The Henson Journals

[98]

Wednesday, January 24th, 1923.

Clayton went with me in the motor to Darlington. William traversed the distance from the Castle to the Station in 35 minutes, a fact which hardly suggests that the sweet youth heeds the statutory speed limit. I journeyed without incident to King's Cross: & then made it my first concern to have my hair shorn. In the Athenaeum I encountered Harold Cox, who is full of his last abominable crusade in favour of limiting population! I am largely in agreement with him, though I doubt the wisdom of pushing an open door with such ardour. The separation of sexual intercourse from any other purpose than that of carnal enjoyment is a matter that hardly requires the concerted efforts of the Bishops ! The Bishop of S t David's told me that the Welsh Bishops had met in conference about the Monmouth Use, and had spoken faithfully with the Bishop of Monmouth: that the said Bishop had taken time to consider what course he should adopt: and that at his last Ordination he had refrained from the ceremonies objected against, and had used the Prayer–Book service. I dined at a table with Ernest. He says that it is not unlikely that the offer of the Rede Lecture will be repeated next year. Lord Balfour was dining in the club, but I got no speech with him. He looks whiter and is getting stout.

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