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　a　fresh　application　to　the　Minister。　　And；　singularly　　enough；　Mr。　Bludoff　was　to　dine　at　Mr。　Bligh's　that　evening；　and　　the　latter　amiable　gentleman　assured　me　that　he　would　not　let　so　　excellent　an　opportunity　slip　of　saying　what　was　calculated　to　　bring　the　matter　to　a　conclusion。　　That　same　night　I　received　a　　message；　whereby　I　was　requested　to　wait　on　Mr。　Bludoff　the　next　　day；　at　one。　　I　did　so；　and　he　received　me　in　the　most　polite　　manner　and　said　that　the　matter　did　not　entirely　depend　upon　him；　　but　that　it　would　be　necessary　to　obtain　the　permission　also　of　the　　Director　of　Worship；　that　however　he　would　give　me　a　letter　to　that　　Dignitary；　which　he　doubted　not　would　have　some　effect。　　I　received　　the　letter；　and　without　losing　any　time　repaired　to　the　Director's　　Office　and　having　delivered　my　letter；　after　waiting　some　time；　was　　told　to　call　at　the　Asiatic　Department　on　the　first　day　of　the　next　　week　（the　very　day　your　letter　arrived）。　　On　calling　there　I　FOUND　　THAT　PERMISSION　HAD　BEEN　GRANTED　TO　PRINT　THE　MANDCHOU　SCRIPTURE。

I　hope　that　the　honourable　Committee　and　yourself　will　feel　no　　displeasure　at　my　presuming　here　to　make　a　slight　suggestion。　　We　　are　under　great　obligations　to　Mr。　Bligh；　and　I　have　certainly　　taken　great　liberties　with　the　friendship　with　which　he　has　thought　　proper　to　favour　me；　liberties　which　I　should　certainly　not　have　　felt　myself　authorised　to　have　taken　in　any　affair；　the　end　of　　which　was　not　the　glorifying　of　God；　as　the　aim　of　this　certainly　　is。　　I　therefore　should　wish　to　hint　the　expediency　of　a　letter　in　　which　the　thanks　of　the　Committee　be　presented　to　Mr。　Bligh　for　the　　interest　which　he　has　been　pleased　to　take　in　this　business；　and　　for　the　trouble　he　has　given　himself。　　You　are　well　aware　that　a　　handsome　acknowledgement　of　a　kindness　received　is　never　taken　　amiss；　and　as　it　is　not　impossible　that　Mr。　Bligh；　at　another　time　　and　even　at　another　place；　may　have　an　opportunity　of　promoting　the　　excellent　views　of　the　Society；　I　cannot　help　thinking　that　such　an　　acknowledgement　would　be　unwise　neither　in　respect　to　what　has　　occurred　or　may　occur　hereafter。

In　reply　to　your　inquiries　respecting　my　progress　in　the　Mandchou　　language；　I　have　to　observe　that　for　some　time　past　I　have　taken　　lessons　from　a　person　who　was　twelve　years　in　Pekin；　and　who　speaks　　Mandchou　and　Chinese　with　fluency。　　I　pay　him　about　six　shillings　　English　for　each　lesson；　which　I　grudge　not；　for　the　perfect　　acquirement　of　Mandchou　is　one　of　my　most　ardent　wishes；　as　I　am　　convinced　that　it　is　destined　by　providence　to　be　the　medium　for　　the　spiritual　illumination　of　countless　millions　of　Chinese　and　　Tartars。　　At　present　I　can　transcribe　the　Manchou　character　with　　much　greater　facility　and　speed　than　I　can　the　English。　　I　can　　translate　from　it　with　tolerable　facility；　and　have　translated　into　　it；　for　an　exercise；　the　second　homily　of　the　Church　of　England　〃On　　the　Misery　of　Man。〃　　I　have　likewise　occasionally　composed　a　few　　hymns　in　this　language；　the　difficulty　of　which　I　am　at　present　　more　fully　aware　of　than　when　I　left　England。　　It　is　one　of　those　　deceitful　tongues；　the　seeming　simplicity　of　whose　structure　　induces　you　to　suppose；　after　applying　to　them　for　a　month　or　two；　　that　little　more　remains　to　be　learned；　but　which；　should　you　　continue　to　study　a　year；　as　I　have　studied　this；　show　themselves　　to　you　in　their　veritable　colours；　amazing　you　with　their　　copiousness；　puzzling　with　their　idioms。　　In　a　word　Mandchou　is　　equally　as　difficult　as　Sanscrit　or　Persian；　neither　of　which　　languages　has　ever　been　thoroughly　acquired　by　any　European；　though　　at　first　acquaintance　they　flatter　the　student　with　their　deceitful　　simplicity。　　I　take　the　liberty　of　sending　you　a　short　original　　epigram　in　rhymed　Mandchou；　which　if　it　answers　no　other　purpose　　will　afford　you　some　idea　of　my　running　Mandchou　hand；　which；　as　I　　now　write　perpendicularly；　is　very　different　from　that　hand　which　I　　wrote　previously　to　my　coming　hither。　　The　epigram　is　upon　the　　exploits　of　the　Tartars。

＇Here　follow　four　upright　lines　in　Manchu　characters。＇

Milites　qui　e　Manjurico　deserto　exierunt；　bellando　silvas；　campos　　et　oppida　Sinensis　imperii　captarunt。

Want　of　room　obliges　me　to　defer　making　a　report　upon　Mr。　　Lipoftsoff's　translation　until　my　next　letter；　which　will　follow　in　　a　week　or　two；　for　I　am　unwilling　in　a　matter　of　such　immense　　importance　to　deliver　a　brief　and　hurried　opinion。　　I　have　much　to　　communicate　also　respecting　the　proper　means　to　be　pursued　for　the　　introduction　and　circulation　of　the　volume；　when　printed；　in　China　　and　Tartary。　　This　information　I　have　derived　from　the　most　　authentic　sources；　namely　from　individuals　who　have　spent　many　　years　in　these　countries；　and　whose　acquaintance　I　have　eagerly　　sought。

From　England　I　have　lately　received　a　letter　in　which　is　an　extract　　from　an　epistle　of　my　brother　in　Mexico；　amounting　to　this　…　that　　there　is　no　native　language　in　that　country　entitled　to　the　　appellation　of　THE　Mexican　language；　that　it　is　as　incorrect　to　　make　use　of　such　an　expression；　as　it　would　be　to　say　definitely　　THE　European　language；　that　setting　aside　the　Spanish　there　are　　upwards　of　twenty　languages　and　dialects　spoken　in　Mexico；　none　of　　which　are　read　（except　perhaps　here　and　there　by　a　few　individuals）　　but　communicated　by　the　mouth　and　only　acquired　by　the　ear；　that　my　　brother　has　shown　the　sheet　of　St。　Luke's　Gospel；　which　I　　transmitted　to　him；　to　various　Spaniards　and　Indians；　but　it　was　　unintelligible　to　them；　the　latter　not　recognising　the　words　when　　read　to　them。　　I　should　therefore　advise　that　the　copies　of　this　　version　be　sent；　if　possible；　to　the　place　where　the　version　was　　purchased；　as　it　was　probably　made　in　the　language　or　dialect　of　　that　place　or　neighbourhood；　and　where　there　is　a　chance　of　its　　being　of　some　utility。　　Should　my　brother　have　survived　the　late　　dreadful　commotions　in　Mexico；　I　have　no　doubt　that　he　will　be　　exceedingly　happy　to　assist　in　flinging　the　rays　of　Scriptural　　light　over　that　most　benighted　and　miserable　region；　but　having　　lately　read　in　the　Russian　newspapers　that　the　town　of　Guanajuato；　　where　he　resided；　has　been　taken　and　sacked　by　the　murderous　bands　　of　the　insurgents；　I　have　great　reason　to　fear　that　his　earthly　　course　is　terminated；　for　the　former；　incited　by　their　demoniacal　　priests；　in　comparison　with　whom　the　Shamans　of　Manjuria　and　the　　lamas　of　Mongolia　and　China　are　innocent　and　holy；　lay　hold　of　　every　opportunity　of　shedding　the　blood　of　Protestants　and　　foreigners。

I　remain；　Revd。　and　dear　Sir；　most　truly　yours；

G。　BORROW。



LETTER：　4th　February；　1834



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