Page:Literary studies by Joseph Jacobs.djvu/168

 about Newman's life consists of an autobiographical memoir running to some seventy-six pages, and bringing his life-history up to the summer of 1832, the year preceding the beginnings of the 'Movement.' This is, unfortunately, written in oblique narration, and thus loses much of its vividness. Take, for instance, the following passage:—

'The Provost's butler—to whom it fell by usage to take the news to the fortunate candidate—made his way to Mr. Newman's lodgings in Broad Street, and found him playing the violin. This in itself disconcerted the messenger, who did not associate such an accomplishment with a candidateship for the Oriel Common-Room; but his perplexity was increased when, on his delivering what may be supposed to have been his usual form of speech on such occasions, that "he had, he feared, disagreeable news to announce, viz. that Mr. Newman was elected Fellow of Oriel, and that his immediate presence was required there," the person addressed, thinking that such language savoured of impertinent familiarity, merely answered, "Very well," and went on fiddling. This led the man to ask whether, perhaps, he had mistaken the rooms and gone to the wrong person, to which Mr. Newman replied that it was all right. But, as may be imagined, no sooner