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 have been suffering indisposition which was aggravated in reality by
overrating its importance. My medical adviser said it was organic
affection of the heart; in spite of my great incredulity ... I took other
advice afterwards in Derby, where I went to see one of my sisters, and am
now assured that it was nothing but 'the great sympathetic' that
disordered the heart. I was nearly three weeks in the country and in
idleness, and gained much benefit from it. I spent much indoors time in
learning to use water-colours, and got a nice pony to ride, and was a
great deal in the air, and very early to go to bed; and took no medicines
but tonics and a colocynth pill on occasion. Myself and wife both return
much better. I believe I knocked myself up by excitement of mind over the
Berber and working at my dictionary, At Prichard's advice I have lately
written to Bunsen to ask his aid in getting the dictionary published. I
think it may be of use, as adding one more known language in North Africa
to those already accessible, which are, I believe, Arabic, Coptic, Gheez,
and Amharic."
In June of the same year he says, in respect of Kitto's _Encyclopaedia_:
"Your _Ahasuerus_ shows you to me as an invaluable contributor to him: I
could not have written that (if I had had the learning) without an attack
on Ezra and Esther about the word!... Mr. Jowett has sent me (at Bunsen's
and Prichard's request) the chief part of the transcript of the Berber MS.
in the possession of the Bible S----. I suppose I must do my best now to
get deeper into the language."
In May, 1845, Newman has been greatly interested in translating into
Greek, English verses "to test the _possibility_ of retaining any Greek
accent such as the books mark in singing." He has tried translating "Flow
on, thou shining river" in Greek, so that it might be sung to Moore's own
tune. One does not come across in his letters much reference to music, nor
does it seem as if he had any great taste for it--at any rate, not in the
same way as had Cardinal Newman, who had a real passion for it in earlier
years.
The later part of the letter has to do with the much-vexed question of the
"Maynooth Controversy."
Newman writes from "4, _Cavendish Place_, 12th _May_ 1845":--
"My dear Nicholson,
* * * * *
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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