Publisher's Synopsis
Burton (1821-90) was a British explorer, geographer, translator, writer, soldier, orientalist, cartographer, ethnologist, spy, linguist, poet, fencer and diplomat. He was famed for his travels and explorations in Asia, Africa and the Americas, as well as his extraordinary knowledge of languages and cultures. This work was published posthumously in 1898 and was controversial for its criticism of Jews and for its assertion of the existence of Jewish human sacrifices. The manuscript of the book included an appendix discussing the topic in more detail but by the decision of his widow, Isabel, Lady Burton (1831-96), it was not included when the book was published in a revised version edited by William Henry Wilkins (1860-1905). After her death, Wilkins published a sympathetic memoir of Lady Burton based on her letters and autobiography.
