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第76部分（第2页）

Ditchingham　House；

Norfolk。

I　answered　as　follows：

Ditchingham　House；　Norfolk：

September　5；　1911。

My　dear　Mr。　Roosevelt；　—　Many　thanks　for　your　interesting　letter　of　August　22nd。　I　think　that　the　cause　of　the　“trouble　among　the　peoples　who　speak　English”　is　twofold；　the　love　of　pleasure　and　the　love　of　wealth；　both　of　which　affections　can；　for　the　majority；　be　most　easily　gratified　in　cities。　Doubtless　the　Golden　Calf　is　the　most　popular　of　all　gods　ancient　or　modern；　and　he　does　not　build　his　shrines　amongst　woods　and　fields。　Moreover　his　worship　bees　ever　more　facile；　since　during　the　last　century　a　new　code　of　morality　has　matured　in　these　matters。

Rogues；　of　course；　there　always　were；　but　in　the　days　of　our　grandfathers　not　so　many；　I　think；　of　the　“indifferent　honest。”

I　have　a　few　shares　in　certain　mercial　undertakings。　A　week　or　so　ago　I　observed　that　the　price　of　these　shares　was　falling　rapidly。　When　they　had；　so　to　speak；　bumped　against　the　bottom；　in　each　case　the　shareholders　were　notified　of　certain　troubles　and　miscalculations　that　had　occurred。　The　next　day　the　papers　pointed　out　that　the　“insiders”　had　been　unloading　their　shares　at　the　high　price　before　warning　the　shareholders　of　what　had　happened；　and　remarked　that　this　furnished　another　proof　of　the　helplessness　of　the　investor　in　the　hands　of　the　said　insiders；　who　are；　I　suppose；　the　directors　and　their　friends。

Now　I　frequently　have　to　send　people　to　prison　who　through　poverty　or　actual　want　have　stolen　something；　but　no　one　will　send　these　“insiders”　to　prison；　although　they　are　worse　than　ordinary　thieves　because　they　betray　the　confidence　of　those　who　trusted　them　and　whose　interests　they　are　paid　to　promote。　On　the　contrary；　their　rapidly　acquired　wealth　will　be　admired；　they　will　be　spoken　of　with　respect　as　successful　men；　and　probably　in　the　end　receive　or　purchase　titles。

Now　in　the　conditions　of　a　simple　pastoral　life　dishonesty；　even　if　innate；　could　scarcely　bring　such　rich　rewards。

Apply　the　argument　to　the　various　classes　of　mankind　and　I　think　we　have　one　of　the　causes　of　the　popularity　of　the　town。

Another　is；　of　course；　that　there　women　can　show　themselves　off；　their　jewels　and　dresses；　if　rich；　or　if　poor；　can　have　the　advantages　of　cheap　amusements。　In　most　people　the　love　of　Nature　scarcely　exists；　it　seems　to　be　the　privilege　of　the　highly　educated。　But　niy…eight　out　of　a　hundred　love　a　gas…lamp。

Speaking　generally；　this　seems　to　be　the　state　of　affairs　among　all　the　more　progressive　of　the　white　peoples。　I　hear　that　even　the　Boers　of　whom　you　speak　are　in　a　good　many　instances　beginning　to　be　affected　by　this　kind　of　tidal　movement　towards　the　town。　How　will　it　end？　That　is　the　interesting　point。　My　opinion　is　that　in　the　absence　of　some　unforeseen　and　unexpected　turn　of　this　tide　it　will　involve　the　practical　destruction　of　the　white　peoples；　and　that　within　a　measurable　time；　say；　two　or　three　centuries。　Except　in　the　case　of　those　of　a　lower　stratum　whose　progeny　soon　die　out　or　bee　degenerate；　the　town　women　do　not　have　many　children；　in　fact　there　seems　to　be　a　rebellion　against　this　burden　amongst　most　married　women。　Also　the　increase　of　luxury　and　the　cost　of　living　all　tend　towards　the　same　end。　Only　on　the　land　are　children　wele；　that　is　if　this　land　is　owned　by　their　parents；　who　find　their　labour　valuable。　Look　at　France。　Were　it　not　for　the　support　of　England；　Germany　would　soon　have　her　in　its　bag。　But　the　same　causes　that　are　reducing　France　to　a　state　of　political　death　are；　I　am　told；　beginning　to　work　at　the　heart　of　her　enemies；　the　Germans。　Look　at　Australia。　If　there　were　no　British　fleet　how　long　would　it　be　before　it　received　a　considerable　number　of　immigrants　of　the　Mongol　type？　And　so　on。

But　all　these　arguments　are　monplace　to　you。　The　question　is；　Whither　do　they　lead；　supposing　them　to　be　accurate？

I　think；　to　two　alternative　conclusions。　The　first　alternative　is　that　the　Almighty　has　had　enough　of　the　white　races　and　is　bringing　about　their　ruin　through　their　own　failings　as　in　past　days　He　brought　about　the　ruin　of　Rome；　purposing　once　more　to　fill　their　places　from　the　East。　The　second　alternative　is　that　He　is　pointing　out　to　them　that　their　only　possible　rejuvenation；　their　only　salvation　lies　in　the　closer　settlement　of　the　land　which　they　neglect。

Denmark　has　learned　something　of　this　lesson；　and　that　is　why　to　me　its　example　seems　so　important。　Personally　also　I　believe　it　to　be　the　first　of　truths；　and　that　is　why　I　try　to　preach　it　in　and　out　of　season。　But　the　sporting　owner　and　the　tenant　farmers　of　the　country；　both　of　which　classes　find　things　very　well　as　they　are；　do　not　share　my　views；　and　say　so　with　vigour。　The　future　will　show　which　of　us　is　in　the　right。

。　。　。　I　quite　agree　with　all　that　you　say　at　the　end　of　your　letter；　indeed　I　think　that　these　are　fine　words。　All　that　one　can　do　is　to　peg　away　and　not　be　discouraged。　Then　at　least　one　has　done　one’s　humble　best　in　the　little　hour　that　is　granted；　leaving　the　ultimate　issues　in　the　hands　of　Fate　and　the　future。　If　no　one　will　listen；　if　the　opposing　interests　are　too　strong；　at　least　one　has　cried　aloud　in　the　wilderness　and　done　one’s　best。

With　very　kind　regards；

Believe　me；

Ever　sincerely　yours；

H。　Rider　Haggard。

About　a　year　later　I　wrote　a　note　to　Mr。　Roosevelt；　saying　that　of　course　American　politics　were　no　affair　of　mine；　and　that　I　would　not　venture　to　say　anything　about　them。　Still；　as　I　believed　that　his　heart　was　in　the　right　place；　I　wished　him　success　in　his　arduous　struggle。

To　this　note　I　received　the　following　reply；　which　strikes　me　as　of　extraordinary　interest。　The　opening　of　it；　of　which　the　note　is　“misunderstood；”　is　somewhat　pathetic；　the　writer’s　conviction　as　to　the　approaching　“general　smash…up　of　our　civilisation”　unless　certain　conditions　can　be　put　a　stop　to　is　of　much　weight　ing　from　such　a