DR. THEAL AND PROFESSOR CAPPON. (To THE EDITOR OP THE
"SPECTATOE."3 Stn,—In your review of Professor Cappon's book on "Britain's Title in South Africa" in the Spectator of August 17th, may it not be just a little misleading to write thus " Pro- fessor Cappon, having read the works of another Canadian, Dr. Theal, has found that they betray a consistent anti- English bias " ? Dr. Theal is, I believe, of Canadian birth, a native of St. John, New Brunswick, but his life-work has been at the Cape, first as a schoolmaster and then as a reporter for the editor of a newspaper, before joining the public service in 1877. I have in my possession a book written by him called " A Compendium of South African His- tory," the first edition of which was dated in 1871 from Lovedale, that well-known native training institution in South Africa. In 1893 I know that Dr. Theal held the first clerkship in the Department of. Native Affairs at Cape Towh. The remarkable feature of Professor Cappon's book is that it is a candid criticism from a Canadian on the work of a South African historian. The merit of this detached position, far removed from the per- turbed districts of South Africa, is obvious at a glance. Moreover, Professor Cappon possesses, as he says, ample material for criticism in the mass of South African literature, consisting of copies of original documents, letters private and official, reports, investigations, and census returns, sent to the Queen's University at Kingston, Canada. Professor Cappon happens to have struck a note of historical criticism with which many of us who have lived in South Africa and followed events are most thoroughly in accord. We do not feel that we can trust Dr. Theal as the best historian, or even compiler, of South African history. He has surely missed a great opportunity. Dr. Theal is not consistent with himself, and if, for example, we compare the Dr. Theal of the " Com- pendium " with the Dr. Theal of later and perhaps better known historical works, especially his volume in " The Story of the Nations Series" and the Dutch edition of the " Greschiedenis van Zuid-Afrika "—this latter work meant for the youth of South Africa—we shall detect two voices. Going back for further illustration to Dr. Theal's earlier contributions, such as " A Glance at the Old Records of Swellendam," written for the Cape Monthly Magazine, March, 1879, we shall find the contrast still more marked. To quote one example,—Dr. Theal's treatment of the well-known " Slachters Nek " inci- dent varies completely. In his earlier works he insists upon the execution of Bezuidenhout as a necessary and salutary lesson for lawless Boers; in his later works he excuses the man because in drawing the trigger upon a Hottentot policeman, carrying out the law under white officers, he was acting up to a " code of honour " amongst the Voertrekkers. This kind of teaching is not very good for the " Afrikander " youth. It is all the worse because it seems to have been written to suit the Dutch tastes. But can this " Vicar of Bray" attitude be the best for the historian who in his preface to " The Story of the Nations " volume professes to be " guided by the principle that truth thankful for the work done by Dr. Theal in should be told regardless of nationalities or parties " we
may be
ransack- ing the archives at the Cape, but we cannot help feeling that he himself requires some one to revise him. The honours of research in this untrodden field do not rest entirely with him. The same kind of work was done before by the writers in the South African Magazine, 1867, when edited by Alfred Colo and William Foster. We are indebted also to Noble and to Judge Watermeyer, the last-named a most careful and trustworthy authority. It is a pity that his "Lectures on South African History " were never expanded into narrative form instead of remaining simple historical essays. I think it a pity also that your reviewer did not draw attention to Professor Cappon's remark in his preface to the effect that for a number of years the collaborator of Dr. Theal in his historical researches had been Mr. F. W. Reitz. " the present Secretary of the Transvaal, then President of the Orange Free State." This may explain much. I see also that the work called " The Basutoland Records" was compiled. by Dr. Theal in conjunction with the Hon. J. W. Sauer, Secretary of Native Affairs in 1383. These Basutoland Records require very careful and just handling. But this in itself is a separate chapter in Cape history. The circumstances attending the visit of General Gordon to Basutoland have never quite been cleared up. It is possible that the history of the interesting Basutos requires re- vision. However this may be, we may in conjunction with Pro- fessor Cappon reasonably suspect Dr. Theal's facts when his method of interpreting these very facts is, according to his own showing, so very contradictory. A short time ago a writer in the Quarterly Review pointed out some of Dr. Theal's historical inconsistencies, and I, for one, think that the strongest possible criticism should be brought to bear upon his works, whether as an annalist or as a simple compiler. We must heartily welcome Professor Cappon's book. It is most valuable and should be widely consulted as the clear judgment of a loyal Canadian who is determined to arrive at the truth in South African history. We welcome Canadians as wielders of the sword, or rather, the rifle, why not welcome them as wielders of the pen when the avowed object is to uphold the good name of Great Britain in South Africa? For although our statesmen have blundered terribly, the heart of the people of these islands has been sound on South Africa. They have made many sacrifices and have endured much.— I am, Sir, &c.,
WILLIAM GRESWELi (11.1. Oxon and Cape University).
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