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Document : 193

Title: Letter from Livingston to Murray3, 22 Mar 1857

Author(s): Livingstone, David

Livingstone
Dr.
May 1857




57 Sloane St

22 May



My Dear Mr Murray


Mr Clowes has
just sent me proofs
of the plates or
drawings — the
lion encountre
is absolutely
abominable
I entreat you
by all thats good



to suppress it
Every one who
knows what
a lion is will
die with laughing
at it. Its the
greatest bungle
Wolf ever made
I told him about
and I told him
the proportions
were much too
great on the side



of the lion. Its
like a dray horse
over me. It really
must hurt the
book to make
a lion look larger
than a hippopotamus
I am quite distressed
about it.  or at least — make the lion smaller.


Would the style
in which Anderson's
plates are got up
not superior to
this? Of course



I am no judge of
this point but
of the lion I am
I think.


Is it impossible
to put on a rag
around the lions
of these fellows?
All wear something
except the Batoka
I refer to the
Elephant hunt
to make the fellows
all stark naked



is worse than
talking about urine
and yet your
critic turned up
the white of his
eyes at that


The reception
at Shinte [¿] which
came to day is
very poor
I have made
some notes
for the artist


Pray dont think me unreasonable
you may ask Vardon if you doubt




My men ought
to be close to me
Two ficus or
baman trees
in the place and
the roofs of the
huts seen over
the walls on one
side as I have
indicated. The
musical instrument
when seen
side ways is



thus
key
[calabashes]
The keys are beaten
With drumsticks.
The drum slung on
the neck & beaten
with the hands.
Have you
any of the permanent
copy set up - I
would like to
see whether your



in the corrections
introduced by your
corrector he is
a man who has
sympathy in
such a book

I dont send back
the plates to Mr
Clowes but to
you begging mercy
against being caricatured


D. Livingstone
