1856-57-] FIRST VISIT HOME. 201 



feel, as I have often done, that as regards ourselves it is a subject 

 more for prayer than for deliberation, separated as we are by such 

 distances, and such a tardy and eccentric post. I used to imagine 

 that when he was once got out safely from this dark continent we 

 should only have to praise God for all His mercies to him and to us 

 all, and for what He had effected by him ; but now I see we must go 

 on seeking the guidance and direction of His providential hand, and 

 sustaining and preventing mercy. We cannot cease to remember you 

 daily, and thus our sympathy will be kept alive with you. ..." 



Dr. Moffat's congratulation to his son-in-law was 

 calm and hearty : — 



" Your explorations have created immense interest, and especially 

 in England, and that man must be made of bend-leather who can 

 remain unmoved at the rehearsal even of a tithe of your daring enter- 

 prises. The honours awaiting you at home would be enough to make 

 a score of light heads dizzy, but I have no fear of their affecting your 

 upper story, beyond showing you that your labours to lay open the 

 recesses of the vast interior have been appreciated. It will be almost 

 too much for dear Mary to hear that you are verily unscathed. She 

 has had many to sympathise with her, and I daresay many have called 

 you a very naughty man for thus having exposed your life a thousand 

 times. Be that as it may, you have succeeded beyond the most 

 sanguine expectations in laying open a world of immortal beings, all 

 needing the gospel, and at a time, now that war is over, when people 

 may exert their energies on an object compared with which that 

 which has occupied the master minds of Europe, and expended so 

 much money, and shed so much blood, is but a phantom." 



On the 9th of December, as we have seen, Living- 

 stone arrived at London. He went first to Southampton, 

 where his wife was waiting for him, and on his return to 

 London was quickly in communication with Sir Roderick 

 Murchison. On the 1 5th December the Royal Geographical 

 Society held a special meeting to welcome him. Sir 

 Roderick was in the chair ; the attendance was numerous 

 and distinguished, and included some of Livingstone's 

 previous fellow-travellers, Colonel Steele, Captain Vardon, 

 and Mr. Oswell. The President referred to the meeting 

 of May 1855, when the Victoria or Patron's medal had 

 been awarded to Livingstone for his journey from the 

 Cape to Linyanti and Loanda. Now Livingstone had 



