him and the poet, Marchbanks, Candida gives us a vivid
glimpse of what her home life had been, in this speech, addressed to
Marchbanks, and, in reading it, remember that Morell was "a good
husband" and that Candida loved him.

"--You know how strong he (Morell) is--how clever he is--how happy!
Ask James's mother and his three sisters what it cost to save James
the trouble of doing anything but be strong and clever and happy.
Ask me what it costs to be James's mother and three sisters and
wife and mother to his children all in one. Ask Prossy and Maria
how troublesome the house is even when we have no visitors to help
us slice the onions. Ask the tradesmen who want to worry James and
spoil his beautiful sermons who it is that puts them off. When
there is money to give, he gives it: when there is money to refuse,
I refuse it. I build a castle of comfort and indulgence and love
for him, and stand sentinel always to keep little vulgar cares out.
I make him master here, though he does not know it, and could not
tell you a moment ago how it came to be so."

This should make it easy for us to understand why so many women are
ready to sympathize with William Morris in the sentiments he expressed
in the following paragraph in "Signs of Change:"

"As to what extent it may be necessary or desirable for people under
social order to live in common, we may differ pretty much according to
our tendencies toward social life. For my part I can't see why we should
think it a hardship to eat with the people we work with; I am sure that
as to many things, such as valuable books, pictures, and splendor of
surroundings, we shall find it better to club our means together; and I
must say that often when I have been sickened by the stupidity of the
mean, idiotic rabbit warrens that rich men build for themselves in
Bayswater and elsewhere, I console myself with visions of the noble
communal hall of the future, unsparing of materials, generous in worthy
ornament, alive with the noblest thoughts of our time, and the past,
embodied in the best art which a free and manly people could produce;
such an abode of man as no private enterprise could come anywhere near
for beauty and fitness, because only collective thought and collective
life could cherish the aspirations which would give birth to its beauty,
or have the skill and leisure to carry them out. I for my part should
think it