第34部分(第5/7 頁)

nd；　with　the　assistance　of　a　crammer；　in　a　month　learned　more　Latin　than　I　had　done　all　the　time　I　was　at　school；　indeed；　at　the　end　of　a　few　weeks　I　could　read　Caesar　fluently　and　Virgil　not　so　ill。　The　end　of　it　was　that　I　passed　the　examination　at　the　head　of　the　batch　who　went　up　with　me；　or　so　I　was　given　to　understand。

Another　thing　that　I　did　was　to　write　my　first　book；　“Cetewayo　and　his　White　Neighbours；　or　Remarks　on　Recent　Events　in　Zululand；　Natal　and　the　Transvaal。”　It　contained　about　two　hundred　and　fifty　closely　printed　pages　in　the　first　of　its　editions；　and　represented　a　great　amount　of　labour。　I　was　determined　that　it　should　be　accurate；　and　to　ensure　this　I　purchased　all　the　Blue…books　dealing　with　the　period　of　which　I　was　treating；　and　made　precis　of　them；　some　of　which　I　still　possess。

But　it　is　one　thing　for　an　unknown　person　to　write　a　book　of　this　character；　and　quite　another　for　him　to　persuade　anyone　to　publish　it。　I　find　among　my　papers　a　pencil　draft　of　a　letter　which　I　sent　to　many　publishers。　It　runs：

I　write　to　inquire　if　you　are　inclined　to　undertake　the　publication　of　a　short　work　I　am　now　finishing。　It　is　the　result　of　some　six　years’　experience　in　South　Africa　in　official　and　private　capacities；　and　contains　amongst　other　things　a　private　history　of　the　annexation　of　the　Transvaal　which；　as　I　was　on　Sir　T。　Shepstone’s　staff　at　the　time；　I　am　qualified　to　write。

The　parts　of　the　book；　however；　which　would；　I　think；　ensure　the　sale　at　the　present　moment；　both　here　and　in　the　Colonies；　are　the　chapters　dealing　with　the　proposed　grant　of　responsible　government　to　Natal　and　the　question　of　the　reinstatement　of　Cetewayo。　As　you　are　no　doubt　aware；　the　ex…king　will　visit　England　very　shortly；　when　I　think　an　opport