The Henson Journals

[637]

Saturday, February 5th, 1916.

551st day

I went to the Athenaeum, & received my letters. These included a very interesting letter from Frederic Harrison about Robertson of Brighton. I wrote to him in reply, asking the question which I cannot get answered viz: How did the relatively obscure preacher obtain at a jump such posthumous fame? I lunched with the Pearces: saw Ella in Cowley Street: walked in the Parks with Ernest, who received the salutations of the numerous soldiers with much dignity & satisfaction: finally rejoined my bags at 17 Dean's Yard, & dined there. Herbert Pelham, the new Vicar of Barking, came to dinner. He seems the right sort of man for the parish. Then I talked with Carnegie until midnight. As I passed through the Horseguards I was saluted by Bingley, whom I have not seen for many years. He appears to be now employed by the Government, his knowledge of Dutch making him very useful just now in Holland. He gave me a lively account of the method by which young Belgians are smuggled in barrels through the barbed wire fences into Holland, & thence transferred by sea to the little corner of Belgium in which King Albert still holds out against the Oppressor.

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