was in 1833; and,
since I have begun this narrative, I have found a memorandum under
the date of September 7, 1829, in which I speak of myself, as "now in
my rooms in Oriel College, slowly advancing etc. and led on by God's
hand blindly, not knowing whither He is taking me." But, whatever
this presentiment be worth, it was no protection against the dismay
and disgust, which I felt, in consequence of the dreadful misgiving,
of which I have been relating the history. The one question was, what
was I to do? I had to make up my mind for myself, and others could
not help me. I determined to be guided, not by my imagination, but by
my reason. And this I said over and over again in the years which
followed, both in conversation and in private letters. Had it not
been for this severe resolve, I should have been a Catholic sooner
than I was. Moreover, I felt on consideration a positive doubt, on
the other hand, whether the suggestion did not come from below. Then
I said to myself, Time alone can solve that question. It was my
business to go on as usual, to obey those convictions to which I had
so long surrendered myself, which still had possession of me, and
on which my new thoughts had no direct bearing. That new conception
of things should only so far influence me, as it had a logical
claim to do so. If it came from above, it would come again;--so I
trusted,--and with more definite outlines. I thought of Samuel,
before "he knew the word of the Lord;" and therefore I went, and lay
down to sleep again. This was my broad view of the matter, and my
_prima facie_ conclusion.

However, my new historical fact had to a certain point a logical
force. Down had come the _Via Media_ as a definite theory or scheme,
under the blows of St. Leo. My "Prophetical Office" had come to
pieces; not indeed as an argument against "Roman errors," nor as
against Protestantism, but as in behalf of England. I had no more a
distinctive plea for Anglicanism, unless I would be a Monophysite. I
had, most painfully, to fall back upon my three original points of
belief, which I have spoken so much of in a former passage,--the
principle of dogma, the sacramental system, and anti-Romanism. Of
these three, the first two were better secured in Rome than in the
Anglican Church. The Apostolical Succession, the two prominent
sacraments, and the primitive Creeds, belonged, indeed, to the
latter, but there had been and was far less strictness on matters of
dogma and