第7部分(第4/7 頁)

lt　as　an　insult。　Seeing　him　in　the　distance；　I　have　turned　and　fled；　to　escape　the　necessity　of　saluting；　and；　still　more；　a　quiver　of　the　nerves　which　affected　me　so　painfully。　If　ever　a　man　did　me　harm；　it　was　he；　harm　physical　and　moral。　In　all　seriousness　I　believe　that　something　of　the　nervous　instability　from　which　I　have　suffered　since　boyhood　is　traceable　to　those　accursed　hours　of　drill；　and　I　am　very　sure　that　I　can　date　from　the　same　wretched　moments　a　fierceness　of　personal　pride　which　has　been　one　of　my　most　troublesome　characteristics。　The　disposition；　of　course；　was　there；　it　should　have　been　modified；　not　exacerbated。

In　younger　manhood　it　would　have　flattered　me　to　think　that　I　alone　on　the　school　drill…ground　had　sensibility　enough　to　suffer　acutely。　Now　I　had　much　rather　feel　assured　that　many　of　my　schoolfellows　were　in　the　same　mind　of　subdued　revolt。　Even　of　those　who；　boylike；　enjoyed　their　drill；　scarce　one　or　two；　I　trust；　would　have　weled　in　their　prime　of　life　the　imposition　of　military　servitude　upon　them　and　their　countrymen。　From　a　certain　point　of　view；　it　would　be　better　far　that　England　should　bleed　under　conquest　than　that　she　should　be　saved　by　eager；　or　careless；　acceptance　of　Conscription。　That　view　will　not　be　held　by　the　English　people；　but　it　would　be　a　sorry　thing　for　England　if　the　day　came　when　no　one　of　those　who　love　her　harboured　such　a　thought。

XX

It　has　occurred　to　me　that　one　might　define　Art　as：　an　expression；　satisfying　and　abiding；　of　the　zest　of　life。　This　is　applicable　to　every　form　of　Art　devised　by　man；　for；　in　his　creative　moment；　whether　he　produce　a　great　drama　or　carve　a　piece　of　foliage　in　wood；　the　artist　is　moved　and　inspired　by　supreme　enjoyment　of　some　aspect　of　the　world　about　him；　an