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er　to　account　for　my　prolonged　stay　abroad。　　For　　the　last　fortnight　I　have　been　detained　at　St。　Petersburg　in　the　　most　vexatious　and　unheard…of　manner。　　The　two　last　parts　of　our　　Testaments　have　been　bound　and　ready　for　shipping　a　considerable　　time；　and　are　at　present　in　the　warehouse　of　a　most　pious　and　　excellent　person　in　this　place；　whom　the　Bible　Society　are　well　　acquainted　with；　but　I　have　hitherto　not　been　able　to　obtain　　permission　to　send　them　away。　　You　will　ask　how　I　contrived　to　　despatch　the　first　six　volumes；　which　you　have　doubtless　by　this　　time　received。　　But　I　must　inform　you　that　at　that　time　I　had　only　　a　verbal　permission；　and　that　the　Custom　House　permitted　them　to　　pass　because　they　knew　not　what　they　were。　　But　now；　　notwithstanding　I　obtained　a　regular　permission　to　print；　and　　transacted　everything　in　a　legal　and　formal　manner；　I　am　told　that　　I　had　no　right　at　all　to　print　the　Scriptures　at　St。　Petersburg；　　and　that　my　coming　thither　on　that　account　（I　use　their　own　words）　　was　a　step　in　the　highest　degree　suspicious　and　mysterious；　and　　that　there　are　even　grounds　for　supposing　that　I　am　not　connected　　with　the　Bible　Society　or　employed　by　them。　　To…day；　however；　I　　lost　patience；　and　said　that　I　would　not　be　trifled　with　any　　longer；　that　next　week　I　should　send　away　the　books　by　a　vessel　　which　would　then　sail；　and　that　whosoever　should　attempt　to　stop　　them　would　do　so　at　his　peril　…　and　I　intend　to　act　up　to　what　I　　said。　　I　shall　then　demand　my　passport　and　advertise　my　departure；　　as　every　one　before　quitting　Russia　must　be　advertised　in　the　　newspapers　two　weeks　successively。　　Pray　do　me　the　justice　to　　believe　that　for　this　unpleasant　delay　I　am　by　no　means　　accountable。　　It　is　in　the　highest　degree　tormenting　to　myself。　　I　　am　very　unwell　from　vexation　and　disquietude　of　mind；　and　am　　exposed　to　every　kind　of　inconvenience。　　The　term　for　which　I　took　　my　chambers　is　expired；　and　I　am　living　in　a　dirty　and　expensive　　hotel。　　But　there　is　One　above　who　supports　me　in　these　troubles；　　and　I　have　no　doubt　that　everything　will　turn　out　for　the　best。

I　take　this　opportunity　of　sending　my　accounts　to　Mr。　Tarn；　if　　there　be　any　inaccuracy　let　him　excuse　it；　for　the　post　hurries　me。

G。　BORROW。



Report　of　Mr。　George　Borrow　TO　THE　MEMBERS　OF　THE　COMMITTEE　OF　THE　BRITISH　AND　FOREIGN　BIBLE　　SOCIETY。



GENTLEMEN；　…　It　is　now　about　two　years　since　I　quitted　England　for　　St。　Petersburg　in　consequence　of　the　duty　which　you　have　been　　pleased　to　confide　to　my　hands；　namely；　that　of　editing　at　the　　Russian　capital　the　New　Testament　in　the　Mandchou　language　which　　has　been　translated　by　Mr。　Lipoftsoff；　at　present　Councillor　of　　State　and　Chinese　Translator　at　that　place；　but　formerly　one　of　the　　members　of　the　Russian　mission　at　Pekin。　　On　my　arrival；　before　　entering　upon　this　highly　important　and　difficult　task；　I；　in　　obedience　to　your　command；　assisted　Mr。　Swan；　the　missionary　from　　Selinginsk；　to　complete　a　transcript　which　he　had　commenced　some　　time　previous　of　a　manuscript　translation　of　the　principal　part　of　　the　Old　Testament　into　Mandchou　executed　by　Puerot；　who；　originally　　a　Jesuit　emissary　at　Pekin；　passed　the　latter　years　of　his　life　in　　the　service　of　the　Russian　mission　in　the　capacity　of　physician。　　　The　united　labours　of　Mr。　Swan　and　myself　speedily　brought　the　task　　in　question　to　a　conclusion；　so　that　the　transcript　has　for　a　　considerable　time　been　in　the　possession　of　the　Bible　Society。　　I　　will　here　take　the　liberty　of　offering　a　few　remarks　upon　this　　translation；　but　as　the　work　is　not　at　the　present　moment　before　　me；　it　is　impossible　to　enter　upon　a　critical　and　minute　　examination　of　its　merits。　　Nevertheless；　having　either　transcribed　　or　at　various　times　perused　it；　I　have　formed　a　general　opinion　　concerning　it　which；　though　very　probably　a　faulty　one；　I　shall　lay　　before　you　in　a　few　words；　which　at　any　future　time　I　hope　you　will　　permit　me　to　recall；　if　fresh　lights　upon　the　subject　compel　me　to　　believe　that　my　original　conclusion　was　an　erroneous　one；　having　no　　doubt　that　those　who　are　embarked　in　so　noble　a　cause　as　the　　propagation　of　The　Great　Truth；　will　be　at　all　times　willing　to　　excuse　error　when　confessed；　as　by　the　confession　of　error　the　　truth　becomes　more　glaringly　manifest。

The　merits　of　this　translation　are；　upon　the　whole；　of　a　very　high　　order；　but　it　would　be　an　untruth　and　an　absurdity　to　say　that　it　　does　not　exhibit　defects　and　blemishes　of　a　striking　and　peculiar　　kind　…　peculiar；　from　the　singular　fact　that　those　portions　of　the　　original　which；　being　narrative　are　exceedingly　simple　as　to　idea　　and　style；　have　been　invariably　rendered　in　a　manner　the　most　　liable　to　censure；　exhibiting　not　only　a　slovenly　carelessness　in　　regard　to　diction；　but　not　unfrequently　a　disregard　of　accuracy　　when　the　slightest　particle　of　attention　was　only　necessary　to　　render　the　meaning　which　the　sacred　writer　endeavours　to　convey。　　　These　are　its　greatest；　and；　it　may　perhaps　be　said；　its　only　　defects；　for　if　a　regard　for　truth　compel　me　to　state　that　the　　style　of　the　translation　frequently　sinks　far　below　the　original　　when　at　its　lowest　grade；　that　same　regard　compels　me　to　say　that　　in　yet　more　instances　it　rises　with　the　same　＇to　a　degree＇　which　I　　believe　it　is　scarcely　possible　for　any　individual　with　the　limited　　powers　of　uninspired　man　to　surpass。　　This　soaring　tendency　is　　particularly　observable　in　the　version　of　the　Book　of　Job；　which　is　　certainly　the　most　beautiful；　is　believed　by　many　to　be　the　most　　ancient；　and　is　confessedly　one　of　the　most　important　portions　of　　the　Old　Testament。　　I　consider　myself　in　some　degree　entitled　to　　speak　particularly　of　this　part　of　the　Mandchou　version　in　　question；　having　frequently　at　the　time　I　was　engaged　upon　it　　translated　into　English　several　of　the　chapters　which　particularly　　struck　me；　for　the　purpose　of　exhibiting　them　to　Mr。　Swan；　who　　invariably　sympathised　with　my　admiration。　　The　translation　of　most　　of　the　writings　of　the　prophets；　as　far　as　Puerot　went；　has　been　　executed　in　the　same　masterly　manner；　and　it　is　only　to　be　lamented　　that；　instead　of　wasting　much　of　his　time　and　talents　upon　the　　Apocryphal　writings；　as　is　unfortunately　the　case；　the　ex…Jesuit　　left　behind　him　no　Mandchou　version　of　Isaiah　and　the　Psalms；　the　　lack　of　which　will　be　sensibly　felt　whenever　his　work　shall　be　put　　in　a　printed　state　into　the　hands　of　those　for　whose　benefit　it　is　　intended；　an　event　most　devoutly　to　be　wished　for　by　all　those　who　　would　fain　see　Christ　reign　triumphant　in　that　most　extraordinary　　country　of　which　the　Mandchou　constitutes　one　of　the　principal　　languages；　being　used　in　diplomacy　and　at　court；　and　being　　particularly　remarkable　for　possessing　within　it　translations　of　　all　the　masterpieces　of　Chinese；　Tibetian；　and　Brahmanic　literature　　with　which　it　has　been　enriched　since　the　period　of　the　accession　　of　the　present　Tartar　dynasty　to　the　Chinese　throne；　the　proper　　language　of　which　dynasty　it　is　well　known　to　be。

To　translate　literally；　or　even　closely；　according　to　the　common　　acceptation　of　the　term；　into　the　Mandchou　language　is　of　all　　impossibilities　the　greatest；　partly　from　the　grammatical　structure　　of　the　language；　and　partly　from　the　abundance　of　its　idioms。　　The　　Mandchou　is　the　only　one　of　any　of　the　civilised　languages　of　the　　world　with　which　the　writer　of　these　lines　has　any　acquaintance；　　whose　grammar　stands　far　aloof　from　the　rest　in　wonderful　　singularity；　the　most　remarkable　feature　of　which　is　the　want　of　　some　of　those　conjunctions　generally　considered　as　indispensable；　　and　which　are　certainly　of　the　first　utility。　　The　result　of　this　　peculiarity　is　that　such　a　combination　of　other　parts　of　speech　　must　be　employed　as　will　express　the　idea　without　the　aid　of　the　　conjunction；　but　as　these　combinations　are　invariably　and　　necessarily　lengthy；　much　more　space　is　required　in　the　translation　　of　a　sentence　into　this　language　than　the　original　occupies。　　I　am　　induced　to　make　this　remark；　which　I　am　afraid　will　be　considered　　an　excursory　one；　from　the　apprehensiveness　that　some；　observing　　the　translations　of　the　Scriptures　into　this　language　to　be　bulkier　　than　the　originals；　might　conclude　that　extraneous　and　unnecessary　　matter　had　crept　in；　which　a　knowledge　of　the　above　fact　will　　prevent。

The　transcript　of　the　Mandchou　Old　Testament　having　been　brought　to　　a　conclusion　and　permission　having　been　obtained　to　print　the　New　　at　St。　Petersburg　…　the　accomplishment　of　which　last　point　was；　as　　you　are　well　aware；　attended　with　much　difficulty　…　I　set　myself　　seriously　to　work　upon　the　principal　object　of　my　mission。　　With　　the　recapitulation　of　my　labours　I　wish　not　to　trouble　you；　the　　various　particulars　having　been　communicated　to　you　in　letters　　written　at　various　times　upon　the　subject。　　I　will　content　myself　　with　observing　that　within　ten　months　from　the　commencement　of　　printing；　the　entire　work；　consisting　of　eight　volumes；　had　with　　the　blessing　of　the　Almighty　passed　through　the　press；　and；　I　　believe；　with　as　few　typographical　errors　as　would　have　been　the　　case　had　a　much　more　considerable　portion　of　time　been　devoted　to　　the　enterprise；　which；　it　is　true；　I　was　in　haste　to　accomplish；　　but　in　a　manner　not　calculated　to　render　the　undertaking　futile　nor　　cast　discredit　upon　the　Society　and　myself　＇being　well　aware　that　　an　edition　of　the　Scriptures　exhibiting　marks　of　carelessness　must　　at　best　be　a　futile　work；　and　that　the　speed　with　which　it　was　　executed　could　be　no　apology；　as　few　will　be　tempted　to　deny　that　　no　edition　at　all　of　the　sacred　volume　in　the　languages　of　the　　heathen　is　far　preferable　to　one　whose　incorrectness　would　　infallibly　and　with　some　reason　awaken　ridicule；　which；　though　one　　of　the　most　contemptible；　is　certainly　one　of　the　most　efficacious　　weapons　in　the　armoury　of　the　Prince　of　Darkness　and　the　Enemy　of　　Light；　as　it　is　well　known　that　his　soldiers　here　on　earth　　accomplish　by　its　means　what　they　would　never　be　able　to　effect　by　　the　utmost　force　of　eloquence　and　carnal　reasoning；　in　the　use　and　　management　of　which　they　are；　however；　by　no　means　unskilled；　as　　many　a　follower　of　Jesus　from　his　own　individual　expe