The Henson Journals

[100]

Friday, August 12th, 1921.

A heavy mist shrouds the whole landscape. Mine host worked out a route for William, and I sent it on to him. Lillingston wrote to inform that Thomas, the quaint little litigious Welshman who is vicar of St Giles's Durham, is stricken with a fatal malady, & must undergo an operation forthwith. I wrote to say that I would contribute £10 to the expense. Also I wrote sympathetically to the unhappy man himself. I spent the morning in revising & continuing the Preface. After lunch some wounded soldiers from a local convalescent hospital, and spent the afternoon playing games. Mr Maugham, with his wife & daughter also came. Bobbie Bruce is their son–in–law. I had some interesting conversation with Mr Maugham. He is more optimistic than I am about the world's outlook.

Ella and I walked to the monument of Sir Beville Grenville, who was killed at the battle of Lansdown in 1643. It is a fine monument adorned with Clarendon's charming description of Grenville on the one side & by contemporary verses on the other. The blank sides are richly garnished with graffiti. Mr Young, the Vicar of the parish, came to dinner. He is an elderly man of a grave & intelligent demeanour, who is evidently much regarded by our hosts, &, I should judge deservedly so. He has served in Australia, & thus brings to his work a rather wider range of experience than is generally possessed by a country clergyman. We sate round the drawing–room fire after dinner, and told stories to one another's infinite contentment, and so to bed.

---