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whole world in fact are best served, when the first of everything is allowed to come to the front, whether it be of native or foreign production; and the best possible products should be allowed fair play in an unfettered world. Thus each nation is stimulated to do its very utmost, and if it find it has no chance of rivalling other nations in any given kind of produce, it is better that it should cease to endeavour to do so, and turn its energies to some more hopeful and congenial pursuit. Were Africanders generally to taboo their own wine, they would do their country a service; for growers would then be put upon their mettle, and I am confident, that they could under such circumstances, produce an unrivalled vintage. I certainly consider, however, in view of the enormous drawbacks and obstacles to the chances of fair play which prejudice and high freightage (caused by the long journey) entail on Cape wines, that the home government should be contented with a lower tariff of duty from her own colonies (I include, of course, Australia in this proposed concession) than she exacts from foreign states. I am aware that this scheme opens up the very large subject of imperial reciprocity. It is objected that our manufacturers receive very scant consideration from colonial ministers, when they are adjusting their budgets. But England should set the example of adopting a more magnanimous and far-seeing policy in these matters. Many results, fraught with good to the English race, would surely follow in its train. The Cape has urged this concession upon the indulgence of the imperial government, but as yet without success. However, despite the duty, the freightage and all the rest of it, I am fully sanguine that, taking into consideration the difficulties attending the culture of the vine on the continent, to wit the phylloxora, and the new and still more subtle parasitic pest-no less than the increment in the value of land, and in the price of labour in Europe; if carefully prepared Cape wines were judiciously introduced into this country by an enterprising company, possessing the needful capital-they would have a very fair chance indeed of competing successfully for popular favour with their many European rivals.

Should any entrepreneurs be contemplating such a move they would do well to discount the inherent "follow-my-leader" pro

THE WAY TO DO IT.

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clivities of Englishmen. The attestations of several well placed analytic chemists, and of a few men of supreme social eminence, ought readily to be secured, and advertising and pamphleteering would do the rest. Thus started, I believe the wine would ultimately find favour on its own merits.

CHAPTER XII.

STILL APROPOS CAPE WINE. POST PRANDIAL ANECDOTES.

66 WINE THAT MAKETH GLAD THE HEART OF MAN."

"Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish, and wine unto those that be of heavy hearts.

Let him drink, and forget his poverty, and remember his misery no more." King Solomon.

"There is no fool like an old fool."-Ancient Proverb.

ALTHOUGH South Africa is a wine-producing country, its inhabitants are living in a state of Stygian darkness concerning the nature of the Bacchic fluid, that is to say, they have very little real knowledge of the respective merits of different wines. A few anecdotes will suffice to show this. Let me then introduce the reader to a Dutch aristocrat, who may be taken as typifying the class to which he belonged, or rather what that class was, until quite recently. He was a member of the Legislative Council, and a man of considerable substance. He was ignorant to an unmitigated extent, pig-headed, opaque, suspicious. With this character was joined a love of show and a punctilious snobbishness in following the order of the day. The last traits are by no means unfrequently distinguishing characteristics of the upper ten in the colony. Although an Africander, he was not one of those who stood upon his dignity as such. He must be taken rather as an example of another prevalent type of African born Europeans, I allude to those mistaken persons who capitulate to English swagger, and affect to be ashamed of their own country. They adopt an apolo

getic tone towards it in their conversation,

and invariably seize

every opportunity to depreciate and abuse it. At the same time,

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they speak of England as their home, although neither they nor their fathers for several preceding generations were born there; while in the case of the Dutch Africanders, pure and simple, the absurdity is still more marked. As to our worthy, he had only paid this country a flying visit, and really knew nothing about it. He never allowed, moreover, an occasion which afforded an opportunity for display to pass by. Becoming aware that a chance would present itself in due course of giving an especially telling dinner party, he sent to his agent in England to desire him to forward by the next steamer a small parcel of wine-it must be, he added, a very expensive and fashionable brand, and one especially affected by the English aristocracy. I am unable to say whether the agent was ignorant of geography, and in consequence, of the whereabouts of Constantia, or whether some mischievously or evilly-disposed person desired to play off a joke upon the would-be connoisseur; maybe the whole thing was a mistake. However this may be, the desiderated consignment arrived by an early steamer.

In due season the days were accomplished, and the appointed night arrived, and the proud host found gathered around him among others all the latest arrivals of consequence from Europe, including many Civil Servants. These men with the sheep-like flunkeyism of the Britisher, (for I regret to say many of the young fellows we send out to take these important posts in the colonies are sad upstarts)-thought it the "correct thing" to speak disparagingly of everything belonging to the country that was about to support them. They included Cape wine in their category of abuse, although, in all probability, not one of them was acquainted with its merits or demerits, nor were they, I ween, by any means likely to be judges of wine. To these animadversions the host, who had led the conversation in that direction, gave his unqualified assent. He added, "Ah! well, we shall see, my good friends. I have some splendid wine in my cellar; it has, it is true, only just arrived from Europe. My agent has been keeping it for me. The Prince of Wales drinks it. Oh! it is truly magnificent!" One of the unwary youngsters hereupon ventured upon the enquiry as to the name and vintage of the wine. The old boy looked a little puzzled, but soon regained his self-possession and made

answer in a mysterious manner, that "he would know all in good time". As may be supposed, the unfortunate man had neglected to examine the wine, knowing little and caring less about its quality, so that it had a good reputation. It struck him, however, as being somewhat awkward that he couldn't give it a name, but he plucked up courage again when he reflected that among the older guests-which included two or three veteran British officers, and a few prominent Dutchmen-there would at least be one who could fix it, and he would then have nothing to do but to endorse his dictum. Thus, no doubt, he trusted fondly he would be delivered from his self-inflicted dilemma. Imagine, then, his horror and chagrin when a pompous old Dutchman, who secretly despised his friend's affectations, proclaimed in a loud voice, "Why! man, it's Constantia". Strange to add, his quondam friends were all ill-bred enough to join in the laugh against him.

Shortly after this misadventure, very much the same company assembled at the house of a member of the government of that day. It is said that

"Fools rush in where angels fear to tread."

The host had with questionable taste, it must be admitted—prepared a pitfall for the unfortunate, though affected, Africander, whom, by a kind of tacit consent, the Dutch community had determined to punish for his foibles, and perchance to cure him of them. With this end in view, the minister led the conversation to Cape brandy called Cango brandy, a strong, though sometimes very excellent spirit. He turned to the simple Dutchman in the hottest moment of contention, for various opinions concerning Cango were expressed, and challenged him upon the subject, in terms which implied the delicate flattery that his opinion should be final. The innocent victim swallowed the bait. No words were strong enough to furnish his anathema withal. His vocabulary of abusive epithets concerning it failed him. A little later, in the smoking room, brandy was produced not in a liqueur decanter but in a bottle bearing Exshaw's name. There was no need to bait the trap further. The victim turned to mine host and volunteered a glowing eulogy on the quality of the spirit. Inclining to

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