. Life and letters of Maggie Benson. imate relationship even with a cat, itwould be a relief. Maggie, however, went her ownway with a considerable fund of steady perse-verance. For instance, it was then that her artisticpowers had gone slowly ahead of my sister Nellys,and her sketching in water-colour came to havemuch beauty and distinction. But her gifts werenot facile or showy at any time. Now, however,with the stimulus of higher work and kindredcompanionship, her powers rapidly matured. At Oxford, she took up political economy andmoral science, and found that she could grasp andmaster intri
. Life and letters of Maggie Benson. imate relationship even with a cat, itwould be a relief. Maggie, however, went her ownway with a considerable fund of steady perse-verance. For instance, it was then that her artisticpowers had gone slowly ahead of my sister Nellys,and her sketching in water-colour came to havemuch beauty and distinction. But her gifts werenot facile or showy at any time. Now, however,with the stimulus of higher work and kindredcompanionship, her powers rapidly matured. At Oxford, she took up political economy andmoral science, and found that she could grasp andmaster intricate and abstruse subjects with sereneease. Moreover her friendships, which had beenhitherto gentle and secret devotions, now becamea main interest in her life. She had a great powerof idealisation, too great perhaps for her happiness,and found herself irresistibly drawn to many ofher companions. She discovered that she couldhold her own in talk and discussion with quicknessand readiness, could see a point and express it, and 46 . i. LADY MARGARET HALL even demolish an opponent by a gentle and luminousirony. It was thus a time of extraordinary happinesSfor her, a happiness which overflowed into all shesaid or wrote. It is wonderful to me to read the testimoniesI have received from many of her College friends,and to realise how the life of the little societygradually centred round her. Her charm consistedin her perfect simplicity ; she accepted her com-panions on their own merits, just as they chose toshow themselves to her ; she did not desire to bepopular or distinguished, nor did she choose herfriends on these grounds ; she just wished to loveand to be loved, and no appeal to her affections wasever made in vain ; at the same time she was inher quiet way vivacious, full of interest in innumer-able problems, fond of discussion, and both clearand discriminating in argument. She was deeplyemotional, but thoroughly disliked mere friendships were seldom merely irratio
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