"June 22. News of Cardinal Feretti being Pope (Pius IX.). The brave Bishop of Imola, who stopped the progress of the insurgents in 1831. I am perfectly satisfied." {344} He went into retreat at Hodder under the direction of Father Clarke, S.J., and the result of that retreat was that he became a Passionist. We shall give a letter he wrote to Mr. Phillipps at the time, in which he gives a full account of how this was brought about. "St. Benedict's Priory, Feast of St. John Cantius, "Oct. 22, 1846. "My Dear Ambrose,--Yesterday, for the first time this long time, I heard where you were, and that you were within reach again of a Queen's head. This was from Mrs. Henry Whitgrave, next to whom I sat at dinner yesterday, at the Clifford Arms, Great Heywood, after the opening high mass of the new chapel there, which she and her husband came from Rugeley to attend. I determined not to lose another day in writing to you, lest you should hear from others, which I should not be pleased with, the news I have to give about myself. Perhaps you have already heard of it; but it is not my fault that you have not had the news from me. The news in question is that I am going to become a Passionist. You have frequently told me your persuasion, that what would be for my happiness would be to join a religious institute, and therefore I am confident you will rejoice with me at my prejudices being overcome, my fond schemes of other plans of my own set aside, and this good step at length determined on; though I can imagine that you will perhaps regret that the body which I join is not that with which you are most connected yourself, the Institute of Charity. Surprised I dare say you will not be much. Many others have received the declaration of this intention without any surprise, and only told me that they had been used to wonder how I did not long ago take such a step. You will only be surprised and wonder how I have come to this mind, after such decided purposes, as I have always expressed the contrary way. I can only say, Glory be to God, to our Blessed Lady, and St. Ignatius. It was entirely owing to the spiritual exercises of St. Ignatius, which I have gone through twice, and only twice, in private and alone in the effective way. Once was at Louvain, where {345} you parted from me two years ago to go to Königswinter, and the other time was this summer, when I went for a retreat at Hodder Place, under your friend Father Thomas Clarke, who is Master of Novices there. For two or three days in the course of the former of these retreats, I was brought (for the first time) to doubt whether I ought not to give up my own ideas, and take to the regular established course of entering religion; and the old Jesuit who directed me in that retreat, when I expressed these new ideas, seemed at first to think they would lead to this conclusion. But I suppose I was not ripe for it, or God's