When I was young, I liked mathematics. When this became too difficult, I took to philosophy, and when philosophy became too difficult, I took to politics.
Source: [Autobiographical note.]
In: New York Herald Tribune Book Review, v.28,n.8: 7 Oct. 1951, p.5.
Brief Comment
What kind of humor can we detect in today's words of Russell? I was particularly struck by the expression "took to," which struck me as carrying a humorous nuance, and for that reason I translated it as "tried his hand at." The phrase "took to" suggests not so much a serious, professional commitment as something begun almost by chance, and it conveys a light sense of self-distance -- a way of viewing one's own actions with a certain detachment.
Russell is, of course, well known as a mathematician and logician. He is also famous as a leader of the peace movement, but this aspect of his life may not be widely known to those who take little interest in politics.
Russell stood for election to Parliament on three occasions: in 1907 (at the age of 35), in 1922 (50), and again in 1923 (51). However, partly because of a character that "could not tell lies," as it is often put, he never succeeded in becoming a politician. Moreover, in Britain at that time, openly professing atheism was a serious disadvantage in elections, and it was virtually impossible to stand as an officially endorsed candidate of a major party. As a result, Russell ran as a candidate of the Liberal Party, then a minor party, but under such circumstances his chances of election were extremely slim.
Seen in light of this background, Russell's self-description -- employing humor and treating himself as an object of reflection -- conveys a characteristically British sense of intellectual playfulness and composure.
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