The Henson Journals

[68]

Monday, January 22nd, 1917.

903rd day

The Barrans went off after breakfast in the hotel omnibus, for no cab was obtainable. I read through Sydney Smith's letters to Archdeacon Singleton. They contain much sound wisdom disguised under a masque of humour. His references to Blomfield, Bishop of London, are admirably suitable to Gore, Bishop of Oxford. Also I finished Stuart Reid's Life of the 1st Earl of Durham. It is very interesting. There was a kind of fatality which pursued that vivacious nobleman. Even the authorship of his famous "Report" was questioned, but apparently with no better justification than a venomous dictum of Brougham. Old Mr Ritson sent me a silver–gilt sugar box for the table as a memento of the function at Muggleswick. I attended Evensong, when a treble solo was very well sung by Kay.

Gee came to see me for no apparent purpose except to disclose his hunger for preferment. He has set his heart on getting the Deanery of York, and is evidently pulling every string he can get hold of. It is rather a disgusting spectacle, & probably as futile as it is disgusting. For I have no doubt whatever that Lang has arranged for the man of his own choice to be appointed.

---