The Henson Journals

[72]

Wednesday, December 17th, 1919.

I spent the morning over the proofs of the Memoir. There is some risk of the broth being spoiled by the multiplicity of cooks! Miss Anson, W. P. Ker, and Fletcher are reading the proofs, and every several contributor corrects his piece. All the matter is in type except Gwyer's note on the law–books, & that may hang everything up again.

The 'Times' has a short letter from Chancellor 'Perverse' Smith answering my letter, but not very effectively. He is an odd angular person who is more laboriously & consistently in error than any other ecclesiastical lawyer of my acquaintance.

After lunch I motored to Eastnor, & confirmed 55 candidates in the parish church. After service I had tea in the Vicarage. Mrs Somers Cox, the Vicar's wife, is an American. The road was unpleasantly favourable to skidding.

Several letters from parsons asking me to explain the working of the Enabling Act disclose a considerable & widely–extended anxiety as to the effect of the measure on the harmony of the parishes. Over most of the ground the Act will probably not be brought into effective operation.

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