Note 38 — Chapter X · ADAPTED OR PALIMPSEST PLATES

Mozley, in his entertaining Reminiscences, tells the following story of the latter days of the Oxford Movement, which is somewhat parallel: “Isaac Williams published a volume of poetry called The Baptistry, upon a series of curious and very beautiful engravings, by Boetius a Bolswert, in an old Latin work, entitled Via Vitæ Æternæ. In these pictures, besides other things peculiar to the Roman Church, there frequently occurs the figure of the Virgin Mother, crowned and in glory, the object of worship, and distributing the gifts of Heaven. For this figure Williams substituted the Church, and thereby incurred a protest from Newman for adopting a Roman Catholic work just so far as suited his own purpose, without caring for the further responsibilities.”