6 DA VID LIVINGSTONE. [chap. i. 



tion from the firmness with which he carried out his 

 resolution. He was a Sunday-school teacher, an ardent 

 member of a missionary society, and a promoter of meet- 

 ings for prayer and fellowship, before such things had 

 ceased to be regarded as badges of fanaticism. While 

 travelling through the neighbouring parishes in his vocation 

 of tea-merchant, he acted also as colporteur, distributing 

 tracts and encouraging the reading of useful books. He 

 took suitable opportunities when they came to him of 

 speaking to young men and others on the most important 

 of all subjects, and not without effect. He learned Gaelic 

 that he might be able to read the Bible to his mother, 

 who knew that language best. He had indeed the very 

 soul of a missionary. Withal he was kindly and affable, 

 though very particular in enforcing what he believed to 

 be right. He was quick of temper, but of tender heart 

 and gentle ways ; anything that had the look of stern- 

 ness was the result not of harshness but of high principle. 

 By this means he commanded the affection as well as the 

 respect of his family. It was a great blow to his dis- 

 tinguished son, to whom in his character and ways he bore 

 a great resemblance, to get news of his death, on his 

 way home after his first great journey, dissipating the 

 cherished pleasure of sitting at the fireside and telling 

 him all his adventures in Africa. 



The wife of Neil Livingstone was Agnes Hunter, a 

 member of a family of the same humble rank and the 

 same estimable character as his own. Her grandfather, 

 Gavin Hunter, of the parish of Shotts, was a doughty 

 Covenanter, who might have sat for the portrait of David 

 Deans. His son David (after whom the traveller was 

 named) was a man of the same type, who got his first 

 religious impressions in his eighteenth year, at an open- 

 air service conducted by one of the Secession Erskines. 

 Snow was falling at the time, and before the end of the 

 sermon the people were standing in snow up to the 



