just than diplomatic. We cannot,
however, agree with those who lay all the blame on Mrs. Burton. We may
not sympathise with her religious views, but, of course, she had the
same right to endeavour to extend her own church as the Protestants at
Beyrout, who periodically sent enthusiastic agents to Damascus, had to
extend theirs.

The Shazli trouble alone, however, would not have shaken seriously
Burton's position; and whatever others may have thought, it is certain
Burton himself never at any time in his life considered that in this
matter any particular blame attached to his wife. But unfortunately the
Shazli trouble was only one of a series. Besides embroiling himself with
the truculent Rashid Pasha and his underlings, Burton contrived to give
offence to four other bodies of men. In June, 1870, Mr. Mentor Mott, the
kind and charitable [241] superintendent of the British Syrian School
at Beyrout, went to Damascus to proselytize, and acted, in Burton's
opinion, with some indiscretion. Deeming Damascus just then to be not
in a temper for proselytising, Burton reprimanded him, and thus offended
the Protestant missionaries and Mr. Jackson Eldridge, the Consul-General
at Beyrout. In Burton's opinion, but for Mrs. Mott the storm would have
gradually subsided. That lady, however, took the matter more to heart
than her husband, and was henceforth Burton's implacable enemy. Then
arose a difficulty with the Druzes, who had ill-treated some English
missionaries. As they were Turkish subjects the person to act was Rashid
Pasha, but Burton and he being at daggers drawn, Burton attempted to
fine the Druzes himself. He was reminded, however, that his power was
limitary, and that he would not be allowed to exceed it. To the trouble
with the Greeks we have already referred. But his chief enemies were
the Jews, or rather the Jewish money-lenders, who used to go to the
distressed villages, offer money, keep all the papers, and allow their
victims nothing to show. Interest had to be paid over and over again.
Compound interest was added, and when payment was impossible the
defaulters were cast into prison. Burton's predecessor had been content
to let matters alone, but Burton's blood boiled when he thought of these
enormities. Still, when the money-lenders came to him and stated their
case, he made for a time an honest attempt to double; but ultimately his
indignation got the better of his diplomacy, and with an oath that
made the windows