THE LIFE of GEORGE BORROW Thrrrnas L'b.Illip ~.RA.Pl..Ll.JI the LIFE of GEORGE BORROW COMPILED from UNPUBLISHED OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS, HIS WORKS, CORRESPONDENCE, ETC
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
THE LIFE OF GEORGE BORROW Thrrrnas l'b.illip ~.RA.pl..ll.JI THE LIFE OF GEORGE BORROW COMPILED FROM UNPUBLISHED OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS, HIS WORKS, CORRESPONDENCE, ETC. BY HERBERT JENKINS WITH A FRONTISPIECE IN PHOTOGRAVURE, AND TWELVE OTHER ILLUSTRATIONS LONDON JOHN MURRAY, ALBEMARLE STREET, W. 1912 TO JOHN MURRAY THE FOURTH IN GRATEFUL RECOLLECTION OF THE KEEN INTEREST HE HAS SHOWN IN THE WRITING OF THIS LIFE OF A MAN WHOM HE WELL REMEMBERS AND MUCH ADMIRES THIS VOLUME IS DEDICATED BY THE AUTHOR PREFACE DURING the whole of Barrow's manhood there was probably only one period when he was unquestion ably happy in his work and content with his surroundings. He may almost be said to have concentrated into the seven years (1833-1840) that he was employed by the British and Foreign Bible Society in Russia, Portugal and Spain, a lifetime's energy and resource. From an unknown hack writer, who hawked about unsaleable translations of Welsh and Danish bards, a travelling tinker and a vagabond Ulysses, he became a person of considerable importance. His name was acclaimed with praise and enthusiasm at Bible meetings from one end of the country to the other. He developed an astonishing aptitude for affairs, a tireless energy, and a diplomatic resourcefulness that aroused silent wonder in . those who had hitherto regarded him as a failure. His illegal imprisonment in Madrid nearly brought about a diplomatic rupture between Great Britain and Spain, and later his missionary work in the Peninsula was referred to by Sir Robert Peel in the House of Commons as an instance of what could be achieved by courage and determination in the face of great difficulties. Those seven rich and productive years realised to the full the strange talents and unsuspected abilities of George Barrow's unique character. He himself referred to the period spent in Spain as the "five happiest years" of his life. When, however, his life came to be written by Dr Knapp, than whom no biographer has approved himself ix X PREFACE more loyal or enthusiastic, it was found that the records of that period were not accessible. The letters that he had addressed to the Bible Society had been mislaid. These came to light shortly after the publication of Dr Knapp's work, and type-written copies were placed at my disposal by the General Committee long before they were given to the public in volume form. A systematic search at the Public Record Office has revealed a wealth of unpublished documents, including a lengthy letter from Borrow relating to his i_mprisonrnent at Seville in 1839. From other sources much valuable information and many interesting anecdotes have been obtained, and through the courtesy of their possessor a number of unpublished Borrow letters are either printed in their entirety or are quoted from in this volume. My thanks are due in particular to the Committee of British and Foreign Bible Society for placing at my disposal the copies of the Borrow Letters, and also for permission to reproduce the interesting silhouette of the Rev. Andrew Brandram, and to the Rev. T. H. Darlow, M.A. (Literary Superintendent), whose uniform kindness and desire to assist me I find it impossible adequately to acknowledge. My thanks are also due to the Rt. Hon. Sir Edward Grey, M.P., for permission to examine the despatches from the British Embassy at Madrid at the Record Office, and the Registers of Passports at the Foreign Office, and to Mr F. H. Bowring (son of Sir John Bowring), Mr Wilfrid J. Bowring (who has placed at my dis posal a number of letters, from Borrow to his grandfather), Mr R. W. Brant, Mr Ernest H. Caddie, Mr William Canton, Mr S. D. Charles, an ardent Borrovian from whom I have received much kindness and many valuable sugges tions, Mr A. I. Dasent, the editors of The Athenceunt and The Bookman, Mr Thomas Hake, Mr D. B. Hill of Mattishall, Norfolk, Mr James Hooper, Mr W. F. T. Jarrold (for permission to reproduce the hitherto unpub- PREFACE Xl lished portrait of Borrow painted by his brother), Dr F. G. Kenyon, C.B., Mr F. A. Mumby, Mr George Porter of Denbigh (for interesting particulars about Borrow's first visit to Wales), Mr Theodore Rossi, Mr Theodore Watts Dunton, Mr Thomas Vade - Walpole, who have all responded to my appeal for help with great willingness. To one friend, who elects to be nameless, I am deeply grateful for many valuable suggestions and much help; but above all for the keen. interest he has taken in a work which he first encouraged me to write. To her who gave so plentifully of her leisure in transcribing documents at the Record Office and in research work at the British Museum and elsewhere, I am indebted beyond all possibility of acknowledgment To no one more than to Mr John Murray are my acknowledgrnents due for his unfailing kindness, patience and assistance. It is no exaggeration to state that but for his. aid and encouragement this book could not have been written. HERBERT JENKINS. January, 1912. CONTENTS PAGK PREFACE , ix CHAPTER I 1678-MAY 1816 The Fight at Menheniot Fair. Thomas Borrow. The Borrows of Trethinnick. The Flight of Thomas Borrow. He Enlists in the Coldstream Guards. Promotion. Big Ben Bryan. Transferred to the West Norfolk Militia. East Dereham. Ann Perfrement. Marriage. Wandering with the Regiment. Thomas Borrow Receives a Commission. Birth of John Borrow. His Charm. Birth of George Borrow. His Strange Personality. His Dulness. "A Prophet's Child." Early Days. The Viper. Convulsions. Robinson Crusoe. Norman Cross. Sapengro. Ambrose Petulengro. Education. Edinburgh. The "Bickers." David Haggart. Norwich. The West Norfolks Dis banded. "The Hundred Days." The Regiment Re gathered. Ireland. Erse and Bare-backed Riding. "Mustered Out." Captain Borrow Retired. r CHAPTER II MAY 1816-MARCH 1824 Settlement at Norwich. Education. The Norwich Grammar School. Borrow's Schoolfellows. Languages. "Poor Old Detterville." The Norwich Horse Fair. Mr Petulengro. Studying Romany. Humdrum School-life. xiii xiv CONTENTS CHAPTER 11-co:Ntinued. PA.GB Running Away. An Ignominious Return. Deliberations on George's Future. Articled to Simpson & Rackham. The Law and Languages. The Welsh Groom. The Goats and the Sheep. Mr William Simpson. The Cor poration Library. John Borrow. The Bruisers of England. William Taylor. Borrow as a Linguist. Dr John Bowring. Father and Son. "What Do You Propose to Do?" The Return of John. Death of Captain Borrow 19 CHAPTER Ill APRIL 1824-MAY 1825 Borrow Goes to London. The Green Box. Authorship. A Vegetarian Publisher. "A Drug, Sir!" The Dalry man's Daughter. Sir Richard Phillips' Munificence. Celebrated Trials. A Publisher's Philosophy. Seeing London. A Visit from John. A Painter of the Heroic. The "Screaming Horrors." Ah Gwilym a Drug. "Glorious John." A Publisher's Wrath. Crime and Style. Klinger's Faustus. "Fit for the Fire." Joseph Sell. A New Theory. A Significant Passage. Coinci dences CHAPTER IV MAY-SEPTEMBER I 82 5 Farewell to London. The Spirit of Independence. Stone henge. The Evil Eye. Jack Slingsby. A Gentleman Tinker. His Stock-in-Trade. Mrs Herne. The Welsh Preacher. Mr Petulengro. Mumber Lane. An Offer of Marriage. The Screaming Horrors Again. Isopel Berners. The Flaming Tinman. Love and Armenian. Isopel Departs. Mr Petulengro on Marriage. The Wonderful Trotting Cob. The Autobiographical Value of The Romany Rye. Borrow's Accuracy. Ambition. Borrow's Ability to make Friends. A Shrewd Judge of Character. Back at Norwich 60 CONTENTS xv CHAPTER V SEPTEMBER 1825-DECEMBER 1832 PAGB "The Veiled Period." Romantic Ballads. Benjamin Hay don. A Great Traveller. Seeking Employment. Dr Bowring's Help. "The Songs of Scandinavia." Military Ambition. The British Museum. Failure. Unsettled Prospects. Angry with the Belgians. Borrow and Bow- ring. Ths Sleeping Bard. "A Terrible Fellow." Borrow Leaves London. "The Three Glorious Days." John Borrow in Mexico. Borrow's Correspondence with the Army Pay Office. "Poor George." The Disadvantages of Independence. Dogged Determination . 72 CHAPTER VI JANUARY-JULY 1833 The Skeppers of Oulton Hall. The Rev. Francis Cunningham Introduces Borrow to Earl Street. The Bible Society's Manchu-Tartar Programme. Borrow Tramps to London. His Expenses. Interview with the Bible Society's Officials. Undertakes to Learn Manchu. Return to Norwich. A Puzzling Language. "Advancing at Full Gallop." " I Have Mastered Manchu." The Examination. Encourage ment. The Sub-Committee's Recommendation. Rebuked for Self-Confidence. The Idiom of Earl Street. Appointed Agent of the Bible Society. "One Burst of Laughter." Letters of Introduction 92 CHAPTER VII AUGUST 1833-JANUARY 1834 Departure for Russia. A Transient Fit of Delirium. Hamburg. The Godless Hamburgers. St Petersburg. "The Finest City in the World." East and West. Russian Notabilities. Baron Schilling .de Canstadt. His Unique Library. John P. Hasfeldt. Borrow's Eagerness for Work. Mr Lipovzoff. "Rather a Singular Man." Official Delays. The British Minister Assists. The Translator appointed Censor. Permission to Print. "Heartless Apathy." Severe Cold. The Manchu Type. Manchu a Puzzling Language. Remittances Home. The " Horrors." A Bottle of Port Wine a Day. The Emperor's Apothecary 107 xvi CONTENTS· CHAPTER VIII FEBRUARY-OCTOBER 1834 PAGE The Problem of Distributing .the Manchu New Testament. Borrow's Ambition to Become a Missionary. His Daring Scheme. Commercial Morality in Russia. Exorbitant Prices. Death of John Borrow. The "Only Hope." " Our Darling John." The Russians Indifferent Cooks. Borrow's Devotion to His Mother. New Quarters. "The Best Servant I Ever Had." Earl Street Without News. "What is Mr Borrow Doing?" Borrow Explains. Mr Lipovzoff's Testimonial. The Missionary Project Again. The Offer Likely to be Favourably Considered 120 CHAPTER IX NOVEMBER 1834-SEPTEMBER 1835 An Unconventional Editor.