e, they won't employ me. I have the reputation of
'independent,' a manner of 'Oh! no, we never mention it, sir,' in the
official catalogue, and the one unpardonable 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. I hope to be in London next Spring,
and to have a talk with you about my translation of the 1001."

All the early months of 1884, Burton was seriously ill, but in April he
began to mend. He writes to Payne on the 17th: "I am just beginning to
write a little and to hobble about (with a stick). A hard time since
January 30th! Let me congratulate you on being at Vol. ix. Your
translation is excellent and I am glad to see in Academy that you are
working at Persian tales. [411] Which are they? In my youth I read many
of them. Now that your 1001 are so nearly finished I am working at my
translation." He then asks what arrangements Mr. Payne made with the
publishers and the cost of the printing. "All I want," he says, on April
27th, "is a guide in dealing with that dragon the publisher;" and in
later letters he thanks Mr. Payne for answering his questions. On June
20th (1884) writing from Marienbad he says, "I should much like to know
what you are doing with the three supplemental volumes, and I hope that
each will refer readers to the source whence you borrow it. This will
be a great aid to the students. The more I examine your translation the
better I like it. Mine will never be so popular because I stick so much
to the text. [412] No arrangements yet make about it, and MS. will not
be all ready till end of January. We (my wife and I) have enjoyed our
ten days at Marienbad muchly, but the weather has as yet prevented
bathing; a raw wester with wind and rain. Bad for poor people who can
afford only the 21 days de rigueur. Cuthbert Bede (Rev. Edward Bradley)
is here and my friend J. J. Aubertin is coming."

121. At Sauerbrunn, 12th August 1884.

The next letter to Payne, written from Sauerbrunn, in Austria, is dated
12th August 1884. After enquiring concerning "the supererogatory three
vols." he says, "We left Marienbad last of last month, and came to this
place (a very pretty little spa utterly clear of Britishers), where we
shall stay till the end of the month and then again for Trieste to make
plans for the winter. Will you kindly let me have the remaining vol