LETTERS OF CLAUDIUS JAMES RICH, Esq. SINCE the notices relative to Mr. Rich, at p. 111, were printed, the painful intelligence of his death has arrived; it took place at Sheraz on the 5th of October, 1821, in the 35th year of his age. In 1818 was published a "Second Memoir on Babylon containing an Inquiry into the Correspondence between the Ancient Descriptions of Babylon and the Remains still visible on the site." by C. J. Rich, Esq. "Mr. Rich," says the Bombay Courier,*" was indefatigable in his researches and collections as a scholar and antiquarian. We have reason to believe that his collection of oriental manuscripts, and that of his coins and antiquities (particularly those found during his numerous visits to antient Babylon), are very extensive and select. We anxiously hope that these, as well as his own manuscripts, which are, we understand, very valuable, will be brought to public notice. He had made considerable investigations, on the spot, for an account of the remains of Nineveh, Ctesiphon, and Selucia, the ancient capitals of Asia. But the work on which he most valued himself, was an account of Curdistan, for which he collected materials during a residence he was compelled to make in that little-known country, to escape the heats of Bagdad. Besides the literary and local information common to such works, he had in readiness materials for a map constructed from astronomical observations, made to ascertain the position of the chief towns and highest mountains of the country, which have been most erroneously laid down in our best maps. Several of his essays have been published in the most * A Biographical Memoir of Mr. Rich, from the Bombay Courier, is inserted in the Asiatic Journal for June, 1822, p. 560. celebrated Journals of the Continent, and we are gratified to find a catalogue of a part of his oriental library in some of the late numbers of Les Mines de l'Orient, a work edited at Vienna. 66 "Mr. Rich was lately appointed to one of the best situations which a civil servant of his rank could hold at Bombay; but he believed, and with reason, that his temporary services might be required at Bagdad, and under this expectation he delayed his departure, and remained in a country where the Epidemic Cholera was making dreadful ravages, until he fell a sacrifice to his zeal, his death being caused by a violent attack of that fatal disorder." The following Letters are addressed to Dr. Ryland, and were written soon after Mr. Rich left Bristol. DEAR SIR, Buyukdere, near Constantinople, Ar length I indulge the very strong inclination I have felt ever since my departure from England, of availing myself of the permission you gave me to let you know occasionally how I went on; and nothing but the fear of rendering myself troublesome by a letter, which the often described state of the countries I have already visited, would render uninteresting, has restrained me so long. I suppose has made you acquainted with the concatenation of events which brought me to this great city, the glory of the eastern world, previous to my visiting Egypt. I therefore will not trouble you with a repetition of them, but proceed to a detail of some little circumstances that I have collected here. The Turks (I speak of Constantinople) are far from from being as ferocious and uncivilized as they are generally represented. I grant that the progress of society and civilization, which for the last century has advanced with such rapid strides in the other nations of Europe, proceeds much slower, and even in some instances is but just dawning in the Ottoman Empire, but the Turks begin to be sensible of their own imperfections, which is the first step to improvement; and in their manners are not only civil, but even polite to strangers; and a Frank or Christian Merchant, so far from being molested and liable to insult, may live in perfect safety, and even respected. There is a printing office established by the Turkish government here, in which oriental books are beautifully printed. An Atlas, or collection of Charts of the Turkish Empire, neatly executed, has also been published. And the present Reis Effendi, or Minister for foreign affairs, who speaks and writes French very well, has published a work on the state of the Turkish Empire, in that language, illustrated with engravings. The account of the Mohammedan Religion, and of the particular sect the Turks belong to, would alone take a volume to detail, I therefore shall say nothing of it,but just observe that Dr. Prideaux, and the whole herd of writers who have published on that subject, tho' otherwise men of great erudition, have laboured under grievous mistakes in treating that head. I have procured a very handsome Koran, and have already read a good deal of it. The parts of Turkey I have as yet seen, are most beautiful, especially the coast of Asia. The village in which I am on a visit, and from which I am at present writing, has the most charming situation you can possibly conceive, on the shore of the Bosphorus. The climate is admirable, but at this season of the year variable according to the wind. Yesterday, (and for some days past) there was a southerly wind; fine clear weather, so warm that we were sitting without a fire, and the windows all open: the country around covered with the finest verdure, and every thing appearing as in June. To-day, there is a notherly wind; cloudy weather, so cold that we cannot bear to stir from the fire, and the hills covered with snow; and it is very possible that to-morrow the weather may again assume the appearance of spring. The whole country abounds with antiquities. In the villages, especially in Asia, I have discovered ancient marble Cornices, and fragments of architecture, thrown together in a common stone wall, and capitals of columns hollowed out to hold water, or serving as horseblocks. I remain, Dear Sir, your ever obliged humble Servt. CLAUDIUS JAMES RICH. MY DEAR SIR, Alexandria, May 22nd, 1806. Ir is with great pleasure I have to acknowledge the receipt of your favour of the 6th of Sep' last, which I received whilst I was waiting in Cyprus for a passage to this place, where I arrived last month, after having performed a journey of seventy five days, across the interior of Anatolia, Armenia minor, &c. from Constantinople to Aleppo, and thence to Antioch, where I remained above two months. This journey, though fatiguing, has given me great satisfaction, and I lament that the limits of a letter will not permit to give you a sketch of it. 00 It gives me very great pleasure to hear that the Missionaries go on so well. With respect to my opinion of the practicability of a protestant Missionary's residing in the Levant, he would certainly be safe, so long as he did not offer to meddle with the Turks. He would not indeed meet with the least encouragement from the Greeks, but rather with opposition, but it could not be in their power to annoy him materially; but I think he would not succeed much in making proselytes, and any attempt to convert a Turk would be attended with the most fatal consequences. There are certainly some very superior men of the Greek communion, who would do honour to any society, but the generality are a bad set, superstitious and ignorant in the extreme; before a Turk meanly abject, but when any little power is vested in their hands tyrannical and oppressive, and full of low cunning. They always allow the English Communion to bear a greater affinity with theirs than that of the R. Catholic, on account of their ideas respecting the sacrament, and the marriage of their priests, which they permit in a limited degree; and when any of the rites of the church (as marriage, baptism, burial, &c.) is to be performed for the English, and no English minister happens to be at hand, it is always performed by Greek priests, as the Roman Catholics of course will not officiate for a Protestant. Time does not permit me to be fuller on the subject at present, but I was unwilling that your letter should lie so long unacknowledged. In my next however, I hope I shall not be so hurried. Begging you to excuse the great haste which I am in, believe me, my dear Sir, your most obedient faithful humble servant, CLAUDIUS JAMES RICH. |