Livingstones Travels and Researches In South Africa

Livingstones Travels and Researches In South Africa.  David Livingstone was born in Scotland, received his medical degree from the University of Glasgow, and was sent to South Africa by the London Missionary Society. Circumstances led him to try to meet the material needs as well as the spiritual needs of the people he went to, and while promoting trade and trying to end slavery, he became the first European to cross the continent of Africa, which story is related in this book. An unnamed reviewer was by no means as enlightened as Livingstone, yet he was not entirely in the dark, either.

The casual reader, who may not be familiar with the historical period, should note that a few things that Livingstone wrote, which might be seen as racist by today's standards, was not considered so in his own time. Livingstone simply uses the terms and the science of his day—these were no doubt flawed, as is also seen elsewhere, in his references to malaria, for example. Which all goes to show that it was the science of the day which was flawed, and not so much Livingstone. I will also add that the Rev. Livingstone has a fine sense of humour, which I hope the reader will enjoy. His description of a Makololo dance is classic.

Lastly, I will note that what I love most about Livingstone's descriptions is not only that he was not polluted by the racism of his day, but that he was not polluted by the anti-racism of our own. He states things as he sees them, and notes that the Africans are, like all other men, a curious mixture of good and evil. This, to me, demonstrates his good faith better than any other description could. You see, David Livingstone does not write about Africa as a missionary, nor as an explorer, nor yet as a scientist, but as a man meeting fellow men. I hope you will enjoy his writings as much as I did. Alan R. Light Monroe, N.C., 1997. https://www.gutenberg.org/files/1039/1039-h/1039-h.htm