The Henson Journals

[343]

Wednesday, September 25th, 1929.

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Mr Pickering brought 'Gypsy Smith' to see me. We had tea in the garden under the copper beach [sic]. This redoubtable missioner is a heavy man of dark complexion & medium height, not attractive or impressive to look at. He told me that he was a true gypsy, and could speak Romany. He spoke strongly in favour of Prohibition, but was quite unable to explain the great increase of criminality which had followed it. On the whole, he offended me less than I had expected. I showed them the Castle, & they seemed to me reduced to a kind of 'Queen of Sheba' state! To Gypsy I gave a copy of 'Godly Union & Concord', & to Pickering a copy of 'Notes on Spiritual Healing'.

I always feel that more envy than gratitude is stirred in the minds of such visitors by their admission to the interior of Bishop's Palaces. They find the confirmation of all their prejudices in the spectacle of what in their eyes is the visible framework of pomp & luxury: while we, poor embarrassed phantoms, are mainly puzzled as to how we shall afford to keep it all going!

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