Hampstead Public Library. Later on the Society was called "The
Hampstead Historic," and its discussions, which continued for several
years, had much to do with settling the Fabian attitude towards Marxian
economics and historical theory.[19]

It was this exceptional group of leaders, all intimate friends, all
loyal to each other, and to the cause they were associated to advocate,
and all far above the average in vigour and ability, that in a few years
turned an obscure drawing-room society into a factor in national
politics.

* * * * *

At the meeting on June 19th, 1886, at 94 Cornwall Gardens, Sydney
Olivier assumed the duties of Secretary, and the minutes began to be
written with less formality than before. It is recorded that "Graham
Wallas read a paper on Personal Duty under the present system. A number
of questions from Fabians more or less in trouble about their souls were
answered _ex cathedra_ by Mr. Wallas, after which the Society was given
to understand by G.B. Shaw that Joseph the Fifth Monarchy Man could show
them a more excellent way. Joseph addressed the meeting for five
minutes, on the subject of a community about to be established in
British North America under the presidency of the Son of God. Sidney
Webb, G. Bernard Shaw, Annie Besant, [the Rev.] C.L. Marson and Adolph
Smith discussed the subject of the paper with especial reference to the
question of buying cheap goods and of the employment of the surplus
income of pensioners, after which Graham Wallas replied and the meeting
dispersed,"

William Morris lectured on "The Aims of Art" on July 2nd, at a public
meeting at South Place Chapel, with Walter Crane in the chair; and
Belfort Bax was the lecturer on July 17th.

The first meeting after the holidays was a memorable one, and a few
words of introduction are necessary.

In normal times it may be taken for granted that in addition to the
Government and the Opposition there is at least one party of Rebels.
Generally there are more, since each section has its own rebels, down to
the tiniest. In the eighties the rebels were Communist Anarchists, and
to us at any rate they seemed more portentous than the mixed crowd of
suffragettes and gentlemen from Oxford who before the war seemed to be
leading the syndicalist rebels. Anarchist Communism was at any rate a
consistent and almost sublime doctrine. Its leaders, such as Prince
Kropotkin and Nicholas Tchaykovsky, were men