Life and works of Alexander Csoma de Körös : $b A biography compiled chiefly from hitherto unpublished dataDuka, Tivadar
History
Life and works of Alexander Csoma de Körös : $b A biography compiled chiefly from hitherto unpublished data
Duka, Tivadar
Kőrösi Csoma, Sándor, 1784-1842
This was not an encouraging position for a zealous investigator, and
though he could not blame himself in being unable to fulfil engagements
which he so earnestly strove to accomplish, he felt, nevertheless, that
he could make no further claim for support from Government, and
therefore declined asking for it. He was most desirous, however, to
make over to the authorities his literary collections and the grammar,
which he had already completed, as a slight acknowledgment for the
generous help he received at “His Lordship’s and other private English
gentlemen’s hands.”
The correspondence which passed between the parties concerned, does
credit to all, as indeed does almost every letter which this memoir
contains, bearing testimony to the liberality of Government on the one
hand, or to the merits and deep gratitude of its object on the other.
On the 3d of April, that is, two months and a half after his last
letter, Captain Kennedy wrote to inquire of Dr. Wilson the result of
his communication as to the fate of the Tibetan scholar, his protégé,
and says:—
“Csoma is very anxious to hear from you. I have just introduced him to
Lord Amherst. He proposes to remain here and compile his grammar and
dictionary until next October. I rather suspect that Mr. Csoma’s
finances are at a low ebb, and how we shall be able to approach the
Government for a further grant to him I am not very certain. Perhaps a
letter from the Asiatic Society would be the most proper channel to
solicit a further sanction of a few hundred rupees for him.”
It is evident that a good deal of correspondence had passed between the
Government officers, the Asiatic Society, and Dr. Gerard, as to what
steps should be taken with respect to the further prosecution of
Csoma’s labours; doubtless the question was seriously discussed as to
the advisability of remaining content with what had been already
attained, before sanctioning further expenditure of money, which a
third journey into Tibet must necessarily entail upon the public
treasury.
We find that his friend Dr. Gerard wrote to Csoma asking for copies of
reports he had already furnished to Government. With reference to
these, Csoma wrote to Captain Kennedy on the 5th of May 1827, as
follows:—
1. “Dr. Gerard desired to obtain from me a copy of my former
letters and communications to you, for the purpose of showing them
to Mr. Mackenzie. I am a very bad writer; I could not copy them in
a more proper manner. I thought it my duty to send them direct into
your hands. If it may be your pleasure, I beg you to permit Dr.
Gerard to show them.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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