The Henson Journals

[306]

Monday, October 16th, 1916.

805th day

Dunbar–Buller replies to my letter respecting the proposal to write the Warden's Life:–

"The late Warden's will be a very difficult life to write. He was not preeminent in one line, but distinguished in many. What you say as to limitations is quite true. But then take the one that you mention, that you did not know him till 1884. Is there any one alive who could adequately tell of his relations to All Souls in those years. Only myself, Cholmondeley, and Prothero, in order of age, knew the college life intimately between 1873 when he took up University work, & /84. No doubt this comprises the 11 years he took an active part as fellow. But these, though most important years in his own life & that of the College, were marked by quiet devotion to College work, & teaching in Trinity. The College then was composed of very unsuccessful barristers, & (tho' I was one of them) of mediocrities. We all looked up to Doyle because he had the courage not to attempt the Bar. Bernard, Burrows, & Max Müller were the Professors. Robarts, the fire–brand. But there is nothing to tell of these years. The effects of the Commission were not felt till early in the 80s. How he welded the new foundation and the old is well within your knowledge. Again you lay stress on him as a constitutional lawyer, & in this it seems to me you are so right. Even Pember laid too much emphasis on his work for the law–school. This will be forgotten but not his work on the Constitution. But I won't bother you more".

[304]

Fuller's description of his situation when dealing in his "Church History" with the Lambeth Articles of 1595 is worth recording:–

"I perceive I must tread tenderly because I go not, as before, on men's graves, but am ready to touch the quick of some yet alive. I know how dangerous it is to follow Truth too near to the heels; yet better it is that the teeth of an historian be struck out of his head for writing the Truth, than that they remain still and rot in his jaws, by feeding too much on the sweetmeats of flattery".

After Evensong I walked with Cruickshank. As we passed over the Prebends' Bridge, we observed signs of commotion. Yeomen came running to us to say that three Belgians were in the river, having capsized while changing seat in their boat. All escaped drowning. One scrambled out on the further bank, the others were, with some difficulty, drawn out by means of the life–saving apparatus. Having witnessed their rescue we continued our walk, but, on returning to the college, met divers of our people collecting garments & carrying them to the Count's Cottage, where one of the rescued men was reported to have collapsed. I sent down my dressing–gown, in which invested he was carried to the Hospital. These good Belgians are ill–advised in going on our river, which has ways of its own, not to be ignored with impunity. The afternoon post bought me a letter from Jack Boden, who seems to be commending himself in a military capacity. I finished reading Bailey's Life of Thomas Fuller, a book crammed with information about the VXIIth century. It may stand in this respect with Masson's Life of Milton.

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