The Henson Journals

[172]

Monday, April 27th, 1931.

Dr Johnson's Letter to a young clergyman in the country which I read last night in Boswell's 'Life' contains much that is permanently valuable. It is dated, August 30th 1780, and is certainly not yet obsolete e.g.

"Talk to your people as much as you can: and you will find, that the more frequently you converse with them upon religious subjects, the more willingly they will attend, and the more submissively they will learn. A clergyman's diligence always makes him venerable."

[Boswell's Life ed. Birrell v .133]

I motored to Durham, and presided at a meeting of the Church Building Committee. There was not much business, and I was back in Auckland by 4:00 p.m. Derek went with me to the Confirmation at Heighington. Fifty–three candidates were presented from four small parishes. Everything was reverent and, I trust, edifying. Only the weather was most unpromising. As we returned to Auckland, we enjoyed the spectacle of a magnificent but minatory sunsetting. I fear the bad weather will continue.

[173]

["] In all common ordinary cases we see intuitively at first view what is our duty, what is the honest part. In these cases doubt & deliberation is itself dishonesty: as it was in Balaam upon the second message. That which is called considering what is our duty in a particular case, is very often nothing but endeavouring to explain it away.["]

J. Butler.' Upon the character of Balaam. p. 100

The newspapers report the death of Sir Edward Clarke at the great age of 90: and the Times informs its readers that the obituary notice was written by Sir Edward himself sent on March 31st 1913 with the following note:–

"It seems to me that an ordinary notice of a man should be written by himself, if he should have reached old age (as is the case with me) and should by his gradual detachment from the occupations and interests which have filled his life become capable of viewing fairly in perspective the events of his career."

This is an excellent reason for an "Autobiography" but hardly for an Obituary Notice. The latter ought to be something other than a man's self–judgement.

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