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The Richard Burton Library

The Richard Burton Library

Written by: Sir Richard Francis Burton
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Enter The Richard Burton Library, wherein the curious listener may accompany that restless company of pilgrims, wanderers, merchants, poets, princes, and philosophers who people the books of Sir Richard Francis Burton. Here are his works read in full: voyages into Arabia, Africa, India, and the chambers of ancient story; observations of men and manners; translations from tongues remote and richly storied; and those strange byways of learning which Burton pursued with equal parts courage, appetite, and disdain for convention. For the lover of travel, letters, and the wider world, the road begins here.Public domain Social Sciences Travel Writing & Commentary
Episodes
  • Personal Narrative of a Pilgrimage to Al-Madinah & Meccah Chapter XXX - The Third Day

    Personal Narrative of a Pilgrimage to Al-Madinah & Meccah Chapter XXX - The Third Day
    Jul 5 2026
    In which a detailed specimen of a Murshid’s diploma in the Kadiri Sufi order is presented, replete with venerable genealogies tracing back to the Prophet and Adam, thus illuminating the spiritual lineage and reverence held within this mystical tradition. Thereafter, we are regaled with the travels and observations of Ludovicus Vertomannus, whose earnest pilgrimage to Meccah and Al-Madinah unveils the customs, religious practices, and peculiar topographies of these sacred cities, whilst offering a candid, if occasionally credulous, account of the people and controversies therein.
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    38 mins
  • Personal Narrative of a Pilgrimage to Al-Madinah & Meccah Chapter XXVIII - The First Day

    Personal Narrative of a Pilgrimage to Al-Madinah & Meccah Chapter XXVIII - The First Day
    Jul 4 2026
    In which the devout pilgrim is guided through the reverential rites at the Prophet’s tomb and the surrounding sacred sites, accompanied by solemn prayers and respectful gestures, whilst strict injunctions caution against improper acts such as circumambulating the tomb or taking sacred earth. Following this, a detailed and meticulous architectural and historical account unfolds, describing the Kaabah and its mosque: the varied columns, gateways, sacred stones, and associated structures are laid out with the scholarly exactitude befitting so venerable a sanctuary.
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    33 mins
  • Personal Narrative of a Pilgrimage to Al-Madinah & Meccah Chapter XXV - The Badawin of Al-hijaz, part 3

    Personal Narrative of a Pilgrimage to Al-Madinah & Meccah Chapter XXV - The Badawin of Al-hijaz, part 3
    Jul 2 2026
    In which the pilgrim recounts the solemn yet tumultuous rites of the Yaum Arafat and Yaum Nahr, detailing the intricate ceremonies on the Mountain of Mercy and the crowded, fervent procession that climaxes with the chaotic departure to Muna. He then describes entering the sacred Kaabah itself, observing its austere interior and the complex customs surrounding its dress and the ritual shedding of pilgrimage garb, all rendered with a blend of reverence and shrewd observation.
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    28 mins
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