![\"Portrait Miniature of John Henry Newman\" by William Charles Ross - Newman: https:\/\/archive.org\/stream\/newmanfran00barruoft#page\/64\/mode\/2up. Licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons - https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/File:Portrait_Miniature_of_John_Henry_Newman.jpg#\/media\/File:Portrait_Miniature_of_John_Henry_Newman.jpg](\"https:\/\/wp-media.patheos.com\/blogs\/sites\/85\/2015\/07\/Portrait_Miniature_of_John_Henry_Newman.jpg\")
<\/a>While I was on vacation, I started thumbing through a book my wife picked up for me at our public library\u2019s used book sale. Edited by a Fr. Raphael H. Gross, of the Missionaries of the Precious Blood, the somewhat uninspiring title of the tome is, A Century of the Catholic Essay<\/a> I have no idea how pastoral Fr. Raphael was, or how good his homilies were, etc., but as an editor, well, let\u2019s just say that I haven\u2019t been able to put the book down yet.<\/p>\n Out of copyright, and out of print, I intend to share a number of his selections from the collection in this space. Let\u2019s start with a succinct essay from Catholic convert, and recently canonized saint, John Henry Newman.<\/p>\n In just two paragraphs, one very long, and the other short, \u00a0he summarizes the traits of the seemingly long forgotten creature, formerly aspired to, known as the gentleman<\/em>. There is much to be gained from reading jaunty St. John Henry\u2019s definition<\/em>.<\/p>\n IT is almost a definition of a gentleman to say that he is one who never inflicts pain. This description is both refined and, so far as it goes, accurate. He is mainly occupied in merely removing the obstacles which hinder the free and unembarrassed action of those about him, and he concurs with their movements rather than takes the initiative himself. His benefits may be considered as parallel to what are called the comforts or conveniences in arrangements of a personal nature \u2014 like an easy chair or a good fire, which do their best in dispelling cold and fatigue, though nature provides both means of rest and animal heat without them. The true gentleman in like manner carefully avoids whatever may cause a jar or a jolt in the mind of those with whom he is cast \u2013 all clashing\u00a0of\u00a0opinion or collision\u00a0of\u00a0feeling, all restraint or suspicion or gloom or resentment, his great concern being to make every one at ease and at home. He has his eyes on all his company, he is tender towards the bashful, gentle towards the distant, and merciful towards the absurd. He can recollect to whom he is speaking; he guards against unseasonable allusions or topics which may irritate; he is seldom prominent in conversation, and never wearisome. He makes light\u00a0of\u00a0favors when he does them, and seems to be receiving when he is conferring. He never speaks\u00a0of\u00a0himself except when compelled, never defends himself by\u00a0a\u00a0mere retort; he has no ears for slander or gossip, is scrupulous in imputing motives to those who interfere with him, and interprets everything for the best. He is never mean or little in his disputes, never takes unfair advantage, never mistakes personalities or sharp sayings for arguments, or insinuates evil which he dare not say out. From\u00a0a\u00a0long-sighted prudence, he observes the maxim\u00a0of\u00a0the ancient sage, that we should ever conduct ourselves towards our enemy as if he were one day to be our friend. He has too much good sense to be affronted at insults. He is too well employed to remember injuries and too indolent to bear malice. He is patient, forbearing, and resigned on philosophical principle; he submits to pain because it is inevitable, to bereavement because it is irreparable, and to death because it is his destiny. If he engages in controversy\u00a0of\u00a0any kind, his disciplined intellect preserves him from the blundering discourtesy of\u00a0better, perhaps, but less educated minds, who, like blunt weapons, tear and hack instead\u00a0of\u00a0cutting\u00a0clean, who mistake the point in argument, waste their strength on trifles, misconceive their adversary, and leave the question more involved than they find it. He may be right or wrong in his opinion, but he is too clear-headed to be unjust; he is as simple as he is forcible, and as brief as he is decisive. Nowhere shall we find greater candor, consideration, indulgence; he throws himself into\u00a0the minds\u00a0of\u00a0his opponents, he\u00a0accounts for their mistakes. He knows the weakness\u00a0of\u00a0human reason as well as its strength, its province, and its limits. If he be an unbeliever, he will be too profound and large-minded to ridicule religion or to act against it; he is too wise to be\u00a0a\u00a0dogmatist or fanatic in his infidelity. He respects piety and devotion; he even supports institutions as venerable, beautiful, or useful, to which he does\u00a0not assent; he honors the ministers\u00a0of\u00a0religion, and it contents him to decline its mysteries without assailing or denouncing them. He is\u00a0a\u00a0friend\u00a0of\u00a0religious toleration, and that not only because his philosophy has taught him to look on all forms\u00a0of\u00a0faith with an impartial eye, but also from the gentleness and effeminacy\u00a0of\u00a0feeling which is the attendant on civilization.<\/p>\n Not that he may not hold\u00a0a\u00a0religion, too, in his own\u00a0way, even when he is not\u00a0a\u00a0Christian. In that case his religion is one\u00a0of\u00a0imagination and sentiment; it is the embodiment\u00a0of\u00a0those ideas\u00a0of\u00a0the sublime, majestic, and beautiful without which there can be no large philosophy. Sometimes he acknowledges the being\u00a0of\u00a0God, sometimes he invests an unknown principle or qualities with the attributes\u00a0of\u00a0perfection. And this deduction\u00a0of\u00a0his reason or creation\u00a0his fancy\u00a0he makes the occasion\u00a0of\u00a0such\u00a0excellent thoughts, and the starting point\u00a0of\u00a0so varied and systematic\u00a0a\u00a0teaching, that he even seems like\u00a0a\u00a0disciple\u00a0of\u00a0Christianity itself. From the very accuracy and steadiness\u00a0of\u00a0his logical powers, he is able to see what sentiments are consistent in those who hold any religious doctrine at all, and he appears to others to feel and to hold\u00a0a\u00a0whole circle\u00a0of\u00a0theological truths, which exist in his mind otherwise than as a\u00a0number\u00a0of\u00a0deductions. Such are some\u00a0of\u00a0the lineaments\u00a0of\u00a0the ethical character which the cultivated intellect will form, apart from the religious principle. They are seen within the pale\u00a0of\u00a0the church and without it, in holy men and in profligate; they form the beau ideal<\/a>\u00a0of\u00a0the world; they partly assist and partly distort the development\u00a0of\u00a0the Catholic. They may subserve the education\u00a0of a\u00a0St. Francis de Sales<\/a> or\u00a0a\u00a0Cardinal Pole<\/a>; they may be the limits\u00a0of\u00a0contemplations\u00a0of a\u00a0Shaftesbury or\u00a0a\u00a0Gibbon<\/a>. Basil and Julian<\/a> were fellow students at the schools\u00a0of\u00a0Athens; and one became the saint and doctor\u00a0of\u00a0the Church, the other\u00a0a\u00a0scoffing and relentless foe.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n