BIB_ID
195836
Accession number
MA 13577
Creator
Burton, Richard Francis, Sir, 1821-1890.
Display Date
1864 December 21.
Credit line
Bequest of Gordon N. Ray, 1987.
Description
1 item (4 pages) ; 13.8 x 8.9 cm
Notes
Frank Wilson was Burton's Vice-Consul at Fernando Po, 1861-1864; the servants to whom Burton refers to in the first portion of the letter have been identified as those presented to him by King Gelele at the conclusion of Burton's diplomation mission to Dahome in 1861.
Provenance
Bequest of Gordon N. Ray, 1987.
Summary
Stating that he has been busy publishing his views on the Nile and promising him a copy of the book as soon as the 2nd edition comes out; directing him to "air the books etc. before packing", sending to him his African servants, referring to them with a racial slur and instructing him to not "give them away" to Commodore A.P. Eardley Wilmot ("Commodore has no earthly rights to them. All his are at Whydah--damn his greediness."); mentioning the success of his book, Dahome, and complaining of the winter weather in England; referring to the death of J.H. Speke ("Nothing will ever be known of Speke's death. I saw him at 1.30 PM. & at 4 PM he was dead. The charitable say that he shot himself, the uncharitable that I shot him."); asking for information about Charles Livingstone ("You must tell me something about the new man (C. Livingstone) who will of course goad for Missionary Interest. Then will Missionary rule roar, & Mary trot and Job jog."); mentioning (Francisco) Osorio and "Roy" (Kirkwood), who he hears "is fast becoming a 'model husband.'"
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