The Henson Journals

[138]

October 3rd, 1922.

My dear Lord,

In view of the great shortage of clergy, which is now making it really difficult to man adequately the existing parishes, we cannot wisely add to the number of independent cures. I should feel compelled, if the matter reached the stage of being formally submitted for my approval, to veto the project of separating Cockfield from Staindrop.

When your letter arrived, I was on the point of writing to you with respect to the vacancy created by the Vicar's resignation.

I am very anxious that a good appointment should be made, and, if you should desire me to do so, I should willingly suggest for your consideration some names of clergymen, who, in my opinion, would justify your selection.

In any case I hope you will resolutely cast into your waste paper basket every application which clergymen may make for themselves, or through their friends. Such application is almost always the sufficient proof that the clergyman in question is not the right man. The parochial church Council deserves careful attention when it brings to the patron's notice any information about the needs & circumstances of the parish, but it must not be allowed to make any mention of names to the Patron. I say this by way of a general observation which you may find it useful to bear in mind.

Herbert Dunelm

Lord Barnard

[139]

Tuesday, October 3rd, 1922.

Macmillan's send me their annual statement, & I learn from it that the total sale of "Anglicanism" does not amount to 600 copies! Anything published in the Anglo–Catholic interest sells like wild–fire. It is hard to resist the suspicion that 'the game is up' so far as the cause of truth & freedom in the Church of England is concerned.

Pemberton and his wife with Betty came to lunch. They report that the Pittington parishioners are (as they might well be) rather sore over the singular episode of the Hughes vicariate. The parochial church council "thought it had a voice in the appointment" of the new parson, and is somewhat chagrined at the discover that it has none!

The Misses Anson left the castle, & returned to London.

I walked for an hour in the park with Cutty, rain falling all the time, and then settled down (after tea) to my work. I finished the sermon for Liverpool next Sunday.

In 'Lavengro' Borrow refers to Sir Walter Scott with some acerbity 'The man in black' ascribes to him the seduction of 'the middle classes' to the Romish faith:–

"Do you think that the writings of Scott have had any influence in modifying their religious opinions?

"Almost certainly I do", said the man in black. "The writings of that man have made them greater fools than they were before.'

'Lavengo' was published in 1851.

[140] [symbol]

October 3rd, 1922.

My dear Rait,

I am very glad to know that you have undertaken to prepare some memorial of Dicey. He certainly deserves to be noted in that way as among his contemporaries a distinctive & notable figure.

I have thought much over your suggestion that I should contribute to your volume what you describe as "an appreciation of his personality"; and I have reached the conclusion that I am hardly equal to the task.

It is true that I have known Dicey since my election at All Souls in 1884 i.e. for a period of 38 years and that that is long enough to create in the mind very definite impressions.

It is also true that he and I did contract a friendship, which was cemented by occasional contact and correspondence up to the end.

But, on the other hand, his interests and activities lay in a sphere into which I either did not enter at all, or only visited as a curious inquirer; our intercourse was far too occasional to permit of the intimacy which is properly indispensable for the forming of any estimate of personality which is worth recording; and my life as a clergyman carried me mainly in directions which did not greatly interest him.

[141] [symbol]

Accordingly, I could not feel confident that my impressions of him were sufficiently true to the facts to justify me in making them the materials of a formal estimate of his character.

You will understand that it is assuredly no disloyalty to his memory, nor any reluctance to give you any assistance in my power, that leads me to refuse your request.

Entre nous the difficulty I found in preparing the little volume on Sir William Anson, and the extremely unsatisfactory result of my really considerable efforts, have led me to the definite conclusion that the mantle of Boswell and Lockhart has not fallen on my shoulders!!

If you are in these parts, it would please me to see you here.

Yours ever,

Herbert Dunelm

Professor Robert S. Rait

31 Lilybank Gardens, Glasgow.

It is curious that Bishop Cosin should have had a regicide as his brother–in–law. Such, however, was the case. John Blakiston was brother of Mrs Cosin, & son of Marmaduke Blakiston, Prebendary of Durham, and a noted pluralist. Bishop Cosin was not fortunate in his family.

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