Do you believe it was as straightforward as that? I am not so sure.

Is it just coincidence that Bryan's venom dried up just at the same point in time where his own standing in society had reached a level where he might be considered to be one of "the set"?

Loathing or longing? Maybe a bit of both?

I didn't say ALL his early work was scorn and irony - I was pointing out that there was more of this in his early work alongside other qualities and ideologies . So maybe there was some envy and maybe there was some disdain or regret ...But ... it was a thin line drifting in between these and other emotions ... and this made his stance interesting and created an attitude which was hard to read .. bringing some listeners ( me ) back again and again . The article in the Standard doesn't raise an eyebrow and nod subtly or ironically in any direction .. it kind of sets out it's stall in a fairly obvious way... and it seems, without any hint of regret.

Nicely put, Gardner. I can't argue with any of that. What you say above pretty much sums it up for me.