Apologia Pro Vita Sua. Being A Reply To A Pamphlet Entitled "What, Then, Does Dr. Newman Mean?" Newman, John Henry.

First edition in book form of Newman's spiritual autobiography, a core text of the Oxford Movement. The book form was published following the conclusion of issue in eight parts earlier that year, with textual corrections. Roused by a clumsy attack on him by Charles Kingsley, Newman decided "to write an apologia for his conversion, which would finally convince the protestant public that he had not been an agent for popery as a Tractarian and that his submission to Rome was entirely sincere. In the last chapter Newman undertook a general defence of Catholicism. Not only was the Apologia a best-seller, making Newman financially secure for the first time since he became a Catholic, but the reviews were almost universally favourable, especially the nonconformist ones" (ODNB). Blehl A1b; Grolier English 100, 98. Octavo. Original brown cloth, spine lettered in gilt, covers blocked in blind, brown endpapers. Neat contemporary ownership signature to front free endpaper. Spine a little sunned, a couple of superficial splits to joints, light foxing. A very good copy.