Three generations

WILLIAM WALLACE 351
the workers, Miss Eliza Dugdale, was a loyal and
attached friend till her death nine years later, long
after she had given up her work at Ruskin Hall, as it
was first called, and left Oxford.) The fact that
another intimate friend, Mr. Lees Smith, now one of the
Liberal Members for Northampton, was connected
with the adventure from the beginning, even before
his own college-days at Queen's were ended, and that he
became subsequently vice-principal of Ruskin College,
served to continue our knowledge and interest in the
institution. Ruskin College, as it has now become,
after many changes and vicissitudes has kept its foot-
ing, and is now under different conditions and guid-
ance, fulfilling the purpose for which it was undertaken.
In my time there was a group of my countrymen
in Oxford — a distinguished group — the honour of whose
friendship I considered a great boon. One member of
the group was William Wallace, my townsman as well
as my countryman, and the husband of one of my
former pupils. Wallace was a Fellow of Merton while
also White's Professor of Moral Philosophy to the
University. He was much more than a man of talent
or of academic learning. He was essentially a man of
genius, and the most widely sympathetic and accom-
plished man I have ever known. He was also pos-
sessed of a fund of dry humour. The great qualities
of his head did not overshadow those of his heart —
warm and tender, behind a naturally shy and some-
what blunt exterior. Personally, he was spare and
rather gaunt, with kindly brown eyes in a deeply lined
face, the latter to a large extent the result of a delicate
constitution and of constant brainwork.
Wallace was an immense reader in many languages,
sympathizing with all that deserved sympathy. He