ies, and alone had a surplus in their
treasury. If this was so, it seemed to me that they had better let well
alone. The population, all told, was but 170,000, less by thirty
thousand than that of Barbadoes. They were a mixed and motley assemblage
of all races and colours, busy each with their own affairs, and never
hitherto troubling themselves about politics. But it had pleased the
Home Government to set up the beginning of a constitution again in
Jamaica, no one knew why, but so it was, and Trinidad did not choose to
be behindhand. The official appointments were valuable, and had been
hitherto given away by the Crown. The local popularities very naturally
wished to have them for themselves. This was the reality in the thing so
far as there was a reality. It was dressed up in the phrases borrowed
from the great English masters of the art, about privileges of manhood,
moral dignity, the elevating influence of the suffrage, &c., intended
for home consumption among the believers in the orthodox Radical faith.

For myself I could but reply to the gentlemen who had sent the
invitation, that I was greatly obliged by the compliment, but that I
knew too little of their affairs to make my presence of any value to
them. As they were doing so well, I did not see myself why they wanted
an alteration. Political changes were generally little more than turns
of a kaleidoscope; you got a new pattern, but it was made of the same
pieces, and things went on much as before. If they wanted political
liberty I did not doubt that they would get it if they were loud and
persistent enough. Only they must understand that at home we were now a
democracy. Any constitution which was granted them would be on the
widest basis. The blacks and coolies outnumbered the Europeans by four
to one, and perhaps when they had what they asked for they might be less
pleased than they expected.

You rise early in the tropics. The first two hours of daylight are the
best of the day. My friend drove me round the town in his buggy the next
morning. My second duty was to pay my respects to the Governor, Sir
William Robinson, who had kindly offered me hospitality, and for which I
must present myself to thank him. In Sir William I found one of those
happy men whose constitution is superior to climate, who can do a long
day's work in his office, play cricket or lawn tennis in the afternoon,
and entertain his miscellaneous subjects in the evening with sumptuous
hospit