started re-reading kazohinia, and MAN it goes hard

the first few pages have things like this:

Thus may I mention, not by way of excuse but by way of explanation, that on this occasion, apart from my accursed adventurous spirit, it was the protection of Great Britain and Christian civilization that prompted me to travel anew. And I ask the educated Reader whether there is a more worthy calling for a British subject than to serve under the Royal flag the elevated ideas of mankind and Christianity against their sworn enemies.

Mankind, redeemed of his sins, was writing "one thousand nine hundred and thirty-five" when the government of His Majesty came to the conclusion that, in all probability, we should have to wage war with Italy.

At the same time we willingly recognized the heroic feats of the Italian soldiers whose death-defying courage and other honourable virtues might well be followed as an example by every loyal British subject of character, naturally under the Union Jack, and against the Italians. I repeat that as regards the how of the matter there was no discord between my country and Italy; it was merely the why of it which provided a basis for disagreement.

As their motive for the Ethiopian action, the Italians put forward their desire to liberate the Ethiopians from the yoke of the Amharas and to spread culture. The obvious untruthfulness of this — with all due respect — must prompt every sober-minded and better educated person to laughter if he has even but a passing knowledge of the diplomatic phrases customary in other countries when they wish to gloss over the essence of things and thereby mislead the uninitiated observer.

I have no wish to slip into the error of partiality in the way of travellers who are not above a disproportionately ostentatious display of the glory of their country in the guise of scientific description; I believe, however, that with all modesty and due respect to foreign states I might mention that adoption of such a perspective is an error a British subject would never commit. In my country it is well known even to the less educated that the devoted but noble work of liberating the peoples of the tropics has always been a heartfelt duty of Great Britain. Sufficient proof may, I feel, be found in the many colonies from South-East India to the Boers, whose peoples were set free from oppression at the cost of heavy battles.

And, much as an English gentleman is left cold by the material aspect, I cannot conceal my opinion that, apart from the cause of culture and freedom, Italy, in making her decision, may have been influenced, possibly unconsciously, by Ethiopian coffee and oil-fields.

This is why the government of His Majesty, having made sanctions against the Italians, came to the decision to launch a defensive war against Italy.

AND THIS IS JUST THE FIRST FEW PAGES OF THE FIRST CHAPTER