New-York tribune., 1912-03-31

was an adventurer; not q bookish man,
but. as Mr.. jenkins calls him, "a stu
dent of men and a collector of strange
characters" He did not really find him
self until the work fit for just such a
being was placed ready to his hand.
This biographer describes him as prac-
tically a failure in his youth and early
manhood. The routine of the school
room was abhOrrcnt To him. He pre-
ferred to forcgather with vagabonds and
gypsics on country roads. When his
father. himself a soldier, but not for that
reason unfriendly TO the idea of giving
the Young man more thoughtful career
would have had him follow the law. Bor-
row loved 10 absorb himself in languages
or To look on at some great battle be-
tween two Of the brusers OF England.
An Office stool was not for him, nor was
he destined to PLAY indefinitely that part
of the literary ba.., which he assumed on
coming up TO london to seek his fort
une. No. he was, as Mr.. Jenkins says.
"hypnotized by independence" and in
due time he uds to meet the one oppOr-
tunity calculated to bring out what was
best in him and give him happiness in
his own way.
Before the great moment bcfell there
was in BorrOws life a "Veilcd period of
some seven years about which we still
know next to nothing, beyond the fact
that he wandered far and increased the
linguistic resources which formed his
proudest possession. Then, in 1880, the
clergyman already cited introduced him
TO the Bible Society. His first task was
to learn Manchu sufficiently we'll Ito
edit or translate into that language such
portions of the Scriptures as the society
might decide TO issue provided means Of
acquiring the language We're put within
his reach" Employment was to follow
as soon as he showed himself proficient.
An authority on ManChu had asserted
that the language might be acquired in
five or six years. Borrow had not the
smallest idea Of devoting that much time
10 il and though he came TO admit that
the job was heartbreakingly difficult, his
I4bSItSS III IL was 81 IdDlu anu ~ SctlS-
factory that he soon gained his post.
Nineteen weeks after he had begun the
struggle he could write to the Bible So
Cety, saying, Il have mastered Man
chu." and the sentence was not an empty
boast The society engaged him To go to
ST. Petersburg and assist its Russian
representative there in editing such por-
tions of the New Testament as it was
thought desirable TO publish in Manchu.
lie went forth nOminally as a man OF
letters with a religious mission, but he
did the work of man Of action. which
is TO say the work of George Borrow.
the work destined for his genius. That
is why Mr.. jenkins, making the most of
the travels i'm Russia Spain and Portu-
gal, has written an exceptionally inter
csting book.
We follow the Bible Socicty's enthusi-
astic servant as we might follow a man
of affailJ. He is pious in his way and
the letters contain many a devout re-
Election But the real man comes out in
dealings with printers and paper manu-
1dttQTtIS, WHO btSIH ny lHlIhlDS lIldt
they are going to make him pay through
the nose and end by working for him at
practically his own price Russian off
Gals swathcd in red tape try to fit Bor-
row with garments like their own.
Anger flashes in his eyes, his lip curls
with sCOrn, and with diabOliCal persist
cncc he compels the bureaucrats To do
what he wants them to do Some walls
defy him. He has to give up his plan
for distributing his sacred books among
remote peoples whose minds Russia pre-
fcrs 10 keep untainted by Scriptural wis
dom. But though he returns from Rus
sia leaving some fields unconquered, II is
only To proceed to Spain, and there To
fight as steadfastly 10 put the Bible into
the hands of the people. And with what
freedom from churchly dogmatism, with
what simple, manly sympathy does he
pursue his hard and even perilous task.
The priesthood rs ssinst him. The gov
ernment but grudgingly permits his
campaign and is forever burdening him
with this or that handicap. When he
can dispose Of his wares in orthodox