Sir Aurel Stein's early years : Setting himself on the track

Gabriele Zeller

Introduction

Both biographies on Sir Aurel Stein, one from Jeannette Mirsky published in 1977 and the recent one by Annabel Walker, published 1995 are well researched accounts on this famous explorer's life. They shed light on his childhood as well as on his later life as an explorer of the remote mountain regions of today's Pakistan and Afghanistan. A small but interesting period of time, Stein's stay in Tübingen (Southern Germany) and his first years in England, however, were covered only in passing. Despite the enormous amount of material existing from and about Aurel Stein and his expeditions, sources from these early years seem to be scarce. There are his letters to his family in which he tells about his studies and life. But, as Walker (???) points out, his elders (especially his elder brother) were critical about his studies and way of life and very eager to see him improve and be successful.

Thus, the letters which I rediscovered in our library a few years ago fill an interesting gap of information. They are among the letters in the legacy of Rudolf von Roth. Among the many letters, I soon became fascinated by those of the young Aurel Stein, who had given lively reports to his former teacher about his first venture into the academic world. The letters are written in German in a good but a little 'curly' old fashioned style, and it was this personal impression that made me look further into Stein's life and work.  

The letters

The first letter Stein writes to Roth is dated 11th of November 1884. Stein describes there his first arrival in England. The letters continue through '85. In '86 they come from Budapest, where Stein had to do his military service. In '87 he is back in London until summer, then again they come from Budapest, wheen his mother had died, and in November and December two letters were written on the steamer Elektra on his way to India, and another comes from Bombay. The year 1888, Stein's first year in India, is still documented by letters to Roth, two coming from Lahore, another one from Srinagar. But for one more, which is dated 23rd of April 1895 they then stop (Roth died in June 1895). So far, I have not been able to trace the missing letters, though I am sure that there had been more letters, as he seems to join up (anschließen, weitermachen) in a current correspondence in his last letter. Also, in one of his diaries he (bedauert) that nowadays he does not know what to write to Roth, as he is not doing much philological work.  

In any case, we have some crucial years of Stein's biography covered by his letters, the years after his doctoral exams when he - not yet 22 years of age - goes to England as a postgraduate student and seeking any post which might bring him to India.

They are all very long letters and he seems to discuss and describe everything possible: His living arrangements, his working plans, people he met and hopes to meet, his dreams of a future in India, his failures as well, and many detailed philological problems mostly about Iranian philology.

Many of these topics may have appeared in his family letters as well. Yet discussing them with his teacher gives all a different note. Even though Roth was a 'father-figure', whose advice was often sought and followed, he was not really family. Stein could - to some extend - feel free to discuss plans and dreams while still unripe, things he might not have put before his elders.  

In the following, I shall pick up some lesser known or unknown points, and hope that I also will be able to get across some of the fascination of these youthful letters. The English translation is a rough one to give the idea of what he writes about.  

Arrival in England and accomodation arrangements

Stein's very first letter is one of the best examples of his open-mindedness towards his new surroundings and arrangements, his ability to grasp details and his pleasure doing all this. At the beginning of his very long letter dated Nov 11-13th, 1884 he describes his arrival in England and even praises London, which he later did not like anymore:

Original text Stein to Roth 11/13. Nov 1884

"...;der Express von Dover ab, dessen rasende Eile mir gleich die beste Meinung vom englischen Eisenbahnwesen beibrachte, führte mich in kurzer Zeit auch leiblich nach London, wohin meine Gedanken mit Unterstützung diverser Karten und Handbücher schon seit Wochen vorausgeeilt waren. Vielleicht in Folge dieses Interesses, das ich vorher schon an der Topographie der Weltstadt genommen, fand ich mich in den Hauptstrassen des Westend´s und der City besser zurecht, als ich erwartet, und empfand nichts von dem Gefühl der Verlassenheit, das angeblich den Fremdling in diesem unendlichen Getriebe erfassen soll. Im Gegenteil erschien mir das Menschengewoge in den engen City-strassen ganz gemüthlich, wo keiner Zeit und Gelegenheit hat, sich um den Anderen zu kümmern und der Einzelne je mehr auf sich selbst angewiesen desto freier das neue ungewohnte Leben beobachten kann. Was mich aber noch mehr interessierte als der regste Verkehr, war die unglaubliche Ordnung, die Alles beherrscht und deren Erhaltung ihren berufenen Wächtern doch so wenig Mühe zu kosten scheint. (...)

Translation

...; the fast speed of the express-train from Dover immediately gave me a high opinion of the English railway system. After a short time I reached London in person, where my thoughts already had been for some weeks with the help of maps and guide books.

Perhaps due to this interest in the topography of this metropolis I found my way through the main roads of the Westend and the City better than expected and did not feel at all lost in this vast bustle of life as a foreigner normally would do.

On the contrary, I found the crowd in the narrow city-streets quite agreeable, where nobody has time nor opportunity to care about the other and where one, dependant on one's self and therefore enjoying more freedom, can study this new, unusual life.

What I found more interesting than the busiest traffic was the unbelievable discipline of public life, which seems to cause little effort to those, who are responsible for it. As soon as he had settled himself in a guest house near the British Museum he visited Reinhold Rost, librarian of the East India Office library and the very person to whom everyone from the continent firstlyseemed to have addressed themselves on arrival. There he learned that Dr Leitner was due to leave London for India in a few days, and Stein decided to call upon him in his Oriental College in Woking near London.

Whether he knew William Gottfried Leitner as a fellow Budapest citizen, or whether he was interested in him because of his ethnographic research among the Dardic people is not quite clear. He describes Leitner's difficult and controversial personality and compares him to another compatriot, the Oriental traveller Armin Vámbéry.

 Original text Stein an Roth 11/13.Nov.1884

(...) L. ist Ihnen, hochverehrter Herr Professor, aus seinen Arbeiten und persönlich bekannt genug, so dass ich mir eine eingehende Charakterisierung dieses wunderlichen Mannes, die auch gar nicht leicht wäre, ersparen kann. Seine Carrière weist weniger auf wissenschaftliche Bedeutung denn auf grosse Geschicklichkeit in der Behandlung des englischen Charakters hin. Was auch immer die Mittel gewesen sein mögen, die ihn zu einer so ansehnlichen Position verholfen haben, sin grosser Einfluss unter den Native´s wie in Regierungskreisen bleibt sehr bemerkenswerth. Welche die eigentlichen Motive zu dieser neuen Unternehmung des Oriental Institute sind, kann ich für meine Person ruhig ausse Acht lassen, (da ich jedenfalls wichtige Vortheile daraus ziehe und mich zu keinerlei Mitwirkung an dieser problematischen Aufgabe verpflichten musste. Es wird nur erwartet, dass ich mich im Laufe des nächsten Jahres mit dem Titel eines Pandits oder Doctor of Oriental Literature (notabene kostenfrei) von Seiten der Panjab-University bekleiden lasse.)

Der Umgang mit einem Mann vom Schlage L´s erfordert einige Aufmerksamkeit, da er seinerseits auf das eifrigste bestrebt ist, den Eindruck grosser orientalischer Gelehrsamkeit zu erwecken, und doch durch jeden Versuch einer sachlichen discussion unangenehm berührt wird. In manchen Beziehungen erinnert mich sein Benehmen an das meines andern "grossen" Landsmannes Vámbéry.- (...)  

Translation

(...) L(eitner) you know from his publications as well as personally so I can spare myself a characterization of this rather strange man. This would also not be a very simple task. His career seems to rely less on academic achievement than on his cleverness in handling the pecularities of the English character.

Whatever have been the means which helped him into such a notable position, his influence among the Natives as well as in government circles can not be overlooked.. Whatever his motives are for this new enterprise of the Oriental Institute can be disregarded as far as I am concerned ...

The acquaintance with a man like L(eitner) demands considerable attention, since on the one hand he tries to impress with his extensive oriental learning, but finds, on the other hand, every academic discussion unpleasant.

To some extent his behaviour reminds me of my other 'great' compatriot ´Vámbéry. ...

However Stein warms much to Leitner's Oriental Institute, after accepting Leitner's invitation to live there. Neither Mirsky nor Walker mention the fact, that Stein lived in that Institute, which was founded by Leitner in 1884 and existed until Leitner's death in 1899, despite Rost's calling it a failure already in October 84, when writing to

Roth. Reinhold Rost is not at all happy that Stein accepted the offer to live there.

Stein's description of the building, the beautiful surroundings and the inhabitants of the Institute sounds very enthusiastic in his first letter:  

Original text Stein to Roth, Woking 11/13.11.1884

"... Die echt englische Schönheit der Landschaft überraschte mich, als ich mich an einem prächtigen klaren Herbstmorgen dem ansehnlichen Gebäude näherte, das Sie ja, hochverehrter Meister, durch die

Abbildung in Trübner's Record kenne; L. empfing mich recht liebenswürdig und zeigte mir in der schönen grossen Halle seine wirklich bedeutenden Sammlungen, deren reiche Schätze an griechisch-indischen Skulpturen und griech.-bactrischen Münzen ich wohl im Boden des Penjab niemals aber an diesem freundlichen Ort vermuthet hatte. (...)

Hier kann ich alle Freiheit des Landlebens, die mir den Aufenthalt in Tübingen noch besonders verschönt hatte mit den Vortheilen der gewaltigen Stadt vereint geniessen, denn an 30 Zügen passieren in den Tagesstunden (*in beiden Richtungen) die belebte Station: Working Junction (...)

Die Vorzüge meines hiesigen Aufenthaltes sind aber nicht bloss auf den Genuss frischer Landluft oder den intimen Verkehr mit den Resten einer Cultur beschränkt, die mich immer mächtig angezogen; er gewährt mir die Möglichkeit mich für eventuellen Dienst in Indien praktisch durch Erlernung einer oder der anderen modern-indischen Sprache vorzubereiten; (...)

In der That ähnelt das College mit seinen vielen kleinen Wohnungen einem abendländischen Kloster, ein Gang durch die Arkaden aber ersetzt bei einiger Phantasie, was noch zu orientalischen Anstrich fehlt; denn es sind da schöne buddhistische Skulpturen auch fast lebensgrosse Relieffriese auf gestellt, deren vorzügliche Arbeit die unmittelbare Einwirkung griechischer Kunst erkennen lässt. Besonders einen indo-skythischen Barbarenkönig habe ich in effigie recht liebgewonnen, in dessen Antlitz die charakteristischen Züge dieser Race mit wunderbarer Lebendigkeit ausgeprägt sind; sie wurden mir auch durch die sehr zahlreichen Goldmünzen des Leitner'schen Museums vertraut, die ich hier bequem und ohne lästige Control untersuchen konnte. Eine grosse Menge von Silber- und Kupfermünzen der griech.-bactrischen Könige wartet noch auf nähere Bestimmung.

Translation

(...)The truly English beauty of the landscape took me by surprise when I approached the formidable building (which you know from the illustration in Trubner's Record) on a bright autumn morning; L. received me friendly and showed me his remarkable collections in the big hall. This rich collection of Indo-Greek sculptures and Greek-Bactrian coins one would have expected on Punjab soil but not at this friendly place. (...)

Here I can enjoy the freedom of living in the countryside (which had sweetened my stay in Tübingen as well) and have all the advantages of a gigantic city at the same time, since about 30 trains going in both directions call at Woking Junction during the day. (...)

The advantage of my stay here is not, however, restricted to enjoying fresh air and getting acquaninted with relics of an ancient culture which always had attracted me; it offers me the opportunity to prepare myself for a possible position in India by learning a modern Indian language; (...)

In fact, the college with its many little flats resembles a Western monastery. With a little phantasy going through the arcades gives the impression is something oriental; there are Buddhist sculptures and reliefs in full size which show direct influence from Old Greek art. My special friend in that collection is a sculpture of an Indo-Scythian king whose face vividly shows all the characteristic features of his race. They reappear on many of the gold coins in Leitner's museum, which I was allowed to study without irksome control. ..A lot of silver and copper coins of the Greek-Bactrian kings still wait to be specified. (...)

The attractions of the Institute did not last long for Stein and in his second letter to Roth, dated 19th of December 1884 he describes the disadvantages in as much detail as he had done with the advantages and gave the reason why he had moved back to London. These were: the fact that no English conversation was possible as no inhabitant apart from the gardener was English. The fact that he needed to go to the British Museum now in order to complete his book about Avestan noun-inflexion, that he had to meet important people without wasting much time travelling and that the proper opening of the Institute took place only after Leitner's arrival.

His new lodgings now are not far from the British Museum, he is the only foreigner and therefore has much practice in colloquial English and he can meet the various persons he wants to without loosing too much time. In order to take his long walks he mentions Regent's Park quite happily.  

These incidents illustrate an interesting point in Stein's character, that is: a highly emotional approach combined with a down-to-earth realism and honesty to himself without false pride.

Nevertheless a similar thing happens again the following year, when he moves to Oxford and stays there for about two months. Again it is the lure of the countryside, the beautiful and peaceful surroundings and the possibily of long walks. Again he moves back to London after a few weeks for lack of English conversation and contacts, since living outside the colleges he has little contact to student-circles and the Oxford dons are very busy during the term. Again he misses the collections of the British Museum necessary for his work. He is also critical about the restrictions of the Bodleiana library.

Yet his fascination for London declines and in one letter he suggests mockingly the foundation of a 'Society for prevention of Cruelty to Acoustic Organs'. (30/7/1885)

Now he stays in Hampstead, away from central London and is happy about the Heath not far away for his walks. Coming back to London in January '87, after a year in Budapest, he moves in the house of a niece and her husband who live in Hampstead as well (30, Belize Park). He seems to be happy to live there, but does not mention why he was not able to stay there before. (12/9/1887)  

However, it is not for long as by autumn he is bound for India, and eventually found his 'home'there in Kashmir.  

The riddle of his 'Nominalflexion'

Another topic which is mentioned in nearly every letter but unknown otherwise, is that Stein seemed to have been prevented from getting his PhD dissertation printed as a book. He had written his thesis about Avestan noun-inflexion, the title being: 'Nominalflexion im Zend' (quoted as "Nominalflexion) and Roth is full of praise about the work when he suggests that the faculty should call Stein for the final 'colloquium', the oral exam in the presence of the faculty.

Gutachten von Roth zu Dissertation Stein (UAT 131/33b)

"(...) Er hat in dieser Zeit so ungewöhnlich rasche Fortschritte gemacht, daß ich ihn zu den talentiersten Schülern zähle, die ich gehabt habe.

Was er vorlegt - (...) - ist obschon nur ein Teil einer Untersuchung über

die Nominalflexion im Zend

gleichwohl sehr umfänglich. Eine Arbeit dieser Art wird in jeder besser überlieferten Literatur nicht die Hälfte der Schwierigkeiten machen, die hier zu überwinden sind. Im Awesta aber liegen Texte vor, welche zwar äußerlich in ziemlich konsequenter Orthographie aufgezeichnet zu sein scheinen, jedoch seit Jahrhunderten durch die Hände von Abschreibern gegangen sind, die wenn auch nicht ungelehrt doch ungrammatisch waren - und eine Verwechslung und Verwirrung von Formen da und dort angerichtet haben, die wir nur mit Mühe schlichten(?).

Der Versuch einer solchen Restitution, die für das Nomen eineverwickelstere Aufgabe ist als für das Verbum, will die vorliegende Arbeit sein. (...)

Ich bin mit der Art, wie A. Stein seine Sache gemacht hat, ganz einverstanden und muß annehmen, daß er manche bisher verkannte Formen richtig bestimmt, einer Menge von Textstellen zu ihrm Sinn verholfen und eine besonnene Kritik geübt hat, (...). Ich beantrage Berufung zum Colloquium. Als Nebenfach wünscht der Kandidat klassische Philologie.

Hochachtungsvoll

Tübingen 21. Mai 1883

Roth  

Translation

(...) During that time (while in Tübingen) he advanced so rapidly that he belongs to the most talented pupils I ever had.

The work he submits - ... is only a part of a study about noun-inflexion in the Avesta, however very extensive.

Such a work would have half as difficult by in any other better transmitted literature. In Avesta, however, there are texts which seem to have a uniform orthography. However they were handed down to us by ungrammatical copyists who created much confusion in grammatical forms, a confusion we tediously have to unravel.

This thesis is the attempt of such a restitution of the noun, which is an even more complicated task than it would be for the verb. (...)

I wholly agree with the work of A. Stein and have reason to believe that he has ascertained some forms which had been doubtful and that he has given a meaning to many unclear passages and that his critique is reasonable. (...)

I propose that the candidate should be called for the colloquium. As his subsidiary subject the candidate opts for Classical Philology.

Tübingen 21.5.1883

Roth  

This work, however, has not been found so far, neither in unpublished nor in printed form. When Stein sets off for England more than a year after having been awarded his PhD, he calls at Kohlhammer's publishing house in Stuttgart for preliminary talks about the printing. Then, in England he often mentions it, calling it his 'main task', but seems to alter and augment the book considerably, as he finds and incorporates more relevant manuscripts.  

Then, in July 1885, a rival is mentioned, who Stein will have to come to terms with. It is Paul Horn from Halle, who had published a work (or parts of it) bearing nearly the same title: 'Die Nominalflexion im Avesta und den altpersisichen Keilinschriften. Halle, 1885 Teil 1: Die Stämme auf Spiranten'. It had also been a doctoral thesis, Paul Horn was awarded his PhD on the 6th of June 1885, while Stein had acquired his 2 years earlier. Stein writes to Roth after he received a copy of the work saying that Horn had followed a quite different method. Thus he continues to work on his own opus and he feels even more pressed to do so. So far he had not published anything else worth mentioning and the 'Nominalflexion' would be the only thing to show when applying for an academic position, which he seemed to have hoped for at that time.

Thus he plodded on with this work and often he deplores Kohlhammer's lack of enthusiasm in printing the book. He is glad that Prof. Geldner agrees to look after the proof-reading when he finally departs for India.

The keen interest in this work, however, vanished in favour of Stein's other interests, such as geography and history of the Hindukush area. He admits in a letter shortly before leaving for India, that his priorities have changed. He says that his former goal to finish the Nominalflexion only had priority as long as he was hoping for a position in Europe. In India it would not be of much value and that he therefore wanted to pass on his collected material to a German or American pupil of Geldner. Yet, even when in Lahore in 1888, he writes that he was looking for a clerk who would copy all the papers and that he hoped that he would get on with his work. This statement from January 1888 is the last we have about that work.  

Iranian Studies and the Soma

Even when Stein's interests shifted from Old Indian and Avestan grammar to history and geography of the region of his interest, this was expressed mainly through philological research. In quite a number of letters he discusses words, mainly geographical names and tries to identify the places. (An Iranist would necessarily have to go through these passages in Stein's letters, for I am not qualified to fully appreciate them)

Stein could be sure that his former teacher would have taken an interest in these discussions as Roth was one of those professors who still combined Vedic and Avestan studies quite naturally. Also he was known to be interested in what he called 'Realienkunde'.

There was even another point of interest: Roth was - at that time - much involved in the discussion about the Soma-plant used by the Vedic Indians for ritual purposes. And exactly during these years he had someone out in the Hindukush who could report back his findings. This person was Albert Regel, a botanist, whose letters are also part of our collection. He was in Russian service and seemed to have been sent on semi-secret exploration tours. Everything about him is a bit mysterious. (and that would be another paper!). Between 1883 and 1888 he wrote long letters from Merv and Samarkand, describing his discoveries to Roth. Stein referred to him and his task several times and often he asks whether there is news about the 'Haoma'.  

In London, Stein works a lot on identifying coins, He writes little articles on various topics and helps his friends by writing minutes of meetings and translations of major German articles. He also is invited to hold lectures in learned societies and asks Roth's advice. One such lecture he is asked to give at the Royal Asiatic Society. He says that it should be something for the 'general public'as the English so far had not shown much interest in Avestan studies. Roth suggests 'Life of Zoroaster' and Stein happily agrees.  

Zoroastrian Society  

In January 1887 Stein mentions, that he wanted to bring up Geldner's idea of a Pahlavi-Society. He had been in close contact with Dr Rost and Captain Temple, the editor of the Indian Antiquary, concerning this matter. He outlines quite detailed ideas about such a society which has to be named 'Zoroastrian Society', this name appealing more to the public.

...Mit Capt. Temple habe ich auch ein Projekt besprochen, das Ihnen nicht fremd sein kann. Während meines Tübinger Aufenthaltes theilte mir Prof. Geldner auf´s neue seine Ideen betreffs einer Pahlavi-Text-Society mit, über die er auch schon mit Prof. Rost correspondiert hatte. Obwohl ich mir die praktischen Schwierigkeiten der Sache nicht verhehlte, habe ich mir eine Genauere Einsicht in die Mittel und Wege zu schaffen gesucht, durch die man die Parsen, resp. Ihre Geldbeutel für dies Unternehmen gewinnen könnte; einen Anhalt bot mir unter Anderem die Bekanntschaft mit ./. der hiesigen Parsengemeinde, die ich theils im Northbrook Indian Club, theils in der National Indian Association machte. Festeren Grund gewann ich aber erst durch die Besprechungen mit Capt. Temple, der die Localverhältnisse gut kennt (...)  

(...) With Capt. Temple I spoke about a project which may not been unknown to you. When I was in Tübingen the last time Prof. Geldner again told me about his idea of a Pahlavi Text Society, and that he had already talked to Prof. Rost about it. (...)

I tried to gain some insight into means and ways of winning the Parsis, i.e. their money for that project. I started to contact the Parsis who live here and who are organized in the Northbrook Indian Club and in the National Indian Association. The matter took up more form when I discussed it with Capt. Temple. (...)  

Stein to Roth 23. Jan. 1887

Details followed in the next letter, where a so called "Rough draft was added: "Zoroastrian Society founded for research into the arts, religion literature, history, antiquities & ethnology of the followers of Zoroasters' including many organizational details.

Unfortunately such a society had already been founded in Bombay by Darmesteter and Raymond West, as he learns soon afterwards, and to look after a proper functioning of the Pahlevi Text Fund would be one of his first tasks, when Stein finally gets a job in India.  

People and Posts

He had been contacting people from the first day of his arrival in England. The initial persons were Reinhold Rost, librarian of the India Office Library who introduced him to a number of people. Apart from Leitner's Oriental Institute, one of Stein's first visits were to Edward William West's, the Iranist's, house, who helped him much in matters of Iranian philology. Edward Arnold introduced him to Cambridge circles. After the Congress of Orientalists in Vienna in 1886 he stays much in touch with Captain Temple, the editor of the Indian Antiquary and with circles of the Royal Asiatic Society as well as the Geographical Society. His major effort and hope to get himself introduced to Sir Henry Rawlinson, whom he greatly admired was finally fulfilled. In several letter he expresses his hopes to meet him and when he finally does in January 1887, he is full of joy. Later that year, Rawlinson pays him even more attention in asking his opinion about some academic matter. He then writes the crucial testimonial for Stein's application for a position in the Educational Department in India.

When Stein leaves Europe for India in November, 1887, having a free passage from the Hungarian government, two years of worry, failure of plans and dreams come to a stop - at least for the time being.

From his first hopeful sigh, when he had accompanied Dr and Mrs Leitner to their boat to India and had wished he could go with

them he had written about his hopes, ideas, plans and activities in nearly every letter which might bring him to a suitable position.

At first he thinks that India is out of reach and discusses his possibilites in England or in Hungary. He writes in a letter dated May 1885 that there had been a librarian's post at the Indian Institute in Oxford. Julius Eggeling gets it and Stein seems not to be too sorry about that. In Oxford, sooner or later something for him would come up, he was quite positive about that.

In Hungary, where he did his military service in 1886, a new chair for Oriental Languages and Comparative Philology was in discussion, which was to be installed in the recently opened (1872) university of Cluj-Napoca ('kluzna-'poka) or Klausenburg, as he calls it. In a long letter from October '87, which is full of sorrow about his mother's death, he writes about all the earlier plans and possibilities and what had come of them.  

In India at last

It is not quite clear to whom Stein owes most in finally obtaining a post in India. As early as in 84 Leitner had promised to keep a watch for a post for Stein when he left England.

Stein sounds hopeful but so then he well knew that he could not give too much worth to Leitner's promise. Some years later however, and due to the influence of others, it was exactly Leitner's Oriental College in the Panjab University where Stein got a regular post.In the course of a few weeks, he indeed got a post in the Educational Department, not in Bombay however, but in Lahore, in the Panjab University as head of the Oriental Institute.

Between 1886 and 1888 Georg Bühler discusses Stein's opportunities in several letters to Roth. After the 'Orientalistentag' in Vienna in 1886 he writes, that he always had liked Stein and that he thought he would succeed in doing something great if only he obtained a post in India.

Bühler had been in Indian service for more than 15 years and knew many people in Bombay. He mentions a vacancy due soon in the Educational Department, the post occupied by Peterson, which might be suitable for Stein and indeed, a week later he urges Roth to send a testimonial in English to him to verify Stein's Sanskrit knowledge.

But his very first job in Bombay, Stein claims to have learned about from Darmesteter, who had come back from India in March 87. It was not a proper position and he would have to give private lessons in order to make a decent living. The task to look after the Pahlevi Text Fund, which had been founded by Darmesteter and the local community of influental Parsis, and to start editing texts. He took the risk on going to India with free passage from the Hungarian government and with the hope that once working there he would get his foot into the Educational Department. He too mentions the possibility of Peterson's post in the Elphinstone college becoming vacant, and hopes to have a chance with the help of several testimonials by men of influence, one of them being his most esteemed Sir Henry Rawlinson.  

Conclusions

Many more interesting details of Stein's character are highlighted by these early letters. One of them I put under the heading "<blink>No useless knowledge</blink>".

The letters show him as someone who finds something to learn everywhere, who has a high ability to observe, and as someone who could extract something interesting or at least useful from even less pleasant situations.  

His well-known <blink>capacity of managing an enormous workload</blink> later on is also shown here already, when he throws himself fully into every task from the very first day. Thus, shortly after his arrival in Bombay in December 1886 he brought together the rival and quarreling parties of the Pahlevi Fund and starts to work on the edition of its first publication.

A <blink>quick intellectual grasp and self-assurance</blink> about how something has to be handled properly, and a certain stubbornness in carrying out what he thinks right becomes also clear from the letters. He had hardly started in his new job at the Oriental College when he describes all the work which has to be done and what he intends to change. Thus he introduces new examination rules as well as regulations concerning the Sanskrit lessons. He starts to train a clerk as librarian and asks Roth to send him a librarian's handbook. When he finds a large collection of manuscripts collected during searches for manuscripts he starts to catalogue them and manages to get two helpers paid for that new task.
All this work is most efficiently and duefully done, yet, he does not consider it as his primary activity. His aspiration lies in the historical and geographical exploration of the North-West frontier, and he is very glad when the term is over and he can set off for Kashmir.

We hold only one letter, unfortunately partly damaged, of what seems to be his first escape from his routine work in Lahore. It comes from Srinagar, is dated 23rd September 1888, and describes his journey up to the mountains in a most fascinated manner. He describes the beauty of the land as well as the things he did whilst there, such as excavating the foundations of a 'vihra' he had found in Zukhur and which he thinks is mentioned in the Rajatarangin.

Thus he had set himself on the track he would follow the rest of his life.