the soul (an old Egyptian creation unknown to the early Hebrews) to be the ego of man, what differentiates him from all other men, in fact, like the ‘mind,’ not a thing but a state or condition of things.  I rejoice to see Braid[FN#609] duly honoured and think that perhaps a word might be said of ‘Electro-biology,’ a term ridiculous as ‘suggestion’ and more so.  But Professor Yankee Stone certainly produced all the phenomena you allude to by concentrating the patient’s sight upon his ’Electro-magnetic disc’—­a humbug of copper and zinc, united, too.  It was a sore trial to Dr. Elliotson, who having been persecuted for many years wished to make trial in his turn of a little persecuting—­a disposition not unusual."[FN#610]

165.  To Mr. Kirby 15th May 1889.

In a letter to Mr. W. F. Kirby, 15th May 1889, Burton, after referring to a translation of the Kalevala,[FN#611] upon which Mr. Kirby was then engaged, says:  “We shall not be in England this year.  I cannot remove myself so far from my books, and beside, I want a summer in Austria, probably at Closen or some place north of Vienna.  We had a long ten months’ holiday and must make up for time lost.  The Scented Garden is very hard work, and I have to pay big sums to copyists and so forth.  Yet it will, I think, repay the reader.  What a national disgrace is this revival of Puritanism with its rampant cant and ignoble hypocrisy!  I would most willingly fight about it, but I don’t see my way.”  Writing again on 6th November (1889) he says, “I like very much your idea of visiting Sweden in the interests of the Kalevala.  Perhaps you might date the Preface from that part of the world.  The Natural History of The Nights would be highly interesting.  Have you heard that Pickering and Chatto, of Haymarket, London, are going to print 100 (photogravure) illustrations of the Nights?  When last in London I called on them.  On Friday week, 15th November, we start upon our winter’s trip.  From here to Brindisi, await the P. and O., then to Malta (ten days), Tunis (month), Tripoli and Algiers, where I hope at last to see the very last of The Scented Garden.”

166.  Tunis and Algiers, November 1889 to March 1890.

At the time stated, Burton, Lady Burton, Dr. Baker and Lisa took steamer for Brindisi, where they visited Virgil’s house, and then made for Malta.  On December 20th they were at Tunis, and Sir Richard ransacked the bazaar and button-holed people generally in order to get manuscripts of The Scented Garden, but without success.  Nobody had ever heard of it.[FN#612] At Carthage he recalled that rosy morning when Dido in “flowered cymar with golden fringe” rode out with Aeneas to the hung, read Salammbo, and explored the ruins; but Lady Burton had no eyes for anything but convents, monks and nuns, though she certainly once took Lisa to a harem, where they learnt how to make Tunisian dishes.  The biblical appearance of everything reminded Burton of his Damascus days.