The Henson Journals

[236]

Wednesday, September 26th, 1923.

[symbol]

We sate for 3 hours before lunch, and for an hour after. Then Wolmer went off and the rest of us played bowls and croquet until tea–time. Then Temple took his departure.

Our discussions are amicable, but, perhaps, somewhat trivial, though nothing ought really to be so described which affects such a matter as patronage, the apple of discord in every church, & the glory of none. Wolmer has taken the leading part. It is difficult to place a curb on the zeal of that young man: yet it is not without a certain sense of incongruity and humiliation that we yield to his insistence! He has been suffered, largely by the injudicious compliance of the Primate, to acquire an importance in the counsels of the church, with neither his years, nor his abilities, nor his achievements can justify.

I wrote to Fawkes who is doing a 'cure' at Harrogate. Lady Eden and Mrs Perry–Evans came to dinner.

After consulting the Dean of Westminster on the difficult and distressing subject of S. I determined to take his advice, and 'have it out with him'. Accordingly I wrote to him appointing an interview.

John now declares his heart's desire to be a life at sea. In the capacity of a steward! This would secure most of the discomfort with none of the romance of the mariner's title.

---