The Henson Journals

[256]

Monday, September 28th, 1925.

Dugald Malcom & Lady Evelyn lunched here on their way from Scotland, and were shown the Castle. Penelope Webbe went away, and Christian Craster with her husband arrived. Also an elderly friend of Ella's.

In the afternoon I went in to Durham and discussed this woeful discipline case with Lazenby & the Bishop of Jarrow. I decided to accept the man's resignation of his benefice, and charged the Bishop to see him with the object of getting him to resign. Then, after tea with the Bishop, I returned to Auckland.

After dinner, while standing in front of the library, I slipped on the rug, & fell heavily. Happily I did not strike my head, though I bruized my elbow & back rather severely. Feeling rather faint I retired to bed forthwith!

I received from a certain Frederick Smith a long letter which interested me. He described himself as "a small shopkeeper in a side–street, a boot–repairer to be precise", and said that he had been led to write by reading my article "The Lure of Moscow" in the Evening Standard. His letter was communist in argument, but he expressed himself well, &, indeed, impressed me so favourably that I sent him a civil reply, and sent him a copy of my "Reds" lecture on Byron.

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