WCP3224

[1]

The Cottage, Rabeny, Co. Dublin.

July 14 [1899][?]

Dear Dr. Wallace,

Thank you very much indeed for so kindly sending me your Clarion¹ article² on war, which should make all the enemies of that huge evil feel grateful and hopeful. I am of their number, as I believe that the only justifiable form of war is rebellion. Sometimes I almost doubt whether or not to wish for one, and a great one, terrible though it would be. But there can be[2] no doubt that the remedy lies in what you point out: the diversion, not the suppressing of our pugnacious instincts. Surely non-sentient nature would provide abundant antagonists, and ample scope for heroism. I heartily join in your wish for the advent of a powerful organiser of industrial armies; whenever he does arrive, he will owe a large debt to your writings. Some very remarkable poems in Rudyard Kipling's³ "Seven Seas"⁴ volume make one think that such an army might find its master[?] in him, were he less infatuated about military imperialism and the like. Perhaps music is an even more important civilian[?] than poetry. There is some truth in an old hymn,⁵ which was popular over here in Queen Ann's⁶, after the ruin of our[3] wool-trade: -

'was she [the Queen] not a fool,

when she took our wool

to leave us so much of the leather, the leather?

it mis entered your pate

that a sheepskin well beat

would draw a whole nation together, together.

So I hope that the industrial army will not neglects its bands.

We are looking forward with great interest to your paper⁷in the forthcoming proceedings of the S.P.R.⁸

Please excuse this ill-written letter. I have been troubled lately with acute inflammation of the eyes, and though they are now merely well, my sight is still rather defective.

Believe me | yours very sincerely

Jane Barlow [signature]