BURTON (Sir Richard Francis, 1821-1890, Traveller, Explorer and Linguist)

Fine Autograph Letter signed to Professor D. Oliver telling him that "The map, stone and the bottles have reached me safely I am ... at your service as regards the Arabic names ... before Oct. 8 [sic], as we shall then be leaving town. The best way would be to make a list of the English transliteration by the side of which I can at once enter the Arabic. My great ambition is to see a paper upon the Collection written by your self. I can give you any amount of local details regarding the plants ...", 2 sides 16mo, no place, 28th October, no year but circa Transcription
Oct. 28
Dear Sir
The map, stone and the bottles have reached me safely I am quite at your service as regards the Arabic names – if possible before Oct. 8 [sic], as we shall then be leaving town. The best way would be to make a list of the English transliteration by the side of which I can at once enter the Arabic. My great ambition is to see a paper upon the Collection written by your self. I can give you any amount of local details regarding the plants.
Believe me
yrs sincerely
R.F. Burton
Prof. Oliver

In Burton's tiny hand, here still pretty legible. 'Richard used always to say that a wee writing, as if done with a pin, betokened a big, strong man' (Lady Burton, 'Life', ii. 268, with a good story of how she pacified the printers' foreman).
Daniel Oliver, M.D., 1830-1916, Botanist, was assistant, 1858, and keeper, 1864, of the Herbarium and Library at Kew, where he tended and classified collections from all over the world till he retired in 1890. He collaborated with Darwin as an experimenter, and on Darwin's recommendation was made Professor of Botany at University College London, 1860-1888.

Item Date:  1875

Stock No:  38118      £2000

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