第77部分(第2/7 頁)

on　for　every　successful　civilisation；　yet　that　fabric　cannot　be　lasting　unless　a　warp　of　lofty　disinterestedness　and　power　of　munity　feeling　is　shot　through　the　woof　of　individualistic　materialism。　Have　you　ever　read　“No。　5　John　Street”？　I　happened　to　be　reading　it　the　other　day。　Now　I　know　I　cannot　ever　achieve　more　than　the　very　smallest　part　of　what　I　would　like　to　do；　but　at　least　I　wish　to　take　part　in　a　movement　for　using　the　government　so　far　as　may　be　to　put　a　stop　to　the　dreadful　conditions　at　both　ends　of　the　social　scale　which　are　described　in　“No。　5　John　Street。”　In　the　same　way；　I　wish　to　get　the　government　interested　in　conservation；　and　in　restoring　the　people　to　the　land。　I　do　not　know　whether　we　will　be　able　to　succeed　in　the　great　movement　for　social　and　industrial　reform；　which　includes　all　such　movements　as　the　two　I　have　mentioned；　but　I　do　know　that　the　alternative　is　a　general　smash…up　of　our　civilisation；　and　succeed　or　fail；　I　hold　it　to　be　the　duty　of　every　decent　man　to　fight　to　avoid　such　a　smash。

I　hope　you　e　to　Canada　and　then　I　shall　see　you　here　and　have　a　chance　of　talking　over　some　of　these　matters；　which　are　of　such　vital　importance；　and　which　the　average　man　treats　as　of　no　importance　whatever。

As　for　my　personal　fortunes；　they　are　of　no　consequence　whatever；　except　in　so　far　as　they　are　for　the　moment　connected　with　this　movement。　The　great　bulk　of　my　wealthy　and　educated　friends　regard　me　as　a　dangerous　crank　because　I　am　trying　to　find　a　remedy　for　evils　which　if　left　unremedied　will　in　the　end　do　away　not　only　with　wealth　and　education；　but　with　pretty　much　all　of　our　civilisation。　The　majority　of　people　veer　one　way　or　the　other　according　to　whether　at　the　moment　I　seem　to　succeed　or　fail；　and　are　quite　incapable　of