Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1858-05-30

LIVINGSTON YES TRAVELS IN AEHACAs
Iasa5ng skeiah Of sirtsea gears residence u the
interior Of africa. Pps. 722. Wa Maps and
zlsstrations.
When few months ago it was announced that DR..
LIVINGSTONE was about to publish his travels and
observations in Africa two or three INSCRIPTIONS
writers, and equally dishonest publishers, hurriedly
prepared and printed volumes purpOrting to be
written by DR.. LIMESTONE, and foisted them upon
an unsuspeeting public in advance Of the authors
own book. Ii we're difficult to conceive of a more
vile man than one who peeulates in this man
ner from both author aud public bat the wrong
thus done, has, probably, been Of some benefit to
the popularity of the book before us and caused il
to be more widely circulated than it otherwise would
have been. since it cannot be regarded q
charming book of travels.
DR.. LTvIEosroNE is by no means an easy or fne
writer; every page Of his book gives evidence Of
the labor it cost him; but it should be remembered
that his journeys were prosecuted under circum-
stances Of the most disadvantageous nature, and
that trials and peril lay continually in his path
The book is written in the style of journal, aDd
We imagine was never vhoy revised in its prepara-
tiOn for the press since it bears in its language
evidence Of careless, off hand writing. But though
DR.. LIvnosToSE is not polished writer, he is a
strong thinker, and while he avoids offensive words,
he adopts those that are strong. He has no uneom-
mon faculty to charm the reader into perusal Of
his book, but he manages to make himself under
stood plainly; what he says he e0uches 10 hvmely
but strong and uuconeeited language. BE puts on
no airs; he does not even attire his subject; and
most men would lay down the book forever after
reading dozen pages. Nevertheless, there is a
fund of information in this volume in relation TO a
vast country hitherto 50 little known. 1t throws
new andtrue light upon the climate, soil, prOduc-
tons, and geography of Africa, as well upon the
conditionand characteristics of its inhabitants and
in this respect it is valuable addition to The stock
Of knowledge Of the civilized world. The author
is always plausible, and sometimes fair He puts
forth the idea that Africa may be made very available
as vast cotton growing country. This is undOubt-
edly an idea for English minds, and possibly Eng
land may one day try the experiment Of cotton
growing in Africa.
DR.. LIvISGsToNE is quito severe on the slave
trade and upon slavery generally; and like
most of our European brethren, he cannot let pass
an opportunity to speak reproachtully OF Amerl-
can slavery" and, like them, he fOrgets that his
ancestors introduced the institution into America,
and fOrgets too, that worse than African servtude
exists in all the manufacturing and in some Of the
agricultural districts of Great Britain where it is
mans privilege to starve as an Outcast, or work
himself to death for a starving remuneration when
he can get the work to do, which is not always the
case He also raps Catholicism occasionally, for it
seems that he saw that relgionin some of the POr-
tuguese settlements, at Loande and other places.
OF course ali this is the result of the prejudice
of education and association from which more could
hardly be expected. Aside from this prejudice, the
book before us is worthy of oOmmendation, and is
an acquisition to general and scientific knowledge.
1t is well printed and illustrated, and is for sale in
this city By F. HAGAN, Market street.