The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1872-08-10 00:00:00

DR. LIVINGSTONE'S LETTERS.

Mr. J. R. Braithwaite, of Lincoln's Inn, writes to

_
--
Understanding that there are some who still hesitate as to
the genuineness 4 the letters lately brought ever from Dr.
Livingetone, I may briefly state that the letters which I have
just received with his signature bear every mark of having
been written by himself_ The first is of considerable length,
datwl so long back as "November and December," 1870, and
contains many of the det its which have been lately pub-
lished. The second bears date the Bth of January in the pre-
sent year. and is principally occupied w ills the writer's views
as to the best mode of promoting the extinction of slavery
and the slave trade, witch, he says, are "as rile as ever on
the East Coast of Arica." Both the letters are in Dr. Living-
stonea own handwriting, with which I ant familiar, and in
his plain straightforward style, and contain references to
private circumstances known only to a few of Dr. Living-
stories personal friends, and which exclude the possibility of
their having pi oceeded from any other mind or pen than his.
It is with great reluctance that I venture to occupy the
columns of The Times, butt feel that something is due to the
enterprise and perseveranre uf the gentleman to whom we
owe so much for bringing us at last authentic intelligence of
cur distinguished traveller.

The following is extracted from a leader in The
Times of Wednesday:—
Letters, the genuineness of which it 0 impossible to doubt,
have hero received by the Foreign Office from Dr. Living-
stone, and, with praiseworthy promptitude, given to the
public A communication regarding the fate of Cabinets or
dynasties could hardly be received with greater interest.
Everywhere thr y have Ines] read as if they c one (rum floe we
all know, and related to subjects in which we are all con-
cerned. The writeri3 only a plain Scotch mitnionai y; the scene
of his explorationa is not only far remote, but airnosturdenown,
inaccurately laid down on the heat and newest maps, and
appearing as a black in nine Letitia of the Atlasses which are
to be found in English libraries. The names are outlandish,
the people described barbarous and uniur ereating, the geo-
graphy confused and donbtf el_ Yet the narrative enchains
us by our sympathy with the energy anti herolem, the
skill and resource the quickness of perception, and the
nee spirits of the author. We perceive that none but
a very remarkable man could give such an account of him-
tell and hi, doings. We understand how those who had a
personal acquaintance with Livingstone think of him with
affection, nod express the firmest conviction that he has been
Icing what he set out to do. Letters like these reveal the
man more than hooks which are composed in comfoit and
peace of mud after a return home. It is easy to be cheer-
ful and humorous, on so many travellers are, in an
English armchair when all dangers are past ; for the ad-
ventures of eavage life are far inere amnising when tiny are
over limn when they are eucom.tered. To write with good
nature and good spa its, with chain° oi soli accuracy of fe.
till, amid the privations of the journey and the ever-present
danger calls for a nature of uncommon endowments. Such
on one is Livingrtone's. Whoa we boil him describing with
skilful pen the oppres-sive luxuriance of tropical vegetation,
entering into geographical spectilatione, invoking the phi an-
thropy of Europe against saint e trade more ruthless thee that
of Guinea, treating each subject with s neuter directness and
force, and know that all this time he is a lean, ill-fed,
clothed, 111-shod, feveroitricken wa)farer, surrounded by
barbarous races. dependent upon lying and thieving servants,
and upon European agents Olt the coast who, whatever their
Intentions, arum ti nave been very unfortunate in lin it en•
deavoura to coruniunicate with him and help him, we feel
how exceptional a man we possess in this great explorer.