Download File

250
BEFORE THE WAR
In 1914 what in England is called " Society "
gave promise of becoming what it had not
been since the French Revolution something
that a fastidious person could tolerate. It
was becoming open-minded. Now openmindedness
is the sine qua non of what is called
"
brilliant society," and brilliant society is by
far the best manure with which to fertilize
the soil in which revolutions are to be cultivated.
Only when Society becomes clever
and inquisitive, and wants to be amused, does
it open its doors to reformers, and only in such
society can most reformers reformers, that
is to say, who have not been born with an
exceptional gift of self-criticism acquire that
sense of humour and dash of cynicism lacking
which they perish.
Society to be good must be open-minded ;
without that there can be neither wit nor
gaiety nor conversation worth the name.
Prejudices and pruderies, respect of persons,
reverence of sentiments, and consideration for
the corns of the dull are fatal. On such terms
even fun and high spirits soon degenerate to
buffoonery and romps. There must be no
closed subjects at the mention of which faces
lengthen, voices become grave, and the air
thickens with hearty platitudes : the intellect
must be suffered to play freely about everything
and everybody. Wit is the very salt and