The Personal Life of David Livingstone: Chiefly from his Unpublished Journals and Correspondence in the Possession of His FamilyBlaikie, William Garden
Religion
The Personal Life of David Livingstone: Chiefly from his Unpublished Journals and Correspondence in the Possession of His Family
Blaikie, William Garden
Livingstone, David, 1813-1873
"I am an old man, and I shall (so far as I am permitted to
look at the future) never see your face again. If I live till
the 22d of March I shall have ended my 73d year, and not only
from what we all know from the ordinary course of nature, but
from what I myself know and feel from the experience of the
two past years, I am assured that I have not long to live.
How long, God only knows. It grieves me not to have seen you
again in London, and I did hope that you might yourself
introduce me to your wife and children. I hear that a
farewell dinner is to be given you on Saturday, and greatly
should I rejoice to be present on that occasion, and along
with many other true-hearted friends wish you 'God-speed.'
But it must not be. I am not a close prisoner to my room, as
I was some weeks past, but I am still on the sick list, and
dare not expose myself to any sudden change of temperature,
or to the excitement of a public meeting. This is one of the
frailties of old age and infirm health. I have gone on
writing and writing more than I intended. Once for all, God
bless you! and pray (though I do not personally know them)
give my best and Christian love to your dear wife (Ma-Robert
she was called, I think, in Africa) and children. Ever
gratefully and affectionately yours,
"A. SEDGWICK."
Sir Roderick, too, had a kind parting word for his friend: "Accept my
warmest acknowledgments for your last farewell note. Believe me, my dear
friend, that no transaction in my somewhat long and very active life
has so truly rewarded me as my intercourse with you, for, from the
beginning to the end, it has been one continued bright gleam."
To this note Livingstone, as was his wont, made a hearty and Christian
response: "Many blessings be on you and yours, and if we never meet
again on earth, may we through infinite mercy meet in heaven!"
The last days in England were spent in arrangements for the expedition,
settling family plans, and bidding farewell. Mrs. Livingstone
accompanied her husband, along with Oswell, their youngest child. Dr.
Livingstone's heart was deeply affected in parting with his other
children. Amid all the hurry and bustle of leaving he snatches a few
minutes almost daily for a note to one or more of them:
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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