God be with You . . .
The mystique of Balliol has always eluded me. Balliol men are rarely effortless, not always superior. But there is a distinct Balliol manner. The college has a way of taking the guts out of any controversy, of moulding its men so that they are always at home together. One explana- tion of this is the situation of the Junior Common Room. Among buildings that are otherwise ex- ceptionally ugly and unfriendly, it is very much the centre and the natural gathering point. Argu- ment is not sharpened there but dulled. Indeed this is the only way to make it habitable. It was characteristic of Balliol that with more left-wing Fellows than most Oxford Colleges it should feel so reluctant to allow its scouts to belong to any form of union. It is even more characteristic that it should elect Mr. Christopher Hill as Master over the scientist and administrative reformer, Mr. Ronald Bell. (Did the arts men even know of Mr. Bell's international reputation?) Mr. Hill is, of course, a Marxist. He has been heard to whisper that it was a pity that it was New College not Balliol which was taking the lead over the admission of women. But I shall be surprised if he proves anything less than conservative in college matters. He will no doubt prove an excellent Master and one who knows his students. But any- one who imagines the college has elected a radical reformer has underestimated Balliol.
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