but, it was in vain. Father St. John hurried to Rome and the
indignant laity of England, headed by Lord Edward Howard, the
guardian of the young Duke of Norfolk, seized the opportunity of
a particularly virulent anonymous attack upon Newman, to send him
an address in which they expressed their feeling that 'every
blow that touches you inflicts a wound upon the Catholic Church
in this country'. The only result was an outburst of redoubled
fury upon the part of Monsignor Talbot. The address, he declared,
was an insult to the Holy See. 'What is the province of the
laity?' he interjected. 'To hunt, to shoot, to entertain. These
matters they understand, but to meddle with ecclesiastical
matters they have no right at all.' Once more he warned Manning
to be careful. 'Dr. Newman is the most dangerous man in England,
and you will see that he will make use of the laity against your
Grace. You must not be afraid of him. It will require much
prudence, but you must be firm. The Holy Father still places his
confidence in you; but if you yield and do not fight the battle
of the Holy See against the detestable spirit growing up in
England, he will begin to regret Cardinal Wiseman, who knew how
to keep the laity in order.' Manning had no thought of
'yielding'; but, he pointed out to his agitated friend that an
open conflict between himself and Newman would be 'as great a
scandal to the Church in England, and as great a victory to the
Anglicans, as could be'. He would act quietly, and there would be
no more difficulty. The Bishops were united, and the Church was
sound.

On this, Monsignor Talbot hurried to Father St. John's
lodgings in Rome to express his regret at the misunderstanding
that had arisen, to wonder how it could possibly have occurred,