Burton, Richard Francis, English explorer and diplomat (1821-1890). Autograph letter signed ("R. F. Burton").

Trieste, "May 28" (no year, but ca. 1880s).

Small 8vo. 3½ pp. on bifolium. On his blue notepaper with his Arabic "Hadji Abdullah" heading, marked "Private".

 2,800.00

To "My dear Green", congratulating his correspondent on a promotion ("your services amply deserve it") and recommending that he secure an equivalent position "in some decent country". He mentions enclosing "a pamphlet showing the result of my last Expedition" - perhaps one of his visits to the Middle East or West Africa hunting gold - before reporting his wife's illnesses, and asking if a "Sale" is related "to the Sir Robert of Jelealabad" (i.e., Sir Robert Henry Sale, who died in 1845 as commander of the garrison of Jalalabad). "Is there any thing I can do for your here? [...] Any chance of any of you coming to Trieste? [...]" - Old horizontal fold; traces of mounting at lower edge of pp. 2 and 3. A well-preserved example.