translate from it with tolerable facility, and have translated into
it, for an exercise, the second homily of the Church of England "On
the Misery of Man." I have likewise occasionally composed a few
hymns in this language, the difficulty of which I am at present
more fully aware of than when I left England. It is one of those
deceitful tongues, the seeming simplicity of whose structure
induces you to suppose, after applying to them for a month or two,
that little more remains to be learned, but which, should you
continue to study a year, as I have studied this, show themselves
to you in their veritable colours, amazing you with their
copiousness, puzzling with their idioms. In a word Mandchou is
equally as difficult as Sanscrit or Persian, neither of which
languages has ever been thoroughly acquired by any European, though
at first acquaintance they flatter the student with their deceitful
simplicity. I take the liberty of sending you a short original
epigram in rhymed Mandchou, which if it answers no other purpose
will afford you some idea of my running Mandchou hand, which, as I
now write perpendicularly, is very different from that hand which I
wrote previously to my coming hither. The epigram is upon the
exploits of the Tartars.

[Here follow four upright lines in Manchu characters.]

Milites qui e Manjurico deserto exierunt, bellando silvas, campos
et oppida Sinensis imperii captarunt.

Want of room obliges me to defer making a report upon Mr.
Lipoftsoff's translation until my next letter, which will follow in
a week or two; for I am unwilling in a matter of such immense
importance to deliver a brief and hurried opinion. I have much to