more? it very nearly came to that. But I sugat you re-read "The Islanders." I cannote any more. Every word of "The ers" is true to make one weep; and it me storm-centre of The Five Nations. nany thousands of people felt that, in - "The Islanders," Kipling had destroyed n reputation! Doubtless the Germans have felt the same way about "The of the Columns"; though, if they had and had taken the trouble to believe it, Id have saved them a good many milpent in propaganda. But the Germans uite as stupid as the British public. g re has been more than one reason, as I aid, for the waning of Kipling's popuIn the first place, he does not give us so good stories as once, in the full flush of ius, he did. That is a perfectly legitieason. Then, too, he has had an unrick of seeing ahead. When "The Edge Evening" was first published (in 1913), [258] ing, cle hood a patriot ing of meann itical religio differe type; if, ev Wom Al have ish The Lloy sees trad reat peop (“T Ball No wa to that. But Is one weep; and one reason, as Kipling's pop shed (in 1913 ing, clean outside and in; the beauty hood and the bitterer beauty of pa patriotism unshrinking and unasham ing of the mob and the mob's ma meanness; the continuity of the En itical tradition, from Magna Char religious toleration; scrupulous per differences between race and race, type; the White Man's Burden. An if, even now, he is an ardent b Woman Suffrage. Almost any one of these attitud have been enough to damn him with ish democracy. One quite underst The Five Nations would not have Lloyd George's vade mecum. One sees why Mr. Asquith, following tradition, passed Kipling over for reateship in favor of a gentleman w people had heard of and no one co ("The Widow at Windsor" probabl Balliol as much as it shocked Queen No Kipling-lover, for that matter, p wanted Kipling to be Laureate. One in these last years; and Kipling's er at that phenomenon must have been . They could scarcely afford to feel markably right, it would prove them so cably wrong. I say, one quite understands why the and flattered workingman, the demaand the "brittle intellectual" have not im or listened to him; but it is none the mystery that some one should not have to him and seen that he was eminently many vital points. There is, after all, living in England who writes so well, so nearly master of the English lanBut one has to conclude that his audis made up its mind only to be amused a train-journey. re was a merry little international cordence in 1914 or 1915 over "The Truce Bear." What did Mr. Kipling say now? all a great joke on him. People also up "The Man Who Was." I believe ipling never replied to his humorous ners, or, if he did, it was to the effect credit K the Bea Islande tons on Kipling his anci remem his wa since 1 written if, in t private ago: Make lik He m right am n was to th it wa trust that : and K rstands why gman, the de ectual" have n Out it is none th should not have he was eminent here is, after o writes so wel the English l de that his auf ly to be amused ternational ar ver "The Tru ipling say no! m. People als Vas." I believ o his humorous as to the effect credit Kipling by pitching on "The the Bear" as they had once pitched Islanders." With Russia driving back tons on the eastern front, I do not Kipling, as a patriot, could proceed his ancient position very loudly. But remember here I speak under corre his war-poems are very elusive-t since 1914 he has written of Russia written of France. And I have often if, in the last months, he has not tak private comfort in his own refrain ago: Make ye no truce with Adam-zad, the bear like a man. He may at least feel that he was right about Russia, if incidentally wr am not mistaken, "The Truce of t was written on the occasion of the to the first Hague Conference. We to it was the Tsar whom England wa trust. Very likely. But I cannot help that Kipling had a private suspicion [261] is I say, never forget it. But for the last , the Russian people has been behaving orically in the sense of the poem. en he stands up like a tired man, tottering near and near; en he stands up as pleading, in wavering, man-brute guise. . . . en he shows as seeking quarter, with paws like hands in prayer, t is the time of peril—the time of the Truce of the Bear!' less, noseless, and lipless, asking a dole at the door, un, the old blind beggar, he tells it o'er and o'er; bling and feeling the rifles, warming his hands at the flame, ring our careless white men talk of the morrow's game; and over the story, ending as he began: ere is no truce with Adam-zad—the bear that looks like a man!' should be particularly sorry to say anyg that German propagandists would like ave said. It is perfectly impossible for the age person to know what is the proper waveri The who m "The anothe of Kip less ri conten I w The value |