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