2
ThefaultsoftheImperialistmovementwereobviousenough。TheconceptionoftheBoerWarhadbeenclumsyandpuerile，thecostlyerrorsofthatstruggleappalling，andthesubsequentcampaignofMr。ChamberlainforTariffReformseemedcalculatedtocombinethefinancialadventurersoftheEmpireinonevastconspiracyagainsttheconsumer。ThecantofImperialismwaseasytolearnanduse；itwasspeedilyadoptedbyallsortsofbaseenterprisesandturnedtoallsortsofbaseends。Butabigchildispermittedbigmischief，andmymindwasnowcontinuallyreturningtothepersuasionthatafterallinsomedevelopmentoftheideaofImperialpatriotismmightbefoundthatwide，rough，politicallyacceptableexpressionofaconstructivedreamcapableofsustainingagreateducationalandphilosophicalmovementsuchasnoformulaofLiberalismsupplied。Thefactthatitreadilytookvulgarformsonlywitnessedtoitsstrongpopularappeal。Mixedinwiththenoisinessandhumbugofthemovementthereappearedarealregardforsocialefficiency，arealspiritofanimationandenterprise。Theresuddenlyappearedinmyworld——Isawthemfirst，Ithink，in1908——anewsortoflittleboy，amostagreeabledevelopmentoftheslouching，cunning，cigarette-smoking，town-bredyoungster，asmallboyinakhakihat，andwithbarekneesandathleticbearing，earnestlyengagedinwholesomeandinvigoratinggamesuptoandoccasionallyalittlebeyondhisstrength——theBoyScout。IlikedtheBoyScout，andIfinditdifficulttoexpresshowmuchitmatteredtome，withmygrowingbiasinfavourofdeliberatenationaltraining，thatLiberalismhadn\'tbeenabletoproduce，andhadindeedneverattemptedtoproduce，anythingofthiskind。
3
Inthosedaysthereexistedadiningclubcalled——therewassomelostallusiontotheexorcismofpartyfeelinginitstitle——thePentagramCircle。ItincludedBaileyandDaytonandmyself，SirHerbertThorns，LordCharlesKindling，Minnsthepoet，Gerbaultthebigrailwayman，LordGane，freshfromthesettlementofFramboya，andRumbold，wholaterbecameHomeSecretaryandleftus。Weweremenofallpartiesandveryvariousexperiences，andourobjectwastodiscussthewelfareoftheEmpireinadisinterestedspirit。WedinedmonthlyattheMermaidinWestminster，andforacoupleofyearswekeptupanaverageattendanceoftenoutoffourteen。Thedinner-timewasgivenuptodesultoryconversation，anditisoddhowwarmandgoodthesocialatmosphereofthatlittlegatheringbecameastimewenton；thenoverthedessert，sosoonasthewaitershadsweptawaythecrumbsandceasedtofretus，oneofuswouldopenwithperhapsfifteenortwentyminutes\'expositionofsomespeciallypreparedquestion，andafterhimwewoulddeliverourselvesinturn，eachforthreeorfourminutes。Wheneveryonepresenthadspokenoncetalkbecamegeneralagain，anditwasrareweemergeduponHendonStreetbeforemidnight。Sometimes，asmyhousewasconvenientlynear，aknotofmenwouldcomehomewithmeandgoontalkingandsmokinginmydining-roomuntiltwoorthree。
WehadFredNeal，thatwildIrishjournalist，amongustowardstheend，andhisstupendousflowofwordsmateriallyprolongedourclosingdiscussionsandmadeourcontinuanceimpossible。