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as the philosopher； tends constantly； in spite of magnificent
preludes； vast intimations； to specialise himself out of the reality
he has so stupendously summonedhe bolts back to littleness。 The
world has to be moulded anew； he continues to admit； but without； he
adds； any risk of upsetting his week…end visits； his morning cup of
tea。 。 。 。
The discussion of the relations of men and women disturbs every one。
It reacts upon the private life of every one who attempts it。 And
at any particular time only a small minority have a personal
interest in changing the established state of affairs。 Habit and
interest are in a constantly recruited majority against conscious
change and adjustment in these matters。 Drift rules us。 The great
mass of people； and an overwhelming proportion of influential
people； are people who have banished their dreams and made their
compromise。 Wonderful and beautiful possibilities are no longer to
be thought about。 They have given up any aspirations for intense
love； their splendid offspring； for keen delights； have accepted a
cultivated kindliness and an uncritical sense of righteousness as
their compensation。 It's a settled affair with them； a settled；
dangerous affair。 Most of them fear； and many hate； the slightest
reminder of those abandoned dreams。 As Dayton once said to the
Pentagram Circle； when we were discussing the problem of a universal
marriage and divorce law throughout the Empire； 〃I am for leaving
all these things alone。〃 And then； with a groan in his voice；
〃Leave them alone！ Leave them all alone！〃
That was his whole speech for the evening； in a note of suppressed
passion； and presently； against all our etiquette； he got up and
went out。
For some years after my marriage； I too was for leaving them alone。
I developed a dread and dislike for romance； for emotional music；
for the human figure in artturning my heart to landscape。 I
wanted to sneer at lovers and their ecstasies； and was uncomfortable
until I found the effective sneer。 In matters of private morals
these were my most uncharitable years。 I didn't want to think of
these things any more for ever。 I hated the people whose talk or
practice showed they were not of my opinion。 I wanted to believe
that their views were immoral and objectionable and contemptible；
because I had decided to treat them as at that level。 I was； in
fact； falling into the attitude of the normal decent man。
And yet one cannot help thinking！ The sensible moralised man finds
it hard to escape the stream of suggestion that there are still
dreams beyond these commonplace acquiescences；the appeal of beauty
suddenly shining upon one； the mothlike stirrings of serene summer
nights； the sweetness of distant music。 。 。 。
It is one of the paradoxical factors in our public life at the
present time； which penalises abandonment to love so abundantly and
so heavily； that power； influence and control fall largely to
unencumbered people and sterile people and people who have married
for passionless purposes； people whose very deficiency in feeling
has left them free to follow ambition； people beautyblind； who don't
understand what it is to fall in love； what it is to desire children
or have them； what it is to feel in their blood and bodies the
supreme claim of good births and selective births above all other
affairs in life； people almost of necessity averse from this most
fundamental aspect of existence。 。 。 。
5
It wasn't； however； my deepening sympathy with and understanding of
the position of women in general； or the change in my ideas about
all these intimate things my fast friendship with Isabel was
bringing about； that led me to the heretical views I have in the
last five years dragged from the region of academic and timid
discussion into the field of practical politics。 Those influences；
no doubt； have converged to the same end； and given me a powerful
emotional push upon my road； but it was a broader and colder view of
things that first determined me in my attempt to graft the Endowment
of Motherhood in some form or other upon British Imperialism。 Now
that I am exiled from the political world； it is possible to
estimate just how effectually that grafting has been done。
I have explained how the ideas of a trained aristocracy and a
universal education grew to paramount importance in my political
scheme。 It is but a short step from this to the question of the
quantity and quality of births in the community； and from that again
to these forbidden and fear…beset topics of marriage； divorce； and
the family organisation。 A sporadic discussion of these aspects had
been going on for years； a Eugenic society existed； and articles on
the Falling Birth Rate； and the Rapid Multiplication of the Unfit
were staples of the monthly magazines。 But beyond an intermittent
scolding of prosperous childless people in generalone never
addressed them in particularnothing was done towards arresting
those adverse processes。 Almost against my natural inclination； I
found myself forced to go into these things。 I came to the
conclusion that under modern conditions the isolated private family；
based on the existing marriage contract； was failing in its work。
It wasn't producing enough children； and children good enough and
well trained enough for the demands of the developing civilised
state。 Our civilisation was growing outwardly； and decaying in its
intimate substance； and unless it was presently to collapse； some
very extensive and courageous reorganisation was needed。 The old
haphazard system of pairing； qualified more and more by worldly
discretions； no longer secures a young population numerous enough or
good enough for the growing needs and possibilities of our Empire。
Statecraft sits weaving splendid garments； no doubt； but with a
puny； ugly； insufficient baby in the cradle。
No one so far has dared to take up this problem as a present
question for statecraft； but it comes unheralded； unadvocated； and
sits at every legislative board。 Every improvement is provisional
except the improvement of the race； and it became more and more
doubtful to me if we were improving the race at all！ Splendid and
beautiful and courageous people must come together and have
children； women with their fine senses and glorious devotion must be
freed from the net that compels them to be celibate； compels them to
be childless and useless； or to bear children ignobly to men whom
need and ignorance and the treacherous pressure of circumstances
have forced upon them。 We all know that； and so few dare even to
whisper it for fear that they should seem； in seeking to save the
family； to threaten its existence。 It is as if a party of pigmies
in a not too capacious room had been joined by a carnivorous giant
and decided to go on living happily by cutting him dead。 。 。 。
The problem the developing civilised state has to solve is how it
can get the best possible increase under the best possible
conditions。 I became more and more convinced that the independent
family unit of to…day； in which the man is master of the wife and
owner of the children； in which all are dependent upon him；
subordinated to his enterprises and liable to follow his fortunes up
or down； does not supply anything like the best conceivable
conditions。 We want to modernise the family footing altogether。 An
enormous premium both in pleasure and competitive efficiency is put
upon voluntary childlessness； and enormous inducements are held out
to women to subordinate instinctive and selective preferences to
social and material considerations。
The practical reaction of modern conditions upon the old tradition
of the family is this： that beneath the pretence that nothing is
changing； secretly and with all the unwholesomeness of secrecy
everything is changed。 Offspring fall away； the birth rate falls
and falls most among just the most efficient and active and best
adapted classes in the community。 The species is recruited from
among its failures and from among less civilised aliens。
Contemporary civilisations are in effect burning the best of their
possible babies in the furnaces that run the machinery。 In the
United States the native Anglo…American strain has scarcely
increased at all since 1830； and in most Western European countries
the same is probably true of the ablest and most energetic elements
in the community。 The women of these classes still remain legally
and practically dependent and protected； with the only natural
excuse for their dependence gone。 。 。 。
The modern world becomes an immense spectacle of unsatisfactory
groupings； here childless couples bored to death in the hopeless
effort to sustain an incessant honeymoon； here homes in wh