The Henson Journals

[149]

Thursday, November 1st, 1928.

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I visited Blackwell's book shop, and tried vainly to find a suitable book about Africa to send to William as a birthday present. Then I called on the Spooners at 84 Woodstock Road, and was informed that the Canon had been suddenly prostrated by some kind of a gastric attack. Mrs. Spooner and Ruth entertained me for an hour. The one is aged and purblind, the other aging. It is sad to see so bright a creature as Ruth immolated to the needs of her aged parents. I returned to the Warden's Lodgings for lunch, and then walked with Kenneth. He gave me tea in his lodgings, 28 Warnborough Road. The boy is evidently troubled about his work. He came up in the pleasant belief that he was a brilliant person, who would carry Oxford by storm, and he is discovering that the standards of achievement which are accepted in the secondary school at Bishop Auckland are far indeed from those which prevail at Oxford. The process of disillusionment is probably as salutary as it is unavoidable, but it is none the less sad & trying, & there is a certain danger that he may lose heart, & think even more meanly of himself than the facts require.

[150]

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Kenneth walked with me to call on the Radfords. We were lucky enough to find Mary at home. She says that Craufurd Inge writes that he hopes to go to the East in the service of some Oil Company, because his father thinks that there is plenty of money to be made in that work! This hardly accords with the Dean's severe criticism of the money–making propensities of Lord Birkenhead! But I suspect that even so able & highminded a man as Ralph cannot wholly avoid debasement when he allows himself to dabble in money–making.

I ran into Dr. Selbie, as I walked in the High, and we stopped to talk. He expressed much sympathy with the Bishop, & much disgust at the attitude of Carnegie Simpson. He assured me that many of the younger ministers were ready to support the policy of so amending the Enabling Act as to secure genuine autonomy to the Church of England within the Establishment.

In the afternoon I attended Mrs. Pember's tea–party, & had some talk with Firth, who looks well though visibly aging & still much harassed by asthma. He said that he means to leave the bulk of his books & pamphlets to Sheffield University.

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