Richard Burton: Explorer – Hugh J. Schonfield – First Edition, 1936 – Original Dustwrapper

Author: Hugh J. Schonfield
Title: Richard Burton: Explorer
Publisher: Herbert Joseph Limited, London
Date: 1936
Edition: First UK Edition, First Impression
Format: Octavo
Pagination: 303 pages
Binding: Original Publisher’s Reddish-Brown Cloth, Lettered in Gilt
Illustrations: Photographic Portrait Frontispiece of Sir Richard Burton
Dustwrapper: Original Publisher’s Illustrated Dustwrapper, Priced 15s. Net
Condition: Near Fine in Very Good Dustwrapper
Stock Number: 004209
Location: Book Room

Description

A particularly attractive first edition of Richard Burton: Explorer, Hugh J. Schonfield’s biography of Sir Richard Francis Burton (1821–1890), one of the most extraordinary British explorers, orientalists, linguists, translators and adventurers of the nineteenth century. Published by Herbert Joseph in London in 1936, the volume examines the remarkable life and career of a man whose travels through Arabia, East Africa and India, pioneering geographical investigations and extensive literary achievements established him as one of the most fascinating figures in the history of exploration.

The present copy is very well preserved in its original publisher’s reddish-brown cloth, with gilt lettering and decoration to the spine and an attractive calligraphic device to the upper board. The binding is exceptionally fresh and the pages are generally very nice and clean, with only occasional slight foxing.

It retains the original publisher’s dustwrapper, priced 15s. net, with its striking typographical design and prominent calligraphic ornament. Although slightly dusty, with some rubbing, small nicks and a few short, closed tears, the wrapper remains in very good condition and has been protected in an easily removable clear acetate sleeve.

The book includes a photographic portrait frontispiece depicting Burton in distinctive travelling dress, reproduced from a portrait by Madame G. Bernardi of Trieste. A desirable copy of an important interwar biography of one of Britain’s most celebrated and controversial explorers.

Sir Richard Francis Burton: Explorer, Linguist and Adventurer

Sir Richard Francis Burton (1821–1890) was one of the most remarkable figures of the Victorian age. A soldier, explorer, geographer, ethnographer, linguist, diplomat and prolific author, he combined an exceptional appetite for travel with a determination to investigate regions and cultures largely unfamiliar to European readers.

Born in Torquay, Devon, Burton spent part of his childhood travelling in continental Europe. His unconventional upbringing contributed to his considerable linguistic abilities and lifelong fascination with foreign societies. He entered Trinity College, Oxford, in 1840 but left without taking a degree. In 1842 he joined the army of the East India Company, beginning a career that would take him across India, the Arabian Peninsula, East Africa, Central Africa and numerous other regions. Burton developed considerable proficiency in languages and acquired an unusually detailed knowledge of local customs, religious traditions and social practices. His willingness to immerse himself in unfamiliar cultures distinguished him from many contemporary travellers, although his writings also reflected the assumptions and attitudes of the nineteenth-century imperial world in which he operated. His achievements made him internationally famous, while his unconventional character, outspoken opinions and interest in subjects regarded as controversial frequently placed him at odds with Victorian society.

The Journey to Mecca and Medina

One of Burton’s most celebrated achievements was his journey to the Islamic holy cities of Medina and Mecca in 1853.

Travelling in disguise and drawing upon his knowledge of Arabic and Islamic religious practice, Burton successfully undertook the pilgrimage to Mecca, gaining firsthand experience of places rarely visited by Europeans at that time. His account, Personal Narrative of a Pilgrimage to Al-Madinah and Meccah, published in 1855–1856, became one of the most famous works of nineteenth-century travel literature. The journey required extensive preparation, linguistic proficiency, knowledge of religious observances and the ability to adapt to demanding conditions. Burton’s descriptions of the cities, the pilgrimage, religious ceremonies and everyday life provided European readers with unusually detailed observations of the Arabian Peninsula. Although he was not the first European to reach Mecca, his account became particularly influential because of its descriptive richness and the considerable personal risks involved. This episode remains central to Burton’s reputation and is especially significant to collectors of Arabian travel, Islamic history and nineteenth-century exploration.

East Africa, Harar and the Search for the Nile

Burton’s explorations in East Africa established another important part of his reputation.

In 1854–1855 he travelled through the Somali territories and entered the walled city of Harar, an achievement subsequently described in his celebrated First Footsteps in East Africa (1856). The expedition was dangerous and demanding. Burton travelled through unfamiliar territory and encountered considerable political and geographical obstacles. His later African explorations were undertaken in association with John Hanning Speke (1827–1864), with whom he travelled in search of the great lakes of Central Africa and the sources of the Nile. Their expedition reached Lake Tanganyika in 1858, marking an important moment in the history of European geographical exploration of the African interior. The relationship between Burton and Speke subsequently deteriorated, particularly over their competing interpretations of the geographical evidence concerning the source of the Nile. Speke identified Lake Victoria as the probable source of the White Nile, while Burton remained sceptical of his conclusions.

The resulting controversy became one of the most famous disputes in nineteenth-century exploration, attracting considerable attention within the Royal Geographical Society and the wider British public. The expeditions remain important in the history of geographical investigation, although modern historical assessments also recognise the essential knowledge, assistance and labour supplied by African guides, communities and expedition members.

Burton’s Diplomatic Career and Literary Achievements

Alongside his travels, Burton pursued a substantial diplomatic career.

He held British consular appointments in Fernando Po, Santos, Damascus and Trieste, locations that provided further opportunities for travel, research and writing. His appointment to Damascus proved particularly controversial, reflecting both his unconventional methods and the complicated political and religious circumstances of the region. Burton was an exceptionally prolific author whose publications encompassed exploration, geography, ethnography, language, folklore, religion and literature. Among his best-known literary achievements was his translation of The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night, published privately between 1885 and 1888, together with his translation of the Kama Sutra, produced in collaboration with others. These works contributed to his reputation as an unusually adventurous scholar who was willing to address subjects frequently avoided by mainstream Victorian publishers.

His career is particularly interesting because it cannot be confined to a single discipline. Burton was simultaneously a major figure in travel literature, an important participant in nineteenth-century geographical exploration and a controversial interpreter of cultures encountered through British imperial expansion.

Condition

First UK Edition, First Impression, 1936. Octavo. 303 pages. Original publisher’s cloth, lettered in gilt to the spine and decorated with a calligraphic motif to the upper board. Original publisher’s dustwrapper, priced 15s. net.

The pages are generally very nice and clean, with occasional slight foxing. The photographic portrait frontispiece is well preserved. The binding remains nice and tight, with the original cloth exceptionally bright and fresh. The gilt spine lettering and decoration remain attractive.

The book is in near fine condition overall.

The original dustwrapper is slightly dusty, with some rubbing and small nicks, together with a few short closed tears and minor wear to the edges and extremities. The original printed design remains attractive and the wrapper is in very good condition overall. It is now protected in an easily removable clear acetate sleeve.

An attractive near-fine copy of the scarce 1936 first edition of Richard Burton: Explorer, retaining its original very good dustwrapper.

Stock Number: 004209
Location: Book Room

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