The Henson Journals

[379]

Thursday, September 9th, 1915.

402nd day

While my guests were disposed of by handing them over to Freeman to see the Cathedral, I devoted myself to preparing a short memorandum for the Canons on the vexed question of the College Statutes.

After Evensong I went with Ella & our guests to Brancepeth, where we visited the parish church, & strolled in the Castle grounds. Here we met, & talked to some of the wounded soldiers. They all complain of the dullness of the place, which has so ravishing an aspect of charm and peace! It is a sinister side–light on our educational system, that our soldiers should be so absolutely without resources when condemned to leisure! Dawson Walker & his wife, Lillington, and Miss Simey came to dine. Sir John Struthers is an intelligent & observant man with a hobby for learning languages, & some disposition to sympathize with Socialism. In the last respect he is influenced by a strong and well–grounded abhorrence of multi–millionaires, of whom he has been able to examine a choice specimen in the person of the ineffable Carnegie: I agree that the argument from disgust is at once most difficult to resist, & the most satisfying to hold.

---