Wilhelm von Humboldt

Sir Alexander Johnston an Wilhelm von Humboldt, 08.10.1830

I had the pleasure of writing to you yesterday & enclosing to you the copy of a letter which I had received from the widow of the Madagascar Missionary relative to the papers in her possession upon the subject of her husbands inquiries into the Madagascar language.

I have been this morning engaged with the late Sir Robert Farquhars^[a] executor in looking over some of his papers relative to Madagascar. Amongst others I saw in manuscript   a dictionary in seven volumes folio which was compiled some years ago by a  french gentleman at the Isle of France from whom I believe the late Sir Robert Farquhar at that time Governor of the Island purchased it. I know that Sir Robert thought this a most valuable work & often spoke to me upon the subject. I told his brother who is his executor that I wished to give you the full advantage of any information which you can derive from the work. he told me he would give you any facility you might require for making such use of its contents as you might wish. You must therefore write & let me soon hear how I can be of any use to you in the business. It appears to me to give the french & Madagascar words in Roman character in two colums |sic| opposite each other. it gives you also, throughout the words which are used both by the inhabitants in the North & by those in the South of the Island of Madagascar & therefore may throw much light upon the object of your inquiries. Sir Robert Farquhar had an immense collection of papers relative to Madagascar & I will with pleasure ask his brother for any information you may be anxiuous to procure from them.

The Baron & the Baroness Bulow are returned again from Brighton to Great Cumberland Place. They are quite well & I hope to have the pleasure of seeing them tomorrow.