The University daily. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 18??-????, 1880-06-05
LECTURE COLJRS b
THE WEST VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY.
CARDINAL WoLSEY
BY REV ROBERT LOWRY.

dinal Wolsey, Unique ii his character
and unmatched ii his power. He claims
the homage If perpetual admiration, not
as we admire the heroic soul that makes
immolation Of itself, for the uplifting Of
humanity, BUT as NE bend before tile 81.
gantic viii that makes all men tributary
to is Unsuitable ambition. Under that
charm with which We yield fealty to ali
greatness We may abate no jot5of that
reverential feeling with which the common
mind comes into the presence Of superb
or power Even the UNJUST steward
may be commended because he has done
wisely. That protean quality which i've
call greatness may not ally itself with The
kindlier virtues Of 4 refined character but
we bow down before II for All that, and
give it worship for itself alone. Indeed,
as the world goes, the average man is So
entranced with the sublime proportions Of
greatness, that he has but passing
thought to give to modest goodness.
When our idol Of greatness shall become
50 modified as that it shall serve but as a
form Of which goodness is the substance,
we shall Be prepared to give it A purer, a
more intelligent worship Till then, we.
follow the line Of our imperfect vision,
and measure BY dimensions rather than
by character. BY this standard the world
has formed its Judgment Of Cardinal Vol
sey. M
Thomas Wolsey was born in Ipswich,
I47I, at a peiod signalized BY the cessa-
ton Of the Wars Of the Roses, and the
introduction of the Caxton Press. Ii was
q time6tyhen the tide ofnew ideas opened
up Other. fields Of renown than those
which gained their Chief glory from the
sword. II was tide which promised 20
sition and power to the man who, starting
Of its flood, had nGrVa and skill enough To
guide his bark upon il bosom. Wolsey
struck in upon tlle upward current att Al
moment the most opportane. His early
boyhood was spent at Hagdsten College,
Oxford, graduated from which he came
aged IS into the benefit of a fellowship
and taught d school ii connection with
his l1l,aa 4l1atE,.
Ie soen began 10 devise plans for en-.
tering the field of politics. His first
movement in this direction, under the
auspices Of friends at court, was to So.
cure the position Of chaplain TO Henry
VII. and once here he entered that more.
Icongenial line Of activity He never
abandoned il for the a4 years Of Ills rel
manning life. Two years after his All
pointment to the 1chaplainev (I5o8l liz
had soingratiated himself into the favor
of the monarch. that he was sent on Al
secret mission to the Emperor Maximil-
ian, in which, service he showed such
adroitness and achieved such resultsfas
led the king TO bestow upon him the rich
deanery Of Lincoln His career as i
STATESMAN was now fully opened, and
nothing was wanting but opportunity to
make him the foremost politician of his
age. AT the death Of Henry VII, Bish-
op Fox, impressed with tho value of this
extraordinary man, took him into the sec
ular service of the Crown. On the ac-
oession Of Henry VIII 500 the young
monarch appointed him Almoner, and Be-
came SO far infatuated with the gay dis.
position and exceptional talent DC his new
officer, that he made Wolsey's house the
gathering place for himself and faYorite|
companions. An impossible young king
who had scarcely more than completed
his 18th year was not proof against the
suayity and wilEpower Of a natural gen
Jus like Wolsey. The attachment between
these two enwhich. at least On the
kings part, we may believe to have been
genuine was strong enough TO resist cyl
cry shock tor ! score Of years, nor would
there have ever been serious rupture be-
tween them, but for the action ofthese
cross currents which brought the House
hold Of Henry Into such painful likeness
70 the Seraglio Of the Golden Horn. The
retirement Of Fox left the way open to
Neolsey Tic capture of Tourney, III
France, made him administrator Of that
important section I5I4) Honors and
wealth flowed il upon him. Suitors al
court now eagerly paid him his price for
political favors. Before the end of the
year he found himself Archbishop of