The Henson Journals

[354]

Monday, September 25th, 1916.

784th day

The comfortable rumour of yesterday is fully confirmed. Two Zeppelins were destroyed in yesterday's raid. The crew of one was burned: that of the other was captured. There appears to have been some destruction of life and property in & about London, though no military damage is reported. The German government is reported to have made a formal protest against the "Tanks". Was there a more ludicrous example of "swallowing the camel" and "straining at a gnat"? But they are a cruel and humourless folk, these Germans. The morning post brings a letter from Reggie Still, which contains a curious example of phonetic spelling, unconscious of course. "I read in the papers that you were at Windsor – what a gorgeous time you must af had!" He is still in the stage of enjoying the new experiences, perilous and comfortless though they are. It is pleasing to know that the men are well–fed: "We run an excellent mess: it is extraordinary the excellent food we get in conditions such as trench life".

I prepared a address for the Freemasons tomorrow: sent a cheque to the Gardiners [sic] for the Rhododendrons in the Deanery garden; and wrote to Reggie. I attended Mattins & Evensong: walked with Logic through Houghall Wood; wrote to Ella.

A vigourous young reporter came to borrow my M.S., and I asked him how he was in civilian uniform. He said that his Firm had got an exemption for him, but that he himself felt very uneasy about the matter. His difficulty was financial, for he was married and now earned 50/– weekly, & that, if he joined the colours, his wife would have but 12/6 to live on. I told him that he ought to go, and she ought to make munitions. But I felt the hardness of his case.

[352]

Bp. Sanderson gives an attractive description of Abp. Ussher in his Preface to the latter's treatise on "The Power communicated by God to the Prince & the Obedience required of the Subject", which was published posthumously at the Restoration.

"This reverend Author (i.e. Ussher) besides his great abilities in all kind of profitable and polite learning, his vast reading and readiness to make use of what he had read upon all occasions, had also by his Piety and regularity of life, by his meekness and moderation, by his humble, affable, and free letting himself forth to all converses, together with his facility and willingness to hold fair compliances and correspondencies with those he presently conversed with, gained to himself such a general reputation with all parties, that his very name carried authority with it, and awed those very men into a reverend estimation of his person & judgement, who were yet too stiff to submit to the judgements of any person but themselves".

Ussher presents a striking contrast between the sour rigidity of the Calvinistic creed, and the loveableness of natural disposition.

After dinner I wrote letters to Bob Bineham and Hugh Lyon. A message was brought in about 10.20 p.m. that the "first warning" of a Zeppelin raid had been received, and that we must be prepared for the sudden cutting off of the electric light. Evidently the Germans are determined to press their attacks in spite of the loss of two Zepps yesterday. Probably there is an urgent necessity for some achievement with which to open the new session of the Reichstag!

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