四季隨筆-the private papers of henry ryecroft(英文版)

第7部分 (第2/7頁)

ar。　Hateful　as　is　the　struggle　for　life　in　every　form；　this　rough…and…tumble　of　the　literary　arena　seems　to　me　sordid　and　degrading　beyond　all　others。　Oh；　your　prices　per　thousand　words！　Oh；　your　paragraphings　and　your　interviewings！　And　oh；　the　black　despair　that　awaits　those　down…trodden　in　the　fray。

Last　midsummer　I　received　a　circular　from　a　typewriting　person；　soliciting　my　custom；　some　one　who　had　somehow　got　hold　of　my　name；　and　fancied　me　to　be　still　in　purgatory。　This　person　wrote：　〃If　you　should　be　in　need　of　any　extra　assistance　in　the　pressure　of　your　Christmas　work；　I　hope；〃　etc。

How　otherwise　could　one　write　if　addressing　a　shopkeeper？　〃The　pressure　of　your　Christmas　work〃！　Nay；　I　am　too　sick　to　laugh。

XIX

Some　one；　I　see；　is　lifting　up　his　sweet　voice　in　praise　of　Conscription。　It　is　only　at　long　intervals　that　one　reads　this　kind　of　thing　in　our　reviews　or　newspapers；　and　I　am　happy　in　believing　that　most　English　people　are　affected　by　it　even　as　I　am；　with　the　sickness　of　dread　and　of　disgust。　That　the　thing　is　impossible　in　England；　who　would　venture　to　say？　Every　one　who　can　think　at　all　sees　how　slight　are　our　safeguards　against　that　barbaric　force　in　man　which　the　privileged　races　have　so　slowly　and　painfully　brought　into　check。　Democracy　is　full　of　menace　to　all　the　finer　hopes　of　civilization；　and　the　revival；　in　not　unnatural　panionship　with　it；　of　monarchic　power　based　on　militarism；　makes　the　prospect　dubious　enough。　There　has　but　to　arise　some　Lord　of　Slaughter；　and　the　nations　will　be　tearing　at　each　other's　throats。　Let　England　be　imperilled；　and　Englishmen　will　fight；　in　such　extremity　there　is　no　choice。　But　what　a　dreary　change　must　e　upon　our　islanders　if；　without　instant　danger；　they　bend　beneath　the　curse　of