第1部分(第3/7 頁)

rally。　He　journeyed　through　twenty…seven　countries　examining　the　condition　of　agriculture；　and　published　the　results　of　this　survey　in　his　book　“Rural　England。”　This　undertaking　he　described　as　“the　heaviest　labour　of　all　my　laborious　life。”　Besides　this　he　travelled　through　the　United　States　and　to　Canada　as　a　missioner　appointed　by　the　Colonial　Office；　to　report　to　the　Secretary　of　State　on　the　Labour　Colonies　instituted　by　the　Salvation　Army。　He　also　served　on　Royal　missions　which　involved　much　labour　and　long　journeys。　If　to　give　unsparingly　of　one’s　time　and　abilities　to　the　service　of　one’s　fellow…men；　without　hope　of　reward；　is　to　be　a　philanthropist；　surely　Rider　Haggard　deserved　that　honoured　name。　But；　like　many　another　man　who　devotes　his　time　to　work　of　this　character；　he　was　much　discouraged　and　disappointed　because　his　labours　were　not　crowned　by　immediate　results。　Nevertheless；　it　is　probable　that　the　causes　for　which　he　worked　will；　in　the　long　run；　triumph；　and　the　work　which　he　gave　so　unsparingly　will　not　be　wasted。

I　undertook　the　preparation　of　this　work　for　the　press　because　my　friend；　Rider　Haggard；　wished　me　to　do　so。　I　hope　I　have　not　bungled　or　failed　in　the　execution　of　this　labour　of　love。　I　wish　especially　to　express　my　gratitude　to　Miss　Hector；　who　acted　as　Sir　Rider’s　secretary　for　thirty…four　years；　up　to　the　time　of　his　death；　for　reading　the　proofs　and　for　her　unfailing　kindness　and　help　in　many　ways。

My　thanks　are　also　due　to　various　gentlemen　for　permission　to　print　letters：　viz。　the　Father　Superior　of　Mount　Saint　Bernard’s　Abbey　for　several　letters　from　the　late　Brother　Basil；　Mr。　E。　F。　Benson　for　an　extract　from　a　letter　of　Archbishop　Benson；　the　executors　of　Sir　Walter　Besant；　Mr。　Bramwell　Booth；　General　of　the　Salvat