The Henson Journals

[471]

Monday, November 1st, 1915.

455th day

I received an affectionate letter from Harold, who expects soon to be sent to the East. Joffre's visit to London is generally supposed to be connected with the initiation of vigourous action in the Balkans.

I stayed in bed until about 3 p.m. reading & writing. The Doctor called about noon: save for his visit I was undisturbed. I read through "The Soul of Germany" very carefully. Its author – Thomas F. A. Smith Ph.D. – claims to have an intimate personal knowledge of his subject, gained during twelve years residence in the country, mainly in Bavaria where he held an official position in the University of Erlangen. There are many evidences of a strongly hostile animus, the key to which may perhaps be found in a conflict about the writer's stipend narrated in the preface; and the conclusions sometimes seem too considerable for the evidence. But mainly the indictment is as powerfully supported as it is grave: & certainly leaves a very unpleasing impression on the mind. It is noteworthy that he attributes the existing moral degradation mainly to the influence of the Social Democrats, who have systematically destroyed in the minds of the artisans the very presuppositions of morality, as Christians ^have^ understood it. The military system brutalizes the people, & deranges their sense of proportion: but social democracy goes deeper, & corrupts the very fountains of character. Perhaps the most impressive thing in the book is the appendix which sets forth a comparative table of crime–statistics in England and Germany drawn from official sources, & covering a period of ten years. The enormous difference to the discredit of Germany must imply a grievous moral declension in the nation of 'Kultur'.

[473]

I wrote to Lady Albinia Donaldson condoling with her on the very sudden death of her husband. He was to have been my host on the 14th when I am pledged the University Sermon in Cambridge, & I was looking forward to seeing something of Magdalene College with its Pepysian Library. But Death spoils all our plans: & the old Marplot was never busier than of late. I wrote also to Foakes–Jackson proposing myself as his guest on the 14th and to old Dr Bonney, promising to have tea with him after the sermon.

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