XX LIVINGSTONE'S AUTOBIOGRAPHY. 



It " sends neither episcopacy, nor presbyterianism, nor 

 independency, but the gospel of Christ to the heathen." 

 This exactly agreed with my ideas of what a Missionary 

 Society ought to do ; but it was not without a pang that 

 I offered myself, for it was not quite agreeable to one 

 accustomed to work his own way to become in a measure 

 dependent on others. And I would not have been much 

 put about, though my offer had "keen rejected. 



Looking back now on that life of toil, I cannot but feel 

 thankful that it formed such a material part of my early 

 education ; and, w T ere it possible, I should like to begin 

 life over again in the same lowly style, and to pass through 

 the same hardy training. 



Time and travel have not effaced the feelings of respect 

 I imbibed for the humble inhabitants of my native village. 

 For morality, honesty, and intelligence, they were in 

 general good specimens of the Scottish poor. In a popu- 

 lation of more than two thousand souls we had, of course, 

 a variety of character. In addition to the common run 

 of men, there were some characters of sterling worth and 

 ability, who exerted a most beneficial influence on the 

 children and youth of the place by imparting gratuitous 

 religious instruction.* Much intelligent interest was felt 

 by the villagers in all public questions, and they furnished 

 a proof that the possession of the means of education did 

 not render them an unsafe portion of the population. 

 They felt kindly towards each other, and much respected 

 those of the neighbouring gentry who, like the late Lord 

 Douglas, placed some confidence in their sense of honour. 

 Through the kindness of that nobleman, the poorest 

 among us could stroll at pleasure over the ancient domains 

 of Both well ; and other spots hallowed by the venerable 

 associations of which our school-books and local traditions 

 made us well aware ; and few of us could view the dear 

 memorials of the past without feeling that these carefully 



* The reader will pardon my mentioning the names of two of these 

 most worthy men — David Hogg, who addressed me on his death-bed 

 with the words, " Now, lad ! make religion the every-day business of 

 your life, and not a thing of fits and starts ; for if you do not, tempta- 

 tion and other things will get the better of you ; " and Thomas Burke, 

 an old Forty-second Peninsula soldier, who has been incessant and 

 never weary in good works for about forty years. I was delighted to 

 find him still alive ; men like these are an honour to their country 

 and profession. 



