MARGINAL COMMENT,
By HAROLD NICOLSON ,
IT is an excellent thing that the 'Departments of Extra- Mural studies in our several universities should, during the month of August, arrange vacation courses for foreign students and visitors. Although in principle I have abandoned the habit of lecturing, finding that it becomes a weariness to the flesh, I feel it incumbent upon those of us who are accustomed to deliver lectures to do something at least to assist these admirable endeavours. It is not merely that these courses provide foreign visitors with much information regard- ing English life and letters : it is also that, living communally in one or other of our seats of learning, these students from the Continent or overseas are able to absorb something of the peculiar atmosphere of our education. They learn, for instance, that our boys and girls, during their time at the university, are housed and fed in conditions of hygienic austerity: the Spartan syssitia that they attend must leave on their minds an impression of cheerful frugality. 'The fact, moreover, that they come from different countries and diverse backgrounds must serve to widen their experience and loosen some of their narrower assumptions and prejudices. And they benefit, I suppose, from the contrast between the rigid, formalised, instruction of their own universities or, schools and the easy- going, conversational, but suggestive modes of English lectur- ing. I have often felt that, compared with EurOpean education, our own system relies largely upon collaboration between pupil and teacher. We throw the seed wide, hoping that some of it will germinate; they push the young mind into pots. Their method certainly produces a number of adolescents equipped with much standardised information; our method, while it may leave the unintelligent with little learning, en- courages the brighter spirits to think and work for themselves. If culture be in fact what remains with us after we have for- gotten all that we have been taught, then surely our system is preferable. But it takes some time for the foreign student to appreciate the difference.
* * * * I have been told by some of the foreign youths and maidens who attend these courses that their initial impression was that British lecturers, with their off-hand manner, did not take as much trouble as foreign lecturers to prepare their script. This impression derives, I suggest, from the fact that most Conti- nental lecturers read textually from a written manuscript and that, while they do so, they remain seated at a table. Few British lecturers find this a convenient posture ; we prefer to stand up while we are talking, consulting from time to time the headings and quotations that we have scribbled in the form of notes. The Continental posture is more paedagogic, and enables the lecturer to produce l's ideas or information in the correct order and to emphasise his points by saying "First, secondly, thirdly" all the way down to " seventhly.' That, is not our way; we prefer, more or less, to ramble; we prefer to watch the eyes of our audience and to note when they are interested or bored, when attention gives way to lassitude. The foreign method assuredly leaves the pupils with a greater amount of precise information, neatly tabulated : our own method may leave them with the disconcerting impression that truth is seldom absolute, that there are four sides to every question, that we are not very positive regarding our own opinions, and that they must choose for themselves. The advantage of their method is that it enables even a poor lecturer to fill a creditable hour; the disadvantage of our method is that a poor lecturer produces, not a reasoned thesis, but a dish of scrambled eggs. I prefer our method, since I can practise no other. * * * * There is a threefold difficulty in lecturing to such mixed audiences, to men and women who come, not from Europe only, but also from Asia, Africa and the United States. We are conscious that their backgrounds are totally dissimilar from our own backgrounds and that the occasions for misconception or misunderstanding are frequent and difficult to foresee. We are conscious that they possess diverse sensibilities and that a chance remark intended to provoke merriment may provoke offence. And we are conscious that they come there with certain previous assumptions, and are determined not to be deluded by what they have been taught to believe are our main failings, namely hypocrisy and cant. It is little use assuring them that British hypocrisy comes, not from any real desire to deceive others, but from a constant desire to comfort our- selves. They are determined not to be "taken in " ; and the consciousness of such resistance is bound to cramp the lec- turer's style. It is best, I find, not to worry overmuch about such mutual inhibitions, and to console ourselves with the thought that thgir main purpose in attending a vacation-course is to improve their knowledge of the English language. If we concentrate on speaking our mother tongue distinctly, simply, persuasively, we may induce them for a while to forget all about British hypocrisy and imperialism, and to become receptive of the deft handling of our vowels and relative clauses. By such means we may suspend their disbelief. Yet even then we shall observe, them casting side-glances at each other, indicating "He cannot seriously expect us to* believe that ! "
It is preferable, I find, to select for these lectures subjects connected with such comparatively uncontroversial themes as literature or art. Last week I lectured to a foreign audience upon "English Biography " ; my journey was windless and smooth. This week I am lecturing to a similar audience upon "The contrast between Great Britain's position in the world in 1900 and 1952." It seems incredible to me that a man of my age and experience could ever have agreed to discourse upon so horrible a subject. I should have learnt by now that, when we are invited in February to deliver a lecture in August, a strange optimism, a curious aberration, stultifies our judge- ment. " August ? " we say to ourselves, "well I may be dead by then." But the months flash by and the date advances inexorably; we slouch tovJards the altar as oxen doomed for sacrifice, with woollen-fillets on our horns. 1 should not mind in the very least talking to an audience of my compatriots upon this painful theme; after all, there is much that can be said. But how on earth am Ito handle such a subject when speaking to an audience composed of men and women from Europe, Asia, Africa and America ? On the one hand, one does not desire to falsify proportions or to leave impressions that are incorrect. On the other hand, patriotism precludes one from botanising upon one's mother's grave. I happen to believe that, although our physical authority has certainly declined in this half-century, our moral authority has been enhanced. But is there any purpose at all in turning my threnody into such a paean ? No, there is no purpose at all. My sole solace is that, when this article appears in print, my lecture will be over and I shall be off to hide my shame in Wales.
In spite of the panic depression that now assails me, I remain convinced that these vacation courses are of immense value. Young people from all over the world spend several weeks in each other's company on a basis of equality; some of their prejudices may be blunted by this contact; they may even learn the danger and stupidity of being conditioned by fixed ideas. Paul Valery contended that the idee fixe was one of the main factors in human imbecility; I also regard rigidity of opinion as a major enemy. But what a comfort it must be sometimes to be convinced that our own opinions and principles are absolute, that all mankind,- except ourselves, are ignorant, mistaken and profoundly wicked ! Did I possess these powers of conviction I might be less alarmed than I am at having to lecture on Thursday upon Great Britain's position in the modern world. .
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