Lady Burton began her autobiography a few months before she died, but in consequence of rapidly failing health she made little progress with it. After her death, which occurred in the spring of last year, it seemed good to her sister and executrix, Mrs. Fitzgerald, to entrust the unfinished manuscript to me, together with sundry papers and letters, with a view to my compiling the biography. Mrs. Fitzgerald wished me to undertake this work, as I had the good fortune to be a friend of the late Lady Burton, and one with whom she frequently discussed literary matters; we were, in fact, thinking of writing a romance together, but her illness prevented us. The task of compiling this book has not been an easy one, mainly for two reasons. In the first place, though Lady Burton published comparatively little, she was a voluminous writer, and she left behind her such a mass of letters and manuscripts that the sorting of them alone was a formidable task. The difficulty has been to keep the book within limits. In the second place, Lady Burton has written the Life of her husband; and though in that book she studiously avoided putting herself forward, and gave to him all the honour and the glory, her life was so absolutely bound up with his, that of necessity she covered some of the ground which I have had to go over again, though not from the same point of view. So much has been written concerning Sir Richard Burton that it is not necessary for me to tell again the story of his life here, and I have therefore been able to write wholly of his wife, an equally congenial task. Lady Burton was as remarkable as a woman as her husband was as a man. Her personality was as picturesque, her individuality as unique, and, allowing for her sex, her life was as full and varied as his. It has been my aim, wherever possible, throughout this book to let Lady Burton tell the story of her life in her own words, and keep my narrative in the background. To this end I have revised and incorporated the fragment of autobiography which was cut short by her death, and I have also pieced together all her letters, manuscripts, and journals which have a bearing on her travels and adventures. I have striven to give a faithful portrait of her as revealed by herself. In what I have succeeded, the credit is hers alone: in what I have failed, the fault is mine, for no biographer could have wished for a more eloquent subject than this interesting and fascinating woman. Thus, however imperfectly I may have done my share of the work, it remains the record of a good and noble life—a life lifted up, a life unique in its self-sacrifice and devotion.

"The Romance of Isabel Lady Burton: The Story of Her Life, Volume I" by Lady Isabel Burton and W. H. Wilkins offers a fascinating glimpse into the life of one of the 19th century's most intriguing figures. This first volume of Lady Isabel Burton's autobiography chronicles her adventurous and tumultuous life, providing a richly detailed account of her experiences and relationships. As the wife of the renowned explorer Richard Francis Burton, Lady Isabel Burton's life was marked by travel, exploration, and high society engagements. Her memoir, co-authored with W. H. Wilkins, delves into her personal experiences and the challenges she faced as an influential figure in Victorian society. The narrative captures the essence of her remarkable journey, including her travels through exotic locales, her involvement in her husband’s expeditions, and the complexities of their partnership. "The Romance of Isabel Lady Burton" not only provides historical insights but also explores the emotional and social dimensions of her life. It reveals the personal and public facets of Lady Isabel's character, making it a captivating read for those interested in biographies, historical exploration, and the lives of prominent women of the era. This volume serves as an engaging introduction to a life filled with adventure, passion, and resilience, setting the stage for further exploration in subsequent volumes.

The Romance of Isabel, Lady Burton - Vol. 1 is an unchanged, high-quality reprint of the original edition of 1897. Hansebooks is editor of the literature on different topic areas such as research and science, travel and expeditions, cooking and nutrition, medicine, and other genres. As a publisher we focus on the preservation of historical literature. Many works of historical writers and scientists are available today as antiques only. Hansebooks newly publishes these books and contributes to the preservation of literature which has become rare and historical knowledge for the future.