Harper's New Monthly Magazine,  9 (1884–85), 810–17.

Editor's Literary Record

Anon

Genre:

Regular Feature, Review

Publications reviewed:

Thomson 1885

Subjects:

Exploration, Physical Geography, Geology, Ethnology, Religion, Agnosticism


    Reflects that Joseph Thomson's 'animated' narrative recounts the 'extraordinary dangers and difficulties' of his explorations in equatorial Africa in 'a fashion almost too light-hearted'. Indeed, his 'struggle against dysentery makes a little epic by itself,—a man of less resolution would have died'. (811) In addition to the 'geographical discoveries' of 'beautiful extinct volcanic hills' described in the book (811–12), the 'ethnologist will find [...] abundance of remarkable facts in the study of the Masai, a race ghostless, it appears, but not godless, though their substitute for the divine conception has a Spenserian vagueness' (812).



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