Anyone who failed to. listen to the three octogenarians (and
One, Walter de la Mare, who is only 79) giving their views on life in the Home Service on Wednesday evening, missed a good deal. Each had a distinctive contribution to make. Bertrand Russell, who is 80, said that in old age emotional experiences diminish in number; he is about to be married for the fourth lime, Laurence Housman (who is 87, and is looked after by a sister a little older) declared his intention of living three more years and then passing out, because at 90 he will have obtained "full ripeness" and "after ripeness comes rot." Gilbert Murray, at 86, was much the warmest and most humane. One of the drawbacks of old age, he said, is the fact that so many friends with whom you would like to share a thought or a joke are no longer there. In general " resigna- tion takes the place of hope." What does resignation mean ? Fatalism ? Or faith ? In Dr. Murray's case not, I think, faith in the ordinary Christian sense. But I am quite sure not fatalism in any ordinary sense either. I cannot think of any man for whom the prayer " Give to life's close a calm, unclouded ending " is more certain of fulfilment.
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