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Believe me； sincerely yours；
H。 Rider Haggard。
P。S。 — I am convinced the reason that the idea of an Agricultural Post is not received with enthusiasm in every agricultural quarter （the town papers seem all to be much in favour of it） is that the farmers and their scribes believe that if it were conceded the concession would be used as an argument against their getting Protection on food…stuffs！
That is why so many of them oppose or belittle every useful reform： “it might stop their getting Protection。” Therefore they never will unite to demand palliatives； but prefer to hanker after the unattainable！
Subsequently I had a most satisfactory interview with this Minister in his private room at the House of mons； from which I emerged full of hope that the matter was really in a way of being put through。
A little later Mr。 Hanbury died suddenly； and nothing more has been heard of the Goods Post from that day to this。28 To my mind he was a great loss to the country； as in him departed a man open to new ideas； one； too； animated by a sincere desire to advance the cause of agriculture。
27 A Cash on Delivery postal service has at last been instituted。 — Ed。
Nearly two years later I received the following letter from the late Lord Onslow； who in his turn had bee Minister of Agriculture。
Clandon Park； Guildford：
November 13 ＇1904＇。
Dear Sir； — I have read with much interest not only your book on Rural England； but your speeches and letters to the Press on rural subjects； and I thoroughly appreciate how much you have done to educate public opinion on rural matters。
I know； too； that in your opinion the Government have shown themselves supine in dealing with these questions。
Difficulties there are which perhaps are not within your knowledge； but there are two primary ones which take the heart out of any official reformer。 One is the absolute impossibility of getting more than one or two important measures through the House of mons in any Session； and then only by the use of the Closure； while measures to which only one single member is opposed cannot be brought on。
The other is the state of the national Exchequer and the falling off in the power of the Government to borrow at the low rates of former times。
I am in accord with you in much that you hold； but it is only possible for the Board of Agriculture to act where neither legislation nor expenditure is necessary。
I expect to be in London most of next week and the week after； and if you should chance to be ing to town； I should much like to discuss some of these subjects with you。
I am； yours faithfully；
Onslow。
Here is my answer to this letter：
Ditchingham House； Norfolk：
November 15； 1904。
Dear Lord Onslow； — I thank you very much for your letter。 。 。 。 Believe me； my Lord； I quite appreciate the difficulties you mention。 At the same time I am so enormously impressed with the vital importance of the questions involved that I think every effort should be made to educate public opinion until it consents to sweep away those difficulties and give a fair trial to reasonable reforms。 It is my sense of the supreme necessity of these reforms that has induced a humble person like myself to write big books； take long journeys； make speeches； indite letters to newspapers； etc。 — all gratis work； of course — in the intervals of getting my livelihood by other means。 But as you wish to see me I will not trouble you with a long letter on all these matters。
Believe me；
Very truly yours；
H。 Rider Haggard。
To the Rt。 Hon。 the Earl of Onslow。
In due course I had a long talk with Lord Onslow at his private house； during which he kindly but firmly pressed out of me all the information I had to give as regards small holdings and other matters。 In the end he asked me what I thought had best be done。 I replied that it would be well to begin by making a thorough inquiry into all the circumstances of the whole business。 He agreed； and we parted； nor did I ever meet him again except once at a public dinner。
Subsequently he appointed a mittee to investigate small holdings； on which he did not offer me a seat。 Nor； to the best of my recollection； was I even asked to give evidence。
Thus did I keep “pegging away” on Nelson’s principle that it is “dogged as does it。” Having no official position； of course I could only work from the outside； but I am sure that I missed no opportunity within my reach。 Thus； to take an example almost at hazard； I find the copy of a letter written in some acerbity of spirit to Captain Kennedy； who was the Conservative agent for the Eastern Counties； in reply to an informal invitation to me to contest the Wisbech Division。
These exertions I continued down to the time of the fall of the Conservative Government； which I implored to do something in the direction of extending small holdings； if only for the sake of their own political skin。 Needless to say； they took no notice。 The only answers that ever reached me were to the effect that they were not going to “window…dress。” Of course the reasons for this attitude are to be found in Lord Onslow’s letter oreover； I did not confine my endeavours to prominent members of the Conservative party； of whom I had begun to despair。 This is shown by a letter which I addressed to Mr。 Asquith； the present Prime Minister； who at that time； of course； was in Opposition； a propos of some speech he had made。 Almost was I； never much of a party politician； driven to the Pauline attitude of being all things to all men if by any means I might e slight acquaintance。 I remember Lord James of Hereford； whom I knew fairly well； introducing him to me one day when I was lunching at the Athenaeum； on which occasion they both expounded to me the reasons of their strong dislike of Protection。 Here is the letter：
Ditchingham House； Norfolk：
March 19； 1903。
My dear Sir； — I have read your speech reported yesterday； and in consequence I am venturing to ask your acceptance of the copy of my recently published work “Rural England” which I send herewith。 I hope that you may find time to glance at the book； and especially at the chapter headed “Conclusions。” Most thoroughly do I agree with what 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