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believe the mere physical fact of going two hours' journey away from
London gave that place for the first time an effect of unity in my
imagination。 I got outside London。 It became tangible instead of
being a frame almost as universal as sea and sky。
At Cambridge my ideas ceased to live in a duologue； in exchange for
Britten； with whom； however； I corresponded lengthily； stylishly and
self…consciously for some years； I had now a set of congenial
friends。 I got talk with some of the younger dons； I learnt to
speak in the Union； and in my little set we were all pretty busily
sharpening each other's wits and correcting each other's
interpretations。 Cambridge made politics personal and actual。 At
City Merchants' we had had no sense of effective contact； we
boasted； it is true； an under secretary and a colonial governor
among our old boys； but they were never real to us； such
distinguished sons as returned to visit the old school were allusive
and pleasant in the best Pinky Dinky style； and pretended to be in
earnest about nothing but our football and cricket； to mourn the
abolition of 〃water；〃 and find a shuddering personal interest in the
ancient swishing block。 At Cambridge I felt for the first time that
I touched the thing that was going on。 Real living statesmen came
down to debate in the Union； the older dons had been their college
intimates； their sons and nephews expounded them to us and made them
real to us。 They invited us to entertain ideas； I found myself for
the first time in my life expected to read and think and discuss； my
secret vice had become a virtue。
That combination…room world is at last larger and more populous and
various than the world of schoolmasters。 The Shoesmiths and Naylors
who had been the aristocracy of City Merchants' fell into their
place in my mind； they became an undistinguished mass on the more
athletic side of Pinky Dinkyism； and their hostility to ideas and to
the expression of ideas ceased to limit and trouble me。 The
brighter men of each generation stay up； these others go down to
propagate their tradition； as the fathers of families； as mediocre
professional men； as assistant masters in schools。 Cambridge which
perfects them is by the nature of things least oppressed by them；
except when it comes to a vote in Convocation。
We were still in those days under the shadow of the great
Victorians。 I never saw Gladstone （as I never set eyes on the old
Queen）； but he had resigned office only a year before I went up to
Trinity； and the Combination Rooms were full of personal gossip
about him and Disraeli and the other big figures of the gladiatorial
stage of Parlimentary history； talk that leaked copiously into such
sets as mine。 The ceiling of our guest chamber at Trinity was
glorious with the arms of Sir William Harcourt； whose Death Duties
had seemed at first like a socialist dawn。 Mr。 Evesham we asked to
come to the Union every year； Masters； Chamberlain and the old Duke
of Devonshire； they did not come indeed； but their polite refusals
brought us all； as it were； within personal touch of them。 One
heard of cabinet councils and meetings at country houses。 Some of
us； pursuing such interests； went so far as to read political
memoirs and the novels of Disraeli and Mrs。 Humphry Ward。 From
gossip； example and the illustrated newspapers one learnt something
of the way in which parties were split； coalitions formed； how
permanent officials worked and controlled their ministers； how
measures were brought forward and projects modified。
And while I was getting the great leading figures on the political
stage； who had been presented to me in my schooldays not so much as
men as the pantomimic monsters of political caricature； while I was
getting them reduced in my imagination to the stature of humanity；
and their motives to the quality of impulses like my own； I was also
acquiring in my Tripos work a constantly developing and enriching
conception of the world of men as a complex of economic；
intellectual and moral processes。 。 。 。
5
Socialism is an intellectual Proteus； but to the men of my
generation it came as the revolt of the workers。 Rodbertus we never
heard of and the Fabian Society we did not understand； Marx and
Morris； the Chicago Anarchists； JUSTICE and Social Democratic
Federation （as it was then） presented socialism to our minds。
Hatherleigh was the leading exponent of the new doctrines in
Trinity； and the figure upon his wall of a huge…muscled； black…
haired toiler swaggering sledgehammer in hand across a revolutionary
barricade； seemed the quintessence of what he had to expound。
Landlord and capitalist had robbed and enslaved the workers； and
were driving them quite automatically to inevitable insurrection。
They would arise and the capitalist system would flee and vanish
like the mists before the morning； like the dews before the sunrise；
giving place in the most simple and obvious manner to an era of
Right and Justice and Virtue and Well Being； and in short a
Perfectly Splendid Time。
I had already discussed this sort of socialism under the guidance of
Britten； before I went up to Cambridge。 It was all mixed up with
ideas about freedom and natural virtue and a great scorn for kings；
titles； wealth and officials； and it was symbolised by the red ties
we wore。 Our simple verdict on existing arrangements was that they
were 〃all wrong。〃 The rich were robbers and knew it； kings and
princes were usurpers and knew it； religious teachers were impostors
in league with power； the economic system was an elaborate plot on
the part of the few to expropriate the many。 We went about feeling
scornful of all the current forms of life； forms that esteemed
themselves solid； that were； we knew； no more than shapes painted on
a curtain that was presently to be torn aside。 。 。 。
It was Hatherleigh's poster and his capacity for overstating things；
I think； that first qualified my simple revolutionary enthusiasm。
Perhaps also I had met with Fabian publications； but if I did I
forget the circumstances。 And no doubt my innate constructiveness
with its practical corollary of an analytical treatment of the
material supplied； was bound to push me on beyond this melodramatic
interpretation of human affairs。
I compared that Working Man of the poster with any sort of working
man I knew。 I perceived that the latter was not going to change；
and indeed could not under any stimulus whatever be expected to
change； into the former。 It crept into my mind as slowly and surely
as the dawn creeps into a room that the former was not； as I had at
first rather glibly assumed； an 〃ideal；〃 but a complete
misrepresentation of the quality and possibilities of things。
I do not know now whether it was during my school…days or at
Cambridge that I first began