89. Two Views of Imperialism in Africa (David Livingstone (march 1866)

Now that I am on the point of starting another trip into Africa I feel quite exhilarated; when one travels with the specific object in view of ameliorating the condition of the natives every act becomes ennobled.

Whether exchanging the customary civilities, or arriving at a village, accepting a night's lodging, purchasing food for the party, asking for information,or answering polite African enquires as to our objects in traveling, we begin to spread a knowledge of that people by whose agency their land will yet become enlightened and freed from the slave trade.

The mere animal pleasure traveling in a wild unexplored country is very great...The effect of travel on a man whose heart is in the right place is that the mind is made more self-reliant: it becomes more confident of its own resources.

Why does Livingstone feel uplifted by the thought of his coming trip to Africa?