Editing Jan Smuts (section)

==Early life and education==
{{JanSmutsSegments}}{{Main|Early life of Jan Smuts}}
[[File:JacobusenCatharinaSmuts1893.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Jacobus and Catharina Smuts, 1893]]
Smuts was born on 24 May 1870, at the family farm, [[Riebeek West|Bovenplaats]], near [[Malmesbury, Western Cape|Malmesbury]], in the [[Cape Colony]]. His parents, Jacobus Smuts and his wife Catharina, were prosperous, traditional [[Afrikaner]] farmers, long established and highly respected.<ref>Cameron, p. 9</ref>

As the second son of the family, rural custom dictated that Jan would remain working on the farm. In this system, typically only the first son was supported for a full, formal education. In 1882, when Jan was twelve, his elder brother died, and Jan was sent to school in his place. Jan attended the school in nearby [[Riebeek West]]. He made excellent progress despite his late start, and caught up with his contemporaries within four years. He was admitted to [[Stellenbosch University|Victoria College]], [[Stellenbosch]], in 1886, at the age of sixteen.<ref>Hancock – ''Smuts: 1. The Sanguine Years, 1870–1919'', p. 19</ref>

At Stellenbosch, he learned [[Dutch language|High Dutch]], [[German language|German]], and [[Ancient Greek]], and immersed himself in literature, the [[classics]], and [[Biblical studies|Bible studies]]. His deeply traditional upbringing and serious outlook led to social isolation from his peers. He made outstanding academic progress, graduating in 1891 with double [[British undergraduate degree classification|first-class honours]] in Literature and Science. During his last years at Stellenbosch, Smuts began to cast off some of his shyness and reserve. At this time he met [[Isie Krige]], whom he later married.<ref>Smuts (1952), p. 19</ref>

On graduation from Victoria College, Smuts won the Ebden scholarship for overseas study. He decided to attend the [[University of Cambridge]] in the United Kingdom to read law at [[Christ's College, Cambridge|Christ's College]].<ref>{{acad|id=SMTS891JC|name=Smuts, Jan Christian}}</ref> Smuts found it difficult to settle at Cambridge. He felt homesick and isolated by his age and different upbringing from the English undergraduates. Worries over money also contributed to his unhappiness, as his scholarship was insufficient to cover his university expenses. He confided these worries to Professor J. I. Marais, a friend from Victoria College. In reply, Professor Marais enclosed a cheque for a substantial sum, by way of loan, encouraging Smuts to let him know if he ever found himself in need again.<ref>Letter from Marais to Smuts, 8 August 1892; Hancock et al. (1966–73): vol. 1, p. 25</ref> Thanks to Marais, Smuts's financial standing was secure. He gradually began to enter more into the social aspects of the university, although he retained a single-minded dedication to his studies.<ref>Hancock – ''Smuts: 1. The Sanguine Years, 1870–1919'', p. 11</ref>

During this time in Cambridge, Smuts studied a diverse number of subjects in addition to law. He wrote a book, ''[[Walt Whitman]]: A Study in the Evolution of Personality''. It was not published until 1973, after his death,<ref>Jan C Smuts: Walt Whitman – ''a Study in the Evolution of Personality'', Wayne State University Press, 1973</ref> but it can be seen that Smuts in this book had already conceptualized his thinking for his later wide-ranging philosophy of [[holism]].<ref>Hancock – ''Smuts: 1. The Sanguine Years, 1870–1919'', p. 28</ref>

Smuts graduated in 1894 with a [[British undergraduate degree classification#Variations of first class honours|double first]]. Over the previous two years, he had received numerous academic prizes and accolades, including the coveted George Long prize in Roman Law and Jurisprudence.<ref>Smuts (1952), p. 23</ref> One of his tutors, [[Frederic William Maitland|Professor Maitland]], a leading figure among English legal historians, described Smuts as the most brilliant student he had ever met.<ref>Letter from Maitland to Smuts, 15 June 1894; Hancock et al. (1966–73): vol. 1, pp. 33–34</ref> [[Lord Todd]], the [[Christ's College, Cambridge#Masters of Christ's|Master]] of Christ's College, said in 1970 that "in 500 years of the College's history, of all its members, past and present, three had been truly outstanding: [[John Milton]], [[Charles Darwin]] and Jan Smuts."<ref>Jan Smuts – ''Memoirs of the Boer War'' (1994) Introduction, p. 19</ref>

In December 1894, Smuts passed the examinations for the [[Inns of Court]], entering the [[Middle Temple]]. His old Cambridge college, Christ's College, offered him a fellowship in Law. Smuts turned his back on a potentially distinguished legal future. By June 1895, he had returned to the Cape Colony, determined to make his future there.<ref>Smuts (1952), p. 24</ref>