letters-第2章

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REVD。　AND　DEAR　SIR；　…　I　arrived　at　Hamburg　yesterday　after　a　　disagreeable　passage　of　three　days；　in　which　I　suffered　much　from　　sea…sickness；　as　did　all　the　other　passengers；　who　were　a　medley　of　　Germans；　Swedes；　and　Danes；　I　being　the　only　Englishman　on　board；　　with　the　exception　of　the　captain　and　crew。　　I　landed　about　seven　　o'clock　in　the　morning；　and　the　sun；　notwithstanding　the　earliness　　of　the　hour；　shone　so　fiercely　that　it　brought　upon　me　a　transient　　fit　of　delirium；　which　is　scarcely　to　be　wondered　at；　if　my　　previous　state　of　exhaustion　be　considered。　　You　will　readily　　conceive　that　my　situation；　under　all　its　circumstances；　was　not　a　　very　enviable　one；　some　people　would　perhaps　call　it　a　frightful　　one。　　I　did　not　come　however　to　the　slightest　harm；　for　the　Lord　　took　care　of　me　through　two　of　His　instruments；　Messrs。　　Weil　and　　Valentin；　highly　respectable　Jews　of　Copenhagen；　who　had　been　my　　fellow…passengers；　and　with　whom　I　had　in　some　degree　ingratiated　　myself　on　board；　in　our　intervals　of　ease；　by　conversing　with　them　　about　the　Talmud　and　the　book　Sohar。　　They　conveyed　me　to　the　Konig　　von　Engeland；　an　excellent　hotel　in　the　street　called　the　　Neuenwall；　and　sent　for　a　physician；　who　caused　me　to　take　forty　　drops　of　laudanum　and　my　head　to　be　swathed　in　wet　towels；　and　　afterwards　caused　me　to　be　put　to　bed；　where　I　soon　fell　asleep；　　and　awoke　in　the　evening　perfectly　recovered　and　in　the　best　　spirits　possible。　　This　morning；　Sunday；　I　called　on　the　British　　Consul；　Mr。　H。　Canning；　to　whom　I　had　a　letter　of　recommendation。　　　He　received　me　with　great　civility；　and　honoured　me　with　an　　invitation　to　dine　with　him　to…morrow；　which　I　of　course　accepted。　　　He　is　a　highly　intelligent　man；　and　resembles　strikingly　in　person　　his　illustrious　relative；　the　late　George　Canning。　　Since　visiting　　him　I　have　been　to　one　of　the　five　tall　churches　which　tower　up　　above　the　tall　houses；　I　thought　its　interior　very　venerable　and　　solemn；　but　the　service　seemed　to　be　nothing　more　than　a　low…　muttered　chanting；　from　which　it　was　impossible　to　derive　much　　spiritual　edification。　　There　was　no　sermon；　and　not　more　than　　twenty　persons　were　present；　though　the　edifice　would　contain　　thousands　conveniently。　　Hamburg　is　a　huge　place；　and　the　eastern　　part　of　it　is　intersected　by　wide　canals　communicating　with　the　　Elbe；　so　that　vessels　find　their　way　into　most　parts　of　the　city；　　the　bridges　are　consequently　very　numerous；　and　are　mostly　of　wood。　　　Some　of　the　streets　are　planted　with　trees；　which　have　a　pretty　　appearance；　though　upon　the　whole　it　has　certainly　no　claim　to　the　　appellation　of　a　handsome　town。　　But　no　observer　can　fail　to　be　　struck　with　the　liveliness　and　bustle　which　reign　in　this　emporium　　of　continental　Europe；　worthy　to　be　compared　with　Tyre　of　old　or　　our　own　Liverpool。　　Another　city　adjoins　it　called　Altona；　the　park　　of　which　and　the　environs　are　the　favourite　Sunday　lounge　of　the　　Hamburgers。　　Altona　is　in　Holstein；　which　belongs　to　the　Danish　　Government。　　It　is　separated　from　the　Hanseatic　town　merely　by　a　　small　gateway；　so　that　it　may　truly　be　said　here　that　there　is　but　　one　step　from　a　republic　to　a　monarchy。　　Little　can　be　said　in　　commendation　of　the　moral　state　of　this　part　of　the　world；　for　　rope…dancers　were　displaying　their　agility　in　the　park　to…day；　and　　the　dancing…saloons；　which　I　am　informed　are　most　infamous　places；　　are　open　to　the　public　this　evening。　　England　with　all　her　faults　　has　still　some　regard　to　decency；　and　will　not　tolerate　such　a　　shameless　display　of　vice　on　so　sacred　a　season；　when　a　decent　　cheerfulness　is　the　freest　form　in　which　the　mind　or　countenance　　ought　to　invest　themselves。　　I　shall　depart　for　Lubeck　on　the　sixth　　（Tuesday）；　and　shall　probably　be　on　the　Baltic　on　my　way　to　St。　　Petersburg　on　the　eighth；　which　is　the　day　notified　for　the　　departure　the　steamboat。　　My　next　letter；　provided　it　pleases　the　　Almighty　to　vouch…safe　me　a　happy　arrival；　will　be　from　the　Russian　　capital；　and　with　a　fervent　request　that　you　will　not　forget　me　in　　your　prayers；　and　that　you　will　present　my　kind　remembrances　and　　best　respects　to　Mr。　Brandram；　and　also　remember　me　to　Mr。　　Hattersley　and　Mr。　Tarn；　I　have　the　honour　to　remain；　Revd。　and　　dear　Sir；　your　most　obedient　and　most　humble　servant；

GEORGE　BORROW。



LETTER：　Undated



To　the　Rev。　J。　Jowett　（ENDORSED：　recd。　Sept。　26th；　1833）　ST。　PETERSBURG；　No。　221　GALERNOY　ULITZA。　＇Undated。＇

REVD。　AND　DEAR　SIR；　…　My　last　letter　was　from　Hamburg；　which　I　hope　　and　trust　you　received。　　I　started　from　thence　on　the　24th；　and　　embarking　at　Travemunde　I　arrived　at　the　Russian　capital　on　the　　31st　July　（old　style）　after　an　exceedingly　pleasant　passage；　　accomplished　in　the　short　space　of　72　hours；　for　the　wind　was　　during　the　greatest　part　of　our　way　favourable　and　gentle；　the　sea　　being　quite　as　smooth　as　a　mill　pond；　so　that　the　paddles　of　our　　noble　steamer；　the　NIKOLAI；　were　not　at　all　impeded　in　their　　working　by　any　rolling　or　pitching　of　the　vessel。　　Immediately　on　　my　arrival　I　sought　out　Mr。　Swan；　one　of　the　most　amiable　and　　interesting　characters　I　have　ever　met　with；　and　delivered　to　him　　your　letter；　the　contents　of　which　were　very　agreeable　to　him；　for　　from　applying　himself　too　un…interruptedly　to　transcribing　the　　manuscript　of　the　Mandchou　Old　Testament　he　had　in　some　degree　　injured　his　health；　and　the　arrival　of　a　coadjutor　in　the　task　was　　exceedingly　opportune。　　In　a　day　or　two　I　went　with　him　to　pay　a　　visit　to　Mr。　Schmidt；　who　resides　a　few　miles　out　of　town。　　He　　assured　us　that　he　had　no　doubt　of　permission　being　granted　for　the　　printing　of　the　Mandchou　New　Testament；　and　promised　to　make　all　　the　necessary　inquiries；　and　to　inform　Mr。　Swan　and　myself　of　the　　result。　　He　was　at　the　time　we　saw　him　much　occupied　with　his　　Mongolian　Grammar　and　Dictionary；　which　are　in　the　press。　　We　have　　not　heard　from　him　since　this　visit；　and　I　shall　probably　call　upon　　him　again　in　a　week　or　two　to　hear　what　steps　he　has　taken。　　I　　resided　for　nearly　a　fortnight　in　a　hotel；　as　the　difficulty　of　　procuring　lodgings　in　this　place　is　very　great；　and　when　you　have　　procured　them；　you　have　to　furnish　them　yourself　at　a　considerable　　expense。　　During　this　time　I　collated　with　Mr。　Swan　the　greatest　　part　of　what　he　had　transcribed；　and　eventually　I　took　up　my　abode　　with　Mr。　Egerton　Hubbard；　a　friend　of　Mr。　Venning's；　where　I　am　for　　the　present　very　comfortably　situated；　and　I　do　assure　you　exerting　　myself　to　the　utmost　to　fulfil　the　views　of　the　Society。　　I　have　　transcribed　from　the　Mandchou　Old　Testament　the　second　book　of　　Chronicles；　which　when　I　had　done；　I　put　aside　the　Old　Testament　　for　a　season；　and　by　the　advice　of　Mr。　Swan　began　to　copy　St。　　Matthew's　Gospel　from　the　version　of　the　New；　executed　by　the　same　　hand　as　the　Old；　with　the　purpose　of　comparing　it　with　that　of　Mr。　　Lipoftsoff。　　This　task　I　have　just　completed；　and　am　now　about　to　　commence　a　transcript　of　the　Acts。　　Respecting　this　manuscript　　translation　of　the　Old　and　New　Testaments　I　must　here　observe；　that　　with　scarcely　one　exception　it　is　the　most　laborious　and　best　　executed　work　of　the　kind　which　I　have　ever　seen；　and　I　cannot　but　　admire　the　diligence　and　learning　of　him　who；　probably　unasked　and　　unrewarded；　engaged　in　and　accomplished　it。　　The　style；　as　far　as　I　　can　judge；　is　to　an　eminent　degree　elegant　and　polished；　and　likely　　to　captivate　those　whose　taste　is　cultivated；　and　with　this　　advantage；　it　exhibits　none　of　that　obscurity　which　too　frequently　　attends　refinement　of　language；　and　as　for　fidelity　…　it　is　upon　　the　whole　executed　as　literally；　and　with　as　much　adherence　to　the　　original；　as　the　genius　of　the　Tartar　language　and　the　　understandings　of　the　people；　for　whose　edification　it　is　intended；　　will　permit。　　But　the　notes　and　elucidations　（which　I　copy　not）　　which　follow　every　chapter；　both　of　the　Old　and　New　Testament；　　constitute　the　most　surprising　feature　of　this　work。　　They　are　so　　full　and　copious；　that　they　occupy　far　more　space　than　the　text；　　indeed；　I　think　I　speak　quite　within　bounds　when　I　say　that　for　　every　page　of　text　there　are　two　of　explanatory　matter。　　The　author　　was　a　French　Jesuit；　and　when　did　a　Jesuit　any　thing　which　he　　undertook；　whether　laudable　or　the　reverse；　not　far　better　than　any　　other　person？　　Staunch　Protestant　though　I　be；　I　am　not　ashamed　to　　say　that　all　the　skill　and　talent　of　our　own　missionaries；　in　　acquiring　languages　and　making　versions　of　the　Scriptures；　are；　　when　compared　with　the　capabilities　displayed　by　the　seminary　　priests；　faint　and　seemingly　insignificant；　and　yet　it　is　singular　　enough　that　the　labours　of　the　latter　in　this　line　have　had　almost　　invariably　no　other　fate　than　to　be　buried　in　continental　public　　libraries　or　in　the　literary　collections　of　the　learned　and　　curious；　from　which　it　is　manifest　that　the　Lord　smiled　not　upon　　their　undertakings。　　They　thought　not　of　His　glory　but　of　the　glory　　of　their　order；　and　the　consequence　has　been　that　'He　has　put　down　　the　mighty　from　their　seat　and　has　exalted　the　humble　and　meek。'

A　few　days　since　I　called　upon　Mr。　Lipoftsoff；　and　to　my　surprise　　discovered　that　he　was　totally　unaware　of　any　plan　being　in　　agitation　for　the　printing　of　his　translation　of　the　Scriptures。　　　He　said　that　he　had　had　no　communication　with　Mr。　Schmidt　for　　several　months；　and　far　from　being　able　to　furnish　me　with　any　　information　respecting　the　probable　destiny　of　his　work；　he　asked　　questions　of　me　concerning　it。　　He　is　a　gentleman　rather　advanced　　in　years；　probably　between　sixty　and　seventy；　but　is　nevertheless　　surprisingly　hale　and　robust。　　He　was　very　kind；　and　promised　to　　give　me　any　assistance　in　his　power　towards　acquiring　a　thorough　　knowledge　of　the　Mandchou；　and；　permit　me　to　say；　that　Petersburg　　is　the　only　place　in　Europe　where　such　a　knowledge　can　be　obtained；　　for　the　manuscripts　and　printed　books　in　that　tongue　are　very　　plentiful　here；　and　there　are　moreover　several　individuals　who　　speak　and　write　it。　　I　of　course　most　gladly　accepted　such　an　　offer；　and　shall　endeavour　to　turn　it　to　the　best　account。　　Mr。　L。　　speaks　no　European　language　but　Russ；　which　I　am　not　sorry　for；　　because　frequent　conversation　and　intercourse　with　him　will　improve　　my　knowledge　of　that　language。　　It　is　a　great　error　to　suppose　that　　a　person　resident　in　this　country　can　dispense　with　Russ；　provided　　he　is　acquainted　with　French　and　German。　　The　two　latter　languages；　　it　is　true；　are　spoken　by　the　French　and　German　shop…keepers　　settled　here。　　French　is　moreover　spoken　（to　foreigners）　by　the　　nobility　and　a　few　of　the　officers　in　the　army；　but　neither　are　so　　generally　understood　as　in　England　…　German　far　less　so；　and　as　for　　the　Russians　being　the　best　general　linguists　in　Europe；　I　am　　totally　unable　to　guess　how　the　idea　could　have　originated；　but　am　　certain　from　personal　experience　that　they　are　quite　the　contrary。

Petersburg　is　the　finest　city　in　the　world；　neither　London　nor　　Paris　nor　any　other　European　capital　which　I　have　visited　has　　sufficient　pretensions　to　enter　into　comparison　with　it　in　respect　　to　beauty　and　grandeur。　　Many　of　the　streets　are　miles　in　length；　　as　straight　as　an　arrow　and　adorned　with　the　most　superb　edifi