aid
something on the subject in a volume which I published fourteen years
ago.

2. I was in the misery of this new unsettlement, when a second blow
came upon me. The bishops one after another began to charge against
me. It was a formal, determinate movement. This was the real
"understanding;" that, on which I had acted on occasion of Tract 90,
had come to nought. I think the words, which had then been used to
me, were, that "perhaps two or three might think it necessary to say
something in their charges;" but by this time they had tided over the
difficulty of the Tract, and there was no one to enforce the
"understanding." They went on in this way, directing charges at me,
for three whole years. I recognised it as a condemnation; it was the
only one that was in their power. At first I intended to protest; but
I gave up the thought in despair.

On October 17th, I wrote thus to a friend: "I suppose it will be
necessary in some shape or other to reassert Tract 90; else, it will
seem, after these Bishops' Charges, as if it were silenced, which it
has not been, nor do I intend it should be. I wish to keep quiet; but
if Bishops speak, I will speak too. If the view were silenced, I
could not remain in the Church, nor could many others; and therefore,
since it is _not_ silenced, I shall take care to show that it isn't."

A day or two after, Oct. 22, a stranger wrote to me to say, that the
Tracts for the Times had made a young friend of his a Catholic, and
to ask, "would I be so good as to convert him back;" I made answer:

"If conversions to Rome take place in consequence of the Tracts for
the Times, I do not impute blame to them, but to those who, instead
of acknowledging such Anglican principles of theology and
ecclesiastical polity as they contain, set themselves to oppose them.
Whatever be the influence of the Tracts, great or small, they may
become just as powerful for Rome, if our Church refuses them, as they
would be for our Church if she accepted them. If our rulers speak
either against the Tracts, or not at all, if any number of them, not
only do not favour, but even do not suffer the principles contained
in them, it is plain that our members may easily be persuaded either
to give up those principles, or to give up the Church. If this state
of things goes on, I mournfully prophesy, not one or two, but many
secessions to the Church of Rome."

Two years afterwards, looking back on what had passed, I said, "There
we