of events, and foresee conse- the war is over, the work will quences. There is, of course, be of still greater magnitude the Colonial Secretary, who is and difficulty. If mistakes are generally an eminent and cap- made, the troubles caused may able statesman. He comes to be endless. the Office not because he has For these reasons it appears any special knowledge of col- necessary to take South African onial affairs, but because he is affairs out of the hands of the one of the party which is in Colonial Office, and to conpower. He has his parlia- stitute a separate department mentary duties, and however for their administration under able and industrious he may a separate Secretary of State. be, he can hardly hope to If it is necessary for the Secremaster the affairs of the num- tary of State for India to be berless colonies with which he assisted by advisers who are has to deal. The tradition of thoroughly experienced in Inthe Office is to let things slide, dian affairs, it is still more to leave the colonies as much as necessary that the Secretary possible to themselves. Unless of State for Africa should have he is compelled by parliamentary similar aid. The Council of pressure to interfere, and that India is not perhaps a model pressure is not always wise or institution in

all respects. convenient, he will follow the There can be no doubt, howtradition and be guided by pre- ever, that it is most wise in cedent.

its conception, and a great safeThis method may be very guard against the mistakes appropriate to the colonies which might be made by an which have been founded by India Office from which local our own people and have gradu- experience was excluded. For ally worked their way out of a one thing, it strengthens the state of tutelage. It may suit hands of the Secretary of State small dependencies like the when parliamentary influence Straits Settlements or Ceylon, is brought to bear upon him.

, which have strong local ad

His voice would not carry so ministrations. But it is ill- much weight, when he opposes adapted to the wants of a parliamentary meddling, if it growing country with complex were not for the knowledge problems and numerous pro- that he is backed by men of vinces, each in a different stage long and varied Indian expeof growth; and a large popu- rience. It is reasonable and lation of savage tribes who necessary that in the case of must be controlled, yet cannot Africa also local knowledge be left unprotected in the should be utilised, and that hands of the white settlers. the Secretary of State for The governing of South Africa South Africa should be aided is a very big business, and is by a council composed of three rapidly growing: It is not or more men of ripe African expossible for a Colonial Secre- perience. One of them might

. tary to do justice to it. After

After be a retired official, and the others chosen from amongst the tions of Cape Colony and Natal most prominent colonists and to be left unchanged, except in men largely interested in the so far as it may be necessary to mining industries. They should bring their governments under be appointed by the Crown, on the control of the Governorthe nomination or recommenda- General. tion of the Governor-General of Thirdly, The appointment of Africa. Their duty should be a Governor - General, aided by to advise the Secretary of State a council, with supreme conon such matters as he might trol over the civil and military refer to them. If he chose to affairs of all the provinces, and act without their advice, he with powers generally similar to should be at liberty to dispense those vested in the “Governorwith it. In that case he would General in Council” in India. take a heavy responsibility on Fourthly, The appointment himself, and he would rarely of a Secretary of State for forego their assistance in im- Africa, with a small advisory portant matters unless secrecy Council, to control South Afriand great promptitude were

can affairs. necessary.

As the conditions of South Africa are changing Since this paper was written so rapidly, these councillors the cheering news of Lord should be appointed for a term Roberts's well-planned advance not longer than three, or at has arrived, of General French's most five, years.

brilliant and successful march, To recapitulate these pro- and of the relief of Kimberley. posals, but in a different order. The nation will know how to The following measures are ad- reward the gallant men who vocated for the better govern- have lifted the anxiety which ment of South Africa :

has pressed upon her for the Firstly, The amalgamation of last five months. We rejoice the Dutch Republics with the to add our tribute of praise British territory, and the divi- and gratitude to the gallant sion of the whole into several old soldier who has permitted provinces.

neither the burden of years Secondly, Each province to the heavier weight of be administered by a Governor private sorrow to impair his appointed by the Crown, with vigour, or the skill with which elective Assemblies for legis- he has obeyed his country's lative purposes.

The constitu- call to lead her armies.

a

nor

The present year is likely room Ballad' aroused in every to be long memorable in the appreciative breast-can have political history of the British little doubt that Mr Steevens empire-for good or for evil. would ultimately have attained It has already made its mark to a far loftier eminence than in the history of our literature. he was permitted to reach. Within a few weeks of its Dis aliter visum. There is no opening, four names of more more to be said. or less note have been blotted out from the roll of the living. The other men of letters to Of George Steevens we have whom we have referred had ere now spoken. A consum passed the allotted

span

of mate and brilliant journalist, human life, and had finished a very "deacon of his craft,' their “darg” in the world. he lays claim to the applause It seems as though the dying of posterity less, perhaps, in century, jealous of its successor, virtue of performance than of had determined to keep their promise. His more popular fame, whatever its degree, whatworks—the books which made ever its likelihood of permanhis name familiar in the mouth ence, exclusively to itself. On of the average man—were, no one of the group we cannot doubt, distinguished by an ex- but look back with feelings of traordinary keenness of obser- peculiar esteem and affection. vation and a marvellous gift Not many months ago the last of seizing upon the salient novel of Richard Doddridge points of "things seen.” In Blackmore begun and these respects he has scarcely carried to a triumphant conever been equalled in the annals clusion in these pages. It of the calling to which, after would be affectation to pretend a brilliant Oxford career, he that •Dariel' as a whole was devoted himself. The “Balliol equal to “The Maid of Sker' or Prodigy" (ominous appella- 'Lorna Doone. Yet some of tion !) developed into the man the opening chapters contain a of the world, in constant touch picture of English rural life with high affairs and high which their author never betaction. But he had given his tered. Of his immense influreaders a foretaste of even on contemporary fiction better things to come. Those the proofs are abundant. The who recall the sensations with innumerable heroes who, during which they read the Mono- the last thirty years, have been logues of the Dead' on their so awkward in love and so first appearance

sensations dauntless in war, and who, rivalled in the last twelve with all modesty and many years only by those which the disclaimers of the gift of fluent perusal of each new ‘Barrack- narrative, have communicated

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was

ence

we

their adventures to the public, perversity of genius—or (let us are the lineal descendants, sure rather say) with the instinctive enough, of John Ridd. Micah delicacy of a true gentlemanClark is one of the least un- he declined to be exploited by worthy of them. But at the interviewers of either sex. No present moment

are not

man in his generation more much concerned to weigh the scrupulously maintained the merits of Mr Blackmore's best traditions of the vocation novels with any great nicety. of letters. None have more Some little time agol we ven- systematically violated them tured to attempt an estimate of than those who have clamoured his place in current literature, most loudly about the emoluto which we have now nothing ments and the deference due as to add, and from which we have of right to the “profession” of now nothing to withdraw. Our authorship. thoughts at this juncture turn rather to the man than to the Dr Martineau was spared to novelist. In him we have lost reach an extreme old age, reone of the true old English taining his faculties almost unstamp: tenacious, it may be, impaired to the very end. His of old English prejudices, but great work, the Types of Ethitenacious also of old English cal Theory,' did not appear until virtues and of old English after he was eighty, and he notions of self - respect and survived its publication for more honour. To

say

that he than fourteen years. It may detested the craving for noto- be that his speculations were riety displayed by so many of more successful and convincing his younger fellow-craftsmen is on the critical than on the congrievously to understate the structive side. So are those case. Self-advertisement in all of many philosophers. But he its forms was abhorrent to his will always be remembered with nature. He firmly declined to gratitude as one of those who make capital out of his private did most to explode the colosaffairs; nor did he choose that, sal system of quackery known for the chance of pocketing a as the “Synthetic” philosophy. few additional guineas, the No one has demonstrated more privacy of his domestic life conclusively than Martineau the should be violated. The fact absolute worthlessness of any of early failure and neglect is sort of “ hedonistic calculus,” it sometimes pleaded in extenua- matters not how subtle and retion of the conduct of those fined, as a basis of ethics; and who, when success has arrived, no one in our time has illustrated take the public to their bosoms more nobly by his own life the and revel in the gaping admira- excellence of plain living and tion of fools. That plea would high thinking. Unlike Richard have been open to Mr Black- Hutton, who also was bred more. But with the strange a Unitarian, he was never ablo

we

to accept the message of Chris- the winter sunset which cointianity in all its fulness; but of cided with his departure were him, if of any, we may surely fully and accurately catalogued say that he was not far from for our edification. A grave the kingdom of God. It is in Westminster Abbey was difficult to resist comparing offered for his last restinghim with his celebrated sister. place; our topical sonneteers Mr Ruskin, in his most gracious rushed into verse ventre à terre; vituperative manner, somewhere pulpits rang with his praises. describes that lady as "a vulgar We rather think that Mr Fredand foolish infidel.” Such lan- eric Harrison has threatened to guage is of course reserved for include him in the Positivist the sole use of the wholly polite, calendar of Saints (that Alwise, and good. But with manac de Gotha of true greatevery desire to deal mercifully ness), a compliment which we with the authoress of "The doubt if the “ Master” himself Crofton Boys' and 'Feats on would have much relished. In the Fjord, we cannot deny short, but for the fact that the

' that Miss Martineau possessed war in South Africa occupies many of the qualities popularly the lion's share of space in attributed to the more spiteful every newspaper,

should and censorious of her sex. She have had a repetition on an was a rabid and malignant equally gigantic scale of the partisan. Rancour and envy nauseating cant which deluged too often held undisputed pos- us after the death of Mr Gladsession of her heart. There stone. were an elevation of mind and In this there is nothing sura generosity of spirit in James prising; for Mr Ruskin was to which Harriet was a total one of those unhappy authors stranger.

who become the centre of an

adoring clique or coterie, and Mr Ruskin himself too has grow to be dependent upon its passed away, full of years and adoration. “There is nothing adulation. The breath more lowering, nothing more not long out of his body before dangerous, to a great man, or, such words “ ‘prophet,” let us say, a great writer, than “seer,” “teacher of righteous- the little circle of adulators ness, and other flattering which is so apt to grow round terms began to be flung about any distinguished person who in the most reckless and hand- will permit it.” So wrote one

manner by the public whose judgment was as sound prints. We were regaled with as her life was noble, with direct an official account of the old reference to the sage of Brantman's last hours; we were in- wood. Foolish fellows comformed what work of what bined to form Ruskin societies. novelist relieved the tedium of University Extension lecturers his sick-bed; and the tints of declaimed upon his goodness

was

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as