Memories

Tuesday, June 1st., Amberley, Sussex.

Tremendous morning's work. 

High Street, Arundel

In the afternoon we drove out in a Napier car with good springs and a bad engine from the Norfolk Arms, Arundel. We stopped a long time at Arundel while Dorothy shopped. Then to Climping, past Climping church (Norman, 13th Cent.). Then via Rustington and Angmering, to Littlehampton. 

Littlehampton pier and harbour

Littlehampton scarcely coincided at all with my memories of it - about 30 years ago. The Sharpes and F. Alcock and I slept there one night, and heard a Norwegian crew singing some songs. Most romantic. And I remembered the softness of the ebb tide, and craft coming down it swirling, and being kept straight by all hands' and then dropping a stern anchor on which they could swing themselves straight; then the anchor hiked up again.

It seems to me that there is both pleasure and sadness in revisiting places from one's past. I can say that sometimes the experience brings on a genuine physical sensation, as if the heart is being gently squeezed in the chest. I am not sure what emotion this experience is a manifestation of. Perhaps there is no name for it. I have never shared this feeling with others and so have no way of knowing if it is common or unusual, though I do think that I have seen something of the sort described in literature. I do seem to have become more aware of sensation in and around my heart as I have aged; as a young man I took it for granted. 

Additionally for June 1st., see 'In time of war'

Sergeant Humberstone had his son down here yesterday. Humberstone has been all his life in the army - Coldstreams etc., and is called "Dad" by all the other Non-com. officers. His son received a commission on the field for gallantry. When he came home, considerably knocked about, and met his father, his father saluted him, whereupon the son threw his arms round his father's neck and kissed him.  During his visit here, father has introduced him with restrained pride to Myers and others. Humberstone is a very nice old man.