Richard Francis Burton (1821-1890) - photo 1
Richard Francis Burton (1821-1890) - photo 2
Richard Francis Burton (1821-1890) - photo 3

Richard Francis Burton (1821-1890)

Lot 82
15.12.2023 11:00UTC +00:00
Classic
Sold
£ 11 970
AuctioneerCHRISTIE'S
Event locationUnited Kingdom, London
Buyer Premiumsee on Website%
Archive
The auction is completed. No bids can be placed anymore.
Archive
ID 1108881
Lot 82 | Richard Francis Burton (1821-1890)
Estimate value
£ 10 000 – 15 000
Richard Francis Burton (1821-1890)
11 autograph letters signed (‘R.F. Burton’, ‘Rich. F. Burton’, ‘R.F.B.’ and ‘Abdullah’) to John Payne, London, Trieste and Geneva, often n.d. but 27 May 1882 to 12 May 1884 and 8 November 1888
30 pages in total, various sizes, chiefly 103 x 127mm, one on a postcard, with 10 post-marked envelopes. Provenance: Sotheby’s, 23 & 24 July 1979, lot 174.

On the Arabian Nights: Burton advises the poet John Payne on his translation of the Middle Eastern classic, published just before Burton’s pre-eminent edition. Offering assistance to Payne in preparing his edition, for which he refuses any royalty payment (‘I cannot accept them’); often asking for Payne’s latest proofs or volumes of the Nights (on 5 August 1882 he requests Payne ‘Kindly send me at once vol. I and I will go through it with the text’, asks when the second volume will be ready to print) and, on one occasion, advertisements (‘I can place a multitude of copies’); recommending books, mentioning fellow authors, thanking Payne for his comments on – or sending copies of – his own works (on 1 September 1882 informing him that he has asked Bernard Quaritch to send Payne volumes of his Camoens); making textual and linguistic comments on Payne’s translation (‘How is it that you have no references marginal or top-page to the number of the Nights? Surely this is one of the first things for students? Also a notice of the Edit. from which you take the Nights. In your place too I should have strictly kept to the formula of the Original "And when it came to be the 10th night" etc This would have broken those long & heavy-looking Paras. English readers would have only skipped them – as they ought […] What news of vol. I? I am very anxious to see it’) as well as criticism of Arabic inherited from earlier editions, including the transliteration of certain words by Lane [in his 1847 edition]; with occasional reference to his position as consul in Trieste, including a mention of the 1882 [Grand International] Exhibition and a lengthier complaint, on 19 January 1884: ‘I am suffering from only one thing, a want to be in Upper Egypt. And of course they wont employ me. I have the reputation of being "independent" […] Chinese Gordon has been sacked for being "Eccentric" which Society abominates. England is now ruled by irresponsible clerks mostly snobs. My misfortunes in life began with not being a Frenchman’.

The Arabian Nights had been an important part of Burton's life for decades. In 1882 he began translating it in earnest; at the same time, the poet John Payne wrote to Burton to ask for his assistance in preparing his own translation (published in 9 volumes between 1882-1884 as The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night). Burton’s version was published almost immediately afterwards, under the title The book of the thousand nights and a night: A plain and literal translation of the Arabian nights entertainments (1885–8, 16 volumes); it was distinguished by his retention of the sexual content of the original Arabic versions, while his extensive footnotes drew on a lifetime of travel and research. Both Payne and Burton’s translations – unabridged and unexpurgated – were printed as private subscribers’ editions, partly owing to strict Victorian laws on obscene material. Despite its deliberately archaic style, Burton’s has become the pre-eminent English translation of the Middle Eastern classic: it is the keystone of Burton's literary reputation.


[With:] Bernard Quaritch (1819-1899). Autograph letter signed to Burton, London, 28 August 1882, informing him that he has not a copy of Macnaghten's Arabian Nights in stock, sending a copy of the Boulag edition instead, annotated by Burton (‘useless to me’) and Payne (‘Sept 1/ Just received this. What shall we do?’). One page.

Place of origin:England, Italy
Auction house category:Letters, documents and manuscripts
Address of auction CHRISTIE'S
8 King Street, St. James's
SW1Y 6QT London
United Kingdom
Preview
09.12.2023 12:00 – 17:00
10.12.2023 12:00 – 17:00
11.12.2023 09:00 – 20:00
12.12.2023 09:00 – 17:00
13.12.2023 09:00 – 17:00
Phone +44 (0)20 7839 9060
Email
4FQ.AYGKAGLUQ@FO3G@
Buyer Premium see on Website
Conditions of purchaseConditions of purchase

Related terms

Frequently asked questions

First of all, you should register to be able to purchase at auction. After confirming your email address, enter your personal information in your user profile, such as your first name, last name, and mail address. Choose a lot from the upcoming auction and the maximum amount you want to place on it. After confirmation of your choice, we will send your application by e-mail to the appropriate auction house. If the auction house accepts a request, it will participate in the auction. You can view the current status of a bid at any time in your personal account in the "Bids" section.
Auctions are performed by auction houses and each of the auction houses describes their terms of auction. You can see the texts in the section "Auction information".
The results of the auction are published within a few days after the end of the auction. In the top menu of the site, find the tab "Auctions". Click on it and you will be on the auction catalog page, where you can easily find the category "Results". After opening it, select the desired auction from the list, enter and view the current status of the interested lot.
The information about the auction winners is confidential. The auction winner will receive a direct notification from the auction house responsible with instructions for further action: an invoice for payment and the manner in which the goods will be received.
Each of the auction houses has its own payment policy for the won lots. All auction houses accept bank transfers, most of them accept credit card payments. In the near future you will find detailed information for each case in the section "Auction information" on the page of the auction catalog and the lot.
Shipment of the won lot depends on its size. Small items can be delivered by post. Larger lots are sent by courier. Employees of the auction houses will offer you a wide range to choose from.
No. The archive serves as a reference for the study of auction prices, photographs and descriptions of works of art.
?>