The Henson Journals

[209]

Saturday, March 29th, 1924.

It is difficult to say whether hereditary right, or popular choice, produce the worse Sovereigns. The Roman Consuls make a goodly show, but then they only reigned for a year, & were under a sort of personal obligation to distinguish themselves. It is still more difficult to say which form of Government is the worst – all are so bad. As for democracy, it is the worst of the whole: for what is (in fact) democracy? an Aristocracy of Blackguards.

Byron in 1821 (ii. 405)

I actually wrote a few pages of the Rede Lecture, poor stuff, indeed, but a beginning at last! It is extraordinarily difficult to force the pace with this kind of composition.

After lunch, I walked round the Park with Frank Berry and the dogs.

Would it be right, or prudent, or politic for me to write to our newly appointed head–master, and suggest that he should be ordained before entering on his duties at Barnard Castle? In view of the fact that his appointment to a school, two thirds of whose scholars are members of the Church of England, has been made, and accepted with good feeling, it might be fairly supposed that he would be ready to do anything reasonably possible to propitiate their natural anxieties. The step from Wesleyanism to the Church is not a long one.

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