Memoir and Letters of Francis W. NewmanSieveking, I. Giberne (Isabel Giberne)
Religion
Memoir and Letters of Francis W. Newman
Sieveking, I. Giberne (Isabel Giberne)
Newman, Francis William, 1805-1897
I quote this chiefly to show that at sixteen Francis Newman [Footnote: In
later years Francis Newman declared that he had been "converted" in 1816,
and again confirmed in religious conviction in 1819, from the influence of
the writings of Dr. Doddridge.] was certainly under the Calvinistic
influence still, and that he was very dogged in upholding its rules and
restrictions. During the last months of the year 1822, the latter read
with his brother at Oxford, and from time to time, in his letters home, J.
H. Newman mentions him [Footnote: _Letters and Correspondence of J. H.
Newman_, by Anne Mozley.] as working and reading in preparation for
entering Worcester College.
"Frank ... seems to have much improved.... I am convinced that he knows
much of Greek as a language, in fact is a much better Greek scholar than
I.... Again, he is a much better mathematician than I am. I mean, he reads
more mathematically, as Aristotle would say."
It is necessary here to mention a great blow which fell on the Newman
family soon after John Henry Newman had gone to college. His father's bank
failed. There was no bankruptcy, and everyone was paid in full, but still
it naturally proved a time of great family trial; for though his father
took the Alton brewery and tried to make his way in this new line, yet it
was not a successful venture. Happily, by this time, J. H. Newman was not
only able to maintain himself, but also to help his people. Rev. T. Mozley
mentions that in 1823 Newman had been elected to a Fellowship at Oriel,
adding that "it was always a comfort to him that he had been able to give
his father" (who did not live many years after the bankruptcy), "this good
news at a time of great sorrow and embarrassment."
In 1826 Francis Newman took first-class honours in classics and
mathematics, and gained a Fellowship in Balliol College. The college
authorities described his as one of the best "Double Firsts" ever known.
As, however, he felt conscientiously unable to sign the Thirty-nine
Articles, he was obliged to resign his Fellowship, and could not take his
M.A. degree.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account