The Henson Journals

[337]

3rd Sunday after Epiphany, January 23rd, 1927.

The cold snap continues, and the sinful earth is still draped in maiden white.

I celebrated the Holy Communion in the Chapel at 8 a.m. There were 7 communicants including Lionel and James.

Then I set to work on an article for the "Evening Standard", taking Maycock's book as a text. I headed it "Whitewashing the Inquisition". It will make the Papists angry, but it is both just & kindly expressed.

The "Observer" reports the death of Cornelia, Lady Wimborne. Her letters to me about her nephew, the Duke of Marlborough, express, perhaps, her last concern in religious matters.

I finished reading Samuel Butler's "The Way of All Flesh". It contains much bitter wisdom, and not a little excellent humour: but its moral is unwholesome, & it leaves a bad taste in the mouth. Then, being thoroughly idle, I read through again Bradby's admirable satire, "The Chronicles of Dawnhope". The author, of course disowns any personal references, but it is none the less impossible to miss the origin of Dr Tregarras, the headmaster. Bishop David of Liverpool is the obvious anti–type. His tall stature, his impulsiveness, his fondness for elaborate public functions in which he himself is the central figure, his fondness for novelties, his meddling with psycho–analysis, his lack of humour, & facility of oracular speech – all mark him out as the true original of the description.

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