Page:Men of Letters, Scott, 1916.djvu/181

MR. GRANVILLE BARKER AND AN ALIBI 155 he to keep a clear brain for the larger issues of life? La belle Helene's new hat . . . it's provocative. Its intention is that none of the world's work shall be done while it's about. And when it's always about I honestly confess again that I cannot do my share." And, " We've so organized the world's work," admits even Philip, " as to make companionship between men and women a very artificial thing." What are we going to do about it ? A Social Question this, quite as urgent, to say the least, as inquiries into the economic naughtiness of the Share- Holding System or the possibilities of founding a State secular Church ; and yet concerned entirely with personality and passion — the special materials of poetry and romance ! Rightly considered, indeed, it is simply the crucial practical question of our time ; until we answer it we cannot move another step. The strongest force in our world (this is what it comes to) runs counter to our world's will towards efficiency ; or, if you prefer to give the dilemma every honour, to take what the ineffable Mr. State calls " High-Ground in this matter, gentlemen," and credit " the noblest Instinct of all — the Instinct to Perpetuate the Race " with its one material utility — even then we only get the spectacle of a kind of perpetual procrastination — one genera- tion stultifying itself to produce another, no better — an unbearably ludicrous treadmill. We can surely improve on that. We want a new point of view. The old-fashioned sentimentality helped things on for a little, it kept primitive appetite rebuked and ashamed ; but we are outgrowing its unrealities and we are beginning to be uneasily aware that its very pretty-prettinesses, its chivalry, its respectfulness, its ascription to womenkind of all kinds of imaginary modesties, is actually only a subtler kind of provoca- tive, that there is no aphrodisiac like pink-ribbon poetizings. We need a new convention: What is it