To David Brown

Dinapore. Nov. 10, 1807

My dear Sir,

Sabat arrived last Saturday, and he now takes up so much of the time I am free from the moonshees, that I can hardly tell where to find a moment for writing a letter. But you are anxious to know what I think of him. Truly, not to esteem him a monument of grace, and to love him accordingly, is impossible; and yet with all, as you say, he is an Arab. Your descriptions of him are wonderfully exact, though I had formed no just idea of him till he came. The very first day we began to spar. He would come into none of my plans, nor did I approve of his; but I gave way, and by yielding prevailed, for he now does every thing I tell him. He wishes to have nothing to do with my Hindoostanee works, nor do I want him, for he knows not the common Hindoostanee of the country. He says himself that he can be of no use to me, now that I have Mirza, of whose capabilities he has a high opinion. I therefore go on with Mirza and leave Sabat to his Persian. Thus time will be saved, and the two translations being done separately will correct each other. His translation is in a high and admired style. As soon as we are settled, I shall pursue the course of Hebrew &c. which you point out.

Sabat lives and eats with me and goes to his bungalow at night, so that I hope he has no care on his mind. On Sunday morning he went to church with me. While I was in the vestry, a bearer took away his chair from him, saying it was another gentleman's. The Arab took fire and left the church, and when I sent the clerk after him he would not return. He anticipated my expostulations after church, and began to lament that he had two dispositions, one old, the other new. I fear the bearer must have behaved with great insolence to him. Last night when I found that it would be necessary to keep bearers for him, those I had before hired for him refused to enter my service.