the days of my life

第2部分 (第3/7頁)

weth　not　his　own　way”：　he　must　go　where　his　destiny　leads　him。　Either　so　or　he　is　afloat　upon　an　ocean　of　chance；　driven　hither　and　thither　by　its　waves；　till　at　length　his　frail　bark　is　overset　or　sinks　worn　out。　This；　however；　I　do　not　believe。　If　everything　else　in　the　universe　is　governed　by　law；　why　should　the　lot　of　man　alone　be　excepted　from　the　workings　of　law？

However　this　may　be；　as　heralds　say　in　talking　of　a　doubtful　descent；　whether　through　appointment　or　accidentally；　it　has　so　e　about　that；　although　I　have　done　other　things；　I　must　earn　my　livelihood　by　the　pen。　Now　of　this　I　should　not　have　plained　had　I　been　in　a　position　to　choose　my　own　subjects。　But　unhappily　those　subjects　which　attract　me；　such　as　agricultural　and　social　research；　are　quite　unremunerative。　Everybody　talks　of　the　resulting　volumes；　which　receive　full　and　solemn　review　in　all　the　newspapers；　but　very　few　people　buy　them　in　these　days。　So　far　as　I　am　aware；　remunerative　books　may　be　divided　roughly　into　three　classes：　（1）　School　or　technical　works；　which　must　be　purchased　by　scholars　preparing　for　examinations；　or　for　the　purposes　of　their　profession；　（2）　religious　works；　purchased　by　scholars　preparing　themselves　for　a　prosperous　career　in　another　world；　and　（3）　works　of　fiction；　purchased　—　or　rather　borrowed　from　libraries　（if　they　cost　more　than　fourpence…halfpenny1）　—　by　persons　wishing　to　be　amused。　It　has　been　my　lot　to　cater　for　the　last　of　these　three　classes；　and　as　there　is　other　work　which　I　should　have　much　preferred　to　do；　I　will　not　pretend　that　I　have　found；　or　find；　the　occupation　altogether　congenial；　perhaps　because　at　the　bottom　of　my　heart　I　share　some　of　the　British　contempt　for　the　craft　of　story…writing。

1　Written　in　1911。　—　Ed。

I　remember