The Henson Journals

[156]

Saturday, September 6th, 1919.

The President of Magdalen came to lunch. I met him at the station. We drove to the Palace through streets gay with bunting, and thronged with people, who were crowding in from the county to take part in the Festivities. Warren and I spent the afternoon in going through the Anson papers. He brought his own contribution to the Memoir, which was much less in bulk than I had anticipated, but he also found that, as soon as one gets to grips with the actual material, it is difficult to produce much. We had also a good deal of conversation. Among other topics, we discussed the Prince of Wales, about whose relations with Anson something must be said in the Memoir. He said that he was at first sceptical about the reports of the Prince's achievements as an orator, remembering how shy & backward he was as an undergraduate: but he had been present in the Guildhall & in the Mansion House when he made his debut as an orator, & was immensely impressed. He concluded [157] that his development had come suddenly, and that he was evidently "a born orator". The President spoke of Thompson, who is evidently a considerable embarrassment to the Magdalen authorities. He is nothing less to his friends, for his temper in religion is hardly Christian.

The weather was magnificent. A few showers in the forenoon ushered in a glorious afternoon & evening. The programme for the delectation of the ex–service men was carried through without hitch. I did not witness the sports in the afternoon being engaged with Warren. When he had departed, I prepared myself for the dinner. The mighty tent was filled to its utmost capacity: it might even be fairly described as overcrowded, but there was abundance of good humour, & everybody was in the mood to be pleased. I proposed the toast of the King, and "Our Guests": but (though I roared like a Bashan bull) I could not be well heard through the din. Beattie & Davies, the V.C., replied. The old Dean was there, dismayingly helpless, but it pleased the men that he had the pluck to turn up, & he said a few words in proposing "Thanks" to me for presiding. In a short reply I "brought the house down" by claiming fellowship with the Air Force as "an old sky–pilot". There followed a smoking–concert, and then the fire–works. Streeter led a party, including Ella and Ernest, to the top of the tower, but the Headlams & I watched the display from the river–bank. There was a clear & brilliant moon which seemed to mock the transitory splendours of the fire–works.

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