The Henson Journals

[125]

Friday, July 25th, 1924.

I motored with Clayton to Darlington, and took train for York where we arrived a full hour before the time appointed for the consecration of the Bishop of Jarrow. We used the time by strolling in York, & visiting three of the parishes, of which one was unused & most interesting. The service in the cathedral was admirably arranged, & carried through. Paget of Chester and I presented the bishop–designate. The dean of Christ Church (White) preached the sermon which included a warm eulogy on Knight, which in the circumstances was as timely as, I doubt not, it was sincere and merited. We lunched with the Knights in the Station Hotel, and then I caught the 2.3 p.m. express. Leng met me at Darlington, & drove me to Barnard Castle, where I presided at a meeting of the School governors. After this, I returned to Auckland.

The afternoon post brought me a letter from Sir Home Gordon (i.e. Williams & Norgate) assuming that I would [do] them "the honour of writing the Reformation for the Home University Library".

"With regard to the date. That we must leave to you. The present writer is quite aware how rapidly you are able to write on a subject which appeals to you, as this evidently does".

The good man in this case knows a good deal more about me than I know about myself. So far from being a "ready writer" I am both mentally and physically a very slow one!

---