The Henson Journals

[203]

Saturday, February 7th, 1925.

Macbeth: How does your patient, doctor?

Doctor. Not so sick, my lord,

As she is troubled by thick–coming fancies,

That keep her from her rest.

Macbeth. Cure her of that:

Canst thou not minister to a mind diseas'd,

Pluck from the memory a rooted sorrow,

Raze out the written troubles of the brain,

And with some sweet oblivious antidote

Cleanse the stuff'd bosom of that perilous stuff

Which weights upon the heart?

Doctor. Therein the patient

Must minister to himself.

Macbeth. Throw physic to the dogs: I'll none of it.

It is interesting that earlier in the play, Shakespeare has introduced a reference to 'Touching for the King's Evil'

How he solicits heaven,

Himself best knows: but strangely–visited people,

All swoln and ulcerous, pitiful to the eye,

The mere despair of surgery, he cures;

Hanging a golden stamp about their necks,

Put on with holy prayers.

[204]

Ella and Fearne went off to North Berwick to visit the Parker–Smiths. I made a final revision of the sermons, and tried to set my room in order. Then, after an early lunch, I motored to Darlington, and took train for Manchester. At the station I bought the "Morning Post", and found in it not only my little article on Patronage, but also a picture of myself! Canon Scott met me on the platform at Manchester, and drove me to his house. There was a pleasant party at dinner. The Lord Mayor was there with his wife. He is a tall, rather heavily built man, slow of speech, but intelligent. Professor Tout & his wife were also there. He is engaged in the melancholy task of moving from Manchester to Hampstead. A distinguished surgeon, named Burgess, & his wife, who sate next me at dinner, interested me. He had been in Mesopotamia during the tragic period. After the party had dispersed, I talked for an hour with mine host. The new Dean, Johnson, is evidently not very popular. In any case, it would have been difficult for a man to follow so popular a personage as McCormick, but Johnson is not personally attractive.

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