Mr. Froude's Negrophobia. 89 
which Mr. FROUDE has formulated in his book, let us 
enquire what means he took to inform himself of the 
real state of affairs in the West Indies. In Trinidad he 
stayed with an official whom he indicates as Mr. G., and 
whom he describes as " a distinguished lawyer and mem- 
" ber of the Executive Council of the island, a charming 
" companion, an invaluable public servant, but with the 
" temperament of a man of genius, half humorous, half 
" melancholy, which does not find itself entirely at home 
" in West Indian surroundings." As Mr. FROUDE'S 
mind seems to have received an unmistakable bias from 
his half humorous, half melancholy host, it is to be re- 
gretted that the full name of his informant has not been 
printed. Mr. GARCIA is the only distinguished lawyer in 
Trinidad whose name begins with the letter G., but he 
is neither an Official nor a person of melodramatic tem- 
perament. The last part of the description points to a 
k type of official which is the bane of the West Indian 
Islands — the man who, obtaining his appointment by 
interest, holds high office rather than fills, it ; who does 
not identify himself with the interests of the Colony 
that feeds him, but is ever ready to take the best ap- 
pointment that may be going. No large measure for the 
Public Good can be associated with the name of an official 
of this kind. Unproductive though he be, he is bound to 
extol himself at the expense of the colonists, of whom he 
knows little, and for whom he cares less. Whilst in 
Trinidad, Mr. FROUDE took no sufficient steps to learn 
what was the life of its people. There, as elsewhere, he 
does not judge for himself, but is content to be posted 
with the prejudices of others. His artless admission as 
to his mode of acquiring information is characteristic of 
M 
