so formidable have been founded. In doing
so, we shall endeavour both to exhibit the true sequence of events, and
to explain the origin of the Cardinal's misapprehension; and in this way
we shall reply to the charges made against us.

But we must first explicitly declare, as we have already implied, that
in the Cardinal's support and approbation of our work we should
recognise an aid more valuable to the cause we are engaged in than the
utmost support which could be afforded to us by any other person; and
that we cannot consider the terms he has used respecting us otherwise
than as a misfortune to be profoundly regretted, and a blow which might
seriously impair our power to do service to religion.

A Catholic Review which is deprived of the countenance of the
ecclesiastical authorities is placed in an abnormal position. A germ of
distrust is planted in the ground where the good seed should grow; the
support which the suspected organ endeavours to lend to the Church is
repudiated by the ecclesiastical rulers; and its influence in Protestant
society, as an expositor of Catholic ideas, is in danger of being
destroyed, because its exposition of them may be declared unsound and
unfair, even when it represents them most faithfully and defends them
most successfully. The most devoted efforts of its conductors are liable
to be misconstrued, and perversely turned either against the Church or
against the _Review_ itself; its best works are infected with the
suspicion with which it is regarded, and its merits become almost more
perilous than its faults.

These considerations could not have been overlooked by the Cardinal when
he resolved to take a step which threatened to paralyse one of the few
organs of Catholic opinion in England. Yet he took that step. If an
enemy had done this, it would have been enough to vindicate ourselves,
and to leave the burden of an unjust accusation to be borne by its
author. But since it has been done by an ecclesiastical superior, with
entire foresight of the grave consequences of the act, it has become
necessary for us, in addition, to explain the circumstances by which he
was led into a course we have so much reason to deplore, and to show how
an erroneous and unjust opinion could arise in the mind of one whom
obvious motives would have disposed to make the best use of a
publication, the conductors of which are labouring to serve the
community he governs, and desired and endeavoured to obtain hi