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d　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　edifices。　　　The　so…called　Nevsky　Prospect；　a　street　which　runs　from　the　　Admiralty　to　the　Monastery　of　St。　Alexander　Nevsky；　is　nearly　three　　miles　in　length　and　for　the　greatest　part　of　the　way　floored　with　　small　blocks　of　wood　shaped　octagonally。　　The　broad　and　rapid　Neva　　runs　through　the　centre　of　this　Queen　of　cities；　and　on　either　side　　is　a　noble　quay；　from　which　you　have　a　full　view　of　the　river　and　　of　what　is　passing　on　its　bosom。　　But　I　will　not　be　diffuse　in　the　　description　of　objects　which　have　been　so　often　described；　but　　devote　the　following　lines　which　my　paper　will　contain　to　more　　important　matters。

The　lower　orders　of　the　Russians　are　very　willing　to　receive　　Scriptural　information；　and　very　willing　to　purchase　it　if　offered　　to　them　at　a　price　which　comes　within　their　means。　　I　will　give　an　　interesting　example　of　this。　　A　young　man　of　the　name　of　Nobbs；　in　　the　employ　of　Mr。　Leake；　an　English　farmer　residing　a　few　VERSTS　　from　Petersburg；　is　in　the　habit　on　his　return　from　the　latter　　place；　whither　he　is　frequently　sent　by　his　master；　to　carry　with　　him　a　satchel　filled　with　Russian　New　Testaments　and　religious　　tracts；　with　which　he　is　supplied　by　an　excellent　English　lady　who　　dwells　there。　　He　says　that　before　he　has　reached　home；　he　has　　invariably　disposed　of　his　whole　cargo　to　the　surrounding　　peasantry；　and　such　is　the　hunger　and　thirst　which　they　display　for　　the　word　of　salvation　that　his　stock　has　always　been　insufficient　　to　answer　all　the　demands　made；　after　it　was　known　what　merchandise　　he　brought　with　him。　　There　remain　at　present　three　hundred　copies　　unsold　of　the　modern　Russian　New　Testament　at　the　shop　which　has　　the　disposal　of　the　works　of　the　late　Russian　Bible　Society；　these　　copies；　all　of　which　are　damaged　from　having　been　immersed　during　　the　inundation　of　1824；　might　all　be　disposed　of　in　one　day；　　provided　proper　individuals　were　employed　to　hawk　them　about　in　the　　environs　of　this　capital。　　There　are　twenty　thousand　copies　on　hand　　of　the　Sclavonian　Bible；　which　being　in　a　language　and　character　　differing　materially　from　the　modern　Russ　character　and　language；　　and　only　understood　by　the　learned；　is　unfit　for　general　　circulation；　and　the　copies　will　probably　remain　unsold；　though　the　　Synod　is　more　favourable　to　the　distribution　of　the　Scriptures　in　　the　ancient　than　in　the　modern　form。　　I　was　informed　by　the　　attendant　in　the　shop　that　the　Synod　had　resolved　upon　not　　permitting　the　printing　of　any　fresh　edition　of　the　Scriptures　in　　the　modern　Russ　until　these　twenty　thousand　copies　in　the　ancient　　language　had　been　disposed　of。　　But　it　is　possible　that　this　　assertion　is　incorrect。

I　must　now　conclude；　and　with　an　earnest　request　that　you　will　　write　to　me　speedily；　and　deliver　my　kindest　remembrances　to　Mr。　　Brandram　and　to　my　other　good　friends　at　the　Society　House；　I　　remain；　Revd。　and　dear　Sir；　your　most　obedient　servant；

G。　BORROW。



LETTER：　27th　August；　1833



To　the　Rev。　A。　Brandram　ST。　PETERSBURG；　AUGUST　27；　1833。

REVD。　AND　DEAR　　SIR；　…　The　bearer　of　this　letter　is　Mr。　Glen；　the　　son　of　the　celebrated　missionary　of　Astracan。　　He　is　desirous　of　　forming　your　acquaintance；　and　I　take　the　liberty　of　making　him　　known　to　you。　　He　is　a　young　man　of　considerable　learning；　and　a　　devout　Christian。　　His　object　in　visiting　England　is　to　qualify　　himself　for　the　missionary　calling；　in　the　hope　that　at　some　future　　period　he　may　tread　in　the　steps　of　his　father　and　proclaim　a　　crucified　Saviour　to　the　Oriental　heathens。　　I　am　at　present；　　thanks　be　to　the　Lord；　comfortable　and　happy；　and　am　every　day　　busily　engaged　in　transcribing　the　Mandchou　Old　Testament　and　　collating　with　Mr。　Swan。

In　the　hope　that　these　lines　will　find　you　in　good　health；　I　have　　the　honour　to　remain；　Revd。　and　dear　Sir；　your　most　obedient　　servant；

G。　BORROW。



LETTER：　20th　January；　1834



To　the　Rev。　J。　Jowett　（ENDORSED：　recd。　　Feb。　17th；　1834）　ST。　PETERSBURG；　20TH　JANUARY　（old　style）；　1834。

REVD。　AND　DEAR　SIR；　…　I　received　in　due　time　your　epistle　of　the　　2nd　January；　which　gave　me　considerable　pleasure；　as　it　is　　exceedingly　cheering　in　a　foreign　land　to　hear　from　one's　friends　　and　to　know　that　one　is　not　forgotten　by　them。　　I　now　proceed　to　　give　an　account　of　my　stewardship　up　to　the　present　time；　which　　account　I　humbly　trust　will　afford　perfect　satisfaction　to　the　　Society　which　has　honoured　a　frail　creature　like　myself　with　a　　charge；　the　importance　and　difficulty　of　which　I　at　present　see　　much　more　clearly　than　I　originally　did。

My　dear　Sir；　even　when　transcribing　the　Mandchou　Scripture；　I　was　　far　from　being　forgetful　of　the　ulterior　object　of　my　mission；　and　　therefore；　as　in　duty　bound；　applied　to　Dr。　Schmidt　for　advice　and　　information；　who　was　the　person　upon　whom　I　mainly　depended。　　But　I　　found　that　gentleman　so　involved　in　a　multiplicity　of　business　that　　it　was　utterly　impossible　for　him　to　afford　me　either；　and　though　　he　was　kind　enough　to　promise　to　make　inquiry；　etc。　etc。；　it　is　　very　probable　that　he　forgot　to　fulfil　his　promise；　for　the　result　　never　came　to　my　ears。

Th