1904] A Gallop on Salisbury Plain 105 



ported with much money, for the dissemination of Masonic ideas among 

 the French priesthood. Young men had been educated for the purpose 

 in the seminaries, and it was supposed the Bishop was one of them. 

 On being summoned to Rome the Bishop refused to go and declared 

 a higher allegiance to be due to the French Government. lie is now 

 excommunicated. As to the other's immorality it has been condoned 

 whether proved or not, and he has been given an archbishopric in 

 partibus at Rome and thus made his peace. Meynell thinks it will lead 

 to a rupture of the Concordat. The French Government mean to 

 appropriate the churches in France and lease them back to the Catholic 

 communities, but Meynell doubts whether these will be disposed to 

 pay a rent reckoned at £2,000,000. I am inclined to think that the 

 quarrel will eventually be of advantage to the faith, but Meynell 

 doubts." 



Here follows an account of a driving and camping tour ending at 

 Clouds. My arrival there is thus described. We had camped the night 

 before on the down above Wylye. 



" 5th Sept. — We had arranged that I was to wait in camp till nine 

 for George Wyndham who was to ride from Clouds in the early morn- 

 ing ; and sure enough at 8 .-30 I heard the sound of galloping hoofs and 

 presently a view holloa and they arrived, George and his son Percy, 

 both bareheaded, and with them Dorothy, and I gave them tea in my 

 tent. It was a joyous meeting on a joyous morning,- for George has 

 cast his official cares to the winds and is in his most expansive mood. 

 Then we all went on to Clouds, my four horses pulling double with the 

 excitement of the galloping outriders. There are two terrible hills 

 on either side of Hindon, and these we raced up at a gallop, the team 

 going gallantly and out-pacing the riders, all except George, who was 

 well mounted and led the way. What a morning! We spent the day 

 discussing the Japanese victories and international questions and build- 

 ing by-laws and religion. The elder Percy was curious as to the 

 exact extent of my beliefs. He asked me whether I believed in noth- 

 ing at all supernatural. I answered ' Yes, I have a small belief in the 

 evil eye.' This was hailed as a great pronouncement. 



" 6th Sept. — A day of galloping on the downs to Whitesheet Castle, 

 and this afternoon I read them my version of Lebid's ' Ode ' and my 

 play ' Fand.' I am satisfied with ' Fand ' and believe it has even acting 

 capabilities. We had some discussion what to call it, a drama or what, 

 George maintaining that it should be called a tragedy, because it ends 

 in the hero going back to his wife. 



" I asked him about Somaliland and what instructions had been 

 given to Swain. He told me he had pressed my views of pacification 

 by blood payment, and had no doubt Swain's instructions for peace 



