The Henson Journals

[214]

Saturday, April 5th, 1924.

I completed in rough form this intolerable lecture on Byron. It needs revision, elaboration, & extension before it will serve: but it is at least in being.

Wynne–Willson came to lunch with his wife & boys, and they all stayed to tea in order to meet the renowned Miss Ishbell Macdonald, the Prime Minister's daughter, who is visiting Bishop Auckland, & wished to see the Castle. She appeared a modest, unspoiled, natural girl, who shewed an adequate interest in what she was shown. Mr Ben Spoon and his wife, Watts the little foolish Socialist parson of Shildon with Mrs Watts, and the bank–manager who seemed to be organizing the party came with her. I always feel, when folk of this kind come to the Castle, that I am as the foolishly vainglorious Hezekiah when he displayed his treasures to the envoys of Babylon! The only inference they draw from what they see is, probably, that which stimulates cupidity & confirms prejudice!

After dinner I read the Byron lecture to Ella and Fearne. It certainly does not please me. The parts are not connected obviously & easily enough: there is no adequate grasp of the life as a whole, nor is the poetry brought into any relation with the general scheme of English literature. Altogether, it is too crude, too thin, too incoherent.

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