be denied that Morris looked on the political situation, as he was bound to do, from the point of view of the manufacturer, as well as that of the politician and social reformer. "Picture to yourself," he writes in May, "a three years' war, and the shop in Oxford Street, and poor Smith standing at the door with his hands in his pockets!"
During this year, Morris had as secretary and general helper at Queen Square a son of his old tutor Canon Guy. In October he left in order to go to Oxford, having made up his mind to take Orders. A diary which he kept during the last few months of his employment at Queen Square has been preserved, and gives a lively picture of the common course of work there as it went on from day to day. By Mr. Guy's permission I give a few typical extracts. The multifariousness of the master's energy, and the many difficulties that had to be contended with when any new kind of work was being started, are alike noticeable.
"18 May.Mr. Morris slept last night in town, and was up on the move when I arrived. He had been downstairs and set the new dye-pot at work, ready for him to set an indigo vat in the afternoon. Kirby's man came and finished fixing the ciphering tube. G.W. and W.M. talked over Mrs. Baring's house in Devonshire: the work we have proposed to do will certainly take two or three years before all completed: we have to get our Lyons silk-weaver at work for one thing. W.M. did a little work to a piece of embroidery in his room during the morning. I went down into the dye-shop with W.M. between 1 and 2 o'clock and helped him to set his vat. He dyed some blues which he will green on Tuesday next, if all is well, for Dimarco's carpet stuff. Mr. Broadhurst called and saw W.M. about the Eastern Question.
