按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
〃The Pinky Dinky for all his fun and levity has a clean mind。〃
〃A thoroughly clean mind。 Not like Esmeer'sthe Pig！〃
〃If once he began to think about sex； how could he be comfortable at
croquet？〃
〃It's their Damned Modesty；〃 said Hatherleigh suddenly； 〃that's
what's the matter with the Pinky Dinky。 It's Mental Cowardice
dressed up as a virtue and taking the poor dears in。 Cambridge is
soaked with it； it's some confounded local bacillus。 Like the thing
that gives a flavour to Havana cigars。 He comes up here to be made
into a man and a ruler of the people； and he thinks it shows a nice
disposition not to take on the job！ How the Devil is a great Empire
to be run with men like him？〃
〃All his little jokes and things；〃 said Esmeer regarding his feet on
the fender； 〃it's just a nervous sniggeringbecause he's afraid。 。 。 。
Oxford's no better。〃
〃What's he afraid of？〃 said I。
〃God knows！〃 exploded Hatherleigh and stared at the fire。
〃LIFE！〃 said Esmeer。 〃And so in a way are we；〃 he added； and made a
thoughtful silence for a time。
〃I say；〃 began Carter； who was doing the Natural Science Tripos；
〃what is the adult form of the Pinky Dinky？〃
But there we were checked by our ignorance of the world。
〃What is the adult form of any of us？〃 asked Benton； voicing the
thought that had arrested our flow。
3
I do not remember that we ever lifted our criticism to the dons and
the organisation of the University。 I think we took them for
granted。 When I look back at my youth I am always astonished by the
multitude of things that we took for granted。 It seemed to us that
Cambridge was in the order of things； for all the world like having
eyebrows or a vermiform appendix。 Now with the larger scepticism of
middle age I can entertain very fundamental doubts about these old
universities。 Indeed I had a scheme
I do not see what harm I can do now by laying bare the purpose of
the political combinations I was trying to effect。
My educational scheme was indeed the starting…point of all the big
project of conscious public reconstruction at which I aimed。 I
wanted to build up a new educational machine altogether for the
governing class out of a consolidated system of special public
service schools。 I meant to get to work upon this whatever office I
was given in the new government。 I could have begun my plan from
the Admiralty or the War Office quite as easily as from the
Education Office。 I am firmly convinced it is hopeless to think of
reforming the old public schools and universities to meet the needs
of a modern state； they send their roots too deep and far； the cost
would exceed any good that could possibly be effected； and so I have
sought a way round this invincible obstacle。 I do think it would be
quite practicable to side…track； as the Americans say； the whole
system by creating hardworking； hard…living； modern and scientific
boys' schools； first for the Royal Navy and then for the public
service generally； and as they grew； opening them to the public
without any absolute obligation to subsequent service。
Simultaneously with this it would not be impossible to develop a new
college system with strong faculties in modern philosophy； modern
history； European literature and criticism； physical and biological
science； education and sociology。
We could in fact create a new liberal education in this way； and cut
the umbilicus of the classical languages for good and all。 I should
have set this going； and trusted it to correct or kill the old
public schools and the Oxford and Cambridge tradition altogether。 I
had men in my mind to begin the work； and I should have found
others。 I should have aimed at making a hard…trained； capable；
intellectually active； proud type of man。 Everything else would
have been made subservient to that。 I should have kept my grip on
the men through their vacation； and somehow or other I would have
contrived a young woman to match them。 I think I could have seen to
it effectually enough that they didn't get at croquet and tennis
with the vicarage daughters and discover sex in the Peeping Tom
fashion I did； and that they realised quite early in life that it
isn't really virile to reek of tobacco。 I should have had military
manoeuvres； training ships； aeroplane work； mountaineering and so
forth； in the place of the solemn trivialities of games； and I
should have fed and housed my men clean and very hardwhere there
wasn't any audit ale； no credit tradesmen； and plenty of high
pressure douches。 。 。 。
I have revisited Cambridge and Oxford time after time since I came
down； and so far as the Empire goes； I want to get clear of those
two places。 。 。 。
Always I renew my old feelings； a physical oppression； a sense of
lowness and dampness almost exactly like the feeling of an
underground room where paper moulders and leaves the wall； a feeling
of ineradicable contagion in the Gothic buildings； in the narrow
ditch…like rivers； in those roads and roads of stuffy little villas。
Those little villas have destroyed all the good of the old monastic
system and none of its evil。 。 。 。
Some of the most charming people in the world live in them； but
their collective effect is below the quality of any individual among
them。 Cambridge is a world of subdued tones； of excessively subtle
humours； of prim conduct and free thinking； it fears the Parent； but
it has no fear of God； it offers amidst surroundings that vary
between disguises and antiquarian charm the inflammation of
literature's purple draught； one hears there a peculiar thin scandal
like no other scandal in the worlda covetous scandalso that I am
always reminded of Ibsen in Cambridge。 In Cambridge and the plays
of Ibsen alone does it seem appropriate for the heroine before the
great crisis of life to 〃enter； take off her overshoes； and put her
wet umbrella upon the writing desk。〃 。 。 。
We have to make a new Academic mind for modern needs； and the last
thing to make it out of； I am convinced； is the old Academic mind。
One might as soon try to fake the old VICTORY at Portsmouth into a
line of battleship again。 Besides which the old Academic mind； like
those old bathless； damp Gothic colleges； is much too delightful in
its peculiar and distinctive way to damage by futile patching。
My heart warms to a sense of affectionate absurdity as I recall dear
old Codger； surely the most 〃unleaderly〃 of men。 No more than from
the old Schoolmen； his kindred； could one get from him a School for
Princes。 Yet apart from his teaching he was as curious and adorable
as a good Netsuke。 Until quite recently he was a power in
Cambridge； he could make and bar and destroy； and in a way he has
become the quintessence of Cambridge in my thoughts。
I see him on his way to the morning's lecture； with his plump
childish face； his round innocent eyes； his absurdly non…prehensile
fat hand carrying his cap； his grey trousers braced up much too
high； his feet a trifle inturned； and going across the great court
with a queer tripping pace that seemed cultivated even to my naive
undergraduate eye。 Or I see him lecturing。 He lectured walking up
and down between the desks； talking in a fluting rapid voice； and
with the utmost lucidity。 If he could not walk up and down he could
not lecture。 His mind and voice had precisely the fluid quality of
some clear subtle liquid； one felt it could flow round anything and
overcome nothing。 And its nimble eddies were wonderful！ Or again I
recall him drinking port with little muscular movements in his neck
and cheek and chin and his brows knitvery judicial； very
concentrated； preparing to say the apt just thing； it was the last
thing he would have told a lie about。
When I think of Codger I am reminded of