1861-62.] UNIVERSITIES MISSION. 301 



like a heavy weight on my heart. In our intercourse in 

 private there was more than what would be thought by 

 some a decorous amount of merriment and play. I said 

 to her a few days before her fatal illness : ' We old bodies 

 ought now to be more sober, and not play so much.' ' Oh 

 no,' said she, ' you must always be as playful as you have 

 always been, I would not like you to be as grave as some 

 folks I have seen.' This, when I know her prayer was 

 that she might be spared to be a help and comfort to me 

 in my great work, led me to feel what I have always 

 believed to be the true way, to let the head grow wise, 

 but keep the heart always young and playful. She was 

 ready and anxious to work, but has been called away to 

 serve God in a higher sphere." 



Livingstone could not be idle, even when his heart 

 was broken ; he occupied the days after the death in 

 writing to her father and mother, to his children, and to 

 many of the friends who would be interested in the sad 

 news. Among; these letters, that to Mrs. Moffat and her 

 reply from Kuruman have a special interest. His letters 

 went round by Europe, and the first news reached Kuru- 

 man by traders and newspapers. For a full month after 

 her daughter's death, Mrs. Moffat was giving thanks for 

 the mercy that had spared her to meet with her husband, 

 and had made her lot so different from that of Miss Mac- 

 kenzie and Mrs. Burrup. In a letter, dated 26th May, 

 she writes to Mary a graphic account of the electrical 

 thrill that passed through her when she saw David's 

 handwriting — of the beating heart with which she tried 

 to get the essence of his letter before she read the lines — 

 of the overwhelming joy and gratitude with which she 

 learned that they had met — and then the horror of great 

 darkness that came over her when she read of the tragic 

 death of the Bishop, to whom she had learned to feel as 

 to a friend and brother. Then she pours out her tears 

 over the " poor dear ladies, Miss Mackenzie and Mrs. 



