友情提示:如果本网页打开太慢或显示不完整,请尝试鼠标右键“刷新”本网页!阅读过程发现任何错误请告诉我们,谢谢!! 报告错误
飞读中文网 返回本书目录 我的书架 我的书签 TXT全本下载 进入书吧 加入书签

letters-第7章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页,按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页,按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部!
————未阅读完?加入书签已便下次继续阅读!



ise for certain  slips of the pen in the Report which I transmitted; for it left me  without having been corrected; Baron Schilling having called upon  me just as I sat down to the task; and when he had departed; I had  barely time to seal it and despatch it by that week's post。  There  was in it; I believe; nothing of much importance which required  alteration; but; if I mistake not; I had written; in the third  side; vibebam; instead of VIVEREM; and unaparelled; or some such  word; instead of UNPARALLELED; in the fourth。  Now to the point。

What is to be done with the transcript of Puerot's translation of  the Acts of the Apostles; which I made; and which is now in my  possession?  The translation is in every respect an admirable one;  clear; faithful; and elegant。  It would not do to print it in lieu  of Mr。 Lipoftsoff's translation of that part of the New Testament;  because the styles of the two individuals are so different; that to  mix up the writings of the one with those of the other would only  serve to disfigure the work; and Mr。 Lipoftsoff's translation is  well worthy of being printed separately and entire; but I conceive  that we possess a treasure in Puerot's writings; and that it would  be a great pity to hide any portion of them from the world。  Pray  communicate this hint to the Committee; and pardon me for troubling  you。

I remain; Rev。 and dear Sir; most sincerely yours;

G。 BORROW。



LETTER: 15th April; 1834



To the Rev。 J。 Jowett (ENDORSED: recd; May 16th; 1834) GALERNOY ULITZA; ST。 PETERSBURG; 15TH APRIL (old style) 1834。

REVD。 AND DEAR SIR; … Upon the receipt of your letter of the '21st'  ult。 'date omitted'; I lost no time in endeavouring to obtain the  necessary information upon the points to which you directed my  attention; and I have some hope that what I am about to communicate  will not be altogether unsatisfactory; but I must first of all  state that it was not acquired in a day; and that I have been  obliged to go to many people and many places; which will account  for my not having sooner returned an answer。

First; respecting the most important point; the expense of printing  the New Testament in Mandchou。  I was quite terrified at the  enormous sums which some of the printers to whom I made application  required for the work。  At length our friend Dr。 Schmidt  recommended me to the University Press; and I having spoken to the  directors of the establishment; they sent me in the course of a  week an estimate which neither Dr。 Schmidt nor myself considered to  be unreasonable; and of this estimate I here subjoin a translation:


To Mr。 Borrow。

'After much consultation with the compositor; I have come to the  following result concerning the Mandchou business about which you  consulted me。  If the work be printed on as thin paper as that of  the original; it can only be printed on one side。  Now supposing  that the size is to be folio like that of the original; two sides  will make a sheet; and the price of composition will be 26 roubles;  20 copecks … that is to say; 12R。 to the compositor; wages 2R。  50c。; percentage to the printing office 11R。 60c。; making 26R。 20c。   The printing of 1000 on one side 2R。 50c。; percentage 2R。; making  4R。 50c。  Thus for composition and printing 30R。 60c。 for 1000; for  2000; 35R。 10c。; for 3000; 39R。 60c。 …

Your very obedient servant; KORLER。'


In the meantime I had become acquainted with two German printers;  Schultz and Beneze; who being young men and just entered into  business are very eager to obtain the printing of a work of such  importance; which they hope will serve to bring them into notice;  as well as being advantageous to them in a pecuniary view。  The  difference; as to the expense of printing; in the estimate made by  these gentlemen and that of the University Press; will doubtless as  much surprise you; as it did me。  Here it follows:


'In respect to the printing of the New Testament in the Manchou  language; the undersigned oblige themselves to undertake the  printing of the said work。  In the first place; as the Bible  Society; and in particular their agent Mr。 Borrow; think fit to  furnish the printers with the necessary types and paper; the  undersigned offer to supply the sheet consisting of four pages with  composition; clean and black printing; at the rate of 25 roubles;  paper currency; for a thousand copies; for two thousand copies;  five additional roubles assignats; so that the same sheet; only by  a greater edition; amounts to 30 roubles assignats; thirdly; for  3000 copies in the above proportion; 35 roubles。  Fourthly; we  promise during the interval of a certain period to supply at the  rate of three sheets per week。

SCHULTZ & BENEZE。'


You will perceive that the amount of this estimate is less; by more  than one…half; than the amount of the other。  Schultz and Beneze's  sheet consists of four sides; and they charge less for it than the  printers of the University charge for theirs which consists only of  two。  I should therefore think that upon this ground they are  entitled to the preference; were there nothing else to recommend  them; which; in my humble opinion; there is; for being young  beginners; and not having very much to do; they are more likely to  push the work forward; than a firm overwhelmed with business; from  whom; whatever might be promised; a sheet per week is the utmost to  be expected; by which much valuable time must be lost。  Dr。 Schmidt  is acquainted with Messrs。 S。 & B。; and highly approves of their  being employed。

Secondly; concerning paper; with which the printer has no concern。   I can as yet say little for certain upon this matter; which has  been the occasion of no little trouble and expense; for I have been  obliged to take no less than three journeys to Peterhof; a town  about 30 VERSTS distant; where stands the paper rnanufactory; for  there is no such paper as we want in the Russian capital。  In this  manufactory they have about 50 STOPES or reams (we should require  ten times that quantity for only 1000 copies) of the very paper; I  believe; on which the Mandchou Gospel of St。 Matthew was printed;  and some of the workmen said that they could make as much more as  should be required。  Concerning the price of this paper; I could  obtain no positive information; for the director and first and  second clerks were invariably absent; and the place abandoned to  ignorant understrappers (according to the custom of Russia)。  And  notwithstanding I found out the director in Petersburg; he himself  could not tell me the price; but informed me that he would inquire;  and speedily send me word; but as I have as yet heard nothing from  him; I write lest it should be supposed in England that I am  sleeping on my station。  I SHALL WRITE AGAIN IN A FEW DAYS ON THIS  POINT; IN THE MEAN TIME YOU WOULD OBLIGE ME BY CAUSING THE ACCOUNTS  OF DR。 PINKERTON'S EXPENSES TO BE REFERRED TO; for the purpose of  ascertaining how much he paid per ream for this kind of paper。  I  believe it to be extravagantly dear; at least five times dearer  than good common paper; which can be procured for fifteen roubles  per ream; and if that be the case; common paper must be used and  the 
返回目录 上一页 下一页 回到顶部 0 0
未阅读完?加入书签已便下次继续阅读!
温馨提示: 温看小说的同时发表评论,说出自己的看法和其它小伙伴们分享也不错哦!发表书评还可以获得积分和经验奖励,认真写原创书评 被采纳为精评可以获得大量金币、积分和经验奖励哦!