THE MANCHU BIBLE--_TARGUM_--_THE TALISMAN_ The Bible Society wanted the Bible to be set up in the Manchu language, the official language of the Chinese Court and Government.

A Russian scholar named Lipoftsof, who had spent twenty years in China, undertook in 1821 to translate the New Testament into Manchu for L560.

Lipoftsof had done his work in 1826, and had sent two manuscript copies to London.
In 1832 the Rev.William Swan of the London Missionary Society in passing through St.Petersburg discovered a transcript of a large part of the Old and New Testament in Manchu, made by one Pierot, a French Jesuit, many years before.

This transcript was unavailable, but a second was soon afterwards forthcoming for free publication if a qualified Manchu scholar could be found to see it through the Press.

Mr.Swan's communication of these facts to the Bible Society in London gave Borrow his opportunity.