ays, it requires only a twist of the pen to transmute duvat into dulat
[426]--inkstand into fortune.

Except when his father died, Burton had never before possessed so large
a sum, and, at the time, it appeared inexhaustible. Bubbling over with
fun, he would pretend to make a great mystery as to the Kama Shastra
Society at Benares, where he declared the Nights were being printed.

129. A Visit to Mr. Arbuthnot's.

Of all the visits to be made during this holiday Burton had looked
forward to none with so much pleasure as those to Mr. Arbuthnot, or
"Bunny," [427] as he called him, and Mr. Payne. Mr. Arbuthnot was still
living at Upper House Court, Guildford, studying, writing books, and
encouraging struggling men of letters with a generosity that earned for
him the name of "the English Mecaenas;" and it was there the friends
discussed the publications of the Kama Shastra Society and made
arrangements for the issue of fresh volumes. While the roses shook their
odours over the garden, they talked of Sadi's roses, Jami's "Aromatic
herbs," and "Trees of Liberality," [428] and the volume Persian
Portraits, [429] which Arbuthnot, assisted by Edward Rehatsek, was at
the moment preparing for the press. Among the objects at Mr. Arbuthnot's
heart was, as we have said, the resuscitation of the old Oriental
Translation fund, which was originally started in 1824, the Society
handling it having been established by Royal Charter. A series of works
had been issued between 1829 and 1879, but the funds were completely
exhausted by the publication of Al Biruni's Memoirs of India, and there
were no longer any subscribers to the Society. Mr. Arbuthnot now set
himself assiduously to revive this fund, he contributed to it handsomely
himself and by his energy induced a number of others to contribute. It
is still in existence, and in accordance with his suggestion is worked
by the Royal Asiatic Society, though the subscriptions and donations
to the Translation Fund are kept entirely separate, and are devoted
exclusively to the production of translations of Oriental works, both
ancient and modern. Thanks to the fund, a number of translations of
various Oriental works has been issued, including volumes by Professor
Cowell, Rehatsek, Miss C. M. Ridding, Dr. Gaster and Professor Rhys
Davids. Its most important publication, however, is the completion of
the translation of Hariri's Assemblies, [430] done by Steingass. [431]

130. Dr. S