The Henson Journals

[325]

Friday, June 4th, 1926.

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On the whole a tolerable night. There was a thick mist over the land when morning broke. The new copy of "The Bishoprick" has a strangely obsolete aspect, for who cares now about the defeat of the Shropshire Bishoprick Measure? Between the debate in the House of Lords on March 4th, and the present time how much has happened! These hateful economic conflicts fill the whole horizon of life, & nothing any longer matters anything at all. And how squalid the actual issues are! how repulsive in their technicalities are the contentions! how debased, morally & intellectually, are the zealots of "Labour"! It is only by an act of violence that one can take any interest in these conflicts, on which none the less everything turns.

If it were possible to have any confidence in the actual working of the proposed reorganization of industry, would one not concede it just to have done with the whole base business? But, in truth, close on the heels of economic blundering follows social dislocation, & then Revolution. Who that knows anything of the history of Revolution dare venture so much as that? Yet how futile is even the ablest reasoning against these tides of popular feeling? Men are not governed by ideas, we are told, & no doubt truly, but by instincts: and who can argue with instincts?

[326]

The "Newcastle Journal" publishes my letter. It reads rather severely, but, of course, the position it indicates implies the completest condemnation of the Archbishop's effort. There is an appeal for the Miners' Wives & Children signed by a lot of Christian Socialists and Labour politicians. It quotes & emphasizes the letter of the Prince of Wales in which he repudiates the notion that the miners should be handicapped in the conflict by their inability to feed their families. [The sloppy sentimentalism of our time will, no doubt, applaud this point of view, but it will hardly bear serious examination.] How are the miners ever to learn the indispensable lesson of personal responsibility, if they are to be guaranteed against the consequences of their action, however unreasonable & even reckless it may be? If the rates are to maintain the men, & public charity their wives & children, it may be doubted whether many of them will not find the state of voluntary idleness very agreeable. We have travelled far since idleness was regarded as something of a disgrace, & always as a calamity. Between "peaceful picketing" on the one hand, and socialistic sentiment on the other, manly virtue finds it difficult to survive.

[327]

I am making preparations for departure, tomorrow. The barber added to his normal task that of clipping & shampooing my hair. It was a very futile performance. Then I was clothed, & sate in an arm–chair for more than 2 hours. Lionel came to me for a few minutes. He brought a very kind letter from the Bishop of Rochester about the postponement of the Auckland Brotherhood's Meeting. Also, a kind letter from Lord Danesfort, and a letter from Canon Hunter. A printed message from Johnson informed me that a movement for painting the Warden's portrait was afoot in All Souls, & inquired whether I would be willing to subscribe. I wrote to express my approval of the project, and my willingness to support it. Also, I wrote a civil note to Canon Hunter.

[Rosemary Wild paid me a visit. Otherwise I was left alone.]

There is mention in the newspapers of conferences between the mine owners & the miners: but nobody seems disposed to hurry the pace, though every day that the Strike lasts is inflicting immense injury on our trade. The egregious Cook continues to foam at the mouth after his manner. The contemptible quality of the Labour leaders is one of the worst features of the situation.

[328]

Mr Turner came to give some final instructions. [Generally, I am to be cautious, avoiding especially any sudden effort or strain, e.g. reaching up to get a book, lifting any weight, etc. etc. Immediately on arriving at the Castle, I am to go to bed, & stay there for most of the day. Then, I may get up by gradually lengthening doses until activity is restored. Walking is good for me. As to food, there are no special rules, save to avoid an undue amount of vegetables. Wine – claret or moselle, but not port. No serious work for the next 3 months at least. All this seems commonplace enough.]

He said that Lord Grey had written to say that he was held in London: otherwise he would have called on me. I showed him the letter which I had written to the "Newcastle Journal", & he expressed great approval of its contents, & admiration for its style!!! I promised to send him a copy of my "Notes on Spiritual Healing", & to write my name in it. So we parted very amicably. This year has compelled me to give more attention to the miserable question of my own health than in all my life before. I must be on my guard against being swept into the hateful habit of invalidishness [sic], a condition the least favourable in the world to any kind of efficiency. Yet the affection of relatives, the attention of doctors, & the flatterous solicitude of friends all facilitate invalidishness!

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