Marshman, Dr Joshua

Hannah More to Marianne Thornton, 3 July 1826

We had yesterday a most interesting party among whom was Dr. Marshman The very learned Missionary from Serampore he writes I think in 13 Dialects of the East, besides the Shanscrit, their ancient and Sacred language. It was quite delight[ful] [tear] to hear him tell the glorious works [tear] Country in that distant one [tear] are proud of being English. [tear] that the excellent Sir Robert [tear] [p]arliament; not merely for the [tear] and More, but as he is the [tear] of Protestantism [tear] best regards to him and Lady [tear] You and the dear [deletion] // have [tear] your intention of coming to see [tear] before Summer is over. I shall re[tear] to see you as I dare say [tear] when the Tropical weather is over [tear] the mean do let me know /how/ affairs are settled, and if all terminated favourably as your last letter gave me reason to hope. Love to all the dear girls – When you come I shall hope to see if you can sleep together.

To Lady Olivia Sparrow, 1826 (incomplete)

Among several interesting Visitors I have had from the East, Constantinople, Jerusalem Egypt &c none has been more interesting than Doctor Marshman from Serampore. He has made himself Master of 22 Indian Dialects, into which he has translated the Scriptures. He has finished the Penteteuch for the 2d. Edition in Chinese;^* and he has not only written all these but has printed them himself at his own Printing Press.^* When I asked how he could survive such labours, his answer was "in the 27 Years I have spent in this Mission, I have never known one day’s head ach or heart ach. I had missed seeing him for three or four Months, and when I asked him where he had been, he told me he had been paying a Visit to the of whom he obtained an Audience with the greatest ease; he granted his petition at once, which was to allow him to erect a College and chuse their own Professors.^* I did not know that Serampore had been a Danish Island.^*