第69部分(第3/7 頁)

　were　both　tall；　thin；　with　pronounced　features；　and　possessed　a　nervous　temperament　and　somewhat　similar　powers　of　observation。　We　both　suffered　a　terrible　loss　that　saddened　our　lives；　though　happily　for　him　the　blow　fell　in　his　later　days。　Both　of　us　have　been　animated　by　the　same　hopes。

Such　are　some　of　the　resemblances；　and　I　dare　say　others　could　be　found；　for　instance；　if　Young　wrote　of　rural　France；　I　have　written　of　rural　Denmark。　Only　I　am　thankful　to　say　I　have　been　spared　his　domestic　separations；　as　I　hope　I　shall　be　spared　his　blindness　and　the　religious　mania；　or　something　approaching　it；　that　darkened　his　last　years。

To　return；　in　the　end　I　determined　to　cling　to　my　inspiration　and　to　follow　old　Arthur　Young’s　example；　if　in　any　way　I　could　manage　to　do　so。

My　chance　came　in　connection　with　this　South　African　agreement。　In　answer　to　Pearson’s　suggestion　that　it　should　be　cancelled；　I　requested　my　agents；　Messrs。　A。　P。　Watt　&　Sons；　to　inform　him　that　I　was　prepared　to　agree；　on　the　condition　that；　in　place　of　it；　he　would　substitute　another　—　namely；　that　the　articles　should　deal　with　rural　England。　Otherwise　I　would　proceed　to　South　Africa；　as　I　had　made　all　my　plans　to　do。　Pearson　considered　and；　in　the　end；　assented。　I　do　not　know　that　he　was　particularly　anxious　to　exploit　rural　England　in　the　columns　of　the　Daily　Express；　but　at　any　rate　it　was　a　fresh　cry；　whereas　that　of　South　Africa　had　bee　very　stale　indeed。

Before　speaking　of　this　matter；　however；　which　only　matured　in　the　beginnings　of　1901；　I　will　return　for　a　moment　to　my　travels　which　menced　at　Florence。　I　had　arranged　verbally　with　Moberly　Bell　of　The　Times　to　visit　Cyprus　and　the　Holy　Land；　and　to　write　for　that　journal　some　articles　upon　the　affairs　of　the　Near