The Henson Journals

[31]

Monday, August 22nd, 1927.

The wind roared and moaned about the house all the night, and so continued when morning broke, adding more rain to the dismallest weather that even holiday–makers made essay to be cheerful in!

We left Brockham End about 11 a.m., and motored to Lytchatt Heath about 4 miles from Poole, where we were the guests of Sir Evelyn & Lady Cecil. We went first to Wells, & re–visited the cathedral, which is certainly a very noble pile, though I could not consent to give it the first place among English cathedrals. I had not realized before either the wealth of its historical monuments, or the exceeding beauty of its Chapter House. It astonished and disgusted me to see the walls of the stairway leading to the Chapter House disfigured with many names of visitors dated quite recently in spite of the request posted on the wall. From Wells we continued our journey to Shaftesbury, where we had tea, & then went on to our destination, where we arrived about 6 p.m. Other guests staying here are Carter, the discoverer of Tutankhamen's tomb, and Sir Maurice de Bunsen, whom I have met at Gillion's. Three very charming young ladies – Miss Mostyn & the daughters of the house – made up the party. We had much conversation. Cecil told me of his Australian experiences, during his recent visit in connexion with imperial emigration. The Labour Party in Australia is evidently hostile to emigration: and the prospect of settling any larger part of our population in that country is not very bright: nor, indeed, are the potentialities of the island–continent so great as has often been represented.