第80部分(第5/7 頁)

ecause　our　race　is　of　such　mixed　origin。　In　Kipling’s　case　some　of　these　onslaughts　are　doubtless　provoked　by　his　strong　party　feeling　and　pronouncements；　though　the　form　they　take　is　for　the　most　part　criticism　of　his　work。　Even　on　the　supposition　that　this　is　not　ale　quality；　such　treatment　strikes　me　as　ungenerous。　No　man　is　continually　at　his　best；　and　the　writer　of　“Recessional”　and　other　noble　and　beautiful　things　should　be　spared　these　scourgings。　However；　I　have　no　doubt　it　will　all　e　right　in　the　end；　and　I　hope　that　when　this　book　is　published　he　may　be　wearing　the　Order　of　Merit。

Nowadays　everything　is　in　extremes；　and　the　over…praised　of　one　year　are　the　over…depreciated　of　the　next；　since；　as　much　or　more　than　most　people；　critics；　or　the　papers　that　employ　them；　like　to　be　in　the　fashion。　It　is　fortunate　that；　however　much　it　may　be　influenced　at　the　time；　the　ultimate　judgment　lies　with　the　general　public；　which；　in　the　issue；　is　for　the　most　part　just。　It　is　fortunate　also　that　only　a　man’s　best　work　will　e　before　this　final　court；　since　in　our　crowded　age　the　rest　must　soon　evaporate。

The　next　important　event　that　happened　to　me　was　my　nomination　in　the　year　1906　as　a　member　of　the　Royal　mission　on　Coast　Erosion。　It　happened　thus。　Seeing　that　such　a　mission　was　to　be　appointed；　I　wrote　to　Mr。　Lloyd　George；　who　was　then　the　President　of　the　Board　of　Trade　in　the　new　Radical　Government；　explaining　to　him　a　method　I　had　adopted　of　keeping　back　the　sea　by　the　planting　of　Marram　grass。　This　plan　had　proved　most　successful　so　far　as　the　frontage　of　my　house；　Kessingland　Grange；　near　Lowestoft；　was　concerned；　and　I　suggested　that　it　might　with　advantage　be　more　widely　followed。

Mr。　Lloyd　George　asked　me　to　e　to　see　him；　which　I　did；　with　t