The Henson Journals

[26]

Wednesday, March 22nd, 1922.

In response to Prothero's appeal I sent five guineas to the Royal Literary Fund, and promised to 'support' him at the dinner on May 18th. Lord Scarbrough sent a telegram saying that the passage of the Treaty Bill was assured, & that I need not come up for the debate.

Clayton & I motored to Durham, & there, in S. Nicholas' Church, I confirmed 197 persons. Bothamley was much in evidence – a preposterous creature in aspect and manner. The Dean was there to witness the confirmation of his paper boy, Albert, & Watkins to do as much for some female student, whom he had prepared. I had tea with the Bishop of Jarrow; & then we went to Brandon where I confirmed 115 persons. The service was well arranged. We got back to the Castle in time for dinner.

It would be difficult to imagine a greater contrast between churches than that presented by S. Nicholas Durham, and Brandon. The one is aggressively & repulsively Protestant: the other is impudently "Catholick". Bothamley and Hayward are not unsuitable as exponents of the contrasted systems. The first is ludicrous: the last is vulgar. Physically, they are strongly contrasted, & laughably so: for while the Protestant hero is a grim ascetic giant: the Catholick champion is almost a dwarf with the smartness of the English street boy!!

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