第71部分(第1/7 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　repl