262 DAVID LIVINGSTONE. [chap. xn. 



direct on the proposal, to Mr. Maclear he is more gushing. 

 He writes to him : — 



" I feel such a gush of emotion on thinking of the great work 

 before us that I must unburden my mind. I am becoming every day 

 more decidedly convinced that English colonisation is an essential 

 ingredient for our large success. ... In this new region of Highlands 

 no end of good could be effected in developing the trade in cotton and 

 in discouraging that in slaves. . . . You know how I have been led 

 on from one step to another by the overruling Providence of the great 

 Parent, as I believe, in order to a great good for Africa. ' Commit 

 thy way unto the Lord, trust also in Him, and He will bring it to 

 pass.' I have tried to do this, and now see the prospect in front 

 spreading out grandly. . . . But how is the land so promising to be 

 occupied % . . . How many of our home poor are fighting hard to keep 

 body and soul together ! My heart yearns over our own poor when I 

 see so much of God's fair earth unoccupied. Here it is really so ; for 

 the people have only a few sheep and goats, and no cattle. I wonder 

 why we cannot have the old monastery system without the celibacy. 

 In no other part where I have been does the prospect of self-support 

 seem so inviting, and promising so much influence. Most of what is 

 done for the poor has especial reference to the blackguard poor." 



In his letter to Mr. Young he expressed his convic- 

 tion that a great desideratum in mission agency was 

 missionary emigration by honest Christian poor to give 

 living examples of Christian life that would insure per- 

 manency to the gospel once planted. He had always had 

 a warm side to the English and Scottish poor — his own 

 order, indeed. If twenty or thirty families would come 

 out as an experiment, he was ready to give £2000 without 

 saying from whom. He bids Mr. Young speak about the 

 plan to Thorn of Chorley, Turner of Manchester, Lord 

 Shaftesbury, and the Duke of Argyll. " Now, my friend," 

 he adds, " do your best, and God's blessing be with you. 

 Much is done for the blackguard poor. Let us remember 

 our own class, and do good while we have opportunity. 

 I hereby authorise you to act in my behalf, and do what- 

 ever is to be done without hesitancy." 



These letters, and their references to the honest 

 poor, are characteristic. We have seen that among Dr. 



