The Henson Journals

[128]

Saturday, January 22nd, 1921.

[Pliny's letters contain some illuminating references to suicide e.g. Letter xii where he describes the death of Corellius Rufus, xxii where he narrates how his friend Titius Aristo desired to learn whether his illness were incurable in order that, if such were the case, he might destroy himself. Pliny highly applauds this resolution. In Bk. III xvi. He tells the history of Arria who wd not survive the death of her husband Poetus and (VII.xxiv) the somewhat similar story of an unnamed woman who finding her husband afflicted by an incurable ulcer encouraged him to commit suicide both by precept and by example. It is clear that no kind of moral turpitude attached to self–murder in this cultivated Roman's mind. He regarded it as an expedient rightly to be adopted in certain situations.]

A young man, Herbert, who aspires to be ordained, came to see me. He has accepted rather precipitately a title from the Vicar of Brandon, but I am not altogether disposed to sanction a deacon going to that parish. A curate therefrom, Burrows, also came to see me. He has accepted a curacy in another diocese mainly because he finds it almost impossible to obtain a house, which as he is married is indispensable. Both of these visitors lunched here. Christian Carőe arrived on a visit. Colonel & Mrs Blackett called, and had tea. I found myself indisposed, probably the result of a slight internal chill contracted in my journey from London.

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