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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。

Thus　circumstanced；　and　being　very　uneasy　in　my　mind；　I　determined　　to　take　a　bold　step；　and　directly　and　without　further　feeling　my　　way　to　petition　the　Government　in　my　own　name　for　permission　to　　print　the　Mandchou　Scriptures。　　Having　communicated　this　　determination　to　our　beloved；　sincere；　and　most　truly　Christian　　friend　Mr。　Swan　（who　has　lately　departed　to　his　station　in　Siberia；　　shielded　I　trust　by　the　arm　of　his　Master）；　it　met　with　his　perfect　　approbation　and　cordial　encouragement。　　I　therefore　drew　up　a　　petition；　and　presented　it　with　my　own　hand　to　his　Excellence　Mr。　　Bludoff；　Minister　of　the　Interior。　　He　having　perused　it；　briefly　　answered；　that　he　believed　the　matter　did　not　lie　with　him；　but　　that　he　would　consider。　　I　now　began　greatly　to　fear　that　the　　affair　would　not　come　to　a　favourable　issue；　but　nevertheless　　prayed　fervently　to　God；　and　confiding　principally　in　Him；　resolved　　to　leave　no　human　means　untried　which　were　within　my　reach。

Since　residing　here　I　have　assiduously　cultivated　the　friendship　of　　the　Honourable　Mr。　Bligh；　His　Britannic　Majesty's　plenipotentiary　　at　the　Court　of　Russia；　who　has　shown　me　many　condescending　marks　　of　kindness；　and　who　is　a　person　of　superb　talents；　kind　　disposition；　and　of　much　piety。　　I　therefore；　on　the　evening　of　the　　day　of　my　presenting　the　petition；　called　upon　him；　and　being　　informed　that　he　was　out　of　town；　and　was　not　expected　till　late　at　　night；　I　left　a　letter　for　him；　in　which　I　entreated　him　to　make　　use　of　whatever　influence　his　high　official　situation　was　　calculated　to　give　him　with　the　Minister；　towards　procuring　a　　favourable　reply；　assuring　him　that　the　Mandchou　version　was　not　　intended　for　circulation　nor　calculated　for　circulation　in　any　part　　of　the　Russian　Empire；　but　in　China　and　Chinese　Tartary　solely。　　I　　stated　that　I　would　call　for　an　answer　the　next　morning。　　I　did　so；　　and　upon　seeing　Mr。　Bligh；　he　was　kind　enough　to　say　that　if　I　　desired　it　he　would　apply　officially　to　the　Minister；　and　exert　all　　his　influence　in　his　official　character　in　order　to　obtain　the　　accomplishment　of　my　views；　but　at　the　same　time　suggested　that　it　　would；　perhaps；　be　as　well　at　a　private　interview　to　beg　it　as　a　　personal　favour；　and　to　this　I　instantly　assented。　　He　spoke　twice　　to　Mr。　Bludoff　upon　the　subject；　and　I　shortly　afterwards　received　　a　summons　to　appear　at　the　Asiatic　Department；　whither　I　went；　and　　found　that　Mr。　Bludoff　had　been　enquiring　whether　any　person　was　to　　be　found　capable　of　being　employed　as　Censor　over　the　work；　and　　that　it　had　been　resolved　that　Mr。　Lipoftsoff；　who　is　one　of　the　　clerks　of　the　Asiatic　Department；　should　be　appointed　Censor；　and　　that　I　should　be　the　Editor　of　the　work；　provided　permission　were　　granted　to　print　it。　　I　went　away；　and　having　received　no　　intelligence　during　the　space　of　a　fortnight；　I　waited　upon　Mr。　　Bligh　and　begged　that；　provided　it　were　not　disagreeable　to　him；　he　　would　make　a　fresh　application　to　th