The Henson Journals

[78]

Wednesday, February 19th, 1919.

There was snow during the night, & the day was cold enough to keep it on the ground. I spent the morning in writing an address for the service in S. Paul's, and some indispensable letters. The Archdeacon came to lunch. I presided over a small gathering in the Chapter Library convened in the interest of St Martin's Home; and then I called on the Dean, who has become very infirm. He spoke of tendering his resignation, but I do not suppose that he will ever get beyond the stage of talking. We are all revolutionaries in youth, reformers in middle age, and abuses in our senility! Resignation is a grace more often admired, than practised. When the fatal hour has struck, and we are on our own boldly confessed principles plainly required to resign, the obstacles in the way are formidable indeed. An aged man is naturally averse from change. His relatives may find the old man's tenure of the official house extremely convenient. There are never lacking sycophants who cry in the old man's ear the assurance which he most desires to hear, that he is still equal to his duties, that others are conspicuously worse than he, that in fine it is his evident duty to renew in his own person the very abuse he has spent his life in denouncing!!

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