Itttrrg to t i nitur.
PUBLIC SCHOOLS OF THE CAPE COLONY.
Sm—In your review (Saturday 14th instant) of Mr. Cole's Cape and the Sa,firs, you quote the following passage.
"The idea of the establishment of these schools originated with Sir John Her- schell, when the great astronomer was sojourning at Cape Town to make his obser- vations on the heavenly bodies in the Southern hemisphere. He was ably seconded in his suggestions by Dr. Innes, then the Principal of the South African College, and by their joint exertions the present system was elaborated," Sm. &c.
Mr. Cole has been misinformed : the whole system of extended and liberal education there spoken of was the idea and one of thefirst objects of Sir George Napier, immediately after his arrival at the Cape ; and he is justly proud of it, as the great measure of his six-years government of that colony. That he probably would not have been able to carry his idea out to such perfection without the zealous assistance of such men as Herschell and Innes, may be probable ; but they were not the authors, as you will see by a reference to the last chapter (12th) of Mr. Bunbury's book on the Cape of Good Hope, which is devoted to this subject, and gives the true version. In these days, when so many evils chequer our Colonial histories, it is but fair that the authors of what is good should have their due.
H. E. N.
[The writer encloses his card : we believe his statement without consult- ing Banbury, and willingly transfer the honour claimed for Sir George Na- pier to its nghtful owner.—En.]
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