REVD. AND DEAR SIR, - Owing to the culpable tardiness of the post-
office people, I have received your letter so late that I have
little more than a quarter of an hour to answer it in, and be in
time to despatch it by this day's mail. What you have written has
given me great pleasure, 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
Mr. Lipoftsoff, 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.

I remain, Revd. and dear Sir, truly yours,

GEORGE BORROW.



LETTER: 4th August, 1833