26th March, 1925

It is a long while since I made an entry in this diary, for the good reason that I have been laid up very ill with a horrible disease of the bladder that has been threatening me for some months, and am indeed still laid up and suffering many unpleasant things on which I will not dwell. I do so now, however, to record the death of Lord Curzon who is buried today and over whom a service was celebrated yesterday with much pomp in Westminster Abbey. He was taken ill at Cambridge, moved to London, operated on, suffered for a fortnight and passed away. To my mind, magnificent as it was, and in many ways successful, publicly speaking, his career was still a failure. He could never catch the ear of the crowd; his cold and rather lofty manner was against him. In short he had not the art of popularity. May this great servant of his country forever rest in honour and in peace.

By mid-April Rider Haggard’s condition had so deteriorated that he was taken to London for further examination. On 11th of May an operation was performed which, according to the doctors, was entirely successful. Three days later, about mid-day, Rider Haggard died. In the chancel of Ditchingham Church his ashes were laid beneath a slab of black marble inscribed with the words of his choice:

“Here lie the ashes of Henry Rider Haggard
Knight Bachelor
Knight of the British Empire
Who, with a humble heart, strove to serve his country”