They are not published, because
they would fill volumes; but they can be produced, if necessary.
My contention is, that Isabel had nothing to do with her husband's
recall from Damascus. On the contrary, had it not been for her, he
would have been recalled long before. I also submit that she had
very little to do in the matter of the Shazlis, and that little she
did with her husband's full consent and approval. Burton alone was
responsible for his recall in that he managed to offend nearly every
part of the community at Damascus, and so gave the Turkish authorities,
who disliked him from the first, an excuse for demanding his recall.
I do not say the he was wrong in every instance--far from it; he was
often in the right; only it is possible to do the right thing in the
wrong way, and this Burton generally did.
And now for the proofs. It is necessary to begin at the beginning.
From the first Burton took up his work at Damascus with "pinioned arms,"
to use his own phrase. In other words, he started with a prejudice
against him. Lord Derby (then Lord Stanley), as we know, gave him the
appointment; but before it was confirmed Lord Clarendon succeeded Lord
Stanley at the Foreign Office, and in the interval Burton's enemies,
chiefly Protestant missionaries, who feared he was anti-missionary,
took steps to work upon Lord Clarendon to prevent his appointment going
forward. So strong and influential was this opposition that Lord
Clarendon sent for Burton specially, and had a long conversation with
him.
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