Burton letter to Sykes

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131381Personal Narrative of a Pilgrimage to Al Madinah and Meccah — Letter to Colonel William Sykes1855Richard Francis Burton

TO COLONEL WILLIAM SYKES, F.R.SOC., M.R.G.SOC., M.R.A.SOC.,AND LORD RECTOR OF THE MARISCHAL COLLEGE, ABERDEEN.[edit]

I DO not parade your name, my dear Colonel, in the van of this volume, after the manner of that acute tactician who stuck a Koran upon his lance in order to win a battle. Believe me it is not my object to use your orthodoxy as a cover to my heresies of sentiment and science, in politics, political economy and-what not?

But whatever I have done on this occasion,-if I have done any thing,-has been by the assistance of a host of friends, amongst whom you were ever the foremost. And the highest privilege I aim at is this opportunity of publicly acknowledging the multitude of obligations owed to you and to them. Accept, my dear Colonel, this humble return for your kindness, and ever believe me,

The sincerest of your well wishers,

RICHARD F. BURTON.

This work was published before January 1, 1929, and is in the public domain worldwide because the author died at least 100 years ago.

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