ABSTRACT
The subtle lure of Santayana's neo-Platonic essences was rudely shattered for Lippmann during the spring of his second year at Harvard. A week before Easter 1908 a fire ravaged the slums of the nearby city of Chelsea, leaving thousands homeless. He joined a brigade of Harvard students who volunteered to help the victims. His social conscience aroused by the Chelsea fire and his intellect engaged by the Fabian tracts, Lippmann worked closely with a socialist discussion group at Harvard. For Lippmann, who had been taught that politics was about constitutions, elections and legislative committees, Wallas's approach was a revelation. Lippmann impressed Wallas the way he had impressed James and Santayana and so many of his teachers. Hazel became for Walter the sister he never had; he confided in her as he was never able to confide in his friends. Hazel was a life-force, a spirited heroine in a Wells novel.
