The Henson Journals

[29]

24th Sunday after Trinity, November 6th, 1921.

There was snow on the ground, and later a brilliantly fine day. Yielding to my weakness, I decided to shirk my duties, and charged Clayton with letters of apology. Then I lay in bed until lunch–time, and read Lockhart's "Life". After lunch I remained in my study dozing & reading, both futile. I wrote another section of William's Birthday Letter, and had much talk with Lilley. So the day slipped away.

I had for some weeks been looking forward to the engagements of this Sunday with apprehension because they took me to ill–conditioned parishes and unpleasant parsons. But at the last moment another Factor intervenes, which I had not admitted into my calculations, and the whole series of undertakings is suddenly cancelled. That Factor – the failure of my physique – is likely to intervene ever more frequently as the years pass. In any case, it is certainly not wisely to be omitted from my plans in the future.

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