New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-10-18
RICHARD BURTON.
PICTURESQUE VIEWS OF A COMPLEX CHAR
ACTER.
From The B0Olzman.

From The Bookman L.,.A ~. oniv
the man in his complex character, but suppneu tne
key the perplexing yielsstdes Oh MS ,on called ~
my house. My study adioned the drawing rVon t ii
wiicn he shown by native ser' an.. an, atorv
Sc Se xer sI meant S to be- obeyed TIE servant
not thinking that was IN me study WI. NJ Slippers
to the drawlng-room door, and came upon 1919 $500
never to be forgotten. AT one side OK tne fov a @
my curly headed, lite boy Of nys on III
the other side stood burton The two were stars q.
each other. Neither aware OF my presence t
His eyes rolled exposing the whites In an alarming
manner. The features were drawn TO one sde 80 10
SbastT The TWO cheeks were blown out, and Burton,
raising pocket handkerchief to his leit cheek, sao
to the left as II he had shot il tnrough his two cheeks
The explosion was followed by suppressed h4"i'
something between the bark OF hyena and lackii,
All the time Burton gared on the little fellow WIN
To- the floor as II speIIbound and fascinated, like
about to be deyoured suddenly very wonder
of delight sprang into the monsters arms, and the
black beard was Instantly mingled with the fair curs
and Burton was planting kisses all over the taken
quick lightning, and Burton, diSenangng himself
caught sight OF my Arab returning without me, and,
instead OF waiting for an explanation, hurled at him
volley OF exasperang epithets cuiled from the ilcn
Arabic literature Burton had revealed himself to
fully before he saw ms The childs clear keen Instinct
chd's heart behind the hdeous grlmaees. The childs
unerr1ng instinct drawn by afiny to the chiids
Burton Was sound at heart s The saw him
truly 4" a brave strong man in batant land" When
you got down through the crusts You found fearless
and honest friend But Burton was given to
old women of both sexes and to make servant maids
stare. lie took great delight IN shocking goody PEG
his Imagination. People who knew burton partially.
from mecting him at public dinners or IN clubs have
his cruelty and immortality. They often say truly
that Burton told the horrible stories against himself
self In the guise of monster to my little boy. At
the same time am certain that Burton was Incapable
of either monstrous cruelty 0. gross immortality. 60
further, and / state 1t as my firm conviction that
burton was constituuonaIB and hsbitually sboth
In trouble, in disappointment, in his home In the
saddle under me anG In the presence Of almost every
white heat Of passion young English lady had
S Sfsa aTea s a. secrs SY %
in dread for months that he would with his own hand
ever, met his fate at other hands Noticing the
difference between Burton's real character and that
him how certain specific stories had originated. 1t
was interesting to learn how the Legends mad grown
and BRUSH es r before tit nons srandther
was born. Others were founded OF facts but they
and IN mess-rooms that Incidents innocent in them
selves had grown TO monstrous dimensions. From
observation and much INQUIRY have long come to the
Burton were bogeys partly borrowed and partly in
vented-mere adaptations and travellers yarns to
shock and stun and create little bosterous fun.
1t Is question how far BurtOn'S oriental disguise
concealed the .hglshman in Ills pilgrimage to Mecca
never cOnversed with q Hohammedan who had ac-
companed Burton on that journey; but l have seen
Arabs who Palgrave his way to Ne1ed, and his
attempts TO pose native were constant source OF
amusement to all with whom he came In contact Bur
tons Oriental cast OF face helped him when putting on
the outward appearance OF Bedawee but at period
Of his life could he have passed for Arab one second
after he began to speak. on the pilgrimage TO Mecca
Burton would De known dev0ut British Moham-
medan Just easily we recognize an Arab convert
missionary platform notwithstanding the efforts
OF the schoOmaster and tailor to transform him into
an Englishman. Ana as perverted Engllshman Bur
ton would be welcome I'm the Hall as q converted
Arab would DO in Exeter Hail. Thus far the matter
was plain and simple and en- regle: but when Burton
published his narrative II appeared TO Mohammedsn
ears as tale OF deception, and even q Mohammedan
does not like to the rites OF his religion travestied
Besides. in addition to BurtOns canonical version Of
murder Of true believer who had found Burton out.
This one CT those mess room tales that had grown
from some small beginning TO great dimensions and
while II helped the book by making II appear that
BurtOns disguise effective except to the one lynx
eyed man. Ii marked him ont q manslayer. whose
life, by Oriental law, was forfeited. To the pious
Damascene Burton first appeared as Christian who
had made the great browning act Of Mahommedan devo
ton under false pretences, and had shed MOhammedan
Consul at first appeared TO Damascenes traitor
and a murderer: bat ID was understood that he was
able to give assurances satisfactory to Islam. How
the reconciliation took place, know not but 1t is
certain that Burton became fav0rito with orthodox
Moslems at Damascus.