On September 20, 1846
Venerable John Henry Newman and his close friend Ambrose St. John were traveling to Rome to study for the priesthood. A Catholic newspaper in France, the Univers, published the following short report on a stop the two made in the town of Langres.

"The presence of the Rev. J. H. Newman in our city has excited no less interest than it did at Paris. His simplicity and modesty charmed every one who had the advantage of an admission to his presence. Our venerable Bishop received him with the affection and cordiality of a brother. The marks of sympathy of which this learned writer was the object have spoken to him of the happiness which Catholics experience in counting him among their brethren. What admirable men are these Oxford converts! GOD has not without purpose chosen instruments so fitted to accomplish His great designs. Mr. Newman and Mr. St. John go from Langres to Besançon. They will travel through Switzerland to Milan, where they remain till they have learnt Italian before proceeding to Rome."

Unfortunately, the Univers was not to remain enthusiastic in supporting the Venerable, as it was the paper of an extreme, and from a current perspective somewhat loopy, Ultramontanism. ( It once published a reprint of a hymn from the Divine Office, with the word Pius substituted for Deus !)