WHAT VISITORS SAY   

I visited Vergelegen once, two years ago, and your newsletter reminded me of a very enjoyable experience and how much my family and I would like to return. It brings back its beauty and tranquillity and the friendliness of the welcome we received, but makes no mention of what for me was the highlight of its Estate....the fantastic Library. Perhaps that's a good thing as, when we visited, we were able to look at the shelves without the distraction of other visitors and the librarian, seeing that I was genuinely interested in what must be a unique collection of books made in its period, lent me a pair of gloves and allowed me to look properly at a book on Meissonier.

Whatever one's attitude to the British in South Africa (and I well understand the hostility that the memory can arouse ), the picture it evokes of books like the collected works of Ruskin being delivered to the lady who created the collection is a happy one. I hope she sat in the exquisite building that houses them and read them undisturbed... something only possible alas with a host of servants to deal with the daily chores, an uncomfortable reminder perhaps of another, less attractive side of the world she lived in.

But be that as it may, the Vergelegen Library is on my list of greats and in the unlikely event that I will ever be able to ask the librarian to redeem her promise to let me spend time studying the books, I will be knocking at her door.

Of course we enjoyed our lunch at the open air restaurant, wandering in the gardens,the mountain backdrop and savoured the wine we took away...but guard the library, its unique.