The Irish standard., 1897-07-10
The CELEBRATED ENGlIsHMAN.
HIS EXCITING EXPERIENCE WITH
AN ANGRY PARIS MOB.
HIS GREAT HISTORY OF ENGLAND.
PRAISED FOR ITS lMPARTIALITY by
ALL THE CRITICS.

During the latter part of the eigh-
teenth century events in the historical
panorama crowded fast upon one an.
other. Interest in one was hardly cool
when another If possible more absorb
ing than it's predecessor, claimed the
attention Of the world. The American
colonies clamored for freedom, and fin
ally wrenched 1t from grasping Eng
land. The peasantry of France became
daily more and more dissatisfied, until
at length burst forth with all it's hor-
rible and sickening details the disas-
trous civil strife that bathed the fields
Of that fair land in the blood of her
children, says a writer in the Provi-
dence Visitor.
Voltaire, with his bold attacks on all
that is holy and sacred, was read, adj
mired and initiated. Monarchies were
attacked. republics set up, creeds as
sailed, time-honored institutions de-
stroyed. Nothing was too high or too
holy to escape in this-the era of revo-
luton, the epoch of moral earthquake
While all this turmoil and these trials
were stirring mems souls there was
born in Winchester-that quaint old
city of st. Swithun, noted for it's pic
turesque hooks and corners, its curious
legends, and it's venerable past-John
Lingard, the Catholic historian.
Early in life the fine parts of the
boy, which afterwards enabled the man
to perform his great work. showed
themselves. He entered the English
college at Douai-Douai that had nur-
tured so many flowers growing for the
priesthood and martyrd0m''--where his
course In humanities was brilliant Be-
fore completing his course in theology,
however, the unsettled condition Of
France rendered it unsafe to remain in
that country. Before his return to Eng
land he visited Paris. The mob-then
ruler of the city-recognized him as
ecclesiastical students. Fiendish shrieks
rasped the air: "Calotin, Calotin, a la
lanterne." To save his head he must
use his heels. He darted down a mar
row lane, the infuriated mob close be-
hind him. He looked back a weakness
to which mankind, since the days of
Lots wife, has ever been prone-and
saw his pursuers in solid mass, stuck
fast. Their leader-a woman of more
bulk than grace-was wedged fast-be-
tween two posts. She was not so agile
to go and pass over them, nor was she
so slender that she could pass between.
The young student never could remem-
ber how he cleared them. The mob
was held-bafled. To press forward
was Impossible, because of the strug-
Cling human olstruction; to retreat
was no less difficult, sc great was the
seething mass. 1il> prey escaped.
On another occasion our hero with a
bayonet at his breast-no doubt as q
menace to Aeolus lest he fail to be
generous-was compelled to sing Ca Ira,
Leaving France and her blood thirsty
citizens Lingard returned to England
England that had so ardently en-
braced the faith when st. Augustine
,, brought it-England whose sovereign
was once hailed as defender of the faith
England, our lady's dover. All, a
sad change had come over that self:
same England since the day on which
Augustines bark first touched her
| shore. Time was when through the
length and breadth of the land the
church was at the pinnacle Of honor.
Among her devoted children the church
Of st. Peter numbered the people CT
England from the sovereign down to the
poorest peasant. The night of perse-
cution came. Her temples we're con-
fiscated, her children forbidden by law
to worship as their conscience decreed.
The fiat went forth, to be Catholic
was to be guilty of felony. Did a
Catholic presume to enter the gallery
of the house Of commons he was liable
to immediate arrest. Every Catholic
| was at the mercy of any vile informer
spurred on by the hope of reward.
Years Of persecution-years of deter
mination to extirpate Catholicism
from the land had done their work.
The Catholic church was at last almost
! unknown except in history, where once
she seemed destined to outlast Eng
| lands greatness"
Through the blackness appeared at
length gleam Of light. At times II
| seemed to flicker and grow so dim t/at
it almost disappeared, only to shine
forth again with increasing lustre. In
the England to which Lingard returned
in 1793-the Relief Bill--repealing the
laws that deprived Catholics Of the Cod
given rights Of man-:lad been passed.