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CHECKENDON COURT, CHECKENDON, READING.
29 April 1921
Dear John,
Our mutual friend, the Bishop of St. Praxeds, was staying here last Friday. It was the first time he had been on earth since 15- ! What brought him was a rumour that the Municipality were proposing to restore his tomb, which had been somewhat damaged by Bolsheviks in the late disturbances. He could have forgiven the injury, but he was filled with a natural horror at the announcement of the Corporation that the monument "shd "be embellished with certain new features "worthy of the saintly prelate whose bones
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are here interred".
Having settled the hash of the Town Council by means of a motion deprecating the gross misapplication of public funds at a time of stress, he came on to Checkendon in high spirits. For I had ever a place in his heart, having hated Gandolph with all my moral & intellectual fabric.
It was his first visit to England, and he was most curious about the manners of our clergy. I gave him some files of the newspapers to read knowing that he would be interested in the Wakeford trial. He was: and he informed me with a chuckle, just as he was leaving,
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that he had sent you a copy of verses on the subject for translation from the Italian. (You also he dearly loves, as hating Gandolph).
This is to ask that you will let me see your translation; for I have forgotten (alas!) all my Italian since those happy renaissance days.
I understand, however, that there is a note of deep seriousness in the Bishop's poem. There can be no doubt that he was as much puzzled by the (to him) incomprehensible pursuit of legalities by the Anglican clergy, as he was filled with loathing at a levity in them wh. would neglect the service of their Master in order to do in a brother ecclesiastic.
"Gandolph!" I suggested.
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"Gandolph", he cried, " might have co-habited with every female saint in the Calendar, & I should never have lifted a finger against him. It was his greed, his ostentation, his ambition to [?] everything to his own uses, his want of charity, his infamous sobriety which earned him my eternal hatred. Wakeford is an ill-looking man by his portrait in the "Daily Mirror", & he seems to have had a very gloomy & furtive habit of self indulgence. But the seeds of rightousness are in him. No; the true bastards of Gandolph are your Moores and Worthingtons. Amen! Ask Buchan to send you his translation".
And so I am writing to you now.
Yours ever,
F.S.O.
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CHECKENDON COURT CHECKENDON. READING. 29 April 1921 Dear John, Our mutual friend, the Bishop of St. Praxeds, was staying here last Friday. It was the first time he had been on earth since 15- ! What brought him was a rumour that the Municipality were proposing to restore his tomb, which had been somewhat damaged by Bolsheviks in the late disturbances. He could have forgive the injury, but he was filled with a natural horror at the announcement of the Corporation that the monument "should be embellished with certain new features worthy of the saintly prelate whose bones are here interned". Having settled the hash of the Town Council by means of a [motion,notice, exec ?] deprecating the gross misapplication of public funds at a time of stress he came on the Checkendon in high spirits. For I had ever a place in his heart, having hated Gandolph with all my moral & intellectual fabric. It was his first visit to England, and he was most curious about the manners of our clergy. I gave him some files of the newspapers to read knowing that he would be interested in the Wakeford trial. He was: and he informed me with a chuckle, just as he was leaving, that he had sent you a copy of verses on the
