" He fully hoped and believed that
they would prove equal to the high and responsible position which, in
accordance with natural laws, they will be called upon to fulfil.
* * * * *
Mr. D.A. Wilson, who visited him in 1912, writes:
He surprised me by saying he was a Socialist--one does not expect a man
like him to label himself in any way. It appeared to be unconscious
modesty, like a school-boy's, which made him willing to be labelled; but
no label could describe him, and his mental sweep was unlimited.
Although in his ninetieth year, he seemed to be in his prime. There was
no sign of age but physical weakness, and you had to make an effort at
times to remember even that. His eye kindled as he spoke, and more than
once he walked about and chuckled, like a schoolboy pleased.
An earnest expression like Carlyle's came over his countenance as he
reprobated the selfish, wild-cat competition which made life harder and
more horrible to-day for a well-doing poor man in England than among the
Malays or Burmese before they had any modern inventions. Co-operation
was the upward road for humanity. Men grew out of beasthood by it, and
by it civilisation began. Forgetting it, men retrograded, subsiding
swiftly, so that there were many individuals among us to-day who were in
body, mind, and character below the level of our barbarian ancestors or
contemporary "savages," to say nothing of civilised Burmese or Malays.
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