G. B.
To John Jackson, Esq.
Octr. 1 (old style), 1834, St. Petersburg.
My dear Sir,—I am exceedingly sorry that you should have had the trouble of writing to me to no purpose; for in respect to the letter, which it seems by your favour of the 29th ult. you committed to a private hand to be forwarded to me, I beg leave to state that I have never received it, or heard anything of it. I must earnestly intreat that in future all letters relating to business be despatched by the regular post, otherwise great inconvenience and misunderstanding will be the result. Private individuals seldom give themselves the slightest trouble to deliver letters. If they chance to fall in with the persons for whom they are intended—well and good! if not, the letters are flung aside and forgotten. In respect to the monies furnished me by our friend Mr. Tarn for my journey I have sent an account of the disbursement on the other side, and also of what I have expended already upon the Mandchou New Testament, of which St. Matthew’s Gospel has been completed and St. Mark’s entered upon.
I remain, my dear Sir, most truly yours,
George Borrow.
To J. Tarn, Esq.,
Under-Treasurer of the British and Foreign Bible Society.
Account of the disbursement of certain monies received by me for my journey to St. Petersburg in the service of the B. S.:—
Received of Mr. Tarn (if I mistake not) £30, and £7, making together £37.
Paid for fare to Hamburg by steam-boat, diet not included, £7, 0s 0d