The Henson Journals

[27]

Thursday, March 23rd, 1922.

All the world's a stage.

And all the men and women merely players:

They have their exits and their entrances:

And one man in his time plays many parts.

His acts being seven ages. At first the infant

Mewling & puking in the nurse's arms.

And then the whining school boy, with his sattchel,

And shining morning face, creeping like snail

Unwillingly to school. And then the lover,

Sighing like furnace, with a woeful ballad

Made to his mistress' eyebrows. Then a soldier,

Full of strange oaths, & bearded like the pard,

Jealous in honour, sudden & quick in quarrel,

Seeking the bubble reputation

Even in the cannon's mouth.And then the justice,

In fair round belly with good capon lin'd,

With eyes severe, & beard of formal cut,

Full of wise saws & modern instances:

And so he plays his part. The sixth age shifts

Into the lean and slipper'd pantaloon.

With spectacles on nose and pouch on side,

His youthful hose well sav'd, a world too wide

For his shrunk shank, & his big manly voice

[28]

Turning again toward childish treble, pipes

And whistles in his sound. Last scene of all,

That ends this strange eventful history,

Is second childishness and mere oblivion,

Sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans everything.

"As you like it."

Clayton and I left the castle at 6 p.m. in order to go to Southwick where I was pledged to administer confirmation. We motored by way of Chester le Street and Washington, but our progress was arrested by an untoward incident. The road which turns to Washington from that which leads from Chester le Street was under repair, but the fact was uncertified by any notice visible in darkness. We dashed into a considerable mound of piled up earth, & stuck fast: leaving William with the car, we walked to Washington, about ½ mile distant. There we were able to telephone to the Vicar of St Columba's, and to obtain both a car to carry us to Southwick, & assistance to dig out our own motor. We arrived a few minutes after 8 p.m., and I dispensed with an address. On our way homewards in the hired car, we encountered William, who carried us back to Auckland, not without difficulty for the steering rod had been bent. I confirmed 120 candidates, all from "Anglo–Catholick" parishes. The atmosphere was chilling, and the demeanour of the clergy distinctly unfriendly!

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