sides of Ashbee, Arbuthnot, and Burton's other old friends shake
with uncontrollable laughter. Unfortunately, she was as careless as
Lady Burton. Thus on page 48 she relates a story about Burton's
attempt to carry off a nun; but readers of Burton's book on Goa will
find that it had no connection with Burton whatever. It was a story
someone had told him.

In these pages Burton will be seen on his travels, among his
friends, among his books, fighting, writing, quarrelling, exploring,
joking, flying like a squib from place to place--a 19th century Lord
Peterborough, though with the world instead of a mere continent for
theatre. Even late in life, when his infirmities prevented larger
circuits, he careered about Europe in a Walpurgic style that makes
the mind giddy to dwell upon.

Of Burton's original works I have given brief summaries; but as a
writer he shines only in isolated passages. We go to him not for
style but for facts. Many of his books throw welcome light on
historical portions of the Bible.[FN#17]

Of those of his works which are erotic in the true sense of the word
I have given a sufficient account, and one with which I am convinced
even the most captious will not find fault.[FN#18] When necessity
has obliged me to touch upon the subject to which Sir Richard
devoted his last lustrum, I have been as brief as possible, and have
written in a way that only scholars could understand. In short I
have kept steadily in view the fact that this work is one which will
lie on drawing-room tables and be within the reach of everyone.
I have nowhere mentioned the subject by name, but I do not see how
I could possible have avoided all allusion to it. I have dwelt on