A GARDEN DIARY 69 



indignation could be retained at the proper 

 boiling point. To turn from the past to the 

 present was to spoil the whole effect. In place 

 of War, Famine, Massacre, one only got dull 

 political controversies, or equally dull agrarian 

 disturbances. For the Raleighs, the Sydneys, 

 the Straffords, the Cromwells, vast impres- 

 sive figures, large and lurid only a group 

 of rather harassed gentlemen, " well-meaning 

 English officials," painfully endeavouring to steer 

 their way so as to offend everyone as little 

 as possible. Yes, I had quite a respectable 

 capacity for hatred in those days, and England 

 that historic England of which I knew abso- 

 lutely nothing enjoyed the greater part of it. 

 Especially, I remember, that I used to gloat over 

 the notion of some day or other a great national 

 HUMILIATION befalling her a Sedan, a 

 Moscow I hardly knew what; retribution at 

 all events in some very visible and dramatic 

 form. With what glee I used to picture her 

 standing helplessly before the nations ; without 

 a friend or an ally to turn to ; naked and 

 ashamed ; crushed bleeding to the earth, as she 

 had so often crushed Ireland ; a mark for every 



wagging head 



Well, well, thus we play the fool, and the 

 spirits of the wise sit in the clouds and mock 

 us! Here am I walking home along an English 

 lane, and almost wringing my hands in despair 



