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hair； who was candidate for some North Country constituency。 We
discussed the political outlook； and； like so many Socialists at
that time； he was full of vague threatenings against the Liberal
party。 I was struck by a thing in him that I had already observed
less vividly in many others of these Socialist leaders； and which
gave me at last a clue to the whole business。 He behaved exactly
like a man in possession of valuable patent rights； who wants to be
dealt with。 He had an air of having a corner in ideas。 Then it
flashed into my head that the whole Socialist movement was an
attempted corner in ideas。 。 。 。
8
Late that night I found myself alone with Margaret amid the debris
of the gathering。
I sat before the fire； hands in pockets； and Margaret； looking white
and weary； came and leant upon the mantel。
〃Oh； Lord！〃 said Margaret。
I agreed。 Then I resumed my meditation。
〃Ideas；〃 I said； 〃count for more than I thought in the world。〃
Margaret regarded me with that neutral expression behind which she
was accustomed to wait for clues。
〃When you think of the height and depth and importance and wisdom of
the Socialist ideas； and see the men who are running them；〃 I
explained。 。 。 。 〃A big system of ideas like Socialism grows up out
of the obvious common sense of our present conditions。 It's as
impersonal as science。 All these menThey've given nothing to it。
They're just people who have pegged out claims upon a big
intellectual No…Man's…Landand don't feel quite sure of the law。
There's a sort of quarrelsome uneasiness。 。 。 。 If we professed
Socialism do you think they'd welcome us？ Not a man of them！
They'd feel it was burglary。 。 。 。〃
〃Yes；〃 said Margaret； looking into the fire。 〃That is just what I
felt about them all the evening。 。 。 。 Particularly Dr。 Tumpany。〃
〃We mustn't confuse Socialism with the Socialists； I said； 〃that's
the moral of it。 I suppose if God were to find He had made a
mistake in dates or something； and went back and annihilated
everybody from Owen onwards who was in any way known as a Socialist
leader or teacher； Socialism would be exactly where it is and what
it is to…daya growing realisation of constructive needs in every
man's mind； and a little corner in party politics。 So； I suppose；
it will always be。 。 。 。 But they WERE a damned lot； Margaret！〃
I looked up at the little noise she made。 〃TWICE！〃 she said；
smiling indulgently； 〃to…day！〃 （Even the smile was Altiora's。）
I returned to my thoughts。 They WERE a damned human lot。 It was an
excellent word in that connection。 。 。 。
But the ideas marched on； the ideas marched on； just as though men's
brains were no more than stepping…stones； just as though some great
brain in which we are all little cells and corpuscles was thinking
them！ 。 。 。
〃I don't think there is a man among them who makes me feel he is
trustworthy；〃 said Margaret； 〃unless it is Featherstonehaugh。〃
I sat taking in this proposition。
〃They'll never help us； I feel；〃 said Margaret。
〃Us？〃
〃The Liberals。〃
〃Oh； damn the Liberals！〃 I said。 〃They'll never even help
themselves。〃
〃I don't think I could possibly get on with any of those people；〃
said Margaret； after a pause。
She remained for a time looking down at me and； I could feel；
perplexed by me； but I wanted to go on with my thinking； and so I
did not look up； and presently she stooped to my forehead and kissed
me and went rustling softly to her room。
I remained in my study for a long time with my thoughts
crystallising out。 。 。 。
It was then； I think； that I first apprehended clearly how that
opposition to which I have already alluded of the immediate life and
the mental hinterland of a man； can be applied to public and social
affairs。 The ideas go onand no person or party succeeds in
embodying them。 The reality of human progress never comes to the
surface； it is a power in the deeps； an undertow。 It goes on in
silence while men think； in studies where they write self…
forgetfully； in laboratories under the urgency of an impersonal
curiosity； in the rare illumination of honest talk； in moments of
emotional insight； in thoughtful reading； but not in everyday
affairs。 Everyday affairs and whatever is made an everyday affair；
are transactions of the ostensible self； the being of habits；
interests； usage。 Temper； vanity； hasty reaction to imitation；
personal feeling； are their substance。 No man can abolish his
immediate self and specialise in the depths； if he attempt that； he
simply turns himself into something a little less than the common
man。 He may have an immense hinterland； but that does not absolve
him from a frontage。 That is the essential error of the specialist
philosopher； the specialist teacher； the specialist publicist。 They
repudiate frontage； claim to be pure hinterland。 That is what
bothered me about Codger； about those various schoolmasters who had
prepared me for life； about the Baileys and their dream of an
official ruling class。 A human being who is a philosopher in the
first place； a teacher in the first place； or a statesman in the
first place； is thereby and inevitably； though he bring God…like
gifts to the pretencea quack。 These are attempts to live deep…
side shallow； inside out。 They produce merely a new pettiness。 To
understand Socialism； again； is to gain a new breadth of outlook； to
join a Socialist organisation is to join a narrow cult which is not
even tolerably serviceable in presenting or spreading the ideas for
which it stands。 。 。 。
I perceived I had got something quite fundamental here。 It had
taken me some years to realise the true relation of the great
constructive ideas that swayed me not only to political parties； but
to myself。 I had been disposed to identify the formulae of some one
party with social construction； and to regard the other as
necessarily anti…constructive； just as I had been inclined to follow
the Baileys in the self…righteousness of supposing myself to be
wholly constructive。 But I saw now that every man of intellectual
freedom and vigour is necessarily constructive…minded nowadays； and
that no man is disinterestedly so。 Each one of us repeats in
himself the conflict of the race between the splendour of its
possibilities and its immediate associations。 We may be shaping
immortal things； but we must sleep and answer the dinner gong； and
have our salt of flattery and self…approval。 In politics a man
counts not for what he is in moments of imaginative expansion； but
for his common workaday； selfish self； and political parties are
held together not by a community of ultimate aims； but by the
stabler bond of an accustomed life。 Everybody almost is for
progress in general； and nearly everybody is opposed to any change；
except in so far as gross increments are change； in his particular
method of living and behaviour。 Every party stands essentially for
the interests and mental usages of some definite class or group of
classes in the exciting community； and every party has its
scientific…minded and constructive leading section； with well…
defined hinterlands formulating its social functions in a public…
spirited form； and its superficial…minded following confessing its
meannesses and vanities and prejudices。 No class will abolish
itself； materially alter its way of life； or drastically reconstruct
itself； albeit no class is indisposed to co…operate in the unlimited
socialisation of any other class。 In that capacity for aggression
upon other classes lies the essential driving force of modern
affairs。 The instincts； the persons； the parties； and vanities sway
and struggle。 The ideas and understandings march on and achieve
themselves for allin spite of every one。 。 。 。
The methods and traditions of British politics maintain the form of
two great parties； with rider groups seeking to gain specific ends
in the event of a small Government majority。 These two main parties
are more or less heterogeneous in composition。 Each； however； has
certain necessary characteristics。 The Conservative Party has
always stood quite definitely for the established propertied
interests。 The land…owner； the big lawyer； the Established Church；
and latterly the huge private monopoly of the liquor trade which has
been created by temperance legislation； are the essential
Conservatives。 Interwoven now with the native wealthy are the
families of the great international usurers； and a vast
miscellaneous mass of financial enterprise。 Outside the range of
resistance implied by these interests； the Conservative Party has
always shown itself just as constructive and collectivist as any
other party。 The great landowners have been as well…disposed