of the Catholic press; see Acton's reply. Dublin Review. 146

with skill in the counting house, for he has lost, I think he told me, 5000£ by the Tablet. Under these circumstances I should hardly have the courage to reproach him with his attempt to get 800£ a year from Govt. The answer p. 14 to the wise Monsignore seems hardly'fitfor publication \ "The Rambler applauds a man who does not care a button for its orthodoxy!" will be in the mouths of many. A just objection, I conceive, would be that there are among our readers people who may be injured by reading things inconsistent with the catechism—that the rules to be observed in popular and scientific writing are not the same. No epigrammatic title occurs to me, unless it be Liberty of Prophesying. You will be better received at Edgbaston1 than Coffin. Assuredly nothing can be said to the arguments of the latter about ourselves and Montalembert. I should not have spoken so strongly about Montalembert if I had not known that many share Coffin's antipathy for him. His boldness and honesty cannot fail to make him an object of dislike, but especially his political opinions and actions. There is something which discomforts many people in a man who admits certain political truths, and reconciles them as well as he can with religion. When shall you come on Sunday? I shall hardly escape the Jesuits2 before half past twelve. Come in a bus, and let me walk homewards with Your's ever truly J D Acton

136 SIMPSON TO ACTON-3 F E B R U A R Y 1859 Dear Acton The difficulty about books is, that I don't keep a catalogue of them in my head—I neither remember what I want, nor what you have. But I suppose I must keep on in the line in wch you first started me, & go on with the Buckle-Bentham-Combe series—Bentham I read up as you advised. So I will trust myself to you for any other subject. Is Renan a man to do in that way? I have Proudhon, whom I fully intend to write about. Mill I think you have not got—What about Carlyle? Emerson? The Yankees published by Chapman?—I should also like to borrow Tierney's Dodd3—the Vol for Elizth 1 2 3

Newman's Birmingham Oratory. This refers to attending Mass at the Farm St chapel. Charles Dodd (pseud, of Hugh Tootell), The Church of England, from the Commencement of the Sixteenth Century to.. .1688 (originally 3 vols, Brussels, 1737-42), ed. M. A. Tierney, 5 vols (London, 1839-43). 147

10-2

As to my discouragement1—It does not go off; but I will go on as long as I can. I told you what I feel myself to be—a kind of half man, without that instinctive power of communication with external society which I admire so much in you, & which I do not see in any other of my friends but Macmullen—He has the same kind of prudence—a kind of mental barometer, sensitive to all the fluctuations of the social atmosphere; a tact which I see & admire from a distance but cannot enter into or copy. I felt myself as it were completed by you, at any rate for all Rambler purposes. If you have not succeeded so well with our public as I fancied you would, that I am sure is not your fault—You have used all the rules of art—Our audience is at fault—Next I felt that in you there was some thing to work for. I knew that our English Catholics only go by personal considerations & names. You have the name & the power to make yourself after a time the lay representative of our body, & I was & am delighted with the opportunity of sticking on to your skirts. Your going abroad cannot do more than delay this for a year or two; & if I work on, it will only be in the hope that we can one day resume the same common work. It is just about a year ago since we first began to talk together—I declare that I have never had so pleasant a year of work as this with you; you are the first man I have ever worked with, with whom I could entirely sympathise; & yet we are quite different, & only agree in the end which we propose to ourselves. It was too much to expect such a state of things to last too long. I ought to have cast my best ring into the sea to propitiate Phthonos. Thanks for the suggestions, which are evidently good, but wch I should not have discovered—It is this among other things that freshens my regret at losing your neighbourhood. The sottises you have prevented me from saying form an item almost equivalent to the positive help you have given me in my estimation of my loss—I will meet you on Sunday at the Jesuits Church, or at least call for you at Bruton St as soon after 12.30 as possible—Perhaps we can wander to Macmullen's where I can dine. Yours ever faithfully R Simpson Feb 3. 59. 1

At Acton's decision to leave England.

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137 ACTON TO SIMPSON-4 FEBRUARY 1859* Feb. 4th 1859 Dear Simpson, I bring Bentham Dodd, Raymundus. The latter reminds me of S. Augustine de Trinitate, in which I observe some speculative questions are discussed identical with those in your paper which I gave to Newman. Proudhon will afford matter for a very interesting article. The chief American is Theodore Parker, of whom I have not read anything, and I believe he is fed from Germany. But a man after your own heart is John Stuart Mill. You would handle him capitally. Of Carlyle the most important things in good and evil are I think in Past and Present, French Revolution, and latter day pamphlets. Renan's etudes sur le Christian isme, which I know only by report would be another excellent opportunity. He also stands on the shoulders of Germans, especially Strauss. Sir W. Hamilton1 is to appear this month. Shall you not forestall Meynell in dealing with him? Now you have done so many of these men you could with effect take an opportunity of referring to the series and announcing its continuation. Whilst I regret the interruption of our joint labour at least as much as you can, because I have derived more enjoyment and far greater benefit from it, I rejoice to think that it is only temporary, and that it is brought about solely by external causes. The task of raising the level of thought and learning amongst English Catholics is arduous enough to employ us for all our lives. It is one in which approbation and popularity are no test of success, and in which success is necessarily slow. It is one too in which it is worth while to lose nothing by one's own fault. You are the only English Catholic possessing the positive qualifications for conducting such a review as the Rambler strives to be. You only want a couple of dull fellows to take my place as advocate of the devil and to carp at everything you write. As for politics I leave you as my legacy the request that you will read Burke's Speeches from 1790 to 1795. They are the law and the prophets. I expect you then on Sunday after Mass. Ever faithfully your's J D Acton * Gasquet, Letter XXVIII, pp. 59-60, with small omissions. 1 Sir William Hamilton, Lectures on Metaphysics and Logic, 4 vols (Edinburgh, 1859-60).

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138 ACTON TO SIMPSON 13 FEBRUARY 1859* Munich Sunday My dear Simpson, I found Montalembert full of the Rambler, especially the bureaucratic article,1 and highly recommending it to Cochin2 who was there, as the English Correspondant. I gave him Moore's pamphlet3 and asked him to reply in the Rambler which, before reading Moore, he did not undertake to do. He is anxious to be more en rapport with us, deeming our cause nearly identical with his own, and asked a great deal after you. If you will write to him, 40 Rue du Bac, I am sure he will be very glad to correspond copiously, it is his way, and it may be turned to advantage. Eckstein will send you before the end of this month, a paper in French on Lamennais,4 and another on imperial politics.5 He hopes you will not care about inaccuracies of style and that you will improve it as much as you can in a free translation. De vita et rebus gestis ven. servi Dei Innocentii XI Pont. Max. Commentarius. Romae 1776 Praesidum Permissu by Philippus Bonamicius—Latinarum epistolarum munus in aula Pontificia exercens. written in causa Canonizationis Innocentii XI. Therein is related how Innocent wanted to make Arnauld6 a Cardinal. Can you not use this in your article, by way of justifying our Cardinal, who has not insulted the wisdom of the Holy See by believing in the intended elevation of Lamennais since the same dignity was designed for the great Jansenist who had dedicated the second vol: of his work De la Perpetuite &c to Innocent and by way of defending H.E. rile our anti Jansenistic accusers? &c. Page 78. Scripsit epistolas nonnullas Innocentius ad eos episcopos, quos commemoravimus, scripsit ad Antonium Arnaldum, hominem summa eloquentia doctrina ingenio praeditum, et in sacris libris et Eccles. historia praestantissimum. Hoc liberarum commercium offendit apud quosdam Theologos, qui sibi videbantur soli ea pernoscere, quae de gratia, et libero arbitrio disputantur, et aulici ipsi cum essent, et in aula gratia et * Gasquet, Letter xxix, pp. 61-2, with omissions. 1 Simpson's 'Bureaucracy'. 2 Pierre-Suzanne-Augustin Cochin (1823-72), French liberal Catholic, friend of Montalembert and contributor to his organ, Le Correspondant. 3 Not identifiable. 4 Eckstein, 'The Abbe de Lamennais', Rambler, 3rd ser. i (May 1859), 42-70. 5 Eckstein, 'The Political System of the Bonapartes', ibid. (September 1859), 289302. 6 Antoine Arnauld (1612-94), the leader of the Jansenists.

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auctoritate plurimum valerent, quos suis sententiis adversari suspicabantur statim Janseniani erroris insimulabant 79. Ad Arnaldum vero quod attinet, personabant quod die aures Innocentii fama, et laudibus doctissimi viri. Quid mirum igitur, si Pontifex sibi volumen alterum de Perpetuitate Fidei ab Arnaldo inscribi 80 dediearique permiserit, si humanissime respondent, si denique consilium etiam susceperit ejusdem in Cardinalium Collegium cooptandi? qui Arnaldi inimici erant, volebant suarum inimicitiarum fautorem et [part of the following line destroyed in MS] socium esse Pontif m: v jure ac injuria, aeque benedicta et maledicta Arnaldi omnia repudiari. Et cum sua levitate, turn favore aulico elati, tantum audebant, quantum cogitabant; nihil autem non audebant in eos quos suarum partium non esse, aliasque a suis opiniones sequi intelligerent. I have extracted these passages from the above book. You will be able to make something of them, with a skilful hand, if you do not too openly disclose the purpose of the quotations. It is the first book I have opened since I arrived. I have taken up my old rooms at the Professor's who rejoices greatly at the fun I relate to him of what is going on in our island. I shall presently set to work on Austria, to explain the present condition and character of the empire, since the revolution and Concordat; the rumours of war will add some present interest to the subject. I hear they can raise in a few weeks 800,000 men, and have 50,000 ready at Vienna to send in 4 days to Milan. I encouraged Darnell to go to see you at Clapham. ^ ,. Believe me Ever truly Your's John Dalberg Acton 139 SIMPSON TO ACTON -20 FEBRUARY 1859 Sunday—Feb. 20 I have written by this post to Montalembert asking him to contribute to the New R. My dear Acton I have a great budget of news—I must begin with the personal, as it will explain my three or four days silence. Last Monday the Bishop sent down to me my poor dear brother Bob, looking awfully—I hurried him off to the doctor, who told me not to lose sight of him for an instant. I sat up with him for 3 nights & Father Coffin for 2 more, but it has been of no use. He has congestion of the Brain, & yesterday became raving mad; I had to take a lodging for him & get a keeper, who now has him under 151

forcible restraint. He will probably die, & if not, perhaps he will continue mad all his life. It is over work say the Doctors. Over continuance of responsibilities without a holiday for 5 years say I. Friday, Feb. 11. Met W.G. Ward at Macmullen's—" The first mistake of the Rambler is to treat the Cardinal as a rational being when he is only a creature of impulse—I think that now we must take his side agnst the world; therefore I have persuaded Thompson Lewis Allies &c to undertake the new Dublin expressly on flunky principles. It will be a wretched review—but I think that at present all periodical literature is a mistake; we don't yet want to teach Catholics to think & reason; it is only to teach them to despise their priests who can neither think nor reason. We must begin with the Seminaries; devotion must come before philosophy. But for the present the Dublin is off. It wd be deep enough to be flunkies to H.E., there is yet a lower deep to be flunkys to Bagshawe; & to this we demur—" Saturday. Feb. 12. A meeting of HE. Grant & Ullathorne. "The Rambler must be smashed"—Who will say so? Not I, said HE, he is not in my diocese. Not I said G., I don't know whether he will obey me. He respects Newman more than any one else, says U, so let him conduct affairs. Accordingly the ultimatum was to be proposed to me through N. —it was this—to retire immediately from the Editorship, under pain of all the Bps issuing pastorals against us—for the three tailors of Tooley St. counted on being the people of Engd.1—however I know from what I have heard since that all have agreed, even Turner,2 who wrote to Ullathorne " I agree that the R. must be stopped, otherwise you will soon have all the clergy & all the laity agreeing with it" (!) (U. showed this in the greatest simplicity to Ambrose St John, who with equal simplicity told it to me) Monday. Feb 14. Grant sends my brother to me, without giving me a hint of the other trouble he had provided for me, & without writing to Ullathorne or the Cardinal to give me a day's respite! Tuesday & Wednesday, I saw Grant, & fancied I saw something strange —I began speaking about the R. but he wd not enter into the subject. Thursday—a packet of letters—Capes, that some one had betrayed his secret of the printed paper of difficulties ;3 he had suffered torture for a week, for he had only communicated it to you, me, the Professor & Newman, & could neither bear to suspect, nor to accuse—Ward fortunately among other questions had asked me "Is it true that you met at 1 2 3

Three tailors of Tooley Street (Southwark) once addressed a petition to the House of Commons, beginning 'We, the people of England'. William Turner (1800-72), ordained priest 1825, bishop of Salford 1851. J. M. Capes, who had lost his faith in Roman Catholicism, privately printed a statement of his difficulties. Word of his meeting in September 1858, with Acton, Simpson and Dollinger leaked out and was exaggerated by the Rambler's opponents.

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Aldenham to hear Capes read a paper of his reasons for leaving the Church?"—I wrote this to C. & also the other reports I had heard & he writes " I can't tell you what a relief yr. Ire this Evg has been to me.— The question asked you by Ward is enough to show that the report may have got abroad without a shadow of a hint from anybody... the addition of printing is a mere trifle"—so that is set at rest. The other letters were from Darnell & Newman. . . . " I am concerned to say that the Bps who have met together on the subject of the R are determined to act very promptly & severely. My own notion is that they have instructions from Rome to do so" then asking me to go to him & at once " I am under orders to use such haste in what I do, that I fear I must give you the trouble of telegraphing to me etc—It pains me exceedingly to entertain the very idea of the R. wh has done so much for us, & wh is so influential, being censured from authority. And the scandal wd be considerable. I don't know what the Bps cd do, if they exerted their power to the utmost—but I suppose they cd forbid their clergy to read it. That they will not be satisfied without doing a great deal, & that at once, is quite clear". I cd not possibly go on Thursday, for I had no one who cd manage Bob for Thursday night—but on Friday Coffin took my place, & I went —Newman's kindness is memorable & worthy of all gratitude; & I think that out of this bed of nettles there will rise a true moss rose bush. I put myself unreservedly into his hands, expressing my wishes, but not pressing them beyond his—the result of our session was this— Public, to Ullathorne. Simpson resigns the Editorship—but he retains the right, if this resignation destroys the review, to publish a full account of the transaction from his point of view, & he claims, if the March no is stopped, pecuniary compensation for all parts suppressed—He also feels very acutely this personal attack against him made by persons who have not deigned to bring a single categorical accusation against him, and the decision being forced upon him at a time when he was overwhelmed with other troubles, imposed on him by one of their Ldps. Private with Newman. Newman editor of the New Series, to begin in May—Bimonthly—to follow out your program for the Dublin. Burns is to come to me today to settle matters, & to see what is to be done with the March number. Newman evidently disgusted at the proceedings, else I don't think anything wd have induced him to take this trouble upon him—He only takes it till Jany, when I proposed that the Editorship sd be put into commission—Flanagan,1 Darnell, Caswall. I subeditor, & doing the work as usual. Newman always Censor & inspirer I committed you absolutely to this, saying that I thought I had full powers. F. Capes 1

John Stanislas Flanagan (1821-1905), joined the Birmingham Oratory 1848, ordained priest 1851, left the Oratory 1862 and served as a priest in Ireland.

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enters into the fun of the thing, but hardly relishes his proportionate reduction by the advent of such a Megatherium as Newman. Now, carissimo mio, there is nothing to be done for it, but to get such a number for May as may astonish weak minds, & be fit to present to the clubs & circulating libraries. Old Newman's name surely has vis enough to sell a thousand copies of the review—if so we shall be in clover. I rejoice greatly, because though I am conquered personally, they have got anything but their revenge, for I expect they will be more riled than anything can express to find that they have stirred up the sleeping lion.1 I promised on your behalf & on mine, that we wd work for him with more satisfaction, & as much vigour, as we would work for ourselves, & that we would let his Editorship be as little trouble as possible to him— I promised him Ecksteins 2 articles, & your article on Austria—If we can get Montalembert's letter we must—N. gave me back my Atlantis paper,2 & told me to make it into 3 for the New R.—He said that he shd cut the Atlantis as soon as possible, & bring out whatever he did bring out in the R. Give my most affectionate remembrances to the Professor, and ask him whether he can spare any of the splinters & sparks that fly off from his mass on the anvil to help us on a little. Burke (the Cardinal's nephew)3 told Mac. sometime ago that there was no case for the Index.4 can it be that this is the result of the disappointment? or was the answer—this is not a case for us, deal with it yourselves? Stokes' two articles were the last straws that broke down the poor overburdened beast—I mean bench. Last night there came a note that my wife's uncle was dying—I am in such a state of nervousness that I tremble when I see anyone approaching the house, for fear of some additional bad news—You may guess what condition I am in for reading or writing. I have, lots of bits & scraps to tell you, but they are as nothing in comparison to the great news I have already told, & I want to keep a little space open to let you know the result of the talk with Burns. It is not unlikely that Newman might wish you to come & see him for a week before you go to Spain—Could you do so? It is a great pity that you are out of England now. 1

2 3 4

For the story of the bishops' attempts to suppress the Rambler and Newman's assumption of the editorship of a new, bi-monthly series, see Altholz, Liberal Catholic Movement, pp. 88-97. This was published as 'The Forms of Intuition', Rambler, 3rd ser. n (November 1859-March 1860), 18-41, 166-86, 324-43. Rev. William Burke, Wiseman's nephew. This refers to the delation of Dollinger's letter on the paternity of Jansenism, on which no action was in fact taken by Rome.

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Monday morning—

Burns never came yesterday, so I cannot tell you anything final, without keeping this another day. F. Capes resigns his share. Newman wants Burns to undertake the concern exactly as he was going to undertake your Dublin; Longman to be asked to join Burns in publishing; we must remove all pecuniary risk from ourselves; barring that point, I have acted as if I had your full powers. Ever yours, most truly. R Simpson 140 SIMPSON TO ACTON -3 MARCH 1859 1 Nelson Terrace Clapham Common March 3. 1859. Dear Acton I hope my letter of Feb 20 has not miscarried. In it I recounted at great length how under circumstances of the most envenomed spite Wiseman Ullathorne & Grant conspired to stop the Rambler; how they put it into Newman's hands—How I went down to Birmingham on the 18th, put myself & you into N's hands, & promised to abide by his advice. How he advised us to yield, & spoke with almost absolute certainty of his becoming Editor till the end of the year—When I wrote, it was still an open question whether the March no. shd be published. Since then we advertized that it wd not appear, & that henceforth the R. should become a bi-monthly. The dilemma proposed by the Bp s was either that I shd retire fm the Editorship, or that they wd write pastorals against the R. I retired, Newman bargaining for me that the Pastorals shd contain no mention of the matter—The Cardinal however has no notion of abiding by his bond & I understand is going to mention it; Ullathorne, who was his medium of communication with Newman seems to have protested, & the mention is of the mildest, but still it is a mention, & thereupon my bargain is over, & Newman's also, & the old gentleman seems disposed to retire. If he does, I shall just try how one or two of the bi-monthly numbers succeed, myself editor sub-rosa—for the whole agreement with such scamps as our bishops is just so much waste-paper. I have promised for you, if Newman takes it, that you will absolutely give up your shares to him, F. Capes & I have made the same promise. I have described the whole series of events to Ward, who seems thereupon to have made up his mind to have nothing to do with the Dublin; 155

Thompson also will probably retire. I don't like to write more till I know what has become of my first letter, wh. I directed Sir J.A., Bart Munich Bavaria— It was posted Monday Feb 19.1 & was as long as an article—I wrote to Montalembert by the same post, but I have no reply. Ever yours most sincerely R Simpson

141 ACTON TO SIMPSON -8 MARCH 1859* Munich March 8 1859 My dear Simpson, I gathered from your first very important letter that another was soon to be expected with further information, and therefore delayed foolishly answering it for a very much longer time than I designed. I am sure you did not doubt of my agreement with whatever you and Newman decided upon doing in order to meet the troubles which beset the Rambler. Let me speak first of all of your last letter. You do not affirm positively either that the Cardinal has broken his engagement or that Newman is resolved to withdraw from his. Even if the former turns out to be the case I cannot give up all hope that Newman will be open to remonstrance. For the arrangement you mentioned at first seemed to me full of promise. This ought I should think to weigh with Newman, that Ullathorne, his own bishop, protests as you say against the Cardinal's pastoral, and must therefore actively encourage the plan. The active encouragement of his own bishop is more than the Rambler could generally show, and is enough to balance the published censure. Otherwise ruin threatens our whole press, seeing the failure of all attempts at reviving the Dublin, and Newman's difficulty in quartering the Atlantis.2 But I hardly know enough of details to say much more than that the abandonment of the first project would be a great misfortune, now that the Rambler has lost its monthly continuity. At any rate I hope you will not give it up. The 1 Simpson's error: the date should be 21 February. * Gasquet, Letter xxx, pp. 62-3, with major omissions. 2 Transforming the Atlantis (the semi-annual magazine of Newman's Catholic University of Dublin) into a quarterly—a subject discussed by Newman and Acton in late 1858.

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professor1 too charges me to say that he would consider the disappearance of the Rambler an irreparable loss. It will be almost impossible to reconstruct it if it is once allowed to come to a stand, and the mere victory would give the Sluggish tendencies a great increase of power and oppressiveness. At the worst will not Newman even write for it? His contributions might do nearly as much as his ostensible Editorship. The plain story as you tell it, of your readiness to give in and good faith in fulfilling your engagement is quite enough to baffle the effect of the Cardinal's pastoral. A judicious letter to the papers might do a great deal, but I am too far away to write it. But if you will send me another long letter at once with plenty of information to the latest date, I should like to write a letter for the papers of Saturday week, as I know no other way of doing what I have at heart, namely proclaiming my participation in the proceedings and tribulations of the Rambler. But then write if possible by return of post. This letter, written at night, cannot be posted till tomorrow, and there is no time to lose. I read your first letter to the Professor who promised to give us a help if any subject should occur which would suit him to write upon. I am very sorry that in addition to the bad news of your second letter you say nothing of an improvement in your brother's health. What an accumulation of troubles! Those in the literary department are susceptible I think of a favourable termination. I trust the others may also be curable. I wonder what has been Grant's part in all this. I never knew of his hostility. The unanimity of the bishops greatly adds to the difficulty and to the significance of the situation. Even that pious and orthodox journal the Univers has been occasionally forbidden in particular dioceses. The bimonthly plan by enlarging the space facilitates the competition with the declining Dublin. Ward's words which you quote seem to me utterly reprehensible. The idea of cultivating devotion on a new scale without promoting at the same time philosophy and literature is in reality very dangerous. Rather less devotion than more, so long as there is so little reasoning and learning. Piety is a respectable and impenetrable cloak for all kinds of errors and false tendencies. I have as often seen melancholy results of exaggeration from the excess of zeal over knowledge as from the opposite extreme. With Faber's popularity we are on the high road of such phenomena. It is true that Ward's idea cannot be realized by the periodical press, but his efforts are a greater incentive for our more severe activity. It was only from want of space that I did not use in the article on the Catholic press such an argument as this: The want of spirituality in our clergy is one of the most obvious deficiencies which we must try to remedy. But if pursued only by ascetic means it will substitute a great danger for the deficiency removed &c and on 1

Dollinger.

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this account severe and scientific study becomes more than ever necessary. I hope Capes is consoled about the supposed divulgation of his secret. For my part I have most rigorously preserved it. Whatever you determine on I am in will and in deed entirely with you. I shall be impatient for definite news in your next. ^T , Your s ever J D Acton 142 SIMPSON TO ACTON-19 MARCH 1859 1 Nelson Terrace, Clapham Saturday March 19. 1859. Dear Acton My only reason for not writing before was that Newman was keeping me in such suspense that I did not know what to say. And even now I cannot quite announce the termination of the negotiation. He and I were so evidently at cross purposes in our letters that I thought it better to go to Birmingham on Thursday, & have it out in a talk. The whole thing was explained, & these turned out to be our respective positions. I considered that he was my advocate with the Bishops, through whom I was communicating with Ullathorne their deputy. He said that he would have nothing whatever to do with the Bishops, & especially with the Cardinal; that he was not acting, but suffering, & that he had put himself in my place with regard to them; & that therefore whether the Bishops had kept their engagements or not was his look out not mine. I considered that I had given him up the Rambler if he wd accept it. Otherwise that I reserved to myself the power of continuing it, if not under my editorship, at least under your name, or F. Capes'. He said that his only thought was to take the Rambler at once absolutely ; to go on with it if possible; if not to stop it, & leave us to tell our own story in another way—(viz. in a pamphlet.)—that he thinks something like the Rambler is necessary, & that at immense personal sacrifices he will go on with it. Only one thing is in the way now. You know that I induced Ward & Thompson to secede from the Dublin—they did so, & were afraid to tell the C. that they did it in disgust at the treatment we had reed but put it on the ground that with N. editor of a bimonthly R. the cause of the D. is hopeless. Thereupon the C writes to N. that his becoming editor of the R. is interfering with the prospects of the 158

D. & hoping that he will not persevere. N. answers—"You agreed by your deputy that if Simpson retired frm the R. you wd make no allusion to it in your pastoral; S. retired, & you refused to omit the allusion on the ground that someone like him wd take his place, & the R. wd go on in the old way—I asked you whether it wd satisfy you if / took it entirely & absolutely—You said that you should be perfectly satisfied. I did take it, & you signified your approbation wh you cannot now, I apprehend, withdraw. The R. is no longer Simpson's but mine." No answer has come to this—The C. is capable of most infamies, but hardly of one where he is so sure to be detected & discovered as in such a palpable self-contradiction as this would be—N.B. What I have put in inverted commas is only my recollection of N's general description of what he had said—The things I am sure of—the words are probably very loose. Now in this state of things evidently all we can do is to keep quiet— We have put confidence in N.—if we keep it there he will be bound to do something strong. By taking the affair out of his hands or hurrying him we shall only fall between two stools—We must let him have it absolutely, let him even pay us something for our shares, so as to be able to come before the world perfectly independent of us—he will conduct it in the spirit of his letter to you of Dec. 31—the spirit which ever & anon cropped out in his talk with me yesterday. So I wont write more now, nor send long extracts of letters etc—but when the affair is come one way or other I will send you the letters bodily. Are you going on with an article on Austria? Eckstein has sent me one on Lamennais—very good indeed, & very long. Newman is going to write on the gift of Ireland to Henry II by Adrian, with comparisons between it & the Bull of Pius V, & the gift of England to William I. by Gregory VII. 1 1 have written an article on the Catholic secret societies of the 16th cent.2 wh. N says is "very interesting"—I brought it back with me to make great additions from the Stonyhurst MSS wch. are sent up to Hill St. for me to consult for the life of Campion. I dont think we can do otherwise than as I say—we get Newman to act, & then the R. is sure to go on—mutato nomine, salva essentia—otherwise we cd only hope to go on for a few no8 more—You know how he requires absolute confidence in him as a conditio sine qua non of his acting with us—this I have therefore promised him in our names. And there the matter must rest till we have his decision. I dined with Meynell at Oscott yesterday. The satisfaction there is great at the stoppage of the R. N. spoke of the Cardinal yesterday in 1 2

Newman, 'The Mission of the Isles of the North', Rambler, 3rd ser. i (May, July 1859), 1-22, 170-85. Simpson, 'Religious Associations in the Sixteenth Century', ibid. (May 1859), 2341.

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the same tone of voice as he used to speak of the devil in the University pulpit. I cut this short, for I shall I hope have definite & good news to tell you in a day or two. My brother is much better—the physicians assure us he will be quite himself again in a very few months. _, , . . ° Ji