Documento TM/1/1/51 - Letter from Thomas Manning, Calcutta, 28 April 1810

Letter from Thomas Manning to William Manning from Calcutta. He writes of his frustrated attempt to get to Pekin whilst in Canton giving some of the reasons why it could not be accomplished. The suggestion has been made that it tries to go via Tibet and letters have been sent for him and he has other private letters with him. He had a good passage though was without convoy and therefore fearful of being taken in the Bay of Bengal. He has numerous dinner invitations including to Sir William Burroughs. He dined the previous evening with Mr Palmar, the Banker. "Turban on his head, beard over a foot long. all eyes staring at me". He has rented a spacious house on the circular road and justifies it by claiming it is necessary so he stays healthy and can study. There are some missionaries in Calcutta who claim to know something of the Chinese language but they have it wrong which he has tried to explain so that their translations of Confucius are map of mistakes. He is waiting to sail for Madras. Handwritten, 4 sides. Dated 28th April, 1810