Comments1

The image we have today of Burton has come to us from absorption of the half dozen or so serious biographies, most notably that written by his wife Isabel; together with what can be gleaned from his own writings and those of his contemporaries. In his fast-declining years and then after his death, Isabel embarked on a crusade to establish for posterity a characterization of Burton that satisfied her own desire as to what he "should have been" rather than what he actually was*. Hence her statement that "I will have no other biographies brought out" (other, that is, than her own) and her systematic destruction of all material (most notably his diaries and letters) which would conflict with how she would have him appear, and which could assist any future biographer in presenting a contrary view.

Because of these actions, all biographers have been frustrated by the lack of any alternative source of personal material from which they could draw forth the true character of the man. All that was available was Isabel's wishful and romanticized picture, itself poorly crafted, some scanty laudatory remarks by his friends and on the other extreme, much less favorable contemporary impressions recorded by those who simply didn't like Burton.

Burton himself could have left us a better understanding, but in those days it was considered "bad form" for a fellow to write much about himself, still less about his own inner feelings. And we may assume he was a very private person anyway. When reading any of Burton's travel narratives, we are seldom transported to the places he describes by any magic of descriptive prose, conjuring the atmosphere of a time and a place now long forgotten. We have dry facts and figures and superficial impressions of people and places where we crave depth, the ability to hear, taste and smell those brilliant bygone scenes with their incredible richness of character. Had we known how his environment affected his feelings, we would have a better grasp of the man.

So what is the image currently prevailing? Burton the "renaissance man" - born out of his proper time. A genius in languages, having an encyclopedic knowledge of a vast array of all manner of facts, figures and of classical literature and, in this fashion, a scholar who yet failed to complete his degree at Oxford because he could not bear the hypocrisy and narrow-mindedness of academia. Learning Latin and Ancient Greek, which in England were then fashionably and hideously pronounced with long English vowels - Burton enraged his professors by insisting upon a pronunciation that took its cue from modern Italian and Greek. Never seemingly much disciplined as a child, he behaved as his mood dictated and was careless of the feelings of those for whom he held little respect (and that was apparently most who surrounded him). Burton is seen to be brave, reckless, capricious; a pioneer in all things new and a man of iron will. He exhibits, too, a powerful sexual drive and is more outspoken in expressing this, albeit redirected, than that era permitted. Of course this has caused much sanctimonious outrage and, by-the-by, has always contributed to the intense interest with which he has been regarded.

Although never trained as a scientist, his approaches to many of the sciences and particularly to geography, geology, archeology, anthropology and botany are commendably thorough and there is no doubt he read deeply into these fields and was able to contribute to all of them. It is however freely said of him that his studies often tended to be focused on an obsessive interest in the sexually bizarre and the macabre. He spoke his mind in everything, very often with an apparent deliberate intention to shock and with total disregard for political sensibilities. Such a man, on the outer fringes of public life, would have been, and was in fact, an anathema to the political establishment of his day.

Burton then, was no diplomat; yet most of his later career was nominally in that field. His special genius was undoubtedly recognized by sufficient numbers of his friends in high places that he was guaranteed a living, but in any position of stature he would have been a terrible embarrassment, not only due to his outspokenness but also because he habitually used his diplomatic positions as an opportunity to pursue other interests and enquiries, often being away without leave for weeks, or even months, on end.

Most of his biographers deplore the wasteful consignment of Burton to remote postings in places like Fernando Po, Santos and Trieste; where, no doubt, it was felt he could do the least amount of political damage. His one big opportunity, the Consulate in Damascus, was probably doomed to failure at the outset - aside from the fact that Burton spoke plainly and as he saw fit, which was totally unacceptable in Her Britannic Majesty's Representative. It is hard to know what other role he could have played in Victorian England or, indeed elsewhere in the world of that time, or, frankly speaking, in any time. One might imagine a very autonomous "chair" (professorship) at a prestigious University, with total freedom from administrative duties (at which, I think he would have been appalling) and where he could indulge his personality and wide-ranging academic interests.

Burton appears to have passed his entire life craving recognition of his intellectual powers and never finding these adequately appreciated by those from whom he desired it most. His reaction to this rejection was one commonly seen in such people: he attempted to become more visible through the use of shock-tactics. Blunt's profile gives us insight into this, his explanation: "pour epater le bourgeois" (epater = to shock). I think Burton secretly cared a good deal about what everyone thought of him. I think he craved universal attention and wished to cast himself (with mixed degrees of justification) in the role of a great hero, genius and wit whom all admired and lionized. However, the reaction of society when suddenly confronted with very unconventional and reckless people is generally an embarrassed silence. It is safer to "not see" rather than to "see", thereby risking public censure by either applauding OR deploring such a person.

Continued .......
NEXT PAGE

*evoking some irony through Burton's own words: "having read much about Utah as it is said to be, I was anxious to see Utah as it is" - City of the Saints 1861 p297

HOME