The Henson Journals

Tue 26 March 1929

Volume 47, Page 179

[179]

Tuesday, March 26th, 1929.

A glorious spring day, but my cold still so heavy on me that could not enjoy it.

The formal announcement of Bell's appointment is in the "Times". I wrote to him a letter of "congratulation". He may be a formidable rival to Temple for Canterbury. Then I prepared notes for a speech at the Prize–giving of James I's Grammar School in Bishop Auckland, and delivered it during the afternoon in the Hippodrome to a large company of boys & parents. After tea with the Headmaster, I returned to the Castle feeling more decrepit than ever, the heat being rather excessive.

In man or woman, but far most in man,

And most of all in man that ministers

And serves the altar, in my soul I loathe

All affectation. 'Tis my perfect scorn:

Object of my implacable disgust.

So Cowper with reference to the fashionable preachers of his day. We are hardly less open to his satire now, though the modes of our affectations are different.