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boiled Spanish onions before he went to rest； and it was Wright’s business to see that those onions were there。 One unlucky night； however； after a particularly exhausting meeting they arrived at the hotel； where all the attendants had gone to bed； to find two very massive onions reposing on the plate as usual； but just as they had left； not the saucepan； but their mother earth！
Of the row that ensued the captain spoke to me in the hushed voice of awe。31
30 General Booth said to me — more than once： “Ah！ but you would look grand in my uniform。” Whereto I would reply quite truly that I was not fit to wear that wedding garment； or words to that effect。 — H。 R。 H。
The old General wrote as follows about my book； “Regeneration。” The letter is a very good specimen of his fine； bold handwriting； although at that time his sight was already feeble。
International Headquarters；
London； E。C。： December 10； 1910。
My dear Rider Haggard； — I have just read “Regeneration。” It is admirable。 You have not only seen into the character and purpose of the work we are trying to do； with the insight of a true genius； but with the sympathy of a big and generous soul。 From my heart I thank you。
May the blessing of the living God rest upon you； and on Mrs。 Haggard and on your daughters； both for this life and the life to e。
Believe me；
Yours very sincerely；
William Booth。
Rider Haggard； Esq。； J。P。
On May 20； 1912； the General wrote to me； saying that he was to undergo at once an operation for cataract on his remaining eye； one being already blind。
The signature to this touching letter； written just before his last illness； for death followed on the heels of that operation； is somewhat irregular； for then he was practically blind； but still in the old firm handwriting。 Three months later to the day he died； and I received the following telegram； dated 21st August：
With deepest sorrow I have to announce the General laid down his sword at 10。15 last night。 Pray for us。
Bramwell Booth。
So William Booth passed away。 If there is any regard elsewhere for the deeds of good men； his should be great。 Here on earth he has built himself a monument of thousands of regenerated hearts。 Why； I wonder； was burial in Westminster Abbey not offered for his remains？ I suppose the answer is — because he did not belong to the Church of England。 Yet if the Abbey can open its ancient doors to those who amused many of the people — eminent actors； for instance — it seems hard that these should be closed to one who saved so many of the people； and in all lands。
The book “Regeneration” was extremely well reviewed by scores of papers； both here and in other countries； especially in America； thus I remember The Times gave it a leading article。 I only saw two indifferent notices of it — in Church of England journals — and these were aimed more at the Salvation Army than at the work itself。
In my time I have done one or two little pieces of writing for somewhat similar objects。 Thus many years ago I was responsible for a pamphlet called “Church and State；” which I posed in defence of the Established Church of Wales that was then； as now； threatened with disendowment。 This was undertaken at the request of the late Edward Benson； Archbishop of Canterbury； who wrote to me at some length in August 1894； giving me the various points on which he thought stress should be laid。
The pamphlet was written in due course and approved of by the Archbishop； who wrote to me in November of the same year：
I must give you my cordial thanks — in the name of all interested — and they are Legion — for your admirable and telling paper。 It is presumptuous in me to use epithets。 。 。 。 We are all very grateful to you。
I never spoke to Archbishop Benson； although I often saw him at the Athenaeum。 Indeed one night we dined next to each other at separate tables and alone。 I remember that I was tempted to address him； for he did not know me by face； but； remembering that busy men seldom like to be troubled at their rest by strangers； I refrained。 So the opportunity went by； for which I am sorry； as I should have liked to make the personal acquaintance of this good and very earnest prelate。
I have always thought that he was most happy in the manner of his death； which took place suddenly while he was at prayer。 Such would be the end that I should choose； if choice lay within our power。
Another task that I undertook in the intervals of my Royal mission was an agricultural investigation which resulted in my book “Rural Denmark；” whereof a new edition is just about to appear。 What I saw in that country was to me little less than a revelation； but I need not dwell on it in these pages。 Here I found the answer to the problem which had puzzled me for so many years — namely； how agriculture could be made to pay in a Free Trade country with an indifferent climate。 That answer undoubtedly is： By means of medium or small holdings； for the most part owned and not rented； aided by universal co…operation； which will only flourish in the absence of too many large farmers； and by a system akin to that which is known as credit…banks。 Thus supported； the soil of Denmark； which is on the whole poorer than our own and afflicted with an even worse climate； manages out of its small extent； equal only to that of Scotland； to export over twenty millions sterling worth of agricultural produce； chiefly to the British Isles； in addition to the amount which it keeps at home for sustenance in a densely populated land。
What Denmark does most undoubtedly the United Kingdom could do； though perhaps with some variation in the actual products。 This； however； will not； I think； happen under that aftermath of feudalism； our present system of hired farms； many of which are larger than the tenant can manage； and； as a consequence； indifferently cultivated。 Nor will co…operation on a large scale arise under these circumstances。 Owners with no landlord to run to must co…operate in self…protection； tenants； and especially large tenants； do not do so。
I was anxious to serve on the Development Board； in the interests of Afforestation； and also I felt that it had its roots； or at any rate some of them； planted in the soil of my book “Rural England。”
Here I will insert a note that I made of a conversation which took place between Mr。 Lloyd George and myself in May 1909； which throws a good deal of light upon this matter。
SUMMARY OF MY CONVERSATION WITH MR。 LLOYD GEORGE ON MAY 11； 1909。
（Made from notes taken on the same morning。）
On Friday the 7th of May I met Mr。 Lloyd George in Parliament Street。 He said he “must see me；” and after some conversation asked me to breakfast on the following Tuesday。
I began by putting the case for the adoption of our Afforestation scheme as forcibly as I could； arguing that Afforestation should be placed in the hands of a Permanent Royal mission。
The Chancellor’s answer amounted to this： That he was most anxious to see our Afforestation plan go through on whatever scale could be arranged。 He told me that this was very largely； if not chiefly； because I had personally succeeded in interesting him much in the matter when we met and stayed together at Carrow Abbey last year。 The advocates of Afforestation were； he considered； very fortunate in having to deal with him； since he was sure that no Chancellor who went before him； and none who were in the least likely to follow after him； would listen to them for a moment。 As it was he had but one earnest supporter in this matter in the Cabi — Winston Churchill。
I suggested John Burns also； inasmuch as the Labour party were all in favour of an Afforestation scheme。
He replied： No； at heart Burns was not in favour of it； and for the reason that the Labour party were。 He added that J。 B。 was “thoroughly wrong” with the Labour party。
In Parliament； Mr。 Lloyd George continued； this party was the only one from which he received any support as to Afforestation。 Although they had seemed to be in favour of it a few months ago； and even keen for it； the rest of the Liberal party now appeared to care nothing for it； while the Unionists of course were hostile on principle； also because they feared it would interfere with sport。
All these considerations made the matter difficult for him。 Also there was another。 In the Parliamentary war over the Budget the money necessary might easily be cut off。
I then passed on to the question of a permanent Royal mission。
He said he did not see how it could be managed for Afforestation alone； but that it might be for the purposes of the administration of the Development Grant as a whole。 Personally he was entirely adverse to the passing over of that Grant into the power of any official Department。
I replied that one permanent Royal mission to deal with the whole Development Grant y ideas； provided that Afforestation was adequately represented thereon。
I asked how many he would have on the mission。 He replied that he feared that it must be a large one； as he supposed it would be necessary to put on representatives of the various Public Offices。
A discussion then ensued as to who would be the best Chairman for the Development Board or mission。 We talked over various names that seemed to fulfil the qualifications he considered necessary； namely； that this Chairman should be a man of rank and wealth if possible。 As regards this point he said that there was some force in the criticism that the proposed Development Board might possibly bee a tool of party or other subtle form of corruption； and even descend to the perpetration of jobs。
I suggested that the way to avoid this would be to put on it none but men of the highest character who were known to be impartial and open…minded and who were generally respected by the country。 He agreed。
The names suggested for the Chairmanship； so far as I remember； were Lord Desborough； Sir Herbert Maxwell； and Lords Milner and Curzon （these two by myself）。 Lord Curzon； he thought； would bring a great deal of dignity to the office； but too much of the “viceregal manner。” Milner’s name he favoured； but finally seemed to conclude that he was in a sense too strong a man； who with his charming manner would invariably in the end get his own way； which might not always be the right way； and carry the mission with him。 Finally after a pause I suggested Lord Rosebery。
“Rosebery！” he said； sitting down and thinking。 “Rosebery！ the very man！ Politically detached； universally known； beyond suspicion； and a master of the subject。 The very man — that’s a stroke of genius of yours — if he will serve。”
I then said that I thought there ought to be a Vice…Chairman also； to which he seemed to assent。 I mentioned further that being much interested in all these subjects； I should like to serve on that mission if it were ever formed。 He nodded and raised no objection to this； but how much or how little that may mean I do not know。
When I bade him good…bye he was sending a secretary over to the Prime Minister to ask at what time he could see him that morning； in order； I understood； to discuss the whole matter。
The general impression left upon my mind is that Mr。 Lloyd George means to put this business through if he can； but owing to the great forces； secret and open； ranged against him