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raised　be　the　Lord；　they　were　not！）；　'therefore　I　should　　be　glad　to　return　home。　　Moreover　the　compositors　say　that　they　are　　unaccustomed　to　compose　in　an　unknown　tongue　from　such　scribbled　　and　illegible　copy；　and　they　will　scarcely　assist　me　to　compose。　　　Moreover　the　working　printers　say　（several　went　away　in　disgust）　　that　the　paper　on　which　they　have　to　print　is　too　thin　to　be　　wetted；　and　that　to　print　on　dry　requires　a　two…fold　exertion　of　　strength；　and　that　they　will　not　do　such　work　for　double　wages；　for　　it　ruptures　them。'　　Would　that　have　been　a　welcome　communication　to　　the　Committee？　　Would　that　have　been　a　communication　suited　to　the　　public？　　I　was　resolved　'to　do　or　die；'　and；　instead　of　distressing　　and　perplexing　the　Committee　with　complaints；　to　write　nothing　　until　I　could　write　something　perfectly　satisfactory；　as　I　now　can；　　and　to　bring　about　that　result　I　have　spared　neither　myself　nor　my　　own　money。　　I　have　toiled　in　a　close　printing…office　the　whole　day；　　during　90　degrees　of　heat；　for　the　purpose　of　setting　an　example；　　and　have　bribed　people　to　work　whom　nothing　but　bribes　would　induce　　so　to　do。

I　am　obliged　to　say　all　this　in　self…justification。　　No　member　of　　the　Bible　Society　would　ever　have　heard　a　syllable　respecting　what　　I　have　undergone　but　for　the　question；　'What　has　Mr。　Borrow　been　　about？'　　I　hope　and　trust　that　question　is　now　answered　to　the　　satisfaction　of　those　who　do　Mr。　Borrow　the　honour　to　employ　him。　　　In　respect　to　the　expense　attending　the　editing　of　such　a　work　as　　the　New　Testament　in　Mandchou；　I　beg　leave　to　observe　that　I　have　　obtained　the　paper；　the　principal　source　of　expense；　at　fifteen　　roubles　per　ream　less　than　the　Society　paid　formerly　for　it　…　that　　is　to　say；　at　nearly　half　the　price。

As　St。　Matthew's　Gospel　has　been　ready　for　some　weeks；　it　is　high　　time　that　it　should　be　bound；　for　if　that　process　be　delayed；　the　　paper　with　be　dirtied　and　the　work　injured。　　I　am　sorry　to　inform　　you　that　book…binding　in　Russia　is　incredibly　dear；　and　that　the　　expenses　attending　the　binding　of　the　Testament　would　amount；　were　　the　usual　course　pursued；　to　two…thirds　of　the　entire　expenses　of　　the　work。　　Various　book…binders　to　whom　I　have　applied　have　　demanded　one　rouble　and　a　half　for　the　binding　of　every　section　of　　the　work；　so　that　the　sum　required　for　the　binding　of　one　Testament　　alone　would　be　twelve　roubles。　　Dr。　Schmidt　assured　me　that　one　　rouble　and　forty　copecks；　or；　according　to　the　English　currency；　　fourteenpence　halfpenny；　were　formerly　paid　for　the　binding　of　　every　individual　copy　of　St。　Matthew's　Gospel。　　I　pray　you；　my　dear　　Sir；　to　cause　the　books　to　be　referred　to；　for　I　wish　to　know　if　　that　statement　be　correct。　　In　the　meantime　arrangements　have　been　　made；　and　the　Society　will　have　to　pay　for　each　volume　of　the　　Testament　the　comparatively　small　sum　of　forty…five　copecks；　or　　fourpence　halfpenny；　whereas　the　usual　price　here　for　the　most　　paltry　covering　of　the　most　paltry　pamphlet　is　fivepence。　　Should　　it　be　demanded　how　I　have　been　able　to　effect　this；　my　reply　is　　that　I　have　had　little　hand　in　the　matter。　　A　nobleman；　who　honours　　me　with　particular　friendship；　and　who　is　one　of　the　most　　illustrious　ornaments　of　Russia　and　of　Europe；　has；　at　my　request；　　prevailed　on　his　own　book…binder；　over　whom　he　has　much　influence；　　to　do　the　work　on　these　terms。　　That　nobleman　is　Baron　Schilling。

Commend　me　to　our　most　respected　Committee。　　Assure　them　that　in　　whatever　I　have　done　or　left　undone；　I　have　been　influenced　by　a　　desire　to　promote　the　glory　of　the　Trinity　and　to　give　my　employers　　ultimate　and　permanent　satisfaction。　　If　I　have　erred；　it　has　been　　from　a　defect　of　judgment；　and　I　ask　pardon　of　God　and　them。

In　the　course　of　a　week　I　shall　write　again；　and　give　a　further　　account　of　my　proceedings；　for　I　have　not　communicated　one…tenth　of　　what　I　have　to　impart；　but　I　can　write　no　more　now。　　It　is　two　　hours　past　midnight。　　The　post　goes　away　to…morrow；　and　against　　that　morrow　I　have　to　examine　and　correct　three　sheets　of　St。　　Mark's　Gospel；　which　lie　beneath　the　paper　on　which　I　am　writing。　　　With　my　best　regards　to　Mr。　Brandram；　I　remain；　dear　Sir；　most　　truly　yours；

G。　BORROW。

P。S。　…　I　wrote　to　Mr。　Jackson　and　Mr。　Tarn　last　week。



LETTER：　13th　October；　1834



To　the　Rev。　J。　Jowett　（ENDORSED：　recd。　Nov。　14；　1834）　ST。　PETERSBURG；　OCT。　13TH　（old　style）　1834。

REVEREND　AND　DEAR　SIR；　…　In　pursuance　of　the　promise　given　in　my　　epistle　of　last　week；　which　I　trust　in　the　Lord　you　have　received；　　I　again　address　you。　　In　the　first　place　I　must　intreat　you　to　　peruse　and　to　read　to　the　Committee　the　enclosed　Latin　certificate　　penned　by　Mr。　Lipoftsoff；　a　gentleman　as　little　inclined　to　be　　prodigal　of　praise；　as　was　of　old　the　learned　Scaliger　himself；　to　　whom　in　many　points　indeed；　he　bears　no　faint　resemblance。　　In　the　　second　place；　I　must　inform　you　that　a　few　hurried　lines　are　all　　that　I　can　afford　to　write　at　present；　my　proof　sheets　are　rushing　　in　so　fast　that　time　is　exceedingly　precious　to　me；　and　I　grudge　　every　moment　that　is　not　devoted　to　my　Maker　or　to　my　great　　undertaking。

Before　this　letter　reaches　you　St。　Mark's　Gospel　will　have　passed　　through　the　press。　　The　two　remaining　Gospels　will　be　printed　　before　the　arrival　of　Christmas；　and　by　the　first　of　May　the　entire　　New　Testament；　in　the　Mandchou　language；　will　have　been　published。　　　I　wish　this　intelligence　to　be　communicated　to　the　public；　who　are　　at　liberty；　provided　the　Lord　does　not　visit　me　with　some　heavy　　affliction；　to　hold　me　culpable；　if　my　assertion　is　belied　by　the　　event。

It　is　true　that　were　I　to　pursue　the　common　practice　of　editors；　it　　would　be　impossible　to　complete　the　work　in　less　than　two　years；　　the　quantity　of　proofs；　successively　required　for　every　sheet；　fail　　not；　in　general；　to　retard　the　progress　of　all　such　undertakings。　　　My　beloved　friend　Mr。　Swan　published　in　this　city　a　small　tract　in　　Mongolian；　he　found　that　it　was　absolutely　necessary　to　demand　six　　proofs　of　every　sheet；　for　in　the　second；　nay　the　third　proof；　　there　were　frequently　as　many　errors　as　in　the　first；　from　the　　compositors　not　being　able　properly　to　read　the　corrections。　　But　I　　never　entrust　the　task　of　making　alterations　in　the　press　to　other　　hands　than　my　own。　　Having　corrected　the　first　proof　at　home；　I　　proceed　to　the　printing　office　and　rectify　all　errors　myself。　　I　　consequently　never　require　more　than　two　proofs；　the　second；　which　　I　generally　show　to　Mr。　Lipoftsoff；　is　frequently　faultless。　　I　am　　so　perfectly　convinced　of　the　excellence　of　this　plan；　that　it　is　　my　firm　intention　to　pursue　it　in　whatever　foreign；　or　even　English　　works；　it　may　be　my　destiny　to　edit。

I　wish　now　to　say　a　few　words　upon　a　subject；　on　which　I　have　　previously　said　something。　　At　the　present　moment　my　principal　　inducement　to　such　a　step　is　the　observation　every　now　and　then　　made　to　me；　both　by　Christians　and　no　Christians；　namely：　　'You　are　　printing　Testaments　for　which　you　will　never　find　readers。　　Do　not　　tell　us　that　you　can　distribute　them　at　Canton　and　its　environs；　or　　on　the　coasts　of　China；　there　are　not　ten　individuals　amongst　a　　million　of　the　aboriginal　Chinese；　and　such　constitute　the　　inhabitants　of　Canton；　of　the　coasts　and　of　the　isles；　who　　understand　the　language　in　which　your　Testaments　are　printed。　　If　　you　wish　for　readers　you　must　seek　them　amongst　the　masters　of　　Pekin　and　the　fierce　hordes　of　desert　Tartary；　but　what　means　do　　you　possess　for　introducing　them　to　Tartary　or　Pekin？'　　I　stated　in　　a　former　letter　that　the　town　of　Kiachta；　upon　the　northern　　frontier　of　China；　appeared　to　me　to　be　in　many　respects　a　suitable　　head…quarters　for　any　person　on　whom　might　devolve　the　task　of　　endeavouring　to　supply　the　Mandchou　Tartars　with　the　word　of　life　　in　their　own　language。　　I　am　still　of　opinion；　and　so　are　many　　individuals　much　more　experienced　than　myself；　that　if　a　passport　　could　be　obtained　from　the　Russian　Government；　the　Bible　Society　　would　do　well　in　despatching　an　agent　to　Kiachta；　to　see　what　might　　be　done　at；　or　rather　from；　that　place　in　the　great　cause。　　Kiachta　　is　little　more　than　800　miles　from　Pekin；　and　not　more　than　half　　that　distance　from　Manjuria；　he　might　therefore；　trusting　in　the　　Lord；　not　unreasonably　hope　to　be　able　to　penetrate　to　the　Tartar　　of　the　capital　and　the　desert。　　True　it　is　that　his　undertaking　　would　not　'come　within　the　limits　of　safe　and　prudent　speculation。'　　　But　is　it　possible　for　a　plan　to　come　within　the　limits　of　safe　　speculation；　which　has　in　view　the　conversion　of　the　Tartar？　　Far　　be　it　from　me　to　advise　that　the　entire　stock　of　Testaments　be　　hazarded　in　such　an　enterprise；　200　is　the　extreme　number　which　　should　be　ventured；　the　others　shipped　for　England；　for　a　seizure　　upon　the　agent　and　his　books　would　be　no　improbable　event。　　I　am　a　　person　of　few　words；　and　will　therefore　state　without　　circumlocution　that　I　am　willing　to　become　that　agent。　　I　speak　　Russ；　Mandchou；　and　the　Tartar　or　broken　Turkish　of　the　Russian　　steppes；　and　have　also　some　knowledge　of　Chinese；　which　I　might　　easily　improve　at　Kiachta；　half　of　the　inhabitants　of　which　town　　are　Chinamen。　　I　am　therefor