The Henson Journals

[589]

Friday, January 14th, 1916.

529th day

Would it be true to say of Robertson what Lord Morley has said of Mark Pattison viz: 'There was nobody in whose company one felt so much of the ineffable comfort of being quite safe against an attack of platitude'? Pattison was born in 1813, three years before Robertson. That generation seems to have been extremely sensitive, introspective, & self–conscious. Newman's 'Apologia', Pattison's 'Memoirs', and Robertson's 'Letters' may be offered as instances of the same almost morbid egotism.

[['It is beyond all question or dispute', as Voltaire said 'that magic words and ceremonies are quite capable of most effectually destroying a whole flock of sheep, if the words be accompanied by a sufficient quantity of arsenic.']]

Having a heavy cold on me, & being well–nigh speechless, I kept indoors all day, doing very little work by reason of an incapacitating head–ache. I received a letter from George Craik, written in pencil & dated from the Dardanelles as long ago as December 10th: also letters from Mary Radford & Jack Boden: also a type–written letter from Dicey.

---