Lady Burton then wrote a second letter, which she sent to The Echo.  She said that if Burton had lived “he would have been perfectly justified in carrying out his work.  He would have been surrounded by friends to whom he could have explained any objections or controversies, and would have done everything to guard against the incalculable harm of his purchasers lending it to their women friends and to their boyish acquaintances, which I could not guarantee. ...  My husband did no wrong, he had a high purpose[FN#675] and he thought no evil of printing it, and could one have secured the one per cent. of individuals to whom it would have been merely a study, it would probably have done no harm.”  Later she made some further defence in the New Review.

The opinions of Burton’s friends and intimate acquaintances on the matter were as follows:  Mr. Payne and Mr. Watts-Dunton[FN#676] thought that Lady Burton did quite rightly, considering the circumstances, in destroying the work.  Mr. W.F.  Kirby thought that, though from her own point of view she was justified in so doing, she would have done better to present it to the College of Surgeons, where it would have been quite harmless and might have been consulted by bona-fide students.

Mr. Arbuthnot considered that in fulfilment of Burton’s promise it should have been given to him.  He would, of course, have published it as a volume of the Kama Shastra Society, taking the usual precautions to prevent it from falling into unsuitable hands.

   Chapter XL
   July 1891-December 1893
   O Tomb, O Tomb!

Bibliography: 

84.  Life of Sir Richard Burton, 2 vols. 1893. 85.  Translation of Catullus. 1894. 86.  The Library Edition of The Arabian Nights, 12 vols. 1894.

180.  A Letter to Miss Stisted.

In July 1891 there appeared in Temple Bar an article by Miss Stisted, entitled “Reminiscences of Sir Richard Burton,” and upon reading it, Lady Burton, who headed her letter “5 or 67 Baker Street, Portman Square,” wrote as follows: 

“Dearest Georgy,[FN#677] I read last night your clever and well-written article on my darling, and send you a little notice out of The Daily News.  I congratulate you on it and on being able to write again.  I was very sorry you and Maria [Lady Stisted] would not come to the funeral.  When you come in August I shall give you a photo of the monument and a list of the people who were invited. ...  There were 850 asked, 400 influenza refusals and over 500 were present, counted by the police at the gates. ...  When you come I shall be I trust at No. 67.[FN#678] Your loving aunt Zoo.”