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Sir Richard Francis Burton, The Kama Sutra of Vatsayana: Translated from the Sanscrit in seven parts with Preface, Introduction, and Concluding Remarks, London and Benares: Kama Shastra Society, 1883, Second reprint printed for private circulation only

181 pages plus a page advertising two other works issued by the Council of the Kama Shastra Society; bound in full vellum and gold ruling on the cover; gilt titles on the spine. Deckle edges.
7.75 x 5.25 x 1 in (19.8 x 13.5 x 2.5 cm)

The Kama Sutra is an ancient Indian Hindu text written by Vatsyayana. It is widely considered to be the standard work on human sexual behavior in Sanskrit literature. Vatsyayana was an Indian philosopher in the Vedic tradition who is believed to have lived in around the 2nd century AD in India.

The Kama Shastra Society was formed by Sir Richard Francis Burton and his friend Forster Arbuthnot for the printing of various Eastern works, chiefly of an erotic nature.

The Kama Sutra of Vatsayana is a translation of an ancient Indian text that was originally written in Sanskrit. It is divided into seven parts, each of which deals with a different aspect of human sexuality. While the Kama Sutra is often associated with erotica, Burton's translation also includes extensive commentary on the cultural and social context of the text.

Burton's translation of the Kama Sutra was controversial at the time of its publication due to its explicit content, and the book was not widely available to the general public. The second reprint of the book, printed in 1883, was intended only for private circulation among members of the Kama Shastra Society.

Today, the Kama Sutra of Vatsayana remains a widely read and influential text on human sexuality, and Burton's translation is considered a seminal work in the field of sexology. However, it is important to note that the book reflects the cultural attitudes and social norms of the time in which it was written.

Sir Richard Francis Burton (19 March 1821 - 20 October 1890) was an English explorer, geographer, translator, writer, soldier, cartographer, ethnologist, spy, linguist, poet, fencer, and diplomat. He was famed for his travels and explorations in Asia, Africa and the Americas, as well as his extraordinary knowledge of languages and cultures. Burton travelled to India in 1842, just as the first Afghan war came to an end. His interest in the region took him on journeys across the Indian subcontinent, often disguised as a Muslim man. An Indophile, he was at home with the Indian classics, and this retelling provided some of the first insights into these texts to Westerners.

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