登陆注册
15428900000011

第11章 4th February,1834

To the Rev.J.Jowett (ENDORSED:recd.March 10th,1834,with Report on the Mandchou New Testament.)ST.PETERSBURG,GALERNOY ULITZA,4FEBRUARY (old style)1834.

REVD.AND DEAR SIR,-In compliance with the request of the Committee,expressed in your epistle of the 2nd January,I herewith send a report upon Mr.Lipoftsoff's translation;and as there were many things which I wished to mention in my last letter,but was unable from want of room,I take this opportunity of stating them,with the hope that they will meet with your approbation.

In the first place,whatever communication you wish to make to Mr.

Lipoftsoff I think you had best charge me with to him,for in that case you will be certain that he will receive it,without loss of time.But I must inform you that he is rather a singular man,and to all appearances perfectly indifferent to the fate of his excellent translation,caring nothing whether it be published as a powerful instrument to open the closed eyes and soften the hard hearts of the idolators of China and Tartary,or whether it be committed to the flames,and for ever lost to the world.You cannot conceive the cold,heartless apathy in respect to the affair,on which I have been despatched hither as an ASSISTANT,which I have found in people,to whom I looked,not unreasonably,for encouragement and advice.But thanks be to the Lord,the great object has been accomplished,permission has been obtained to print the New Testament,and have no doubt that permission for the whole Bible is within our reach.And in regard to what we have yet to do,let it be borne in mind,that we are by no means dependent upon Mr.Lipoftsoff;though certainly to secure the services which he is capable of performing would be highly desirable,and though he cannot act outwardly in the character of Editor,he having been appointed Censor,he may privately be of great utility to us.

Therefore let the attempt to engage his services be made without delay.

At the Sarepta House is a chest containing Mandchou characters,belonging to the Bible Society,which I shall cause to be examined for the purpose of ascertaining whether they have sustained any injury from rust during the long time they have been lying neglected;if any of them have,my learned friend Baron Schilling,who is in possession of a small fount of Mandchou types for the convenience of printing trifles in that tongue,has kindly promised to assist us with the use of as many of his own as may be necessary.There is one printing office here,where they are in the habit of printing with the Mongolian character,which differs but little from the Mandchou;consequently the Mongolian compositors will be competent to the task of composing in Mandchou.

There are no Mandchou types in St.Petersburg,with the exception of our own and Baron Schilling's.

I suppose that it will be thought requisite to print the town for a year or so,it is my humble opinion,and the opinion of much wiser people,that if he were active,zealous and likewise courageous,the blessings resulting from his labours would be incalculable.It would be by no means a difficult thing to make excursions into Tartary and to form friendships amongst the Tartar hordes,and I am far from certain that with a little management and dexterity he would be unable to penetrate even to Pekin,and to return in safety,after having examined the state of the land.I can only say that if it were my fortune to have the opportunity,I would make the attempt,and should consider myself only to blame if I did not succeed.

In my last letter I informed you that I had procured myself an instructor in Mandchou,and that I was making tolerable progress in the language.I should now wish to ask whether this person could not be turned to some further account;for example,to assist me in making a translation into Mandchou of the Psalms and Isaiah,which have not yet been rendered.A few shillings a week,besides what Igive him for my own benefit,would secure his co-operation,for he is a person in very low circumstances.He is not competent to undertake any thing of the kind by himself,being in many respects very simple and ignorant;but as an assistant I think he might be of considerable utility,and that between us we could produce a version which,although it might not be particularly elegant,would be clear,grammatical and faithful to the original.In the mean time I shall pursue my studies,and be getting every thing in readiness for setting the printers at work;and with a humble request for SPEEDY INSTRUCTIONS,in order that as little time as possible may be lost in the work of the Lord,I have the honour to remain,Revd.and dear Sir,Your most obedient and humble servant,GEORGE BORROW.

P.S.-My kindest regards to Mr.Brandram and my other dear friends at the Bible House.I thank you heartily for your kind advice in the latter part of your last epistle.Do me the favour to inform Dr.Richardson that I have followed his instructions in regard to clothing,etc.,and have derived great benefit therefrom.

同类推荐
  • 道地经

    道地经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 佛说大集法门经

    佛说大集法门经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 摄大乘论抄

    摄大乘论抄

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 先秦汉魏晋南北朝诗

    先秦汉魏晋南北朝诗

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 酒食

    酒食

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
热门推荐
  • 神奇宝贝之起始之枫

    神奇宝贝之起始之枫

    口袋妖怪老手叶枫,无意间获得了“神”的补偿,来到了口袋妖怪的世界,从此开启了一段奇幻的旅程。(新人作品,如果您感觉本作品有不足之处,请多多包涵并提出您宝贵的意见~)
  • 时光入梦

    时光入梦

    时间就是可以减轻伤痛的药,冲淡了岁月带来得伤痛,你与我,本来就相差着一条银河,真的还要去争取吗?
  • 幽冥传说之修罗殇

    幽冥传说之修罗殇

    毁灭之神站在冥河岸,冷眼看着芸芸众生。——“可怜的人,告诉我——你们心中的怨念是什么,‘贪’‘嗔’‘痴’,抑或‘爱’‘恶’‘欲’……一念天堂,一念地狱!不管是什么,你的怨念呼唤了我,那么,便由我——来决定你最后的归宿!”“我高高在上的殿下啊,怎么办呢——我的怨念,好像是您呢!您要如何来决定我最后的归宿?”PS:某放的怨念在此——点击推荐收藏点击推荐收藏点击推荐收藏!欢迎长评!
  • 呆萌小仙:上神请赐教

    呆萌小仙:上神请赐教

    “上神,上神,我为何物?”“天地孕育的一朵……奇葩。”“上神,你可知道,你在我心中为何物?”“在你心中?”“高岭之花!”“……”“上神,这么算起来,咱们可是同类了!既然这天地之间万万年只孕育出我这株奇葩,你这朵高岭之花,我们可真是天造地设的一双啊!”“……”一场意外,她遇到了他,从此命运的转轮开始旋转,未来全然不再是想象中的样子。
  • 神幻末世

    神幻末世

    新千年十年有二,北非巨震,埃及开罗首当其冲,死难者百万计数。文明古迹金字塔崩裂陷落,黑质金字塔破土而立,魔物蜂拥而出,凶残嗜血,食人繁衍,北约难当,北非西欧皆陷落。其后,古巴比伦塔、玛雅神塔、昆仑妖塔相继出世,人间地狱,众生水火。而后“昆仑封,长城兴,君临起,同盟立”。世界一分为二,人类苟延残喘。十年魔物战争,人类伤亡过半;十年相持而立,此时已经是2032年。
  • 我的春秋不可能这么萌

    我的春秋不可能这么萌

    苏重城穿越到了战火纷飞的春秋乱世,正准备用历史知识大展拳脚的时候,却发现这并不是他所知道的‘春秋乱世’。城池被娘化了也就算了,诸侯被娘化了又是什么情况?晋国君主晋悼姬的神术技是【言出法随】?鲁国史官软妹子左秋茗的神术技是大预言术【洞见古今】?齐国相国小萝莉晏樱的被动神术技是点满技能树的【千载一圣】?想要统一诸夏,就必须要攻略城娘和诸侯姬?简而言之,这是一个人形自走对城宝具在春秋乱世开水晶宫的故事。…………PS;在你们上舰的时候,已经有人御城了。设定源于御城collection,这是一篇披着历史皮的日常吐槽系宅文,梗多慎入。
  • 霸道殿下的迷糊未婚妻

    霸道殿下的迷糊未婚妻

    他家未婚妻,聪明伶俐惹人爱,去你的,明明是神经病。未婚夫,等着,我包你,三天跪下给我磕头,不出一个月主动退婚。可结果为什么是·······
  • 气质何来(全集)

    气质何来(全集)

    本书以独特的视角,分析了女性认识自我,完美人格,提升魅力所具备的诸多要素,并以睿智的笔触,这女性缔造成熟之美、塑造气质之美,点燃魅力之灯,撷取幸福之花提供了切实可行的人生指导和精神启迪。
  • 雪球专刊第013期:玩转余额宝

    雪球专刊第013期:玩转余额宝

    余额宝本质上是货币基金的一个销售渠道,而支付宝是有基金销售牌照的,所以它做余额宝是合法的,没有任何违法的地方,但它的宣传中存在不合规的地方,即一开始的时候,没有按法律规定说明基金有风险(虽然我认为货币基金的风险提醒其实并没有意义)。
  • 网游之巅峰法神

    网游之巅峰法神

    这一年,万国峰会开启,最后的结果却是推出了一款国际性的游戏。这一年,国际百强企业纷纷投资,看到了辉煌背后的商机。这一年,刚毕业的秦风还是个小小的无业游民。重回大时代,看秦风如何走上巅峰,誓做那无上的法神!