Richard Burton (1821–1890) was an adventurous British explorer, polyglot, Orientalist, and translator who mastered nearly 29 languages and numerous dialects during his colorful life. He gained fame as one of the first non-Muslim Europeans to perform the Hajj in Mecca in disguise and led a perilous expedition to Africa with John Hanning Speke in search of the source of the Nile. As a man of letters, he was exceptionally bold; defying the conservative British society of the time, he published highly detailed and literal English translations of classical Oriental literature such as the 'Kamasutra' and 'The Arabian Nights.' While his works sparked controversy, they also unveiled the priceless gems of world literature to the Western world, immortalizing him in history as a fearless seeker of knowledge.
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