The Henson Journals

[174]

Saturday, August 4th, 1928.

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The Newcastle Journal contains an item of news which is barely credible. 'The Sparrow that sitteth alone upon the house top' is about to take unto himself a mate!! The Bishop of Norwich is the same age as myself – 65. 'Solvuntur tabulae risu'. It is a curiously absurd denouement of his career as the Protestant Champion: but Protestantism & Matrimony, persistent & multiplied matrimony, has since the days of 'the Great Widower' been an Anglican tradition! The statement appears on the authority of the lady. I shall await its confirmation by the Bishop.

My letters contain references to what is assumed to be my disappointment at not being appointed to the Abph of York. My suffragan expresses an opinion with which I wish I could agree: – "Your own quite special influence in the Church will be increased rather than diminished by the changes, & your own personal comfort would have been less if you had gone either to Canterbury or to York." Lord Danesfort expresses his regret very frankly, but I think his attitude is determined by dislike of Copec and 'Labour' even more than by affection for, or confidence in me!

[175] [symbol]

We visited the Agricultural Show during the afternoon. The ground formed a natural theatre in which the contests were viewed to great advantage. There was a considerable gathering of the rural population. It was a pleasing spectacle, of a free & self–respecting people taking holiday.

The death of Colonel Darwin is announced in the Times. He was living at Dryburn with his wife and youngest son, Gilbert, when I was Dean of Durham. His name (of which he was very proud) interested me, and I liked the man himself – a big rather silent Englishman, loyal, and (stupid) (perhaps, even) (unimaginative) but immensely useful to the county. It is to the abnormal fewness of such men in Durham that the low level of the public life & the secure dominance of organised "Labour" are largely due. The absenteeism of the large landed proprietors, and the non–personal (control) (manner of organising the greater industries are favouring conditions for this development (of these mis–chiefs.) The great wealth of the Church, now represented by the Ecclesiastical Commissioners, does not help matters: and as "Labour" has organised itself on national & even international lines, the influence of the local clergy has been paralyzed. If they join "Labour" they lose their liberty: if they oppose "Labour" they destroy their comfort!