ings are so bound up together, as to form a whole, and one cannot
tell what is or is not a condition of what. I do not see how possibly
I could have published the Tracts, or other works professing to
defend our Church, without accompanying them with a strong protest or
argument against Rome. The one obvious objection against the whole
Anglican line is, that it is Roman; so that I really think there was
no alternative between silence altogether, and forming a theory and
attacking the Roman system."

2. And now, secondly, as to my resignation of St. Mary's, which was
the second of the steps which I took in 1843. The ostensible, direct,
and sufficient cause of my doing so was the persevering attack of the
Bishops on Tract 90. I alluded to it in the letter which I have
inserted above, addressed to one of the most influential among them.
A series of their _ex cathedra_ judgments, lasting through three
years, and including a notice of no little severity in a Charge of my
own Bishop, came as near to a condemnation of my Tract, and, so far,
to a repudiation of the ancient Catholic doctrine, which was the
scope of the Tract, as was possible in the Church of England. It was
in order to shield the Tract from such a condemnation, that I had at
the time of its publication so simply put myself at the disposal of
the higher powers in London. At that time, all that was distinctly
contemplated in the way of censure, was the message which my Bishop
sent me, that it was "objectionable." That I thought was the end of
the matter. I had refused to suppress it, and they had yielded that
point. Since I wrote the former portions of this narrative, I have
found what I wrote to Dr. Pusey on March 24, while the matter was in
progress. "The more I think of it," I said, "the more reluctant I am
to suppress Tract 90, though _of course_ I will do it if the Bishop
wishes it; I cannot, however, deny that I shall feel it a severe
act." According to the notes which I took of the letters or messages
which I sent to him in the course of that day, I went on to say, "My
first feeling was to obey without a word; I will obey still; but my
judgment has steadily risen against it ever since." Then in the
postscript, "If I have done any good to the Church, I do ask the
Bishop this favour, as my reward for it, that he would not insist on
a measure, from which I think good will not come. However, I will
submit to him." Afterwards, I get stronger still: "I have almost