The Henson Journals

[12]

Thursday, April 26th, 1928.

[symbol]

Lang spoke last night with extraordinary self–possession (possession), brilliancy, and wit.

I have never heard him to better advantage. Perhaps, (this is always his fault) he was a little too long, and, perhaps, his manner was a little too pompous: but it was none the less an amazingly able & successful speech. I reflected sadly that it would be quite beyond my power to make a speech anything like as good. Some years ago, at Curzon's request, I did propose the scene toast, & I remember how careful was my preparation, how dull & stilted my performance, how slight my success. And Curzon [had the dubious taste to] described me to the company as the ecclesiastical counterpart of Lloyd George! After my speech in the House of Lords on December 14th, I was freely likened to Lord Birkenhead as an orator!. Of course the common element in these comparisons is that I share with both those distinguished [notorious] politicians the quality of being a man [horus homo], who comes on the public scene with no advantages of birth or fortune. But I have no such gifts as either the Welsh politician or the English lawyer: and, when I review my scanty powers & scantier achievements, I marvel that they can so impress (impress) my contemporaries as to suggest such comparisons, & secure for them such a measure of acceptance.

[13] [symbol]

I lunched at the Windham Club in St James's Square with Mr Bunnell Burton. He is a keen member of the Church Assembly (Assembly), & one of those in charge of the revised P.B. Measure. I attended the meeting of the Assembly (Assembly). The Archbishop introduce the Measure in a neat little speech, & then a series of members declaimed the most appalling drivel until 5.15 p.m. I seceded for tea at 4 p.m. with the Bishop of E. & I. and then I had an interview with an Ordination candidate named Harding. Then I called on Caröe, who has just returned from Palestine & Cyprus. Of the latter he speaks with enthusiasm. I asked him again to report on the dilapidations for Auckland Castle, which must be done again in October.

I had some talk with the Bishop of Liverpool, who expressed entire disapproval of Raven's agitation for the Ordination of Women. Then I walked to the Athenaeum, and dined there, having as my table–companions the Bishop of Gloucester and Portsmouth. After dinner I walked back to Park Lane.

The weather today has been almost oppressively (oppressively) hot. I was surprised to see that the Times, whole reporting the Prime Minister's speech at the Mansion House in full, gave no report at all of the speech of the Archbishop of York.