Letters of George Borrow to the British and Foreign Bible SocietyBorrow, George
Religion
Letters of George Borrow to the British and Foreign Bible Society
Borrow, George
Authors, English -- 19th century -- Correspondence; British and Foreign Bible Society; English letters
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.
To the Rev. J. Jowett
(_Endorsed_: recd. Nov. 14, 1834)
ST. PETERSBURG, _Oct._ 13_th_ (old style) 1834.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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