England and the War

Collected from a series of lectures delivered between 1914 and 1918, this volume brings together the author's reflections on a world at war. The speeches range from a philosophical “War of Ideas” presented to the Royal Colonial Institute to a literary tribute on Shakespeare and England, each anchored in the urgent concerns of the moment. Listeners will hear the immediacy of a mind trying to make sense of conflict while still rooted in the everyday life of academia and public discourse.

The author confronts the mysteries of national character, especially the puzzling nature of Germany, without resorting to simple caricature. He probes English attitudes toward pacifism, the pressures of duty, and the uneasy mix of pride and fear that surfaces when a nation faces annihilation. The result is a candid, often provocative meditation that invites the audience to question assumptions about power, culture, and the human cost of war.