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t you say as to the possibility of a vastly increased output of home…grown food。 But this you will never get until you have co…operation and the cheap carriage which； as you may have seen； I am doing my best to advocate — under the form of an increase in postal facilities。 For this reason： without co…operation and cheap carriage the small holder cannot thrive； and it is to him that you must look for enlarged production — not to the large farmers。 As regards the lack of rural cottages I agree that this is one of the great causes of the exodus to the towns （see Vol。 II； pp。 519…520）。 But the lack of prospects is a greater。 If labourers had a prospect of rising and could do well on the land as small holders they would soon get cottages； for then they could pay a rent at which these would be remunerative to build。 Or more probably they would build their own； as at Evesham。
Now I believe that such prospects could be afforded to labouring men by means of some such moderate measures of reform as I have suggested （Vol。 II； p。 555） if only some British Government would really take the matter to heart。
To my mind； to plunge everlastingly into foreign adventure after foreign adventure； however difficult and costly； and all the while to neglect our own land so cruelly is a madness。 What will it benefit us to gain the whole earth if we are to lose our country…bred population？ Again； with all this outcry about our danger from lack of food； why not take the obvious remedy of growing most of it at home？ as we could do in my judgment； and without Protection。
Forgive me for having troubled you with these screed。 I do so frankly in the hope of interesting you still more earnestly in a subject to which； trusting to do a little good； I have given so much time and labour — more indeed than my personal and material interests have justified me in doing。 To you； sir； may e the opportunity of helping forward these reforms and thus truly benefiting our country。
Believe me； very truly； yours；
H。 Rider Haggard。
The Right Hon。 H。 H。 Asquith。
As a matter of fact it was from the Radical party； with which I profoundly disagree upon certain points； that light came at last。 They； as I know from sundry signs and tokens； had taken the trouble to study “Rural England。” At any rate the Development Board； which now does so much for agriculture； embodies somewhat closely； if with variations； the scheme of Government assistance for that industry which I outlined in the last chapter； headed “Conclusions。”
The book has been very largely quoted； both here and in other countries； though often enough without acknowledgment； notably by politicians in search of ideas。 For instance； Lord Rosebery — I need not say； with acknowledgment — has alluded to it more than once in his speeches； and so have many other prominent men。 I remember that he pointed it out to me in his library； and told me； I think； that he had read it straight through。
I fear that this has been rather a dull chapter； for its subject is always dull； and he who decants thereon is apt to be considered an agricultural bore。 Also it has involved the quotation of several letters and the reprinting of some extracts from books； which are apt to look wearisome in type。 Yet I did not see how these could be omitted； since the words set down years ago do give exactly the writer’s thoughts and views in a fashion more pletely accurate than can any summary founded on his recollections。 Memory is a treacherous thing； and one to which in such matters it is not well to trust。
Strange and varied were the establishments in which Cochrane and I often found ourselves as guests during the course of these “Rural England” journeyings。 When it was announced that I was going to visit a given county we invariably received many kind offers of hospitality。 Since； as a rule； we knew nothing of our would…be hosts； our method of dealing with these was to take a map and accept at hazard those invitations which would bring us nearest to the centre of the various districts we wished to investigate。 Really it was a wise plan； for it brought us into touch with all sorts and conditions of men。
When； at the given day and hour； we drove up to the residence of our unknown host； often enough it was without knowing whether we should find a palace or a farmhouse。
I could write a whole chapter； if not a small book； about the places where we stayed and their inhabitants。 One night； for instance； we found ourselves in an ancient and gigantic baronial castle。 While I was undressing Cochrane arrived in my apartment； which was huge and gloomy； and asked me if I would mind ing to inspect his sleeping…place。 I did； and by the light of a few struggling candles saw the most depressing room on which ever I had set eyes。
It was enormous； and in the centre of the back wall stood a four…post bed with black hangings and； I think； black hearse…plumes at the corners。 Round the walls were old； full…length family portraits of a singularly grim description — I imagine they must have been memorial pictures — while over the mantelpiece sat an awful old seventeenth…century woman who held a skull in her hands。 This very skull； by the way； was kept in a cupboard upstairs； where I saw the thing； which had something to do with the history of the family； or rather of that which preceded it in the ownership of the castle and estate。 Everything about the chamber was in thorough keeping with that skull； even the coal…box was black and shaped like a sarcophagus！
“This；” said Cochrane — a lover of cheerful surroundings — in a feeble voice； “is no doubt the place where these people have been laid out for generations！”
Remembering the horrible “black bed” in the Verney Memoirs； which used to be carted from house to house whenever a death was expected in the family； I agreed with him； and departed； wishing him pleasant dreams and a good night’s rest。
So huge was that castle — built； I believe； in the time of King John — that in the morning we were utterly unable to find our way to the breakfast…room。 Up and down passages we wandered； till at last we saw a table with writing materials on it； and sat down there to answer letters； until ultimately we