en a Catholic, people have sometimes accused me
of backwardness in making converts; and Protestants have argued from
it that I have no great eagerness to do so. It would be against my
nature to act otherwise than I do; but besides, it would be to forget
the lessons which I gained in the experience of my own history in the
past.

This is the account which I have to give of some savage and
ungrateful words in the _British Critic_ of 1840 against the
controversialists of Rome: "By their fruits ye shall know them.... We
see it attempting to gain converts among us by unreal representations
of its doctrines, plausible statements, bold assertions, appeals to
the weaknesses of human nature, to our fancies, our eccentricities,
our fears, our frivolities, our false philosophies. We see its
agents, smiling and nodding and ducking to attract attention, as
gipsies make up to truant boys, holding out tales for the nursery,
and pretty pictures, and gilt gingerbread, and physic concealed in
jam, and sugar-plums for good children. Who can but feel shame when
the religion of Ximenes, Borromeo, and Pascal, is so overlaid? Who
can but feel sorrow, when its devout and earnest defenders so mistake
its genius and its capabilities? We Englishmen like manliness,
openness, consistency, truth. Rome will never gain on us, till she
learns these virtues, and uses them; and then she may gain us, but it
will be by ceasing to be what we now mean by Rome, by having a right,
not to 'have dominion over our faith,' but to gain and possess our
affections in the bonds of the gospel. Till she ceases to be what she
practically is, a union is impossible between her and England; but,
if she does reform (and who can presume to say that so large a part
of Christendom never can?) then it will be our Church's duty at once
to join in communion with the continental Churches, whatever
politicians at home may say to it, and whatever steps the civil power
may take in consequence. And though we may not live to see that day,
at least we are bound to pray for it; we are bound to pray for our
brethren that they and we may be led together into the pure light of
the gospel, and be one as we once were one. It was most touching news
to be told, as we were lately, that Christians on the Continent were
praying together for the spiritual well-being of England. May they
gain light, while they aim at unity, and grow in faith while they
manifest their love! We too have our duties to