Apologia Pro Vita Sua | Page 3

be the dupe of some cunning equivocation, of one of the
three kinds laid down as permissible by the blessed St. Alfonso da
Liguori and his pupils, even when confirmed with an oath, because
'then we do not deceive our neighbour, but allow him to deceive
himself?' ... How can I tell, that I may not in this Pamphlet have made
an accusation, of the truth of which Dr. Newman is perfectly conscious;
but that, as I, a heretic Protestant, have no business to make it, he has a
full right to deny it?"
Even if I could have found it consistent with my duty to my own
reputation to leave such an elaborate impeachment of my moral nature
unanswered, my duty to my Brethren in the Catholic Priesthood, would
have forbidden such a course. They were involved in the charges which
this writer, all along, from the original passage in the Magazine, to the
very last paragraph of the Pamphlet, had so confidently, so
pertinaciously made. In exculpating myself, it was plain I should be
pursuing no mere personal quarrel;--I was offering my humble service
to a sacred cause. I was making my protest in behalf of a large body of
men of high character, of honest and religious minds, and of sensitive
honour,--who had their place and their rights in this world, though they
were ministers of the world unseen, and who were insulted by my
Accuser, as the above extracts from him sufficiently show, not only in
my person, but directly and pointedly in their own. Accordingly, I at
once set about writing the Apologia pro vitâ suâ, of which the present
Volume is a New Edition; and it was a great reward to me to find, as
the controversy proceeded, such large numbers of my clerical brethren
supporting me by their sympathy in the course which I was pursuing,
and, as occasion offered, bestowing on me the formal and public
expression of their approbation. These testimonials in my behalf, so
important and so grateful to me, are, together with the Letter, sent to
me with the same purpose, from my Bishop, contained in the last pages
of this Volume.
* * * * *
This Edition differs from the first form of the Apologia as
follows:--The original work consisted of seven Parts, which were

published in series on consecutive Thursdays, between April 21 and
June 2. An Appendix, in answer to specific allegations urged against
me in the Pamphlet of Accusation, appeared on June 16. Of these Parts
1 and 2, as being for the most part directly controversial, are omitted in
this Edition, excepting certain passages in them, which are subjoined to
this Preface, as being necessary for the due explanation of the
subsequent five Parts. These, (being 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, of the Apologia,) are
here numbered as Chapters 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 respectively. Of the Appendix,
about half has been omitted, for the same reason as has led to the
omission of Parts 1 and 2. The rest of it is thrown into the shape of
Notes of a discursive character, with two new ones on Liberalism and
the Lives of the English Saints of 1843-4, and another, new in part, on
Ecclesiastical Miracles. In the body of the work, the only addition of
consequence is the letter which is found at p. 228, a copy of which has
recently come into my possession.
I should add that, since writing the Apologia last year, I have seen for
the first time Mr. Oakeley's "Notes on the Tractarian Movement." This
work remarkably corroborates the substance of my Narrative, while the
kind terms in which he speaks of me personally, call for my sincere
gratitude.
May 2, 1865.

I make these extracts from the first edition of my Apologia, Part 1, pp.
3, 20-25, and Part 2, pp. 29-31 and pp. 41-51, in order to set before the
reader the drift I had in writing my Volume:--
I cannot be sorry to have forced my Accuser to bring out in fulness his
charges against me. It is far better that he should discharge his thoughts
upon me in my lifetime, than after I am dead. Under the circumstances
I am happy in having the opportunity of reading the worst that can be
said of me by a writer who has taken pains with his work and is well
satisfied with it. I account it a gain to be surveyed from without by one
who hates the principles which are nearest to my heart, has no personal
knowledge of me to set right his misconceptions of my doctrine, and

who has some motive or other to be as severe with me as he can
possibly be....
But I really feel sad for what I am