The Henson Journals

[182]

Friday, February 29th, 1924.

"Don Juan" is, perhaps, the most permanently interesting as it certainly is the most considerable of Byron's writings. The satire never grows obsolete, for it is directed against crimes & follies which never fail from civilised society. In Christendom both are emphasized and rendered more repulsive, for the discord between profession & practice is there most evident, most extreme, & most offensive. The society which Byron satirized was not only abnormally selfish & corrupt, but the form of Christianity which was fashionable among its members was peculiarly exposed to the scandal of hypocrisy. "Corruptio optimi pessims" [the corruption of the best is the worst (of all corruptions)]. The exalted spirituality of Evangelical Christianity is more easily approved in theory than given any expression in practice.

I officiated at the marriage of Faith Pease & Michael Beaumont. Both were very young, only twenty one. The Guards Chapel was filled with a fashionable throng, & all the marks of a "fashionable wedding" were prominent. I excused myself from going to the reception, & returned to the Athenaeum, where I found Headlam. He is in considerable trouble on account of his wife, who has been operated on for cancer. Then I got away to King's Cross in time for the fast train. Clayton and William met me at Darlington. The weather continues to be bitterly cold.

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