letters-第10章
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raised be the Lord； they were not！）； 'therefore I should be glad to return home。 Moreover the compositors say that they are unaccustomed to compose in an unknown tongue from such scribbled and illegible copy； and they will scarcely assist me to compose。 Moreover the working printers say （several went away in disgust） that the paper on which they have to print is too thin to be wetted； and that to print on dry requires a two…fold exertion of strength； and that they will not do such work for double wages； for it ruptures them。' Would that have been a welcome communication to the Committee？ Would that have been a communication suited to the public？ I was resolved 'to do or die；' and； instead of distressing and perplexing the Committee with complaints； to write nothing until I could write something perfectly satisfactory； as I now can； and to bring about that result I have spared neither myself nor my own money。 I have toiled in a close printing…office the whole day； during 90 degrees of heat； for the purpose of setting an example； and have bribed people to work whom nothing but bribes would induce so to do。
I am obliged to say all this in self…justification。 No member of the Bible Society would ever have heard a syllable respecting what I have undergone but for the question； 'What has Mr。 Borrow been about？' I hope and trust that question is now answered to the satisfaction of those who do Mr。 Borrow the honour to employ him。 In respect to the expense attending the editing of such a work as the New Testament in Mandchou； I beg leave to observe that I have obtained the paper； the principal source of expense； at fifteen roubles per ream less than the Society paid formerly for it … that is to say； at nearly half the price。
As St。 Matthew's Gospel has been ready for some weeks； it is high time that it should be bound； for if that process be delayed； the paper with be dirtied and the work injured。 I am sorry to inform you that book…binding in Russia is incredibly dear； and that the expenses attending the binding of the Testament would amount； were the usual course pursued； to two…thirds of the entire expenses of the work。 Various book…binders to whom I have applied have demanded one rouble and a half for the binding of every section of the work； so that the sum required for the binding of one Testament alone would be twelve roubles。 Dr。 Schmidt assured me that one rouble and forty copecks； or； according to the English currency； fourteenpence halfpenny； were formerly paid for the binding of every individual copy of St。 Matthew's Gospel。 I pray you； my dear Sir； to cause the books to be referred to； for I wish to know if that statement be correct。 In the meantime arrangements have been made； and the Society will have to pay for each volume of the Testament the comparatively small sum of forty…five copecks； or fourpence halfpenny； whereas the usual price here for the most paltry covering of the most paltry pamphlet is fivepence。 Should it be demanded how I have been able to effect this； my reply is that I have had little hand in the matter。 A nobleman； who honours me with particular friendship； and who is one of the most illustrious ornaments of Russia and of Europe； has； at my request； prevailed on his own book…binder； over whom he has much influence； to do the work on these terms。 That nobleman is Baron Schilling。
Commend me to our most respected Committee。 Assure them that in whatever I have done or left undone； I have been influenced by a desire to promote the glory of the Trinity and to give my employers ultimate and permanent satisfaction。 If I have erred； it has been from a defect of judgment； and I ask pardon of God and them。
In the course of a week I shall write again； and give a further account of my proceedings； for I have not communicated one…tenth of what I have to impart； but I can write no more now。 It is two hours past midnight。 The post goes away to…morrow； and against that morrow I have to examine and correct three sheets of St。 Mark's Gospel； which lie beneath the paper on which I am writing。 With my best regards to Mr。 Brandram； I remain； dear Sir； most truly yours；
G。 BORROW。
P。S。 … I wrote to Mr。 Jackson and Mr。 Tarn last week。
LETTER： 13th October； 1834
To the Rev。 J。 Jowett （ENDORSED： recd。 Nov。 14； 1834） ST。 PETERSBURG； OCT。 13TH （old style） 1834。
REVEREND AND DEAR SIR； … In pursuance of the promise given in my epistle of last week； which I trust in the Lord you have received； I again address you。 In the first place I must intreat you to peruse and to read to the Committee the enclosed Latin certificate penned by Mr。 Lipoftsoff； a gentleman as little inclined to be prodigal of praise； as was of old the learned Scaliger himself； to whom in many points indeed； he bears no faint resemblance。 In the second place； I must inform you that a few hurried lines are all that I can afford to write at present； my proof sheets are rushing in so fast that time is exceedingly precious to me； and I grudge every moment that is not devoted to my Maker or to my great undertaking。
Before this letter reaches you St。 Mark's Gospel will have passed through the press。 The two remaining Gospels will be printed before the arrival of Christmas； and by the first of May the entire New Testament； in the Mandchou language； will have been published。 I wish this intelligence to be communicated to the public； who are at liberty； provided the Lord does not visit me with some heavy affliction； to hold me culpable； if my assertion is belied by the event。
It is true that were I to pursue the common practice of editors； it would be impossible to complete the work in less than two years； the quantity of proofs； successively required for every sheet； fail not； in general； to retard the progress of all such undertakings。 My beloved friend Mr。 Swan published in this city a small tract in Mongolian； he found that it was absolutely necessary to demand six proofs of every sheet； for in the second； nay the third proof； there were frequently as many errors as in the first； from the compositors not being able properly to read the corrections。 But I never entrust the task of making alterations in the press to other hands than my own。 Having corrected the first proof at home； I proceed to the printing office and rectify all errors myself。 I consequently never require more than two proofs； the second； which I generally show to Mr。 Lipoftsoff； is frequently faultless。 I am so perfectly convinced of the excellence of this plan； that it is my firm intention to pursue it in whatever foreign； or even English works； it may be my destiny to edit。
I wish now to say a few words upon a subject； on which I have previously said something。 At the present moment my principal inducement to such a step is the observation every now and then made to me； both by Christians and no Christians； namely： 'You are printing Testaments for which you will never find readers。 Do not tell us that you can distribute them at Canton and its environs； or on the coasts of China； there are not ten individuals amongst a million of the aboriginal Chinese； and such constitute the inhabitants of Canton； of the coasts and of the isles； who understand the language in which your Testaments are printed。 If you wish for readers you must seek them amongst the masters of Pekin and the fierce hordes of desert Tartary； but what means do you possess for introducing them to Tartary or Pekin？' I stated in a former letter that the town of Kiachta； upon the northern frontier of China； appeared to me to be in many respects a suitable head…quarters for any person on whom might devolve the task of endeavouring to supply the Mandchou Tartars with the word of life in their own language。 I am still of opinion； and so are many individuals much more experienced than myself； that if a passport could be obtained from the Russian Government； the Bible Society would do well in despatching an agent to Kiachta； to see what might be done at； or rather from； that place in the great cause。 Kiachta is little more than 800 miles from Pekin； and not
