to assist us with the use of as many of his own as may be
necessary. There is one printing office here, where they are in
the habit of printing with the Mongolian character, which differs
but little from the Mandchou; consequently the Mongolian
compositors will be competent to the task of composing in Mandchou.
There are no Mandchou types in St. Petersburg, with the exception
of our own and Baron Schilling's.

I suppose that it will be thought requisite to print the town for a
year or so, it is my humble opinion, and the opinion of much wiser
people, that if he were active, zealous and likewise courageous,
the blessings resulting from his labours would be incalculable. It
would be by no means a difficult thing to make excursions into
Tartary and to form friendships amongst the Tartar hordes, and I am
far from certain that with a little management and dexterity he
would be unable to penetrate even to Pekin, and to return in
safety, after having examined the state of the land. I can only
say that if it were my fortune to have the opportunity, I would
make the attempt, and should consider myself only to blame if I did
not succeed.

In my last letter I informed you that I had procured myself an
instructor in Mandchou, and that I was making tolerable progress in
the language. I should now wish to ask whether this person could
not be turned to some further account; for example, to assist me in
making a translation into Mandchou of the Psalms and Isaiah, which
have not yet been rendered. A few shillings a week, besides what I
give him for my own benefit, would secure his co-operation, for he
is a person in very low circumstances. He is not competent to
undertake any thing of the kind by himself, being in many respects