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第71部分（第1页）

The　other　is　the　state　of　the　national　Exchequer　and　the　falling　off　in　the　power　of　the　Government　to　borrow　at　the　low　rates　of　former　times。

I　am　in　accord　with　you　in　much　that　you　hold；　but　it　is　only　possible　for　the　Board　of　Agriculture　to　act　where　neither　legislation　nor　expenditure　is　necessary。

I　expect　to　be　in　London　most　of　next　week　and　the　week　after；　and　if　you　should　chance　to　be　ing　to　town；　I　should　much　like　to　discuss　some　of　these　subjects　with　you。

I　am；　yours　faithfully；

Onslow。

Here　is　my　answer　to　this　letter：

Ditchingham　House；　Norfolk：

November　15；　1904。

Dear　Lord　Onslow；　—　I　thank　you　very　much　for　your　letter。　。　。　。　Believe　me；　my　Lord；　I　quite　appreciate　the　difficulties　you　mention。　At　the　same　time　I　am　so　enormously　impressed　with　the　vital　importance　of　the　questions　involved　that　I　think　every　effort　should　be　made　to　educate　public　opinion　until　it　consents　to　sweep　away　those　difficulties　and　give　a　fair　trial　to　reasonable　reforms。　It　is　my　sense　of　the　supreme　necessity　of　these　reforms　that　has　induced　a　humble　person　like　myself　to　write　big　books；　take　long　journeys；　make　speeches；　indite　letters　to　newspapers；　etc。　—　all　gratis　work；　of　course　—　in　the　intervals　of　getting　my　livelihood　by　other　means。　But　as　you　wish　to　see　me　I　will　not　trouble　you　with　a　long　letter　on　all　these　matters。

Believe　me；

Very　truly　yours；

H。　Rider　Haggard。

To　the　Rt。　Hon。　the　Earl　of　Onslow。

In　due　course　I　had　a　long　talk　with　Lord　Onslow　at　his　private　house；　during　which　he　kindly　but　firmly　pressed　out　of　me　all　the　information　I　had　to　give　as　regards　small　holdings　and　other　matters。　In　the　end　he　asked　me　what　I　thought　had　best　be　done。　I　replied　that　it　would　be　well　to　begin　by　making　a　thorough　inquiry　into　all　the　circumstances　of　the　whole　business。　He　agreed；　and　we　parted；　nor　did　I　ever　meet　him　again　except　once　at　a　public　dinner。

Subsequently　he　appointed　a　mittee　to　investigate　small　holdings；　on　which　he　did　not　offer　me　a　seat。　Nor；　to　the　best　of　my　recollection；　was　I　even　asked　to　give　evidence。

Thus　did　I　keep　“pegging　away”　on　Nelson’s　principle　that　it　is　“dogged　as　does　it。”　Having　no　official　position；　of　course　I　could　only　work　from　the　outside；　but　I　am　sure　that　I　missed　no　opportunity　within　my　reach。　Thus；　to　take　an　example　almost　at　hazard；　I　find　the　copy　of　a　letter　written　in　some　acerbity　of　spirit　to　Captain　Kennedy；　who　was　the　Conservative　agent　for　the　Eastern　Counties；　in　reply　to　an　informal　invitation　to　me　to　contest　the　Wisbech　Division。

These　exertions　I　continued　down　to　the　time　of　the　fall　of　the　Conservative　Government；　which　I　implored　to　do　something　in　the　direction　of　extending　small　holdings；　if　only　for　the　sake　of　their　own　political　skin。　Needless　to　say；　they　took　no　notice。　The　only　answers　that　ever　reached　me　were　to　the　effect　that　they　were　not　going　to　“window…dress。”　Of　course　the　reasons　for　this　attitude　are　to　be　found　in　Lord　Onslow’s　letter　oreover；　I　did　not　confine　my　endeavours　to　prominent　members　of　the　Conservative　party；　of　whom　I　had　begun　to　despair。　This　is　shown　by　a　letter　which　I　addressed　to　Mr。　Asquith；　the　present　Prime　Minister；　who　at　that　time；　of　course；　was　in　Opposition；　a　propos　of　some　speech　he　had　made。　Almost　was　I；　never　much　of　a　party　politician；　driven　to　the　Pauline　attitude　of　being　all　things　to　all　men　if　by　any　means　I　might　e　slight　acquaintance。　I　remember　Lord　James　of　Hereford；　whom　I　knew　fairly　well；　introducing　him　to　me　one　day　when　I　was　lunching　at　the　Athenaeum；　on　which　occasion　they　both　expounded　to　me　the　reasons　of　their　strong　dislike　of　Protection。　Here　is　the　letter：

Ditchingham　House；　Norfolk：

March　19；　1903。

My　dear　Sir；　—　I　have　read　your　speech　reported　yesterday；　and　in　consequence　I　am　venturing　to　ask　your　acceptance　of　the　copy　of　my　recently　published　work　“Rural　England”　which　I　send　herewith。　I　hope　that　you　may　find　time　to　glance　at　the　book；　and　especially　at　the　chapter　headed　“Conclusions。”　Most　thoroughly　do　I　agree　with　what　you　say　as　to　the　possibility　of　a　vastly　increased　output　of　home…grown　food。　But　this　you　will　never　get　until　you　have　co…operation　and　the　cheap　carriage　which；　as　you　may　have　seen；　I　am　doing　my　best　to　advocate　—　under　the　form　of　an　increase　in　postal　facilities。　For　this　reason：　without　co…operation　and　cheap　carriage　the　small　holder　cannot　thrive；　and　it　is　to　him　that　you　must　look　for　enlarged　production　—　not　to　the　large　farmers。　As　regards　the　lack　of　rural　cottages　I　agree　that　this　is　one　of　the　great　causes　of　the　exodus　to　the　towns　（see　Vol。　II；　pp。　519…520）。　But　the　lack　of　prospects　is　a　greater。　If　labourers　had　a　prospect　of　rising　and　could　do　well　on　the　land　as　small　holders　they　would　soon　get　cottages；　for　then　they　could　pay　a　rent　at　which　these　would　be　remunerative　to　build。　Or　more　probably　they　would　build　their　own；　as　at　Evesham。

Now　I　believe　that　such　prospects　could　be　afforded　to　labouring　men　by　means　of　some　such　moderate　measures　of　reform　as　I　have　suggested　（Vol。　II；　p。　555）　if　only　some　British　Government　would　really　take　the　matter　to　heart。

To　my　mind；　to　plunge　everlastingly　into　foreign　adventure　after　foreign　adventure；　however　difficult　and　costly；　and　all　the　while　to　neglect　our　own　land　so　cruelly　is　a　madness。　What　will　it　benefit　us　to　gain　the　whole　earth　if　we　are　to　lose　our　country…bred　population？　Again；　with　all　this　outcry　about　our　danger　from　lack　of　food；　why　not　take　the　obvious　remedy　of　growing　most　of　it　at　home？　as　we　could　do　in　my　judgment；　and　without　Protection。

Forgive　me　for　having　troubled　you　with　these　screed。　I　do　so　frankly　in　the　hope　of　interesting　you　still　more　earnestly　in　a　subject　to　which；　trusting　to　do　a　little　good；　I　have　given　so　much　time　and　labour　—　more　indeed　than　my　personal　and　material　interests　have　justified　me　in　doing。　To　you；　sir；　may　e　the　opportunity　of　helping　forward　these　reforms　and　thus　truly　benefiting　our　country。

Believe　me；　very　truly；　yours；

H。　Rider　Haggard。

The　Right　Hon。　H。　H。　Asquith。

As　a　matter　of　fact　it　was　from　the　Radical　party；　with　which　I　profoundly　disagree　upon　certain　points；　that　light　came　at　last。　They；　as　I　know　from　sundry　signs　and　tokens；　had　taken　the　trouble　to　study　“Rural　England。”　At　any　rate　the　Development　Board；　which　now　does　so　much　for　agriculture；　embodies　somewhat　closely；　if　with　variations；　the　scheme　of　Government　assistance　for　that　industry　which　I　outlined　in　the　last　chapter；　headed　“Conclusions。”

The　book　has　been　very　largely　quoted；　both　here　and　in　other　countries；　though　often　enough　without　acknowledgment；　notably　by　politicians　in　search　of　ideas。　For　instance；　Lord　Rosebery　—　I　need　not　say；　with　acknowledgment　—　has　alluded　to　it　more　than　once　in　his　speeches；　and　so　have　many　other　prominent　men。　I　remember　that　he　pointed　it　out　to　me　in　his　library；　and　told　me；　I　think；　that　he　had　read　it　straight　through。

I　fear　that　this　has　been　rather　a　dull　chapter；　for　its　subject　is　always　dull；　and　he　who　decants　thereon　is　apt　to　be　considered　an　agricultural　bore。　Also　it　has　involved　the　quotation　of　several　letters　and　the　reprinting　of　some　extracts　from　books；　which　are　apt　to　look　wearisome　in　type。　Yet　I　did　not　see　how　these　could　be　omitted；　since　the　words　set　down　years　ago　do　give　exactly　the　writer’s　thoughts　and　views　in　a　fashion　more　pletely　accurate　than　can　any　summary　founded　on　his　recollections。　Memory　is　a　treacherous　thing；　and　one　to　which　in　such　matters　it　is　not　well　to　trust。

Strange　and　varied　were　the　establishments　in　which　Cochrane　and　I　often　found　ourselves　as　guests　during　the　course　of　these　“Rural　England”　journeyings。　When　it　was　announced　that　I　was　going　to　visit　a　given　county　we　invariably　received　many　kind　offers　of　hospitality。　Since；　as　a　rule；　we　knew　nothing　of　our　would…be　hosts；　our　method　of　dealing　with　these　was　to　take　a　map　and　accept　at　hazard　those　invitations　which　would　bring　us　nearest　to　the　centre　of　the　various　districts　we　wished　to　investigate。　Really　it　was　a　wise　plan；　for　it　brought　us　into　touch　with　all　sorts　and　conditions　of　men。

When；　at　the　given　day　and　hour；　we　drove　up　to　the　residence　of　our　unknown　host；　often　enough　it　was　without　knowing　whether　we　should　find　a　palace　or　a　farmhouse。

I　could　write　a　whole　chapter；　if　not　a　small　book；　about　the　places　where　we　stayed　and　their　inhabitants。　One　night；　for　instance；　we　found　ourselves　in　an　ancient　and　gigantic　baronial　castle。　While　I　was　undressing　Cochrane　arrived　in　my　apartment；　which　was　huge　and　gloomy；　and　asked　me　if　I　would　mind　ing　to　inspect　his　sleeping…place。　I　did；　and　by　the　light　of　a　few　struggling　candles　saw　the　most　depressing　room　on　which　ever　I　had　set　eyes。

It　was　enormous；　and　in　the　centre　of　the　back　wall　stood　a　four…post　bed　with　black　hangings　and；　I　think；　black　hearse…plumes　at　the　corners。　Round　the　walls　were　old；　full…length　family　portraits　of　a　singularly　grim　description　—　I　imagine　they　must　have　been　memorial　pictures　—　while　over　the　mantelpiece　sat　an　awful　old　seventeenth…century　woman　who　held　a　skull　in　her　hands。　This　very　skull；　by　the　way；　was　kept　in　a　cupboard　upstairs；　where　I　saw　the　thing；　which　had　something　to　do　with　the　history　of　the　family；　or　rather　of　that　which　preceded　it　in　the　ownership　of　the　castle　and　estate。　Everything　about　the　chamber　was　in　thorough　keeping　with　that　skull；　even　the　coal…box　was　black　and　shaped　like　a　sarcophagus！

“This；”　said　Cochrane　—　a　lover　of　cheerful　surroundings　—　in　a　feeble　voice；　“is　no　doubt　the　place　where　these　people　have　been　laid　out　for　generations！”

Remembering　the　horrible　“black　bed”　in　the　Verney　Memoirs；　which　used　to　be　carted　from　house　to　house　whenever　a　death　was　expected　in　the　family；　I　agreed　with　him；　and　departed；　wishing　him　pleasant　dreams　and　a　good　night’s　rest。

So　huge　was　that　castle　—　built；　I　believe；　in　the　time　of　King　John　—　that　in　the　morning　we　were　utterly　unable　to　find　our　way　to　the　breakfast…room。　Up　and　down　passages　we　wandered；　till　at　last　we　saw　a　table　with　writing　materials　on　it；　and　sat　down　there　to　answer　letters；　until　ultimately　we　were　retrieved。

Another　strange　experience　was　when　we　found　ourselves　in　a　bachelor　house；　of　which　the　host；　poor　fellow　—　having；　we　understood；　been　crossed　in　love　—　was　in　the　habit　of　looking　upon　the　wine　when　it　was　red。　In　that　house　there　was　practically　nothing　to　eat；　for　the　reason　that　its　owner　ate　practically　nothing。　I　remember　a　certain　pink　and　underdone　veal　and　ham　pie　which；　as　I　was　extremely　unwell　at　the　time；　did　not　excite　appetite；　also　an　egg　which　I　asked　for　in　place　of　the　pie　—　but　I　will　not　dwell　upon　that　egg！　On　the　other　hand；　we　literally　swam　in　1845　—　yes；　1845　vintage　port。　It　was　going　at　lunch；　it　was　going　at　dinner；　it　was　always　going　—　I　may　add；　it　always　went！

Our　host；　a　most　kindly…natured　and　wealthy　man；　finding　out　that　I　liked　old　furniture；　took　me　to　an　attic　which　was　stuffed　with　Jacobean　oak　and　Georgian　Chippendale。　I　admired　the　pieces；　whereon　he　said　in　a　careless　voice；　“If　you　like　them；　take　them　away。　I　don’t　care　for　the