a good
sportsman; for instance, he refuses to kill Claudius when he
finds him at a disadvantage--that is, when Claudius is praying.

To me the lesson of the play seems to be this--the only policy
that really works in this world is to "go in and get the goods,"
as the Canadians say. The philosopher usually causes more trouble
than his philosophy is worth. It is the old lesson of the
Girondins and Jacobins over again. No one doubts which of them
had the purer and loftier ideals. Equally no one doubts that the
Girondins, despite all this, were hopelessly outmanoeuvred by the
practical Jacobins, who had not a tithe of their brains.

To change the subject, I have been getting a lot of swimming
lately. At a big cement works in a neighbouring town there is an
enormous pond in a quarry. The water is about 15 feet deep all
round and not at all stagnant, and there is a splendid place for
diving. Yesterday I was down at a neighbouring seaport on
business and got a delightful swim in the sea. A swim means to me
almost as much as a Rugby match. I am going down to the
cement-works pool every day, and whenever possible I shall have a
swim in the sea. The weather just at present is wonderful, the
sunshine simply glorious. Do not imagine that I am neglecting my
work. In fact, I have been tremendously busy buying and arranging
for green fodder for about 2,000 horses at the rate of 4 lbs. per
horse per diem. By to-morrow noon I shall have contracts
concluded to keep the brigade supplied until further orders.

_May 21st, 1916._

Thanks so much for congratulatory messages. It certainly was
gratifying to get the second pip, and a particularly pleasant
coincidence that it should be gazetted on May 18th [his
birthday].

The weather in "this pleasant land of France" remains wonderful.
The sun is really shining. In the height of summer I have never
known more beautiful weather. This, on the whole, is a
picturesque part of France, and everything looks at its best just
now. The lanes and wooded downs here might be in Surrey.

I was seven hours in the saddle yesterday. The General himself
commented the other day on the splendid condition of my horses.
They certainly are looking extraordinarily well.