have been an interesting man of letters had he not written
his four great books. Single-minded devotion to the less commercially
remunerative languages has now become respectable and even estimable.
Students of the Scandinavian languages, and of the Celtic, abound in our
midst. Borrow was a forerunner with Bowring of much of this 'useless'
learning. Borrow came to consider Bowring's apparent neglect of him to
be unforgivable. But that time had not arrived, when in 1842 he wrote to
him as follows:

To Dr. John Bowring

OULTON, LOWESTOFT, SUFFOLK, _July 14th, 1842._

DEAR DEAR SIR,--Pray excuse my troubling you with a line. I
wish you would send as many of the papers and manuscripts,
which I left at yours some twelve years ago, as you can find.
Amongst others there is an essay on Welsh poetry, a translation
of the _Death of Balder_, etc. If I am spared to the beginning
of next year, I intend to bring out a volume called _Songs of
Denmark_, consisting of some selections from the _Kaempe Viser_
and specimens from Ewald, Grundtvig, Oehlenschlaeger, and I
suppose I must give a few notices of those people. Have you any
history of Danish literature from which I could glean a few
hints. I think you have a book in two volumes containing
specimens of Danish poetry. It would be useful to me as I want
to translate Ingemann's _Dannebrog_; and one or two other
pieces. I shall preface all with an essay on the Danish
language. It is possible that a book of this description may
take, as Denmark is quite an untrodden field.

Could you lend me for a short time a Polish and French or
Polish and German dictionary. I am going carefully through
Makiewitz, about whom I intend to write an _article_.

_The Bible in Spain_ is in the press, and with God's permission
will appear about November in three volumes. I shall tell
Murray to send a copy to my oldest, I may say my _only_ friend.
Pray let me know how you are getting on. I every now and then
see your name in the _Examiner_, the only paper I read. Should
you send the papers and the books it must be by the Yarmouth
coach which starts from Fetter Lane. Address: George Borrow,
Crown Inn, Lowestoft, Suffolk. With kindest remembrances to
Mrs. Bowring, Miss Bowring, and family--I remain, Dear Sir,
ever yours,

GEORG