The Henson Journals

[67]

Monday, June 24th, 1918.

1421th day

I called on Watson but to no purpose, as he & his wife were on the point of leaving home for Llandrindrod. Then I went to Blackwell's and bought a volume which has gained considerable success – "Eminent Victorians" by Lytton Strachey. McDowall came into the Common Room, & talked with me about the War. He hovers on the brink of "Pacificism". I lunched with Oman & his wife. He is much more cheerful about the situation in France, & says there are not far short of a million Americans on this side of the water. I talked with Mrs Pember & Catherine for awhile, & then took my departure. I put up in Garland's Hotel, & walked to Westminster, where I just saw Ernest & Gamble in the garden. After dining in the Athenaeum, I wrote to Ernest.

Mrs Pember told me that she had met Miss Madan, the daughter of Bodley's Librarian, and had heard of her visit to the Temple to hear me preach on February 10th last. This girl of 18 was asked how she liked the sermon, and replied, "There is only the Dean of Durham could preach like that"; she was much astonished to be told that the preacher was that gentleman under a new description.

Old Sir Henry Howorth laid hold of me in the Club, and, after thanking me for my kindly references to his book in the Edinburgh Article, proceeded to tell me several pointless stories. I found the man a bore, and was at no pains to conceal my indifference to his humour!

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