Series 03: John Brady Nash letters, January 1914-December 1915 - Page 190
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[Page 190]
with the Australian forces, from the West. Sic transit gloria mundi. Requiescat in pace.
19-3-15 – Today is the anniversary of the birth of Dr Livingstone, a man, born in Edinburgh I think, anyhow a Scotchman, who when I was a youth filled a big place in the minds eye of the people of the world, because he travelled extensively in Central Africa, lived there for many years, being practically the first of modern white men to throw the light of exploration upon what used to be called then the Dark Continent. Dark, truly, not only in that it was unknown to the white people but in that it was the home of the black man, descendants of Ham. v. [vide] Genesis. I was in my teens, a somewhat close student of Livingstone, following on the map his wanderings around Lake Tanganyika, Lake Victoria Nyanza, & the adjacent country. At the present date the portion of Africa which lies to the East of both these lakes and extends to the waters of the Indian Ocean belongs to Germany. It has been for some years rather a nuisance to British enterprise, because to complete the railway line from Capetown to Alexandria there was necessity to pass through country ruled by either German or Belgian officers. One result of the war, when we are victorious, will probably be that this overland railway line will have but British owned land to traverse from South to North. A consummation devoutly to be desired. Ask Dr Patas about Dr Livingstone? H. M. Stanley, a man of humble origin but great parts, was sent by Gordon Bennett of New York to find Livingstone in the year ? at a place far inland they met: "Dr Livingstone I presume! My name is Stanley!" The salutation formed the subject for a picture in Punch, and I fancy for a painting some well known artist.
"The good I stand on is my truth & honesty:
If they shall fail, I, with mine enemies,
Will triumph o'er my person"
Hy. VIII. v-1-122.
I have written a letter to Lieut Bennett, formerly of the Orsova, addressing it to The Admiralty London in the hope that 'twill find him somewhere.