d---- the
luck! but leaves us hopes of meeting during the summer in Switzerland or
thereabouts. He is looking the picture of health and we shall return him
to town undamaged. Best of good fortune to Bandello." [619]

Burton and Arbuthnot had spent many a delightful hour sitting out on
Burton's verandah, smoking, listening to the nightingales, and enjoying
sea and landscape. It must not be supposed that erotic literature was
the only subject upon which they conversed, though as hierarchs of
the Kama Shastra Society they naturally bestowed upon that and curious
learning considerable attention. Religion was also discussed, and
Arbuthnot's opinions may be gathered from the following citation from
his unpublished Life of Balzac which is now in my hands. "The great
coming struggle of the 20th century," he says, "will be the war between
Religion and Science. It will be a war to the death, for if Science wins
it will do away with the personal God of the Jews, the Christians and
the Muhammedans, the childish doctrine or dogma of future rewards and
punishments, and everything connected with the supernatural. It will
be shown that Law reigns supreme. The police representing Law and Order
will be of more importance than the clergy. Even now we might do away
with the latter, everybody becoming his own priest--a great economy.
None of us knows what happens to us after death, all we can do is to
hope for the best, and follow the three great Laws, viz., 1. Instruct
your mind. 2. Preserve your health. 3. Moderate your passions and
desires." Thus spake the Founder of the Kama Shastra Society.

On May 15th, Burton told Mr. Kirby all about the Algiers trip. "Plenty
to see and do," he says, "but I was not lucky about my MS. The Scented
Garden. No one seemed to know anything about it. Never advise any one
to winter in Algiers. All the settled English are selling their villas.
French mismanagement beats ours holler, and their hate and jealousy
of us makes their colonies penal settlements to us. We stay here [at
Trieste] till the weather drives us away--about the end of June." The
letter concludes with kindly enquiries respecting Professor Bendall,
[620] Mr. A. G. Ellis and Dr. Kirby (Mr. Kirby's son).

Chapter XXXVI. "The Priapeia"

Bibliography:

80. Priapeia. 1890.

168. The Priapeia.

The share that Sir Richard Burton had in the translation of the Priapeia
has been the subject of dispute; but we are able to stat