Perhapsyoumaybesurprisedatmytalkingoflabourandtheworkman.Youhaveheardofme，Ifear，throughthemediumofyoursomewhatimaginativenewspapersas，ifnota’Japaneseyoungman，’
atleastayoungmantowhomtherushandclamourandrealityofthemodernworldweredistasteful，andwhosegreatestdifficultyinlifewasthedifficultyoflivinguptothelevelofhisbluechina—aparadoxfromwhichEnglandhasnotyetrecovered.
Well，letmetellyouhowitfirstcametomeatalltocreateanartisticmovementinEngland，amovementtoshowtherichwhatbeautifulthingstheymightenjoyandthepoorwhatbeautifulthingstheymightcreate.
OnesummerafternooninOxford—’thatsweetcitywithherdreamingspires，’lovelyasVeniceinitssplendour，nobleinitslearningasRome，downthelongHighStreetthatwindsfromtowertotower，pastsilentcloisterandstatelygateway，tillitreachesthatlong，greyseven—archedbridgewhichSaintMaryusedtoguard（usedto，Isay，becausetheyarenowpullingitdowntobuildatramwayandalightcast—ironbridgeinitsplace，desecratingtheloveliestcityinEngland）—well，wewerecomingdownthestreet—
atroopofyoungmen，someofthemlikemyselfonlynineteen，goingtoriverortennis—courtorcricket—field—whenRuskingoinguptolectureincapandgownmetus.Heseemedtroubledandprayedustogobackwithhimtohislecture，whichafewofusdid，andtherehespoketousnotonartthistimebutonlife，sayingthatitseemedtohimtobewrongthatallthebestphysiqueandstrengthoftheyoungmeninEnglandshouldbespentaimlesslyoncricketgroundorriver，withoutanyresultatallexceptthatifonerowedwellonegotapewter—pot，andifonemadeagoodscore，acane—handledbat.Hethought，hesaid，thatweshouldbeworkingatsomethingthatwoulddogoodtootherpeople，atsomethingbywhichwemightshowthatinalllabourtherewassomethingnoble.