Editing Gilbert Murray (section)

=== Involvement with Wells ===
For a brief period Murray became closely involved with the novelist [[H. G. Wells]]. Initially this was in 1917 and connection with groups supporting a future League: Wells promoted a ''League of Free Nations Association'' (LFNA), an idea not in fact exclusive to him, since it had been 'up in the air' since [[Woodrow Wilson]] had started considering post-war settlements. Wells applied through the British propaganda office with which Murray had been connected since 1914. The two men corresponded from 1917 about League matters.<ref>[[A. B. McKillop]], ''The Spinster and the Prophet'' (2000) p. 143</ref> Wells was bullish about pushing ahead with a British LFNA, Murray was involved already in the League of Nations Society (LNS), though not active.<ref name="Wilson247" /> The political position was delicate, as Murray understood and Wells may not have: the LNS overlapped with the [[Union of Democratic Control]], which was too far towards the pacifist end of the spectrum of opinion to be effective in that time and context. Eventually in 1918 the LFNA was set up around Welsh Liberal MP [[David Davies, 1st Baron Davies|David Davies]], and then shortly the LFNA and LNS merged as the [[League of Nations Union]].<ref>"[The FNLA] members were mostly good haters of Germany and people of importance and influence ... The idea of a League was becoming reputable chiefly owing to President Wilson ... The 'Society' [LNS] sent its chairman [[W. H. Dickinson]], G.L.D., J. A. Hobson and [[L. S. Woolf]]. The 'Association' [LFNA] sent [[C. A. McCurdy]], Gilbert Murray, [[Wickham Steed]], H. G. Wells. The dinner was a success ..." E. M. Forster, ''Goldsworthy Lowes Dickinson'', p. 169.</ref>

Two years later, Wells called on Murray, and Murray's New College colleague [[Ernest Barker]], to lend their names as advisers on his ''[[The Outline of History]]''. Their names duly appeared on the title page.<ref>The other advisers were [[E. Ray Lankester]], [[Harry Johnston]].</ref> Murray had to give evidence in the [[plagiarism]] case ''Deeks'' v. ''Wells'' that arose in 1925.<ref>McKillop, ''The Spinster and the Prophet'' covers this all thoroughly</ref>