The Henson Journals

[3]

Friday, March 23rd, 1917.

963rd day

A beautiful day, bright & cloudless, but with a cold south–easterly wind. I got up for breakfast, though feeling rather dilapidated. Save for a walk with Godfrey to the post before lunch I kept indoors all day. I wrote to Olive for her birthday tomorrow, & to Carissima. Also I read some interesting personal sketches by Gosse. That of Bishop Creighton accords with my own impressions of him. On the whole I suspect that he deteriorated as the exigencies of episcopal office compelled him to conform to the demand of the religious public for what is called "spiritual–mindedness", though, indeed, he never had great success in that direction. His was essentially a secular mind, & the aspects of ecclesiastical office which appealed to him most were secular. The sketch of Shorthouse, the author of "John Inglesant" is very amusing. I remember seeing him once in Oxford walking beside the chair of the Warden of Keble, who is the present Bishop of Winchester. His romance has probably been an effective auxiliary of the Ritualists. There came to tea the Principal of the Clergy School & Mrs Phillips, and Mr & Mrs Palmer. I learned with some surprise that the senior verger of Lichfield Cathedral is now the Mayor of the City. This, I should suppose, must be an unique combination of characters. Our conversation at dinner tended to concern itself too much with the conduct & reputation of living politicians, & was perhaps more interesting than either just or charitable.

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