and,
perhaps, very gradually and almost insensibly to thyself,
turn the current of thy own thoughts and feelings away from
those channels of usefulness and service, as a minister of
the gospel, with which I cannot doubt thy deepest interest
and highest aspirations are inseparably associated."

On Dr. Livingstone explaining that, while he fully appreciated these
views, it did not appear to him consistent with duty to be receiving the
pay of a working missionary while engaged to a considerable extent in
scientific exploration, Mr. Braithwaite expressed anew his sympathy for
his feelings, and respect for his decision, but not as one quite
convinced:

"Thy heart is bound, as I truly believe, in its inmost depths
to the service of Christ. This is the 'one thing' which,
through all, it is thy desire to keep in view. And my fear
has been lest the severing of thy connection with a
recognized religious body should lead any to suppose that thy
Christian interests were in the least weakened; or that thou
wast now going forth with any lower aim than the advancement
of the Redeemer's kingdom. Such a circumstance would be
deeply to be regretted, for thy character is now, if I may so
speak, not thy own, but the common property, in a certain
sense, of British Christianity, and anything which tended to
lower thy high standing would cast a reflection on the
general cause."

The result showed that Mr. Braithwaite was right as to the impression
likely to be made on the public; but the contents of this volume amply
prove that the impression was wrong.

Dr. Livingstone had said at Quilimane that if it were the will of God
that he should do the work of exploration and settlement of stations
which was indispensable to the opening up of Africa, but which the
Directors did not then seem to wish him to undertake, the means would be
provided from some other quarter. At the meeting of the British
Association in Dublin, a movement was begun for getting the Government
to aid him. The proposal was entertained favorably by the Government,
and practically settled before the end of the year. In February, 1858,
Dr. Livingstone received a formal commission, signed by Lord Clarendon,
Foreign Secretary, appointing him Her Majesty's Consul at Quilimane for
the Eastern Coast and the independent districts in the interior, and
commander of an expedition for exploring