A few months since I saw Mr.Glen,the missionary from Astracan,as he passed through St.Petersburg on his return to England.He is a very learned man,but of very simple and unassuming manners.The doom which had been pronounced upon his translation seems to have deeply affected him;but he appears to me to labour under a very great error respecting the motives which induced the Editorial Committee to reject his work,or at least to hesitate upon publishing it.He assured me that all that was urged against it was the use,here and there,of Arabic words,which in a language like the Persian,which on an original foundation exhibits a superstructure nearly one moiety of which is Arabic,is unavoidable.As I was totally unacquainted with the facts of the case,I said nothing upon the subject;but I now suspect,from a few words dropped in your letter,that the objection is founded not on the use of Arabic words,but on attempts at IMPROVING or ADORNING the simplicity of the Bible.However this may be,there can be no doubt that Mr.Glen is a Persian scholar of the first water.Mirza Achmed,a Persian gentleman now living at St.
Petersburg,who resided some time at Astracan,informed me that he had seen the translation,and that the language was highly elegant;but whether or not the translation was faithful,and such as a translation of the sacred volume ought to be,he of course was entirely ignorant;he could merely speak as to the excellence of the Persian.Mirza Djaffar also,the Persian professor here,spoke much to the same effect.
Mr.Stallybrass,the Siberian missionary,is at present here on his way to England,whither he is conducting his two sons,for the purpose of placing them in some establishment,where they may receive a better education than it is possible for him to give them in Siberia.I have seen him several times,and have heard him preach once at the Sarepta House.He is a clever,well-informed man,and in countenance and manner much like Mr.Swan -which similarity may perhaps be accounted for by their long residence under the same roof;for people who are in the habit of conversing together every day insensibly assume each other's habits,manner of speaking,and expression of countenance.Mr.Stallybrass's youngest son,a lad of fifteen,shows marks of talent which may make him useful in the missionary field for which he is intended.
The most surprising instance of precocious talent that I have ever seen,or ever heard of,is exhibited in a young nobleman,who visits me every day.He is the eldest son of Count Fredro,Marshal of the Imperial Court,and though only fourteen years of age,speaks eight languages perfectly well,is a good Grecian and Latinist,is one of the best draftsmen in Russia,is well acquainted with physics,botany,geography,and history,and to crown all,has probably the most beautiful voice that ever mortal was gifted with.A admirable CHRISHNA again by metempsychosis;the religion of the family,with whom I am very intimate,is the Romish.I now and then attend the service of the Armenian Church,for the purpose of perfecting myself in the language,and have formed many acquaintances amongst the congregation:there are several very clever and very learned Armenians in this place;one of them I will particularly mention,a little elderly gentleman of the name of Kudobashoff,who is the best Armenian scholar at present in existence.He is on the eve of publishing a work,calculated to be very interesting to us:an Armenian and Russian Dictionary,on which he has been occupied for the space of thirty-seven years,and which will be of the highest assistance to any future editor of the Armenian Scriptures;and be it known,that no place in Europe,with perhaps the exception of Venice,offers more advantages to the editing of the A.S.than St.Petersburg.
I will now conclude,and repeat the assurance that I am ready to attempt anything which the Society may wish me to execute;and,at a moment's warning,will direct my course towards Canton,Pekin,or the court of the Grand Lama.With my best respects to Mr.
Brandram,I have the honour to remain,Revd.and dear Sir,most truly yours,G.BORROW.
