The Life of Captain Sir Richard F. Burton, volume 2 (of 2): By His Wife, Isabel Burton — John Shaqi
The Life of Captain Sir Richard F. Burton, volume 2 (of 2): By His Wife, Isabel BurtonBurton, Isabel, Lady
History
The Life of Captain Sir Richard F. Burton, volume 2 (of 2): By His Wife, Isabel Burton
Burton, Isabel, Lady
Burton, Richard Francis, Sir, 1821-1890; Explorers -- Great Britain -- Biography; Scholars -- Great Britain -- Biography
"'If a Consulate is thought a sufficient reward for such a man and
such services, we have no more to say. If he has been fairly treated
in reference to his Nile explorations, we have no knowledge of the
affair--which we narrowly watched at the time--no discernment, and
no true sense of justice. When the war with Ashanti broke out, we
expressed our opinion that Captain Burton should have been attached
to the expedition. During the Crimean War he showed his powers of
organization under General Beatson, whose Chief of the Staff he was,
in training four thousand irregular cavalry, fit, when he left them,
to do anything and go anywhere. In short, he has done enough for
half a dozen men, and to merit half a dozen K.C.B.'s. We sincerely
trust that the present Government will not fail, amidst other acts of
justice and good works, to bestow some signal mark of her Majesty's
favour upon Captain Richard Burton, one of the most remarkable men
of the age, who has displayed an intellectual power and a bodily
endurance through a series of adventures, explorations, and daring
feats of travel, which have never been surpassed in variety and
interest by any one man, and whose further neglectful treatment,
should it take place, will be a future source of indignant regret to
the people of England.'
* * * * *
"The following article appeared when Burton wrote his 'Nile Basin.' I
quote that part of it which refers to Burton, and expunge that which
does not regard my immediate subject:--
"'About a quarter of a century ago Richard Burton, who had gained
only a reputation for eccentricity at Oxford, left that University
for India and entered the Bombay army. There he devoted his spare
time to the acquisition of Oriental languages, science, and falconry,
in company with the Chiefs of Sind, and, amongst other things, wrote
works on the language, manners, and sports of that country. We cannot
trace his career, but it is well known that he has become one of the
greatest linguists of the age, gifted with the rare if not unique
capacity of passing for a native in various Oriental countries. In
addition to this, he is a good classical scholar, an accomplished
swordsman, and a crack shot. His "Pilgrimage to Mecca and Medina" was
a wonderful record of successful daring and wonderful impersonation of
Oriental character.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account