: 
3 
: 
4 
N 
‘ 
1810.] Remarks on 
_Gegree, master of the Chinese, that 
ve plus ultra of complicated difficulties. 
I recollect, (adds Sir William,) a Jew of 
Ispahan, also in London, who recited a 
Persian song, the words of which Mr. 
Price caught from his lips with such ac- 
curacy, that when I had committed them 
to paper, I found but little difficulty in 
translating them.” His zeal in the study 
of languages is so great, that he has paid 
twenty. guineas for one Persian manu- 
script. * He lately went, (says Sir Wal- 
ham,) from Worcester to London, that 
he might attend a sale of rare books at 
Christie’s, where I} met him; and last 
April, he came from Worcester to Crick- 
howel, that he might examine a Chinese 
map and lexicon, in my collection.” 
It appears, that in consequence of this 
letter, the bishop of St. David’s wrote 
to Mr. Price himself; and his lordship 
has viven the answer which he received. 
Mr. Price declares, that he had always 
felt the strongest desire of learning 
languages, and when very young, became 
acquainted with French,German, Italian, 
Dutch, Spanish, and Portuguese: he. 
then undertook the Russian and Hebrew, 
and afterwards the Arabick and Persian. 
Jn 1796, he became acquainted with Ma- 
jor, (now Sir Wilham Ouseley,) who 
encouraged him by a most flattering 
letter, and a present of his recent pub- 
lication, the “Persian Miscellanies,” 
and procured him, since that time, many 
valuable books; he has at different 
periods studied the Turkish, Malayan, 
Sanscrit, and Bengali. ‘ What little I 
know,” says he, ‘‘of languages, proceeds 
_ from my own labour, as I never received 
any regular instructions in any but a 
little Latin, which I learned at school.’’ 
To the Chinese he seems to have latterly 
paid great attention; and possesses some 
valuable books in that language. Having 
acquired, by business, a handsome for- 
tune, he purposes devoting more time to 
his ravourite pursuits, literature, and 
drawing. 
The fourth example of self-taught lin- 
‘guists, is that of James Claudius Rich, 
esq. English resident with the Pacha of 
Bagdad, who, at the early age of eight, 
or nine years, seeing some Arabick ma- 
nuscripts in the library ofa gentleman at 
Bristol, by the help of a lexicon, ac- 
quired a considerable knowledge of the 
language, which he afterwards improved 
by the instruction of a Turkish merchant, 
during some nionths. Hi. subsequent pro- 
ficiency in the Orienta! dialects, obtained 
him the notice of the East India Com- 
Benefit Socketies. 
58 
pany, and he was sent as secretary witly. 
Mr. Lock, ambassador to the Beys of 
Egypt. 
The bishop closes this interesting little 
volume, with anecdotes of Miss Smith, 
lately deceased, whose “ Fragments in 
Prose and Verse,” have been lately edited 
hy Mrs, Bowdler. This wonderful young 
lady, with scarcely any assistance, 
learned the- French, italian, Spanish, 
German, Latin, Greek, Hebrew, Syriack, 
Arabick, and Persian. In her twentieth 
year, she had translated from the He- 
brew, the eleventh chapter of Genesis, 
in a manner different, in some respects, 
from the English version, and conveying 
many new and curious ideas, iy 
In 1803,.she finished.a translation ef 
Job, and left a collection of philological 
remarks on the Hebrew and . Persian 
languages, and many valuable papers om 
the Arabick. 
Her death happened in 1806, whilst 
in her thirtieth year, From a memo- 
randum found in her pocket-book, we 
find that the study of the scriptures 
appears to have been a settled rule of her 
life, from the age of oue-and-twenty ; and 
the bishop concludes with this passage z - 
‘Tn the narrative of Miss Smith’s- ex- 
traordinary attainments and virtues, there 
is nothing more striking than this reflec- 
tion, on her coming of age, It may afford 
matter of deep and interesting consider- 
ation, both literary and religious, to the 
most diligent student of our Universi- 
ties, at the end of his seven academical 
years.” : 
We trust that this outline may have 
thé effect of promoting the bishop’s ob- 
jeet; and encourage many to undertake 
the study of Hebrew, by the examples. 
here given of self-instructed linguists, 
ee 
To the Editor of the Monthly Magazines 
SIR, 
S some of your correspondents are 
A enquiring for information respect- 
ing benefit societies, permit me to offer 
a few remaiks on the subject. 
Tn the fourth and &fth volumes of your 
Mavazine, there are some papers on this 
subject, to which I beg such ef your 
readers, who have notread them, or may 
have forgot them, to refer. In forming 
societies of this kind, it is very dificult 
to lay down very accurate caiculatiors 
respecting them, as they are comparce 
tively of modern date; nor have there 
been sufficient triats as yet, fully to form 
a decision; (at least the circumstances of 
these societies, where they have, or have 
not 
