第71部分(第4/7 頁)

eign　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　throu