The Chaplaincy,
Barford College,
Old St. Winifred’s Day,
1900.
My dear Mr. Kruger.--Your position is at once interesting and
peculiar, and deserves, as you say, my fullest attention. On the
one hand (as you well remark) you believe you have a right to
your independence, and that our Government has no moral right
to interfere in your domestic affairs. You speak warmly of Mr.
Chamberlain and describe him as lacking in common morality
or (as we put it) in breeding. I think you are hardly fair.
Mr. Chamberlain has his own morality, and in that summing
up of all ethics which we in England call “manners,” he is
indistinguishable from other gentlemen of our class. He has had
a great deal to bear and he has latterly borne it in silence. It
is hardly the part of a generous foe to taunt him now. I fear you
look upon these matters a little narrowly and tend to accept one
aspect as the absolute. The truth is that international morality
must always be largely Utilitarian, and in a very interesting
little book by Beeker it is even doubted whether what we call
“ethics” have any independent existence. This new attitude (which
we call “moral anarchism”) has lately cast a great hold upon our
younger men and is full of interesting possibilities. If you
meet Milner you should discuss the point with him. I assure you
this school is rapidly ousting the old “comparative-positive”
in which he and Curzon were trained. There is a great deal of
self-realization going on also. Lord Mestenvaux (whom you have
doubtless met--he was a director of the Johannesberg Alcohol
Concession) is of my opinion.
Believe me, my dear Mr. Kruger, with the fullest and warmest
sympathy for such of your grievances as may be legitimate, and
with the ardent prayer that the result of this deplorable quarrel
may turn out to be the best for _both_ parties,
Your affectionate Friend of old days,
JOSHIA LAMBKIN, M.A.,
Fellow and Chaplain.