The Henson Journals

[61]

Monday, June 7th, 1909.

This day was mainly spent in loafing about the house. I wrote letters to the Warden & to Harold. In the afternoon I had my hair cut & was shampooed after an unfamiliar fashion. In the evening we went to the play, and witnessed an unedifying performance of Ibsen's "A doll's house". The acting was good: the moral of the production bad. It is not unimpressive that in a relatively remote town of but 15000 inhabitants there should be two theatres, and that it should be worth while to produce the plays of Shakespeare and Ibsen. Is the fact unconnected with the ethical types of the population! Scandinavians are numerous here, and Poles, Irish, & (I think) Italians. The Roman Catholics are numerous & well organized. The Protestants are said to be split up into as many as 24 sects: the Germans particularly contributing a large variety of Lutheran sects. This also is surprising: for Lutheranism in Europe has been nowise distinguished for its sectarian divisions: rather it has generally slumbered in an Erastian apathy, with no sufficient vigour even to be scandalous! But the weeds & fauna of Europe develop oddly in this country!