OUR NEIGHBOURS. 275 



women are considerably the inferiors of the men. They 

 have evidently lived for generations in blissful ignor- 

 ance, with no more education than falls to the lot of 

 the Oriental ladies they so closely resemble in figure. 

 Their husbands and fathers have been quite contented 

 with the existing state of things ; and it is only of late 

 years that a few of the more enlightened parents, be- 

 ginning at last to recognise the value of female educa- 

 tion, have been sending their daughters to the convent 

 schools. 



In Spain, an equally strong contrast may be observed 

 between the men and the women ; but it is reversed, 

 the advantage being on the side of the seHoras, who 

 somehow appear too handsome and intelligent to belong 

 to the ignoble, mean-looking men. 



The Boers used to be very friendly with the English; 

 but now — thanks to the sad and too well-known 

 manner in which our Government has muddled South 

 African affiiirs — we are most unpopular. Formerly, if 

 an Englishman on his journey came to a Dutchman's 

 house, he was most hospitably received — though eti- 

 quette demanded that on his departure he should offer 

 money in payment for his food and bed, in order that 

 his host might have the pleasure of refusing it ; but 

 now, were he to present himself, the chances are that 

 the Boer would insultingly offer him a night's lodging 

 in the negroes' quarters, as was once the case with 

 T . 



Meanness is a prominent trait in the Boer's cha- 

 lacter. Indeed, the reputation wliich he has acquired 



