Yours obediently,
(Signed) RICHARD F. BURTON.
"THE VICE-CHANCELLOR, OXFORD."
The Curators presently met and the following was the highly
unsatisfactory result which speaks little for "Bodleian" kindness
or courtesy:?
No. III.
Monday, Nov. 1, 1886.
"DEAR SIR RICHARD BURTON,
"The Curators considered your application on Saturday, Oct. 30,
afternoon, and the majority of them were unwilling to lend the
MS[FN#420]
Yours very truly,
(Signed) EDWARD B. NICHOLSON."
Learning through a private source that my case had been made an
unpleasant exception to a long-standing rule of precedent, and
furthermore that it had been rendered peculiarly invidious by an
act of special favour,[FN#421] I again addressed the
Vice-Chancellor, as follows:?
No. IV.
23, DORSET STREET, PORTMAN SQUARE,
November 3rd, 1886.
"Sir,
"I have the honour to remind you that, on October 13, I
communicated with you officially requesting a temporary transfer
of the Wortley Montague manuscript (Arabian Nights) from the
Bodleian Library to the personal care of the Librarian, India
Office.
"To this letter I received no reply. But on November 1, I was
informed by Mr. Librarian Nicholson that the Curators had
considered my application on Saturday, October 30, and that the
majority of them were unwilling to lend the manuscript.
"The same Curators at the same meeting allowed sundry manuscripts
for the use of an Indian subject to be sent to the India Office.
"I cannot but protest against this invidious proceeding, and I
would willingly learn what cause underlies it.
"1. It cannot be the importance of the manuscript, which is one
of the meanest known to me?written in a schoolmaster character,
a most erroneous, uncorrected text, and valuable only for a few
new tales.
"2. It cannot be any consideration of public morals, for I
undertook (if the loan were granted) not to translate tales which
might be considered offensive to strict propriety.
"3. It cannot be its requirement for local use. The manuscript
stands on an upper shelf in the manuscript room, and not one man
in the whole so-called 'University' can read it.