The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-09-02

Srhe Herald's Search for DIR. Livfngstone.
[From the New York Sunday News Sept. IL
, There seems TO be desire In certain classes both
IN Europe and America to belitte the enterprise OF
the NEW YORK HERALD In Its search for the lost ex
plorer, and to stamp it with the stigma Of chara-
tantsm-to brand 1t as monstr0us humbug We
40 not Join In the doubt that has been cast upon
tthe praiseworthy and successful effort to relieve
She anxiety OF civilized world. Three reasons
have been adduced Tor disbelieving that Stanley
ever saw Livingstone and obtained nom him the
letters he brought back as the productions OF the
great traveller These are similarity In the hand
writing OF Stanley with that Of the said letters, the
displacement Of the vowels in the word 'sper-
ceiven and the frequency In the letters published
4n the HERALD Of expressions that are considered
peculiarly American.
Now, with regard to the handwriting there is GER
tatniy Resemblance between the fIc-stnliles that
nave been published, purp0rtng to be copies of Dr.
Atyingst0nes letters 10 Mr. Bennett and OF couple
bf notes written by Mr.. Stanley some years ago.
writing OF the letters is not identical. 1t Is in
posa u the Moving, back-hand style that Is very
n to men o. ~ letters i T. certainly
method OF rapid writing. There is, then, nothing
strange In both gentlemen employing that style OF
two handwritlngs carefully will readily discover
Shat they are not the production OF the same hand
kbesldes comparison with letters known to have
Rsen penned BY tine explorer sufficiently prove that
Ehe two Bennett letters are genuine. They have
pcen compared with letter OF LtvingStOne's writ
zen ton years ago. which Is now In the archives OF
the American Geographical Society In this city and
9ne handwriting OF ell three is exactly the same.
f0r the 0ctor's use OF Americanisms we can
easlly account, and we are somewhat aston
p8ned tn6t tne view we maintain thereon has not
Slready been entertained by Others DR.. Living
stone mas spent almost the entire of the last thirty
Sw0 years In Africa, where he has had little or no
occasion TO speak In his native tongue. 1t Is well
known that on his visits to England in 1857 and
nS64 he had to excuse himself from public speaking
ht length IN consequence Of his loss Of the knowl-
edge OF English words and expressions from non
use Of the language; and even then be had been on
some Ql MS 10R peYs accompanied bv hi5 brother
80 ais Wife, When Mr.. Stanley met him he had been
fqnity of conversing with any one in his native
r0ngue, which, added to his previous loss Of Words
must have made sad inroads into his acquaintance
with the language OF his early life. 1t can therefore,
De readily imagined that when he was writing his
letters to Mr.. Bennett he had to appeal to
his discoverer for words wherewith to express his
Neaning; hence the Introduction Of the American
lsms into the letters. The same difficulty will aO-
count Tor the misspeling OF word and especially
when we consider that "perceiven Is one of the
very rev words In which 9 precedes when those
two vowels come together. the reverse being gen.
orally the rule. il atlR
We have, we repeat, no doubt in our minds that
letters he brought back with him are the genuine
productions of the long lost traveller and take
~ TO De rather o mean matter to begrudge the
HERALD and its missionary all the honor that Is
nairly due to them for their successful expedition
and contribution to geographical knowledge The
Stanley's services, In the shape of handsome
present nom Queen Victoria, Is conclusive proof
ynat the British government always very careful
~ lts expressions, Is satisfied with the result.