The Henson Journals
Fri 18 November 1921
Volume 31, Page 45
[45]
Friday, November 18th, 1921.
[symbol]
An utterly wasted day. Mainly I felt tired and demoralized after my recent exertions. I spent two hours in going through the letters with Clayton. Then I started to read the book which Lilley sent me as a birthday present – "Conquest" by Gerald O'Donovan – and it interested me so much that I read it right through. It is an astonishing revelation of the bizarre confusion of Irish life at this moment. The point of view is that of a moderate Sinn Feiner. Lilley writes:–
"As a work of art, "Conquest" is, I think, hardly equal to either of its predecessors, but it reveals better than any book I know, and always from inside, the baffling complexity of the Irish situation – its mingled tragedy and comedy, sincerity and humbug. Alas, they meet very closely in the Irish character, these opposites. Like the Psalmist's mercy and truth, (or righteousness and peace, is it?) they kiss each other. That kiss constitutes the Irish problem, and leaves it for ever insoluble."
Lilley is an Irishman himself, and he knows his compatriots.
Sir Herbert and Lady Cohen arrived from London to spend the week–end. They are obvious & unmitigated Israelites, but, as they attended the service in the Chapel, I assume that they profess Christianity.
I wrote to the Archbishop of York asking for advice as to the right method of treating the woeful man Dowson. It is obviously impossible for me to pay his debts, which on his own statement of them exceed £426. This large sum has apparently accumulated within a period of no more than 9 months; and his previous record on the subject of mendicancy and debt is a bad one. Moreover, even if the money were in my hands, it is highly doubtful whether I could rightly expend it on so undeserving a creature. He would certainly be in the same desperate position within a year's time even if he were cleared of debt now. He is only in deacon's orders: he has failed twice to pass the examination for Ordination to the Priesthood. Even if, par impossible, he should pass that examination, it is evident that I could not rightly ordain him in face of the bad personal record during his diaconate. Thus he has no kind of professional prospect, even if his present embarrassments were cleared away.