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LETTERS 



FROM 



THE LATE PROFESSOR CARLYLE 



TO 



THE LORD BISHOP OF DURHAM. 



LETTER I. 



My LORD, Constantinople, Jan. 11. 1800. 



As Your Lordship expressed a wish that I should endeavour to see 

 some of the Greek Patriarchs, in order to learn the fate of the Arabic 

 copies of the New Testament, which were sent some time ago, by 

 the Society, to Alexandria, I took an opportunity last week of wait- 

 ing upon the Patriarch of Constantinople. I was received by him 

 with much politeness, and he seemed disposed to give me every in- 

 formation in his power. He assured me, however, that he had never 

 heard of any books having been transmitted into these countries from 

 England, and was very certain that none had ever been distributed. 

 But as he did not understand the Arabic language himself, and as he 

 had no personal knowledge of the East, he requested me to make a 

 visit to the Patriarch of Jerusalem, to whom he dispatched a messen- 

 ger to introduce me. I went accordingly and was immediately 

 admitted. The Patriarch was sitting upon his sofa, and expressed 

 great pleasure at seeing us. He is fourscore years of age, has a very 

 pleasing countenance, and a most interesting appearance, and pos- 

 sesses all his faculties in their full vigor. Arabic is his native tongue, 

 so that I was enabled to converse with him without an interpreter. 

 Like the Patriarch of Constantinople he was entirely unacquainted 



