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Books: The Life of George Borrow

H >> Herbert Jenkins >> The Life of George Borrow




In 1826 John had gone to Mexico, then looked upon as a land of
promise for young Englishmen, who might expect to find fortunes in
its silver mines. Allday, brother of Roger Kerrison, was there, and
John Borrow determined to join him. Obtaining a year's leave of
absence from his colonel, together with permission to apply for an
extension, he entered the service of the Real del Monte Company,
receiving a salary of three hundred pounds a year. He arranged that
his mother should have his half-pay, and it was in connection with
this that George entered upon a correspondence with the Army Pay
Office that was to extend over a period of fifteen months.

Originally John had arranged for the amounts to be remitted to
Mexico, and he sent them back again to his mother. This involved
heavy losses in connection with the bills of exchange, and wishing to
avoid this tax, John sent to his brother an official copy of a
Mexican Power of Attorney, which George strove to persuade the Army
Pay Office was the original.

Tact was unfortunately not one of George Borrow's acquirements at
this period, and in this correspondence he adopted an attitude that
must have seriously prejudiced his case. "I am a solicitor myself,
Sir," he states, and proceeds to threaten to bring the matter before
Parliament. He writes to the Solicitor of the Treasury "as a member
of the same honourable profession to which I was myself bred up," and
demands whether he has not law, etc., on his side. The outcome of
the correspondence was that the disembodied allowance was refused on
the plea "that Lieutenant Borrow having been absent without Leave
from the Training of the West Norfolk Militia has, under the
provisions of the 12th Section of the Militia Pay and Clothing Act,
forfeited his Allowance." In consequence, payment was made only for
the amount due from 25th June 1829 to 24th December 1830. The whole
tone of Borrow's letters was unfortunate for the cause he pleaded.
He wrote to the Secretary of State for War as he might have written
to the little Welsh bookseller with "the small heart." He was
indignant at what he conceived to be an injustice, and was unable to
dissemble his anger.

George had thought of joining his brother, but had not received any
very marked encouragement to do so. John despised Mexican methods.
On one occasion he writes apropos of George's suggestion of the army,
"If you can raise the pewter, come out here rather than that, and
ROB." One sage thing at least John is to be credited with, when he
wrote to his brother, "Do not enter the army; it is a bad spec." It
would have been for George Borrow.

Among the papers left at Borrow's death was a fragment of a political
article in dispraise of the Radicals. The editorial "We" suggests
that Borrow might possibly have been engaged in political journalism.
The statement made by him that he "frequently spoke up for
Wellington" {90a} may or may not have had reference to contributions
to the press. The fragment itself proves nothing. Many would-be
journalists write "leaders" that never see the case-room.

It is useless to speculate further regarding the period that Borrow
himself elected to veil from the eyes, not only of his
contemporaries, but those of another generation. Men who have
overcome adverse conditions and achieved fame are not as a rule
averse from publishing, or at least allowing to be known, the
difficulties that they had to contend with. Borrow was in no sense
of the word an ordinary man. He unquestionably suffered acutely
during the years of failure, when it seemed likely that his life was
to be wasted, barren of anything else save the acquirement of a score
or more languages; keys that could open literary storehouses that
nobody wanted to explore, to the very existence of which, in fact,
the public was frigidly indifferent.

"Poor George . . . I wish he was making money . . . He works hard
and remains poor," is the comment of his brother John, written in the
autumn of 1830. To no small degree Borrow was responsible for his
own failure, or perhaps it would be more just to say that he had been
denied many of the attributes that make for success. His
independence was aggressive, and it offended people. Even with the
Welsh Preacher and his wife he refused to unbend.

"'What a disposition!'" Winifred had exclaimed, holding up her hands;
"'and this is pride, genuine pride--that feeling which the world
agrees to call so noble. Oh, how mean a thing is pride! never before
did I see all the meanness of what is called pride!'" {91a}

This pride, magnificent as the loneliness of kings, and about as
unproductive of a sympathetic view of life, always constituted a
barrier in the way of Borrow's success. There were innumerable other
obstacles: his choice of friends, his fierce denunciatory hatred of
gentility, together with humbug, which he always seemed to confuse
with it, the attacks of the "Horrors," his grave bearing, which no
laugh ever disturbed, and, above all, his uncompromising hostility to
the things that the world chose to consider excellent. The world in
return could make nothing of a man who was a mass of moods and
sensibilities, strange tastes and pursuits. It is not remarkable
that he should fail to make the stir that he had hoped to make.

With the unerring instinct of a hypersensitive nature, he knew his
merit, his honesty, his capacity--knew that he possessed one thing
that eventually commands success, which "through life has ever been
of incalculable utility to me, and has not unfrequently supplied the
place of friends, money, and many other things of almost equal
importance--iron perseverance, without which all the advantages of
time and circumstance are of very little avail in any undertaking."
{91b} It was this dogged determination that was to carry him through
the most critical period of his life, enable him to earn the approval
of those in whose interests he worked, and eventually achieve fame
and an unassailable place in English literature.



CHAPTER VI: JANUARY-JULY 1833



It is not a little curious that no one should have thought of putting
Borrow's undoubted gifts as a linguist to some practical use. He
himself had frequently cast his eyes in the direction of a political
appointment abroad. It remained, however, for the Rev. Francis
Cunningham, {92a} vicar of Lowestoft, in Suffolk, to see in this
young man against whom the curse of Babel was inoperative, a sword
that, in the hands of the British and Foreign Bible Society, might be
wielded with considerable effect against the heathen.

Borrow appears to have become acquainted with the Rev. Francis
Cunningham through the Skeppers of Oulton Hall, near Lowestoft, of
whom it is necessary to give some account. Edmund Skepper had
married Anne Breame of Beetley, who, on the death of her father, came
into 9000 pounds. She and her husband purchased the Oulton Hall
estate, upon which Anne Skepper seems to have been given a five per
cent. mortgage. There were two children of the marriage, Breame
(born 1794) and Mary (born 1796). The boy inherited the estate, and
the girl the mortgage, worth about 450 pounds per annum. Mary
married Henry Clarke, a lieutenant in the Navy (26th July 1817), who
within eight months died of consumption. Two months later Mrs Clarke
gave birth to a daughter, who was christened Henrietta Mary. Mrs
Clarke became acquainted with the Cunninghams while they were at
Pakefield, and there is every reason to believe that she was
instrumental in introducing Borrow to Cunningham. It is most
probable that they met during Borrow's visit at Oulton Hall in
November 1832.

The Rev. Francis Cunningham appears to have been impressed by
Borrow's talent for languages, and fully alive to his value to an
institution such as the Bible Society, of which he, Cunningham, was
an active member. He accordingly addressed {93a} to the secretary,
the Rev. Andrew Brandram, the following letter:


LOWESTOFT VICARAGE,
27th Dec. 1832.

MY DEAR FRIEND, -

A young farmer in this neighbourhood has introduced me to-day to a
person of whom I have long heard, who appears to me to promise so
much that I am induced to offer him to you as a successor of Platt
and Greenfield. {93b} He is a person without University education,
but who has read the Bible in thirteen languages. He is independent
in circumstances, of no very defined denomination of Christians, but
I think of certain Christian principle. I shall make more enquiry
about him and see him again. Next week I propose to meet him in
London, and I could wish that you should see him, and, if you please,
take him under your charge for a few days. He is of the middle order
in Society, and a very produceable person.

I intend to be in town on Tuesday morning to go to the Socy. P. C. K.
On Wednesday is Dr Wilson's meeting at Islington. He may be in town
on Monday evening, and will attend to any appointment.

Will you write me word by return of post, and believe me ever

Most truly and affectionately yours,

F. CUNNINGHAM.


The recommendation was well-timed, for the Bible Society at that
particular moment required such a man as Borrow for a Manchu-Tartar
project it had in view. In 1821 the Bible Society had commissioned
Stepan Vasilievitch Lipovzoff, {94a} of St Petersburg, to translate
the New Testament into Manchu, the court and diplomatic language of
China. A year later, an edition of 550 copies of the First Gospel
was printed from type specially cast for the undertaking. A hundred
copies were despatched to headquarters in London, and the remainder,
together with the type, placed with the Society's bankers at St
Petersburg, {94b} until the time should arrive for the distribution
of the books.

Three years after (1824), the overflowing Neva flooded the cellars in
which the books were stored, causing their irretrievable ruin, and
doing serious damage to the type. This misfortune appeared
temporarily to discourage the authorities at home, although Mr
Lipovzoff was permitted to proceed with the work of translation,
which he completed in two years from the date of the inundation.

In 1832 the Rev. Wm. Swann, of the London Missionary Society,
discovered in the famous library of Baron Schilling de Canstadt at St
Petersburg the manuscript of a Manchu translation of "the principal
part of the Old Testament," and two books of the New. The discovery
was considered to be so important that Mr Swann decided to delay his
departure for his post in Siberia and make a transcription, which he
did. The Manchu translation was the work of Father Puerot,
"originally a Jesuit emissary at Pekin [who] passed the latter years
of his life in the service of the Russian Mission in the capacity of
physician." {95a}

The immediate outcome of Mr Cunningham's letter was an interview
between Borrow and the Bible Society's officials. With
characteristic energy and determination, Borrow trudged up to London,
covering the 112 miles on foot in 27.5 hours. His expenses by the
way amounted to fivepence-halfpenny for the purchase of a roll, two
apples, a pint of ale and a glass of milk. On reaching London he
proceeded direct to the Bible Society's offices in Earl Street, in
spite of the early hour, and there awaited the arrival of the Rev.
Andrew Brandram (Secretary), and the Rev. Joseph Jowett (Literary
Superintendent).

The story of Borrow's arrival at Earl Street was subsequently told,
by one of the secretaries at a provincial meeting in connection with
the Bible Society. The Rev. Wentworth Webster writes:


"I was little more than a boy when I first heard George Borrow spoken
of at the annual dinner given by a connection of my family to the
deputation of the British and Foreign Bible Society in a country town
near London . . . I can distinctly recall one of the secretaries
telling of his first meeting with Borrow, whom he found waiting at
the offices of the Society one morning;--how puzzled he was by his
appearance; how, after he had read his letter of introduction, he
wished to while away the time until a brother secretary should
arrive, and did not want to say anything to commit himself to such a
strange applicant; so he began by politely hoping that Borrow had
slept well. 'I am not aware that I fell asleep on the road,' was the
reply; I have walked from Norwich to London.'" {96a}


It would appear that this conference took place on Friday, 4th
January; for on that day there is an entry in the records of the
Society of the loan to George Borrow of several books from the
Society's library. On this and subsequent occasions, Borrow was
examined as to his capabilities, the result appearing to be quite
satisfactory. To judge from the books lent to Borrow, one of the
subjects would seem to have been Arabic.

Borrow appeared before the Committee on 14th January, with the result
that they seemed to be "quite satisfied with me and my philological
capabilities," which they judged of from the report given by the
Secretary and his colleague. A more material sign of approval was
found in the undertaking to defray "the expenses of my journey to and
from London, and also of my residence in that city, in the most
handsome manner." {96b} That is to say, the Committee voted him the
sum of ten pounds.

Borrow had been formally asked if he were prepared to learn Manchu
sufficiently well to edit, or translate, into that language such
portions of the Scriptures as the Society might decide to issue,
provided means of acquiring the language were put within his reach,
and employment should follow as soon as he showed himself proficient.
To this Borrow had willingly agreed. At this period, the idea
appears to have been to execute the work in London.

Shortly after appearing before the Committee Borrow returned to
Norwich, this time by coach, with several books in the Manchu-Tartar
dialect, including the Gospel of St Matthew and Amyot's Manchu-French
Dictionary. His instructions were to learn the language and come up
for examination in six months' time. Possibly the time limit was
suggested by Borrow himself, for he had said that he believed he
could master any tongue in a few months.

After two or three weeks of incessant study of a language that Amyot
says "one may acquire in five or six years," Borrow, who, it should
be remembered, possessed no grammar of the tongue, wrote to Mr
Jowett:


"It is, then, your opinion that, from the lack of anything in the
form of Grammar, I have scarcely made any progress towards the
attainment of Manchu: {97a} perhaps you will not be perfectly
miserable at being informed that you were never more mistaken in your
life. I can already, with the assistance of Amyot, translate Manchu
with no great difficulty, and am perfectly qualified to write a
critique on the version of St Matthew's Gospel, which I brought with
me into the country . . . I will now conclude by beseeching you to
send me, as soon as possible, WHATEVER CAN SERVE TO ENLIGHTEN ME IN
RESPECT TO MANCHU GRAMMAR, for, had I a Grammar, I should in a
month's time be able to send a Manchu translation of Jonah."


The racy style of Borrow's letters must have been something of a
revelation to the Bible Society's officers, who seem to have shown
great tact and consideration in dealing with their self-confident
correspondent There is something magnificent in the letters that
Borrow wrote about this period; their directness and virility, their
courage and determination suggest, not a man who up to the thirtieth
year of his age has been a conspicuous failure, as the world gauges
failure; but one who had grown confident through many victories and
is merely proceeding from one success to another.

Whilst in London, Borrow had discussed with Mr Brandram "the Gypsies
and the profound darkness as to religion and morality that envolved
them." {98a} The Secretary told him of the Southampton Committee for
the Amelioration of the Condition of the Gypsies that had recently
been formed by the Rev. James Crabbe for the express purpose of
enlightening and spreading the Gospel among the Romanys.
Furthermore, Mr Brandram, on hearing of Borrow's interest in, and
knowledge of, the gypsies, had requested him immediately on his
return to Norwich to draw up a vocabulary of Mr Petulengro's
language, during such time as he might have free from his other
studies. Borrow showed himself, as usual, prolific of suggestions,
all of which involved him in additional labour. He enquired through
Mr Jowett if Mr Brandram would write about him to the Southampton
Committee. He wished to translate into the gypsy tongue the Gospel
of St John, "which I could easily do," he tells Mr Jowett, "with the
assistance of one or two of the old people, but then they must be
paid, for the gypsies are more mercenary than the Jews."

He also informed Mr Jowett that he had a brother in Mexico,
subsequently assuring him that he had no doubt of John's willingness
to assist the Society in "flinging the rays of scriptural light o'er
that most benighted and miserable region." He sent to his brother,
at Mr Jowett's request, first a sheet, and afterwards a complete
copy, of the Gospel of St Luke translated into Nahuatl, the
prevailing dialect of the Mexican Indians, by Mariano Paz y Sanchez.
{99a}

In addition to learning Manchu, Borrow is credited with correcting
and passing for press the Nahuatl version of St. Luke. {99b} The
Bible Society's records, however, point to the fact that this work
was carried through by John Hattersley, who later was to come up with
Borrow for examination in Manchu. In the light of this, the
following passage from one of John's letters is puzzling in the
extreme:- "I have just received your letter of the 16th of February,
together with your translation of St Luke. I am glad you have got
the job, but I must say that the Bible Society are just throwing away
their time."

He goes on to explain how many dialects there are in Mexico. "The
job" can only refer to the Mexican translation, as, at that period,
Borrow was merely studying Manchu. He had received no appointment
from the Society. It may have happened that Borrow expressed a wish
to look through the proofs and that a set was sent to him for this
purpose; but there seems no doubt that the actual official
responsibility for the work rested with Hattersley. A very important
point in support of this view is that there is no record of Borrow
being paid anything in connection with this Mexican translation,
beyond the amount of fifteen shillings and fivepence, which he had
expended in postage on the advance sheet and complete copy sent to
John. To judge from the subsequent financial arrangements between
the Society and its agent, it is very improbable that he was given
work to do without payment.

After seven weeks' study Borrow wrote again to Mr Jowett:


"I am advancing at full gallop, and . . . able to translate with
pleasure and facility the specimens of the best authors who have
written in the language contained in the compilation of the Klaproth.
But I confess that the want of a Grammar has been, particularly in
the beginning of my course, a great clog to my speed, and I have
little doubt that had I been furnished with one I should have
attained my present knowledge of Manchu in half the time. I was
determined, however, not to be discouraged, and, not having a hatchet
at hand to cut down the tree with, to attack it with my knife; and I
would advise every one to make the most of the tools which happen to
be in his possession until he can procure better ones, and it is not
improbable that by the time the good tools arrive he will find he has
not much need of them, having almost accomplished his work." {100a}


There is a hint of the difficulties he was experiencing in his
confession that tools would still be of service to him, in particular
"this same tripartite Grammar which Mr Brandram is hunting for, my
ideas respecting Manchu construction being still very vague and
wandering." {100b} There is also a request for "the original
grammatical work of Amyot, printed in the Memoires." {100c}

Borrow had been studying Manchu for seven weeks when, feeling that
his glowing report of the progress he was making might be regarded as
"a piece of exaggeration and vain boasting," he enclosed a specimen
translation from Manchu into English. This he accompanied with an
assurance that, if required, he could at that moment edit any book
printed in the Manchu dialect. About this period Mr Jowett and his
colleagues passed from one sensation to another. The calm confidence
of this astonishing man was more than justified by his performance.
His attitude towards life was strange to Earl Street.

Nineteen weeks from the date of commencing his study of Manchu,
Borrow wrote again to Mr Jowett with unmistakable triumph: "I have
mastered Manchu, and I should feel obliged by your informing the
Committee of the fact, and also my excellent friend Mr Brandram." He
proceeds to indicate some of the many difficulties with which he has
had to contend, the absolute difference of Manchu from all the other
languages that he has studied, with the single exception of Turkish;
the number of its idiomatic phrases, which must of necessity be
learnt off by heart; the little assistance he has had in the nature
of books. Finally he acknowledges "the assistance of God," and asks
"to be regularly employed, for though I am not in want, my affairs
are not in a very flourishing condition."

The response to this letter was an invitation to proceed to London to
undergo an examination. His competitor was John Hattersley, upon
whom, in the event of Borrow's failure, would in all probability have
devolved the duty of assisting Mr Lipovzoff. A Manchu hymn, a paean
to the great Futsa, was the test. Each candidate prepared a
translation, which was handed to the examiners, who in turn were to
report to the Sub-Committee. Borrow returned to Norwich to await the
result. This was most probably towards the end of June. {101a}

Mr Jowett wrote encouragingly to Borrow of his prospects of obtaining
the coveted appointment. In acknowledgment of this letter, Borrow
dashed off a reply, magnificent in its confidence and manly
sincerity. It was a defiance to the fate that had so long dogged his
footsteps.


"What you have written has given me great pleasure," he wrote, "as it
holds out hope that I may be employed usefully to the Deity, to man,
and myself. I shall be very happy to visit St Petersburg and to
become the coadjutor of Lipovzoff, {102a} and to avail myself of his
acquirements in what you very happily designate a most singular
language, towards obtaining a still greater proficiency in it. I
flatter myself that I am for one or two reasons tolerably well
adapted for the contemplated expedition, for besides a competent
knowledge of French and German, I possess some acquaintance with
Russian, being able to read without much difficulty any printed
Russian book, and I have little doubt that after a few months
intercourse with the natives, I should be able to speak it fluently.
It would ill become me to bargain like a Jew or a Gypsy as to terms;
all I wish to say on that point is, that I have nothing of my own,
having been too long dependent on an excellent mother, who is not
herself in very easy circumstances."


Whilst still waiting for the confirmation by the General Committee of
the Sub-Committee's resolution, which was favourable to Borrow, Mr
Jowett wrote to him (5th July), telling him how good were his
prospects; but warning him not to be too confident of success. The
Sub-Committee had recommended that Borrow's services should be
engaged that he might go to St Petersburg and assist Mr Lipovzoff in
editing St Luke and the Acts and any other portions of the New
Testament that it was thought desirable to publish in Manchu. Should
the Russian Government refuse to permit the work to be proceeded
with, Borrow was to occupy himself in assisting the Rev. Wm. Swan to
transcribe and collate the manuscript of the Old Testament in Manchu
that had recently come to light. At the same time, he was to seize
every opportunity that presented itself of perfecting himself in
Manchu. For this he was to receive a salary of two hundred pounds a
year to cover all expenses, save those of the journey to and from St
Petersburg, for which the Society was to be responsible. Borrow was
advised to think carefully over the proposal, and, if it should prove
attractive to him, to hold himself in readiness to start as soon as
the General Committee should approve of the recommendation that was
to be placed before it. In conclusion, Mr Jowett proceeded to
administer a gentle rebuke to the confident pride with which the
candidate indited his letters. Only a quotation can show the tact
with which the admonition was conveyed.

"Excuse me," wrote the Literary Superintendent, "if as a clergyman,
and your senior in years though not in talent, I venture, with the
kindest of motives, to throw out a hint which may not be without its
use. I am sure you will not be offended if I suggest that there is
occasionally a tone of confidence in speaking of yourself, which has
alarmed some of the excellent members of our Committee. It may have
been this feeling, more than once displayed before, which prepared
one or two of them to stumble at an expression in your letter of
yesterday, in which, till pointed out, I confess I was not struck
with anything objectionable, but at which, nevertheless, a humble
Christian might not unreasonably take umbrage. It is where you speak
of the prospect of becoming 'useful to the Deity, to man, and to
yourself.' Doubtless you meant the prospect of glorifying God."