CARDINAL NEWMAN AND SIR RICHARD BURTON.
[To TEE EDITOR OF THE " SPECTATOR."] SIR, —I have seen a letter in the Spectator of August 19th from Dr. W. A. Greenhill, saying that "Richard Burton never met Dr, Newman and Dr. Arnold at dinner at his table," which Sir Richard tells in his autobiography, written in 1876. I am very much surprised at reading this, more especially as Dr. Greenhill declares that he contradicted it in 1888. Now, with all respect, I wish to remark that if Richard Burton had been alive, he would be now seventy-two and a half years old. If Dr. Green- hill was at that time of an age to take care of boys, we must presume that he might be fifteen years older than my husband, and consequently ought to be now about eighty-seven or eighty-eight. My husband's memory and his accuracy were so remarkable, that I am inclined to think that this statement, written fit the age of fifty-five, must be correct. He did not leave Oxford till 1842 ; Drs. Newman and Arnold were there in 1842. His boyish ears were open to catch every word that fell from these two remarkable men, and the only mistake that could have occurred would be that, as Richard Burton spent most of his time at Oriel, his favourite college, that it was there that he met them, instead of at Dr. Greenhill's. If Richard Burton had ever seen Dr. Greenhill's contradiction in 1888, when he was abroad, he would certainly have answered and corrected this slight inaccuracy.--I am, Sir, &O.,
ISABEL BURTON.
Our Cottage, 2 Worple Road, Mortlake, S.W., August 21st.
13.5.—Dr. Greenhill remarks, as a proof that it could not be true, that Newman's letters give a full account of the meet- ing; it is most unlikely that Newman would have thought meeting with a boy at that time unknown, worthy to be chronicled, but he would have chronicled meeting Richard Burton in after-life.
[Here is a direct conflict of authorities on a most insignifi- cant point, and we must decline to publish any more contro- versy on the subject, —ED. Spectator.]
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