PREFACE.

Scanty as are the authentic data from which this biography was compiled, they form, nevertheless, a connected narrative of the chief events in the life of a remarkable man of science, who, although a foreigner, never published anything but in the English tongue. Few, if any, foreign savants have been honoured by Englishmen as he was; a fact to which the memorial standing over his grave bears ample testimony.

It is hoped that the reader will follow with sympathy the details of an arduous scientific career, the best years of which were offered to the service of the British Government, and will agree with us also in thinking that Alexander Csoma de Körös attained in some measure the reward he looked for, in so far that his name will never be omitted from any work bearing upon Tibetan literature or Buddhistic learning.

This biography is herewith presented to the reader in the sincere hope of a generous indulgence for its many [vi]shortcomings, although the production of it, imperfect as it is, has, in the circumstances under which it was prepared, necessitated the attention of many years before it could be brought to its present state of completion.

When the late Mr. Nicholas Trübner first saw the manuscript of this book, he at once kindly expressed his readiness to undertake its publication, and even suggested the desirability of editing a complete collection of all the works and essays of Csoma de Körös, which, at the present time, are only to be found scattered over many volumes of publications, extending over a period of more than thirty years. Perhaps Mr. Trübner’s successors may see their way to carry out the project he had in view, and to rescue, for the benefit of European students, the important work in manuscript which is noticed in the Appendix xvi. at page 207 of this volume.

The reader will observe that a certain latitude has been permitted in the spelling of Indian names and Tibetan words occurring in this work. In the text Dr. Hunter’s system has been generally followed, but in the quotations, both from print and manuscripts, the ancient forms of spelling have in most cases been retained. As to the Tibetan words Csoma’s authority was decisive; moreover, instead of adhering invariably to the strict rules of Tibetan orthography, with its frequent use of mute letters, the abbreviated forms have been preferred. The strict rendering [vii]of accents and diacritical marks seemed hardly requisite in a work like this.

The author desires to express his acknowledgments to Mr. Frederic Pincott, M.R.A.S., for important assistance rendered by him in reviewing and passing through the press the Sanskrit and Hindi part of the vocabulary at the end of the volume.

London, 55 Nevern Square, South Kensington, February 1885. [ix]

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I.

PAGES

Introduction—Csoma’s birthplace, parentage, and early childhood—Studies at Nagy Enyed in Transylvania, and at the University of Göttingen in Hanover—Plans and preparations for the journey—Departure for the East 1–14

CHAPTER II.

Biographical sources—English and French authorities—Baron von Hügel’s data examined—First news of Csoma in India—His appearance at the frontier—Detained at Sabathú—Csoma’s first letter to Captain Kennedy—Moorcroft’s introduction 15–38

CHAPTER III.

Government orders respecting Csoma’s stipend—His report regarding his past studies in Hungary, Germany, and at the Buddhist Monastery of Yangla in Zanskar—Account of his journey across Central Asia—Plans for the future 39–66

CHAPTER IV.

Second journey into Tibet—Sojourn at Pukdal in Zanskar—Csoma’s position as to the Asiatic Society of Bengal—Return to Sabathú 67–72 [x]

CHAPTER V.

Embarrassing situation—Csoma petitions Government to be allowed to visit Calcutta, or to go to Tibet for three years more to complete his studies 73–78

CHAPTER VI.

Government orders on Csoma’s last application—Third journey into Tibet to Upper Besarh—Dr. Gerard’s visit to Kanum, and his letter to Mr. W. Fraser on the subject 79–98

CHAPTER VII.

Csoma completes his Tibetan studies at Kanum—Correspondence with Dr. Horace Hayman Wilson, Captain Kennedy, and Mr. Brian H. Hodgson 99–111

CHAPTER VIII.

Csoma’s arrival in Calcutta—Resolution of Government of India as to the publication of his works—Was elected Honorary Member of the Asiatic Society of Bengal 112–118

CHAPTER IX.

The Tibetan Grammar and Dictionary are published at Government expense—Mr. Prinsep’s letter to Government on the subject—Prince Eszterházy to Mr. James Prinsep—Mr. Döbrentei, of Pest, to the same 119–130

CHAPTER X.

Csoma applies for a passport in November 1835 to enable him to travel in Hindustan—Leaves Calcutta—His last letters to Mr. Prinsep—Return to Calcutta in 1837—Dr. Malan, Secretary of the Asiatic Society of Bengal 131–142 [xi]

CHAPTER XI.

Csoma’s stay in Calcutta as Librarian to the Asiatic Society of Bengal from 1837–1842—Last arrangements—His bequest to the Asiatic Society of Bengal—Leaves Calcutta for the last time—Sets out on his journey to Lassa—Death at Darjeeling—Dr. Archibald Campbell’s report to the Secretary of Government—Csoma’s grave and tombstone 143–162

CHAPTER XII.

Prince Eszterházy’s inquiries regarding Csoma’s papers—List of some of them—Renewal of his tombstone at Darjeeling, which is placed on the list of public monuments by Government—His portrait—Conclusion 163–167

APPENDIX.

PAGE

List of Csoma’s works 169

[1]

CHAPTER I.

Introduction—Csoma’s birthplace, parentage, and early childhood—Studies at Nagy Enyed in Transylvania, and at the University of Göttingen in Hanover—Plans and preparations for the journey—Departure for the East.

Towards the end of 1843 Dr. Archibald Campbell, the Government Agent of British Sikkim, wrote as follows:—“Since the death of Csoma de Körös I have not ceased to hope that some member of the Asiatic Society (of Bengal) would furnish a connected account of his career in the East. It is now more than a year and a half since we lost him, but we are as yet without any such record in the Journal of the Society, to show, that his labours were valuable to the literary Association, he so earnestly studied to assist in its most important objects.”

It was Dr. Campbell who, in April 1842, watched the closing scenes of Csoma’s life at Darjeeling, and his was the friendly hand, which performed the last services at his grave.

The 4th of April 1884 was the hundredth anniversary of Csoma’s birthday, and the Hungarian Academy of Sciences thought this a fitting occasion to render homage to that distinguished man of science, who was a Fellow of their Society. The method of commemoration which [2]suggested itself was the publication of a collected edition of his scattered works and essays, translated into the Hungarian language, and accompanied by a biographical sketch. In the compilation of this sketch, advantage has been taken of the disjointed and imperfect data which have as yet appeared on the subject; and at the same time important facts have been brought forward which had previously remained unknown.

In the archives of the Foreign Office in Calcutta, many letters are to be found which refer to Csoma de Körös and to his Tibetan labours, during the prosecution of which he enjoyed the support of the Supreme Government of India. Copies of these letters have been placed at the writer’s service by the courtesy of Mr. Durand, under-secretary of that department. Six original letters of Csoma have also been found in the library of the Asiatic Society of Bengal, which will be noticed in due course.

The narrative as it now stands will, it is hoped, make those interested in philological science better acquainted with the details of Csoma’s early years, and enable them to follow without interruption the steps of his long and arduous wanderings. These were for the most part accomplished on foot, and extended from Europe across Central Asia, Bokhara, through Afghanistan, the Panjab, and Kashmir towards the borders of China, and afterwards into Tibet and Hindustan down to Calcutta.

The motives which led him to devote himself to these literary and historical researches, and the causes which induced him to sacrifice so many years of his life to the study of the Tibetan language and literature, will be set forth on the authority of hitherto unpublished data; and it is confidently expected, that they will clear up many still obscure points in the career of this remarkable student, and dispel the erroneous, and sometimes even unjust, judgments which have been formed regarding his works and merits.

Of Alexander Csoma’s early years but few data exist. [3]According to the parish register he was born on the 4th of April 1784, in the village of Körös, in the county of Háromszék, in Transylvania. Körös is situated in a beautiful valley below the town of Kovászna, and its inhabitants carry on a flourishing trade in the manufacture of sieves (for which there is a special demand), and various articles of fancy woodwork. Körös is a pure Székely village, where the occupier and the proprietor are one and the same, where landlords and subject-cultivators of the soil were never known. It is the only frontier community in which no Wallachian ever settled.1 The house in which Alexander first saw the light was destroyed by fire, but it is known that the dwelling which at present bears the number 143 on the village register, was built on the same plot of ground as the house stood in which Csoma was born.2 His father’s name was Andrew, and the mother’s Ilona Göcz. His family was poor, but belonged to the military nobles called Széklers, a tribe which had for centuries guarded

the frontiers of Transylvania against the invasions of the Turks. Csoma’s family is still known there; one of his nephews, also called Alexander, fell as a Honvéd in the War of Independence during a street fight at Nagy Szeben3 in 1849. Gabriel, his only brother, left a son, also Alexander by name, who survives. A cousin, Joseph Csoma, was Protestant pastor in the small village of Mono, in the county of Middle Szolnok. The proprietor of the village, Baron Horváth, whilst residing there, met him almost daily. We learn from this source, that our Csoma’s near relations, and those friends who knew him in early life, are all dead, and we are therefore unable to gather much information of the incidents of his boyhood. Baron Horváth, however, tells us, on the authority of Joseph Csoma,4 that Alexander, even as a boy, showed a keen desire for knowledge, and was of a [4]restless disposition, which, “like a swallow, is impelled on a distant journey when the autumn arrives.” He was endowed with a strong body and a sound constitution, and

by continual exercise became fitted for extraordinary feats of endurance, such as we witness in the course of his life.

“He was of an elastic nature, and a Székler of powerful frame, resembling me to a certain extent,” was the remark of Joseph Csoma, a remark which he made with evident satisfaction; “but yet we were not quite alike,” the pastor added with a smile, “because if I walk much, I like to rest betimes, but my cousin Alexander, if once started off, did not stop till the end of his journey was attained. As boys, we could never compete with him in walking, because when he happened to reach the top of a hill, that did not satisfy him, but he wished to know what was beyond it, and beyond that again, and thus he often trotted on for immense distances.”

Alexander Csoma’s early education began at the school of his native village, and it appears, that in or about the year 1799 he entered the College of Nagy Enyed as a student. One of his masters, afterwards a faithful friend, Professor Samuel Hegedüs, always took a warm and kindly interest in the lad; and the memoir which he has left regarding Csoma, being based on personal knowledge, will ever remain a valuable source of information respecting Csoma’s early career. Professor Hegedüs has described in vivid terms the parting scene when Csoma set out on his life’s destiny. “I knew him,” the Professor said, “from his childhood, and I may say I lived in most intimate friendship with him. We held a long conversation up to the moment of his departure; and I can therefore conscientiously say, from all I know of him, I do not recollect, that he ever gave his superiors or teachers cause for reproof, or his fellow-pupils an occasion for a complaint. I include Csoma among those fortunate and rare individuals, against

whom nobody has ever had a grievance, nor have I heard him make a [5]complaint about others. He bore work and fatigue to a wonderful degree, a power which he owed to temperate habits and purity of life and conduct.

“He was of middle stature, with dark hair and complexion; his face was oblong, the expression of his countenance full of sympathy, his eyes replete with thoughtful melancholy. He spoke little. If he happened to be of a contrary opinion to those around him, he never pressed his own point obstinately. I do not believe,” says Hegedüs, “he could ever be very angry with anybody, a trait in his character which secured him friends and sympathy everywhere.”

In dress he was neat and simple, easily satisfied, and economical; and he was particularly careful in money matters. The small savings, which as a senior student he was enabled to effect, from fees paid to him by his juniors for private tuition, he stored so carefully, that he was considered one of the richest in the school.

The generality of Székler students, except the higher and well-to-do nobles, have to undergo many hardships during their years of public school-life. The College of Nagy Enyed has, however, always lent a helping hand to the sons of this nationality. Some of the Székler boys perform menial services for their richer fellow-pupils, and in return obtain food and lodging; others are employed to keep the lecture and public rooms clean and tidy, for which food is given them at the college-board. For others again, if there are sufficient funds, provision is made free of all payment. The number of such poor students amounts often to two hundred and more.

Csoma’s education at the College of Nagy Enyed was obtained under the arrangements here described. Hegedüs knew him first as a pupil-servant5 in the lower form, and afterwards in the upper school, when he gave Csoma private lessons in ancient literature and mathematics, [6]and was in the habit of correcting his Latin and Hungarian compositions. As regards intellectual powers, Csoma was not considered in any way a genius, but rather looked upon as an example of industry and perseverance.

In 1807, Csoma finished his career at the Gymnasium, and was promoted to the higher course of academical studies. At this time the desire to travel in Asia was kindled in him. As, while attending lectures at the college, history happened to be a favourite branch of study, owing to the popularity of Professor Adam Herepei, the teacher of this subject, it was natural that frequent and interesting debates and conversations should arise among the students regarding the ancient history and origin of the Hungarian people. It is recorded that Csoma and two of his fellow-pupils had made a vow, to undertake a scientific journey, with the object of discovering some trace of the origin of their nation. Ten years later, we find Csoma at the German University of Göttingen animated by the same desire. Here he came under the influence of Professor Eichhorn, the celebrated historian and oriental scholar, and under him, the student’s long-cherished design was fully matured. Csoma used to say that he heard from Eichhorn statements

about certain Arabic manuscripts which must contain very important information regarding the history of the Middle Ages and of the Hungarian nation when still in Asia, and that much of these data remained unknown to European historians. This induced Csoma to devote himself to the study of Arabic under Eichhorn’s guidance, and made him resolve not to proceed on his travels until he had studied at Constantinople all the available Arabic authors on the subject.

Theophylaktes Simocatta, the Greek historian under the Emperor Mauritius, declares, in the course of his annals of the war against Persia, that, after dispersing the Avar hordes, in A.D. 597, the victorious Turks subdued the [7]Ugars, a brave and numerous nation. On this supposition, certain writers have come to the conclusion that, as there is a similarity in the sound of the words Ugor, Ungri, Hungar, Unger, Hongrois, &c., this long-forgotten tribe might possibly be the ancestors of the Hungarians of the present day. Other writers, again, according to Pavie, have maintained that the Hungarians are an offshoot of the ancient nation of Kiang, which took its wandering steps westward.6

We shall find, in Csoma’s own account, the special reasons which induced him to decide on prosecuting his specific object. He was made of the right stuff for such an enterprise, for, having once taken the resolution, he was ready to face all the trials and struggles in the way, of the magnitude of which he was duly warned. He deliberately prepared himself for the task, by systematic scientific studies continued over many years, without patronage or pecuniary aid of any kind, beyond Councillor Kenderessy’s promise of support, amounting to one hundred florins a-year. The entire sum of his other resources amounted to little more than two hundred florins. “Relying solely,” as Hegedüs says, “on Divine Providence and on the unalterable desire to sacrifice his life in the service of his country, he started towards the distant goal,” regarding which Csoma pointedly remarks that he “cannot be accounted of the number of those wealthy European gentlemen who travel at their own expense for pleasure and curiosity; being rather only a poor

student, who was very desirous to see the different countries of Asia, as the scene of so many memorable transactions of former ages; to observe the manners of several peoples, and to learn their languages, … and such a man was he, who, during his peregrinations, depended for his subsistence on the benevolence of others.”7

But we have still to add a few details to the history of [8]his life at Nagy Enyed. After completing his studies there, he was elected Lecturer on Poetry, in which appointment he acquitted himself with credit, to the entire satisfaction of his superiors. On the pages of a manuscript Vocabulary in the library of the Academy of Sciences at Budapest (Appendix XVII.) there are some verses in Hungarian, which tend to show how versification remained always a favourite occupation with him; and his skill therein doubtless cheered the dreary hours during his long sojourn in the Buddhistic monasteries.

We find similar relics of Csoma in the shape of several Greek and Latin distichs, and a French quotation. They are in his handwriting, and found on the back of a portrait of Professor Mitscherlich of Göttingen. This picture, now in the possession of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, he gave as a memento to his friend, Szabó de Borgáta, who, it is said, was instrumental in inducing Csoma to undertake a journey to the East.

The characteristic quotations are as follows:—