Athenaeum Club. Pall Mall.
London August 28
th
1831.
I am truly gratified by the receipt of [your Excellency’s
letter](336) of the 5
th
of August which Baron de
Bulow did me the honor to transmit a few days ago. I lost no time
in sending to my residence in the country for the two Dictionaries which you wish & have now the pleasure to forward
them. The Javanese and English work is my own composition and was prepared
between the years 1811 and 1814 when I filled
seemed
some
official situations in Jawa and enjoyed tolerable opportunities of
study. Your Excellency will observe some words marked in pencil with a cross.
The marks were affixed by a young Javanese
Chief
who studied the English language at
Calcutta and may be considered as verifying the explanations which I have given. The
Dictionary,
however contains many words of Kawi with which he did not pretend to be
acquainted. The Alphabetical arrangement it will be seen is preserved only as
far as regards the first two letters or rather the first two consonants of each
word.
The Javanese Dictionary, explained in Javanese, was prepared with my instructions
by my Javanese instructors. The alphabetical order is here also in some measure
preserved, but the explanations will be found in general to consist rather of a
series of synonimes than definitions. I trust, notwithstanding that
your Excellency will find it of some use in your pursuits. As I did in respect
to the former communications, I do now with respect to these, entreat your
Excellency to use every freedom with them and to keep them as
long as they can be serviceable to you. – My oriental manuscripts are in a
distant part of the country, but when when I have collected them in
London to which I move for a permanent
residence in October, I shall have the satisfaction of fulfilling my pledge by
making a selection for Excellency.
Is your Excellency aware that an Italian nobleman whose name, if I remember well,
is Count Vidua has lately
visited, indeed resided for some years in, the Philippine islands and Java, and
composed a valuable statistic
work on the
Eastern islands embracing as I understand the question of language? A friend of
mine brought home the manuscript for him which I am told is to be published.
This work I have no doubt will furnish valuable matter for your comprehensive
work
undertaking
, and it is for this reason that I bring it under your
notice. I beg your Excellency to command my further services, and to accept the
assurance of my great respect.
I remain, your Excellencys faithful & obedient
servt.
JCrawfurd.
His Excellency
Baron Humboldt