This humour of Mr Kruger's is becoming more pronounced as he ages. He
has fully arrived at that stage of life which made Mr Gladstone so
impossible in the Cabinet. There is abundance of life and vitality in
the President, but he is so choleric that he is unable to brook any
opposition. Any expression suggesting him to be mistaken in his views
or policy rouses his temper, the thunderous gurgle is emitted, and the
right arm swings powerfully about, while the eyes become considerably
buried under the upper eyelids. I suppose, from the photograph of him
now on sale at Pretoria, which represents his eyes looking upward, he
fancies this to be the impressive gaze. He receives a stranger with the
air of a pedagogue about to impress his new pupil, and methodically
starts to inculcate the principles of true statesmanship; but he soon
heats himself with the dissertation, and breaks out into the strong
masterful style which his friends say is such a picturesque feature in
his character, and which his critics call the "humbug pose." If by the
latter is meant the repetition of stale platitudes, and the reiteration
of promises which will never be carried out, I fear I must agree with
the critics.