第71部分(第2/7 頁)

ied　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；　wh