The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-02-25

desired my fathers presence because, as after
ward appeared. he had strongly In his mind
the belief that tho Bishop OF Truro would evsntu.
ally succeed 70 the Archbishopric." The bio
grnpher goes on 10 say. Il do not know why,
!, but II was very strongly borne In upon my mind
as by q pre%senumcnt that Abingdon would be-
our home from the nrst momen, We entered tho
park gates. My father. ON the other hand. said
tina, no future Archbishop would ever live there.
tina, II was too much in the style OF the grand
s~'ignsur. and that II was q most unsuitable house,
both from itr sins and from the inevitable ex-
pense Of such an establishment" Later on.
however, Abingdon became 10 Archbishop Ben
son q beloved home: Ia nearness 70 London was
a great convenience, and It's secluslon gave tho
rest after London life which was essential; from
the moment Of his appointment, Archbishop
Benson never thought seriously Of giving Ad-
dingdon up. The house il a great gray stone
building. standing In the corner Of a park OF some
six hundred acres, The place was bought by
a Lord Mayor o! London In the last century,
and he built the central part 81 the present house.
About the beginning Of this century,
It was purchased for Archbishop Manners Sutton.
We are told that, stately and beautiful as Lam
beth Palace Is, II was never deeply loved by Arch.
bishop Benson. II was To him an official residence,
whereas Abingdon was a home. A curious
thing about Lambeth Palace Ia that II is by no
means commodious; Il is hard 10 put up many
guests therein. II is not like Abingdon, a large
house with many rooms. but rather q house on
a moderate scale, all the rooms Of which are Of
large dimensions.
| v.
When Edward White Benson came TO Cantor
bury he was a comparatively young man, only
81 His appointment had aroused the greatest
curiosity. he was comparatively unknown. ex-
cept TO certain ecclestastcs. What his experience
was has been told; what normal experiences he
had lacked may he now noted. He had little
knowledge Of London, One may even say little
knowledge Of central affairs; he was one Of the
Junior Bishops, and had never sat in the House
OF Lords. He had, on the other hand. been al
ways in positions Of authority, and he had been
successful in everything he had put his hand W.
When he frs, came to London there was great
curiosity ~ see and hear him In the House Of
Lords his speeches caused. TO some extent, dis
appointment His son explains that He never
took refuge in plattudes, and he made the mis-
take Of packing his speeches TOO closely. and
framing a string Of pregnant epigrams that were
unsuited TO debate. In extemporo speaking,
when he felt at his ease. and with a sympathetic
audience. he was lively, graphic and humorous:
but, when he felt the need Of being weighty.
he was apt to become too concentrated. He pre-
pared his Parliamentary speeches carefully.
but In the House OF Lords he was nervous. The
atmosphere Of chilly criticism appalled, him,
moreover, having all his life held positions OF
command he found it difficult to debate a question
from a footing Of perfect equality; the result, was
that in debate, be could not wholly control his
masterful temper; when he ought TO have been
digniAed. weighty and emollient, he often became
irritated by some argument and lost himself
in sharp replies. But his weight in the House
Of Lords steadily increased as he became better
known. and his knowledge Of affairs, from the
great reg ularity with which he attended the de-
bates, widened very rapidly" On the other hand,
ii must be admitted that, II Benson was, at first,
too apt TO play the schoolmastsr, be, at least,
looked the part Of Archbishop to perfection.
His son says that one Of the most striking features
Of his fathers outward appearance was bis dignity
on public occasions, a dignity combined with hu.
mility, q purely official dignity, in which there
was no faint Of personal elationA Al tho same time,
the Archbishop was decidedly shy. He found
great difficulty In breaking Of . conversation,
even when longing 70 20 back 70 his work, and
be had a peculiar swing Of the arm. and q manner
Of throwing out his foot as he turned on such
an occasion which were always indications Of his
state Of mind" Another small personal gesture
which was Characteristic was a peculiar manner
Of shaking the head. or rather Of agitaung Il
slightly with downcast eyes. II he was vexed at
anything that was being said or done" His
children always knew, II they saw this happen
when any one was speaking. that he was In q dan
eerous"frameo Of mind and that some rebuke or con.
tradiction would result, severe In proportion 10
the offence He used to say that he suffered a,
dinner parties and other sociable Entertainments
from q sudden and distressing speechlessness,
when he was deprived Of the power Of thought
and had no wish bu, TO Be led from the room.
According to his son, however. II was quite
impossible TO detect this depression, and the Arch
bishop seldom INDUCED In thoss protracted ~silenoes
which are socially no trying. Al the same time,
the biogrspher admits that his father WA not 10
be accounted . brilliant conversatonalist b.
cause he was too eager 10 argue patiently, and
was too much inclined to Be lengthy: he explained
too much and refined upon the lucidity Of what
was already clear. do not think he was ever an
easy person 10 talk 10. He was impatient Of ab-
strsct topics, and, though interested In personal
conversation. disliked gossip. He had from
early days q feeling In favor OF improving con-
versauon. Yet he was not consistent In these
respects, because he would speak with the greatest
minuteness Of unimportant things in which he
took an interest, matters antiquarian and artistic,
but was quick 10 resent any monopoliIing Of tho
conversation ~ others on subjects with which he
was unfamiliar. He had not the art of eliciung
Information on subjects with which he strange
to him. by questions, and was apt TO defect the
discourse 10 topics with which he was acquainted"
The biographer goes on TO say that, with his
father, argument always engeudered heat, and he
was apt TO express himself too vehemently 10 b
agreeable. Thus | think no did not in later life
make many equal friends among men. All his
great friendships, especially OF later years, were
with women. He was not really at home in an
atmosphere Of perfect equality; surround him
with a certain Difference and affection and he
would be expansive. humorous, racy; but, with
men Of like age, whose views he imagined 10 differ
widely from his own, he froze, and became silent
and severe" There were. Of course, exceptions.
Archbishop Benson was always interested By
enthusiasts Of any kind. such as artists, artistic
worknien, scholars or scientists, when he could
meet them on some common ground quite apart
from religion. What he intensely disliked was a
a