The Personal Life of David Livingstone ...: Chiefly from His Unpublished Journals and Correspondence in the Possession of His Family

Published in 1880, this biography of the renowned Scottish missionary and explorer David Livingstone was written by William Garden Blaikie shortly after the explorer's death in 1873. The work was commissioned by Livingstone's family to provide a definitive and intimate account of his life, utilizing his extensive collection of private journals, field notes, and personal correspondence that had not previously been made public. It served as a vital corrective and expansion to Livingstone's own published narratives, offering a more nuanced portrait of his religious motivations and the complex realities of his expeditions through Central Africa.

Blaikie, a professor of theology and a long-time acquaintance of Livingstone, approached the text with the intent of framing the explorer as a quintessential Victorian hero whose life was defined by unwavering faith and self-sacrifice. The biography was well received by a public fascinated by African exploration, and it became a primary source for scholars and enthusiasts alike for its detailed insights into the daily life of the explorer. The volume remains a significant artifact for understanding how Livingstone’s legacy was curated and presented to the British public during the height of the imperial era.