第79部分(第2/7 頁)

ave　to　be　faced；　I　am　not　so　sure。　I　have　offered　to　go　into　and　prepare　a　further　report　on　this　point　if　it　is　desired。

I　have　ventured　to　suggest　that　a　missioner　should　be　sent　to　South　Africa　and　especially　to　Rhodesia；　to　examine　those　Colonies　and　see　what　they　are　prepared　to　do　to　help。　I　have　great　hope　that　the　tobacco　industry　in　Rhodesia　gives　an　opening　to　the　small　holder。　I　think　also　that　your　Lordship　will　agree　with　me　that　a　British　population　is　desirable　in　that　country。

Believe　me；

Very　truly　yours；

H。　Rider　Haggard。

The　Earl　of　Rosebery；　K。G。；　etc。　etc。

As　a　result　of　this　letter　I　had　a　long　interview　with　Lord　Rosebery　in　the　course　of　which　we　discussed　the　whole　matter　in　detail。　It　was　the　only　occasion　upon　which　I　have　ever　met　this　remarkable　personage。　As　he　wandered　up　and　down　his　library　and　talked　of　this　and　that；　he　impressed　me　as　a　melancholy　and　disappointed　man　—　one　who；　in　a　sense；　felt　that　he　had　failed；　notwithstanding　his　brilliant　gifts　and　great　opportunities。　His　fine　nature　peeped　out　in　every　sentence　that　he　uttered；　also　his　disillusionment。　I　suggested　that　he　should　move　in　this　matter　in　the　House　of　Lords；　but　he　did　not　bring　the　matter　up　there；　as　a　Departmental　mittee　was　appointed。

Truly　the　appointment　of　that　mittee　was　wise　from　the　point　of　view　of　those　who　wished　to　put　an　end　to　further　agitation　on　the　subject。

I　also　received　the　following　letters　from　Earl　Grey：

Toronto：　May　20；　1905。

My　dear　Rider　Haggard；　—　I　am　delighted　to　get　your　letter　which　encourages　me　to　hope　that　the　Colonial　Office　is　in　earnest　in　this　matter。　As　you　know；　I　agree　entirely　with　you　that　there　is　no　time　to　lose　—　Roosevelt　will　be　glad　to　blanket