The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-08-18
LIVINGSTONE AGAIN.
From the Evening Mail, August III

From the Evening Mall August III
The HERALD to-day gives all the letters sent by
DR.. Livingstone to Lord Stanley, Earl Clarendon,
Earl Granville and DR.. Kirk, seven in number and
mostly very long, Altogether they occupy two
pages OF fine print in the HERALD enough for
mOderate-szed volume. These are the letters
which Earl Granville certlaes to be genuine after
they had passed the scrutiny of subordnatcs
in the Foreign ONCE who were familiar with DR..
Livngstone's handwriting and with all the existing
Information concerning Africa. This Official GER
tiHcate cannot be impugned and the controversy
about the genuineness of the letters may as well
be given up forever.
For ourselves we must say that such decided
testimony was not needed. That the letters are
not those of the ideal Livingstone who is known
through his published works we admit. We have
however, known OF more than instance in
which books OF travel have acquired literary finish
which their avOwed author was incapable OF i'm
parting to them; and were 1t certain that DIR.
Livingstone dispensed with all literary aid, we must
not forget that a man who has for years been iso-
lated from civilization and had led such life he
has would hardly write with the same care and
attention 10 the propreties as though seated in his
own library. with abundant leisure and with favor
able surrounding influences.
The letters published in the HERALD to-day will
afford abundant opportunities for criticism as TO
their literary faults but are none the less interest
ing or valuable for that. Their very freedom from
the cOnstraint Of conventionaties gives additional
ri0r Africa. The unstndied sentences are full OF
vitality and give most vivid impressions. Thus, IN
the letter to Lord Stanley, the explorer takes very
few paragraphs TO explain some Of the difficulties
and dangers OF African travel, yet the picture Is
complete.
"Bad water and frequent wettings told on us all,
by chOleric symptoms and loss OF flesh, -" he adds.
as we can Imagine from the fact that ffty-cight
inches OF rain had fallen that year up the middle
Of July. lie found continued wading in mud
grevous' and for the first time his feet failed, ir
ritable ulcers having fastened on each foot.
No wonder that with such and even worse expe-
rience he felt like writing 20 Lord Clarendon in No
yember 1871.
II seems singular that after so many ages have
elapsed the most successful Of modern explorers
should avow his determination to follow the sug-
gestions given by the father OF historians and
geographers, Herodotus. But in this he has simply
acted as many others have found 1t wise to act.
Successive revelation OF the countries described by
accuracy and Judgment. II remains for Living
stone to furnish further proof that HerOdOtus had
information concerning the interior OF Africa which
modern man has been able TO acquire.
We see nothing inexplicable In the steady
determination with which the veteran ex-
plorer continues this work. Being q man OF firm
purpose and unfalternR courage, and having gone
back TO Africa with full comprehension of what
was before him. we are not surprised that he pur-
sues his task not merely without repnng, but with
q sense of humOr that seems to offend some OF his
man as those critics of Abraham Lincoln who
could not believe that thc Saviour OF his Country
INDUCED In humorous stories OF questionable
character.