The Henson Journals

[197]

Wednesday, November 16th, 1927.

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Lord Haldane's power of work must be very great. He told me that, after leaving Park Lane

on Monday at about 11 p.m. he had on reaching home immediately set to work on writing judgements. He was about to resume the same work in the interval between leaving the House of Lords and dining at the Club. He begins his duty as a Lord of Appeal in the forenoon: and he seems to find time for reading all the new books, and keeping in touch with his heterogeneous Party. His is now far gone in the seventies. Such sustained & considerable exertion makes me feel a very poor creature indeed.

Lord Balfour is beginning to show signs of age, though his actual age, fourscore, seems to be incredible. He evidently finds it difficult to keep pace with the talk: frequently asks that statements shall be repeated, & is plainly pulling himself together at intervals. I watched him closely last night, and his years were more apparent than before: he is quite white, and stoops. Yet, when all this is allowed for, his charm, vivacity, and interest are truly amazing. His generation is quite apparently superior in mind and body to mine: and I am not altogether indisposed to entertain the vainglorious notion that my generation is superior to Kenneth Hodgson's!

[198]

Lord Stamfordham is ageing & grows deaf. he is also increasingly melancholy: and tends to take a gloomy view of the outlook in Church and State. I asked him if it was true that His Majesty had said with respect to the much–pressed objection to the Revised Prayer Book that it made the Prayer for the King optional. "If they're going to lump me in with the rest of the Family, I'd as soon not be prayed for at all". He said that the saying was apocryphal, and added that the King in appointing prayers for his private chapel had omitted the prayer for himself.

Lord Grey was very outspoken about Lloyd George. He said that it was freely alleged that he had taken to his own use the large amounts accruing as interest on the vast land which he had collected. He did not think it probable that he would take legal action, however dishonouring the allegations against him might be, as he would not care to face cross–examination. When I said that I was born in the same year as Lloyd–George, he observed, "You then were born in the great political year. When I was in the Cabinet with J. G., there were on the two Front Benches no less than six, I think eight persons who were born in 1863".

[199]

I walked to 10 Downing Street, and had breakfast with the Prime Minister. We talked first of the prospects of the Prayer Book Measure in the of Commons. He will vote for it himself, and, perhaps, speak. I strongly urged him to speak, & I think he means to do so. Then we discussed some ecclesiastical appointments. Incidentally, we spoke about the controversy raised by Barnes. Mr Baldwin expressed much admiration of the Archbishop's letter: and some censure of Barnes. Then I walked to the Café Royal, and recovered the umbrella which I left there last night. I walked to Dean's Yard, and spent most of the morning in the Assembly, where the Archbishop of York introduced the Cathedral Commission's Report. I lunched with Mary Lyttleton, a pleasant young lady, who talks so fast I can hardly follow her. Leaving her, I walked across to the House of Lords, & wrote letters in their Library. Muir–Mackenzie was there. He told me that the Ecclesiastical Committee had approved the Prayer–Book Measure by a large majority. I fell in with Carnegie, who proposed that I should speak on the Prayer–Book Measure on the Sunday preceding the debate in the House of Commons, & I very foolishly consented to do so. But, on reflection, I think it would be wise for me to "cry off" that undertaking.

[200]

I went in to Hugh Rees Ld, and found a tall lady there examining the books. The notion flitted across my mind that it was the Queen. Her Majesty put doubt to flight by addressing me. I took advantage to speak to her about the state of the Castle at Durham, urging the connexion of the King with the County as its Count Palatine as a reason for his writing a sympathetic letter. Then I went to the United Services Club, & had tea. Gamble was there, & I had some talk with him.

I received a letter from Ernest announcing that he was engaged to be married to his Vicar's daughter: and asking me to "tie the knot" next year. This is somewhat sudden, and, of course, may come to nothing. But it would probably be the best thing in the world for that feather–headed chatterbox if he was anchored to a sensible wife.

George Nimmins writes to say that he has now learned definitely that he will come home next spring. He also hopes to get married during his stay in England, and to return to Java accompanied by his wife. And, of course, I must tie his knot also.

[201]

I dined at Grillions: it was not a particularly interesting party. The following were present:–

I recall nothing in the conversation which merits record. We talked much about Education, & Lord Eustace Percy made a better impression on me than on former occasions. He drove me back to Park Lane.

We had a considerable discussion about 'Elmer Gantry', which Percy denounced as an unfair picture of American Religion. Lord Middleton spoke strongly od the deep demoralization of America, & we all agreed that American influence on Europe was mainly unwholesome.

Lord Middleton said that he had been looking at a book of his friends which he had kept at Oxford, and out of 14 no less than 10 were dead at the average age of 57. He drew the inference that our generation was less long–lived than that to which Balfour and the Archbishop of Canterbury belong: & that there was no real justification for an age–limit.