The Henson Journals

[78]

Friday, June 8th, 1928.

Headlam has issued his decision on the ribald parson of Avening. His living is to be sequestrated for two years during which, if he absent himself from the parish, a curate will perform the duty & be paid out of the income, the balance being paid over to the incumbent. This is a severer sentence than I myself should have thought necessary on the Commission's Report. I think I should have contented myself with giving the fellow a severe reprimand, & held that the public ignominy was a sufficient penalty for the offence.

Lionel and I motored to Wolsingham, where I consecrated an addition to the churchyard. The rain held off until the service had ended. We returned to Auckland.

The newly ordained wish me to print the 'Charge' which I delivered, but I doubt whether the expenditure would justify the benefit. My publishing ventures have invariably failed. They are as a rule well–reviewed, but nobody buys the ^books^. I have never quite satisfied myself why this is the case. Partly, of course, the position I take up on every question is so inconsistent with any party interest that no one can have any partisan interest in the circulation of my books. Anyway the dolorous fact is incontestable.