The Henson Journals

[192]

Monday, March 11th, 1918.

1316th day

I walked across to the House of Lords, & there found Burge, who had been reading prayers. We walked down the Embankment, & discussed the great question whether he ought to accept the Deanery of Durham. He seemed to incline to an affirmative decision, but he was going to Lambeth, & there the Archbishop may dissuade him. I went to Frowde's Warehouse, and bought a volume of "Offices" for use in Confirmations: then I called at the St Paul's Deanery, & saw Ralph and Kitty for a few minutes. Also I received my thick overcoat. Then back to Dean's Yard, to pick up my bags, & so to Paddington to catch the 1.40 p.m. train. My journey was relieved by the conversation of an army chaplain, who had just accepted from the Bishop of Chelmsford the vicarage of St Luke's, Victoria Docks. He had been in charge of the Malvern School mission in Canning Town. He spoke with marked contempt of the Chaplain General, & certainly the specimens of that reverent gentleman's manner of carrying on his business which he gave me did justify an infinitude of scorn. When I changed trains at Great Malvern, I found Goudy on the platform, looking very old. Norcock & Bateman met me at Hereford. Lilley called, & wasted an hour. After dinner I corrected some proofs, and wrote a few letters. So runs away another day. It is all very hustled and haphazard, a hand–to–mouth method of living, prodigiously futile. Nor do I see any prospect of an escape from this daily round of petty occupations. Of course, the confirmations will not go on always; so far the future holds the promise of relief.

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