'[letter from Mrs Ward to her father] One of the main impressions of this Catholic literature upon me is to make me perceive the enormous intellectual pre-eminence of Newman. Another impression - I know you will forgive me for saying quite frankly what I feel - has been to fill me with a perfect horror of asceticism, or rather of the austerities - or most of them - which are indispensable to the Catholic ideal of a saint. [she discusses this at length, concluding] Don't imagine, dearest, that I find myself in antagonism to all this literature. The truth in many respects is quite the other way. The deep personal piety of good Catholics, and the extent to which their religion enters into their lives, are extraordinarily attractive.'