Many of the colonial values seen in the life of Livingstone are reflected in the character of St. John Rivers, the pastor-turned-missionary of Jane Eyre.  For example, in an early appeal, the London Missionary society asked for “messengers to the nations . . . to entreat [the foreigners] that they turn from their dumb idol to the living God, and to wait for His Son from heaven.” Similarly, Rivers says his “great work” is to give “religion for superstition, the hope of heaven for the fear of hell” (471).

However, what is particularly telling is the hybrid of imperialistic and religious goals that are conflated in Livingstone’s work and similarly reflected through the character of St. John Rivers.  There is a sense that the missionary work and the exploration and expansion of Britain go hand in hand—and thus colonialism is endorsed by God. Livingstone himself writes that he was driven by the words of another missionary who said that in Africa was “the smoke of a...

On the night of June 29, 1860 3 and 1/2 year old Francis Savile Kent was found brutally murdered. His nursemaid was first indicted for the crime, but no evidence was found to convict her. Soon after his 16 year old half-sister Constance Kent was held for questioning, but was let go. Constance was seen as something of a folk heroine and the police were criticized for accusing an accomplished, intelligent, and upper class lady for the murder. Constance later confessed to killing Francis in 1865. Constance told police she had had nothing against the boy, but had done it to get back at her step-mother. Her step-mother had been a governess in the family while Constance's mother was still alive, and had then married Constance's father shortly after his wife died. Even after she confessed many people still refused to believe she was guilty and instead believed she was covering for her father. This was the result of many people having a hard time believing that a pretty, young, high-class...