222 Among Men and Horses. 



' British workmen ' or their descendants form the large 

 majority of the English residents in South Africa. In their 

 struggle after wealth, they do not appear to have had the in- 

 clination or opportunity to advance in education or culture be- 

 yond the standard of their ancestors. Their reading is chiefly 

 confined to periodical literature and novels. Fluctuations of 

 wealth have been so common among this essentially gambling 

 community, that the possession or want of money makes but 

 little difference as regards social distinction. The well-born 

 and well-educated are so few in number that they either form 

 a ' negligable ' quantity by remaining apart, or become merged 

 in the crowd. In England, men are ' gentlemen ' by birth, 

 education, or money. In South Africa, the only 'guinea 

 stamp ' is the fact of being a white man. Consequently every 

 English colonist regards himself as the social equal of every- 

 one else, and is no more puffed up by that idea than he would 

 be by the thought of there being practically no difference 

 between his flesh, blood and bones, and those of any of his 

 neighbours. If he happens to earn his bread by the sweat of 

 his face, he will make no blatant claim, as a working man, to 

 superiority over those who have been born with the proverbial 

 silver spoon in their mouths ; for he considers that he is their 

 equal ; and they his equal. He will be a kind and helpful 

 friend to you, so long as you treat him as he treats you ; but 

 no patronising airs please, or there will be a coolness, if not a 

 fight. If you ask him to have a drink, he will consent with 

 pleasure ; and, when the fluid has disappeared, he will return 

 the compliment. If you do not want to drink any more, 

 have a cigar instead of the whisky or beer, or say that you 

 will only be too glad to let him ' shout ' next time you and he 

 meet ; but, unless you want to insult him, don't play the role 

 of the superior person by expressing your wish to pay for 

 him. I need hardly say that the average workman in Eng- 

 land would take many such insults without getting angry. 

 Not so the South African son of toil, whose independence of 

 mind is above all praise. As regards education and the 



