The Henson Journals

[71]

Saturday, November 29th, 1913.

Time hath, my Lord, a wallet at his back

Wherein he puts alms for oblivion,

A great–sized monster of ingratitudes:

Those scraps are good deeds past, which are devour'd

As fast as they are made, forgot as soon

As done: perseverance, dear my lord,

Keeps honour bright: to have done, is to hang

Quite out of fashion, like a rusty mail

In monumental mockery. Take the instant way;

For honour travels in a strait so narrow,

Where one but goes abreast: keep then the path;

For emulation hath a thousand sons

That one by one pursue: if you give way,

Or hedge aside from the direct forthright,

Like to an enter'd tide they all rush by

And leave you hindmost:

Or, like a gallant horse fall'n in first rank,

Lie there for pavement to the abject rear,

O'errun & trampled on:~~

Ulysses speech to Achilles.

Troilus & Cressida Act III sc. iii.

[72] [symbol] [symbol]

Ella & I walked to the railway station to take part in giving their Majesties a good 'send–off'. Everybody who was anybody was on the platform. I had some talk with old John Wilson, who was evidently much pleased by the Queen's visit to the "Aged Miners' Homes". "Whatever republicanism there was in the men's minds was pushed back some years by that visit," he said. H.M. seems to have done the right thing, & done it well. The King looked well, & was very gracious to everybody beginning with the Mayor, & going round the circle. He spoke to me with much friendliness, "I read your letter in the "Times" about these women: it's the best letter I ever read"! I could but express my satisfaction. The King said that he regretted he had not been able to accompany the Queen on her visit to the Cathedral: & that he hoped to visit the Cathedral on his next visit.

We lunched with Miss Tristram: Bishop Taylor Smith & Bp. Tucker were also there. The latter is back from conferences with the C.M.S. anent the Kikuyu Conference.

I went to the opening of the Sale of Work at S. Hild's Training College, & said a few words in introduction of Lady Londonderry. She told me that she had repeated to Bonar Law my suggestion as to the parallel between the situation of the Army in 1688 & at the present time. It duly reappeared in the Dublin speech.

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Issues and controversies: Kikuyu; female suffrage