the life of william carey-第58章
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〃I have this day been to visit the most learned Hindoo now living； he speaks only Sanskrit； is more than eighty years old； is acquainted with the writings and has studied the sentiments of all their schools of philosophy （usually called the Darshunas of the Veda）。 He tells me that this is the sixteenth time that he has travelled from Rameshwaram to Harhu （viz。 from the extreme cape of the Peninsula to Benares）。 He was； he says； near Madras when the English first took possession of it。 This man has given his opinion against the burning of women。〃
Four years later； in another letter to Ryland； he takes us into his confidence more fully； showing us not only his sacred workshop； but ingenuously revealing his own humility and self…sacrifice：〃10th December 1811。I have of late been much impressed with the vast importance of laying a foundation for Biblical criticism in the East； by preparing grammars of the different languages into which we have translated or may translate the Bible。 Without some such step； they who follow us will have to wade through the same labour that I have； in order to stand merely upon the same ground that I now stand upon。 If； however； elementary books are provided； the labour will be greatly contracted； and a person will be able in a short time to acquire that which has cost me years of study and toil。
〃The necessity which lies upon me of acquiring so many languages； obliges me to study and write out the grammar of each of them； and to attend closely to their irregularities and peculiarities。 I have therefore already published grammars of three of them； namely； the Sanskrit； the Bengali； and the Mahratta。 To these I have resolved to add grammars of the Telinga； Kurnata； Orissa； Punjabi； Kashmeeri； Goojarati； Nepalese； and Assam languages。 Two of these are now in the press； and I hope to have two or three more of them out by the end of the next year。
〃This may not only be useful in the way I have stated； but may serve to furnish an answer to a question which has been more than once repeated； 'How can these men translate into so great a number of languages？' Few people know what may be done till they try； and persevere in what they undertake。
〃I am now printing a dictionary of the Bengali； which will be pretty large； for I have got to page 256； quarto； and am not near through the first letter。 That letter； however； begins more words than any two others。
〃To secure the gradual perfection of the translations； I have also in my mind； and indeed have been long collecting materials for； An Universal Dictionary of the Oriental languages derived from the Sanskrit。 I mean to take the Sanskrit； of course； as the groundwork； and to give the different acceptations of every word； with examples of their application； in the manner of Johnson； and then to give the synonyms in the different languages derived from the Sanskrit； with the Hebrew and Greek terms answering thereto； always putting the word derived from the Sanskrit term first； and then those derived from other sources。 I intend always to give the etymology of the Sanskrit term； so that that of the terms deduced from it in the cognate languages will be evident。 This work will be great； and it is doubtful whether I shall live to complete it； but I mean to begin to arrange the materials； which I have been some years collecting for this purpose； as soon as my Bengali dictionary is finished。 Should I live to accomplish this； and the translations in hand； I think I can then say； 'Lord； now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace。'〃
The ardent scholar had twenty…three years of toil before him in this happy work。 But he did not know this； while each year the labour increased； and the apprehension grew that he and his colleagues might at any time be removed without leaving a trained successor。 They naturally looked first to the sons of the mission for translators as they had already done for preachers。
To Dr。 Carey personally； however； the education of a young missionary specially fitted to be his successor； as translator and editor of the translations； was even more important。 Such a man was found in William Yates； born in 1792； and in the county； Leicestershire； in which Carey brought the Baptist mission to the birth。 Yates was in his early years also a shoemaker； and member of Carey's old church in Harvey Lane； when under the great Robert Hall； who said to the youth's father； 〃Your son； sir； will be a great scholar and a good preacher； and he is a holy young man。〃 In 1814 he became the last of the young missionaries devoted to the cause by Fuller； soon to pass away； Ryland； and Hall。 Yates had not been many months at Serampore when； with the approval of his brethren； Carey wrote to Fuller； on 17th May 1815：〃I am much inclined to associate him with myself in the translations。 My labour is greater than at any former period。 We have now translations of the Bible going forward in twenty…seven languages； all of which are in the press except two or three。 The labour of correcting and revising all of them lies on me。〃 By September we find Yates writing：〃Dr。 Carey sends all the Bengali proofs to me to review。 I read them over； and if there is anything I do not understand； or think to be wrong； I mark it。 We then converse over it； and if it is wrong； he alters it； but if not； he shows me the reason why it is right； and thus will initiate me into the languages as fast as I can learn them。 He wishes me to begin the Hindi very soon。 Since I have been here I have read three volumes in Bengali； and they have but six of consequence in prose。 There are abundance in Sanskrit。〃 〃Dr。 Carey has treated me with the greatest affection and kindness； and told me he will give me every information he can； and do anything in his power to promote my happiness。〃 What Baruch was to the prophet Jeremiah； that Yates might have been to Carey； who went so far in urging him to remain for life in Serampore as to say； 〃if he did not accept the service it would be； in his judgment； acting against Providence； and the blessing of God was not to be expected。〃 Yates threw in his lot with the younger men who； in Calcutta after Fuller's death； began the Society's as distinct from the Serampore mission。 If Carey was the Wyclif and Tyndale； Yates was the Coverdale of the Bengali and Sanskrit Bible。 Wenger； their successor； was worthy of both。 Bengal still waits for the first native revision of the great work which these successive pioneers have gradually improved。 When shall Bengal see its own Luther？
The Bengali Bible was the first as it was the most important of the translations。 The province； or lieutenant…governorship then had the same area as France； and contained more than double its population； or eighty millions。 Of the three principal vernaculars； Bengali is spoken by forty…five millions of Hindoos and Mohammedans。 It was for all the natives of Bengal and of India north of the Dekhan （〃south〃） tableland； but especially for the Bengali…speaking people； that William Carey created a literary language a century ago。
The first Bengali version of the whole New Testament Carey translated from the original Greek before the close of 1796。 The only English commentary used was the Family Expositor of Doddridge； published in 1738； and then the most critical in the language。 Four times he revised the manuscript； with a Greek concordance in his hand； and he used it not only with Ram Basu by his side； the most accomplished of early Bengali scholars； but with the natives around him of all classes。 By 1800 Ward had arrived as printer； the press was perfected at Serampore； and the result of seven years of toil appeared in February 1801； in the first edition of 2000 copies； costing ？12。 The printing occupied nine months。 The type was set up by Ward and Carey's son Felix with their own hands； 〃for about a month at first we had a Brahman compositor； but we were quite weary of him。 We kept four pressmen constantly employed。〃 A public subscription had been opened for the whole Bengali Bible at Rs。 32； or ？ a copy as exchange then was； and nearly fifty copies had been at once subscribed for。 It was this edition which immediately led to Carey's appointment to the Col
