Page:The life and letters of Sir John Henniker Heaton bt. (IA lifelettersofsi00port).pdf/149

 Zealand, were among a small party, and as was perhaps not remarkable under the circumstances the talk turned on the preponderance of people of Scotch descent in those two colonies and the number of high offices held by Scotchmen.

"I yield to no one," said H. H., "in my respect to Scotland, but I have felt compelled to join the Royal Society of St George of England in order to protect our own interests. In this House of Commons we have Scotchmen as Prime Minister (Campbell Bannerman); Leader of the Opposition (Balfour); First Lord of the Admiralty (Tweedmouth); First War Lord (Haldane); and President of the Board of Education (M'Kenna). All the leading bankers are Scotchmen, and most of the great ship-owners."

The Duke of Argyll as a great Imperialist had given his continuous support to the agitation for Imperial Penny Postage ever since 1887, when he wrote: "I hope you will hammer away at the project, and I believe you will find it ultimately adopted."

When, in 1905, H. H. again approached the Duke on the subject of Universal Penny Postage the project did not enlist his sympathy, and he replied:

No. I don't want to kiss all the world.

The Empire is enough for me in the matter of Penny Post.

Poets, painters, and novelists were all made welcome at H. H.'s hospitable table; in fact, anyone of distinction in any walk of life was sure to be met there