n other men are fighting.

I have been having a great time of late. Work of surpassing
interest, a certain amount of excitement, and a knowledge that
one was more or less directly participating in the winning of the
War--what more can the heart of man desire? If only poor old
Tarbet hadn't been killed--he was a dear pal of mine,--there
wouldn't be a cloud on the horizon. Don't let the Mater and Pater
get the wind up about my personal safety. At present I am quite
safe; besides, I have wonderful luck. I was only saved by a
miracle from being blown into the air last September on the
Somme. I may get home on leave in the near future.

_May 4th, 1917._

I rejoice to say that Ambrose has received the D.S.O. for that
achievement referred to in my last letter. He more than deserves
it. He had a most terrible experience. The D.S.O. for a subaltern
is one of the very highest honours that the Army has to bestow.
We are all very bucked about it, especially the O.A. section of
the battalion.

How anomalous the War has become--the world's great Land Power
striving to strike its decisive blow at sea, while the great Sea
Power is endeavouring to strike its decisive blow on land! This
double paradox will give much food for reflection to future
historians. I am coming to the conclusion that without a complete
knowledge of the facts it is well-nigh impossible to derive
accurate deductions from History. It seems to me you can make
History prove anything. To understand History in all its
significance, one must be familiar also with literature,
languages and science.

Talking of science, do you see that some modern scientists are
throwing doubt on the original theory of Evolution? They admit
the possibility of the modification of species through natural
selection, but they dispute the theory that any broad change
takes place in the genera of organisms. They do not even admit
the possibility of the atrophy, through long disuse, of organs of
which the animal no longer has need. They are forced to admit
that many species and genera have become extinct--so much is
proved by the skeletons of prehistoric beasts found from time to
time under the earth's surface. But what they dispute is that
there is any conne