The Henson Journals

[224]

Monday, April 16th, 1928.

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What is friendship? What are its obligations? In this crowded modern world acquaintances are many, and a certain intimacy comes to exist between persons who are connected by no natural tie, and by no genuine affection. What is the measure of moral claim which such intimacy generates? The acceptance of kindnesses from another may be held to create a title to similar kindnesses in return. Does it do more? If I accept invitations to dinner, I may be fairly expected to return them, but does this reciprocity of civilities entitle either party to appeal for financial assistance in time of need? It is obvious that unquestionable duties may be injured if unreal obligations are accepted. Financial assistance is the commonest, and in some obvious respects the most perplexing form in which the casuistic question proposes itself. That friendship carries a sacred right to a friend's loyal helpfulness in difficulties has ever been assumed by honest moralists, but what is the true definition of friendship is not clear, nor what are the limits of assistance which it is entitled to receive. Obligations are many, & the order of their claim is not wholly arbitrary, & from this side also a multitude of difficult questions emerges.

[225] [symbol]

The Dean took me into the Cathedral. I noticed that there as elsewhere the tendency to multiply altars is to be observed. There are now five altars in this church. The 'High Altar' in the Choir, & the altar in the Lady Chapel are clearly needed for use, but as clearly the 3 others are superfluous. The restoration of a medieval church must of necessity bring back its medieval features, and these facilitate and seem almost to necessitate the medieval uses. Protestantism becomes increasingly incongruous until it seems to be even outrageous. Thus a silent process of alienation has set in between the legally established ecclesiastical system, and the historic fabricks in which that system has to be practically applied. In the long run the buildings will determine the worship that proceeds in them. There was a deeper reasonableness than the Protestant wreckers could themselves offer in the violences which they perpetuated against the nobler Buildings which the Medieval Church had created. There was no other effective protection for their new and naked Gospel against the backward 'under pull' of the fabricks. England, which mostly preserved the medieval churches, is being quickly carried by them back to the medieval Religion which they express.

[226]

We left Gloucester, after an early lunch, and caught a train which left at 1.20 p.m., and arrived in Minehead at 5.53 p.m. It travelled by way of Bristol & Taunton, and at both places we changed trains, & had to wait for nearly an hour. Arthur met us on the platform at Minehead, and carried us to Hillbury. We noticed that snow was lying on the Somersetshire hills, a fact which may explain the extreme cold.

The newspapers report the death of Edward Armstrong, of Queen's College, Oxford, at the age of 82. When Denham ceased to be a non–collegiate student, and attached himself to Queen's, Armstrong showed him much kindness, and I came into contact with him through my friendship with Denham. He damaged his influence by marrying his typist when he was about 75 years old, but he had many friends, & was reckoned to be an erudite & accomplished historian.

This house, Hillbury, is pleasantly situated on a rising ground leading out of the town: it commands a fine view over the roofs of the lower–placed houses to the bay with its encircling hills, and the sea. There are trees enough in the prospect to diversify it pleasantly, & not more noise of motors than is inevitable in these ill days.