letters-第12节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


ars　to　me　to　labour　under　a　very　　great　error　respecting　the　motives　which　induced　the　Editorial　　Committee　to　reject　his　work；　or　at　least　to　hesitate　upon　　publishing　it。　　He　assured　me　that　all　that　was　urged　against　it　　was　the　use；　here　and　there；　of　Arabic　words；　which　in　a　language　　like　the　Persian；　which　on　an　original　foundation　exhibits　a　　superstructure　nearly　one　moiety　of　which　is　Arabic；　is　　unavoidable。　　As　I　was　totally　unacquainted　with　the　facts　of　the　　case；　I　said　nothing　upon　the　subject；　but　I　now　suspect；　from　a　　few　words　dropped　in　your　letter；　that　the　objection　is　founded　not　　on　the　use　of　Arabic　words；　but　on　attempts　at　IMPROVING　or　　ADORNING　the　simplicity　of　the　Bible。　　However　this　may　be；　there　　can　be　no　doubt　that　Mr。　Glen　is　a　Persian　scholar　of　the　first　　water。　　Mirza　Achmed；　a　Persian　gentleman　now　living　at　St。　　Petersburg；　who　resided　some　time　at　Astracan；　informed　me　that　he　　had　seen　the　translation；　and　that　the　language　was　highly　elegant；　　but　whether　or　not　the　translation　was　faithful；　and　such　as　a　　translation　of　the　sacred　volume　ought　to　be；　he　of　course　was　　entirely　ignorant；　he　could　merely　speak　as　to　the　excellence　of　　the　Persian。　　Mirza　Djaffar　also；　the　Persian　professor　here；　spoke　　much　to　the　same　effect。

Mr。　Stallybrass；　the　Siberian　missionary；　is　at　present　here　on　his　　way　to　England；　whither　he　is　conducting　his　two　sons；　for　the　　purpose　of　placing　them　in　some　establishment；　where　they　may　　receive　a　better　education　than　it　is　possible　for　him　to　give　them　　in　Siberia。　　I　have　seen　him　several　times；　and　have　heard　him　　preach　once　at　the　Sarepta　House。　　He　is　a　clever；　well…informed　　man；　and　in　countenance　and　manner　much　like　Mr。　Swan　…　which　　similarity　may　perhaps　be　accounted　for　by　their　long　residence　　under　the　same　roof；　for　people　who　are　in　the　habit　of　conversing　　together　every　day　insensibly　assume　each　other's　habits；　manner　of　　speaking；　and　expression　of　countenance。　　Mr。　Stallybrass's　　youngest　son；　a　lad　of　fifteen；　shows　marks　of　talent　which　may　　make　him　useful　in　the　missionary　field　for　which　he　is　intended。　　　The　most　surprising　instance　of　precocious　talent　that　I　have　ever　　seen；　or　ever　heard　of；　is　exhibited　in　a　young　nobleman；　who　　visits　me　every　day。　　He　is　the　eldest　son　of　Count　Fredro；　Marshal　　of　the　Imperial　Court；　and　though　only　fourteen　years　of　age；　　speaks　eight　languages　perfectly　well；　is　a　good　Grecian　and　　Latinist；　is　one　of　the　best　draftsmen　in　Russia；　is　well　　acquainted　with　physics；　botany；　geography；　and　history；　and　to　　crown　all；　has　probably　the　most　beautiful　voice　that　ever　mortal　　was　gifted　with。　　A　admirable　CHRISHNA　again　by　metempsychosis；　the　　religion　of　the　family；　with　whom　I　am　very　intimate；　is　the　　Romish。　　I　now　and　then　attend　the　service　of　the　Armenian　Church；　　for　the　purpose　of　perfecting　myself　in　the　language；　and　have　　formed　many　acquaintances　amongst　the　congregation：　　there　are　　several　very　clever　and　very　learned　Armenians　in　this　place；　one　　of　them　I　will　particularly　mention；　a　little　elderly　gentleman　of　　the　name　of　Kudobashoff；　who　is　the　best　Armenian　scholar　at　　present　in　existence。　　He　is　on　the　eve　of　publishing　a　work；　　calculated　to　be　very　interesting　to　us：　　an　Armenian　and　Russian　　Dictionary；　on　which　he　has　been　occupied　for　the　space　of　thirty…　seven　years；　and　which　will　be　of　the　highest　assistance　to　any　　future　editor　of　the　Armenian　Scriptures；　and　be　it　known；　that　no　　place　in　Europe；　with　perhaps　the　exception　of　Venice；　offers　more　　advantages　to　the　editing　of　the　A。S。　than　St。　Petersburg。

I　will　now　conclude；　and　repeat　the　assurance　that　I　am　ready　to　　attempt　anything　which　the　Society　may　wish　me　to　execute；　and；　at　　a　moment's　warning；　will　direct　my　course　towards　Canton；　Pekin；　or　　the　court　of　the　Grand　Lama。　　With　my　best　respects　to　Mr。　　Brandram；　I　have　the　honour　to　remain；　Revd。　and　dear　Sir；　most　　truly　yours；

G。　BORROW。



LETTER：　28th　April；　1835



To　J。　Tarn；　Esq。　（ENDORSED：　recd。　May；　1835）　ST。　PETERSBURG；　APRIL　28th　＇old　style＇；　1835。

I　SEND　you　an　account　of　monies　spent　in　the　editing　of　the　Acts　of　　the　Apostles　and　the　first　volume　of　the　Epistles。　　I　beg　leave　at　　the　same　time　to　acknowledge　the　receipt　of　Mr。　Jackson's　letter。　　　I　am　sorry　that　any　mistake　should　have　occurred；　but　the　cause　of　　the　one　in　question　was；　that　at　the　time　I　last　wrote　to　you；　I　　was　unable　to　refer　to　my　previous　account；　however；　the　mistake　　now　stands　rectified。

I　take　this　opportunity　of　informing　you　that　I　shall　be　obliged　to　　order　sixty　or　seventy　more　reams　of　paper；　as　the　quantity　which　I　　at　present　possess　will　not　be　sufficient　to　complete　the　work。　　　You　will　see　the　reason　of　this　in　the　account　which　I　now　send　　you。　　In　the　first　volume　of　the　Epistles　there　are　forty…three　　sheets；　and　in　the　second　there　will　be　nearly　the　same　number；　　these　two　volumes　in　thickness　will　be　equal　to　three　of　the　　previous　parts。　　During　the　last　month　I　have　experienced　great　　difficulty　in　keeping　the　printers　at　work　on　account　of　the　　festivals　of　the　season；　but　I　am　glad　to　say　that　I　have　never　　failed　to　obtain　six　sheets　every　week。

I　have　received　the　Revd。　Mr。　Jowett's　letter；　and　shall　write　to　　him　in　a　few　days。

GEORGE　BORROW。



LETTER：　3rd　May；　1835



To　the　Rev。　J。　Jowett　（ENDORSED：　recd。　June　1；　1835）　MAY　3；　1835　＇old　style＇；　ST。　PETERSBURG。

REVD。　AND　DEAR　SIR；　…　I　write　a　few　hasty　lines　for　the　purpose　of　　informing　you　that　I　shall　not　be　able　to　obtain　a　passport　for　　Siberia；　except　on　the　condition　that　I　carry　not　one　single　　Mandchou　Bible　thither。　　The　Russian　Government　is　too　solicitous　　to　maintain　a　good　understanding　with　that　of　China　to　encourage　　any　project　at　which　the　latter　could　take　umbrage。　　Therefore　pray　　inform　me　to　what　place　I　am　to　despatch　the　Bibles。　　I　have　had　　some　thoughts　of　embarking　the　first　five　parts　without　delay　to　　England；　but　I　have　forborne　from　an　unwillingness　to　do　anything　　which　I　was　not　commanded　to　do。　　By　the　time　I　receive　your　answer　　everything　will　be　in　readiness；　or　nearly　so；　to　be　forwarded　　wherever　the　Committee　shall　judge　expedient。　　I　wish　also　to　　receive　orders　respecting　what　is　to　be　done　with　the　types。　　I　　should　be　sorry　if　they　were　to　be　abandoned　in　the　same　manner　as　　before；　for　it　is　possible　that　at　some　future　time　they　may　prove　　eminently　useful。

As　for　myself；　I　suppose　I　must　return　to　England；　as　my　task　will　　be　speedily　completed。　　I　hope　the　Society　are　convinced　that　I　　have　served　them　faithfully；　and　that　I　have　spared　no　labour　to　　bring　out　the　work；　which　they　did　me　the　honour　of　confiding　to　　me；　correctly　and　within　as　short　a　time　as　possible。　　At　my　　return；　if　the　Society　think　that　I　can　still　prove　of　utility　to　　them；　I　shall　be　most　happy　to　devote　myself　still　to　their　　service。　　I　am　a　person　full　of　faults　and　weaknesses；　as　I　am　　every　day　reminded　by　bitter　experience；　but　I　am　certain　that　my　　zeal　and　fidelity　towards　those　who　put　confidence　in　me　are　not　to　　be　shaken。　　Should　it　now　become　a　question　what　is　to　be　done　with　　these　Mandchou　Bibles　which　have　been　printed　at　a　considerable　　expense；　I　should　wish　to　suggest　that　Baron　Schilling　be　　consulted。　　In　a　few　weeks　he　will　be　in　London；　which　he　intends　　visiting　during　a　summer　tour　which　he　is　on　the　point　of　　commencing。　　He　will　call　at　the　Society's　House；　and　as　he　is　a　　nobleman　of　great　experience　and　knowledge　in　all　that　relates　to　　China；　it　would　not　be　amiss　to　interrogate　him　on　such　a　subject。　　　I　AGAIN　REPEAT　THAT　I　AM　AT　COMMAND。

In　your　last　letter　but　one　you　stated　that　our　noble　President　had　　been　kind　enough　to　declare　that　I　had　but　to　send　in　an　account　of　　any　extraordinary　expenses　which　I　had　been　put　to　in　the　course　of　　the　work　to　have　them　defrayed。　　I　return　my　most　grateful　thanks　　for　this　most　considerate　intimation；　which　nevertheless　I　cannot　　avail　myself　of；　as　according　to　one　of　the　articles　of　my　　agreement　my　salary　of　200　pounds　was　to　cover　all　extra　expenses。　　　Petersburg　is　doubtless　the　dearest　capital　in　Europe；　and　expenses　　meet　an　individual；　especially　one　situated　as　I　have　been；　at　　every　turn　and　corner；　but　an　agreement　is　not　to　be　broken　on　that　　account。

I　have　the　honour　to　remain；　Revd。　and　dear　Sir；　your　obedient　　humble　servant；

GEORGE　BORROW。



LETTER：　15th　June；　1835



To　J。　Thornton；　Esq。　（ENDORSED：　recd。　July　20；　1835）　ST。　PETERSBURG；　JUNE　15；　1835。

SIRS；　…　Having　drawn　upon　Messrs。　Asmus；　Simondsen　&　Compy。　of　St。　　Petersburg　for　the　following　sums；　I　have　to　request　that　you　will　　honour　this　draft　to　a　like　amount；

1000　roubles　（one　thousand）；　received　the　11th　May。

2000　（two　thousand）；　received　at　the　present　moment。

I　take　the　liberty　of　stating　that　the　printing　of　the　Mandchou　　Testament　is　brought　to　a　conclusion；　and　that　six　of　the　eight　　parts　are　bound。　　As　soon　as　the　other　two　are　completed　I　shall　　take　my　departure　for　England。

I　have　the　honour　to　remain；　Sir；

Your　most　obedient　and　most　humble　servant；

G。　BORROW。



LETTER：　16th　July；　1835



To　J。　Tarn；　Esq。　（ENDORSED：　rec