His strong convictions, even his inveterate prejudices, prevented his irony from degenerating into cynicism.

History, said Carlyle, is the quintessence of innumerable biographies, and it was always the human side of history that appealed to Froude.

He once playfully compared himself with the Mephistopheles of Faust, sitting in the Professor's chair.

But in truth he saw always behind historical events the directing providence of God.

Newman held that no belief could stand against the destructive force of the human reason, the intellectus sibi permissus.