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Nurses on Tuesday. Yesterday Susie and I were the guests of the
Apostolic Delegate - a wonderful luncheon party, including the Prime
Minister and all the foreign Ministers, besides many high ecclasiastics.
I was greatly struck by the Vicar-General of the Arctic, a
magnificent old fellow with a long beard. He has been eighteen years
with the Esquimaux. I was solemnly presented with a gold medallion from the Pope in
commemoration of the canonisation of Sir Thomas More and John Fisher.
I never thought I should live to receive a medal from the Pope!

Tonight I am dining with the ex-Service Members of the
House of Commons. Tomorrow I go to Montreal for a batch of engagements,
including a big Boy Scout dinner (I am the Chief Scout!) I am
also lunching with a French luncheon club, and opening an exhibition
at the Catholic University of Montreal. I take great pains to keep
in touch with the French, and they are most responsive.

We have been having a spell of wet weather, but today it
is a beautiful spring day, though there is nothing out in the garden
except crocuses. But any moment summer may come with a burst.

My letters from home are not very cheerful - my most cheerful
correspondent is Anthony Eden! I am afraid our beloved S.B. is
getting into poor health. I was alarmed by his looks before I left,
for he was getting too thick, and a bad colour, and his deafness is
growing on him. I suppose Neville will succeed him; but Neville is
by no means an ideal Prime Minister, good man though he is.

You have had a not very cheerful Budget, and we shall have
ours tomorrow. Ours is purposely being made very gloomy in order to
alarm the people. Technically Canada's finances are in a muddle, but
I see no reason why they should not be straightened out within two
years, and of the assets of the country there is no question.