From Lord Fisher to a Friend.
My Dear ——,
I wrote to a distinguished friend to note (but not to congratulate him) that he had been made “a Companion of Honour” (what that is I don’t know!), and told him one of the disadvantages of even a “Limited Monarchy” was the making of us all into Christmas Trees to hang Decorations upon! He replied he had declined it, as he did not wish “to be regarded as a dab of paint to camouflage this new Order instituted for Labour Leaders!” Haven’t I always told you we are a Nation of Snobs, and that even the Labour Leaders don’t resent being kept hanging about on the door mat?
My dear friend adds: “I feel sure your conception of Democracy will be realised.” (I had sent him my Paper on Democracy that you didn’t like!) “Liberty means a Country where every man or woman has an equal chance.”
“The race of Life in a civilised Country is a race carried out under a system of handicaps, and the people who do the handicapping are the people of the least brains.
“The prophecy you send me is wonderful.”
I think the words of this my friend will interest you, though perhaps not convince you!
Yours till death,
F.
9/6/18.
The Battle Hymn of the Republic.
I have been sitting this morning under a Presbyterian Minister, Dr. Hugh Black, whose eloquence so moved the Prime Minister, Mr. Lloyd George (who kindly gave me a seat in his pew, on the other side of me being President Wilson, at the Presbyterian Church in Paris on May 25th, 1919), that the moment the service was ended the Prime Minister went straight to him in the pulpit and told him it was one of the best sermons he had ever heard. And it probably was. One word Dr. Black used was very descriptive. He described us all, except those homeless ones for whom the Saviour pleaded in Dr. Black’s text, as the “sheltered” classes. I think also our feelings in the congregation (not that I wish to derogate from the sermon) had been intensely moved by the magnificent singing on the part of the great congregation (mostly American Citizens) of the Battle Hymn of the American Republic, composed by Julia Ward Howe. The tune (“John Brown’s Body”), as Mr. Sankey said, no doubt has much to do with the glorious emphasis of the chorus; but certainly the words are magnificent:—