The Henson Journals

[30]

Saturday, August 12th, 1922.

"The Twelfth" brings rather disconcerting weather, but it may improve. All thoughts turn to the moors, and the annual massacre of the grouse. What shall I say that shall be both congruous with my character as a minister of Christ, honest so far as my own opinions are concerned, & tolerable in a Scottish country house which is filled with preparations for the moors? It seems really impossible to justify "cruel sports" to the Christian conscience. So far all civilized peoples appear to be agreed, & some restrictive legislation directed against such sports forms part of the legal code in every European country. But opinion differs as to the definition of "cruel sports". Bull–baiting, dog–fighting and cock–fighting are prohibited in this country, but these present features which do not necessarily appear in field sports: though it might fairly be argued that the use of dogs and hawks implies the same principle. Viz: the deliberate utilisation of animal ferocities in the service of human amusement. How can a reasonable apology for seeking pleasure from the sufferings of birds & beasts be framed? The distinction is drawn between "wild" and "domesticated" creatures: but this appears to be more arbitrary than satisfying. It is but a matter of degree, & the case of the hand–fed pheasant is hard to separate from that of the farm–yard fowl. The noxious character of foxes can hardly be pleaded by those who deliberately multiply, and jealously preserve them.

[31]

The rain fell with unrelaxing persistence all day long, & the expedition to the moors was perforce abandoned. I spent the morning in reading through "The Pomp of Power", an anonymous book of which the author appears to be unknown. It is evidently written with knowledge & ability by someone who is heartily French in his sympathies, & has a deep dislike of Lloyd George.

Dr Johnson was a Tory and a High Churchman, and in both characters unlikely to regard Presbyterianism with sympathy, but, though his dislike of their ecclesiastical system is frankly confessed, he seems to have favourably impressed by the minister whom he encountered: "I saw not one in the Islands", he writes, "whom I had reason to think either deficient in learning, or irregular in life: but found several with whom could not converse without wishing, as my respect increased, that they had not been Presbyterians …. The Ministers in the Islands had attained such knowledge as may justly be admired in men, who have no motive to study, but generous curiosity, or, what is still better, desire of usefulness: with such politeness as so narrow a circle of converse could not have been supplied, but to minds naturally disposed to elegance." (v. Journal p. 142, 143.) Could as favourable a verdict have been passed on the Anglican clergy in the remoter parts of England in the year 1773?

I finished reading through Johnson's "Journey to the Western Islands". It is excellent good reading. The obiter dicta are extraordinarily acute and suggestive. The discomforts of the expedition are decently concealed, but it is sufficiently plain that they were very great.

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