The Henson Journals
Mon 6 August 1917
Volume 21, Page 131
[131]
Monday, August 6th, 1917.
1099th day
Lord Acton said of George Elliot's husband & biographer Mr Cross, that he "possessed that art of concealing the artist which is still the rarest quality of biographers". Lord Acton's estimate of George Elliot is high :– "If ever science or religion reigns alone over an undivided empire, the books of George Elliot might lose their central and unique importance, but as the emblem of a generation distracted between the intense need of believing and the difficulty of belief, they will live to the last syllable of recorded time". Who reads her now? Acton wrote his review of "George Elliot's Life" in the Nineteenth Century 1885.
The "Yorkshire Post" and the "Newcastle Daily Journal" contain very fair reports both of the meeting on Saturday, and of yesterday's sermon.
The day was overcast at the start but soon developed into sunshine & wound up very brilliantly. I did no work, yielding to the influence of the general holiday–making. There were congregations of holiday–makers both at Mattins and at Evensong. At Evensong Cruickshank preached. His sermon was an interesting discussion of Thomas à Kempis' "Imitatio Christi". After service I ordered the gates & the doors to be opened so that people could move about without hindrance. I myself picked up a party of six pit–boys from Trimdon Colliery, and showed them some of the main features of interest. Another party of these lads from the "stores" at South Shields walked round the Cathedral with me. I was impressed by the interest and good manners of all the youngsters. Ella had been collecting (i.e. selling flags) for the D.L.I. prisoners' fund. We delivered up her box to Mrs Shafto at the Town Hall, and then called on the Byron Dolphins. After dinner Hughes and I roamed about the roofs.
The news from Russia is important, and probably favourable Kerensky having resigned, & withdrawn his resignation at the request of the factions, is now probably in a position of greater strength. Korniloff & Kerensky together may possibly effect something.