and；　and　Ireland；　but　at　my　present　age　I　feel　that　it　grows　a　little　faint。　The　work　is　too　tremendous　and；　I　may　add；　too　costly；　since　what　can　be　earned　from　the　sale　of　such　volumes　will　not　even　suffice　to　pay　their　expenses　and　that　of　the　necessary　journeys。

Still　I　hope　that　my　work　may　help　to　show　to　posterity　through　the　mouths　of　many　witnesses　what　was　the　state　of　the　agriculture　and　the　farmers　of　England　at　the　mencement　of　the　twentieth　century。　I　trust；　therefore；　that　should　my　novels　be　forgotten　in　the　passage　of　years；　“Rural　England”　and　my　other　books　on　agriculture　may　still　serve　to　keep　my　memory　green。

Now　I　will　close　this　introduction　and　get　to　my　story。　I　fear　that　the　reader　may　think　it　all　somewhat　egotistical；　but　unfortunately　that　is　a　fault　inherent　in　an　autobiography；　and　one　without　which　it　would　be　more　or　less　futile。

Ditchingham：

August　10；　1911。

Chapter　1　CHILDHOOD

Danish　origin　of　the　Haggards　—　Early　history　in　Herts　and　Norfolk　—　H。　R。　H。‘s　father　and　mother　—　His　birth　at　Bradenham；　Norfolk　—　Early　characteristics　—　First　school　—　Garsington　Rectory；　Oxon；　and　Farmer　Quatermain　—　Lively　times　at　Dunkirk　—　Adventure　at　Treport　—　Cologne　—　His　uncle　Fowle。

There　has　always　been　a　tradition　in　my　family　that　we　sprang　from　a　certain　Sir　Andrew　Ogard；　or　Agard；　or　Haggard　（I　believe　his　name　is　spelt　in　all　three　ways　in　a　single　contemporaneous　document）；　a　Danish　gentleman　of　th