The Henson Journals

[184]

Monday, May 4th, 1931.

I received a pleasant letter from Dick. It is a solemn thing to win the affection of the Young, for to disappoint it might leave a deep and lasting wound. I wrote to Newsom inquiring whether he could enter at Selwyn next October. Budworth approves his going there, and I inclined to think it would be the best plan. Newsom would probably take some interest in him.

An Ordination candidate from Mirfield named Bunney, came to lunch. He is an artisan's son, but looks intelligent, & expresses himself with modest determination.

I am again the victim of dyspepsia, and indeed felt so dilapidated that I sent for McCullagh, who will dose me in the usual futile manner!

I wrote to the Archbishop of York formerly reporting Gillett's case, and requesting that his name should be placed on the cautionary list. The Archdeacon's latest report indicates that that unhappy young clergyman is not holding loyally to the conditions under which alone severe action was not taken.

[185]

And now the Chapel's silver bell you here,

That summons you to all the Pride of Pray'r:

Light quirks of music, broken and uneven,

Make the soul dance upon a jig to Heav'n.

On painted ceilings you devoutly stare,

Where sprawl the Saints of Verrio or Laguerre,

On gilded clouds in fair expansion lie,

And bring all paradise before your eye.

To rest, the Cushion and soft Dean invite,

Who never mentions Hell to ears polite.

Pope, Moral Essays.

Warton's note to the last line runs thus:–

["]This is a fact: a reverend Dean preaching at court, threatened the sinner with punishment in "a place which he thought it not decent to name in so polite an assembly".

This preposterous ecclesiastic coexisted with Bishop Butler and Dr Johnson! Neither humour nor satire was wanting to the society, which yet exacted such ludicrous scrupulosity from a preacher.

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