iv PREFACE. 



symmetry of his character. As a man, a Christian, a 

 missionary, a philanthropist, and a scientist, Livingstone 

 ranks with the greatest of our race, and shows the 

 minimum of infirmity hi connection with the maximum 

 of goodness. Nothing can be more telling than his 

 life as an evidence of the truth and power of Chris- 

 tianity, as a plea for Christian Missions and civilisation, 

 or as a demonstration of the true connection between 

 religion and science. 



So many friends have helped in this book that it is 

 impossible to thank all in a preface. Most of them are 

 named in the body of the work. Special acknowledg- 

 ments, however, are due to the more immediate members 

 of Dr. Livingstone's family, at whose request the work 

 was undertaken ; also to his sisters, the Misses Livingstone 

 of Hamilton, to Mr. Young of Kelly, to the venerable 

 Dr. Moffat, and Mrs. Vavasseur his daughter. The use of 

 valuable collections of letters has been given by the fol- 

 lowing (in addition to the friends already named) : — The 

 Directors of the London Missionary Society ; Dr. Risdon 

 Bennett ; Rev. G. D. Watt ; Rev. Joseph Moore ; Rev. 

 W. Thompson, Cape Town ; J. B. Braithwaite, Esq. ; 

 representatives of the late Sir R. I. Murchison, Bart., and 

 of the late Sir Thomas Maclear ; Rev. Horace Waller, 

 Mr. and Mrs. Webb of Newstead Abbey, Mr. F. Fitch, of 

 London, Rev. Dr. Stewart of Lovedale, and Senhor Nunes 

 of Quilimane. Other friends have forwarded letters of 

 less importance. Some of the letters have reached the 

 hands of the writer after the completion of the book, 

 and have therefore been used but sparingly. 



