New-York tribune., 1900-04-05
SIR RICHARD BURTON.
HIS BIOGRAPHY AND SOME OTHER WRIT
INGS

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THE JEW. TIE Gypsy AND Ell. ISLAM. BY the
Late Captain Sir Richard F Burton x c. M M
Brief Notes by w II Wi!kins Royal octave;
PIP xix. SOL. Herbert s. Stone Co.
To the peculiar character OF Lady Burton's
biography Of her husband we referred at length
on the occasion OF its original appearance 1t
springs partly from Burton's own extraordinary
temperament and partly from the hero worship
which he inspired in his wife Mr.. wilkins. in
his preface 10 the new edition. observes that
there was only one man who could have writ
ten Burtons Hfe-that was Burton himself"
This is a just remark. If Burton had had the
time and the inclination. he might have pro-
duced a work something in the line Of the
Memoirs of Cazanova." and. all things cor
sidered. no less interesting. His career was
UNIQUE in modern biographical annals. and 1t
may be said that that career fitted him like
glove. Burton in the garb. and with the de-
meanor Of the typical man in a modern Capital
like London or Paris, is simply inconceivable
He was born to revolt against convention,
though one of his curious traits is the persist
ence throughout his Quixotic life Of a certain
strain OF hard common sense. If he had only
used his common sense where 1t would have
done the most good-from the worlds point
OF view-he might have achieved in English
diplomacy high position as he won in
chronological research and in general literature.
But Burton always man to throw away
the opportunities that would have been eagerly
ed hx Of getting
on" and to wreak himself on the elucidation Of
obscure points in the history and social customs
OF out Of the way peoples. Lady Burton adored
him, but whether she fully understood him or
not is open to question. When she destroyed
that famous manuscript for which the collec-
tors of a certain kind of publication were greed
lily waiting she rendered precious service to
her husbands fair fame. but when she wrote
his biography she did not do him full justice
She sympathetic, she was conscientious.
she collected her data with industry and tact;
but she had not the literary genius to paint an
adequate portrait Of the man upon whose biog-
raphv the labors OF genius might well have
been bestowed. Within its limits, however. her
volume is of sterling value. and we are glad to
welcome new edition of ii, a good edition we
may add. in everything save that it does not
contain index.
How well Burton would have written his own
life is suggested by his Personal Narrative of
a Pilgrimage TO Ai-Madinah and Meccah." This
was his first book, and it remains one Of his
best. In Il we find him writing about a strange
and difficult enterprise, with combination Of
absolute lucidity and effortless pcturesqueness.
The pilgrimage a great achievement. and
the narrative Of It goes near to being a great
book. Its reception into Bohns well known
library is testimony 10 its having arrived"
rs a classic. It is pleasant to have il in such
convenient form the text carefully collated with
previous editions and with an Introduction by
so competent editor Mr.. Stanley Lane
Poole. The frontispiece to the first volume is
reproduction in colors Of the original portrait
Of Burton in his pilgrims robes. There is a full
index in the second volume.
The last volume in list is far less eloquent
Of Burton's gifts writer. 1t contains much
abstruse information. and especially in those
pages relating the Jew and the Gypsy the
book has an interest for scholars. 1t is not.
however. a publication that will add materially
10 his reputation. since it is collection Of
ray material than finished, well balanced pro-
duction Abiding 10 the chapters on the Jew,
Nj Wilkins surmses that Burton's investiga-
ton into Jewish secrets partly at the bot
tom Of his recall from Damascus by Lord Gran
VILE in ISL as his Ia bors exactly Of the
sort 70 arouse the hostility Of the Jews of that
city. Fer this very reason II is to be regretted
that the present volume is as fragmentary as it
Is A volume on each one Of the three subjects
treated. instead Of volume all three,
could easily have been written by Burton and
would have been profoundly interesting.