Burton and Arbuthnot had spent many a delightful hour sitting out on Burton’s verandah, smoking, listening to the nightingales, and enjoying sea and landscape.  It must not be supposed that erotic literature was the only subject upon which they conversed, though as hierarchs of the Kama Shastra Society they naturally bestowed upon that and curious learning considerable attention.  Religion was also discussed, and Arbuthnot’s opinions may be gathered from the following citation from his unpublished Life of Balzac which is now in my hands.  “The great coming struggle of the 20th century,” he says, “will be the war between Religion and Science.  It will be a war to the death, for if Science wins it will do away with the personal God of the Jews, the Christians and the Muhammedans, the childish doctrine or dogma of future rewards and punishments, and everything connected with the supernatural.  It will be shown that Law reigns supreme.  The police representing Law and Order will be of more importance than the clergy.  Even now we might do away with the latter, everybody becoming his own priest—­a great economy.  None of us knows what happens to us after death, all we can do is to hope for the best, and follow the three great Laws, viz., 1.  Instruct your mind. 2.  Preserve your health. 3.  Moderate your passions and desires.”  Thus spake the Founder of the Kama Shastra Society.

On May 15th, Burton told Mr. Kirby all about the Algiers trip.  “Plenty to see and do,” he says, “but I was not lucky about my Ms. The Scented Garden.  No one seemed to know anything about it.  Never advise any one to winter in Algiers.  All the settled English are selling their villas.  French mismanagement beats ours holler, and their hate and jealousy of us makes their colonies penal settlements to us.  We stay here [at Trieste] till the weather drives us away—­about the end of June.”  The letter concludes with kindly enquiries respecting Professor Bendall,[FN#620] Mr. A. G. Ellis and Dr. Kirby (Mr. Kirby’s son).

Chapter XXXVI “The Priapeia”

Bibliography: 

80.  Priapeia. 1890.

168.  The Priapeia.

The share that Sir Richard Burton had in the translation of the Priapeia has been the subject of dispute; but we are able to state positively that he was the author of the metrical portion.  Indeed, he made no secret of it among his intimates.  For some reason or other, however, he did not wish to have his name publicly associated with it; so the following passage was inserted in the preface:  “The name of Sir Richard Burton has been inadvertently connected with the present work.  It is, however, only fair to state that under the circumstances he distinctly disclaims having taken any part in the issue.”  We have no other ground for the assumption, but this passage seems to point to a quarrel of some kind.  It certainly does not alter the fact that every page