The New Machiavelli HG Wells 1910 496pgs SOCIO

7/27/2019 The New Machiavelli HG Wells 1910 496pgs SOCIO

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MR. WELLS HAS ALSO WRITTENT h e f o l l o w i n g NOVELSLOVE AND MR. L E W I S H AM

KIPPS MR. POLLYANN VERONICA and TONG HUNGAYN u m e r o u s s h o r t s t o r i e s t o b e c o l l e c t e d

p r e s e n t l y i n o n e v o l u m e .

T h e f o l l o w i n g f a n t a s t i c a n d i m a g i n a t i v eROMANCES :


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THENE W MACH IA VEL LI

B7H. G . W E L L Sduihor of "Toro Bungay . "Ths History o fMr. P o l l y , " r t o .


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COPYRIGHT, 1910


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CONTENTSBOOK THE FIRST

TH E MAKING OF A MAN

CHAPTER

1 . CONCERNING A BOOK THAT W AS NEVER WRIT TEN . 3I I . BROMSTE AD AND MY FATHER2

I I I . SCHOLASTIC6IV. ADOLESCENCE7BOOK THE SECOND

PAGE'


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BOOK THE FIRST

THE MAKING OF A MAN


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THENEW MACH IAVELLI

CHAPTER; THE FIRST!CONCERNING A BOOK THAT WAS NEVERWRITTEN

IS I N C E I c a m e t o t h i s p l a c e I h a v e b e e n v e r y r e s t l e s s ,

w a s t i n g m y e n e r g i e s i n t h e f u t i l e b e g i n n i n g o f i l l - c o n -


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4 THE NEW MACHIAVELLI- s i n c e I b e g a n a l a b o u r e d a n d f u t i l e i m i t a t i o n o f " T h e

P r i n c e . " I s a t u p l a t e l a s t n i g h t w i t h t h e j u m b l e d

a c c u m u l a t i o n ; a n d a t l a s t m a d e a l i t t l e f i r e o f o l i v e

t w i g s a n d b u r n t i t a l l , s h e e t b y shee t-to begin again

c l e a r t h i s m o r n i n g .

B u t i n c i d e n t a l l y I h a v e r e - r e a d m o s t o f M a c h i a v e l l i ,

n o t e x c e p t i n g t h o s e s c a n d a l o u s l e t t e r s o f h i s t o V e t t o r i ,

a n d i t s e e m s t o m e , now that I have rel eased mysel f

a l t o g e t h e r f r o m h i s l i t e r a r y p r e c e d e n t , t h a t h e s t i l l h a s

his use for me . In : s p i t e o f h i s v a s t p r e s t i g e I c l a i m

k i n d r e d w i t h h i m a n d s e t h i s n a m e u p o n m y t i t l e - p a g e ,

i n p a r t i a l i n t i m a t i o n o f t h e m a t t e r o f m y s t o r y . Hetakes me with symp athy not only by reason of the

d r e a m h e p u r s u e d a n d t h e h u m a n i t y o f h i s p o l i t i c s , b u t

by the mixture of his nature . His vices come in,

e s s e n t i a l t o m y i s s u e . He is dead and gone, all his


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CONCERNING A BOOK 5n a v i e s , g r e a t r o a d s e n g i n e e r e d m a r v e l l o u s l y , j u n g l e s

cl eared and deserts conquered, the e nding of muddle

a n d d i s e a s e s a n d d i r t a n d m i s e r y ; t h e e n d i n g o f c o n -

f u s i o n s t h a t w a s t e h u m a n p o s s i b i l i t i e s ; they thought

o f t h e s e t h i n g s w i t h p a s s i o n a n d d e s i r e a s o t h e r m e n

t h i n k o f t h e s o f t l i n e s a n d t e n d e r b e a u t y o f w o m e n .

T h o u s a n d s o f m e n t h e r e a r e t o - d a y a l m o s t m a s t e r e d b y

t h i s w h i t e p a s s i o n o f s t a t e c r a f t , a n d i n n e a r l y e v e r y

o n e w h o r e a d s a n d t h i n k s y o u c o u l d f i n d , I s u s p e c t ,

some sort of answering response . But in ev ery one

i t p r e s e n t s i t s e l f e x t r a o r d i n a r i l y e n t a n g l e d a n d m i x e d

u p w i t h o t h e r , m o r e i n t i m a t e t h i n g s .

I t w a s s o w i t h M a c h i a v e l l i . I picture him at San

C a s c i a n o a s h e l i v e d i n r e t i r e m e n t u p o n h i s p r o p e r t y

a f t e r t h e f a l l o f t h e R e p u b l i c , p e r h a p s w i t h a t w i n g e o f

t h e t o r t u r e t h a t p u n i s h e d h i s c o n s p i r a c y s t i l l l u r k i n g


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6 THE NEW MACHIAVELLIt h e l e s s n o n e b e c a u s e o f h i s a n i m a l h u m o u r , h i s q u e e r

i n d e c e n t s i d e , a n d b e c a u s e o f s u c h l a p s e s i n t o u t t e r

me anness as that which made him sound the note of

the begging-l etter writer even in his "Dedication,"

r e m i n d i n g H i s M a g n i f i c e n c e v e r y u r g e n t l y , a s i f i t w e r e

t h e g i s t o f h i s m a t t e r , o f t h e c o n t i n u e d m a l i g n i t y o f

f o r t u n e i n h i s a f f a i r s . These flaw s compl ete him .

T h e y a r e m y r e a s o n f o r p r e f e r r i n g h i m a s a s y m b o l t o

P l a t o , o f w h o s e i n d e l i c a t e s i d e w e k n o w n o t h i n g , a n d

whose correspondence with Dionysius of Syracuse has

p e r i s h e d ; o r t o C o n f u c i u s w h o t r a v e l l e d C h i n a i n s e a r c h

o f a P r i n c e h e m i g h t i n s t r u c t , w i t h l a p s e s a n d i n d i g n i -

t i e s n o w l o s t i n t h e m i s t s o f a g e s . They have achiev ed

t h e a p o t h e o s i s o f i n d i v i d u a l f o r g e t f u l n e s s , a n d P l a t o

h a s t h e a d d e d g l o r y o f t h a t a c q u i r e d b e a u t y , t h a t b u s t

o f t h e I n d i a n B a c c h u s w h i c h i s n o w i n d i s s o l u b l y m i n g l e d


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CONCERNING A BOOK 7l i t t l e d o u b t s a b o u t t h e p a r t i c u l a r P r i n c e h e w a n t e d ,

whether it was Cwsar Borgia of Giuliano or Lorenz o,

b u t a P r i n c e i t h a d t o b e . Before I saw cl early the

d i f f e r e n c e s o f o u r o w n t i m e I s e a r c h e d m y m i n d f o r t h e

modern e quival ent of a Prince . At various times I

r e d r a f t e d a p a r a l l e l d e d i c a t i o n t o t h e P r i n c e o f W a l e s ,

to the Em peror William, to Mr . E v e s h a m , t o a c e r t a i n

n e w s p a p e r p r o p r i e t o r w h o w a s o n c e m y s c h o o l f e l l o w a t

C i t y M e r c h a n t s ' , t o M r . J . D . R o c k e f e l l e r - a l l o f t h e m

m e n i n t h e i r s e v e r a l w a y s a n d c i r c u m s t a n c e s a n d p o s s i -

b i l i t i e s , p r i n c e l y . Y e t i n e v e r y c a s e m y o p e n b e n t o f i t s

own accord towards irony be cause- be cause, although

a t f i r s t I d i d n o t r e a l i s e i t , I m y s e l f a m j u s t a s f r e e t o

b e a p r i n c e . The app eal was unfair . The old sort of

P r i n c e , t h e o l d l i t t l e p r i n c i p a l i t y h a s v a n i s h e d f r o m t h e

world . The commonweal is one man's absolute estate


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8 THE NEW MACHIAVELLIb e c a u s e i t h a s d i s p e r s e d i t s e l f a n d s p e c i a l i s e d . I t i s n o

longer a negative powe r we have, but positive ; w e

c a n n o t p r e v e n t , b u t w e c a n d o . This age, far be yond

all previous ages, is full of powerful men, men who

m i g h t , i f t h e y h a d t h e w i l l f o r i t , a c h i e v e s t u p e n d o u s

t h i n g s .

The things that might be done to-day ! The things

i n d e e d t h a t a r e b e i n g d o n e ! I t i s t h e l a t t e r t h a t g i v e

o n e s o v a s t a s e n s e o f t h e f o r m e r . W h e n I t h i n k o f t h e

p r o g r e s s o f p h y s i c a l a n d m e c h a n i c a l s c i e n c e , o f m e d i c i n e

a n d s a n i t a t i o n d u r i n g t h e l a s t c e n t u r y , w h e n I m e a s u r e

t h e i n c r e a s e i n g e n e r a l e d u c a t i o n a n d a v e r a g e e f f i c i e n c y ,

t h e p o w e r n o w a v a i l a b l e f o r h u m a n s e r v i c e , t h e m e r e l y

p h y s i c a l i n c r e m e n t , a n d c o m p a r e i t w i t h a n y t h i n g t h a t

h a s e v e r b e e n a t m a n ' s d i s p o s a l b e f o r e , a n d w h e n I t h i n k

o f w h a t a l i t t l e s t r a g g l i n g , i n c i d e n t a l , u n d i s c i p l i ne d a n d

uncoordinated minority of inventors, ex perimenters,


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CONCERNING A BOOK 9T h e r e i s , m o r e o v e r , a s e c o n d g r e a t d i f f e r e n c e i n k i n d

betwee n my world and Machiave ll i's . We are dis-

cove ring women . I t i s a s if they had come across a

v a s t i n t e r v a l s i n c e h i s t i m e , i n t o t h e v e r y c h a m b e r , d f t h e

s t a t e s m a n .

I n M a c h i a v e l l i ' s o u t l o o k t h e i n t e r e s t o f w omanhood

w a s i n a r e g i o n o f l i f e a l m o s t i n f i n i t e l y r e m o t e f r o m h i s

s t a t e c r a f t . T h e y w e r e t h e v e h i c l e o f c h i l d r e n , b u t o n l y

Impe rial Rome and the new world of to-day have ev er

h a d a n i n k l i n g o f t h e s i g n i f i c a n c e t h a t m i g h t g i v e t h e m

i n t h e s t a t e . T b e y d i d t h e i r w o r k , h e t h o u g h t , a s t h e

pl oughed earth be ars its crops . Ap art from their

function of fertility they gave a humorous twist to

life, stimulated worthy men to toil, and wasted t h e

h o u r s o f P r i n c e s . He left the thought of women out-


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1 0 THE NEW MACHIAVELLIr e g a r d l e s s o f i t s p o s s i b i l i t y a n d v a l u e . B u t M a c h i a v e l l i ,

i t s e e m s t o m e , w h e n h e w e n t i n t o h i s s t u d y , l e f t n o t

only the e arth of life outside but its unsuspe cted

s o u l . . . .

3Like Machiave ll i at San Casciano, if I may take

t h i s a n a l o g y o n e s t e p f u r t h e r , I t o o a m a n e x i l e . O f f i c e

a n d l e a d i n g a r e c l o s e d t o m e . T h e p o l i t i c a l c a r e e r t h a t

promised so much for me is shattered and e nded for

e v e r .

I look out from this vine-w reathed veranda under

t h e b r a n c h e s o f a s t o n e p i n e ; I s e e w i d e a n d f a r a c r o s s

a p u r p l e v a l l e y w h o s e s i d e s a r e t e r r a c e d a n d s e t w i t h

h o u s e s o f p i n k a n d i v o r y , t h e G u l f o f L i g u r i a g l e a m -

i n g s a p p h i r e b l u e , a n d c l o u d - l i k e b a s e l e s s m o u n t a i n s

hanging in the sky, and I think of lank and coaly


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CONCERNING A BOOK Y lc o n s t i t u e n c y a f t e r c o n s t i t u e n c y , a m i d s t m u r m u r s o r l o u d

s h o u t i n g . .

It is over for me now and v anished . That oppor-

tunity will come no more . Very probabl y you have

heard already some crude inaccurate v ersion of our

s t o r y a n d w h y I d i d n o t t a k e o f f i c e , a n d h a v e f o r m e d

your partial j udgme nt on me . And so it is I s i t

n o w a t m y s t o n e t a b l e , h a l f o u t o f l i f e a l r e a d y , i n a

w a r m , l a r g e , s h a d o w y l e i s u r e , s p l a s h e d w i t h s u n l i g h t

a n d h u n g w i t h v i n e t e n d r i l s , w i t h p a p e r b e f o r e m e t o

d i s t i l s u c h w i s d o m a s I c a n , a s M a c h i a v e l l i i n h i s e x i l e

s o u g h t t o d o , f r o m t h e t h i n g s I h a v e l e a r n t a n d f e l t

d u r i n g t h e c a r e e r t h a t h a s e n d e d n o w i n m y d i v o r c e .

I climbed high and fast from small beginnings . I

had the mind of my p arty . I do not know whe re I

m i g h t n o t h a v e e n d e d , b u t f o r t h i s r e d b l a z e t h a t c a m e


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CHAPTER THE SECONDBROMSTEAD AND MY FATHER

I DREAMT f i r s t o f s t a t e s a n d c i t i e s a n d p o l i t i c a l t h i n g sw h e n I w a s a l i t t l e b o y i n k n i c k e r b o c k e r s .

When I think of how such things be gan in my

mind, there c omes bac k to me the me mory of an

e n o r m o u s b l e a k r o o m w i t h i t s c e i l i n g g o i n g u p t o h e a v e n

and its floor cove red irregularly with patched and

de fec tive oilc loth and a dingy mat or so and a

"surround" as they call it, of dark stained wood .

H e r e a n d t h e r e a g a i n s t t h e w a l l a r e t r u n k s a n d b o x e s .


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BROMSTE AD AND MY FAT HE R 13

c h a g r i n s a n d d r e a m s o f c h i l d h o o d . H e w a s a p r o s p e r o u s

we st of England builder ; i n c l u d i n g m y f a t h e r h e h a d

t h r e e n e p h e w s , a n d f o r e a c h o f t h e m h e c a u s e d a b o x o f

b r i c k s t o b e m a d e b y a n o u t - o f - w o r k c a r p e n t e r , n o t t h e

i n s u f f i c i e n t s u p p l y o f t h e t o y s h o p , y o u u n d e r s t a n d , b u t a

r e a l l y a d e q u a t e q u a n t i t y o f b r i c k s m a d e o u t o f o a k a n d

s h a p e d a n d s m o o t h e d , b r i c k s a b o u t f i v e i n c h e s b y t w o

a n d a h a l f b y o n e , a n d h a l f - b r i c k s a n d q u a r t e r - b r i c k s

t o c o r r e s p o n d . There w ere hundreds of them , many

hundreds . I c o u l d b u i l d s i x t o w e r s a s h i g h a s m y s e l f

with them, and there see me d quite enough for ev ery

e n g i n e e r i n g p r o j e c t I c o u l d u n d e r t a k e . I c o u l d b u i l d

w h o l e t o w n s w i t h s t r e e t s a n d h o u s e s a n d c h u r c h e s a n d

c i t a d e l s ; I c o u l d b r i d g e e v e r y g a p i n t h e o i l c l o t h a n d

make causew ays over crumple d s p a c e s ( w h i c h I

f e i g n e d t o b e m o r a s s e s ) , a n d o n a k e e l o f w h o l e b r i c k s


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T 4 THE NEW MACHIAVELLIIn them, and send marbles rolling from top to base

a n d t h e n c e o u t i n t o t h e h o l d o f a w a i t i n g s h i p . Then

there we re the fortresses and gun emp lacem ents and

c o v e r e d w a y s i n w h i c h o n e ' s s o l d i e r s w e n t . And there

was commerce ; t h e s h o p s a n d m a r k e t s a n d s t o r e - r o o m s

f u l l o f n a s t u r t i u m s e e d , t h r i f t s e e d , l u p i n b e a n s a n d

suchlike p rove nder from the garden ; s u c h s t u f f o n e

stored in match-boxes and pill -boxes, or packe d in

s a c k s o f o l d g l o v e f i n g e r s t i e d u p w i t h t h r e a d a n d s e n t

off by waggons along the great military road to the

b e l e a g u e r e d f o r t r e s s o n t h e I n d i a n f r o n t i e r b e y o n d t h e

w o r n p l a c e s t h a t w e r e d i s m a l s w a m p s . And there w ere

b a t t l e s o n t h e w ay .

T h a t g r e a t r o a d i s s t i l l c l e a r i n m y m e m o r y . I was

g i v e n , I f o r g e t b y w h a t b e n e f a c t o r , c e r t a i n p a r t i c u l a r l y

fierce red Indians of le ad-I have nev er seen such


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BRO MST EAD AND MY FAT HE R 15

Road carrying produce to and fro, bridging gaps in

t h e o i l c l o t h , t u n n e l l i n g t h r o u g h E n c y c l o p a e d i c h i l l s -

one tunnel was three v olumes long-defended as . o c c a -

s i o n r e q u i r e d b y c a m p s o f p a p e r t e n t s o r b r i c k b l o c k -

h o u s e s , a n d e n d i n g a t l a s t i n a m a g n i f i c e n t l y e n g i n e e r e d

a s c e n t t o a f o r t r e s s o n t h e c l i f f s c o m m a n d i n g t h e I n d i a n

r e s e r v a t i o n .

My games upon the floor must have spread ov er

seve ral years and devel oped from small beginnings,

i n c o r p o r a t i n g n o w t h i s s u g g e s t i o n a n d n o w t h a t . They

s t r e t c h , I s u p p o s e , f r o m s e v e n t o e l e v e n o r t w e l v e . I

p l a y e d t h e m i n t e r m i t t e n t l y , a n d t h e y b u l k n o w i n t h e

r e t r o s p e c t f a r m o r e s i g n i f i c a n t l y t h a n t h e y d i d a t t h e

time. I p layed them in bursts, and then forgot them

f o r l o n g p e r i o d s ; through the spring and summe r I


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1G THE NEW MACHIAVELLIr c a t a s t r o p h e s . Like Noah I was give n warnings . Did

I disregard them , coarse red hands would de scend,

plucking garrisons from fortresses and sailors from

s h i p s , j u m b l i n g t h e m u p i n t h e i r w r o n g b o x e s , c l u m s i l y

s o t h a t t h e i r r i f l e s a n d s w o r d s w e r e b r o k e n , s w e e p i n g

the spl endid curves of the Imp erial Road into heaps

o f r u i n s , c a s t i n g t h e j u n g l e g r o w t h o f Z u l u l a n d i n t o

t h e f i r e .

" Wel l, Master Dick," the v oice of this cosmic

cal amity would say, " you ought to hav e p ut the m

a w a y l a s t n i g h t . N o ! I c a n ' t w a i t u n t i l y o u ' v e s a i l e d

t h e m a l l a w a y i n s h i p s . I got my work to do, and do

i t I w i l l . "

And in no time all my continents and lands were

s w i r l i n g w a t e r a n d s w i p i n g s t r o k e s o f h o u s e - f l a n n e l .


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$ROM STEAD AND MY FATHER 1%C h i c a g o , I must e x p l a i n , was based upon my

f a t h e r ' s d e s c r i p t i o n o f t h e p i g s l a u g h t e r i n g s i n t h a t

c i t y a n d c e r t a i n p i c t u r e s I h a d s e e n . You made your

b e a s t s - w h i c h w e r e a l l t h e auk l o t r e a l l y , p r o v i s i o n a l l y

conceiv ed as pigs-go up e lab orate app roaches to a

ce ntral pe n, from which they w ent down a cardboard

slide four at a time, and dropped most satisfyingly

d o w n a b r i c k s h a f t , a n d p i t t e r - l i t t e r o v e r s o m e s t e e p

step s to where a head slaughterman (ne Noah) strung

a cotton loop round their legs and sent them by pin

hooks along a wire to a second slaughterman with a

c h i p p e d f o o t ( f o r m e r l y M r s . N o a h ) w h o , i f I r e m e m b e r

rightly, conve rted them into Army sausage by means

o f a p o r t i o n o f t h e i n s i d e o f a n o l d a l a r u m c l o c k .

My mother did not unde rstand m y game s, but my

f a t h e r d i d . H e w o r e b r i g h t - c o l o u r e d s o c k s a n d c a r p e t


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1 8 THE NEW MACHIAVELLImy father used to get books for himself and me from

the Bromstead Institute, Fenimore Cooper and Mayne

R e i d a n d i l l u s t r a t e d h i s t o r i e s ; one of the Russo-

Turkish war and one of Napier's ex pe dition to

Ab yssinia I read from end to e nd ; Stanle y and

L i v i n g s t o n e , l i v e s o f W e l l i n g t o n , N a p o l e o n a n d G a r i -

baldi, and back volumes of Punch, from w hich I

d e r i v e d c o n c e p t i o n s o f f o r e i g n a n d d o m e s t i c p o l i t i c s

i t h a s t a k e n y e a r s o f a d u l t r e f l e c t i o n t o c o r r e c t . Andat home p ermane ntly we had Wood's N a t u r a l H i s t o r y ,

a b r a n d - n e w i l l u s t r a t e d G r e e n ' s H i s t o r y o f t h e E n g l i s h

P e o p l e , I r v i n g ' s C o m p a n i o n s o f C o l u m b u s , a great num-

be r of unbound parts of some geographical work, a

Voyage Round the W orld I t h i n k i t w a s c a l l e d , w i t h

p i c t u r e s o f f o r e i g n p l a c e s , a n d C l a r k e ' s New Testament

with a map , of Palestine, and a variety of other


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iBROMSTEAD, AND MY FATHER; 1 9 ,my m o t h e r ' s income o f nearl y a hundred p ounds ay e a r , a n d b y h i s i n h e r i t a n c e o f a t e r r a c e o f t h r e e p a l a -

t i a l b u t s t r u c t u r a l l y u n s o u n d s t u c c o h o u s e s n e a r B r o m -

s t e a d S t a t i o n ,

They we re big clumsy residence s in the earliest

Victorian style, interminably high and with dee p

damp baseme nts and d o w n s t a i r s c o a l - c e l l a r s and

k i t c h e 6 s t h a t s u g g e s t e d a n a r c h i t e c t v i n d i c t i v e l y

devoted to the discomfort of the servant class . If

s o , he had ove rreached himself and defeated his end,

for no servant would stay in them unle ss f o r

ex ce ptional w ages or exceptional tolerance of in-

e f f i c i e n c y o r e x c e p t i o n a l f r e e d o m i n r e p a r t e e . Every

storey in the house was from twe lve to fifteen feet

high (which would have be en c ool and pl easant i n a

h o t c l i m a t e ) , and the stairs went steeply up, to end


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; 2 0 1--'\THE NEW MACHIAVELLI' p o s e s o f - d e s s e r t . T h e g r a p e - v i n e p l a y e d a n i m p o r t a n t

p a r t i n m y l i f e , f o r m y f a t h e r b r o k e h i s n e c k w h i l e h e

w a s p r u n i n g i t , , w h e n I w a s t h i r t e e n .

1 - 1 My father was what is calle d a man of ideas, but

t h e y w e r e n o t a l w a y s g o o d i d e a s . My grandfather had

b e e n a p r i v a t e s c h o o l m a s t e r a n d o n e o f t h e f o u n d e r s o f

t h e C o l l e g e o f P r e c e p t o r s , a n d m y f a t h e r h a d a s s i s t e d

him in his school until increasing comp etition and

diminishing attendance had made it evident that the

d a y s o f s m a l l p r i v a t e s c h o o l s k e p t b y u n q u a l i f i e d p e r s o n s

were numbered. Thereupon my father had roused him-

s e l f a n d h a d q u a l i f i e d a s a s c i e n c e t e a c h e r u n d e r t h e

Science and Art Department, which in those days had

c h a r g e o f t h e s c i e n t i f i c a n d a r t i s t i c e d u c a t i o n o f t h e

mass of the English population, and had thrown him-

s e l f i n t o s c i e n c e t e a c h i n g a n d t h e e a r n i n g o f g o v e r n -


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BROMSTEAD AND MY FAT HER 2 1

t a b l e o v e r t h e l i b e r a t i o n o f L o n d o n f r o m t h e c o r r u p t

and de vastating control of a Metropolitan Board of

Works . Then there w ere also School Boards ; I was

a l r e a d y p r a c t i c a l l y i n p o l i t i c s b e f o r e t h e L o n d o n S c h o o l

B o a r d w a s a b s o r b e d b y t h e s p r e a d i n g t e n t a c l e s o f t h e

London County Council .

It give s a me asure of the new ness of our modern

i d e a s o f t h e S t a t e t o r e m e m b e r t h a t t h e v e r y b e g i n n i n g s

o f p u b l i c e d u c a t i o n l i e w i t h i n m y f a t h e r ' s l i f e t i m e , a n d

t h a t m a n y m o s t i n t e l l i g e n t a n d p a t r i o t i c p e o p l e w e r e

shocked be yond measure at the State doing anything

o f t h e s o r t . W h e n h e w a s b o r n , t o t a l l y i l l i t e r a t e p e o -

p l e w h o c o u l d n e i t h e r r e a d a b o o k n o r w r i t e m o r e t h a n

pe rhaps a clumsy signature, were to be found every-

where in England ; and great masses of the popula-

t i o n w e r e g e t t i n g n o i n s t r u c t i o n a t a l l . Only a few


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2 2 THE NEW MACHIAVELLIt h e y s h o u l d p r e s e n t c h i e f l y c r u d e a n d r i d i c u l o u s a s p e c t s .

T h e d i s t r u s t o f g o v e r n m e n t i n t h e V i c t o r i a n d a y s w a s

f a r t o o g r e a t , a n d t h e g e n e r a l i n t e l l i g e n c e f a r t o o l o w ,

t o p e r m i t t h e S t a t e t o g o a b o u t t h e n e w b u s i n e s s i t w a s

t a k i n g u p i n a b u s i n e s s l ik e w a y , t o t r a i n t e a c h e r s , b u i ld

a n d e q u i p s c h o o l s , e n d o w p e d a g o g i c r e s e a r c h , a n d p r o -

v i d e p r o p e r l y w r i t t e n s c h o o l - b o o k s . These things it

w a s f e l t must b e p r o v i d e d b y i n d i v i d u a l a n d l o c a l e f f o r t ,

a n d s i n c e i t w a s m a n i f e s t t h a t i t w a s i n d i v i d u a l a n d

l o c a l e f f o r t t h a t w e r e i n d e f a u l t , i t w a s r e l u c t a n t l y

agree d to stimulate them by money payme nts . The

S t a t e s e t u p a m a c h i n e r y o f e x a m i n a t i o n b o t h i n S c i -

ence and Art and for the e l e m e n t a r y s c h o o l s ; and

payments, known technically as grants, were made in

a c c o r d a n c e w i t h t h e e x a m i n a t i o n r e s u l t s a t t a i n e d , t o

s u c h s c h o o l s a s P r o v i d e n c e m i g h t s e e f i t t o s e n d i n t o


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BROMSTEAD AND MY FATHER 23o f a f e w y e a r s t h e r e c u r r e n c e a n d p e r m u t a t i o n o f q u e s -

t i o n s b e c a m e a l m o s t c a l c u l a b l e , a n d s i n c e t h e p r a c t i c a l

o b j e c t o f t h e t e a c h i n g w a s t o t e a c h p e o p l e n o t s c i e n c e ,

b u t h o w t o w r i t e a n s w e r s t o t h e s e q u e s t i o n s , t h e i n d u s t r y

o f G r a n t - e a r n i n g a s s u m e d a f o r m e a s i l y d i s t i n g u i s h e d

f r o m a n y k i n d o f g e n u i n e e d u c a t i o n w h a t e v e r .

Other remarkable compromises had also to be made

w i t h t h e s p i r i t o f t h e a g e . The unfortunate conflict

b e t w e e n R e l i g i o n a n d S c i e n c e p r e v a l e n t a t t h i s t i m e w a s

m i t i g a t e d , i f I r e m e m b e r r i g h t l y , b y m a k i n g g r a d u a t e s

i n a r t s a n d p r i e s t s i n t h e e s t a b l i s h e d c h u r c h S c i e n c e

T e a c h e r s e x o f f i c i o , a n d l e a v i n g l o c a l a n d p r i v a t e e n t e r -

p r i s e t o p r o v i d e s c h o o l s , d i a g r a m s , b o o k s , m a t e r i a l ,

a c c o r d i n g t o t h e c o n c e p t i o n s o f e f f i c i e n c y p r e v a l e n t i n

t h e d i s t r i c t . Private enterprise made a particularly

good thing of the books, A numb e r of comp eting


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2 4 THE NEW MACHIAVELLIh e r h i m , s i t t i n g o n t h e e d g e o f a t a b l e , s m o t h e r i n g a

y a w n o c c a s i o n a l l y a n d g i v i n g o u t t h e i n f a l l i b l e f o r m u l a e

t o t h e i n d u s t r i o u s l y s c r i b b l i n g c l a s s s i t t i n g i n r o w s o f

desks be fore him. O c c a s i o n a l l y h e w o u l d s l i d e t o h i s

feet and go to a blackboard on an easel and draw on

t h a t v e r y s l o w l y a n d d e l i b e r a t e l y i n c o l o u r e d c h a l k s a

d i a g r a m f o r t h e c l a s s t o c o p y i n c o l o u r e d p e n c i l s , a n d

sometimes he would display a spe cimen or arrange an

e x p e r i m e n t f o r t h e m t o s e e . T h e r o o m i n t h e I n s t i t u t e

i n w h i c h h e t a u g h t w a s e q u i p p e d w i t h a c e r t a i n a m o u n t

o f a p p a r a t u s p r e s c r i b e d a s n e c e s s a r y f o r s u b j e c t t h i s

and subject that by the Science and Art Dep artment,

and this my father would supp le me nt with maps and

diagrams and draw ings of his own .

B u t h e n e v e r r e a l l y d i d e x p e r i m e n t s , e x c e p t t h a t i n

t h e c l a s s i n s y s t e m a t i c b o t a n y h e s o m e t i m e s m a d e u s t e a s e


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OROMSTEAD AND MY FATHER 25c r i m s o n i n t h e f a c e a n d p a i n f u l u n d e r t h e e a r s , a n d i t

n e v e r b e c o m e s c l o u d y a t a l l . And I knew, too, that

i n s c i e n c e i f y o u p u t p o t a s s i u m c h l o r a t e i n t o a r e t o r t

a n d h e a t i t o v e r a B u n s e n b u r n e r , o x y g e n i s d i s e n g a g e d

a n d m a y b e c o l l e c t e d o v e r w a t e r , w h e r e a s i n r e a l l i f e

i f y o u d o a n y t h i n g o f t h e s o r t t h e v e s s e l c r a c k s w i t h a

l o u d r e p o r t , t h e p o t a s s i u m c h l o r a t e d e s c e n d s s i z z l i n g

u p o n t h e f l a m e , t h e e x p e r i m e n t e r s a y s " Oh ! Damn ! "w i t h a s t o n i s h i n g h e a r t i n e s s a n d d i s t i n c t n e s s , a n d a l a d y

s t u d e n t i n t h e b a c k s e a t s g e t s u p a n d l e a v e s t h e r o o m .

S c i e n c e i s t h e o r g a n i s e d . c o n q u e s t o f N a t u r e , a n d I

c a n q u i t e u n d e r s t a n d t h a t a n c i e n t l i b e r t i n e r e f u s i n g t o

coope rate in her own undoing . And I can q uite

understand, too, my father's preference for what he

c a l l e d a n i l l u s t r a t i v e e x p e r i m e n t , w h i c h w a s s i m p l y a n

a r r a n g e m e n t o f t h e a p p a r a t u s i n f r o n t o f t h e c l a s s w i t h


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2 6 THE NEW MACHIAVELLI" Y e s , s i r , b u t w h a t d o e s i t m e a n ?

"Oh 1 flocculent!" said my father, "floccul ent!

Why-" he e xte nded his hand and arm and t w i d d l e d

h i s f i n g e r s f o r a s e c o n d i n t h e a i r . "Like that," he

s a i d .

I t h o u g h t t h e e x p l a n a t i o n s u f f i c i e n t , b u t h e p a u s e d

f o r a m o m e n t a f t e r g i v i n g i t . " A s i n a f l o c k b e d , y o u

k n o w , " h e a d d e d a n d r e s u m e d h i s d i s c o u r s e .

8

My father, I am afraid, carried a natural incom-

p e t e n c e i n p r a c t i c a l a f f a i r s t o a n e x c e p t i o n a l l y h i g h

l e v e l . H e c o m b i n e d p r a c t i c a l i n c o m p e t e n c e , p r a c t i c a l

e n t e r p r i s e a n d a t h o r o u g h l y s a n g u i n e t e m p e r a m e n t , i n

a manner that I have ne ve r see n paralle le d in any

human b eing. He was always trying to do new things


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BROMSTEAD AND MY FATHER 27,i n t e n s i v e m e t h o d s , i s a t h i n g a s e x a c t i n g a s a , b a b y ,

its moods have to be watched ; i t d o e s n o t w a i t u p o n

t h e c u l t i v a t o r ' s c o n v e n i e n c e , b u t h a s t i m e s o f i t s o w n .

I n t e n s i v e c u l t u r e g r e a t l y i n c r e a s e s t h i s d i s p o s i t i o n t o

troubl e mank ind ; it mak e s a garde n touchy and

hysterical , a drugged and de moralised and ove r-

i r r i t a t e d g a r d e n . M y f a t h e r g o t a t c r o s s p u r p o s e s w i t h

o u r t w o p a t c h e s a t a n e a r l y s t a g e . Ev erything grew

w r o n g f r o m t h e f i r s t t o l a s t , a n d i f m y f a t h e r ' s m a n u r e s

i n t e n s i f i e d n o t h i n g e l s e , t h e y c e r t a i n l y i n t e n s i f i e d t h e

Primordial Curse . The peas we re eaten in the night

before they were three inches high, the beans bore

nothing but blight, the only app arent result of a

s p r a y i n g o f t h e p o t a t o e s w a s t o d e v e l o p a pe nchant i n

t h e c a t f o r b e i n g i l l i n d o o r s , t h e c u c u m b e r f r a m e s w e r e

damaged b y the catapulting of boys going down the


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2 8 THE NEW MACHIAVELLIS e w a g e U t i l i s a t i o n S o c i e t y ; b u t h a p p i l y b e s t o p p e d

i n

t i m e . He hardly comple ted any of the ope rations he

be gan ; something else be came more urgent or simply

h e t i r e d ; a c o n s i d e r a b l e a r e a o f t h e N u m b e r 2 t e r r i t o r y

was neve r eve n dug up .

I n t h e e n d t h e a f f a i r i r r i t a t e d h i m b e y o n d e n d u r a n c e .

Nev er w as a man less horticulturall y-minded . The

c l a m o u r o f t h e s e v e g e t a b l e s h e h a d l a u n c h e d i n t o t h e

world for his service and assistance , wore out his

p a t i e n c e . H e w o u l d w a l k i n t o t h e g a r d e n t h e h a p p i e s t

o f m e n a f t e r a d a y o r s o o f d i s r e g a r d , t a l k i n g t o m e

of history perhaps or social organisation, or sum-

marising some book he had read . He talked to me of

a n y t h i n g t h a t i n t e r e s t e d h i m , r e g a r d l e s s o f m y l i m i t a -

t i o n s . T h e n h e w o u l d b e g i n t o n o t e t h e g r o w t h o f t h e

weeds . " T h i s w o n ' t d o , " h e w o u l d s a y a n d p u l l u p a


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BROMSTEAD AND MY FATH ER? 2 9

" The towe l ! " he would cry, flicking suds from h i s

f i n g e r s i n e v e r y d i r e c t i o n ; "the towe l! I ' l l l e t t h e

b l i t h e r i n g c l a s s s l i d e i f y o u d o n ' t g i v e m e t h e t o w e l !

I ' l l g i v e u p e v e r y t h i n g , I t e l l y o u - e v e r y t h i n g ! " . . .

At last with the failure of the lettuces came the

b r e a k i n g p o i n t . I w a s i n t h e l i t t l e a r b o u r l e a r n i n g

L a t i n i r r e g u l a r v e r b s w h e n i t h a p p e n e d . I c a n s e e h i m

s t i l l , h i s p e c u l i a r t e n o r v o i c e s t i l l e c h o e s i n m y b r a i n ,

s h o u t i n g h i s o p i n i o n o f i n t e n s i v e c u l t u r e f o r a l l t h e

world to hear, and slashing away at that abominable

mocke ry of a crop with a hoe . We bad tied them up

w i t h b a s t o n l y a w e e k o r s o b e f o r e , a n d n o w h a l f w e r e

r o t t e n a n d h a l f h a d s h o t u p i n t o t a l l s l e n d e r g r o w t h s .

He had the hoe in both hands and slogged . Great

wip es he m ade, and at eac h stroke he said, "Take

t h a t ! "


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3 0 THE NEW MACHIAVELLIoaks, coming back by train from Dunton Gree n, and

the other is that my father as he went along talked

about himself, not so much to me as to himself, and

about life and what he had done with it . He mono-

l o g u e d s o t h a t a t t i m e s h e p r o d u c e d a n e f f e c t o f w e i r d

w o r l d - f o r g e t f u l n e s s . I ' l i s t e n e d p u z z l e d , a n d a t t h a t

time not understanding many things that afterwards

became p lain to me . I t i s o n l y i n r e c e n t y e a r s t h a t I

have discovered the pathos of that monologue ; how

friendl ess my father w as and uncompanioned in his

t h o u g h t s a n d f e e l i n g s , a n d w h a t a h u n g e r h e m a y h a v e

felt for the sympathy of the undeve loped youngster

w h o t r o t t e d b y h i s s i d e .

" I ' m no gardener," he said, " I'm no a n y t h i n g .

Why the de vil did I start gardening?

" I supp ose m an was created to mind a garden . . .


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BRO MST EAD AND MY FAT HER 8 1

t o m e , I o u g h t t o h a v e s o l d t h e m - o r f l e d t h e c o u n t r y .

I ought to have cl eared out. Sarcophagi-e aters of

m e n ! Oh ! t h e h o u r s a n d d a y s o f w o r k , t h e n i g h t s o fa n x i e t y t h o s e v i l e h o u s e s h a v e c o s t m e ! T h e p a i n t i n g !

It worke d up my arms ; i t g o t a l l o v e r m e . I stank of

i t . It made me ill . I t i s n ' t l i v i n g - i t ' s m i n d i n g . . . .

" P r o p e r t y ' s t h e c u r s e o f l i f e . P r o p e r t y ! Ugh!

L o o k a t t h i s c o u n t r y a l l c u t u p i n t o s i l l y l i t t l e p a r a l -

l e l o g r a m s , l o o k a t a l l t h o s e v i l l a s w e p a s s e d j u s t n o w

and those potato patches and that tarred shanty and

the hedge! S o m e b o d y ' s m i n d i n g e v e r y b i t o f i t l i k e

a d o g t i e d t o a c a r t ' s t a i l . P a t c h i n g i t a n d b o t h e r i n g

a b o u t i t . B o t h e r i n g ! Yapp ing at eve ry passer-b y .

L o o k a t t h a t n o t i c e - b o a r d ! O n e r o t t e n w o r r i e d l i t t l e

b e a s t w a n t s t o k e e p u s o t h e r r o t t e n l i t t l e b e a s t s o f f h i s


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3 2 THE NEW, MACHIAVELLI

e d u c a t i o n . Fight your way to the top . I t ' s y o u r o n l y

c h a n c e . I ' v e w a t c h e d y o u . Y o u ' l l d o n o g o o d a t d i g -

ding and prope rty minding . T h e r e i s n ' t a n e i g h b o u r

in Bromstead won't be abl e to skin you at suchlike

games . Y o u a n d I a r e t h e b r a i n y u n s t a b l e k i n d , t o p -

s i d e o r n o t h i n g . A n d i f e v e r t h o s e b l i t h e r i n g h o u s e s

come to you-don't have 'e m. Give them aw ay ! Dyna-

mite ' em -and off ! L i v e , Dick ! I ' l l g e t r i d o f t h e m

f o r y o u i f I c a n , D i c k , b u t r e m e m b e r w h a t I s a y . " . . .

So it was my father discoursed, if not in those

particular words, yet exactly in that manner, as he

s l o u c h e d a l o n g t h e s o u t h w a r d r o a d , w i t h r e s e n t f u l e y e s

b e c o m i n g l e s s r e s e n t f u l a s h e t a l k e d , a n d f l i n g i n g o u t

c l u m s y i l l u s t r a t i v e m o t i o n s a t t h e o u t s k i r t s o f B r o m -

stead as we passed along them . That afternoon he

h a t e d B r o m s t e a d , f r o m i t s f o o t - t i r i n g p e b b l e s u p . He


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BR OMSTE AD AN D MY FAT HE R 3 3

v a r i o u s l y S c i e n c e a n d C i v i l i s a t i o n , a n d w h i c h , t h o u g h I

do not reme mber that he ever used that word, I sup-

pose many peop le nowadays would identify with So-

c i a l i s m , - a s t h e F a b i a n s e x p o u n d i t .

He was not very definite about this Science, you

must understand, but he seemed alw ays to be wav ing

his hand tow ards it, j u s t a s h i s c o n t e m p o r a r y T e n n y -

son seems alw ays to be doing-he be longed to his age

and mostly his talk was destructive of the limited

be liefs of his time, he led me to infer rather than

a c t u a l l y t o l d m e t h a t t h i s S c i e n c e w a s c o m i n g , a s p i r i t

o f l i g h t a n d o r d e r , t o t h e r e s c u e o f a w o r l d g r o a n i n g

a n d t r a v a i l i n g i n m u d d l e f o r t h e w a n t o f i t . . . .

5

When I think of Bromstead now adays I find it


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8 4 TH E NEW , MACHIAVEL LI

a b a r b e r , a l i n e n - d r a p e r ' ( w h o b r e w e d h i s o w n b e e r ) , a

v e t e r i n a r y s u r g e o n , a h a r d w a r e s h o p , a n d t w o c a p a c i o u s

i n n s . Round and about it we re a number of pleasant

gentlemen's seats, whose owners went freq uently to

L o n d o n t o w n i n t h e i r c o a c h e s a l o n g t h e v e r y t o l e r a b l e

h i g h - r o a d . The church was big enough to hold the

w h o l e p o p u l a t i o n , w e r e p e o p l e m i n d e d t o g o t o c h u r c h ,

and indee d a large proportion did go, and all w ho

married we re married in it, and eve rybody, to begin

' w i t h , w a s c h r i s t e n e d a t i t s f o n t a n d b u r i e d a t l a s t i n

i t s y e w - s h a d e d g r a v e y a r d . Eve rybody knew e ve rybody

i n t h e p l a c e . I t w a s , i n f a c t , a d e f i n i t e p l a c e a n d

a real human community in those days. There w as a

pl easant old market-house in the middle of the town

with a we ek ly marke t, and an annual fair at which

much cheerful me rry making and home ly intoxication


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BROMSTEA D AND MY FAT HER 8 5

t i c u l a r l y m o r e p e o p l e o f t h e m i d d l i n g s o r t ; t h e g l a s s

i n the windows of many of the houses, the stylish

chimne ys springing up ev erywhe re would have im-

p r e s s e d h i m , a n d s u c h l i k e d e t a i l s . The p lace would

h a v e h a d t h e s a m e b o u n d a r i e s , t h e s a m e b r o a d e s s e n t i a l

f e a t u r e s , w o u l d h a v e b e e n s t i l l i t s e l f i n t h e w a y t h a t

a m a n i s s t i l l h i m s e l f a f t e r h e h a s " f i l l e d o u t " a l i t t l e

a n d g r o w n a l o n g e r b e a r d a n d c h a n g e d h i s c l o t h e s .

But after 1750 something got hold of the world,

s o m e t h i n g t h a t w a s d e s t i n e d t o a l t e r t h e s c a l e o f e v e r y

h u m a n a f f a i r .

That some thing was machinery a n d a v a g uee n e r g e t i c d i s p o s i t i o n t o i m p r o v e m a t e r i a l t h i n g s . In

a n o t h e r p a r t o f E n g l a n d i n g e n i o u s p e o p l e w e r e b e g i n -

n i n g t o u s e c o a l i n s m e l t i n g i r o n , a n d w e r e p r o d u c i n g

metal in abundance and metal castings in sizes that


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8 6 THE NEW MACHIAVELLIa p p l i a n c e s r e p l a c e d w o o d e n , b r e e d i n g o f s t o c k b e c a m e

systematic, p aper-making and printing increased and

cheapened . Roofs of slate and tile app eared amidst

and presently prev ailed over the original Bromstead

thatch, the huge spac e of Common to the south was

e x t e n s i v e l y e n c l o s e d , a n d w h a t h a d b e e n a n i l l - d e f i n e d

horse- track to Dover, only passable by adventurous

coaches in dry weather, bec ame the Dover Road, and

w a s p r e s e n t l y t h e r o u t e f i r s t o f o n e a n d t h e n o f s e v e r a l

d a i l y c o a c h e s . The High Street was discovered to be

t o o t o r t u o u s f o r t h e s e a w a k e n i n g e n e r g i e s , a n d a n e w

r o a d c u t o f f i t s w o r s t c o n t o r t i o n s . R e s i d e n t i a l v i l l a s

app eared occupied by retired tradesmen and widows,

who estee med the pl ace healthy, and by others of a

s t r a n g e n e w u n o c c u p i e d c l a s s o f p e o p l e w h o h a d m o n e y

i n v e s t e d i n j o i n t - s t o c k e n t e r p r i s e s . F i r s t o n e a n d t h e n


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BROMSTEAD AND MY FATHER 87,convenient for the London Road . They mark ne arly

t h e b e g i n n i n g o f t h e r e a l s u b u r b a n q u a l i t y ; t h e y w e r e

l e t a t f i r s t t o C i t y p e o p l e s t i l l e n g a g e d i n b u s i n e s s .

And then hard on the gasworks had come the rail-

way and cheap c oal ; there w as a wild outbreak pf

brickfields upon the claylands to the e ast, and the

Great Growth had be gun in earnest . T h e a g r i c u l t u r a l

p l a c i d i t i e s t h a t h a d f o r m e r l y c o m e t o t h e v e r y b o r d e r s

of the High Street were broke n up north, west and

south, by new roads . This enterprising person and

then that be gan to "run up" houses, irrespective of

ev ery other e nterprising pe rson who was doing the

same thing . A Local Board came into existence, and

with much hesitation and p enny- wise e conomy in-

augurated drainage works . Rates bec ame a c ommon

topic, a fact of accumulating importance . S e v e r a l


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88 THE NEW MACHIAVELLIl o c a l i t y o r c o m m u n i t y h a d g o n e f r o m t h e s e p l a c e s l o n g

b e f o r e I w a s b o r n ; h a r d l y a n y o n e k n e w a n y o n e ; t h e r e

w a s n o g e n e r a l m e e t i n g p l a c e a n y m o r e , t h e o l d f a i r s

were just comm on nuisance s haunted by gypsies, van

s h o w m e n , C h e a p J a c k s a n d L o n d o n r o u g h s , t h e c h u r c h e s

w e r e i n c a p a b l e o f a q u a r t e r o f t h e p o p u l a t i o n . One or

t w o l o c a l p a p e r s o f s h a m e l e s s v e n i a l i t y r e p o r t e d t h e

proceedings of the local Bench and the local Board,

compel le d tradesmen w ho we re interested in these

a f f a i r s t o a d v e r t i s e , u s e d t h e e p i t h e t " Bromstedian a s

o n e e x p r e s s i n g p e c u l i a r v i r t u e s , a n d s o m a i n t a i n e d i n

t h e g e n e r a l m i n d a w e a k t r a d i t i o n o f s o m e l o c a l q u a l i t y

t h a t e m b r a c e d u s a l l . T h e n t h e p a r i s h g r a v e y a r d f i l l e d

up and be came a scandal, and an ambitious area w ith

an air of appetite was walle d in by a Bromstead

Cem etery Company, and pl anted w ith suitabl y high-


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BROMSTEA D AND MY FAT HER 8 9

such t h i n g s , a c q u i r e d ap e c u l i a r t a t t e r e d d i n g i n e s s

rather in the quality of needy widow women who have

s e e n h a p p i e r d a y s .

The Rav ensbrook of my earlier me mories was a

b e a u t i f u l s t r e a m . It cam e into my w orld out of a

m y s t e r i o u s B e y o n d , o u t o f a g a r d e n , s p l a s h i n g b r i g h t l y

down a weir which had once bee n the w eir of a mill .

( A b o v e t h e w e i r a n d i n a c c e s s i b l e t h e r e w e r e b u l r u s h e s

growing in splendid clumps, and beyond that, pampas

grass, yel low and crimson spikes of hollyhock, and

blue suggestions of wonderland . ) From the pool at

t h e f o o t o f t h i s i n i t i a l c a s c a d e i t f l o w e d i n a l e i s u r e l y

fashion be side a footpath,-there w ere two pre tty

thatched cottages on the le ft, and here we re ducks,

and there w ere w ill ows on the right,-and so cam e

to where great trees grew on high banks on either


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4 0 THE NEW MACHIAVELLIt r a v e r s e d t h e calm s u r f a c e o f t h e s e s t i l l d e e p s ; i n

o n e p o o l w e r e y e l l o w l i l i e s a n d w a t e r - s o l d i e r s , a n d i n

t h e s h o a l y p l a c e s h o v e r i n g f l e e t s o f s m a l l f r y b a s k e d

i n t h e s u n s h i n e - t o v a n i s h i n a f l a s h a t o n e ' s s h a d o w .

I n o n e p l a c e , t o o , w e r e R a p i d s , w h e r e t h e s t r e a m w o k e

with a start from a dreamle ss brooding into foaming

p a n i c a n d b a b b l e d a n d h a s t e n e d . Well do I rememb er

t h a t ha l f - m i l e of r i v u l e t ; a l l o t h e r r i v e r s a n d c a s c a d e s

h a v e t h e i r r e f e r e n c e t o i t f o r m e . And after I w as

e l e v e n , a n d b e f o r e w e l e f t B r o m s t e a d , a l l t h e d e l i g h t

a n d b e a u t y o f i t w a s d e s t r o y e d .

The v olume of its water decreased abruptly-I

s u p p o s e t h e n e w d r a i n a g e w o r k s t h a t l i n k e d u s u p w i t h

Beckington, and made me first acquainted with the

g e o l o g i c a l q u a l i t y o f t h e L o n d o n c l a y , had to do with

t h a t - u n t i l o n l y a w e a k u n c l e a n s i n g t r i c k l e r e m a i n e d .


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BROMST EAD AND MY FATH ER 4 1

always be en my first choice in all my walks with my

mother, and its rapid swamp ing by the ne w urban

growth made it indicative of all the o t h e r t h i n g s

t h a t h a d h a p p e n e d j u s t b e f o r e m y t i m e , o r w e r e s t i l l ,

at a less dramatic pace, happening . I r e a l i s e d t h a t

building was the ene my . I began to understand why

in every direction out of Bromstead one wal ke d past

s c a f f o l d - p o l e s i n t o l i t t e r , w h y f r a g m e n t s of broke n

brick and cinder mingled in every path, and the

s i g n i f i c a n c e of the u n i v e r s a l n o t i c e - b o a r d s , e i t h e r

white and new or a year old and torn and battered,

p r o m i s i n g s i t e s , p r o f f e r i n g h o u s e s t o b e s o l d o r l e t ,

abusing and i n t i m i d a t i n g p a s s e r s - b y f o r f a n c i e d

t r e s p a s s , a n d p r o t e c t i n g r i g h t s o f w a y .

I t i s d i f f i c u l t t o d i s e n t a n g l e n o w w h a t I u n d e r s t o o d

a t t h i s t i m e a n d w h a t I h a v e s i n c e c o m e t o u n d e r s t a n d ,


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4 2 THE NEW MACHIAVELLII suppose o n e might have pe rsuaded oneself that

a l l t h i s w a s b u t t h e r e p l a c e m e n t o f a n a n c i e n t t r a n -

quillity, or at le ast an ancient balance, by a new

o r d e r . Only to my eyes, quick ene d by my father's

intimations, it was manifestly no order at all . I t

was a multitude of incoordinated fresh starts, each

more swe ep ing and destructive than the l ast, and

none of them e ve r reall y worked out to a ripe and

s a t i s f a c t o r y c o m p l e t i o n . Each le ft a legacy of prod-

u c t s , h o u s e s , h u m a n i t y , o r w h a t n o t , i n i t s w a k e . I t

w a s a s o r t o f p r o g r e s s t h a t h a d b o l t e d ; i t w a s c h a n g e

out of hand, and going at an unpre ce dente d p ace

n o w h e r e i n p a r t i c u l a r .

No, the Victorian e p och w as not the daw n of a

new e ra ; i t w a s a h a s t y , t r i a l e x p e r i m e n t , a g i g a n t i c

ex pe riment of the most slovenl y and wasteful kind .


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BROMSTEAD AND MY FATHER '4 8p o w e r , by p o s s e s s i o n s and great new free doms, and

unable to make any civilised use of them w hatev er ;

stricke n now by this idea and now by that, temp ted

first by one possession and then another to ill -

c o n s i d e r e d a t t e m p t s ; i t w a s m y f a t h e r ' s e x p l o i t a t i o n

o f h i s v i l l a g a r d e n s o n t h e w h o l e s a l e l e v e l . The whole

of Bromstead as I remember it, and as I saw it last-

i t i s a y e a r a g o n o w - i s a d u l l u s e l e s s b o i l i n g - u p o f

h u m a n a c t i v i t i e s , a n i m m e n s e c l u s t e r i n g o f f u t i l i t i e s .

I t i s a s u n f i n i s h e d a s e v e r ; t h e b u i l d e r s ' r o a d s s t i l l

run out and end in mid-fiel d in their old fashion ;

the various enterprises jumble in the same hope le ss

contradiction, if anything i n t e n s i f i e d . P r e t e n t i o u s

v i l l a s j o s t l e s l u m s , a n d p u b l i c - h o u s e a n d t i n t a b e r n a c l e

g l o w e r a t o n e a n o t h e r a c r o s s t h e c a t - h a u n t e d l o t t h a t

i n t e r v e n e s . Rope r's meadows are now quite frankly


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4 4 THE NEW MACHIAVELLIv i n e . He had ne ve r had a ladde r long enough to

reach the sill of the third-floor windows-at house-

painting times he had borrowe d one from the pl umber

who mix ed his paint-and he had in his own happy-

go-lucky way contrived a combination of the garden

f r u i t l a d d e r w i t h a b a t t e r e d k i t c h e n t a b l e t h a t s e r v e d

all sorts of odd purposes in an outhouse . H e h a d

stayed up this arrangem ent by me ans of the garden

r o l l e r , a n d t h e r o l l e r h a d a t t h e c r i t i c a l m o m e n t - r o l l e d .

He was lying close by the garden door with his head

q u e e r l y b e n t b a c k a g a i n s t a b r o k e n a n d t w i s t e d r a i n -

w a t e r p i p e , a n e x p r e s s i o n o f p a c i f i c c o n t e n t m e n t o n h i s

f a c e , a b a m b o o c u r t a i n r o d w i t h a t a b l e k n i f e t i e d t o

e n d o f i t , s t i l l g r i p p e d i n h i s h a n d . We had bee n

r a p p i n g f o r s o m e t i m e a t t h e f r o n t d o o r u n a b l e t o m a k e

him hear, and then we came round by the door in the


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BROMSTEAD AND MY FATHER 45

had come down like a curtain and blotted out all my

c h i l d i s h w o r l d . My father was lying dead before my

eyes . . . . I pe rceive d that my mother was hel pl ess

a n d t h a t t h i n g s , m u s t b e d o n e .

" Mother ! " I s a i d , we must get Doctor Beasele y,-

and carry him indoors . "


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CHAPTER THE THIRDSCHOLASTIC

1My f o r m a l e d u c a t i o n be gan in a s m a l l p r e p a r a t o r ys c h o o l i n B r o m s t e a d . I w e n t t h e r e a s a d a y b o y . The

charge for my instruction was mainly set off by the

p e r i o d i c v i s i t s o f m y f a t h e r w i t h a l a r g e b a g o f b a t t e r e d

f o s s i l s t o l e c t u r e t o u s u p o n g e o l o g y . I w as one of

t h o s e f o r t u n a t e y o u n g s t e r s w h o t a k e r e a d i l y t o s c h o o l

w o r k , I h a d a g o o d m e m o r y , v e r s a t i l e i n t e r e s t s a n d a

considerabl e ap pe tite for commendation, and when I

was barely twe lve I got a scholarship at the City


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SCHOLAST IC

I t w a s a d i s t r i c t o f v e r y m u c h t h e s a m e c h a r a c t e r ,

but it was more comp le tely urbanised and nearer to

t h e c e n t r e of t h i n g s ; t h e r e w e r e t h e s a m e u n f i n i s h e d

roads, the same occasional disconcerted hedges and

tree s, the same butcher's horse grazing under a

b u i l d e r ' s n o t i c e - b o a r d , t h e s a m e i n c i d e n t a l l a p s e s i n t o

slum . T h e C r y s t a l P a l a c e g r o u n d s c u t o f f a l a r g e p a r t

o f m y w a l k i n g r a d i u s t o t h e w e s t w i t h i m p a s s a b l e f e n c e s

a n d f o r b i d d i n g l y e x p e n s i v e t u r n s t i l e s , b u t i t a d d e d t o

t h e o r d i n a r y s p e c t a c l e o f m e t e o r o l o g y a g r e a t v a r i e t y

o f g r a t u i t o u s f i r e w o r k s w h i c h b a n g e d a n d f l a r e d a w a y

o f a n i g h t a f t e r s u p p e r a n d d r e w m e a b r o a d t o s e e t h e m

b e t t e r . Such walks as I took, to Croydon, Wemble don,

West Wickham and Gree nwich, impressed upon me the

i n t e r m i n a b l e e x t e n t o f L o n d o n ' s r e s i d e n t i a l s u b u r b s ;

m i l e a f t e r m i l e o n e w e n t , b e t w e e n h o u s e s , v i l l a s , r o w s


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48 THE NEW MACHIAVELLIu n t i l w i t h i n a n h o u r o f my bedtime . I spe nt my half

h o l i d a y s a t s c h o o l i n o r d e r t o p l a y c r i c k e t a n d f o o t b a l l .

T h i s , a n d a p r e t t y v o r a c i o u s a p p e t i t e f o r m i s c e l l a n e o u s

reading which w as fostered by the Penge Middleton

L i b r a r y , d i d n o t l e a v e m e m u c h l e i s u r e f o r l o c a l t o p o g -

raphy . On Sundays also I sang in the choir at St .

iMartin's Church, and my mother did not like m e to

w a l k o u t a l o n e o n t h e S a b b a t h a f t e r n o o n , s h e h e r s e l f

s l u m b e r e d , s o t h a t I w r o t e o r r e a d a t , h o m e . I must

c o n f e s s I w a s a t h o m e a s l i t t l e a s I c o u l d c o n t r i v e .

Home, after my father's death, had be come a ve ry

quiet and uneventful place indeed .My mother had

e i t h e r a n u n i m a g i n a t i v e t e m p e r a m e n t o r her mind was

g r e a t l y o c c u p i e d w i t h p r i v a t e r e l i g i o u s s o l i c i t u d e s , a n d

I remem be r her talking to me but little, and that

usuall y upon topics I was anxious to evade . I had


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SCHOLASTIC 4 9

d o I s u s p e c t h i m o f m e r c e n a r i n e s s i n t h e i r u n i o n ; b u t

n o d o u b t h e p l a y e d u p t o h e r r e q u i r e m e n t s i n t h e h a l f

i n g e n u o u s w a y t h a t w a s a n d s t i l l i s t h e q u a l i t y o f m o s t

wooing, and presented himself as a ve ry brisk and

orthodox young man . I wonder why nearly all love-

m a k i n g h a s t o b e f r a u d u l e n t . Afterwards he must have

d i s a p p o i n t e d h e r c r u e l l y b y l e t t i n g o n e a s p e c t a f t e r

a n o t h e r o f h i s c a r e l e s s , s c e p t i c a l , e x p e r i m e n t a l t e m p e r a -

ment appe ar . Her mind was fixed and de finite, she

embodied all that confidence in church and de corum

a n d t h e a s s u r a n c e s o f t h e p u l p i t w h i c h w a s c h a r a c t e r i s t i c

o f t h e l a r g e m a s s o f t h e E n g l i s h p e o p l e - f o r a f t e r a l l ,

t h e r a t h e r l o w - C h u r c h s e c t i o n w a s t h e l a r g e s t s i n g l e

mass in early Victorian times . She had dream s, I

s u s p e c t , o f g o i n g t o c h u r c h w i t h h i m s i d e b y s i d e ; s h e

i n a l i t t l e p o k e b o n n e t a n d a l a r g e f l o u n c e d c r i n o l i n e , a l l


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5 0 THE NEW MACHIAVELLIl i k e s u m m e r t h u n d e r , m u s t h a v e b e e n s t a r k l y d r e a d f u l

to her . S h e w a s c o n s t i t u t i o n a l l y inadaptable, and

ce rtainly made no attempt to understand or tolerate

t h e s e o u t b r e a k s . S h e t r i e d t h e m b y h e r s t a n d a r d s , a n d

b y h e r s t a n d a r d s t h e y w e r e w r o n g . Her standards hid

him from her . T h e b l a z i n g t h i n g s h e s a i d r a n k l e d i n

h e r m i n d u n f o r g e t t a b l y .

As I rem em be r them together they chafed c o n -

s t a n t l y . H e r a t t i t u d e t o n e a r l y a l l h i s m o o d s a n d a l l

h i s e n t e r p r i s e s w a s a s c e p t i c a l d i s a p p r o v a l . S h e t r e a t e d

h i m a s s o m e t h i n g t h a t b e l o n g e d t o m e a n d n o t t o h e r .

" Your f a t h e r , " s h e u s e d t o c a l l h i m , a s t h o u g h I h a d

g o t h i m f o r h e r .

She had married late and she had, I think, become

m e n t a l l y s e l f - s u b s i s t i n g b e f o r e h e r m a r r i a g e . Eve n in

t h o s e H e r n e H i l l d a y s I u s e d t o w o n d e r w h a t w a s g o i n g


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SCHOLAST IC . 5 1

Royal Famil y . Most of the books at home we re m y

f a t h e r ' s , _ a n d I d o n o t t h i n k s h e o p e n e d a n y o f t h e m .

She had one or two volumes that dated from her own

y o u t h , a n d s h e t r i e d i n v a i n t o i n t e r e s t m e i n t h e m ;

t h e r e w a s M i s s S t r i c k l a n d ' s Q u e e n s o f E n g l a n d , a b o o k

I r e m e m b e r w i t h p a r t i c u l a r a n i m o s i t y , a n d Q ue e chy and

t h e Wide Wide World . S h e m a d e t h e s e b o o k s o f h e r s

i n t o a c l a s s a p a r t b y s e w i n g o u t e r c o v e r s u p o n t h e m o f

c a l i c o a n d f i g u r e d m u s l i n . T o m e i n t h e s e h a b i l i m e n t s

they see me d not so much books as confede rated ol d

l a d i e s .My mother w as also very punctual w ith herr e l i g i o u s d u t i e s , a n d r e j o i c e d t o w a t c h m e i n t h e c h o i r .

O n w i n t e r e v e n i n g s s h e o c c u p i e d a n a r m c h a i r o n t h e

o t h e r s i d e o f t h e t a b l e a t w h i c h I s a t , h e a d o n h a n d

r e a d i n g , a n d s h e w o u l d b e d a r n i n g s t o c k i n g s o r s o c k s


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52 THE NEW MACHIAVELLIvisitors," Miss G . and much n o i s y s h r i e k i n g t a l ka b o u t g a m e s a n d s u c h f r i v o l i t i e s a n d croquay . A. d e -l i g h t e d a n d v e r y a t t e n t i v e . " S u c h l i t t l e h u m a n e n t r i e s

abound . She had an odd w ay of nev er w riting a

n a m e , o n l y a n i n i t i a l ; m y f a t h e r i s a l w a y s "A. , " andI am alw ays "D. " I t i s m a n i f e s t s h e f o l l o w e d t h ed o m e s t i c e v e n t s i n t h e l i f e o f t h e P r i n c e s s o f W a l e s ,

w ho is now Queen Mother, with peculiar interest and

symp athy . "Pray G . a l l m a y b e w e l l , " s h e w r i t e s i n

o n e s u c h c r i s i s .

B u t t h e r e a r e t h i n g s a b o u t m y s e l f t h a t I s t i l l f i n d

t o o p o i g n a n t t o t e l l e a s i l y , c e r t a i n p a i n f u l a n d c l u m s y

circumstances of my birth in very great detail, the

d i s t r e s s e s o f m y i n f a n t i l e a i l m e n t s . T h e n l a t e r I f i n d

s u c h t h i n g s a s t h i s : " H e ard D .s-" The " s " i sevidently "swe ar' =" G. bless and keep my boy from


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SCHOLASTIC 5 3

f o l l o w s , w r i t t e n v e r y c a r e f u l l y . I do not know whose

lines they are nor how she c ame upon them . They

run : - -

" A n d i f t h e r e b e n o m e e t i n g p a s t t h e g r a v e ;

I f a l l i s d a r k n e s s , s i l e n c e , y e t ' t i s r e s t .

B e n o t a f r a i d y e w a i t i n g h e a r t s t h a t w e e p ,

F o r G o d s t i l l g i v e t h H i s b e l o v e d s l e e p ,

A n d i f a n e n d l e s s s l e e p H e w i l l s , s o b e s t . "

That scrap of verse amaze d me when I read it .

I could ev en w onder if my mother real ly grasped

the import of what she had copied out . I t a f f e c t e d

me as if a stone- deaf pe rson had sudde nly t u r n e d

and joined in a w hispered conversation . It set me

thinking how far a mind in its general effect quite


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5 4 . THE NEW MACHIAVELLIa sa l o v i n g '-and f e e l i n g - and d e s i r i n g and muddle-

headed person . There are times w hen I w ould have

h e r a l i v e a g a i n , i f o n l y t h a t I m i g h t b e k i n d t o h e r

for a little while and give her some return for the

n a r r o w i n t e n s e a f f e c t i o n , t h e t e n d e r d e s i r e s , s h e e v i -

d e n t l y l a v i s h e d s o abundantly on me . 1 B u t t h e n a g a i n

I ask how I could make that return? And I realise

t h e f u t i l i t y o f s u c h d r e a m i n g . Her demand w as rigid,

a n d t o m e e t i t I s h o u l d n e e d t o a c t a n d l i e .

So she whose bl ood fed me , whose b ody made m e,

l i e s i n m y m e m o r y a s I s a w h e r l a s t , f i x e d , s t i l l , i n f i -

n i t e l y i n t i m a t e , i n f i n i t e l y r e m o t e . . . .

My own case w ith my mother, however, does not

awak en the same regret I fee l w hen I think of how

she misjudged and irke d my father, and turned his

weaknesses into thorns for her own torme nting . I


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SCHOLAST IC 5 5

shadow o f i n t o l e r a n c e c a s t b y r e l i g i o u s o r g a n i s a t i o n s .

A l l m y l i f e h a s b e e n d a r k e n e d b y i r r a t i o n a l i n t o l e r a n c e ,

by arbitrary irrational prohibitions and exclusions .

Mahometanism w ith its fierce proselytism, has, I

s u p p o s e , t h e b l a c k e s t r e c o r d o f u n c h a r i t a b l e n e s s , b u t

m o s t o f t h e C h r i s t i a n s e c t s a r e t a i n t e d , t a i n t e d t o a

degree be yond any of the anterior paganisms, with

this same hateful quality . It is their ex cl usive

cl aim that sends the m w rong, the v ain amb ition

that inspires them all to teach a uniform one-sided

God and be the one and only gatew ay to salvation .

Deprec ation of all outside the household of faith,

a n o r g a n i s e d u n d e r v a l u a t i o n o f h e r e t i c a l g o o d n e s s a n d

l o v a b l e n e s s , f o l l o w s , n e c e s s a r i l y . E v e r y p e t t y d i f f e r e n c e

i s e x a g g e r a t e d t o t h e q u a l i t y ' o f a s a v i n g g r a c e o r a

damning defect . E l a b o r a t e p r e c a u t i o n s a r e t a k e n t o


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56 THE NEW MACHIAVELLIa d m i r a b l y a d j u s t e d t o k e e p a s p i r i t i n p r i s o n . Their

f o r c e o f s u s t a i n e d s u g g e s t i o n w a s t r e m e n d o u s . There

w o u l d b e d r e a d f u l i n t i m a t i o n s o f t h e s w i f t r e t r i b u t i o n

t h a t f e l l u p o n i n d i v i d u a l s f o r S a b b a t h - b r e a k i n g , a n d

upon nations for we ake ning towards Ritualism, or

treating Roman Catholics as tolerable human beings ;

t h e r e w o u l d b e g r e a t r e j o i c i n g s o v e r t h e c o n v e r s i o n o f

a l l e g e d J e w s , a n d t e r r i b l e d e s c r i p t i o n s o f t h e d e a t h -

b e d s o f p r o m i n e n t i n f i d e l s w i t h b o l d l y i n v e n t e d l a s twords,t h e m o s t u n s c r u p u l o u s l y i n g ; there would bethe app allingly edifying careers of " e a r l y p i e t y "

l u s c i o u s l y d e s c r i b e d , o r s t o r i e s o f c o n d e m n e d c r i m i n a l s

w h o t r a c e d t h e i r f i n a l r u i n u n e r r i n g l y t o e a r l y l a x i t i e s

o f t h e k i n d t h a t l e a d s p e o p l e t o g i v e u p s u b s c r i b i n g t o

t h e H o m e C h u r c h m a n .

E v e r y m o n t h t h a t e v i l s p i r i t b r o u g h t a b o u t a slump


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SCHOLASTIC 5 7

jaw was underhung, he chumme d and made the mous-

t a c h e w a v e l i k e r e e d s i n t h e s w e l l o f a s t e a m e r . I t

g a v e h i m a c o n s c i e n t i o u s l o o k . A f t e r d i n n e r h e a l i t t l e

forced himsel f upon me . At that time, though the

shadow of my scandal was already upon me, I still

s e e m e d t o b e s h a p i n g f o r g r e a t s u c c e s s e s , a n d h e w a s

glad to be in conve rsation with me and anxious to

intimate political sympathy and support. I tried to

m a k e h i m t a l k o f t h e H o m e C h u r c h m a n a n d t h e k i n d r d

p u b l i c a t i o n s h e r a n , b u t h e w a s m a n i f e s t l y a s h a m e d o f

h i s j o b s o f a r a s I w a s c o n c e r n e d .

" O n e w a n t s , " h e s a i d , p i t c h i n g h i m s e l f a s h e s u p -

p o s e d i n m y k e y , " t o p u t c o n s t r u c t i v e i d e a s i n t o o u r

readers, but they are narrow, you know, very narrow .

Ve ry . " He made his moustache and l i p s e x p r e s s

j u d i c i o u s r e g r e t . " O n e h a s t o c o n s i d e r t h e m c a r e f u l l y ,


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5 8 THE NEW, MACHIAVELLIw o m e n c h a r a c t e r s , n o t b e i n g i n h o l y w e d l o c k , d e s i r e a

b a b y a n d s a y s o . . . .

The broade ning of human thought is a slow and

c o m p l e x p r o c e s s . We do go on, we do get on . But

w h e n o n e t h i n k s t h a t p e o p l e a r e l i v i n g a n d d y i n g n o w ,

q u a r r e l l i n g a n d s u l k i n g , m i s l e d a n d m i s u n d e r s t a n d i n g ,

v a g u e l y f e a r f u l , c o n d e m n i n g a n d t h w a r t i n g o n e a n o t h e r

i n t h e c l o s e d a r k n e s s e s o f t h e s e n a r r o w c u l t s - O h , G o d !

one wants a gale out of Heav en, one wants a great

w i n d f r o m t h e s e a !

S

While I lived at Penge two little things happ ene d

t o m e , t r i v i a l i n t h e m s e l v e s a n d y e t i n t h e i r q u a l i t y

p r o f o u n d l y s i g n i f i c a n t . They had this in common, that

t h e y p i e r c e d t h e t e x t u r e o f t h e l i f e I w a s q u i e t l y t a k i n g


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SCHOLAST IC 5 9

i n k n i v e s . I h a d h a d i t f o r t w o o r t h r e e d a y s , a n d t h e n

o n e a f t e r n o o n I d r o p p e d i t t h r o u g h a h o l e i n m y p o c k e t

on a footpath crossing a field be twe en Penge and

Anerley . I h e a r d i t f a l l i n t h e w a y o n e d o e s w i t h o u t

at the time app reciating what had happ ene d, then

l a t e r , b e f o r e I g o t h o m e , w h e n m y h a n d w a n d e r e d i n t o

m y p o c k e t t o e m b r a c e t h e s t i l l d e a r n e w ' p o s s e s s i o n I

f o u n d i t g o n e , a n d i n s t a n t l y t h a t m e m o r y o f s o m e t h i n g

hitting the ground sprang up into consciousness . I

we nt back and commenc ed a search . Almost imme di-

a t e l y I w a s a c c o s t e d b y t h e l e a d e r o f a l i t t l e g a n g o f

f o u r o r f i v e e x t r e m e l y d i r t y a n d r a g g e d b o y s o f a s s o r t e d

s i z e s a n d s l o u c h i n g c a r r i a g e w h o w e r e c o m i n g f r o m t h e

A n e r l e y d i r e c t i o n .

"Lost anythink, Matey?" said he .


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6 0 THE NEW MACHIAVELLI" N o n s e n s e , " I s a i d . " Give me my knife . "

"'Ow many bl ades it got?"

" Three . "

"And what sort of 'andl e?

" Bone . "

" G o t a c o r k s c r e w l i k e ? "

" Yes . "

"Ah! This ain't your knife no'ow . See?"

H e m a d e n o o f f e r t o s h o w i t t o m e . My breath we nt .

"-Look here!" I said . " I s a w t h a t k i d p i c k i t u p .

I t i s m y k n i f e . "

" R o t ! " s a i d t h e b i g b o y , a n d s l o w l y , d e l i b e r a t e l y

p u t m y k n i f e i n t o h i s t r o u s e r p o c k e t .

I braced my soul for battle . A l l c i v i l is a t i o n was

be hind me, but I doubt if it ke pt the colour in my


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SCHOL A S T IC 1 1

b e e n d o w n i n t h e d u s t w i t h a v e r y w i r y a n d a c t i v e a n d

d i r t y l i t t l e a n t a g o n i s t o f d i s a g r e e a b l e o d o u r a n d i n -

c r e d i b l e a n d i n c a l c u l a b l e u n s c r u p u l o u s n e s s , k n e e l i n g o n

me and gripping my arm and neck . I w a n t e d o f c o u r s e

t o b e e v e n w i t h h i m , b u t a l s o I d o u b t e d i f c a t c h i n g h i m

w o u l d n e c e s s a r i l y i n v o l v e t h a t . They kicke d my cap

i n t o t h e d i t c h a t t h e e n d o f t h e f i e l d , a n d m a d e o f f c o m -

p a c t l y a l o n g a c i n d e r l a n e w h i l e I t u r n e d a s i d e t o r e -

cover my dishonoured headdress . As I knocke d the

d u s t o u t o f t h a t a n d o u t o f m y j a c k e t , a n d b r u s h e d m y

k n e e s a n d r e a d j u s t e d m y v e r y c r u m p l e d c o l l a r , I t r i e d

t o f o c u s t h i s s t a r t l i n g o c c u r r e n c e i n m y m i n d .

I had v ague ideas of going to a police man or of

c o m p l a i n i n g a t a p o l i c e s t a t i o n , b u t s o m e b o y i s h i n -

s t i n c t a g a i n s t i n f o r m i n g p r e v e n t e d t h a t . No doubt I


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6 2 THE NEW MACHIAVELLIs h i n i n g d a r k l y l i k e s o m e d e e p c o l o u r e d g e m i n t h e c o m -

mon setting of my mem ories . It came as something

new and strange, something that did not join on to

anything el se in my life or connect with any of my

thoughts or beliefs or habits ; it w as a wonde r, a

m y s t e r y , a d i s c o v e r y a b o u t m y s e l f , a d i s c o v e r y a b o u t

t h e w h o l e w o r l d . O n l y i n a f t e r y e a r s d i d s e x u a l f e e l i n g

l o s e t h a t i s o l a t i o n a n d s p r e a d i t s e l f o u t t o i l l u m i n a t e

a n d p e r v a d e a n d a t l a s t p o s s e s s t h e w h o l e b r o a d v i s i o n

o f l i f e .

It wa s in that phaseof an urban y o u t h ' s d e v e l o p -

m e n t , t h e p h a s e o f t h e c h e a p c i g a r e t t e , t h a t t h i s t h i n g

happe ned . One evening I came by chance on a number

o f y o u n g p e o p l e p r o m e n a d i n g b y t h e l i g h t o f a r o w o f

s h o p s t o w a r d s B e c k i n g t o n , a n d , w i t h a l l t h e g l o r y o f

a glowing cigarette between my lips, I joined their


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SCHOLASTIC ' 6 3glow-worm in the night. I m ade my w ay through the

throng, a little contemptuously as became a p u b l i c

school boy, my hands in my p ock ets-none of your

c h e a p c a n e s f o r m e ! - a n d v e r y c a r e f u l o f t h e l i e o f m y

c i g a r e t t e u p o n m y l i p s . And two girls passed me, one

a l i t t l e t a l l e r t h a n t h e o t h e r , w i t h d i m w a r m - t i n t e d f a c e s

u n d e r c l o u d s o f d a r k h a i r a n d w i t h d a r k e y e s l i k e p o o l s

r e f l e c t i n g s t a r s .

I _ h a l f t u r n e d , a n d t h e s h o r t e r o n e g l a n c e d b a c k a t

me over her shoulder-I could draw you now the pose

of her cheek and nec k and shoulder-and instantly I

w a s a s p a s s i o n a t e l y i n l o v e w i t h t h e g i r l a s I h a v e e v e r

be en b efore or since, as any man e ve r was with any

w o m a n . I turned about and follow ed them, I flung

a w a y m y c i g a r e t t e o s t e n t a t i o u s l y a n d l i f t e d m y s c h o o l

c a p a n d s p o k e t o t h e m .


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6 4 THE NEW MACHIAVELLIq u a l i t y o f i n t i m a c y a n d m o r e . We w anted e ach other

a s o n e w a n t s b e a u t i f u l m u s i c a g a i n o r t o b r e a t h e a g a i n

t h e s c e n t o f f l o w e r s .

And that is all there was betwe en us . The events

a r e n o t h i n g , t h e t h i n g t h a t m a t t e r s i s t h e w a y i n w h i c h

this expe rience stabbed through the common stuff of

l i f e a n d l e f t i t p i e r c e d , w i t h a l i g h t , w i t h a h u g e n e w

i n t e r e s t s h i n i n g t h r o u g h t h e r e n t .

When I think of it I can recall ev en now the warm

m y s t e r y o f h e r f a c e , h e r l i p s a l i t t l e a p a r t , l i p s t h a t I

n e v e r k i s s e d , h e r s o f t s h a d o w e d t h r o a t , a n d I f e e l a g a i n

t h e s e n s u o u s s t i r o f h e r p r o x i m i t y

T h o s e t w o g i r l s n e v e r t o l d m e t h e i r s u r n a m e n o r l e t

me approach their house . They made me l eave them

at the corner of a road of small houses near Penge

S t a t i o n . And quite abruptly, without any intimation,


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SCHOLASTIC 6 5

I g e n e r a l i s e d h e r a t l a s t . I suddenly discove red

t h a t p o e t r y w a s a b o u t h e r a n d t h a t s h e w a s t h e k e y t o

a l l t h a t h a d h i t h e r t o s e e m e d n o n s e n s e a b o u t l o v e . I

t o o k t o r e a d i n g n o v e l s , a n d i f t h e h e r o i n e c o u l d n o t

p o s s i b l y b e l i k e h e r , d u s k y a n d w a r m a n d s t a r l i k e , I

p u t t h e b o o k a s i d e . . . .

I h e s i t a t e a n d a d d h e r e o n e o t h e r c o n f e s s i o n . I w a n t

t o t e l l t h i s t h i n g b e c a u s e i t s e e m s t o m e w e a r e a l t o -

g e t h e r t o o r e s t r a i n e d a n d s e c r e t i v e a b o u t s u c h m a t t e r s .

T h e c a r d i n a l t h i n g i n l i f e s n e a k s i n t o u s d a r k l y a n d

s h a m e f u l l y l i k e a t h i e f i n t h e n i g h t .

One day during my Cambridge days-it must have

be en in my first year be fore I knew Hatherleigh-I

saw in a print-shop w indow near the Strand an en-

graving of a girl that reminded me sharply of Penge

a n d i t s d u s k y e n c o u n t e r . I t w a s j u s t a h a l f l e n g t h o f


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6 6 THE NEW MACHIAVELLIThe broad s u b s t a n c e of my existence at this time

was the City Merchants School . Home w as a place

w h e r e I s l e p t a n d r e a d , a n d t h e m o o n i n g e x p l o r a t i o n s

o f t h e s o u t h - e a s t e r n p o s t a l d i s t r i c t w h i c h o c c u p i e d t h e

r e s t l e s s e v e n i n g s a n d s p a r e d a y s o f m y v a c a t i o n s m e r e

i n t e r s t i c e s , g i v i n g g l i m p s e s o f e n i g m a t i c a l l i g h t s and

d i s t a n t s p a c e s b e t w e e n t h e w o v e n t h r e a d s o f a s c h o o l -

b o y ' s c a r e e r . S c h o o l l i f e b e g a n f o r m e e v e r y m o r n i n g

a t H e r n e H i l l , f o r t h e r e I w a s j o i n e d b y t h r e e o r f o u r

other boys and the rest of the way we went together .

M o s t o f t h e s t r e e t s a n d r o a d s w e t r a v e r s e d i n o u r m o r n -

i n g ' s w a l k f r o m V i c t o r i a a r e s t i l l i n t a c t , t h e s t o r m s o f

rebuilding that have subm erged so much of my boy-

hood's London have passed and left them, and I have

r e v i v e d t h e i m p r e s s i o n o f t h e m a g a i n a n d a g a i n i n r e -

c e n t y e a r s a s I h a v e c l a t t e r e d d i n n e r w a r d i n a h a n s o m


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6 8 THE NEW MACHIAVELLIW e j o i n e d i n t h e e a r n e s t a c q u i r e m e n t o f a l l t h a t w a s

n e c e s s a r y f o r G r e e k e p i g r a m s a n d L a t i n v e r s e , a n d f o r

the rest played games . We dipp ed down into some -

t h i n g c l e a r a n d e l e g a n t l y p r o p o r t i o n e d a n d t i m e - w o r n

a n d f o r a l l i t s h i g h r e s o l v e o f s t a l w a r t v i r i l i t y a l i t t l e

f e e b l e , l i k e o u r b l a c k e n e d a n d d e c a y e d p o r t a l s b y I n i g o

J o n e s.

Within, we we re taught as the chief subje cts of

i n s t r u c t i o n , L a t i n a n d G r e e k . We we re taught ve ry

b a d l y b e c a u s e t h e m e n w h o t a u g h t u s d i d n o t h a b i t u a l l y

use either of these languages, nobody uses them any

more now e xc ep t pe rhaps for the Latin of a few

L e v a n t i n e m o n a s t e r i e s . At the utmost our men read

them . We we re taught these l anguages because long

a g o L a t i n h a d b e e n t h e l a n g u a g e o f c i v i l i s a t i o n ; t h e

o n e w a y o f e s c a p e f r o m t h e n a r r o w a n d l o c a l i s e d l i f e


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SCHOLAST IC

b r i n g s back t o m e t h e d i n g y , f a d e d , i n k - s p l a s h e d

q u a l i t y o f o u r c l a s s - r o o m , t h e b a n g i n g o f b o o k s , T o p -

h a m ' s d i s o r d e r e d h a i r , t h e s h e e n o f h i s a l p a c a g o w n ,

h i s d e e p u n m u s i c a l i n t o n a t i o n s a n d t h e w i d e s t r i d i n g

o f h i s c r e a k i n g b o o t s . G l o r i o u s ! And being pl astic

human be ings we would consent that it was glorious,

a n d s o m e o f u s e v e n a c h i e v e d a

The New Machiavelli HG Wells 1910 496pgs SOCIO

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