298 THE VEXATIOUS BOOK. 



to an African under a palm tree. Such a design, so highly 

 characteristic, executed by the most exquisite skill, was a beau- 

 tiful expression of the appreciation which was as thoughtful as 

 it was ardent. Such an expression of regard and appreciation 

 on the part of the highest dignitaries might have turned the 

 head of a less earnest man ; but Dr. Livingstone was absorbed 

 in the great work to which he felt that God had called him, and 

 to which he had so willingly devoted himself. Among the 

 many engagements which filled his time, not the least important 

 or laborious by far was the preparation of his voluminous ac- 

 count of his sixteen years in South Africa. Those who have 

 never undertaken the making of a book have yet to learn the 

 A B C of sympathy for those who contribute so important a 

 part of our happiness. A volume of seven hundred closely- 

 printed pages, made up largely from memoranda written years 

 before, in the midst of ever-changing scenes — written, too, under 

 the great disadvantage of having grown unused to his native 

 tongue — was itself abundant occupation for a rest year. The 

 work seemed to progress very slowly ; several times the active 

 man — who could perform noble deeds more rapidly than he 

 could recount them, and could suffer with a better relish than 

 he could complain — was on the point of abandoning the book 

 that he might hasten to the scene of fresh labors and new ad- 

 ventures. It is hardly surprising that he exhibited rather 

 unusual annoyance when, very unexpectedly one fine autumn 

 morning, his eye read the advertisement of the "Travels of 

 David Livingstone in South Africa," by an author unknown to 

 him, who, depending only on newspaper articles and Geographi- 

 cal Society reports, had come before the public with his work, 

 while the real hero of the story was still groaning over the un- 

 finished chapters of his book. The severity of the doctor upon 

 this author and on the publishers as well was fearful ; but, like 

 generous men that they were, finding that the traveller himself 

 was preparing an account of his own adventures and discoveries, 

 they threw away their labor and the money they had expended, 

 by suppressing the book entirely, and the public appetite was 

 only whetted by the incident for the real work of Dr. Living- 

 stone, which was announced about the 1st of September, 1857, 

 and an advertisement in the November following mentioned the 



