When differences of opinion occurred, Fawcett would discuss the question with his subordinates to an ‘almost wearisome length’ because he disliked unnecessarily to thrust their opinions aside. He often said that as he could not see himself, he had an earnest wish to see things as much as possible from the point of view of others. By bringing home his personality to the great mass of Post Office servants, and by calling the attention of the public to the value of the work done by the permanent staff, he raised the tone of the whole service, enhanced their self-respect, and increased the estimation in which they are held by the public. [Sidenote: Esprit de Corps.] The employee who had fallen under the spell of his new chief’s enthusiasm and kindliness felt, no matter how humble a niche he occupied, that he was doing part of the good work of a great country, and forgot that he was, perhaps, a poorly paid clerk in a God-forsaken hamlet. His efforts would be redoubled; the golden chain of service linked all the little outlying posts with the great ones, bound even the little half-frozen postmistress in the bleakest settlement of the empire to help on the work of the jovial, warm-hearted chief in the brilliant city of London. CHAPTER XXVI FRESH AIR, BLUE RIBBONS, AND POSTMEN A Day with the Postmaster-General—How he worked Reform—The Parcel Post. By his intense love of the open air Fawcett kept mind and body fresh, and was eager and able to cope with his problems, and to welcome new ones. The late Sir Robert Hunter said: ‘He frequently walked up and down outside the post office in the middle of the day, while smoking his cigarette, and on Saturdays he either walked, or rowed on the Thames with an old friend or two. He rowed very badly, and caused much discomfort to his companions by ‘catching crabs.’ ‘I often used to accompany him, on long walks over Wimbledon Common, and he liked walking on uneven ground as contrasted with smooth pavements. I remember his saying one day how much better it was to get out into the country than to follow the prevalent fashion of hanging about the clubs on a Saturday, on the chance of picking up some piece of political gossip, gossip mostly untrue and worthless.’ It is also told that when a mutual friend mentioned to Fawcett that he was going to stay in the country with the newly appointed solicitor: ‘Ah,’ said the blind man, ‘you are going down to ——: Hunter has a wonderful view there!’