Volume 6 — THE BIOGRAPHY OF THE BOOK AND ITS REVIEWERS REVIEWED. (continued 3)

I am also deeply indebted to Mrs. Victoria L. Maylor, of Trieste, who, during the past three years (1885–1888) had the energy and perseverance to copy for me sixteen bulky volumes written in a “running-hand,” concerning which the less said the better. And, lastly, I must acknowledge peculiar obligations to my Shaykh, Dr. Steingass, Ph. D. This well-known Arabist not only assisted me in passing the whole work through the press, he also added a valuable treatise on Arabic Prosody (x. 270–300) with indexes of various kinds, and finally he supervised the MSS. of the Supplemental volumes and enriched the last three, which were translated under peculiar difficulties in unalphabetic lands, with the results of his wide reading and lexicographical experience.

And now, Alhamdolillah, the play is ended, and while the curtain drops, I take the final liberty of addressing my kindly and appreciative audience in the following words, borrowed from a Persian brother of the pen:—

Now hear my hope from men of liberal mind,

Faults, that indulgence crave, shall seek and find;

For whose blames and of despite decries,

Is wight right witless, clean reverse of wise.

To which let me add the following gentle reminder from Ibn Khaldún:—

All that we can we do, and who ne’er swerves

From best endeavour much of praise deserves.

Farewell!

RICHARD F. BURTON.

United Service Club,

September 30, ’88.

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