are vainglorious humbugs; a good many are men who, poor fellows, owing to their position cannot argue, and have only impulsive feelings based on no sort of logic, emotional or otherwise, and fall back when there is nothing exciting going on; since they have never had any real grasp of the subject. Many also are so desperately poor that they cannot work much for us; some one or two like your McLaren 'have married a wife and therefore cannot come.' Some again are hot-headed; some, like poor Lane, in bad health. With all this the worst of them are no worse than other people; mostly they are better, and some very much better; so that supposing we broke up the band, any new band we got together would be composed of just the same elements. Therefore the only thing is to be patient and try to weld together those that are work-worthy.
Of course, the secession has given us a rough shake; several of the seceders did fair work, and they bought and sold some Commonweal if not much. If any compromise had been possible between us and them I should have favoured it; but it was not possible: the other side were determined to use us if they could, quite reckless if in the attempt they knocked the League to pieces. I ought to tell you, by the way, that the Norwich branch, which at one time showed signs of dissolution, has got on its legs again, and is really both numerous and enthusiastic. So you may depend upon it that we shall not drop all to pieces. We are quite determined here at Hammersmith to keep things going if no one else will. We must never forget amongst other things that there are always times of reflex in these movements, and all politics are very dull at present owing largely to the deadlock in the Irish question, and the feeling among persons really progressive that we are being played upon by politicians for their benefit; the end of the Irish question will, I feel sure, mark a step in revolution. Meantime we have to stick to it and be patient, as I have no doubt you feel.
As to your own affairs: cannot you manufacture
