The Henson Journals

[26]

Thursday, April 18th, 1929.

BIARRITZ.

Again a brilliant morning. There were two steamers in the Bay, which had come in and anchored during the night, and stood out to sea again almost as we gazed at them.

Then I wrote to Leng.

Ella's precautions against the risks of trouble with the Spanish authorities might suggest that a visit to Spain in a char–a–bànc was in point of peril to life, limb, and liberty equivalent to visiting Bolshevic Russia, or the still unexplored regions (if there be any left) of Africa, South America, & Central Asia.

We started at 10 minutes after 9a.m. and returned at 7 p.m. The whole time was filled with various interest, and the English–speaking guide was both intelligent and well–informed. The country through which our journey lay was extremely beautiful, and in the freshness of the spring & illumined by the sun was seen to the greatest advantage.

[27]

It is of little use to attempt a complete and accurate record of a day, filled with so many spectacles of historic interest, but it may be sufficient to indicate those which stand out clearly in retrospect.

1. Jean de Luz.

The church is a fine spacious building with narrow galleries attached to the walks. Here the marriage of Louis XIV was celebrated in 1660, [and the vestibules worn at the ceremony are shown in the Vestry. There also are to be seen more interesting things e.g. a 13th century relief in stone of the Resurrection. The sleeping soldiers are represented as medieval knights in full armour, and the rising Redeemer has his foot on one of them] – This is true, not of S. Jean de Luz but of

2. Fuenterrabia. The narrow streets with overhanging houses, some of which are adorned with the arms of their noble owners, but which are mostly in a state of deplorable dilapidation, are wonderfully picturesque. The view from the Castle (which Ella saw) & from the terrace below (with which [28] Fearne & I contented ourselves) was very fine: We admired the splendid appearance of a red–trousered soldier, & regretted that we could not photograph the picturesque gate on which were the arms of the city.

3. San Sebastian. Here we stopped for an hour. We had brought our lunch (an excessive one) from the hotel: and we consumed it, under the observation of a curious and perhaps scandalized public, on the parade. Then we had to face the problem how to dispose of the surplus and the refuse. I had what young ladies now call a "brain–wave", and buried the latter in the sand! The former I bestowed on a cadaverous–looking man, who, happily & to my immense relief, did not resent the offer of victuals as a mortal affront!

4. The drive from San Sebastian to Loyola is unforgettable. The road lay for some while by the sea, and is not unfairly described as "daring". I admired the nerve of the chauffeur, [29] [symbol] and the excellence of his machine. The views of the coast and the blue ocean were wonderful, and these were followed by views of valley and mountain more wonderful still.

5. Loyola. The birthplace of the founder of the Jesuits has become an amazing exhibition of the power & wealth of the famous Order which he founded. The house, in which he was born, is now enclosed within a great Seminary of the Order. Every room is a chapel sumptuously equipped. Death–masques of S. Ignatius himself and of S. Alphonso Borgia are shown, & every corner gleams with the precious metals, & commemorates the triumphs of the Jesuits. Relics of the most abject impostury abound, and jostle venerated objects connected with S. Ignatius. The gorgeous & sumptuous character of the chapels is continued in the Church. It would be difficult to estimate the actual value of the whole, but the amount must be enormous. Somebody said that it exceeded £2,000,000, and the estimate does not seem exorbitant. [30] "I call it just waste of money" was the comment of an American visitor which I overheard. I felt inclined to ask him whether he had ever heard of the question reported in the Gospels, "To what purpose is this waste?". And yet the spectacle jarred on me dreadfully. Lourdes & Loyola – they are far, very far, from the Gospel. What can be said for them?

We had tea in San Sebastian, and then motored back to Biarritz. The level lights of the setting sun showed the country in new & very wonderful aspects. We reached the Hotel in a temper of contentment, and seasoned an excellent dinner with discussing what we had seen.

We were surprised by the goodness of the Spanish roads, and by the air of alertness and prosperity which the population exhibited. Of course Spain did not endure the losses & dislocation of the Great War, which France endured the uttermost.

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