Letters of George Borrow | Page 8

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)