The Henson Journals

[102]

Thursday, December 29th, 1921.

Lumley Castle – For 1 1/2 hours before getting up I read Temple's "Life of Bishop Percival". Evidently the headship at Clifton was his supreme achievement. To it he gave the 17 best years of his life, and his work there remains. He was evidently of the slave–driving type of enthusiast, and his sympathies were as strong as they were limited. As President of Trinity he was a failure for the same reason as those which made him succeed at Clifton. Where he had no old tradition in possession, he carried all before him, but where he had to move in the lines prescribed by a long past, he was hampered and unhappy.

After breakfast & an interval for reading the papers, we walked into Chester–le–Street, and visited the parish church where Lord S. shewed us the tombs of his ancestors, a series of recumbent effigies ranged against the Northern wall of the nave, all much decayed by time. We called at the Rectory, and were so fortunate as to find the Rector & his wife in their house. These good people keep no servant, and are generally about when anybody calls. I cannot think this is necessary, for the benefice is worth over £500 yearly, and I am sure it is unwise, for the scorn rather than the sympathy of the parishioners is likely to be moved by it. There are 19000 people in the parish, and the Rector in a few weeks will be single–handed.

After lunch, Lord S. and I walked to Lambton, and had some conversation with Lord Durham & his sister. She looked better than I had expected: and was quite cheerful.

The "Yorkshire Post" and the "Daily Telegraph" printed portions of my letter to the Hartlepool unemployed. Macdonald had evidently sent it to them.

Lord Gerald Wellesley, mine host's son–in–law, is a very interesting and intelligent man. He has abandoned diplomacy & is now an architect.

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