hich differs
considerably from that of _Pekhan_ (the desert), being far more soft and
melodious. During the interval which will elapse between my writing to
you and hearing from you, I shall borrow from Baron Schilling the
Mandchou Old Testament and reperuse the notes in order to be able to give
a suitable opinion as to their value. My present opinion of them is no
mean one. In answer to your query _respecting the transcript of the Old
Testament_, I beg leave to inform you that it is in the hands of a Mr.
Merrilies, an English merchant, to whom Mr. Swan entrusted it. I believe
he starts for England by the first steam-boat.

I have the honour to remain, Revd. and dear Sir, sincerely yours,

GEORGE BORROW.

P.S.--Since my last letter I have been laid up for some time with a
nervous fever, but thank God I am quite recovered. My best respects to
Mr. Brandram. Pray excuse the haste in which this letter is written, it
will be barely in time for the post.

To the Rev. J. Jowett

(_Endorsed_: recd. May 26th, 1834)
ST. PETERSBURG, April 28 (old style) 1834.

REVD. AND DEAR SIR,--Being at length able to communicate some positive
information respecting the price of the paper, which we are in need of, I
lose no time in doing so. The day after I despatched my last epistle,
which I hope you have received, I was favoured with a communication from
the director of the Peterhof Fabrik or Manufactory, a gentleman who
amongst other titles bears that of Councillor of State. He was kind
enough to say that I should have the 50 reams of paper which remained,
and which I before alluded to, at 75 roubles per ream; but that if any
more were necessary, one hundred roubles per ream would be required, and
not any reduction would be made. You may easily guess that I was
somewhat startled at this piece of information, for upon making a
calculation I found that one ream of paper would be little more than
sufficient for two copies of the entire Mandchou New Testament. There
are 480 sheets in a Russian ream, and I suppose that our book will
consist of seven parts, each containing about the same number of sheets
as the printed Mandchou Gospel of St. Matthew. Now that Gospel contains
31 sheets, and 31 multiplied by 7 amounts to 211 [_sic_], which
multiplied by 2 makes 422 sheets, leaving only a surplus