English servant-girls.  Some beauties are said to be found among the Caffres, but among the people I have seen I cannot conceive of any European being captivated with them.  The whole of my experience goes toward proving that civilization alone produces beauty, and exposure to the weather and other vicissitudes tend to the production of deformation and ugliness....

“28th October.—­The conduct of the people whom we have brought from Kuruman shows that no amount of preaching or instruction will insure real piety....  The old superstitions cannot be driven out of their minds by faith implanted by preaching.  They have not vanished in either England or Scotland yet, after the lapse of centuries of preaching.  Kuruman, the entire population of which amounted in 1853 to 638 souls, enjoys and has enjoyed the labors of at least two missionaries,—­four sermons, two prayer-meetings, infant schools, adult schools, sewing schools, classes, books, etc., and the amount of visible success is very gratifying, a remarkable change indeed from the former state of these people.  Yet the dregs of heathenism still cleave fast to the minds of the majority.  They have settled deep down into their souls, and one century will not be sufficient to elevate them to the rank of Christians in Britain.  The double influence of the spirit of commerce and the gospel of Christ has given an impulse to the civilization of men.  The circulation of ideas and commodities over the face of the earth, and the discovery of the gold regions, have given enhanced rapidity to commerce in other countries, and the diffusion of knowledge.  But what for Africa?  God will do something else for it; something just as wonderful and unexpected as the discovery of gold.”

It needs not to be said that his thoughts were very often with his wife and children.  A tender letter to the four little ones shows that though some of them might be beginning to forget him, their names were written imperishably on his heart: 

“Sekeletu’s Town, Linyanti, 2d October.—­MY DEAR ROBERT, AGNES, AND THOMAS AND OSWELL,—­Here is another little letter for you all.  I should like to see you much more than write to you, and speak with my tongue rather than with my pen; but we are far from each other—­very, very far.  Here are Seipone, and Meriye and others who saw you as the first white children they ever looked at.  Meriye came the other day and brought a round basket for Nannie.  She made it of the leaves of the palmyra.  Others put me in mind of you all by calling me Rananee, and Rarobert, and there is a little Thomas in the town, and when I think of you I remember, though I am far off, Jesus, our good and gracious Jesus, is ever near both you and me, and then I pray to Him to bless you and make you good.

“He is ever near.  Remember this if you feel angry or naughty.  Jesus is near you, and sees you, and He is so good and kind.