The result was, things went on as merrily as a marriage bell, Dutch and English drew together, the natives were quiet, South Africa was prosperous, and everything went on as happily as possible till Mr. Froude and Lord Carnarvon hit on the grand scheme of uniting South Africa.  From that day our misfortunes began.  One of the most able, courteous, and high-minded gentlemen in the British service—­Sir Bartle Frere—­was sent to carry out this firm policy.  What was the result?  Failure.  I will say nothing more about it.  Then Sir Hercules Robinson reverted to the laissez-faire policy.  South Africa was under a shade—­nobody would look at us.  But now we are gradually righting ourselves, and getting into a prosperous condition.  Now are being raised again the cries for a grand policy.  I caution you against them.  Let us manage our own affairs. Laissez faire, laissez aller—­that is our policy for South Africa.  There are no nostrums required.  The one thing required is the gradual bringing of the Dutch and English together.  There are no two races more fitted to unite.  You know how like they are to Englishmen.  The Boer is as like the English farmer as possible.  There are no people more fond of manly sports than the Dutch; they enter into them heartily, and in the cricket and football fields they are among the best players.  They are as fond of riding and shooting as Englishmen are.  In fact, the Dutch and the English are as like as Heaven can make them, and the only thing that keeps them apart is man’s prejudice.  The one thing to do is to bring them together.  How can you help that end?  Not by girding at them, and writing against Boer ways, but by recognising the fact that they have been pioneers in South Africa, and that they are the only people who will settle on the land.  I see there is a great agitation about Swaziland, which is entirely surrounded by the Transvaal Republic. ("No.”) Well, except as to Tongaland, and I am not going to say anything about that.  The cry is got up, “Don’t hand it over to the Boers.”  In whose interest is that cry got up?  It is in the interest of a few speculators, and not in the interest of the capitalists, who have L108,000,000 invested in the Transvaal, and yet are not afraid to trust the Boers with Swaziland.  This girding at the Dutch is resented, and does incalculable harm.  People at home have very little idea how much influence public opinion in England has in South Africa.  Sir Frederick Young has alluded to President Kruger, who won’t put down prize fights because he might be thought to be oppressing the Englishman!  All I ask is, don’t let your talk about union with the Dutch be mere lip service.  Trust them; work hand in hand with them.  Unless you do you will make little progress in South Africa.  By that I mean political progress.  The material progress of South Africa is now secured; therefore my advice is—­cultivate the Dutch, because, unless they are our friends, we shall be a divided people,