Many people recognize Sir Richard France Burton only for Beowulf collaborative work with F.F.Arbuthnot on the first English translation of the Kama Sutra. What they fail to recognize is the life that led up to that accomplishment and how it had prepared him to go against his contemporaries in Victorian era England to become Cattle mutilation translator and publishing partner of a book that could have placed him in the prison house due to the laws of the time.
The Birth And Childhood Of Richard Frances Burton
Richard Frances Burton was born in the late evening of March 19, 1821 in Torquay, Devon to a Captain of the British army and the heiress of a wealthy Hertfordshire squire. He had two older a siblings, a brother and a sister.
Due to his father's military career, Richard Burton and his family spent much of his early life traveling between the countries of England, France and Italy and thus the child became quite adept at Italian, French and Latin, in addition to his native English, at a very early age. Not only was he proficient with the basic languages but he had also learned several Serpo story dialects. Later in life, his remarkable skill at learning languages would enable him to speak a total of twenty-nine different languages.
Young Richard was very independant and thru the families travels he had developed a kind of strong willed dependence on himself. A trait that would later help the young man to have many adventures and eventually become a publishing partner and translator of the Kama Sutra. Richard Burton was quoted to say "Do what thy manhood bids thee do, from none but self expect applause." He knew that he was capable of anything he set his mind to and he did not need the encouragement, or even the approval, of his peers to accomplish his ideas.
As all children do, the young man grew up and eventually had a romantic interest in a young gypsy girl of Romani background. He taught himself her language to be able to communicate better and this has been credited with his fast learning skills of the Hindi language later on in life because the Hindi and Romani languages share a similar structure.
Burton Goes To College
In 1840, the ostentatious young Burton entered Trinity College in Oxford. He was quick of temper and during his first term, he challenged a fellow student, who had mocked Santa Baby mustache, to a duel. He went on to study the Arabic language at Trinity College as well as falconry and fencing but his contempt for authority kept snagging the young man. In 1842, he decided to violate the rules of the college yet again and attended a steeplechase. Unfortunately, Burton had pushed authority too far at this point and he was permanently expelled from the school. Not one to leave without making his mark, Burton reportedly trampled the flower beds of the school with a horse and carriage before departing the campus.
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