,transcribed from the #aiaa1 ,hodder and ,stoughton edition by ,david ,price1 email ccx#jgdpglaf4org ,,letters ,,of ,,george ,,borrow ,,to ,,the ,,british ,,and ,,foreign ,,bible ,,society ,published by ,direction of the ,committee ,,edited ,,by ,t4 ,h4 ,,darlow ,,hodder ,,and ,,stoughton ,,london ,,new ,,york ,,toronto #aiaa ,,to ,,williamson ,,lamplough ,,chairman ,,of ,,the ,,committee ,,of ,,the ,,british ,,and ,,foreign ,,bible ,,society ,,these ,,letters ,,from ,,the ,,society',s ,,distinguished ,,agent ,,are ,,dedicated ,,with ,,most ,,sincere ,,respect ,,and ,,regard ,,by ,,their ,,editor ,to the ,rev4 ,j4 ,jowett ,,willow ,,lane1 ,,st4 ,,giles1 ,,norwich1 ,feb4 #ajth1 #ahcc4 ,,revd4 ,,and ,,dear ,,sir1--,i have just received your communication1 and notwithstanding it is ,sunday morning1 and the bells with their loud and clear voices are calling me to church1 ,i have sat down to answer it by return of post4 ,it is scarcely necessary for me to say that ,i was rejoiced to see the ,chrestomathie ,mandchou1 which will be of no slight assistance in learning the ,tartar dialect1 on which ever since ,i left ,london ,i have been almost incessantly occupied4 ,it is1 then1 your opinion1 that from the lack of anything in the form of ,grammar ,i have scarcely made any progress towards the attainment of ,mandchou2 perhaps you will not be perfectly miserable at being informed that you were never more mistaken in your life4 ,i can already1 with the assistance of ,amyot1 translate ,mandchou with no great difficulty1 and am perfectly qualified to write a critique on the version of ,st4 ,matthew's ,gospel1 which ,i brought with me into the country4 ,upon the whole1 ,i consider the translation a good one1 but ,i cannot help thinking that the author has been frequently too paraphrastical1 and that in various places he must be utterly unintelligible to the ,mandchous from having unnecessarily made use of words which are not ,mandchou1 and with which the ,tartars cannot be acquainted4 ,what must they think1 for example1 on coming to the sentence 4 4 4 apkai etchin ni porofiyat1 i4e4 the prophet of the ,lord of heaven8 ,for the last word in the ,mandchou quotation being a modification of a ,greek word1 with no marginal explanation1 renders the whole dark to a ,tartar4 ,greek text2 apkai ,i know1 and etchin ,i know1 but what is porofiyat1 he will say4 ,now in ,tartar1 there are words synonymous with our seer1 diviner1 or foreteller1 and ,i feel disposed to be angry with the translator for not having used one of these words in preference to modifying ,greek text2 and it is certainly unpardonable of him to have ,tartarized ,greek text into 4 4 4 anguel1 when in ,tartar there is a word equal to our messenger1 which is the literal translation of ,greek text4 ,but ,i will have done with finding fault1 and proceed to the more agreeable task of answering your letter4 ,my brother's address is as follows3 ,don ,juan ,borrow1 ,compagnia ,anglo ,mexicana1 ,guanajuato1 ,mexico4 ,when you write to him1 the letter must be put in post before the third ,wednesday of the month1 on which day the ,mexican letter-packet is made up4 ,i suppose it is unnecessary to inform you that the outward postage of all foreign letters must be paid at the office1 but ,i wish you particularly to be aware that it will be absolutely necessary to let my brother know in what dialect of the ,mexican this translation is made1 in order that he may transmit it to the proper quarter1 for within the short distance of twenty miles of the place where he resides there are no less than six dialects spoken1 which differ more from each other than the ,german does from the ,english4 ,i intend to write to him next ,thursday1 and if you will favour me with an answer on this very important point1 by return of post1 ,i shall feel obliged4 ,return my kind and respected friend ,mr4 ,brandram my best thanks for his present of ,the ,gypsies' ,advocate1 and assure him that1 next to the acquirement of ,mandchou1 the conversion and enlightening of those interesting people occupy the principal place in my mind4 ,will he be willing to write to the ,gypsy ,committee concerning me8 ,i wish to translate the ,gospel of ,st4 ,john into their language1 which ,i could easily do with the assistance of one or two of the old people1 but then they must be paid1 for the ,gypsies are more mercenary than ,jews4 ,i have already written to my dear friend ,mr4 ,cunningham on this subject1 and have no doubt that he will promote the plan to the utmost of his ability4 ,i must procure a letter of introduction from him to ,joseph ,gurney1 and should be very happy to obtain one also from ,mr4 ,brandram1 for in all which regards the ,gospel and the glory of ,christ1 ,joseph ,gurney is the principal person to look to in these parts4 ,i will now conclude by beseeching you to send me as soon as possible whatever can serve to enlighten me in respect to ,mandchou ,grammar1 for had ,i a ,grammar1 ,i should in a month's time be able to send a ,mandchou translation of ,jonah4 ,in the meanwhile ,i remain1 ,revd4 and dear ,sir1 your most humble and obedient servant1 ,g4 ,,borrow4 ,to the ,rev4 ,j4 ,jowett #ahth ,march1 #ahcc1 ,,willow ,,lane1 ,,st4 ,,giles1 ,,norwich4 ,,dear ,,sir1--,as yourself and ,mr4 ,brandram expressed a desire to hear from me occasionally concerning my progress in ,mandchou1 ,i now write to inform you that ,i am advancing at full gallop1 and am able to translate with pleasure and facility the specimens of the best authors who have written in the language contained in the compilation of ,klaproth4 ,but ,i must confess that the want of a ,grammar has been1 particularly in the beginning of my course1 a great clog to my speed1 and ,i have little doubt that had ,i been furnished with one ,i should have attained my present knowledge of ,mandchou in half the time4 ,i was determined however not to be discouraged1 and1 not having a hatchet at hand to cut down the tree with1 to attack it with my knife2 and ,i would advise every one to make the most of the tools which happen to be in his possession1 until he can procure better ones1 and it is not improbable that by the time the good tools arrive he will find he has not much need of them1 having almost accomplished his work4 ,this is not exactly my case1 for ,i shall be very glad to receive this same tripartite ,grammar which ,mr4 ,brandram is hunting for1 my ideas respecting ,mandchou construction being still very vague and wandering1 and ,i should also be happy if you could and would procure for me the original grammatical work of ,amyot1 printed in the ,memoires1 etc4 ,present my kind regards to ,mr4 ,hattersley1 and thank him in my name for his kind letter1 but at the same time tell him that ,i was sorry to learn that he was putting himself to the trouble of transferring into ,mandchou characters the specimens which ,amyot has given in ,roman1 as there was no necessity for it in respect to myself1 a mere transcript being quite sufficient to convey the information ,i was in need of4 ,assure him likewise that ,i am much disposed to agree with him in his opinion of ,amyot's ,dictionary1 which he terms in his letter 'something not very first-rate1' for the ,frenchman's translations of the ,mandchou words are anything but clear and satisfactory1 and being far from literal1 frequently leave the student in great doubt and perplexity4 ,i have sent to my brother one copy of ,st4 ,luke's ,gospel with a letter2 the postage was #aes4 #e;d4 ,my reason for sending only one was1 that the rate of postage increases with the weight1 and that the two ,gospels can go out much cheaper singly than together4 ,the other ,i shall dispatch next month4 ,i subjoin a translation from the ,mandchou1 as ,i am one of those who do not wish people to believe words but works2 and as ,i have had no ,grammar1 and been only seven weeks at a language which ,amyot says one may acquire in five or six years1 ,i thought you might believe my account of my progress to be a piece of exaggeration and vain boasting4 ,the translation is from the ,mongol ,history1 which1 not being translated by ,klaproth1 ,i have selected as most adapted to the present occasion2 ,i must premise that ,i translate as ,i write1 and if there be any inaccuracies1 as ,i daresay there will1 some allowance must be made for haste1 which prevents my devoting the attention necessary to a perfectly correct rendering of the text4 ,i will conclude by observing that ,i believe myself at present competent to edit any book in ,mandchou1 if that be what is wanted1 and beg leave to remain1 dear ,sir1 your obedient humble servant1 ,,george ,,borrow4 ,to the ,rev4 ,j4 ,jowett ,june #ith1 #ahcc ,,willow ,,lane1 ,,st4 ,,giles1 ,,norwich4 ,,revd4 ,,and ,,dear ,,sir1--,i have mastered ,mandchou1 and ,i should feel obliged by your informing the ,committee of the fact1 and also my excellent friend ,mr4 ,brandram4 ,i assure you that ,i have had no easy and pleasant task in acquiring this language4 ,in the first place1 it is in every respect different from all others which ,i have studied1 with perhaps the exception of the ,turkish1 to which it seems to bear some remote resemblance in syntax1 though none in words4 ,in the second place1 it abounds with idiomatic phrases1 which can only be learnt by habit1 and to the understanding of which a ,dictionary is of little or no use1 the words separately having either no meaning or a meaning quite distinct from that which they possess when thus conjoined4 ,and thirdly the helps afforded me in this undertaking have been sadly inadequate4 ,however1 with the assistance of ,god1 ,i have performed my engagement4 ,i have translated several pieces from the ,mandchou1 amongst which is the 4 4 4 or ,spirit of the ,hearth 7,greek text71 which is a peculiarly difficult composition1 and which had never previously been translated into a ,european language4 ,should you desire a copy1 ,i shall have great pleasure in sending one4 ,i shall now be happy to be regularly employed1 for though ,i am not in want1 my affairs are not in a very flourishing condition4 ,i remain1 ,revd4 and dear ,sir1 your most obedient humble servant1 ,,george ,,borrow4 ,to the ,rev4 ,j4 ,jowett ,,willow ,,lane1 ,,st4 ,,giles1 ,,norwich1 ,july #crd1 #ahcc4 ,,revd4 ,,and ,,dear ,,sir1--,owing to the culpable tardiness of the post-office people1 ,i have received your letter so late that ,i have little more than a quarter of an hour to answer it in1 and be in time to despatch it by this day's mail4 ,what you have written has given me great pleasure1 as it holds out hope that ,i may be employed usefully to the ,deity1 to man1 and myself4 ,i shall be very happy to visit ,st4 ,petersburg and to become the coadjutor of ,mr4 ,lipoftsoff1 and to avail myself of his acquirements in what you very happily designate a most singular language1 towards obtaining a still greater proficiency in it4 ,i flatter myself that ,i am for one or two reasons tolerably well adapted for the contemplated expedition1 for besides a competent knowledge of ,french and ,german1 ,i possess some acquaintance with ,russian1 being able to read without much difficulty any printed ,russian book1 and ,i have little doubt that after a few months' intercourse with the natives ,i should be able to speak it fluently4 ,it would ill become me to bargain like a ,jew or a ,gypsy as to terms2 all ,i wish to say on that point is1 that ,i have nothing of my own1 having been too long dependent on an excellent mother1 who is not herself in very easy circumstances4 ,i remain1 ,revd4 and dear ,sir1 truly yours1 ,,george ,,borrow4 ,to the ,rev4 ,j4 ,jowett 7,endorsed3 recd4 ,aug4 #ac1 #ahcc7 ,,hamburg1 ,august #dth1 #ahcc4 ,,revd4 ,,and ,,dear ,,sir1--,i arrived at ,hamburg yesterday after a disagreeable passage of three days1 in which ,i suffered much from sea-sickness1 as did all the other passengers1 who were a medley of ,germans1 ,swedes1 and ,danes1 ,i being the only ,englishman on board1 with the exception of the captain and crew4 ,i landed about seven o'clock in the morning1 and the sun1 notwithstanding the earliness of the hour1 shone so fiercely that it brought upon me a transient fit of delirium1 which is scarcely to be wondered at1 if my previous state of exhaustion be considered4 ,you will readily conceive that my situation1 under all its circumstances1 was not a very enviable one2 some people would perhaps call it a frightful one4 ,i did not come however to the slightest harm1 for the ,lord took care of me through two of ,his instruments1 ,messrs4 ,weil and ,valentin1 highly respectable ,jews of ,copenhagen1 who had been my fellow-passengers1 and with whom ,i had in some degree ingratiated myself on board1 in our intervals of ease1 by conversing with them about the ,talmud and the book ,sohar4 ,they conveyed me to the ,konig von ,engeland1 an excellent hotel in the street called the ,neuenwall1 and sent for a physician1 who caused me to take forty drops of laudanum and my head to be swathed in wet towels1 and afterwards caused me to be put to bed1 where ,i soon fell asleep1 and awoke in the evening perfectly recovered and in the best spirits possible4 ,this morning1 ,sunday1 ,i called on the ,british ,consul1 ,mr4 ,h4 ,canning1 to whom ,i had a letter of recommendation4 ,he received me with great civility1 and honoured me with an invitation to dine with him to-morrow1 which ,i of course accepted4 ,he is a highly intelligent man1 and resembles strikingly in person his illustrious relative1 the late ,george ,canning4 ,since visiting him ,i have been to one of the five tall churches which tower up above the tall houses2 ,i thought its interior very venerable and solemn1 but the service seemed to be nothing more than a low-muttered chanting1 from which it was impossible to derive much spiritual edification4 ,there was no sermon1 and not more than twenty persons were present1 though the edifice would contain thousands conveniently4 ,hamburg is a huge place1 and the eastern part of it is intersected by wide canals communicating with the ,elbe1 so that vessels find their way into most parts of the city2 the bridges are consequently very numerous1 and are mostly of wood4 ,some of the streets are planted with trees1 which have a pretty appearance1 though upon the whole it has certainly no claim to the appellation of a handsome town4 ,but no observer can fail to be struck with the liveliness and bustle which reign in this emporium of continental ,europe1 worthy to be compared with ,tyre of old or our own ,liverpool4 ,another city adjoins it called ,altona1 the park of which and the environs are the favourite ,sunday lounge of the ,hamburgers4 ,altona is in ,holstein1 which belongs to the ,danish ,government4 ,it is separated from the ,hanseatic town merely by a small gateway1 so that it may truly be said here that there is but one step from a republic to a monarchy4 ,little can be said in commendation of the moral state of this part of the world1 for rope-dancers were displaying their agility in the park to-day1 and the dancing-saloons1 which ,i am informed are most infamous places1 are open to the public this evening4 ,england with all her faults has still some regard to decency1 and will not tolerate such a shameless display of vice on so sacred a season1 when a decent cheerfulness is the freest form in which the mind or countenance ought to invest themselves4 ,i shall depart for ,lubeck on the sixth 7,tuesday71 and shall probably be on the ,baltic on my way to ,st4 ,petersburg on the eighth1 which is the day notified for the departure the steamboat4 ,my next letter1 provided it pleases the ,almighty to vouch-safe me a happy arrival1 will be from the ,russian capital2 and with a fervent request that you will not forget me in your prayers1 and that you will present my kind remembrances and best respects to ,mr4 ,brandram1 and also remember me to ,mr4 ,hattersley and ,mr4 ,tarn1 ,i have the honour to remain1 ,revd4 and dear ,sir1 your most obedient and most humble servant1 ,,george ,,borrow4 ,to the ,rev4 ,j4 ,jowett 7,endorsed3 recd4 ,sept4 #bfth1 #ahcc7 ,,st4 ,,petersburg1 ,no4 #bba ,,galernoy ,,ulitza4 ,undated4 ,,revd4 ,,and ,,dear ,,sir1--,my last letter was from ,hamburg1 which ,i hope and trust you received4 ,i started from thence on the #bdth1 and embarking at ,travemunde ,i arrived at the ,russian capital on the #cast ,july 7old style7 after an exceedingly pleasant passage1 accomplished in the short space of #gb hours2 for the wind was during the greatest part of our way favourable and gentle1 the sea being quite as smooth as a mill pond1 so that the paddles of our noble steamer1 the ,nikolai1 were not at all impeded in their working by any rolling or pitching of the vessel4 ,immediately on my arrival ,i sought out ,mr4 ,swan1 one of the most amiable and interesting characters ,i have ever met with1 and delivered to him your letter1 the contents of which were very agreeable to him2 for from applying himself too un-interruptedly to transcribing the manuscript of the ,mandchou ,old ,testament he had in some degree injured his health2 and the arrival of a coadjutor in the task was exceedingly opportune4 ,in a day or two ,i went with him to pay a visit to ,mr4 ,schmidt1 who resides a few miles out of town4 ,he assured us that he had no doubt of permission being granted for the printing of the ,mandchou ,new ,testament1 and promised to make all the necessary inquiries1 and to inform ,mr4 ,swan and myself of the result4 ,he was at the time we saw him much occupied with his ,mongolian ,grammar and ,dictionary1 which are in the press4 ,we have not heard from him since this visit1 and ,i shall probably call upon him again in a week or two to hear what steps he has taken4 ,i resided for nearly a fortnight in a hotel1 as the difficulty of procuring lodgings in this place is very great1 and when you have procured them1 you have to furnish them yourself at a considerable expense4 ,during this time ,i collated with ,mr4 ,swan the greatest part of what he had transcribed1 and eventually ,i took up my abode with ,mr4 ,egerton ,hubbard1 a friend of ,mr4 ,venning's1 where ,i am for the present very comfortably situated1 and ,i do assure you exerting myself to the utmost to fulfil the views of the ,society4 ,i have transcribed from the ,mandchou ,old ,testament the second book of ,chronicles1 which when ,i had done1 ,i put aside the ,old ,testament for a season1 and by the advice of ,mr4 ,swan began to copy ,st4 ,matthew's ,gospel from the version of the ,new1 executed by the same hand as the ,old1 with the purpose of comparing it with that of ,mr4 ,lipoftsoff4 ,this task ,i have just completed1 and am now about to commence a transcript of the ,acts4 ,respecting this manuscript translation of the ,old and ,new ,testaments ,i must here observe1 that with scarcely one exception it is the most laborious and best executed work of the kind which ,i have ever seen1 and ,i cannot but admire the diligence and learning of him who1 probably unasked and unrewarded1 engaged in and accomplished it4 ,the style1 as far as ,i can judge1 is to an eminent degree elegant and polished1 and likely to captivate those whose taste is cultivated1 and with this advantage1 it exhibits none of that obscurity which too frequently attends refinement of language2 and as for fidelity--it is upon the whole executed as literally1 and with as much adherence to the original1 as the genius of the ,tartar language and the understandings of the people1 for whose edification it is intended1 will permit4 ,but the notes and elucidations 7which ,i copy not7 which follow every chapter1 both of the ,old and ,new ,testament1 constitute the most surprising feature of this work4 ,they are so full and copious1 that they occupy far more space than the text2 indeed1 ,i think ,i speak quite within bounds when ,i say that for every page of text there are two of explanatory matter4 ,the author was a ,french ,jesuit1 and when did a ,jesuit any thing which he undertook1 whether laudable or the reverse1 not far better than any other person8 ,staunch ,protestant though ,i be1 ,i am not ashamed to say that all the skill and talent of our own missionaries1 in acquiring languages and making versions of the ,scriptures1 are1 when compared with the capabilities displayed by the seminary priests1 faint and seemingly insignificant2 and yet it is singular enough that the labours of the latter in this line have had almost invariably no other fate than to be buried in continental public libraries or in the literary collections of the learned and curious2 from which it is manifest that the ,lord smiled not upon their undertakings4 ,they thought not of ,his glory but of the glory of their order1 and the consequence has been that ',he has put down the mighty from their seat and has exalted the humble and meek4' ,a few days since ,i called upon ,mr4 ,lipoftsoff1 and to my surprise discovered that he was totally unaware of any plan being in agitation for the printing of his translation of the ,scriptures4 ,he said that he had had no communication with ,mr4 ,schmidt for several months2 and far from being able to furnish me with any information respecting the probable destiny of his work1 he asked questions of me concerning it4 ,he is a gentleman rather advanced in years1 probably between sixty and seventy1 but is nevertheless surprisingly hale and robust4 ,he was very kind1 and promised to give me any assistance in his power towards acquiring a thorough knowledge of the ,mandchou2 and1 permit me to say1 that ,petersburg is the only place in ,europe where such a knowledge can be obtained1 for the manuscripts and printed books in that tongue are very plentiful here1 and there are moreover several individuals who speak and write it4 ,i of course most gladly accepted such an offer1 and shall endeavour to turn it to the best account4 ,mr4 ,l4 speaks no ,european language but ,russ1 which ,i am not sorry for1 because frequent conversation and intercourse with him will improve my knowledge of that language4 ,it is a great error to suppose that a person resident in this country can dispense with ,russ1 provided he is acquainted with ,french and ,german4 ,the two latter languages1 it is true1 are spoken by the ,french and ,german shop-keepers settled here4 ,french is moreover spoken 7to foreigners7 by the nobility and a few of the officers in the army2 but neither are so generally understood as in ,england--,german far less so2 and as for the ,russians being the best general linguists in ,europe1 ,i am totally unable to guess how the idea could have originated1 but am certain from personal experience that they are quite the contrary4 ,petersburg is the finest city in the world2 neither ,london nor ,paris nor any other ,european capital which ,i have visited has sufficient pretensions to enter into comparison with it in respect to beauty and grandeur4 ,many of the streets are miles in length1 as straight as an arrow and adorned with the most superb edifices4 ,the so-called ,nevsky ,prospect1 a street which runs from the ,admiralty to the ,monastery of ,st4 ,alexander ,nevsky1 is nearly three miles in length and for the greatest part of the way floored with small blocks of wood shaped octagonally4 ,the broad and rapid ,neva runs through the centre of this ,queen of cities1 and on either side is a noble quay1 from which you have a full view of the river and of what is passing on its bosom4 ,but ,i will not be diffuse in the description of objects which have been so often described1 but devote the following lines which my paper will contain to more important matters4 ,the lower orders of the ,russians are very willing to receive ,scriptural information1 and very willing to purchase it if offered to them at a price which comes within their means4 ,i will give an interesting example of this4 ,a young man of the name of ,nobbs1 in the employ of ,mr4 ,leake1 an ,english farmer residing a few versts from ,petersburg1 is in the habit on his return from the latter place1 whither he is frequently sent by his master1 to carry with him a satchel filled with ,russian ,new ,testaments and religious tracts1 with which he is supplied by an excellent ,english lady who dwells there4 ,he says that before he has reached home1 he has invariably disposed of his whole cargo to the surrounding peasantry2 and such is the hunger and thirst which they display for the word of salvation that his stock has always been insufficient to answer all the demands made1 after it was known what merchandise he brought with him4 ,there remain at present three hundred copies unsold of the modern ,russian ,new ,testament at the shop which has the disposal of the works of the late ,russian ,bible ,society2 these copies1 all of which are damaged from having been immersed during the inundation of #ahbd1 might all be disposed of in one day1 provided proper individuals were employed to hawk them about in the environs of this capital4 ,there are twenty thousand copies on hand of the ,sclavonian ,bible1 which being in a language and character differing materially from the modern ,russ character and language1 and only understood by the learned1 is unfit for general circulation1 and the copies will probably remain unsold1 though the ,synod is more favourable to the distribution of the ,scriptures in the ancient than in the modern form4 ,i was informed by the attendant in the shop that the ,synod had resolved upon not permitting the printing of any fresh edition of the ,scriptures in the modern ,russ until these twenty thousand copies in the ancient language had been disposed of4 ,but it is possible that this assertion is incorrect4 ,i must now conclude2 and with an earnest request that you will write to me speedily1 and deliver my kindest remembrances to ,mr4 ,brandram and to my other good friends at the ,society ,house1 ,i remain1 ,revd4 and dear ,sir1 your most obedient servant1 ,g4 ,,borrow4 ,to the ,rev4 ,a4 ,brandram ,,st4 ,,petersburg1 ,august #bg1 #ahcc4 ,,revd4 ,,and ,,dear ,,sir1--,the bearer of this letter is ,mr4 ,glen1 the son of the celebrated missionary of ,astracan4 ,he is desirous of forming your acquaintance1 and ,i take the liberty of making him known to you4 ,he is a young man of considerable learning1 and a devout ,christian4 ,his object in visiting ,england is to qualify himself for the missionary calling1 in the hope that at some future period he may tread in the steps of his father and proclaim a crucified ,saviour to the ,oriental heathens4 ,i am at present1 thanks be to the ,lord1 comfortable and happy1 and am every day busily engaged in transcribing the ,mandchou ,old ,testament and collating with ,mr4 ,swan4 ,in the hope that these lines will find you in good health1 ,i have the honour to remain1 ,revd4 and dear ,sir1 your most obedient servant1 ,g4 ,,borrow4 ,to the ,rev4 ,j4 ,jowett 7,endorsed3 recd4 ,feb4 #agth1 #ahcd7 ,,st4 ,,petersburg1 #bjth ,january 7old style71 #ahcd4 ,,revd4 ,,and ,,dear ,,sir1--,i received in due time your epistle of the #bnd ,january1 which gave me considerable pleasure1 as it is exceedingly cheering in a foreign land to hear from one's friends and to know that one is not forgotten by them4 ,i now proceed to give an account of my stewardship up to the present time1 which account ,i humbly trust will afford perfect satisfaction to the ,society which has honoured a frail creature like myself with a charge1 the importance and difficulty of which ,i at present see much more clearly than ,i originally did4 ,my dear ,sir1 even when transcribing the ,mandchou ,scripture1 ,i was far from being forgetful of the ulterior object of my mission1 and therefore1 as in duty bound1 applied to ,dr4 ,schmidt for advice and information1 who was the person upon whom ,i mainly depended4 ,but ,i found that gentleman so involved in a multiplicity of business that it was utterly impossible for him to afford me either2 and though he was kind enough to promise to make inquiry1 etc4 etc41 it is very probable that he forgot to fulfil his promise1 for the result never came to my ears4 ,thus circumstanced1 and being very uneasy in my mind1 ,i determined to take a bold step1 and directly and without further feeling my way to petition the ,government in my own name for permission to print the ,mandchou ,scriptures4 ,having communicated this determination to our beloved1 sincere1 and most truly ,christian friend ,mr4 ,swan 7who has lately departed to his station in ,siberia1 shielded ,i trust by the arm of his ,master71 it met with his perfect approbation and cordial encouragement4 ,i therefore drew up a petition1 and presented it with my own hand to his ,excellence ,mr4 ,bludoff1 ,minister of the ,interior4 ,he having perused it1 briefly answered1 that he believed the matter did not lie with him1 but that he would consider4 ,i now began greatly to fear that the affair would not come to a favourable issue1 but nevertheless prayed fervently to ,god1 and confiding principally in ,him1 resolved to leave no human means untried which were within my reach4 ,since residing here ,i have assiduously cultivated the friendship of the ,honourable ,mr4 ,bligh1 ,his ,britannic ,majesty's plenipotentiary at the ,court of ,russia1 who has shown me many condescending marks of kindness1 and who is a person of superb talents1 kind disposition1 and of much piety4 ,i therefore1 on the evening of the day of my presenting the petition1 called upon him1 and being informed that he was out of town1 and was not expected till late at night1 ,i left a letter for him1 in which ,i entreated him to make use of whatever influence his high official situation was calculated to give him with the ,minister1 towards procuring a favourable reply2 assuring him that the ,mandchou version was not intended for circulation nor calculated for circulation in any part of the ,russian ,empire1 but in ,china and ,chinese ,tartary solely4 ,i stated that ,i would call for an answer the next morning4 ,i did so1 and upon seeing ,mr4 ,bligh1 he was kind enough to say that if ,i desired it he would apply officially to the ,minister1 and exert all his influence in his official character in order to obtain the accomplishment of my views2 but at the same time suggested that it would1 perhaps1 be as well at a private interview to beg it as a personal favour2 and to this ,i instantly assented4 ,he spoke twice to ,mr4 ,bludoff upon the subject2 and ,i shortly afterwards received a summons to appear at the ,asiatic ,department1 whither ,i went1 and found that ,mr4 ,bludoff had been enquiring whether any person was to be found capable of being employed as ,censor over the work1 and that it had been resolved that ,mr4 ,lipoftsoff1 who is one of the clerks of the ,asiatic ,department1 should be appointed ,censor1 and that ,i should be the ,editor of the work1 provided permission were granted to print it4 ,i went away1 and having received no intelligence during the space of a fortnight1 ,i waited upon ,mr4 ,bligh and begged that1 provided it were not disagreeable to him1 he would make a fresh application to the ,minister4 ,and1 singularly enough1 ,mr4 ,bludoff was to dine at ,mr4 ,bligh's that evening1 and the latter amiable gentleman assured me that he would not let so excellent an opportunity slip of saying what was calculated to bring the matter to a conclusion4 ,that same night ,i received a message1 whereby ,i was requested to wait on ,mr4 ,bludoff the next day1 at one4 ,i did so1 and he received me in the most polite manner and said that the matter did not entirely depend upon him1 but that it would be necessary to obtain the permission also of the ,director of ,worship1 that however he would give me a letter to that ,dignitary1 which he doubted not would have some effect4 ,i received the letter1 and without losing any time repaired to the ,director's ,office and having delivered my letter1 after waiting some time1 was told to call at the ,asiatic ,department on the first day of the next week 7the very day your letter arrived74 ,on calling there ,i found that permission had been granted to print the ,mandchou ,scripture4 ,i hope that the honourable ,committee and yourself will feel no displeasure at my presuming here to make a slight suggestion4 ,we are under great obligations to ,mr4 ,bligh2 and ,i have certainly taken great liberties with the friendship with which he has thought proper to favour me1 liberties which ,i should certainly not have felt myself authorised to have taken in any affair1 the end of which was not the glorifying of ,god1 as the aim of this certainly is4 ,i therefore should wish to hint the expediency of a letter in which the thanks of the ,committee be presented to ,mr4 ,bligh for the interest which he has been pleased to take in this business1 and for the trouble he has given himself4 ,you are well aware that a handsome acknowledgement of a kindness received is never taken amiss2 and as it is not impossible that ,mr4 ,bligh1 at another time and even at another place1 may have an opportunity of promoting the excellent views of the ,society1 ,i cannot help thinking that such an acknowledgement would be unwise neither in respect to what has occurred or may occur hereafter4 ,in reply to your inquiries respecting my progress in the ,mandchou language1 ,i have to observe that for some time past ,i have taken lessons from a person who was twelve years in ,pekin1 and who speaks ,mandchou and ,chinese with fluency4 ,i pay him about six shillings ,english for each lesson1 which ,i grudge not1 for the perfect acquirement of ,mandchou is one of my most ardent wishes2 as ,i am convinced that it is destined by providence to be the medium for the spiritual illumination of countless millions of ,chinese and ,tartars4 ,at present ,i can transcribe the ,manchou character with much greater facility and speed than ,i can the ,english4 ,i can translate from it with tolerable facility1 and have translated into it1 for an exercise1 the second homily of the ,church of ,england ,on the ,misery of ,man4 ,i have likewise occasionally composed a few hymns in this language1 the difficulty of which ,i am at present more fully aware of than when ,i left ,england4 ,it is one of those deceitful tongues1 the seeming simplicity of whose structure induces you to suppose1 after applying to them for a month or two1 that little more remains to be learned1 but which1 should you continue to study a year1 as ,i have studied this1 show themselves to you in their veritable colours1 amazing you with their copiousness1 puzzling with their idioms4 ,in a word ,mandchou is equally as difficult as ,sanscrit or ,persian1 neither of which languages has ever been thoroughly acquired by any ,european1 though at first acquaintance they flatter the student with their deceitful simplicity4 ,i take the liberty of sending you a short original epigram in rhymed ,mandchou1 which if it answers no other purpose will afford you some idea of my running ,mandchou hand1 which1 as ,i now write perpendicularly1 is very different from that hand which ,i wrote previously to my coming hither4 ,the epigram is upon the exploits of the ,tartars4 ,here follow four upright lines in ,manchu characters4 ,milites qui e ,manjurico deserto exierunt1 bellando silvas1 campos et oppida ,sinensis imperii captarunt4 ,want of room obliges me to defer making a report upon ,mr4 ,lipoftsoff's translation until my next letter1 which will follow in a week or two2 for ,i am unwilling in a matter of such immense importance to deliver a brief and hurried opinion4 ,i have much to communicate also respecting the proper means to be pursued for the introduction and circulation of the volume1 when printed1 in ,china and ,tartary4 ,this information ,i have derived from the most authentic sources1 namely from individuals who have spent many years in these countries1 and whose acquaintance ,i have eagerly sought4 ,from ,england ,i have lately received a letter in which is an extract from an epistle of my brother in ,mexico1 amounting to this--that there is no native language in that country entitled to the appellation of the ,mexican language2 that it is as incorrect to make use of such an expression1 as it would be to say definitely the ,european language2 that setting aside the ,spanish there are upwards of twenty languages and dialects spoken in ,mexico1 none of which are read 7except perhaps here and there by a few individuals7 but communicated by the mouth and only acquired by the ear2 that my brother has shown the sheet of ,st4 ,luke's ,gospel1 which ,i transmitted to him1 to various ,spaniards and ,indians1 but it was unintelligible to them1 the latter not recognising the words when read to them4 ,i should therefore advise that the copies of this version be sent1 if possible1 to the place where the version was purchased1 as it was probably made in the language or dialect of that place or neighbourhood1 and where there is a chance of its being of some utility4 ,should my brother have survived the late dreadful commotions in ,mexico1 ,i have no doubt that he will be exceedingly happy to assist in flinging the rays of ,scriptural light over that most benighted and miserable region2 but having lately read in the ,russian newspapers that the town of ,guanajuato1 where he resided1 has been taken and sacked by the murderous bands of the insurgents1 ,i have great reason to fear that his earthly course is terminated1 for the former1 incited by their demoniacal priests1 in comparison with whom the ,shamans of ,manjuria and the lamas of ,mongolia and ,china are innocent and holy1 lay hold of every opportunity of shedding the blood of ,protestants and foreigners4 ,i remain1 ,revd4 and dear ,sir1 most truly yours1 ,g4 ,,borrow4 ,to the ,rev4 ,j4 ,jowett 7,endorsed3 recd4 ,march #ajth1 #ahcd1 with ,report on the ,mandchou ,new ,testament47 ,,st4 ,,petersburg1 ,,galernoy ,,ulitza1 #d ,february 7old style7 #ahcd4 ,,revd4 ,,and ,,dear ,,sir1--,in compliance with the request of the ,committee1 expressed in your epistle of the #bnd ,january1 ,i herewith send a report upon ,mr4 ,lipoftsoff's translation2 and as there were many things which ,i wished to mention in my last letter1 but was unable from want of room1 ,i take this opportunity of stating them1 with the hope that they will meet with your approbation4 ,in the first place1 whatever communication you wish to make to ,mr4 ,lipoftsoff ,i think you had best charge me with to him1 for in that case you will be certain that he will receive it1 without loss of time4 ,but ,i must inform you that he is rather a singular man1 and to all appearances perfectly indifferent to the fate of his excellent translation1 caring nothing whether it be published as a powerful instrument to open the closed eyes and soften the hard hearts of the idolators of ,china and ,tartary1 or whether it be committed to the flames1 and for ever lost to the world4 ,you cannot conceive the cold1 heartless apathy in respect to the affair1 on which ,i have been despatched hither as an assistant1 which ,i have found in people1 to whom ,i looked1 not unreasonably1 for encouragement and advice4 ,but thanks be to the ,lord1 the great object has been accomplished1 permission has been obtained to print the ,new ,testament1 and have no doubt that permission for the whole ,bible is within our reach4 ,and in regard to what we have yet to do1 let it be borne in mind1 that we are by no means dependent upon ,mr4 ,lipoftsoff2 though certainly to secure the services which he is capable of performing would be highly desirable1 and though he cannot act outwardly in the character of ,editor1 he having been appointed ,censor1 he may privately be of great utility to us4 ,therefore let the attempt to engage his services be made without delay4 ,at the ,sarepta ,house is a chest containing ,mandchou characters1 belonging to the ,bible ,society1 which ,i shall cause to be examined for the purpose of ascertaining whether they have sustained any injury from rust during the long time they have been lying neglected2 if any of them have1 my learned friend ,baron ,schilling1 who is in possession of a small fount of ,mandchou types for the convenience of printing trifles in that tongue1 has kindly promised to assist us with the use of as many of his own as may be necessary4 ,there is one printing office here1 where they are in the habit of printing with the ,mongolian character1 which differs but little from the ,mandchou2 consequently the ,mongolian compositors will be competent to the task of composing in ,mandchou4 ,there are no ,mandchou types in ,st4 ,petersburg1 with the exception of our own and ,baron ,schilling's4 ,i suppose that it will be thought requisite to print the town for a year or so1 it is my humble opinion1 and the opinion of much wiser people1 that if he were active1 zealous and likewise courageous1 the blessings resulting from his labours would be incalculable4 ,it would be by no means a difficult thing to make excursions into ,tartary and to form friendships amongst the ,tartar hordes1 and ,i am far from certain that with a little management and dexterity he would be unable to penetrate even to ,pekin1 and to return in safety1 after having examined the state of the land4 ,i can only say that if it were my fortune to have the opportunity1 ,i would make the attempt1 and should consider myself only to blame if ,i did not succeed4 ,in my last letter ,i informed you that ,i had procured myself an instructor in ,mandchou1 and that ,i was making tolerable progress in the language4 ,i should now wish to ask whether this person could not be turned to some further account2 for example1 to assist me in making a translation into ,mandchou of the ,psalms and ,isaiah1 which have not yet been rendered4 ,a few shillings a week1 besides what ,i give him for my own benefit1 would secure his co-operation1 for he is a person in very low circumstances4 ,he is not competent to undertake any thing of the kind by himself1 being in many respects very simple and ignorant2 but as an assistant ,i think he might be of considerable utility1 and that between us we could produce a version which1 although it might not be particularly elegant1 would be clear1 grammatical and faithful to the original4 ,in the mean time ,i shall pursue my studies1 and be getting every thing in readiness for setting the printers at work2 and with a humble request for speedy instructions1 in order that as little time as possible may be lost in the work of the ,lord1 ,i have the honour to remain1 ,revd4 and dear ,sir1 ,your most obedient and humble servant1 ,,george ,,borrow4 ,p4,s4--,my kindest regards to ,mr4 ,brandram and my other dear friends at the ,bible ,house4 ,i thank you heartily for your kind advice in the latter part of your last epistle4 ,do me the favour to inform ,dr4 ,richardson that ,i have followed his instructions in regard to clothing1 etc41 and have derived great benefit therefrom4 ,to the ,rev4 ,joseph ,jowett 7,endorsed3 recd4 ,march ---1 #ahcd7 ,,st4 ,,petersburg1 ,febry4 #ae 7old style71 #ahcd4 ,,revd4 ,,and ,,dear ,,sir1--,having forgotten in my last letter to say something which ,i intended1 ,i take the liberty of troubling you with these lines4 ,but first of all ,i must apologise for certain slips of the pen in the ,report which ,i transmitted2 for it left me without having been corrected1 ,baron ,schilling having called upon me just as ,i sat down to the task1 and when he had departed1 ,i had barely time to seal it and despatch it by that week's post4 ,there was in it1 ,i believe1 nothing of much importance which required alteration1 but1 if ,i mistake not1 ,i had written1 in the third side1 vibebam1 instead of viverem1 and unaparelled1 or some such word1 instead of unparalleled1 in the fourth4 ,now to the point4 ,what is to be done with the transcript of ,puerot's translation of the ,acts of the ,apostles1 which ,i made1 and which is now in my possession8 ,the translation is in every respect an admirable one2 clear1 faithful1 and elegant4 ,it would not do to print it in lieu of ,mr4 ,lipoftsoff's translation of that part of the ,new ,testament2 because the styles of the two individuals are so different1 that to mix up the writings of the one with those of the other would only serve to disfigure the work1 and ,mr4 ,lipoftsoff's translation is well worthy of being printed separately and entire2 but ,i conceive that we possess a treasure in ,puerot's writings1 and that it would be a great pity to hide any portion of them from the world4 ,pray communicate this hint to the ,committee1 and pardon me for troubling you4 ,i remain1 ,rev4 and dear ,sir1 most sincerely yours1 ,g4 ,,borrow4 ,to the ,rev4 ,j4 ,jowett 7,endorsed3 recd1 ,may #afth1 #ahcd7 ,,galernoy ,,ulitza1 ,,st4 ,,petersburg1 #aeth ,april 7old style7 #ahcd4 ,,revd4 ,,and ,,dear ,,sir1--,upon the receipt of your letter of the #bast ult4 date omitted1 ,i lost no time in endeavouring to obtain the necessary information upon the points to which you directed my attention2 and ,i have some hope that what ,i am about to communicate will not be altogether unsatisfactory2 but ,i must first of all state that it was not acquired in a day1 and that ,i have been obliged to go to many people and many places1 which will account for my not having sooner returned an answer4 ,first1 respecting the most important point1 the expense of printing the ,new ,testament in ,mandchou4 ,i was quite terrified at the enormous sums which some of the printers to whom ,i made application required for the work4 ,at length our friend ,dr4 ,schmidt recommended me to the ,university ,press1 and ,i having spoken to the directors of the establishment1 they sent me in the course of a week an estimate which neither ,dr4 ,schmidt nor myself considered to be unreasonable1 and of this estimate ,i here subjoin a translation3 ,to ,mr4 ,borrow4 ',after much consultation with the compositor1 ,i have come to the following result concerning the ,mandchou business about which you consulted me4 ,if the work be printed on as thin paper as that of the original1 it can only be printed on one side4 ,now supposing that the size is to be folio like that of the original1 two sides will make a sheet1 and the price of composition will be #bf roubles1 #bj copecks--that is to say2 #ab,r4 to the compositor1 wages #b,r4 #ej;c41 percentage to the printing office #aa,r4 #fj;c41 making #bf,r4 #bj;c4 ,the printing of #ajjj on one side #b,r4 #ej;c41 percentage #b,r41 making #d,r4 #ej;c4 ,thus for composition and printing #cj,r4 #fj;c4 for #ajjj2 for #bjjj1 #ce,r4 #aj;c42 for #cjjj1 #ci,r4 #fj;c4-- ,your very obedient servant1 ,,korler4' ,in the meantime ,i had become acquainted with two ,german printers1 ,schultz and ,beneze1 who being young men and just entered into business are very eager to obtain the printing of a work of such importance1 which they hope will serve to bring them into notice1 as well as being advantageous to them in a pecuniary view4 ,the difference1 as to the expense of printing1 in the estimate made by these gentlemen and that of the ,university ,press1 will doubtless as much surprise you1 as it did me4 ,here it follows3 ',in respect to the printing of the ,new ,testament in the ,manchou language1 the undersigned oblige themselves to undertake the printing of the said work4 ,in the first place1 as the ,bible ,society1 and in particular their agent ,mr4 ,borrow1 think fit to furnish the printers with the necessary types and paper1 the undersigned offer to supply the sheet consisting of four pages with composition1 clean and black printing1 at the rate of #be roubles1 paper currency1 for a thousand copies2 for two thousand copies1 five additional roubles assignats1 so that the same sheet1 only by a greater edition1 amounts to #cj roubles assignats2 thirdly1 for #cjjj copies in the above proportion1 #ce roubles4 ,fourthly1 we promise during the interval of a certain period to supply at the rate of three sheets per week4 ,,schultz ,,beneze4' ,you will perceive that the amount of this estimate is less1 by more than one-half1 than the amount of the other4 ,schultz and ,beneze's sheet consists of four sides1 and they charge less for it than the printers of the ,university charge for theirs which consists only of two4 ,i should therefore think that upon this ground they are entitled to the preference1 were there nothing else to recommend them1 which1 in my humble opinion1 there is2 for being young beginners1 and not having very much to do1 they are more likely to push the work forward1 than a firm overwhelmed with business1 from whom1 whatever might be promised1 a sheet per week is the utmost to be expected1 by which much valuable time must be lost4 ,dr4 ,schmidt is acquainted with ,messrs4 ,s4 ,b41 and highly approves of their being employed4 ,secondly1 concerning paper1 with which the printer has no concern4 ,i can as yet say little for certain upon this matter1 which has been the occasion of no little trouble and expense2 for ,i have been obliged to take no less than three journeys to ,peterhof1 a town about #cj versts distant1 where stands the paper manufactory1 for there is no such paper as we want in the ,russian capital4 ,in this manufactory they have about #ej stopes or reams 7we should require ten times that quantity for only #ajjj copies7 of the very paper1 ,i believe1 on which the ,mandchou ,gospel of ,st4 ,matthew was printed1 and some of the workmen said that they could make as much more as should be required4 ,concerning the price of this paper1 ,i could obtain no positive information1 for the director and first and second clerks were invariably absent1 and the place abandoned to ignorant understrappers 7according to the custom of ,russia74 ,and notwithstanding ,i found out the director in ,petersburg1 he himself could not tell me the price1 but informed me that he would inquire1 and speedily send me word2 but as ,i have as yet heard nothing from him1 ,i write lest it should be supposed in ,england that ,i am sleeping on my station4 ,i shall write again in a few days on this point2 in the mean time you would oblige me by causing the accounts of ,dr4 ,pinkerton's expenses to be referred to1 for the purpose of ascertaining how much he paid per ream for this kind of paper4 ,i believe it to be extravagantly dear1 at least five times dearer than good common paper1 which can be procured for fifteen roubles per ream2 and if that be the case1 common paper must be used and the book printed in the common fashion1 unless the ,society be prepared to disburse thousands instead of hundreds2 for if the work were printed on this ,chinese paper1 four times more paper would be required than if it were printed on the other1 as five multiplied by four make twenty1 the expense of paper would be twenty times greater4 ,thirdly1 respecting ,mr4 ,lipoftsoff1 with whom ,i have of late had much conversation4 ,he has behaved very handsomely4 ,he has made an immense number of alterations in his translation1 all of which are excellent improvements1 and all these are to be at our disposal gratis4 ,he says that he cannot receive any remuneration for looking over the work1 being bound to do so as ,censor4 ,i shall therefore edit it1 and have the supervision of the proof sheets1 which he will peruse last of all4 ,he having examined me in ,mandchou did me the honour to say ,i required no assistance at all2 but should the ,committee and yourself be of opinion that it would be advisable to procure a little1 the 'pundit' would be very happy for an extra six or seven shillings per week to collate with me when wanted4 ,i have derived great benefit from this man1 who though in many respects a most singular and uncouth being speaks ,mandchou gallantly1 with the real pronunciation of ,pekin1 which differs considerably from that of ,pekhan 7the desert71 being far more soft and melodious4 ,during the interval which will elapse between my writing to you and hearing from you1 ,i shall borrow from ,baron ,schilling the ,mandchou ,old ,testament and reperuse the notes in order to be able to give a suitable opinion as to their value4 ,my present opinion of them is no mean one4 ,in answer to your query respecting the transcript of the ,old ,testament1 ,i beg leave to inform you that it is in the hands of a ,mr4 ,merrilies1 an ,english merchant1 to whom ,mr4 ,swan entrusted it4 ,i believe he starts for ,england by the first steam-boat4 ,i have the honour to remain1 ,revd4 and dear ,sir1 sincerely yours1 ,,george ,,borrow4 ,p4,s4--,since my last letter ,i have been laid up for some time with a nervous fever1 but thank ,god ,i am quite recovered4 ,my best respects to ,mr4 ,brandram4 ,pray excuse the haste in which this letter is written1 it will be barely in time for the post4 ,to the ,rev4 ,j4 ,jowett 7,endorsed3 recd4 ,may #bfth1 #ahcd7 ,,st4 ,,petersburg1 ,april #bh 7old style7 #ahcd4 ,,revd4 ,,and ,,dear ,,sir1--,being at length able to communicate some positive information respecting the price of the paper1 which we are in need of1 ,i lose no time in doing so4 ,the day after ,i despatched my last epistle1 which ,i hope you have received1 ,i was favoured with a communication from the director of the ,peterhof ,fabrik or ,manufactory1 a gentleman who amongst other titles bears that of ,councillor of ,state4 ,he was kind enough to say that ,i should have the #ej reams of paper which remained1 and which ,i before alluded to1 at #ge roubles per ream2 but that if any more were necessary1 one hundred roubles per ream would be required1 and not any reduction would be made4 ,you may easily guess that ,i was somewhat startled at this piece of information1 for upon making a calculation ,i found that one ream of paper would be little more than sufficient for two copies of the entire ,mandchou ,new ,testament4 ,there are #dhj sheets in a ,russian ream1 and ,i suppose that our book will consist of seven parts1 each containing about the same number of sheets as the printed ,mandchou ,gospel of ,st4 ,matthew4 ,now that ,gospel contains #ca sheets1 and #ca multiplied by #g amounts to #baa sic1 which multiplied by #b makes #dbb sheets1 leaving only a surplus of #eh4 ,therefore the paper necessary for #ajjj copies only would amount to about #dej reams1 the price of which1 after allowance had been made for the #ej reams at #ge roubles1 would exceed #dj1jjj roubles4 ,the next day ,i hired a calash1 and spent the best part of a week in causing myself to be driven to all the places in the vicinity of ,petersburg where paper is made4 ,knowing but too well that it is the general opinion of the people of this country that ,englishmen are made of gold1 and that it is only necessary to ask the most extravagant price for any article in order to obtain it1 ,i told no person1 to whom ,i applied1 who ,i was1 or of what country2 and ,i believe ,i was supposed to be a ,german4 ,in some places ,i had now the pleasure of hearing that ,i could have the paper at #fj roubles per ream4 ,at last ,i came to a person whom1 after having informed him that ,i was in need of a very great quantity1 perhaps a thousand reams or more1 ,i beat down from #ej to #dj roubles1 from #dj to #ce1 and it is probable that ,i may be able to obtain a large quantity at #cj4 ,i must inform you that ,i also employed two agents1 and we three going various ways have ascertained that the necessary paper may be procured for between #cj and #dj roubles per ream1 paper of as good a quality--nay1 better than that on which the ,gospel of ,st4 ,matthew was printed1 and that for which #ajj roubles were demanded at ,peterhof4 ,it is therefore now time for the ,committee to come to a decision respecting the number of copies to be printed1 and ,i wish it to be borne in mind that the price of the paper per ream in some degree depends upon the quantity required4 ,i do not think it possible to obtain any where paper of a similar quality at a less price than #cj or #ce roubles2 for the specimens which ,i have obtained are very beautiful1 and a work printed on such paper need not be ashamed to show its face amongst the most fastidious ,tartars and ,chinese4 ,to print the ,testament on common paper would certainly not be advisable1 as in that case the probability is that notwithstanding the reverence of those singular people for written or printed characters1 the sacred volume1 if put into their hands1 would be destroyed4 ,i am in conformity with your expressed desire getting every thing into readiness for commencing printing1 and therefore earnestly beg for a speedy communication1 informing me how much paper ,i am to bespeak1 and in what manner ,i am to pay for it4 ,i must here observe that in all dealings within ,russia the purchaser must have his money ready in his hand2 consequently1 if ,i am authorised to purchase any quantity of paper1 ,i must have a letter of credit upon some firm here resident1 that ,i may be able to pay for the article immediately upon its delivery4 ,i remain1 ,revd4 and dear ,sir1 most truly yours1 ,,george ,,borrow4 ,p4,s4--,with respect to the paper1 if purchased2 would you have me deliver the whole of it into the printer's hands at once1 or should a small apartment be hired in which to keep part of it until wanted8 ,in this country the wisdom of the serpent is quite as necessary as the innocence of the dove4 ,to ,j4 ,thornton1 ,esq4 7,endorsed3 recd4 ,july #bbnd1 #ahcd7 ,,st4 ,,petersburg1 ,june #bgth1 #ahcd4 ,,sir1--,having drawn upon ,messrs4 ,simondsen and ,company of ,st4 ,petersburg for the sum of #bjjj roubles 7two thousand roubles7 as a deposit upon an order for #dej reams of ,chinese paper1 at twenty-five roubles per ream1 ,i have to request that you will honour their draft to the like amount4 ,i remain1 ,sir1 yours1 ,,george ,,borrow4 ,to the ,rev4 ,j4 ,jowett ,,revd4 ,,and ,,dear ,,sir1--,our types are in the hands of the printer1 they have been cleaned and set in order4 ,st4 ,matthew's ,gospel has been corrected1 and the work of printing commences next week4 ,most truly yours1 ,g4 ,b4 ,to ,john ,jackson1 ,esq4 ,octr4 #a 7old style71 #ahcd1 ,,st4 ,,petersburg4 ,,my ,,dear ,,sir1--,i am exceedingly sorry that you should have had the trouble of writing to me to no purpose2 for in respect to the letter1 which it seems by your favour of the #bith ult4 you committed to a private hand to be forwarded to me1 ,i beg leave to state that ,i have never received it1 or heard anything of it4 ,i must earnestly intreat that in future all letters relating to business be despatched by the regular post1 otherwise great inconvenience and misunderstanding will be the result4 ,private individuals seldom give themselves the slightest trouble to deliver letters4 ,if they chance to fall in with the persons for whom they are intended--well and good6 if not1 the letters are flung aside and forgotten4 ,in respect to the monies furnished me by our friend ,mr4 ,tarn for my journey ,i have sent an account of the disbursement on the other side1 and also of what ,i have expended already upon the ,mandchou ,new ,testament1 of which ,st4 ,matthew's ,gospel has been completed and ,st4 ,mark's entered upon4 ,i remain1 my dear ,sir1 most truly yours1 ,,george ,,borrow4 ,to ,j4 ,tarn1 ,esq41 ,under-,treasurer of the ,british and ,foreign ,bible ,society4 ,account of the disbursement of certain monies received by me for my journey to ,st4 ,petersburg in the service of the ,b4 ,s43-- ,received of ,mr4 ,tarn 7if ,i mistake not7 #cj pounds1 and #g pounds1 making together #cg pounds4 ,paid for fare to ,hamburg by steam-boat1 diet not included1 #g pounds1 #js #j;d ,for expenses of conveying myself and baggage to the custom-house wharf1 and of getting on board1 #j pounds1 #fs1 #j;d ,carry forward1 #g pounds1 #fs1 #j;d ,brought forward #g pounds1 #fs1 #j;d ,expenses on board the packet1 viz4 diet1 servants1 and baggage fees at ,stade on the ,hanoverian coast1 #a pound1 #is1 #j;d ,expenses attending my landing at ,hamburg1 conveyg4 baggage to the hotel1 etc41 #j pounds1 #es1 #j;d ,expenses on the day of my arrival1 for medical advice1 physic1 etc41 having been seized by severe illness1 #j pounds1 #gs1 #j;d ,expenses during three days' sojourn at ,hamburg1 viz4 for lodging1 diet1 and valet de place1 #a pound1 #ais1 #j;d ,expenses of journey to ,lubeck1 namely hire of calash1 driver1 etc41 #a pound1 #ajs1 #j;d ,expenses of two days' sojourn at ,lubeck1 #a pound1 #gs1 #j;d ,expenses for removal of baggage to the river-side and journey down the river ,trave to steam-boat at ,travemunde1 #j pounds1 #gs1 #j;d ,fare from ,travemunde to ,st4 ,petersburg1 diet not included1 #a pound1 #js1 #j;d ,for diet1 servants1 etc41 #a pound1 #ags1 #f;d ,total1 #bg pounds1 #gs1 #f;d ,surplus of money1 #i pounds1 #abs1 #f;d ,from which surplus of #i pounds1 #abs4 #f;d4 are to be deducted #g pounds1 #ds41 or the salary of twelve days not drawn for1 which twelve days were spent in the journey4 ,the salary commencing from the hour of embarcation4 ,surplus due to ,mr4 ,tarn1 #b pounds1 #hs1 #f;d ,,my ,,dear ,,sir1--,at the expiration of this quarter ,i shall draw for the sum of #dg pounds1 #aas4 #f;d4 instead of the usual #ej pounds1 whereby my account with you will be liquidated4 ,i have1 according to your suggestion when we parted1 deducted the salary of the days passed in journeying from the money which ,i received from you1 ,messrs4 ,simondsen having received advice to pay me from the day of my arrival at ,st4 ,petersburg1 whereas by the words of my agreement 7see books7 the salary commences from the time of embarcation4 ,i believe1 previous to my departure1 that ,i accounted to you for the sums advanced for passports4 ,i have had the good fortune1 as ,i suppose you are aware1 to procure for #be roubles per ream the paper for which ,i was originally asked #fj1 and of which previously the very lowest price has ever been #ce4 ,this paper is far superior to that for which the ,society formerly paid #dj 7and which was not dear at #dj71 being far stronger and more glossy4 ,you will particularly oblige me by taking care that ,messrs4 ,simondsen's drafts are honored without the slightest delay4 ,if ,i were unable to pay for the paper at the stated time ,i should probably be arrested1 and1 what would be far more lamentable1 the contract with the merchants would be broken2 and upon a fresh contract ,i could not obtain the paper in question for less than #fj roubles per ream1 for the winter has already come upon us1 during which most of the paper manufactories are at a stand-still1 and an order for paper would be consequently given under every possible disadvantage4 ,i have forwarded1 according to your desire1 an account of the sums of money hitherto drawn for1 and of the manner in which they have been disbursed4 ,i intended to have reserved my account for ,christmas1 by which season ,i hope1 with the blessing of ,god1 to have brought out the four ,gospels4 ,excuse these hasty lines1 and believe me1 dear ,sir1 ever yours1 ,,george ,,borrow4 ,to the ,rev4 ,j4 ,jowett 7,endorsed3 recd4 ,nov4 #ajth1 #ahcd7 ,,st4 ,,petersburg1 ,oct4 #h old style1 #ahcd4 ,i have just received your most kind epistle1 the perusal of which has given me both pain and pleasure--pain that from unavoidable circumstances ,i have been unable to gratify eager expectation1 and pleasure that any individual should have been considerate enough to foresee my situation and to make allowance for it4 ,the nature of my occupations during the last two months and a half has been such as would have entirely unfitted me for correspondence1 had ,i been aware that it was necessary1 which1 on my sacred word1 ,i was not4 ,now1 and only now1 when by the blessing of ,god ,i have surmounted all my troubles and difficulties1 ,i will tell1 and were ,i not a ,christian ,i should be proud to tell1 what ,i have been engaged upon and accomplished during the last ten weeks4 ,i have been working in the printing-office1 as a common compositor1 between ten and thirteen hours every day during that period2 the result of this is that ,st4 ,matthew's ,gospel1 printed from such a copy as ,i believe nothing was ever printed from before1 has been brought out in the ,mandchou language2 two rude ,esthonian peasants1 who previously could barely compose with decency in a plain language which they spoke and were accustomed to1 have received such instruction that with ease they can each compose at the rate of a sheet a day in the ,mandchou1 perhaps the most difficult language for composition in the whole world2 considerable progress has also been made in ,st4 ,mark's ,gospel1 and ,i will venture to promise1 provided always the ,almighty smiles upon the undertaking1 that the entire work of which ,i have the superintendence will be published within eight months from the present time4 ,now1 therefore1 with the premise that ,i most unwillingly speak of myself and what ,i have done and suffered for some time past1 all of which ,i wished to keep locked up in my own breast1 ,i will give a regular and circumstantial account of my proceedings from the day when ,i received your letter1 by which ,i was authorised by the ,committee to bespeak paper1 engage with a printer1 and cause our type to be set in order4 ,my first care was to endeavour to make suitable arrangements for the obtaining of ,chinese paper4 ,now those who reside in ,england1 the most civilised and blessed of countries1 where everything is to be obtained at a fair price1 have not the slightest idea of the anxiety and difficulty which1 in a country like this1 harass the foreigner who has to disburse money not his own1 if he wish that his employers be not shamefully and outrageously imposed upon4 ,in my last epistle to you ,i stated that ,i had been asked #ajj roubles per ream for such paper as we wanted4 ,i likewise informed you that ,i believed that it was possible to procure it for #ce roubles1 notwithstanding our ,society had formerly paid #dj roubles for worse paper than the samples ,i was in possession of4 ,now ,i have always been of opinion than in the expending of money collected for sacred purposes1 it behoves the agent to be extraordinarily circumspect and sparing4 ,i therefore was determined1 whatever trouble it might cost me1 to procure for the ,society unexceptionable paper at a yet more reasonable rate than #ce roubles4 ,i was aware1 that an acquaintance of mine1 a young ,dane1 was particularly intimate with one of the first printers of this city1 who is accustomed to purchase vast quantities of paper every month for his various publications4 ,i gave this young gentleman a specimen of the paper ,i required1 and desired him 7he was under obligations to me7 to enquire of his friend1 as if from curiosity1 the least possible sum per ream at which the printer himself 7who from his immense demand for paper should necessarily obtain it cheaper than any one else7 could expect to purchase the article in question4 ,the answer ,i received within a day or two was #be roubles4 ,upon hearing this ,i prevailed upon my acquaintance to endeavour to persuade his friend to bespeak the paper at #be roubles1 and to allow me1 notwithstanding ,i was a perfect stranger1 to have it at that price4 ,all this was brought about4 ,i was introduced to the printer1 ,mr4 ,pluchard1 by the ,dane1 ,mr4 ,hasfeldt1 and between the former gentleman and myself a contract was made to the effect that by the end of ,october he should supply me with #dej reams of ,chinese paper at #be roubles per ream1 the first delivery to be made on the #ast of ,august2 for as my order was given at an advanced period of the year1 when all the paper manufactories were at full work towards the executing of orders already received1 it was but natural that ,i should verify the old apophthegm1 ',last come1 last served4' ,as no orders are attended to in ,russia unless money be advanced upon them1 ,i deposited in the hands of ,mr4 ,pluchard the sum of #bjjj roubles1 receiving his receipt for that amount4 ,having arranged this most important matter to my satisfaction1 ,i turned my attention to the printing process4 ,i accepted the offer of ,messrs4 ,schultz and ,beneze to compose and print the ,mandchou ,testament at the rate of #be roubles per sheet1 and caused our fount of type to be conveyed to their office4 ,i wish to say here a few words respecting the state in which these types came into my possession4 ,i found them in a kind of warehouse1 or rather cellar4 ,they had been originally confined in two cases2 but these having burst1 the type lay on the floor trampled amidst mud and filth4 ,they were1 moreover1 not improved by having been immersed within the waters of the inundation of '#bg #ahbd4 ,i caused them all to be collected and sent to their destination1 where they were purified and arranged--a work of no small time and difficulty1 at which ,i was obliged to assist4 ,not finding with the type what is called ',durchschuss' by the printers here1 consisting of leaden wedges of about six ounces weight each1 which form the spaces between the lines1 ,i ordered #abj pounds weight of those at a rouble a pound1 being barely enough for three sheets4 ,i had now to teach the compositors the ,mandchou alphabet1 and to distinguish one character from another4 ,this occupied a few days1 at the end of which ,i gave them the commencement of ,st4 ,matthew's ,gospel to copy4 ,they no sooner saw the work they were called upon to perform than there were loud murmurs of dissatisfaction1 and 4 4 4 four ,russian words which means ',it is quite impossible to do the like1' was the cry--and no wonder4 ,the original printed ,gospel had been so interlined and scribbled upon by the author in a hand so obscure and irregular1 that1 accustomed as ,i was to the perusal of the written ,mandchou1 it was not without the greatest difficulty that ,i could decipher the new matter myself4 ,moreover1 the corrections had been so carelessly made that they themselves required far more correction than the original matter4 ,i was therefore obliged to be continually in the printing-office1 and to do three parts of the work myself4 ,for some time ,i found it necessary to select every character with my own fingers1 and to deliver it to the compositor1 and by so doing ,i learnt myself to compose4 ,we continued in this way till all our characters were exhausted1 for no paper had arrived4 ,for two weeks and more we were obliged to pause1 the want of paper being insurmountable4 ,at the end of this period came six reams2 but partly from the manufacturers not being accustomed to make this species of paper1 and partly from the excessive heat of the weather which caused it to dry too fast1 only one ream and a half could be used1 and this was not enough for one sheet2 the rest ,i refused to take1 and sent back4 ,the next week came fifteen reams4 ,this paper1 from the same causes1 was as bad as the last4 ,i selected four reams1 and sent the rest back4 ,but this paper enabled us to make a beginning1 which we did not fail to do1 though we received no more for upwards of a fortnight1 which caused another pause4 ,at the end of that time1 owing to my pressing remonstrances and entreaties1 a regular supply of about twelve reams per week of most excellent paper commenced4 ,this continued until we had composed the last five sheets of ,st4 ,matthew1 when some paper arrived which in my absence was received by ,mr4 ,beneze1 who1 without examining it1 as was his duty1 delivered it to the printers to use in the printing of the said sheets1 who accordingly printed upon part of it4 ,but the next day1 when my occupation permitted me to see what they were about1 ,i observed that the last paper was of a quality very different from that which had been previously sent4 ,i accordingly instantly stopped the press1 and1 notwithstanding eight reams had been printed upon1 ,i sent all the strange paper back1 and caused ,mr4 ,beneze to recompose three sheets1 which had been broken up1 at his own expense4 ,but this caused the delay of another week4 ,this last circumstance made me determine not to depend in future for paper on one manufactory alone4 ,i therefore stated to ,mr4 ,pluchard that1 as his people were unable to furnish me with the article fast enough1 ,i should apply to others for #bej reams1 and begged him to supply me with the rest as fast as possible4 ,he made no objection4 ,thereupon ,i prevailed upon my most excellent friend1 ,baron ,schilling1 to speak to his acquaintance1 ,state-,councillor ,alquin1 who is possessed of a paper manufactory1 on the subject4 ,m4 ,alquin1 as a personal favour to ,baron ,schilling 7whom1 ,i confess1 ,i was ashamed to trouble upon such an affair1 and should never have done so had not zeal for the cause induced me71 consented to furnish me with the required paper on the same terms as ,mr4 ,p4 ,at present there is not the slightest risk of the progress of our work being retarded--at present1 indeed1 the path is quite easy2 but the trouble1 anxiety1 and misery which have till lately harassed me1 alone in a situation of great responsibility1 have almost reduced me to a skeleton4 ,my dearest ,sir1 do me the favour to ask our excellent ,committee1 ,would it have answered any useful purpose if1 instead of continuing to struggle with difficulties and using my utmost to overcome them1 ,i had written in the following strain--and what else could ,i have written if ,i had written at all8--',i was sent out to ,st4 ,petersburg to assist ,mr4 ,lipoftsoff in the editing of the ,mandchou ,testament4 ,that gentleman1 who holds three important situations under the ,russian ,government1 and who is far advanced in years1 has neither time1 inclination1 or eyesight for the task1 and ,i am apprehensive that my strength and powers unassisted are incompetent to it' 7praised be the ,lord1 they were not671 'therefore ,i should be glad to return home4 ,moreover the compositors say that they are unaccustomed to compose in an unknown tongue from such scribbled and illegible copy1 and they will scarcely assist me to compose4 ,moreover the working printers say 7several went away in disgust7 that the paper on which they have to print is too thin to be wetted1 and that to print on dry requires a two-fold exertion of strength1 and that they will not do such work for double wages1 for it ruptures them4' ,would that have been a welcome communication to the ,committee8 ,would that have been a communication suited to the public8 ,i was resolved 'to do or die1' and1 instead of distressing and perplexing the ,committee with complaints1 to write nothing until ,i could write something perfectly satisfactory1 as ,i now can2 and to bring about that result ,i have spared neither myself nor my own money4 ,i have toiled in a close printing-office the whole day1 during #ij degrees of heat1 for the purpose of setting an example1 and have bribed people to work whom nothing but bribes would induce so to do4 ,i am obliged to say all this in self-justification4 ,no member of the ,bible ,society would ever have heard a syllable respecting what ,i have undergone but for the question1 ',what has ,mr4 ,borrow been about8' ,i hope and trust that question is now answered to the satisfaction of those who do ,mr4 ,borrow the honour to employ him4 ,in respect to the expense attending the editing of such a work as the ,new ,testament in ,mandchou1 ,i beg leave to observe that ,i have obtained the paper1 the principal source of expense1 at fifteen roubles per ream less than the ,society paid formerly for it--that is to say1 at nearly half the price4 ,as ,st4 ,matthew's ,gospel has been ready for some weeks1 it is high time that it should be bound2 for if that process be delayed1 the paper with be dirtied and the work injured4 ,i am sorry to inform you that book-binding in ,russia is incredibly dear1 and that the expenses attending the binding of the ,testament would amount1 were the usual course pursued1 to two-thirds of the entire expenses of the work4 ,various book-binders to whom ,i have applied have demanded one rouble and a half for the binding of every section of the work1 so that the sum required for the binding of one ,testament alone would be twelve roubles4 ,dr4 ,schmidt assured me that one rouble and forty copecks1 or1 according to the ,english currency1 fourteenpence halfpenny1 were formerly paid for the binding of every individual copy of ,st4 ,matthew's ,gospel4 ,i pray you1 my dear ,sir1 to cause the books to be referred to1 for ,i wish to know if that statement be correct4 ,in the meantime arrangements have been made1 and the ,society will have to pay for each volume of the ,testament the comparatively small sum of forty-five copecks1 or fourpence halfpenny1 whereas the usual price here for the most paltry covering of the most paltry pamphlet is fivepence4 ,should it be demanded how ,i have been able to effect this1 my reply is that ,i have had little hand in the matter4 ,a nobleman1 who honours me with particular friendship1 and who is one of the most illustrious ornaments of ,russia and of ,europe1 has1 at my request1 prevailed on his own book-binder1 over whom he has much influence1 to do the work on these terms4 ,that nobleman is ,baron ,schilling4 ,commend me to our most respected ,committee4 ,assure them that in whatever ,i have done or left undone1 ,i have been influenced by a desire to promote the glory of the ,trinity and to give my employers ultimate and permanent satisfaction4 ,if ,i have erred1 it has been from a defect of judgment1 and ,i ask pardon of ,god and them4 ,in the course of a week ,i shall write again1 and give a further account of my proceedings1 for ,i have not communicated one-tenth of what ,i have to impart2 but ,i can write no more now4 ,it is two hours past midnight4 ,the post goes away to-morrow1 and against that morrow ,i have to examine and correct three sheets of ,st4 ,mark's ,gospel1 which lie beneath the paper on which ,i am writing4 ,with my best regards to ,mr4 ,brandram1 ,i remain1 dear ,sir1 most truly yours1 ,g4 ,,borrow4 ,p4,s4--,i wrote to ,mr4 ,jackson and ,mr4 ,tarn last week4 ,to the ,rev4 ,j4 ,jowett 7,endorsed3 recd4 ,nov4 #ad1 #ahcd7 ,,st4 ,,petersburg1 ,oct4 #acth 7old style7 #ahcd4 ,,reverend ,,and ,,dear ,,sir1--,in pursuance of the promise given in my epistle of last week1 which ,i trust in the ,lord you have received1 ,i again address you4 ,in the first place ,i must intreat you to peruse and to read to the ,committee the enclosed ,latin certificate penned by ,mr4 ,lipoftsoff1 a gentleman as little inclined to be prodigal of praise1 as was of old the learned ,scaliger himself1 to whom in many points indeed1 he bears no faint resemblance4 ,in the second place1 ,i must inform you that a few hurried lines are all that ,i can afford to write at present2 my proof sheets are rushing in so fast that time is exceedingly precious to me1 and ,i grudge every moment that is not devoted to my ,maker or to my great undertaking4 ,before this letter reaches you ,st4 ,mark's ,gospel will have passed through the press4 ,the two remaining ,gospels will be printed before the arrival of ,christmas1 and by the first of ,may the entire ,new ,testament1 in the ,mandchou language1 will have been published4 ,i wish this intelligence to be communicated to the public1 who are at liberty1 provided the ,lord does not visit me with some heavy affliction1 to hold me culpable1 if my assertion is belied by the event4 ,it is true that were ,i to pursue the common practice of editors1 it would be impossible to complete the work in less than two years2 the quantity of proofs1 successively required for every sheet1 fail not1 in general1 to retard the progress of all such undertakings4 ,my beloved friend ,mr4 ,swan published in this city a small tract in ,mongolian2 he found that it was absolutely necessary to demand six proofs of every sheet1 for in the second1 nay the third proof1 there were frequently as many errors as in the first1 from the compositors not being able properly to read the corrections4 ,but ,i never entrust the task of making alterations in the press to other hands than my own4 ,having corrected the first proof at home1 ,i proceed to the printing office and rectify all errors myself4 ,i consequently never require more than two proofs2 the second1 which ,i generally show to ,mr4 ,lipoftsoff1 is frequently faultless4 ,i am so perfectly convinced of the excellence of this plan1 that it is my firm intention to pursue it in whatever foreign1 or even ,english works1 it may be my destiny to edit4 ,i wish now to say a few words upon a subject1 on which ,i have previously said something4 ,at the present moment my principal inducement to such a step is the observation every now and then made to me1 both by ,christians and no ,christians1 namely3 ',you are printing ,testaments for which you will never find readers4 ,do not tell us that you can distribute them at ,canton and its environs1 or on the coasts of ,china2 there are not ten individuals amongst a million of the aboriginal ,chinese1 and such constitute the inhabitants of ,canton1 of the coasts and of the isles1 who understand the language in which your ,testaments are printed4 ,if you wish for readers you must seek them amongst the masters of ,pekin and the fierce hordes of desert ,tartary2 but what means do you possess for introducing them to ,tartary or ,pekin8' ,i stated in a former letter that the town of ,kiachta1 upon the northern frontier of ,china1 appeared to me to be in many respects a suitable head-quarters for any person on whom might devolve the task of endeavouring to supply the ,mandchou ,tartars with the word of life in their own language4 ,i am still of opinion1 and so are many individuals much more experienced than myself1 that if a passport could be obtained from the ,russian ,government1 the ,bible ,society would do well in despatching an agent to ,kiachta1 to see what might be done at1 or rather from1 that place in the great cause4 ,kiachta is little more than #hjj miles from ,pekin1 and not more than half that distance from ,manjuria2 he might therefore1 trusting in the ,lord1 not unreasonably hope to be able to penetrate to the ,tartar of the capital and the desert4 ,true it is that his undertaking would not 'come within the limits of safe and prudent speculation4' ,but is it possible for a plan to come within the limits of safe speculation1 which has in view the conversion of the ,tartar8 ,far be it from me to advise that the entire stock of ,testaments be hazarded in such an enterprise2 #bjj is the extreme number which should be ventured1 the others shipped for ,england1 for a seizure upon the agent and his books would be no improbable event4 ,i am a person of few words1 and will therefore state without circumlocution that ,i am willing to become that agent4 ,i speak ,russ1 ,mandchou1 and the ,tartar or broken ,turkish of the ,russian steppes1 and have also some knowledge of ,chinese1 which ,i might easily improve at ,kiachta1 half of the inhabitants of which town are ,chinamen4 ,i am therefore not altogether unqualified for such an adventure4 ,were the attempt to be made1 the winter of the ensuing year would be the proper time for starting1 because the book will not be ready before next spring1 and the expenses of a summer journey would be enormous4 ,a few days since1 upon taking leave of ,prince ,abbas ,khoulgi1 who has departed from this place to his patrimonial territories1 near the ,caucasus1 ,i presented him with a ,testament in the ,russian-,tartar language1 which is his native tongue4 ,he is without one exception the most interesting man ,i have ever met4 ,though by religion a ,mahometan he is totally divested of the blind bigotry which so peculiarly characterises the followers of the ,camel-driver-warrior-pseudo-prophet1 but on the contrary is possessed of a mind ever restless in the pursuit of truth1 and which will doubtless eventually lead him to the narrow path which leadeth unto salvation4 ,the ,testament which he received from me was the very last1 in the ,tartar language1 which remained in the shop at which are sold the publications of what was once the ,russian ,bible ,society4 ,it is a sad fact that though there are upwards of three thousand ,tartars in ,st4 ,petersburg1 most of whom can read and write the ,turkish dialect which they speak1 not one ,testament is at hand suited to their understandings4 ,i have formed many acquaintances among these most singular people1 whose language ,i have acquired1 during my residence in the ,russian capital1 chiefly from conversing with my servant ,mahomet ,djaffier1 a native of ,bucharia1 son of the ,iman or ,mahometan priest of this place4 ,notwithstanding the superstition and fanaticism of these men ,i am much attached to them2 for their conscientiousness1 honesty1 and fidelity are beyond all praise4 ,they stand in strong contrast with the lower orders of the ,russians1 a good-natured1 lowly-vicious1 wavering race1 easily excited1 easily soothed2 whilst the former are sedate1 sober1 temperate beings1 with minds like ,egyptian granite1 from which it is no easy matter to efface an impression1 once made4 ,how lamentable that such people should in the all-important matter of religion have embraced error instead of truth2 what ornaments they would prove at the present day to ,christianity1 if1 instead of ,mahometanism1 ,christianity had originally come in their way6 ,of a surety they would reflect much more lustre on the religion of ,christ than millions whose deeds and behaviour are more worthy of the followers of the impostor than of ,him 'in whose mouth was found no craft or subtlety4' ,i have much more to write and wish so to do1 but ,i have really no time4 ,it is probable that you will not hear from me again before ,christmas 7old style71 but ,i entreat you to inform me as soon as possible whether my proceedings give satisfaction or not2 but ,i must here take the liberty of stating that if ,i were moved one inch from my own course1 the consequences might prove disastrous to the work1 as ,i should instantly lose all power of exertion4 ,i want no assistance but that of ,god1 and will accept of none4 ,pray1 ,i beseech you1 that ,that be granted4 ,you would1 my dear ,sir1 be conferring a great favour upon me1 if you would so far trouble yourself as to write a few lines to my venerated friend ,mr4 ,cunningham of ,lowestoft1 informing him that ,i am tolerably well1 and that the work is going on most prosperously4 ,i remain1 ,reverend and dear ,sir1 ,your most humble and obliged servant1 ,,george ,,borrow4 ,p4,s4--,baron ,schilling wishes to have a ,chinese ,testament of the large edition3 pray1 send one if possible1 and direct it to me at the ,sarepta ,house4 ,be particular to remember that it must be of the large edition1 for he has one of the small already in his possession4 ,he wishes likewise to have ,gutzlaff and ,lindsay's ,voyages4 ,enclosed in the letter is the following certificate4 ,testifico-- ,dominum ,burro ab initio usque ad hoc tempus summa cum deligentia et studio in re ,mantshurica laborasse4 ,,lipovzoff4 ,to ,j4 ,tarn1 ,esq4 ,,st4 ,,petersburg1 ,decr4 #ae_/bg1 #ahcd4 ,on the other side ,i send an account of the money disbursed since the period of my last writing to you until the present moment4 ,in respect to the #ge roubles charged for the reprinting of three sheets of ,st4 ,matthew1 ,i beg leave to observe1 that after several sheets of that ,gospel had been printed1 after the same manner as that adopted in the first edition1 ,mr4 ,lipoftsoff1 the ,censor1 gave me notice that he had determined that the position of the vowel-points should be altered2 and ,i did not think proper to make any opposition4 ,but as common-sense informed me that it was by no means expedient to exhibit two systems of pointing in the same work1 ,i subsequently caused the first sheets to be reprinted4 ,i think it necessary to offer this short explanation to prevent any misunderstanding2 for this superfluous expense must be attributed to the ,censor's not knowing originally his own mind1 and not to any negligence on my part4 ,i am so pressed for time that ,i have not been able to refer to my last account1 which lies buried amongst the ocean of my papers1 and in stating that ,i retained in hand #abc roubles1 ,i have merely trusted to memory and calculation2 but ,i am sure the ,committee and yourself will excuse my little inaccuracy1 when ,i state my situation4 ,my two compositors1 whom ,i had instructed in all the mysteries of ,mandchou composition1 are in the hospital down with the brain fever1 for every kind of sickness is at present raging in this place2 and during the last three days ,i have been running about in all directions in quest of people to fill their situation1 until they recover4 ,thanks be to the ,lord1 ,i have discovered and engaged the person who composed the first ,mandchou ,gospel of ,st4 ,matthew1 ten years since2 and as next week ,i shall again station myself in the printing office for the purpose of assisting and instructing1 the great work will not be delayed1 and in a fortnight or ten days ,i trust to be able1 provided an opportunity occurs1 to transmit to ,england copies of the four ,gospels4 ,with my best rewards to ,mr4 ,brandram and ,mr4 ,jowett 7whose last letter ,i have received71 ,i remain1 etc41 ,,george ,,borrow4 ,to ,j4 ,tarn1 ,esq4 ,,st4 ,,petersburg1 ,feb4 #a1 #ahce4 ,the last account which ,i had the honour of transmitting to you detailed expenses in the editing of the ,mandchou ,testament as far as the first two sheets of ,st4 ,john4 ,that ,gospel having by the blessing of the ,almighty passed through the press1 and a copy of it bound1 and also copies of the three other ,gospels1 having been forwarded to ,london1 ,i snatch a moment from my occupation to give an account of my late outgoings1 the sums drawn for having been considerable on account of my having many and large bills to discharge4 ,when ,i last wrote1 ,i retained in hand #ge roubles #ej copecks1 of the sum of #cejj drawn for2 since which sum ,i have drawn for the separate sums of #ejjj and #ejj according to the books of the ,sarepta ,house4 ,i had advanced to the printer in consequence of the illness of his compositors the sum of #bej1 which being deducted from the #ejjj ,i shall1 in order to prevent confusion1 take no notice of1 and proceed to give an account of the disbursement of ,r4 ,c4 #eege #ej #aa ,jany4 #dabe #ahce1 paid ,mr4 ,pluchard for one hundred and sixty-five reams of paper at #be,r4 per ream #bg ,dec4 #dej #ahcd1 paid ,mr4 ,lauffert for the binding of ,st4 ,matthew ,do4 for #b #aj chests to contain ,st4 ,matthew ,jan4 #b1 #bjj #ahce1 to printer for #c1 #d1 #e1 #f1 #g1 #h1 #i1 #aj of ,st4 ,john ,do4 for #fj printing #fjjj titles1 being sufft4 for #f of the #h parts of the ,test4 ,jany4 #i1 #aej from #aj to #af of ,st4 ,john ,do4 for the #d casting of #f large type1 for titles1 not in ,baron ,schilling's colln41 the rest being furnished by him ,do4 #af4 #aej ,from #af to #bb of ,st4 ,john ,do4 #bb4 ,to #dej ,mr4 ,lauffert for bindg4 ,st4 ,mark's ,gospel ,chests #aj ,do4 #bb14 #bb #aab #ej #egba #ej to #bf and a half of ,st4 ,john ,the ,society #adf,r4 #j;,c4 are therefore at the present moment further indebted to me ,should you discover at any time any inaccuracy in the accounts which ,i transmit1 you will much oblige me by instantly making me acquainted with the same1 in order that a satisfactory explanation may be given4 ,the sacrifice of time to the correction of the manuscript and proof-sheets scarcely allows me a moment's leisure1 and ,i am moreover compelled to superintend the printers and book-binders1 for everything goes wrong without a strict surveillance4 ,by the time these lines reach you the ,acts of the ,apostles 7the ,lord willing7 will have passed through the press4 ,next week ,i hope to write to the ,revd4 ,j4 ,jowett4 ,i remain1 etc41 ,g4 ,,borrow4 ,p4,s4--,i believe that the seven shillings may be accounted for in this manner4 ,i charged seven pounds for my passage to ,hamburg1 whereas ,i paid seven guineas4 ,to the ,rev4 ,j4 ,jowett 7,endorsed3 recd4 ,march #bc1 #ahce7 ,,st4 ,,petersburg1 ,febry4 #bj old style1 #ahce4 ,,revd4 ,,and ,,dear ,,sir1--,i take advantage of the period of the ,russian ,carnival1 during which all business is at a stand-still1 to transmit to you some account of the manner in which ,i have been engaged1 since the time when ,i last addressed myself to you4 ,true it is1 that ,i have not much to communicate2 for the history of one day is that of a week1 and a month2 and when ,i state that the printing of the ,mandchou ,new ,testament is advancing rapidly to a conclusion1 ,i shall have stated all ,i can of much importance2 but as you and our excellent friends at home have a right to demand particulars1 ,i will endeavour to be as particular as lies within my power4 ,about a month since ,i placed in the hands of ,baron ,schilling bound copies of the first four parts of the ,testament1 the ,gospels2 he having kindly promised to cause them to be conveyed to ,london by one of the couriers belonging to the ,foreign ,department1 to which the ,baron is attached4 ,i have reason to believe1 however1 that you have not received them yet1 as ,i have been informed that they remained in ,petersburg some weeks after they had been deposited in the ,foreign ,office2 but in this respect ,i am not culpable2 and having no direct means of sending packets to ,london1 ,i am glad to embrace any which may come in my way1 especially those not attended with expense to the ,society4 ,in the mean time1 ,i wish to inform you that ,i am at present occupied on the last sheets of the fifth volume of the ,testament1 namely1 the ,acts of the ,apostles1 in getting which through the press ,i have experienced much difficulty1 partly from the illness of my compositors1 and partly from the manner in which the translation was originally executed1 which has rendered much modification highly necessary4 ,how ,i have been enabled to maintain terms of friendship and familiarity with ,mr4 ,lipoftsoff1 and yet fulfil the part which those who employ me expect me to fulfil1 ,i am much at a loss to conjecture2 and yet such is really the case4 ,it is at all times dangerous to find fault with the style and composition of authors and translators1 even when they come to your door to ask for your advice and assistance4 ,you may easily conceive then1 that my situation has been one of treble peril4 ,mr4 ,l4 is the ,censor of his own work1 and against the ,censor's fiat in ,russia there is no appeal2 he is moreover a gentleman whom the slightest contradiction never fails to incense to a most incredible degree2 and being a strict member of the ,greek ,sclavonian ,church1 imagines that the revealed word and will of the ,supreme are only to be found in the ,sclavonian ,scriptures1 from which he made his ,mandchou version4 ,yet whenever anything has displeased me in his translation1 ,i have frankly told him my opinion2 and in almost every instance 7and the instances have been innumerable3 for in translations of the sacred writings omissions and additions must ever be avoided7 he has suffered himself to be persuaded to remodel what he originally concluded to be perfect1 and which perhaps he still does4 ,so that in what has been hitherto printed of the ,testament1 there is little1 if any thing1 with which any one but a professed caviller can find fault4 ,i confess that in one instance ,i have not been able to carry my point2 though ,i assure you that ,i did not yield until ,i found that it was absolutely of no avail to offer any further opposition4 ,for although ,i was convinced that ,mr4 ,l4 was wrong1 and ,i think when ,i state the particulars that you will be of my opinion1 he had on his side the ,chinese scholars of ,st4 ,petersburg1 ,baron ,schilling amongst the rest1 and moreover being ,censor he could have prohibited the work from proceeding if ,i had been too obstinate4 ,i will tell you the ground of dispute2 for why should ,i conceal it8 ,mr4 ,l41 amongst what he called his improvements of the translation1 thought proper1 when the ,father ,almighty is addressed1 to erase the personal and possessive pronouns thou or thine1 as often as they occur1 and in their stead to make use of the noun as the case may require4 ,for example1 ',o ,father1 thou art merciful1' he would render1 ',o ,father6 the ,father is merciful'2 ',our ,father which art in heaven1 hallowed be thy name1' by ',our 4 4 4 may the name of the ,father be made holy1 may the kingdom of the ,father come1 may the will of the ,father be done on earth1' etc4 ,i of course objected to this1 and enquired what reason he had for having recourse to so much tautology4 ,he replied that he had the best of reasons2 for that amongst the ,chinese and ,tartars none but the dregs of society were ever addressed in the second person2 and that it would be most uncouth and indecent to speak to the ,almighty as if ,he were a servant or a slave4 ,i told him that ,christians1 when they address their ,creator1 do not address ,him as if ,he were a great gentleman or illustrious personage1 but rather as children their father1 with a mixture of reverence and love2 and that this mixture of reverence and love was one of the most characteristic traits of ,christianity4 ,but he said that in ,china children never address their parent in this manner2 and that it was contrary to all received usage2 and that in speaking to a parent the children observe the same respectful formula of phraseology as in addressing an ,emperor or ,viceroy4 ,i then observed that our object in sending the ,bible into ,china was not to encourage the ,chinese in any of their customs or observances1 but rather to wean them from them2 and that however startling any expression in the ,bible might prove to them at first1 it was our hope and trust that it would eventually cease to be disagreeable and extraordinary1 and that the ,chinese were at present in a state which required stirring and powerful medicine1 medicine which must necessarily be disagreeable to the palate to prove beneficial in another quarter4 ,however1 he said that ,i talked 'pustota' 7emptiness or nonsense71 and as he was not to be moved1 ,i was compelled to acquiesce with his dictum4 ,this occurred some months since1 and ,i rejoice to see in the last letter with which you favoured me a fortuitous corroboration of my views on this subject4 ,i allude to that part of your letter where you state that you do not desire the ,chinese to consider the ,bible the work of a ,chinese1 etc4 ,nor do ,i2 and throughout the progress of the work ,i have collated every sheet with the ,greek ,testament1 and whenever ,i have found anything still adhering to the translation which struck me as not being faithful to the original1 ,i have invariably modified it1 so that1 with the exception of the one instance above mentioned1 ,i can safely assert that the ,word of ,god has been rendered into ,mandchou as nearly and closely as the idiom of a very singular language would permit4 ,i have now received and paid for1 as you will perceive by my accompts1 #die reams of paper1 which will be barely sufficient for the work1 which will consist of eight parts1 instead of seven1 as we at first supposed4 ,i take the liberty of requesting that when the books arrive you will examine the texture of the paper on which they are printed4 ,mr4 ,l4 is exceedingly pleased with it1 and says that it is superior to the paper of the first edition of ,st4 ,matthew by at least ten roubles per ream2 and that it is calculated to endure for #bjj years4 ,it certainly does possess uncommon strength and consistency1 notwithstanding its tenuity1 and the difficulty of tearing it is remarkable4 ,by my direction it received a slight tinge of yellow1 as no books are printed in ,china upon paper entirely colourless4 ,i must be permitted to say that the manner in which the book-binder1 ,mr4 ,lauffert1 is performing his task is above all praise2 but he has been accustomed for many years to this kind of work1 the greatest part of ,baron ,schilling's immense collection of ,chinese works having been bound by him4 ,we may esteem ourselves very fortunate in having met with a person so competent to the task1 and whose terms are so remarkably reasonable4 ,any other book-binder in ,st4 ,petersburg would have refused double the price at which he has executed this important part of the work1 and had they undertaken the affair1 would probably have executed it in a manner which would have exposed the book to the scorn and laughter of the people for whom it is intended4 ,a few months since ,i saw ,mr4 ,glen1 the missionary from ,astracan1 as he passed through ,st4 ,petersburg on his return to ,england4 ,he is a very learned man1 but of very simple and unassuming manners4 ,the doom which had been pronounced upon his translation seems to have deeply affected him2 but he appears to me to labour under a very great error respecting the motives which induced the ,editorial ,committee to reject his work1 or at least to hesitate upon publishing it4 ,he assured me that all that was urged against it was the use1 here and there1 of ,arabic words1 which in a language like the ,persian1 which on an original foundation exhibits a superstructure nearly one moiety of which is ,arabic1 is unavoidable4 ,as ,i was totally unacquainted with the facts of the case1 ,i said nothing upon the subject2 but ,i now suspect1 from a few words dropped in your letter1 that the objection is founded not on the use of ,arabic words1 but on attempts at improving or adorning the simplicity of the ,bible4 ,however this may be1 there can be no doubt that ,mr4 ,glen is a ,persian scholar of the first water4 ,mirza ,achmed1 a ,persian gentleman now living at ,st4 ,petersburg1 who resided some time at ,astracan1 informed me that he had seen the translation1 and that the language was highly elegant2 but whether or not the translation was faithful1 and such as a translation of the sacred volume ought to be1 he of course was entirely ignorant2 he could merely speak as to the excellence of the ,persian4 ,mirza ,djaffar also1 the ,persian professor here1 spoke much to the same effect4 ,mr4 ,stallybrass1 the ,siberian missionary1 is at present here on his way to ,england1 whither he is conducting his two sons1 for the purpose of placing them in some establishment1 where they may receive a better education than it is possible for him to give them in ,siberia4 ,i have seen him several times1 and have heard him preach once at the ,sarepta ,house4 ,he is a clever1 well-informed man1 and in countenance and manner much like ,mr4 ,swan--which similarity may perhaps be accounted for by their long residence under the same roof2 for people who are in the habit of conversing together every day insensibly assume each other's habits1 manner of speaking1 and expression of countenance4 ,mr4 ,stallybrass's youngest son1 a lad of fifteen1 shows marks of talent which may make him useful in the missionary field for which he is intended4 ,the most surprising instance of precocious talent that ,i have ever seen1 or ever heard of1 is exhibited in a young nobleman1 who visits me every day4 ,he is the eldest son of ,count ,fredro1 ,marshal of the ,imperial ,court1 and though only fourteen years of age1 speaks eight languages perfectly well1 is a good ,grecian and ,latinist1 is one of the best draftsmen in ,russia1 is well acquainted with physics1 botany1 geography1 and history1 and to crown all1 has probably the most beautiful voice that ever mortal was gifted with4 ,a admirable ,chrishna again by metempsychosis2 the religion of the family1 with whom ,i am very intimate1 is the ,romish4 ,i now and then attend the service of the ,armenian ,church1 for the purpose of perfecting myself in the language1 and have formed many acquaintances amongst the congregation3 there are several very clever and very learned ,armenians in this place2 one of them ,i will particularly mention1 a little elderly gentleman of the name of ,kudobashoff1 who is the best ,armenian scholar at present in existence4 ,he is on the eve of publishing a work1 calculated to be very interesting to us3 an ,armenian and ,russian ,dictionary1 on which he has been occupied for the space of thirty-seven years1 and which will be of the highest assistance to any future editor of the ,armenian ,scriptures2 and be it known1 that no place in ,europe1 with perhaps the exception of ,venice1 offers more advantages to the editing of the ,a4,s4 than ,st4 ,petersburg4 ,i will now conclude1 and repeat the assurance that ,i am ready to attempt anything which the ,society may wish me to execute2 and1 at a moment's warning1 will direct my course towards ,canton1 ,pekin1 or the court of the ,grand ,lama4 ,with my best respects to ,mr4 ,brandram1 ,i have the honour to remain1 ,revd4 and dear ,sir1 most truly yours1 ,g4 ,,borrow4 ,to ,j4 ,tarn1 ,esq4 7,endorsed3 recd4 ,may1 #ahce7 ,,st4 ,,petersburg1 ,april #bhth old style1 #ahce4 ,i send you an account of monies spent in the editing of the ,acts of the ,apostles and the first volume of the ,epistles4 ,i beg leave at the same time to acknowledge the receipt of ,mr4 ,jackson's letter4 ,i am sorry that any mistake should have occurred1 but the cause of the one in question was1 that at the time ,i last wrote to you1 ,i was unable to refer to my previous account2 however1 the mistake now stands rectified4 ,i take this opportunity of informing you that ,i shall be obliged to order sixty or seventy more reams of paper1 as the quantity which ,i at present possess will not be sufficient to complete the work4 ,you will see the reason of this in the account which ,i now send you4 ,in the first volume of the ,epistles there are forty-three sheets1 and in the second there will be nearly the same number2 these two volumes in thickness will be equal to three of the previous parts4 ,during the last month ,i have experienced great difficulty in keeping the printers at work on account of the festivals of the season1 but ,i am glad to say that ,i have never failed to obtain six sheets every week4 ,i have received the ,revd4 ,mr4 ,jowett's letter1 and shall write to him in a few days4 ,,george ,,borrow4 ,to the ,rev4 ,j4 ,jowett 7,endorsed3 recd4 ,june #a1 #ahce7 ,may #c1 #ahce old style1 ,,st4 ,,petersburg4 ,,revd4 ,,and ,,dear ,,sir1--,i write a few hasty lines for the purpose of informing you that ,i shall not be able to obtain a passport for ,siberia1 except on the condition that ,i carry not one single ,mandchou ,bible thither4 ,the ,russian ,government is too solicitous to maintain a good understanding with that of ,china to encourage any project at which the latter could take umbrage4 ,therefore pray inform me to what place ,i am to despatch the ,bibles4 ,i have had some thoughts of embarking the first five parts without delay to ,england1 but ,i have forborne from an unwillingness to do anything which ,i was not commanded to do4 ,by the time ,i receive your answer everything will be in readiness1 or nearly so1 to be forwarded wherever the ,committee shall judge expedient4 ,i wish also to receive orders respecting what is to be done with the types4 ,i should be sorry if they were to be abandoned in the same manner as before1 for it is possible that at some future time they may prove eminently useful4 ,as for myself1 ,i suppose ,i must return to ,england1 as my task will be speedily completed4 ,i hope the ,society are convinced that ,i have served them faithfully1 and that ,i have spared no labour to bring out the work1 which they did me the honour of confiding to me1 correctly and within as short a time as possible4 ,at my return1 if the ,society think that ,i can still prove of utility to them1 ,i shall be most happy to devote myself still to their service4 ,i am a person full of faults and weaknesses1 as ,i am every day reminded by bitter experience1 but ,i am certain that my zeal and fidelity towards those who put confidence in me are not to be shaken4 ,should it now become a question what is to be done with these ,mandchou ,bibles which have been printed at a considerable expense1 ,i should wish to suggest that ,baron ,schilling be consulted4 ,in a few weeks he will be in ,london1 which he intends visiting during a summer tour which he is on the point of commencing4 ,he will call at the ,society's ,house1 and as he is a nobleman of great experience and knowledge in all that relates to ,china1 it would not be amiss to interrogate him on such a subject4 ,i again repeat that ,i am at command4 ,in your last letter but one you stated that our noble ,president had been kind enough to declare that ,i had but to send in an account of any extraordinary expenses which ,i had been put to in the course of the work to have them defrayed4 ,i return my most grateful thanks for this most considerate intimation1 which nevertheless ,i cannot avail myself of1 as according to one of the articles of my agreement my salary of #bjj pounds was to cover all extra expenses4 ,petersburg is doubtless the dearest capital in ,europe1 and expenses meet an individual1 especially one situated as ,i have been1 at every turn and corner2 but an agreement is not to be broken on that account4 ,i have the honour to remain1 ,revd4 and dear ,sir1 your obedient humble servant1 ,,george ,,borrow4 ,to ,j4 ,thornton1 ,esq4 7,endorsed3 recd4 ,july #bj1 #ahce7 ,,st4 ,,petersburg1 ,june #ae1 #ahce4 ,,sir1--,having drawn upon ,messrs4 ,asmus1 ,simondsen ,compy4 of ,st4 ,petersburg for the following sums1 ,i have to request that you will honour this draft to a like amount1 #ajjj roubles 7one thousand71 received the #aath ,may4 #bjjj 7two thousand71 received at the present moment4 ,i take the liberty of stating that the printing of the ,mandchou ,testament is brought to a conclusion1 and that six of the eight parts are bound4 ,as soon as the other two are completed ,i shall take my departure for ,england4 ,i have the honour to remain1 ,sir1 ,your most obedient and most humble servant1 ,g4 ,,borrow4 ,to ,j4 ,tarn1 ,esq4 7,endorsed3 recd4 #ag ,aug4 #ahce7 ,,st4 ,,petersburg1 ,july #af1 #ahce4 ,,my ,,dear ,,sir1--,i herewith send you a bill of lading for six of the eight parts of the ,new ,testament which ,i have at last obtained permission to send away1 after having paid sixteen visits to the ,house of ,interior ,affairs4 ,the seventh part is bound and packed up2 the eighth is being bound and will be completed in about ten days4 ,it would have been ready a month since1 having been nearly six weeks in the book-binder's hands1 but he was disappointed in obtaining the necessary paper2 ,i hope to have shipped all off1 and to have bidden adieu to ,russia1 at the expiration of a fortnight4 ,i take this opportunity of informing you that ,i was obliged to purchase additional #he reams of paper1 of every sheet of which ,i shall give an account4 #ajbj copies of every sheet ,i ordered to be printed1 that we might have a full #ajjj at the conclusion4 #bj reams have at various times been sent to the binder for frontings and endings to the work1 and there were #cf sheets in the seventh and #cc in the eighth part1 consequently the demand for paper is not surprising4 ,since my last drafts upon the ,treasurer ,i have received two thousand roubles from ,asmus1 ,simondsen and ,co41 for which ,i shall give them a draft on my departure when ,i receive my salary4 ,my accompt since the period of my last writing to you1 when ,i held in hand #eah roubles of the ,society's money1 ,i shall deliver to you on my arrival4 ,i have the honour to remain1 ,dear ,sir1 ,truly yours1 ,g4 ,,borrow4 ,pray excuse this hasty letter1 which ,i write from the ,custom ,house4 ,to ,rev4 ,j4 ,jowett 7,endorsed3 recd4 ,sept4 #adth1 #ahce7 ,,st4 ,,petersburg1 ,aug4 #ab1 #ahce4 ,as it is probable that yourself and my other excellent and ,christian friends at the ,bible ,house are hourly expecting me and wondering at my non-appearance1 ,i cannot refrain from sending you a few lines in order to account for my prolonged stay abroad4 ,for the last fortnight ,i have been detained at ,st4 ,petersburg in the most vexatious and unheard-of manner4 ,the two last parts of our ,testaments have been bound and ready for shipping a considerable time1 and are at present in the warehouse of a most pious and excellent person in this place1 whom the ,bible ,society are well acquainted with2 but ,i have hitherto not been able to obtain permission to send them away4 ,you will ask how ,i contrived to despatch the first six volumes1 which you have doubtless by this time received4 ,but ,i must inform you that at that time ,i had only a verbal permission1 and that the ,custom ,house permitted them to pass because they knew not what they were4 ,but now1 notwithstanding ,i obtained a regular permission to print1 and transacted everything in a legal and formal manner1 ,i am told that ,i had no right at all to print the ,scriptures at ,st4 ,petersburg1 and that my coming thither on that account 7,i use their own words7 was a step in the highest degree suspicious and mysterious1 and that there are even grounds for supposing that ,i am not connected with the ,bible ,society or employed by them4 ,to-day1 however1 ,i lost patience1 and said that ,i would not be trifled with any longer2 that next week ,i should send away the books by a vessel which would then sail1 and that whosoever should attempt to stop them would do so at his peril--and ,i intend to act up to what ,i said4 ,i shall then demand my passport and advertise my departure1 as every one before quitting ,russia must be advertised in the newspapers two weeks successively4 ,pray do me the justice to believe that for this unpleasant delay ,i am by no means accountable4 ,it is in the highest degree tormenting to myself4 ,i am very unwell from vexation and disquietude of mind1 and am exposed to every kind of inconvenience4 ,the term for which ,i took my chambers is expired1 and ,i am living in a dirty and expensive hotel4 ,but there is ,one above who supports me in these troubles1 and ,i have no doubt that everything will turn out for the best4 ,i take this opportunity of sending my accounts to ,mr4 ,tarn2 if there be any inaccuracy let him excuse it1 for the post hurries me4 ,g4 ,,borrow4 ,report of ,mr4 ,george ,borrow ,to the ,members of the ,committee of the ,british and ,foreign ,bible ,society4 ,,gentlemen1--,it is now about two years since ,i quitted ,england for ,st4 ,petersburg in consequence of the duty which you have been pleased to confide to my hands1 namely1 that of editing at the ,russian capital the ,new ,testament in the ,mandchou language which has been translated by ,mr4 ,lipoftsoff1 at present ,councillor of ,state and ,chinese ,translator at that place1 but formerly one of the members of the ,russian mission at ,pekin4 ,on my arrival1 before entering upon this highly important and difficult task1 ,i1 in obedience to your command1 assisted ,mr4 ,swan1 the missionary from ,selinginsk1 to complete a transcript which he had commenced some time previous of a manuscript translation of the principal part of the ,old ,testament into ,mandchou executed by ,puerot1 who1 originally a ,jesuit emissary at ,pekin1 passed the latter years of his life in the service of the ,russian mission in the capacity of physician4 ,the united labours of ,mr4 ,swan and myself speedily brought the task in question to a conclusion1 so that the transcript has for a considerable time been in the possession of the ,bible ,society4 ,i will here take the liberty of offering a few remarks upon this translation2 but as the work is not at the present moment before me1 it is impossible to enter upon a critical and minute examination of its merits4 ,nevertheless1 having either transcribed or at various times perused it1 ,i have formed a general opinion concerning it which1 though very probably a faulty one1 ,i shall lay before you in a few words1 which at any future time ,i hope you will permit me to recall1 if fresh lights upon the subject compel me to believe that my original conclusion was an erroneous one2 having no doubt that those who are embarked in so noble a cause as the propagation of ,the ,great ,truth1 will be at all times willing to excuse error when confessed1 as by the confession of error the truth becomes more glaringly manifest4 ,the merits of this translation are1 upon the whole1 of a very high order2 but it would be an untruth and an absurdity to say that it does not exhibit defects and blemishes of a striking and peculiar kind--peculiar1 from the singular fact that those portions of the original which1 being narrative are exceedingly simple as to idea and style1 have been invariably rendered in a manner the most liable to censure1 exhibiting not only a slovenly carelessness in regard to diction1 but not unfrequently a disregard of accuracy when the slightest particle of attention was only necessary to render the meaning which the sacred writer endeavours to convey4 ,these are its greatest1 and1 it may perhaps be said1 its only defects2 for if a regard for truth compel me to state that the style of the translation frequently sinks far below the original when at its lowest grade1 that same regard compels me to say that in yet more instances it rises with the same to a degree which ,i believe it is scarcely possible for any individual with the limited powers of uninspired man to surpass4 ,this soaring tendency is particularly observable in the version of the ,book of ,job1 which is certainly the most beautiful1 is believed by many to be the most ancient1 and is confessedly one of the most important portions of the ,old ,testament4 ,i consider myself in some degree entitled to speak particularly of this part of the ,mandchou version in question1 having frequently at the time ,i was engaged upon it translated into ,english several of the chapters which particularly struck me1 for the purpose of exhibiting them to ,mr4 ,swan1 who invariably sympathised with my admiration4 ,the translation of most of the writings of the prophets1 as far as ,puerot went1 has been executed in the same masterly manner1 and it is only to be lamented that1 instead of wasting much of his time and talents upon the ,apocryphal writings1 as is unfortunately the case1 the ex-,jesuit left behind him no ,mandchou version of ,isaiah and the ,psalms1 the lack of which will be sensibly felt whenever his work shall be put in a printed state into the hands of those for whose benefit it is intended1 an event most devoutly to be wished for by all those who would fain see ,christ reign triumphant in that most extraordinary country of which the ,mandchou constitutes one of the principal languages1 being used in diplomacy and at court1 and being particularly remarkable for possessing within it translations of all the masterpieces of ,chinese1 ,tibetian1 and ,brahmanic literature with which it has been enriched since the period of the accession of the present ,tartar dynasty to the ,chinese throne1 the proper language of which dynasty it is well known to be4 ,to translate literally1 or even closely1 according to the common acceptation of the term1 into the ,mandchou language is of all impossibilities the greatest2 partly from the grammatical structure of the language1 and partly from the abundance of its idioms4 ,the ,mandchou is the only one of any of the civilised languages of the world with which the writer of these lines has any acquaintance1 whose grammar stands far aloof from the rest in wonderful singularity2 the most remarkable feature of which is the want of some of those conjunctions generally considered as indispensable1 and which are certainly of the first utility4 ,the result of this peculiarity is that such a combination of other parts of speech must be employed as will express the idea without the aid of the conjunction2 but as these combinations are invariably and necessarily lengthy1 much more space is required in the translation of a sentence into this language than the original occupies4 ,i am induced to make this remark1 which ,i am afraid will be considered an excursory one1 from the apprehensiveness that some1 observing the translations of the ,scriptures into this language to be bulkier than the originals1 might conclude that extraneous and unnecessary matter had crept in1 which a knowledge of the above fact will prevent4 ,the transcript of the ,mandchou ,old ,testament having been brought to a conclusion and permission having been obtained to print the ,new at ,st4 ,petersburg--the accomplishment of which last point was1 as you are well aware1 attended with much difficulty--,i set myself seriously to work upon the principal object of my mission4 ,with the recapitulation of my labours ,i wish not to trouble you1 the various particulars having been communicated to you in letters written at various times upon the subject4 ,i will content myself with observing that within ten months from the commencement of printing1 the entire work1 consisting of eight volumes1 had with the blessing of the ,almighty passed through the press1 and1 ,i believe1 with as few typographical errors as would have been the case had a much more considerable portion of time been devoted to the enterprise1 which1 it is true1 ,i was in haste to accomplish1 but in a manner not calculated to render the undertaking futile nor cast discredit upon the ,society and myself being well aware that an edition of the ,scriptures exhibiting marks of carelessness must at best be a futile work1 and that the speed with which it was executed could be no apology2 as few will be tempted to deny that no edition at all of the sacred volume in the languages of the heathen is far preferable to one whose incorrectness would infallibly and with some reason awaken ridicule1 which1 though one of the most contemptible1 is certainly one of the most efficacious weapons in the armoury of the ,prince of ,darkness and the ,enemy of ,light1 as it is well known that his soldiers here on earth accomplish by its means what they would never be able to effect by the utmost force of eloquence and carnal reasoning1 in the use and management of which they are1 however1 by no means unskilled1 as many a follower of ,jesus from his own individual experience can testify4 ,after the termination of my editorial task1 having little to employ myself upon whilst the two last volumes were undergoing the process of binding1 ,i determined upon a journey to ,moscow1 the ancient capital of the ,russian ,empire1 which differs widely from ,st4 ,petersburg in appearance1 structure1 and in the manners1 habits1 and opinions of its inhabitants4 ,i arrived there after a journey of four days4 ,moscow is by far the most remarkable city it has ever been my fortune to see2 but as it has been frequently described1 and with tolerable correctness1 there is no necessity for me to enter into a particular account of all that presented itself to my observation4 ,i ascended the celebrated tower of ,ivan ,velike1 situated within the walls of the ,kremlin1 from the top of which there is a glorious view of ,moscow and of the surrounding country1 and at the foot of which1 in a deep hole in the earth1 is the gigantic bell which weighs #bg1jjj poods1 or eight hundred and seventy thousand pounds4 ,i likewise visited the splendid church of the ,kremlin1 and had much conversation with the priest who is in the habit of showing its curiosities to strangers4 ,he is a most intelligent and seemingly truly pious person1 and well acquainted with ,english spiritual literature1 especially with the writings of ,bishops ,taylor and ,tillotson1 whom he professed to hold in great admiration2 though he asserted that both these divines1 great men as they undoubtedly were1 were far inferior writers to his own celebrated countryman ,archbishop ,teekon1 and their productions less replete with spiritual manna--against which assertion ,i felt little inclined to urge any objection1 having myself perused the works of the great ,russian divine with much comfort and satisfaction1 and with which ,i can only regret that the devout part of the ,british public are up to the present moment utterly unacquainted4 ,as one of the principal motives of my visit to ,moscow was to hold communication with a particular part of its population1 which from the accounts ,i had received of it had inspired me with the most vivid interest1 ,i did not fail shortly after my arrival to seek an opportunity of accomplishing my work1 and believe that what ,i have now to communicate will be of some interest to the ,christian and the philosopher4 ,i allude to the people called ,zigani or ,gypsies1 or1 as they style themselves1 ,rommany1 of which there are several thousands in and about ,moscow1 and who obtain a livelihood by various means4 ,those who have been accustomed to consider these people as wandering barbarians1 incapable of civilisation and unable to appreciate the blessings of a quiet and settled life1 will be surprised at learning that many of those in ,moscow inhabit large and handsome houses1 appear abroad in elegant equipages1 and if distinguishable from the genteel class of the ,russians are only so by superior personal advantages and mental accomplishments4 ,of this singular phenomenon at ,moscow the female ,gypsies are the principal cause1 having from time immemorial cultivated their vocal powers to such an extent that1 although in the heart of a country in which the vocal art has arrived at greater perfection than in any other part of the world1 the principal ,gypsy choirs in ,moscow are allowed by the general voice of the public to be unrivalled and to bear away the palm from all competitors4 ,it is a fact notorious in ,russia that the celebrated ,catalani was so filled with admiration for the powers of voice displayed by one of the ,gypsy songsters1 who1 after the former had sung before a splendid audience at ,moscow1 stepped forward and with an astonishing burst of melody ravished every ear1 that she tore from her own shoulders a shawl of immense value which had been presented to her by the ,pope1 and embracing the ,gypsy compelled her to accept it1 saying that it had been originally intended for the matchless singer which she now discovered was not herself4 ,the sums obtained by these performers are very large1 enabling them to live in luxury of every description and to maintain their husbands in a princely way4 ,many of them are married to ,russian gentlemen2 and every one who has resided for any length of time in ,russia cannot but be aware that the lovely1 talented1 and domesticated wife of ,count ,alexander ,tolstoi is by birth a ,gypsy1 and was formerly one of the ornaments of a ,rommany choir at ,moscow as she is now one of the principal ornaments of the marriage state and of illustrious life4 ,it is not1 however1 to be supposed that all the female ,gypsies in ,moscow are of this high1 talented1 and respectable order2 amongst them there are a great number of low1 vulgar1 and profligate females who sing in taverns1 or at the various gardens in the neighbourhood1 and whose husbands and male connections subsist by horse-jobbing and such kinds of low traffic4 ,the principal place of resort of this class is ,marina ,rotche1 lying about two verses from ,moscow1 and thither ,i drove1 attended by a valet-de-place4 ,upon my arriving there the ,gypsies swarmed out from their tents and from the little tracteer or tavern1 and surrounded me4 ,standing on the seat of the caleche1 ,i addressed them in a loud voice in the dialect of the ,english ,gypsies1 with which ,i have some slight acquaintance4 ,a scream of wonder instantly arose1 and welcomes and greetings were poured forth in torrents of musical ,rommany1 amongst which1 however1 the most pronounced cry was3 ah kak mi toute karmuma--',oh1 how we love you1' for at first they supposed me to be one of their brothers1 who1 they said1 were wandering about in ,turkey1 ,china1 and other parts1 and that ,i had come over the great pawnee1 or water1 to visit them4 ,their countenances exactly resembled those of their race in ,england and ,spain1 brown1 and for the most part beautiful1 their eyes fiery and wildly intelligent1 their hair coal-black and somewhat coarse4 ,i asked them numerous questions1 especially as to their religion and original country4 ,they said that they believed in ',devil1' which1 singularly enough1 in their language signifies ,god1 and that they were afraid of the evil spirit1 or ',bengel'2 that their fathers came from ,rommany land1 but where that land lay they knew not4 ,they sang many songs both in the ,russian and ,rommany languages2 the former were modern popular pieces which are in vogue on the stage1 but the latter were evidently very ancient1 being composed in a metre or cadence to which there is nothing analogous in ,russian prosody1 and exhibiting an internal character which was anything but ,european or modern4 ,i visited this place several times during my sojourn at ,moscow1 and spoke to them upon their sinful manner of living1 upon the advent and suffering of ,christ ,jesus1 and expressed1 upon my taking a final leave of them1 a hope that they would be in a short period furnished with the word of eternal life in their own language1 which they seemed to value and esteem much higher than the ,russian4 ,they invariably listened with much attention2 and during the whole time ,i was amongst them exhibited little in speech or conduct which was objectionable4 ,i returned to ,petersburg1 and shortly afterwards1 the business which had brought me to ,russia being successfully terminated1 ,i quitted that country1 and am compelled to acknowledge1 with regret4 ,i went thither prejudiced against the country1 the government1 and the people2 the first is much more agreeable than is generally supposed2 the second is seemingly the best adapted for so vast an empire2 and the third1 even the lowest classes1 are in general kind1 hospitable1 and benevolent4 ,true it is that they have many vices1 and their minds are overshadowed by the gloomy clouds of ,grecian superstition1 but the efforts of many excellent and pious persons amongst the ,english at ,st4 ,petersburg are directed to unveiling to them the cheering splendour of the lamp of the ,gospel2 and it is the sincere prayer of the humble individual who now addresses you that the difficulties which at present much obstruct their efforts may be speedily removed1 and that from the boundless champains of ,russia may soon resound the ,jubilee hymn of millions1 who having long groped their way in the darkness of the shadow of death1 are at once blessed with light1 and with joyful hearts acknowledge the immensity of the blessing4 ,,george ,,borrow4 ,to the ,rev4 ,j4 ,jowett 7,endorsed3 recd4 ,oct4 #bg1 #ahce7 ,oct4 #bf #ahce4 ,,willow ,,lane1 ,,st4 ,,giles1 ,,norwich4 ,,revd4 ,,and ,,dear ,,sir1--,pray excuse the liberty ,i take in troubling you with these lines1 which ,i write for the purpose of informing you that ,i am perfectly ready to undertake anything which yourself or ,mr4 ,brandram may deem expedient4 ,i should be most happy to explore ,portugal and ,spain1 and to report upon the possibility of introducing the ,gospel into those countries1 provided that plan has not been given up2 or to commence the ,armenian ,testament forthwith1 if the types are ready4 ,if you would so far condescend as to return an answer as soon as it suits your convenience1 you would confer no slight obligation upon me1 for ,i am weary of doing nothing1 and am sighing for employment4 ,i have the honour to remain1 ,revd4 and ,dear ,sir1 your most obliged and most obedient servant1 ,,george ,,borrow4 ,to the ,rev4 ,a4 ,brandram 7,endorsed3 recd4 ,oct4 #bh1ahce7 ,,willow ,,lane1 ,,st4 ,,giles1 ,,norwich1 #bg ,octr41 #ahce4 ,,revd4 ,,and ,,dear ,,sir1--,i have received your letter of the #bfth1 as ,i suppose ,mr4 ,jowett has received mine of the same date which ,i needlessly sent4 ,as you ask me to favour you with my thoughts1 ,i certainly will2 for ,i have thought much upon the matters in question1 and the result ,i will communicate to you in a very few words4 ,i decidedly approve 7and so do all the religious friends whom ,i have communicated it to7 of the plan of a journey to ,portugal1 and am sorry that it has been suspended1 though ,i am convinced that your own benevolent and excellent heart was the cause1 unwilling to fling me into an undertaking which you supposed might be attended with peril and difficulty4 ,therefore ,i wish it to be clearly understood that ,i am perfectly willing to undertake the expedition1 nay1 to extend it into ,spain1 to visit the town and country1 to discourse with the people1 especially those connected with institutions for infantine education1 and to learn what ways and opportunities present themselves for conveying the ,gospel into those benighted countries4 ,i will moreover undertake1 with the blessing of ,god1 to draw up a small volume of what ,i shall have seen and heard there which cannot fail to be interesting1 and if patronised by the ,society will probably help to cover the expenses of the expedition4 ,on my return ,i can commence the ,armenian ,testament1 and whilst ,i am editing that1 ,i may be acquiring much vulgar ,chinese from some unemployed ,lascar or stray ,cantonman whom ,i may pick up upon the wharves2 and then--to ,china4 ,i have no more to say1 for were ,i to pen twenty pages1 and ,i have time enough for so doing1 ,i could communicate nothing which would make my views more clear4 ,many thanks to you for enclosing the letter from ,st4 ,petersburg3 it was written in ,danish1 and came from a very dear and excellent friend who rendered me in ,russia services of no common nature4 ,i have the honour to be1 ,revd4 and ,dear ,sir1 your most obedient servant1 ,,george ,,borrow4 ,p4,s4--,there has been a ,bible meeting at ,oulton in ,suffolk1 to which ,i was invited4 ,the speaking produced such an effect that some of the most vicious characters in the neighbourhood have become weekly subscribers to the ,branch ,society4 ,so says the ,chronicle of ,norfolk in its report4 ,to the ,rev4 ,j4 ,jowett 7,endorsed3 recd4 ,dec4 #h1 #ahce7 ,,lisbon1 #cj ,nov4 #ahce4 ,,revd4 ,,and ,,dear ,,sir1--,i arrived safe at ,lisbon on the twelfth of the present month after a passage which1 considering the season in which it was made1 may be termed a fair one4 ,on the morning of the tenth we found ourselves about two leagues from the coast of ,galicia1 whose lofty mountains gilded by the rising sun presented a magnificent appearance4 ,we soon passed ,cape ,finisterre1 and standing farther out to sea speedily lost sight of land4 ,on the morning of the eleventh the sea was very rough1 and a most remarkable circumstance occurred4 ,i was on the forecastle1 discoursing with two of the sailors1 and one of them who had just left his hammock told me that he had had a most disagreeable dream1 for1 said he1 pointing up to the mast1 ',i dreamt that ,i fell into the sea from off the cross-trees4' ,he was heard to say this by several of the crew besides myself4 ,a moment after1 the captain of the vessel1 perceiving that the squall was increasing1 ordered the topsails to be taken in1 whereupon this man with several others instantly ran up aloft4 ,the yard was presently loosened1 and in the act of being hauled down1 when a violent gust of wind whirled it round with violence1 and a man was struck down from the cross-trees into the sea1 which was raging and tumbling below4 ,in a few moments he emerged1 and ,i saw his head distinctly on the crest of a wave1 and ,i recognised in the unfortunate man the sailor who shortly before had been relating his dream4 ,i shall never forget the look of agony he cast us whilst the ship hurried past him4 ,the alarm was given1 and in a moment everything was in confusion4 ,it was at least two minutes before the vessel was stopped1 and the man was left a considerable way behind1 but ,i still kept my eye upon him1 and could perceive that he was struggling gallantly with the waves4 ,a boat was at length lowered1 but the rudder unfortunately was not at hand1 and only two oars could be procured1 with which the men who manned her could make but little progress in the tremendous sea2 however1 they did their best1 and had arrived within ten yards of the man who had continued struggling for his life1 when ,i lost sight of him1 and the men on their return said that they saw him below the waters at glimpses1 sinking deeper and deeper1 his arms stretched out and his body to all appearance stiff1 but they found it impossible to save him4 ,presently afterwards the sea1 as if satisfied with the prey it had received1 became comparatively calm1 and the squall subsided4 ,the poor fellow who was drowned in this singular manner was a fine young man1 twenty-seven years of age1 the only son of a widowed mother4 ,he was the best sailor on board1 and beloved by every one who was acquainted with him4 ,the event occurred on the #aath of ,november #ahce1 the vessel was the ',london ,merchant' ,steamship1 commanded by ,captain ,whittingham4 ,wonderful indeed are the ways of ,providence4 ,i experienced some difficulty in landing at ,lisbon1 the custom-house officers being exceedingly dilatory in examining the baggage4 ,i had yet more difficulty in obtaining a lodging1 but at last found one1 dark1 dirty1 and exceedingly expensive1 without attendance4 ,i shall not trouble you with a description of ,lisbon1 for as ,i have much that is important to communicate ,i must not waste paper with uninteresting details4 ,i will merely observe that it is a noble town1 situated on seven hills on the left bank of the ,tagus1 the houses are very lofty1 like castles1 the streets are in general precipitously steep1 and no animals of burden but mules1 asses1 and oxen can traverse them with safety4 ,i found the streets by no means so dirty as they have been represented1 and at night they are tolerably well lighted1 but between the hours of nine and twelve they swarm with robbers and assassins4 ,i should have written to you before1 but ,i wished to transmit in my first letter a stock of information which would enable you at once to form some idea as to the state of this country2 and in order to acquire such ,i have visited every part of ,lisbon1 entered into discourse with the people on all occasions1 and have made a journey of nearly one hundred miles about the country1 during which ,i visited ,cintra and ,mafra1 at the former of which places ,i remained four days1 making excursions in the meanwhile on foot or on a mule amongst the mountains1 and visiting whatever villages are contained within its beautiful and picturesque neighbourhood4 ,in ,lisbon carelessness for religion of any kind seems to prevail4 ,the people appear in general to have shaken off the old superstition and to feel no inclination to bend their necks to another yoke4 ,many of them have told me that the priests are the veriest knaves in the world1 and that they have for many years subsisted by imposing upon them1 and that they wished the whole body was destroyed from the face of the earth4 ,i have enquired of many of the lower orders whether they ever confessed themselves1 whereupon they laughed in my face and said that they had not done so for years1 demanding what good would result to them for so doing1 and whether ,i was fool enough to suppose that a priest could forgive sins for a sum of money4 ,one day whilst speaking to a muleteer ,i pointed to a cross over the gate of a chapel opposite to us1 and asked him if he reverenced it2 he instantly flew into a rage1 stamped violently1 and spitting on the ground said it was a piece of stone1 and that he should have no more objection to spit upon it than the stones on which he trod3 ',i believe that there is a ,god1' he added1 'but as for the nonsense which the priests tell us ,i believe no part of it4' ,it has not yet been my fortune during my researches in ,lisbon to meet one individual of the populace amongst the many ,i have addressed who had read the ,scripture or knew anything of its contents2 though many of them have assured me that they could read1 which in many instances ,i have found to be the fact1 having repeatedly taken from my pocket the ,new ,testament in ,portuguese which ,i constantly carry with me1 and requested them to read a few verses1 which they were able to do4 ,some of these individuals had read much in their own language1 which indeed contains a store of amusing and instructive literature--for example1 the chronicles of the various kings of ,portugal and of the heroes who distinguished themselves in the various wars of ,india1 after ,vasco da ,gama had opened the way into the vast regions of the ,east by doubling the ,cape4 ,amongst the many public places which ,i have visited at ,lisbon is the ,convent of ,san ,geronymo1 the church of which is the most beautiful specimen of ,gothic architecture in the ,peninsula1 and is furnished with the richest shrines4 ,since the expulsion of the monks from the various religious houses in ,portugal1 this edifice has served as an asylum for orphans1 and at present enjoys the particular patronage of the young ,queen4 ,in this establishment upwards of five hundred children1 some of them female1 are educated upon the ,lancastrian system1 and when they have obtained a sufficient age are put out to the various trades and professions for which they are deemed most suited1 the tallest and finest of the lads being drafted into the army4 ,one of the boys of his own accord became my guide and introduced me to the various classes1 where ,i found the children clean and neat and actively employed upon their tasks4 ,i asked him if the ,holy ,scripture 7,santa ,escritura7 was placed in the hands of the scholars4 ,he answered in the affirmative2 but ,i much doubt the correctness of his answer1 for upon my requesting him to show me a copy of the ,holy ,scripture1 he did not appear to know what ,i meant by it4 ,when he said that the scholars read the ,holy ,scripture he probably meant the vile papistical book called ',christian ,doctrine1' in which the office of the mass is expounded1 which indeed ,i saw in the hands of the junior boys1 and which1 from what ,i have since seen1 ,i believe to be a standard school-book in ,portugal4 ,i spent nearly two hours in examining the various parts of this institution1 and it is my intention to revisit it in a short time1 when ,i hope to obtain far better information as to the moral and religious education of its inmates4 ,on my arrival at ,lisbon ,i was disappointed in my expectation of finding ,mr4 ,wilby1 who was in the country and was not expected for a week4 ,i therefore had at first no person to whom ,i could apply for counsel as to the best means of proceeding2 but unwilling to remain idle till the period of his arrival1 ,i at once commenced operations at ,lisbon as ,i have narrated4 ,at the end of four or five days ,i started for ,cintra1 distant about four leagues from ,lisbon1 situate on a ledge of the northern declivity of a wild and picturesque mountain4 ,cintra contains about eight hundred inhabitants1 and in its environs are many magnificent quintas or country seats of some of the first families in ,portugal2 it is likewise a royal residence1 for at its north-eastern side stands an ancient palace1 which though unfurnished is preserved in good repair1 and which was the favourite residence of the ancient kings4 ,on one of the ridges of this mountain are seen the ruins of an immense castle1 which for centuries was the stronghold of the ,moors in this part of the ,peninsula4 ,the morning after my arrival ,i was about to ascend the mountain to examine it1 when ,i observed a person1 advanced in years1 whom1 by his dress1 ,i judged to be an ecclesiastic2 upon enquiry ,i found in effect that he was one of the three priests of the place4 ,i instantly accosted him1 and had no reason to repent for so doing1 for ,i found him affable and communicative4 ,after praising the beauty of the scenery1 ,i made some enquiry as to the state of education amongst the people beneath his care4 ,he told me that he was sorry to say that they were in a state of great ignorance1 that very few of them could either write or read1 that there was no school in the place but one at which a few children were taught the alphabet1 but which was not then open1 that there was a school at ,colhares1 about a league distant4 ,he said that nothing so surprised him as to see ,english1 the most learned and intelligent people in the world1 visiting a place like ,cintra1 where there was no literature and nothing of utility 7aonde no ha nem leitura1 nem sciencia1 nem alguma cousa que presta74 ,you may easily guess that ,i was in no slight degree surprised to hear a priest of ,portugal lament the ignorance of the populace1 and began to entertain hopes that ,i should not find the priests in general so indisposed to the mental improvement of the people as ,i at first imagined4 ,that same day ,i visited ,colhares1 a romantic village lower down the mountain to the west1 near the sea4 ,seeing some peasants collected round the smithy ,i enquired about the school1 and one instantly offered to be my guide thither4 ,i went upstairs into a small apartment where ,i found the master with about a dozen pupils standing in a row1 for there was but one chair1 or rather stool1 to which1 after having embraced me1 he conducted me with great civility4 ,after some discourse he shewed me the books which he used for the instruction of his pupils2 they were spelling-books like those used in our village schools and the before-mentioned ',christian ,doctrine4' ,upon my enquiring whether it was his custom to use the ,scripture in his school1 he told me that long before the children had acquired sufficient intelligence to understand the ,scriptures their parents took them from school in order that they might assist them in the labours of the field1 and that in general they were by no means solicitous that their children should learn anything1 as they considered the time occupied in acquiring learning as squandered away4 ,he added that all the village schools in ,portugal were supported by the ,government1 but that many of them had lately been discontinued1 as the schoolmasters experienced the greatest difficulty in obtaining their salaries2 but that he had heard that it was the intention of the ,government to establish schools in all parts of the country on the ,lancastrian system--which since my return to ,lisbon ,i have discovered to be a fact4 ,he told me that he had a copy of the ,new ,testament in his possession1 which ,i desired to see2 but on examining it ,i discovered that it was only the ,epistles 7from ,pereira's version7 with long ,popish notes4 ,i asked him whether he considered that there was any harm in reading the ,scripture without notes2 he said that there was certainly no harm in it1 but that simple people without the assistance of notes could derive but little benefit therefrom1 as the greatest part that they read would be unintelligible to them4 ,whereupon ,i shook hands with him1 and on departing said that there was no part of ,scripture so difficult to understand as those very notes which were intended to elucidate it1 and that the ,almighty would never have inspired ,his saints with a desire to write what was unintelligible to the great mass of mankind4 ,for some days after this ,i traversed the country in all directions1 riding into the fields where ,i saw the peasants at work1 and entering into discourse with them2 and notwithstanding many of my questions must have appeared to them very singular1 ,i never experienced any incivility1 though they frequently answered me with smiles and laughter4 7,i have now communicated about half of what ,i have to say2 the remainder next week4 ,g4 ,,borrow47 ,to the ,rev4 ,a4 ,brandram 7,endorsed3 recd4 ,jan4 #aj1 #ahcf7 ,,evora ,,in ,,the ,,alemtejo1 #aeth ,dec41 #ahce4 ,at length ,i departed for ,mafra2 the principal part of the way lay over steep and savage hills1 very dangerous for horses1 and ,i had reason to repent1 before ,i got back to ,cintra1 that ,i had not mounted one of the sure-footed mules of the country4 ,i reached ,mafra in safety2 it is a large village1 which has by degrees sprung up in the vicinity of an immense building1 originally intended to serve as a convent and palace1 and which next to the ,escurial is the most magnificent edifice in the ,peninsula4 ,in this building is to be seen the finest library in ,portugal1 comprising books in all sciences and languages1 and which1 if not suited to the place in which the building stands1 which is almost a desert1 is yet well suited to the size and grandeur of the building which contains it4 ,but here are now no monks to take care of it2 they have been driven forth1 some of them to beg their bread1 some of them to serve under the banners of ,don ,carlos in ,spain1 and many1 as ,i have been informed1 to prowl about as banditti4 ,the place is now abandoned to two or three menials1 and exhibits an aspect of solitude and desolation which is truly appalling4 ,whilst ,i was viewing the cloisters an exceedingly fine and intelligent-looking lad came up to me1 and asked 7,i suppose in the hope of obtaining a trifle7 if ,i would permit him to show me the village church1 which he told me was well worth seeing4 ,i said ',no1' but that if he would show me the village school1 ,i should be much obliged to him4 ,he looked at me with astonishment1 and assured me that there was nothing to be seen in the school1 at which not more than half a dozen boys were instructed1 and that he himself was one of the number2 but ,i told him that he should show me no other place1 and he at last unwillingly attended me4 ,on the way he said that the schoolmaster was one of the brothers of the convent who had lately been expelled1 and that he was a very learned man and spoke ,french and ,greek4 ,we went past a stone cross1 and the boy bent and crossed himself with much devotion3 ,i mention this circumstance1 as it was the first instance of devotion which ,i had observed amongst the ,portuguese since my arrival4 ,when near the house where the schoolmaster resided1 he pointed it out to me and then hid himself behind a wall1 where he waited till ,i returned4 ,on stepping over the threshold ,i was confronted by a short stout man1 between sixty and seventy years of age1 dressed in a blue jerkin and grey trousers1 without shirt or waistcoat4 ,he looked at me sternly1 and enquired in the ,french language what was my pleasure4 ,i apologised for intruding upon him1 and stated that1 being informed that he occupied the situation of schoolmaster to the place1 ,i had come to pay my respects to him1 and to beg to be informed respecting the manner of instruction which he adopted4 ,he said that whosoever told me that he was a schoolmaster lied1 for that he was a brother of the convent4 ,i replied that ,i had heard that all the friaries had been broken up and the brothers dismissed2 whereupon he sighed1 and said it was too true4 ,he was then silent for a minute1 and his better nature overcoming his angry feelings he produced a snuff-box and offered it to me4 ,the snuff-box is the olive-branch of the ,portuguese1 and he who wishes to be on good terms with them1 or to conciliate them1 must never refuse to put his finger and thumb into it when preferred2 ,i took therefore a large pinch1 though ,i detest the dust1 and we were soon friendly enough4 ,he was eager to obtain news1 especially from ,lisbon and ,spain4 ,i told him that the officers of the regiments at ,lisbon had the day before ,i left that place gone in a body to the ,queen1 and insisted upon her either receiving their swords or dismissing her ,ministers2 whereupon he rubbed his hands and said1 ',i am sure that things will not remain tranquil at ,lisbon4' ,upon my saying that the affairs of ,don ,carlos were on the decline1 he frowned1 and said that it could not possibly be1 for that ,god was too just to suffer it4 ,i felt for the poor man1 who had been driven from his home in the noble convent close by1 and from a state of comfort and affluence reduced in his old age to indigence and misery1 for his dwelling seemed to contain scarcely an article of furniture4 ,i tried twice or thrice to induce him to converse on the school1 but he always avoided the subject or said shortly that he knew nothing about it2 the idea of being a schoolmaster was evidently humiliating to him4 ,on my leaving him1 the boy came from his hiding-place and rejoined me2 he said his reason for hiding himself was fear that his master might know that it was he who brought me to him1 for that the old man was ashamed of appearing in the character of a schoolmaster4 ,i asked the boy whether he or his parents were acquainted with the ,scripture and ever read it2 but he did not understand me4 ,i must here observe that the boy was fifteen years of age1 and that he was in many respects very intelligent and had some knowledge of the ,latin language2 nevertheless he knew not the ,scripture even by name1 and ,i have no doubt that at least one half of his countrymen are1 in that respect1 no wiser than himself4 ,i have questioned the children of ,portugal at the doors of village inns1 at the hearths of their cottages1 in the fields where they labour1 at the stone ,mountains by the way-sides where they water their cattle1 about the ,scripture1 the ,bible1 the ,old and ,new ,testament1 and in scarcely one instance have they known what ,i was alluding to or could return me a rational answer1 though in all other instances ,i had no reason to complain of their want of apprehension4 ,indeed nothing has surprised me more than the free and unembarrassed manner with which the ,portuguese peasantry sustain a conversation1 and the purity of the language in which they express their thoughts2 and yet very few of them can write or read1 whereas the peasantry of our own country1 whose education is in general much superior1 are in their conversation coarse and dull almost to brutality1 and absurdly ungrammatical in the language which they use1 though the ,english tongue1 upon the whole1 is more simple in its grammar than the ,portuguese4 ,on my way back from ,mafra to ,cintra ,i very nearly lost my life4 ,as the night was closing in fast1 we left the regular road by the advice of the guide1 and descending the hill on which ,mafra stands reached the bottom of the valley1 from which there is a narrow pathway winding round the next hill1 exceedingly steep1 with a precipice on the left side2 the horse on which ,i was mounted1 and which was by no means suited for such climbing1 in his violent struggles to accomplish the ascent burst the girth of the saddle1 so that ,i was cast violently off1 with the saddle beneath me4 ,fortunately1 ,i fell on the right side1 or ,i should have rolled down the hill and probably have been killed2 as it was1 ,i remained stunned and senseless for two or three minutes1 when ,i revived1 and with the assistance of the guide and the man who waits on me1 walked up the remaining part of the hill1 when1 the saddle being readjusted1 ,i mounted again4 ,i was very drowsy and stupid for two or three days1 from the influence of the fall1 but ,i am happy to say at present1 thanks to the ,almighty1 ,i have long ceased to feel any inconvenience from it4 ,on my return to ,lisbon ,i saw ,mr4 ,wilby1 who received me with great kindness2 the next ten days were exceedingly rainy and prevented me from making any excursions into the country1 and during this time ,i saw him frequently and had a good deal of conversation with him1 concerning the best means of causing ,god's glorious ,gospel to be read in ,portugal4 ,he informed me that four hundred copies of the ,bible and ,new ,testament were arrived1 and he thought that we could do no better than put them into the hands of the booksellers2 but ,i strongly advised that at least half of them should be entrusted to colporteurs1 to hawk about1 upon receiving a certain profit on every copy they sold4 ,he thought the idea a good one1 as far as regards ,lisbon1 but said that no colporteur would venture to carry them about the country1 as the fanatical priests would probably cause him to be assassinated4 ,he was kind enough to promise to look out for people suited to make the essay in the streets of ,lisbon2 and as the lower orders are very poor ,i wrote to ,mr4 ,whiteley at ,oporto1 requesting to be informed whether he had any objection to our selling the books to the populace at ,lisbon at a lower price than a cruzado novo1 which he had determined to sell them at4 ,i thought it but right to consult him on the subject1 as the ,society are under great obligations to him2 and ,i was unwilling to do anything at which he could possibly take umbrage4 ,during one of my conversations with ,mr4 ,wilby ,i enquired which was the province of ,portugal1 the population of which he considered to be the most ignorant and benighted3 he replied1 ',the ,alemtejo4' ,the ,alemtejo means 'the other side of the ,tagus4' ,this province is not beautiful and picturesque like the other portions of ,portugal1 it has few hills or mountains2 the greatest part of it consists of heaths1 broken by knolls and gloomy dingles1 swamps1 and forests of stunted pine4 ,these places are infested with banditti1 and not a week passes by without horrible murders and desperate robberies occurring4 ,the principal town is ,evora1 one of the most ancient cities in ,portugal1 and formerly the seat of an ,inquisition far more cruel and baneful than the terrible one of ,lisbon4 ,evora lies about sixty miles from the farther bank of the ,tagus1 which is at ,lisbon three leagues broad2 and to ,evora ,i determined on going with a small cargo of ,testaments and ,bibles4 ,my reasons ,i need not state1 as they must be manifest to every ,christian2 but ,i cannot help thinking that it was the ,lord who inspired me with the idea of going thither1 as by so doing ,i have introduced the ,scriptures into the worst part of the ,peninsula1 and have acquired lights and formed connections 7some of the latter most singular ones1 ,i admit7 which if turned to proper account will wonderfully assist us in our object of making the heathen of ,portugal and ,spain acquainted with ,god's holy word4 ,my journey to ,evora and my success there shall be detailed in my next letter4 ,g4 ,,borrow4 ,to the ,rev4 ,a4 ,brandram 7,endorsed3 recd4 ,feb4 #ae1 #ahcf7 ,badajoz1 ,janry4 #h1 #ahcf4 ,,journey ,,to ,,evora ,an ,extract from ,my ,journal ,on the afternoon of the sixth of ,december ,i set out for this place1 accompanied by my servant ,anthonio4 ,i had been informed that the tide would serve for the felouks1 or passage-boats1 employed in crossing the ,tagus1 at about four o'clock1 but on reaching the river's side opposite ,aldea ,gallega1 between which place and ,lisbon they ply1 ,i found that the tide would not permit them to start before eight o'clock4 ,had ,i waited for them ,i should probably have landed at ,aldea ,gallega at midnight1 and ,i felt little inclination to make my entree in the ,alemtejo at that hour2 therefore as ,i saw small boats which can push off at any time lying near in abundance1 ,i determined upon hiring one of them for the passage1 though the expense would be thus considerably increased4 ,i soon agreed with a wild-looking lad to take us over1 who told me that he was in part owner of one of the boats4 ,i was not aware of the danger in crossing the ,tagus at any time in these small boats at its broadest part1 which is between ,lisbon and ,aldea ,gallega1 but especially at close of day in the winter season1 or ,i should certainly not have ventured4 ,the lad and his comrade1 a miserable object1 whose only clothing1 notwithstanding the severity of the weather1 was a battered jerkin and trousers1 rowed until we had advanced about half a mile from the land2 they then hoisted a large sail1 and the lad1 who seemed to be the principal and to direct everything1 took the helm and steered4 ,the evening was now setting in2 the sun was not far from its bourne in the horizon1 the air was very cold1 the wind was rising1 and the waves of the noble ,tagus began to be crested with foam4 ,i told the boy that it was scarcely possible for the boat to carry so much sail without upsetting2 upon which he laughed1 and began to gabble in a most incoherent manner4 ,he had the most harsh and rapid articulation that has ever come under my observation2 it was the scream of the hyena blended with the bark of the terrier2 but it was by no means an index of his disposition1 which ,i soon found to be light1 merry1 and anything but malevolent2 for when ,i1 in order to show him that ,i cared little about him1 began to hum3 ',eu que sou contrabandista' 7',i1 who am a smuggler'71 he laughed heartily1 and clapping me on the shoulder said that he would not drown us if he could help it4 ,the other poor fellow seemed by no means averse to go to the bottom2 he sat at the forepart of the boat looking the image of famine1 and only smiled when the waters broke over the side and drenched his scanty clothing4 ,in a little time ,i had made up my mind that our last hour was come2 the wind was becoming higher1 the short dangerous waves were more foamy1 the boat was frequently on its beam-ends1 and the water came over the lee side in torrents2 but still the wild lad at the helm held on1 laughing and chattering1 and occasionally yelling out parts of the ,miguelite air ',quando el ,rey chegou' ',when the ,king arrived'1 the singing of which in ,lisbon is punished with imprisonment4 ,the stream was against us1 but the wind was in our favour1 and we sprang along at a wonderful rate4 ,i saw that our only chance of escape was in speedily getting under the shelter of that part of the farther bank of the ,tagus1 where the bight or bay commences at the extremity of which stands ,aldea ,gallega1 as we should not then have to battle with the waves of the adverse stream1 which the wind lashed into fury4 ,it was the will of the ,almighty to permit us speedily to gain this shelter1 but not before the boat was nearly filled with water1 and we were all wet to the skin4 ,at about seven o'clock in the evening we reached ,aldea ,gallega1 shivering with cold and in a most deplorable plight4 ,aldea ,gallega1 or the ,galician ,village1 for the two words have that signification1 is a place containing1 ,i should think1 about four thousand inhabitants4 ,it was pitchy dark when we landed1 but rockets soon began to fly about in all directions1 illumining the air far and wide4 ,as we passed along the dirty unpaved street which leads to the ,largo or square in which the town is situated1 a horrible uproar of drums and voices assailed our ears4 ,on enquiring the cause of all this bustle1 ,i was informed that it was the ,eve of the ,conception of the ,blessed ,virgin4 ,as it was not the custom of the people of the inn to provide provisions for the guests1 ,i wandered about in search of food1 and at last seeing some soldiers eating and drinking in a sort of wine-house1 ,i went in and asked the people to let me have some supper4 ,in a short time they furnished me with a tolerable meal1 for which1 however1 they charged two crowns4 ,having engaged with a person for mules to carry us to ,evora1 which were to be ready at five next morning1 ,i soon retired to bed1 my servant sleeping in the same apartment1 which was the only one in the house vacant4 ,i closed not an eye during the whole night2 beneath us was a stable in which some almocreves1 or carriers1 slept with their mules1 and at our back in the yard was a hog-stye4 ,how could ,i sleep8 ,the hogs grunted2 the mules screamed2 and the almocreves snored most horribly4 ,i heard the village clock strike the hours until midnight1 and from midnight till four in the morning1 when ,i sprang up and began to dress1 and despatched my servant to hasten the man with his mules1 for ,i was heartily tired of the place1 and wished to leave it4 ,an old man1 but remarkably bony and hale1 accompanied by a bare-footed lad1 brought the beasts4 ,he was the proprietor of them1 and intended to accompany us to ,evora with the lad1 who was his nephew4 ,when we started the moon was shining brightly1 and the morning was piercingly cold4 ,we soon entered a sandy1 hollow way1 emerging from which we passed by a large edifice1 standing on a high1 bleak sand-hill1 on our left4 ,we were speedily overtaken by five or six men on horseback1 riding at a rapid pace1 each with a long gun slung at his saddle1 the muzzle depending about two feet below the horses belly4 ,i questioned the old man as to the cause of their going thus armed2 he answered that the roads were very bad 7meaning that they abounded with robbers71 and that these people carried arms for their defence4 ,they soon turned off to the right towards ,palmella4 ,we reached a sandy plain studded with stunted pine2 the road was little more than a footpath1 and as we proceeded the trees thickened and became a wood1 which extended for two leagues with clear spaces at intervals1 in which herds of cattle and sheep were feeding4 ,the sun was just beginning to show itself1 but the morning was misty and dreary1 which together with the aspect of desolation which the country exhibited had an unfavourable effect on my spirits4 ,i got down and walked1 entering into conversation with the man4 ,he seemed to have but one theme of conversation1 'the robbers' and the atrocities they were in the habit of practising in the very spots we were passing4 ,the tales he related were truly horrible1 and to avoid them ,i mounted again and rode on considerably in front4 ,in about an hour and a half we emerged from the forest and entered upon wild broken ground covered with mato or brushwood4 ,the mules stopped to drink at a shallow pool1 and on looking to the right ,i saw a ruined wall4 ,this1 the guide informed me1 was the remains of the ,vendal ,velhas1 or the old inn1 formerly the haunt of the celebrated robber ,sabocha4 ,this ,sabocha1 it seems1 had1 about sixteen years since1 a band of forty ruffians at his command1 who infested these wilds1 and supported themselves by plunder4 ,for a considerable time ,sabocha pursued his atrocious trade unsuspected1 and many an unfortunate traveller was murdered1 in the dead of night1 at the solitary inn by the wood's side1 which he kept2 indeed a more fit situation for plunder and murder ,i never saw4 ,the gang were in the habit of watering their horses at the pool1 and perhaps of washing therein their hands stained with the blood of their victims4 ,the brother of ,sabocha was the lieutenant of the troop1 a fellow of great strength and ferocity1 particularly famous for the skill he possessed in darting a long knife and transfixing his opponents4 ,sabocha's connection with the gang at last became known1 and he fled with the greatest part of his associates across the ,tagus1 to the northern provinces4 ,he and his brother eventually lost their lives on the road to ,coimbra1 in an engagement with the military4 ,his house was razed by order of the ,government4 ,the ruins of this house are still frequently visited by banditti1 who eat and drink amongst the stones and look out for prey1 as the place commands a view of the road4 ,the old man assured me that about two months previous1 on returning from ,aldea ,gallega with his mules from accompanying some travellers1 he had been knocked down1 stript naked1 and had all his money taken from him1 by a fellow who1 he believed1 came from this murderers' nest4 ,he said that he was an exceedingly powerful young man with immense moustaches and whiskers1 and was armed with an espingarda or musket4 ,about ten days subsequently he saw the robber at ,vendas ,novas1 where we were to pass the night4 ,the fellow on recognising him took him aside and threatened1 with horrid imprecations1 that he should never be permitted to return home if he attempted to discover him2 he therefore held his peace1 as he said there was little to be gained and everything to be lost by apprehending him1 as he would have been speedily set at liberty for want of evidence to criminate him1 and then he would not have failed to have his revenge1 or would have been anticipated therein by his comrades4 ,i dismounted and went up to the place1 and saw the vestiges of a fire and a broken bottle4 ,the sons of plunder had been there very lately4 ,i left a ,new ,testament and some tracts amongst the ruins1 and hastened away4 ,the sun had dispelled the mists and was beaming very hot2 we rode on for about an hour1 when ,i heard the neighing of a horse in our rear1 and our guide said that there was a party of horsemen behind4 ,our mules were good1 and they did not overtake us for at least twenty minutes4 ,the foremost rider was a gentleman in a fashionable travelling dress2 a little way behind were an officer1 two soldiers1 and a servant in livery4 ,i heard the principal horseman1 on overtaking ,anthonio1 enquiring who ,i was1 and whether ,i was ,french or ,english4 ,he was told ,i was an ,english gentleman1 travelling4 ,he then asked whether ,i understood ,portuguese2 the man said ,i understood it1 but that he believed ,i spoke ,french and ,italian better4 ,the gentleman then spurred on his horse and accosted me1 not in ,portuguese1 or in ,french1 or ,italian1 but in the purest ,english that ,i have ever heard spoken by a foreigner4 ,it had indeed nothing of foreign accent or pronunciation in it1 and had ,i not known by the countenance of the speaker that he was no ,englishman 7for there is a peculiarity in the ,english countenance which1 though it cannot be described1 is sure to betray the ,englishman71 ,i should have concluded that ,i was conversing with a countryman4 ,he continued in company and discourse until we arrived at ,pegoens4 ,pegoens consists of about two or three houses and an inn2 there is likewise a species of barrack1 where half a dozen soldiers are stationed4 ,in the whole of ,portugal there is no place of worse reputation1 and the inn is nicknamed ,estalagem de ,ladroens1 or the hostelry of thieves2 for it is there that the banditti of the wilderness1 which extends around it on every side for leagues1 are in the habit of coming and spending the fruits of their criminal daring2 there they dance and sing1 feast on fricasseed rabbits and olives1 and drink the muddy but strong wine of the ,alemtejo4 ,an enormous fire1 fed by the trunk of a cork-tree1 was blazing in a niche on the left hand on entering the spacious kitchen2 by it1 seething1 were several large jars1 which emitted no disagreeable odour1 and reminded me that ,i had not yet broken my fast1 although it was now nearly one o'clock and ,i had ridden five leagues4 ,some wild-looking men1 who1 if they were not banditti1 might easily be mistaken for such1 were seated on logs about the fire2 ,i asked them some unimportant question1 to which they replied with readiness and civility1 and one of them1 who said he could read1 accepted a tract which ,i offered him4 ,my new friend1 who had been bespeaking dinner1 or rather breakfast1 now with great civility invited me to partake of it1 and at the same time introduced me to the officer who accompanied him1 and who was his brother1 and also spoke ,english1 though not so well as himself4 ,i found ,i had become acquainted with ,don ,geronimo ,joze d',azveto1 ,secretary to the ,government at ,evora4 ,his brother belonged to a regiment of hussars1 whose headquarters were at ,evora1 but which had outlying parties along the road2 for example1 at the place where we were stopping4 ,rabbits at ,pegoens seem to be a standard article of food1 being produced in abundance on the moors around4 ,we had one fricasseed1 the gravy of which was delicious2 and afterwards a roasted one1 which was brought up on a dish entire4 ,the hostess having first washed her hands proceeded to tear the animal to pieces1 which having accomplished she poured over the fragments a sweet sauce4 ,i ate remarkably heartily of both dishes1 particularly of the last1 owing perhaps to the novel and curious manner in which it was served up4 ,excellent figs from the ,algarves and apples completed our repast1 which we ate in a little side room with a mud-floor1 which sent such a piercing chill into my system as prevented me from deriving that pleasure from my good fare and agreeable companions which ,i might otherwise have experienced4 ,don ,joze d',azveto had been educated in ,england1 in which country he passed his boyhood1 which to a certain degree accounted for his proficiency in the ,english language1 the idioms and pronunciation of which can only be acquired by a residence in the country at that period of one's life4 ,he had also fled thither shortly after the usurpation of the throne of ,portugal by ,don ,miguel1 and from thence had passed over to the ,brazils1 where he had devoted himself to the service of ,don ,pedro1 and had followed him in that expedition which terminated in the downfall of the ,usurper and the establishment of the constitutional government in ,portugal4 ,our conversation rolled chiefly on literary and political subjects1 and my acquaintance with the writings of the most celebrated authors of ,portugal was hailed with surprise and delight2 for nothing is more gratifying to a well-educated ,portuguese than to observe a foreigner taking an interest in the literature of his nation1 of which he is so justly proud4 ,about two o'clock we were once more in the saddle1 and pursued our way through a country exactly resembling that which we had previously been traversing1 rugged and broken1 with here and there a clump of pines4 ,the afternoon was exceedingly fine1 and the bright rays of the sun relieved the desolation of the scene4 ,having advanced about two leagues1 ,i caught sight of a large edifice in the distance1 which ,i learnt was a royal palace1 standing at the farther extremity of ,vendas ,novas1 the village where we were to halt4 ,it was considerably more than a league from us1 yet1 seen through the clear transparent atmosphere of ,portugal1 it appeared much nearer4 ,before reaching it1 we passed by a stone cross1 on the pedestal of which was an inscription commemorating a horrible murder of a native of ,lisbon1 which had been perpetrated on that spot4 ,it looked ancient1 and was covered with moss1 and the greatest part of the inscription was illegible1 at least it was to me1 who could not bestow much time on the deciphering of it4 ,having arrived at ,vendas ,novas and bespoke supper1 my new friends and myself strolled forth to view the palace4 ,it was built by the late ,king of ,portugal1 and presents little that is remarkable in its exterior4 ,it is a long edifice with wings1 and is only two stories high1 though it can be seen afar1 owing to its being situated on elevated ground4 ,it has fifteen windows in the upper and twelve in the lower story1 with a paltry-looking door something like that of a barn1 the ascent to which is by a single step4 ,the interior corresponds with the exterior1 offering nothing which can gratify curiosity1 if we except the kitchens1 which are indeed magnificent1 and so large that food enough might be prepared in them to serve as a repast to all the inhabitants of the ,alemtejo4 ,i passed the night with great comfort in a clean bed1 remote from all those noises in general so rife in a ,portuguese inn1 and the next morning at six we again set out on our journey1 which we hoped to terminate before sunset1 as ,evora is but ten leagues from ,vendas ,novas4 ,the preceding morning had been cold1 but the present one was far more1 so much so that just before sunrise ,i could no longer support it whilst riding1 and therefore dismounting ran and walked until we reached a few houses1 at the termination of these desolate moors4 ,it was in one of these houses that the commissioners of ,don ,pedro and ,miguel met1 and it was there agreed that the latter should resign the crown in favour of ,donna ,maria2 for ,evora was the last stronghold of the ,usurper1 and the moors of the ,alemtejo the last area of the combats which so long agitated unhappy ,portugal4 ,i therefore gazed on the miserable huts with considerable interest1 and did not fail to scatter in the neighbourhood several of the precious little tracts with which1 together with a small quantity of ,bibles1 my carpet-bag was provided4 ,the country began to improve1 the savage heaths were left behind1 and we saw hills and dales1 cork-trees and azineirias1 on the last of which trees grows that kind of sweet acorn called bolota1 which is pleasant as a chestnut1 and forms in winter the principal food on which the numerous swine of the ,alemtejo subsist4 ,gallant swine they are1 with short legs and portly bodies1 of a black or dark-red colour1 and for the excellence of their flesh ,i can avouch1 having frequently partaken of it in the course of my wanderings in this province4 ,the lumbo1 or loin1 when broiled on the live embers1 is delicious1 especially when eaten with olives4 ,we were now in sight of ,monte ,moro1 which as the name denotes was once a fortress of the ,moors2 it is a high1 steep hill1 on the summit and sides of which are ruined walls and towers4 ,at its western side is a deep ravine or valley1 through which a small stream rushes1 traversed by a stone bridge2 farther down there is a ford1 through which we passed and ascended to the town1 which commencing near the northern base1 passes over the lower ridge towards the north-east2 the town is exceedingly picturesque1 and many of the houses are very ancient and built in the ,moorish fashion4 ,i wished much to examine the relics of ,moorish sway on the upper part of the mountain1 but time pressed1 and the shortness of our stay in this place did not permit me to gratify my inclination4 ,monte ,moro is the head of a range of hills crossing this part of the ,alemtejo1 and from hence they fork towards the east and south-east1 in the former of which directions lies the direct road to ,elvas1 ,badajoz1 and ,madrid1 and in the latter the road to ,evora4 ,a beautiful mountain1 covered to the top with cork trees1 is the third in the chain which skirts the way in the direction of ,evora4 ,it is called ,monte ,almo2 a brook brawls at its base1 and as ,i passed it the sun was shining gloriously on the green herbage1 on which flocks of goats were feeding with their bells ringing merrily1 so that the tout ensemble resembled a fairy scene2 and that nothing might be wanted to complete the picture1 ,i here met a man1 a goat-herd1 beneath an azineiria whose appearance recalled to my mind the ,brute-man mentioned in an ancient ,danish poem3 ',a wild swine on his shoulders he kept1 ,and upon his bosom a black bear slept1 ,and about his fingers with hair o'erhung ,the squirrel sported and weasel clung4' ,upon the shoulders of the goat-herd was a beast1 which he told me was a lontra or otter1 which he had lately caught in the neighbouring brook1 it had a string round its neck which was attached to his arm2 at his left side was a bag from the top of which peeped the heads of two or three singular-looking animals2 and beside him was squatted the sullen cub of a wolf1 which he was endeavouring to tame4 ,his whole appearance was to the last degree savage and wild4 ,after a little conversation1 such as those who meet on the road frequently hold1 ,i asked him if he could read2 but he made no answer4 ,i then enquired if he knew anything of ,god or ,jesus ,christ2 he looked me fixedly in the face for a moment1 and then turned his countenance towards the sun which was beginning to sink1 nodded to it1 and then again looked fixedly upon me4 ,i believed ,i understood this mute reply1 which probably was1 that it was ,god who made that glorious light which illumines and gladdens all creation2 and gratified with this belief ,i left him1 and hastened after my companions who were1 by this time1 a considerable way in advance4 ,i have always found amongst the children of the fields a more determined tendency to religion and piety than amongst the inhabitants of towns and cities1 and the reason is obvious2 they are less acquainted with the works of man's hands than with those of ,god2 their occupations are simple1 and requiring less of ingenuity and skill than those which engage the intention of the other portion of their fellow-creatures1 are less favourable to the engendering of self-conceit and sufficiency1 so utterly at variance with that lowliness of spirit which constitutes the best test of piety4 ,the sneerers and scoffers at religion do not spring from amongst the simple children of nature1 but are the excrescences of overwrought refinement1 and though their baneful influence has indeed penetrated to the country and corrupted many there1 the fountain-head was amongst crowded houses where nature is scarcely known4 ,i am not one of those who look for perfection amongst the rural population of any country2 perfection is not to be found amongst the children of the fall1 be their abode where it may2 but until the heart disbelieve the existence of a ,god1 there is still hope for the possessor1 however stained with crime he may be1 for even ,simon the ,magician was converted4 ,but when the heart is once steeled with infidelity1 infidelity confirmed by carnal reasoning1 an exuberance of the grace of ,god is required to melt it1 which is seldom or never manifested2 for we read in the blessed book that the ,pharisee and the ,wizard became receptacles of grace1 but where is mention made of the conversion of the sneering ,sadducee8 and is the modern infidel aught but a ,sadducee of later date8 ,to be continued4 ,to the ,rev4 ,andrew ,brandram 7,endorsed3 recd4 ,feb4 #bith1 #ahcf7 ,journal continued ,,badajoz1 #ajth ,january #ahcf4 ,the night had closed in before we reached ,evora1 and having taken leave of my friends1 who kindly requested me to consider their house my home1 myself and my little party proceeded to the ,largo de ,san ,francisco1 where was a hostelry1 which the muleteer informed me was the best in the town4 ,we rode into the kitchen1 at the extreme end of which was the stable1 as is customary in ,portugal4 ,the house was kept by an aged gypsy-like female and her daughter1 a fine blooming girl about eighteen years of age4 ,the house was large2 in the upper story was a very long room1 like a granary1 extending nearly the whole length of the house2 the further end was partitioned off1 and formed a tolerably comfortable chamber1 but rather cold1 the floor being of tiles1 as was that of the large room in which the muleteers were accustomed to sleep on the furniture of their mules4 ,having supped ,i went to bed1 and after having offered up my devotions to ,him who had protected me through a dangerous journey1 ,i slept soundly till the morning4 ,evora is a walled town1 but not regularly fortified1 and could not sustain a siege of a day4 ,it has five gates2 before that to the south-west is the principal promenade of the inhabitants2 the fair on ,st4 ,john's ,day is likewise held there4 ,the houses are mostly very ancient2 many of them are unoccupied4 ,it contains about five thousand inhabitants1 though twice that number would be by no means disproportionate to its size4 ,the two principal edifices are the ,see or ,bishop's ,palace1 and the ,convent of ,san ,francisco1 opposite to which ,i had taken up my abode4 ,a large barrack for cavalry stands on the right-hand side on entering the south-west gate4 ,the adjacent country is uninteresting2 but to the south-east1 at the distance of six leagues1 is to be seen a range of blue hills1 the highest of which is called ,serra ,dorso4 ,it is picturesquely beautiful1 and contains within its recesses wolves and wild boars in numbers4 ,about a league and a half on the other side of this hill is ,estremoz4 ,i passed the day succeeding my arrival principally in examining the town and its environs1 and as ,i strolled about ,i entered into conversation with various people that ,i met4 ,several of these were of the middle classes1 shopkeepers and professional men2 they were all ,constitutionalists1 or pretended to be so1 but had very little to say1 except a few commonplace remarks on the way of living of the friars1 their hypocrisy and laziness4 ,i endeavoured to obtain some information respecting the state of instruction at ,evora1 and from their replies was led to believe that it must be very low1 for it seemed that there was neither book-shop nor school in the place4 ,when ,i spoke of religion1 they exhibited the utmost apathy1 and making their bows left me as soon as possible4 ,having a letter of introduction to a person who kept a shop in the market-place1 ,i called upon him1 found him behind his counter and delivered it to him4 ,i found that he had been persecuted much whilst the old system was in its vigour1 and that he entertained a hearty aversion to it4 ,i told him that the nurse of that system had been the ignorance of the people in religious matters1 and that the surest means to prevent its return was to enlighten them in those points4 ,i added that ,i had brought with me to ,evora a small stock of ,testaments and ,bibles1 which ,i wished to leave for sale in the hands of some respectable merchant1 and that if he were desirous to lay the axe to the root of superstition and tyranny he could not do so more effectually than by undertaking the charge of these books4 ,he declared his willingness to do so1 and that same evening ,i sent him ten ,testaments and a ,bible1 being half my stock4 ,i returned to the hostelry1 and sat down on a log of wood on the hearth within the immense chimney in the common apartment4 ,two men were on their knees on the stones2 before them was a large heap of pieces of iron1 brass1 and copper2 they were assorting it and stowing it away in various large bags4 ,they were ,spanish contrabandistas1 or smugglers of the lowest class1 and earned a miserable livelihood by smuggling such rubbish from ,portugal into ,spain4 ,not a word proceeded from their lips1 and when ,i addressed them in their native language they returned no answer but a kind of growl4 ,they looked as dirty and rusty as the iron in which they trafficked4 ,the woman of the house and her daughter were exceedingly civil1 and coming near to me crouched down1 asking various questions about ,england4 ,a man dressed something like an ,english sailor1 who sat on the other side of the hearth1 confronting me1 said3 ',i hate the ,english1 for they are not baptized1 and have not the law' 7meaning the law of ,god74 ,i laughed1 and told him1 that according to the law of ,england no one who was not baptized could be buried in consecrated ground2 whereupon he said2 ',then you are stricter than we4' ,he then asked3 ',what is meant by the lion and the unicorn which ,i saw the other day on the coat of arms over the door of the ,english consul at ,st4 ,uves8' ,i said that they were the arms of ,england4 ',yes1' he replied2 'but what do they represent8' ,i said ,i did not know4 ',then1' said he1 'you do not know the story of your own house4' ,i answered3 ',suppose ,i were to tell you that they represented the lion of ,belem 7,bethlehem7 and the horned monster of the flaming pit in combat as to which should obtain the mastery in ,england1 what would you say8' ,he replied3 ',i should say that you gave a fair answer4' ,this man and myself became great friends2 he came from ,palmella1 not far from ,st4 ,uves2 he had several mules and horses with him1 and dealt in corn and barley4 ,i again walked out in the environs of the town4 ,about half a mile from the southern wall is a stone fountain1 where the muleteers and other people approaching the town are accustomed to water their cattle4 ,i sat down by it1 and there ,i remained about two hours1 entering into discourse with every one who halted at the fountain2 and ,i will here observe that during the time of my sojourn at ,evora ,i repeated my visit every day1 and remained there about the same time1 and by following this plan ,i believe that ,i spoke to near two hundred of the children of ,portugal upon matters connected with their eternal welfare4 ,of those whom ,i addressed ,i found very few had received any species of literary education2 none of them had seen the ,bible1 and not more than half a dozen had the slightest knowledge of what the ,holy ,book consisted4 ,i found that most of them were bigoted ,romanists and ,miguelites at heart4 ,when they told me they were ,christians1 ,i denied the possibility of their being so1 as they were ignorant of ,christ and ,his commandments1 and rested their hope of salvation in outward forms and superstitious observances which were the inventions of ,satan1 who wished to keep them in darkness in order that at last they might stumble into the pit which he had digged for them4 ,i said repeatedly that the ,pope whom they revered was a deceiver and the prime minister of ,satan here on earth1 and that the monks and friars1 to whom they had been accustomed to confess themselves1 and whose absence they so deplored1 were his subordinate agents4 ,when called upon for proofs1 ,i invariably cited the ignorance of my hearers respecting the ,scripture1 and said that if their spiritual guides had been really ministers of ,christ they would not have permitted their flocks to remain unacquainted with ,his word4 ,since this occasion ,i have been frequently surprised that ,i received no insult or ill-treatment from the people whose superstitions ,i was thus attacking1 but ,i really experienced none2 and am inclined to believe that the utter fearlessness which ,i displayed1 trusting in the protection of the ,almighty1 may have been the cause4 ,when threatened by danger the best policy is to fix your eye steadily upon it1 and it will in general vanish like the morning mist before the sun2 whereas if you quail before it1 it becomes more imminent4 ,i have fervent hope that the words which ,i uttered sunk deep into the hearts of some of my hearers1 as ,i observed many of them depart musing and pensive4 ,i occasionally distributed tracts among them1 for although they themselves were unable to turn them to much account1 ,i thought that by their means they might become of service at some future time1 and might fall into the hands of others to whom they might be instruments of regeneration2 as many a book which is cast on the waters is wafted to some remote shore1 and there proves a blessing and a comfort to millions who are ignorant from whence it came4 ,the next day1 which was ,friday1 ,i called at the house of my friend ,azveto2 ,i did not find him there1 but was directed to the ,episcopal ,palace1 in an apartment of which ,i found him writing with another gentleman1 to whom he introduced me4 ,it was the ,governor of ,evora1 who welcomed me with every mark of kindness and affability4 ,after some discourse we went out together to examine an ancient edifice1 which was reported to have served in ancient times as a temple to ,diana4 ,part of it was evidently of ,roman architecture1 for there was no mistaking the beautiful light pillars which supported a dome1 under which the sacrifices to the most captivating and poetical divinity of the heathen ,theocracy had probably been made2 but the original space between the pillars had been filled up with rubbish of a modern date1 and the rest of the building was apparently of the architecture of the latter end of the middle ages4 ,it is situated at one end of the building which was once the seat of the ,inquisition1 and ,i was informed that before the erection of the present ,see1 it served as the residence of the ,bishop4 ,within the ,see1 where the ,governor now resides1 is a superb library1 occupying an immense vaulted room1 like the aisle of a cathedral1 and in a side apartment is a collection of pictures by ,portuguese artists1 chiefly portraits1 amongst which is that of ,don ,sebastian4 ,i hope it did not do him justice2 for it represents him in the shape of an awkward lad1 of about eighteen1 with staring eyes and a bloated booby face1 and wearing a ruff round a short apoplectic neck4 ,i was shown several beautifully illuminated missals and other manuscripts1 but the one which most arrested my attention1 ,i scarcely need say why1 bore the following title3-- ,forma sive ordinatio ,capelli illustrissimi et xtianissimi principis ,henrici sexti ,regis ,anglie et ,francie am diu ,hibernie descipta serenissio principi ,alfonso ,regi ,portugalie illustri per humilem servitorem sm ,willm ,sav ,decanum capelli supradicti4 ,it seemed a voice from the olden times of my dear native land4 ,this library and picture-gallery had been formed by one of the latter ,bishops1 a person of commendable learning and piety4 ,in the evening ,i dined with ,don ,joze d',azveto and his brother2 the latter soon left us1 in order to attend to his military duties4 ,my friend and myself had then much conversation of considerable interest4 ,he lamented feelingly the deplorable state of ignorance in which his countrymen were at present buried1 and said that his friend the ,governor and himself were endeavouring to establish a school in the vicinity1 and that they had made application to the ,government for the use of an empty convent called the ,espinhero1 or thorn-tree1 at about a league's distance1 and that they had little doubt of their request being complied with4 ,i had before told him who ,i was2 and now1 after expressing my joy at the plan which he had in contemplation1 ,i urged him in the most pressing manner to use all his influence to cause the knowledge of the ,scripture to be the basis of the education of the pupils in the intended school1 and added that half of the ,testaments and ,bibles which ,i had brought with me to ,evora were heartily at his service4 ,he instantly gave me his hand1 and said he accepted my offer with the greatest pleasure1 and would do all in his power to further my views1 which were in many respects his own4 ,i now told him that ,i did not come to ,portugal with the view of introducing the dogmas of any particular sect1 but with the hope of introducing the ,bible1 which is the well-head of all that is useful and conducive to the happiness of society and individuals2 that ,i cared not what people called themselves1 provided they read the ,scripture1 for that where the ,scripture was read neither priestcraft nor tyranny could long exist2 and instanced my own country1 the cause of whose freedom and happiness was the ,bible1 and that only1 for that before the days of ,tyndal it was the seat of ignorance1 oppression1 and cruelty1 and that after the fall of ignorance1 the oppression and cruelty soon ceased1 for that the last persecutor of the ,bible1 the last upholder of ignorance--the bloody and infamous ,mary--was the last tyrant who had sat on the throne of ,england4 ,we did not part till the night was considerably advanced2 and the next day ,i sent him the books1 in the steadfast hope that a bright and glorious morning was about to rise upon the night which had so long cast its dreary shadow over the regions of the ,alemtejo4 ,the day after this interesting event1 which was ,saturday1 ,i had more conversation with the man from ,palmella4 ,i asked him if in his journeys he had never been attacked by robbers2 he answered ',no1' for that he generally travelled in company with others2 'however1' said he1 'were ,i alone ,i should have little fear1 for ,i am well protected4' ,i said that ,i supposed he carried arms with him4 ',no other arms than this1' said he1 and he pulled out a long1 desperate-looking knife of ,english manufacture1 like that with which every ,portuguese peasant is provided1 and which ,i should consider a far more efficient weapon than a dagger4 ',but1' said he1 ',i do not place much confidence in the knife4' ,i then enquired in what were his hopes of protection4 ',in this1' he replied2 and unbuttoning his waistcoat he showed me a small bag1 attached to his neck by a silken string4 ',in this bag is an oracam 7or prayer71 written by a person of power2 and as long as ,i carry it about me no ill can befall me4' ,curiosity is one of the leading features of my character1 and ,i instantly said that to be allowed to read the prayer would give me great pleasure4 ',well1' he replied1 'you are my friend1 and ,i would do for you what ,i would do for few others4 ,i will show it you4' ,he then asked me for my penknife and proceeded to unrip the bag1 and took out of it a large piece of paper closely folded up4 ,i hurried with it to my chamber1 and commenced the examination of it4 ,it was scrawled over in a very illegible hand1 and was moreover much stained with perspiration1 so that ,i had considerable difficulty in making myself master of its contents2 but at last ,i accomplished the following literal translation of the charm1 which was written in bad ,portuguese1 but which struck me at the time as being the most remarkable composition ,i had ever seen4 ,the ,charm ',just ,judge and divine ,son of the ,virgin ,maria1 who wast born at ,bethlehem1 a ,nazarene1 and who wast crucified in the midst of all ,jewry6 ,i beseech ,thee1 ,o ,lord1 by virtue of ,thy sixth day #acg that the body of me1 ,francisco1 be not caught nor put to death by the hands of ,justice6 ,pazes teco 7pax tecum71 pazes ,cristo4 ,may you receive peace1 said ,christ to ,his disciples4 ,if the accursed ,justice should distrust me1 or have its eye on me1 in order to take me1 or to rob me1 may it have an eye which shall not see me2 may it have a mouth which shall not speak to me2 may it have an ear which shall not hear me2 may it have a hand which shall not seize me2 may it have a foot which shall not overtake me2 for may ,i be armed with the arms of ,saint ,george2 may ,i be covered with the cloak of ,abraham2 and embarked in the ark of ,noah2 so that it can neither see me1 nor hear me1 nor draw the blood from my body6 ,i also conjure ,thee1 ,o ,lord1 by those three blessed crosses--by those three blessed chalices--by those three blessed clergymen--by those three consecrated hosts1 that ,thou give me that sweet company which ,thou gavest the ,virgin ,maria1 from the gates of ,bethlehem even unto the portals of ,jerusalem1 that ,i may go and come with peace and joy with ,jesus ,christ1 ,son of the ,virgin ,maria1 the prolific1 yet nevertheless the eternal ,virgin ,maria our ,lady4' ,the woman of the house and her daughter had similar bags tied to their necks1 containing charms1 which they said prevented the witches having power to harm them4 ,the belief in witchcraft is very prevalent amongst the peasantry of the ,alemtejo1 and ,i believe of other provinces of ,portugal4 ,this is one of the relics of the monkish system1 the aim of which in all countries where it has existed1 or does exist1 seems to be to besot the minds of the people that they may be the more easily plundered and misled4 ,the monks of the ,greek and ,syriac ,churches likewise deal in this kind of ware1 which they know to be poison1 but which1 as it brings them a price and fosters delusion by which they are maintained in luxury and idleness1 they would rather vend than the wholesome drug4 ,the ,sunday morning was fine1 and the plain before the church of the ,convent of ,san ,francisco was thronged with people going to mass or returning4 ,after having performed my morning devotions and breakfasted1 ,i went down to the kitchen4 ,the fine girl ,geronima was seated by the fire4 ,i asked if she had heard mass2 she replied1 ',no1' and that she did not intend to hear it4 ,upon my inquiring her motive for absenting herself1 she replied that1 since the friars had been expelled from their churches and convents1 she had ceased to attend mass or to confess herself1 for that the ,government priests had no spiritual power1 and consequently she never troubled them4 ,she said the friars were holy men and charitable2 for that every morning those of the convent over the way had fed forty poor persons with the remains of their meals of the preceding day1 but that now these people were allowed to starve4 ,i replied that the friars who had lived upon the dainties of the land could well afford to bestow a few bones on the poor1 and that their doing so was not the effect of charity1 but merely a part of their artful policy1 by which they hoped to secure to themselves friends in time of need4 ,the girl then said that as it was ,sunday ,i should perhaps like to see some of her books1 and without waiting for a reply she produced them4 ,they consisted principally of popular stories and lives and miracles of saints1 but amongst them was a translation of ,volney's ,ruins of ,empires4 ,i inquired how she became possessed of this book2 she said that a young man1 a great ,constitutionalist1 had given it her some months since and had pressed her much to read it1 telling her that it was the best book in the world4 ,whereupon ,i told her that the author of the book in question was an emissary of ,satan and an enemy of ,jesus ,christ and the souls of mankind2 that he had written it with the sole view of bringing all religion into contempt1 and that he had inculcated therein the doctrine that there was no future state nor rewards for the righteous nor punishments for the wicked4 ,she made no reply1 but going into another room1 returned with her apron full of dry brushwood and faggot2 all of this she piled upon the fire1 and produced a bright blaze4 ,she then took the book from my hand1 and placed it upon the flaming pile2 then sitting down1 took her rosary out of her pocket1 and told her beads till the volume was consumed4 ,this was an ,auto-da-fe1 in the true sense of the word4 ,on the ,monday and ,tuesday ,i paid my usual visits to the fountain1 and likewise rode about the neighbourhood for the purpose of circulating tracts4 ,i dropped a great many in the favourite walks of the people of ,evora1 as ,i felt rather dubious of their accepting them had ,i proffered them with my own hands2 whereas if they found them on the ground1 ,i thought that curiosity might induce them to pick them up and examine them4 ,i likewise on the ,tuesday evening paid a farewell visit to my friend ,don ,azveto1 as it was my intention to leave ,evora on the ,thursday following2 in which view ,i had engaged a cabriolet of a man who informed me that he had served as a soldier in the ,grande ,armee of ,napoleon1 and had been present throughout the ,russian campaign4 ,he looked the image of a drunkard2 his face was covered with carbuncles1 and his breath impregnated with the fumes of strong waters4 ,he wished much to converse with me in ,french1 in the speaking of which language1 it seems1 he prided himself much2 but ,i refused1 and told him to speak the language of the country1 or ,i would hold no discourse with him4 ,wednesday was stormy1 with occasional rain4 ,on coming down ,i found that my friend from ,palmella had departed1 but several contrabandistas had arrived from ,spain4 ,they were mostly fine fellows1 and1 unlike the two ,i had seen the previous week1 who were of much lower degree1 were chatty and communicative2 they spoke their native language and no other1 and seemed to hold ,portuguese in great contempt2 their magnificent ,spanish tones were heard to great advantage amidst the shrill chirping dialect of ,portugal4 ,i was soon in deep conversation with them1 and was much pleased to find that all of them could read4 ,i presented the eldest of them1 a man of about fifty years of age1 with a tract in ,spanish4 ,he examined it for some time with great attention2 he then rose from his seat1 and going into the middle of the apartment1 began reading it aloud1 slowly and emphatically2 his companions gathered round him1 and every now and then expressed their satisfaction at what they heard4 ,the reader occasionally called upon me to explain particular passages which1 as they referred to ,scripture1 he did not exactly understand1 for not one of the party had ever seen either the ,old or ,new ,testament4 ,he continued reading for nearly an hour until he had finished the tract1 and at its conclusion the whole party were clamorous for similar ones1 with which ,i was happy to be able to supply them4 ,most of them spoke of priestcraft and the monks with the utmost abhorrence1 and said that they should prefer death to again submitting to the yoke which had formerly galled their necks4 ,i questioned them very particularly respecting the opinion of their neighbours and acquaintances on this point1 and they assured me that in their part of the ,spanish frontier all were of the same mind1 and that they cared as little for the ,pope and his monks as they did for ,don ,carlos1 for the latter was a dwarf 7chicotito7 and a tyrant1 and the others were plunderers and robbers4 ,i told them that they must beware of confounding religion with priestcraft1 and that in their abhorrence of the latter they must not forget that there is a ,god and a ,christ1 to whom they must look for salvation1 and whose word it was incumbent upon them to study on every occasion2 whereupon they all expressed a devout belief in ,christ and the ,virgin4 ,these men1 though in many respects far more enlightened than the surrounding peasantry1 were in others quite as much in the dark2 they believed in witchcraft and in the efficacy of particular charms4 ,the night was very stormy1 and about nine we heard a galloping towards the door1 and then a loud knocking2 it was opened1 and in rushed a wild-looking man mounted upon a donkey4 ,he wore a jerkin of sheepskin1 called in ,spanish zamarras1 with breeches of the same as far down as his knee2 his legs were bare4 ,around his sombrero1 or shadowy hat1 was tied a large quantity of the herb called in ,english rosemary1 in ,spanish romero1 and in the rustic language of ,portugal ellecrin1 which last is a word of ,scandinavian origin1 and properly signifies the elfin plant4 ,it was probably carried into the south by the ,vandals or the ,alani4 ,the man seemed frantic with terror1 and said that the witches had been pursuing him1 and hovering over his head1 for the last two leagues4 ,he came from the ,spanish frontier with meal and other articles2 he informed us that his wife was following him and would soon arrive1 and within a quarter of an hour she made her appearance1 dripping with rain1 and also mounted upon a donkey4 ,i asked my friends the contrabandistas why he wore the rosemary in his hat1 and they told me that it was good against witches and the mischances of the road4 ,i had no time to argue against this superstition1 for as the chaise was to be ready at five o'clock next morning ,i wished to make the most of the few hours which ,i could devote to rest4 ,to the ,rev4 ,a4 ,brandram 7,endorsed3 recd4 ,feb4 #ae1 #ahcf7 ,the following ,translations into the ,romanee1 or language of the ,spanish ,tchai1 ,tchabos1 ,gitanos1 ,callos1 or ,gypsies1 were made by me at ,badajoz during the first two weeks of ,january #ahcf4 ,,the #ae,,th ,,chap4 ,,of ,,the ,,blessed ,,gospel ,,of ,,saint ,,luke4 ,here follow thirty-two verses of the translation1 followed by a version of the ,lord's ,prayer4 ,,specimens ,,of ,,the ,,horrid ,,curses ,,in ,,use ,,amongst ,,the ,,spanish ,,gypsies4 ,here follow sixteen of these 'curses1' to each of which is added a rendering in ,english4 ,to the ,rev4 ,a4 ,brandram 7,endorsed3 recd4 ,feb4 #bith1 #ahcf7 ,,madrid1 ,,calle ,,de ,,la ,,zarza1 ,feby4 #acth1 #ahcf4 ,the game is now in our own hands1 and it is our fault if we do not win it1 for a little patience and a little prudence is all that is required4 ,i came to ,madrid without a single letter of introduction1 and without knowing an individual there4 ,i have now some powerful friends1 and through the kindness of ,sir ,geo4 ,villiers1 the ,british ,ambassador at the ,spanish ,court1 ,i have had an interview with that most singular man1 ,mendizabal1 whom it is as difficult to get nigh as it is to approach the ,north ,pole4 ,i have obtained his promise that when matters are in some degree settled in this country1 he will allow us to commence our operations2 but the preposterous idea1 which by some means or other he has embraced1 that we have been endeavouring to foment disturbances amongst the slaves of ,cuba1 prevents his looking upon us with favourable eyes4 ,i now write for orders2 if you have received my letters and journals 7copious extracts from which you had better print71 you will see how successful ,i have been in the ,alemtejo1 as our books are now for sale at ,evora and ,elvas1 the two principal towns1 and the ,gospel of ,christ has been preached to many who were ignorant of it even by name2 you will see what ,i have been doing at ,badajoz1 especially amongst the ,spanish ,gypsies1 whose dialect of the ,rommany ,i have so far mastered as to be able to translate into it with tolerable ease4 ,now1 until my friends here and myself can claim the fulfilment of ,mr4 ,mendizabal's promise1 do you wish me to go to ,granada1 or back to ,badajoz1 and finish my translation of ,st4 ,luke into ,rommany1 with the assistance of the ,gypsies of those places1 who are far more conversant with their native language than their brethren in other parts of ,spain2 or shall ,i return to ,lisbon and exert all my interest towards the execution of the plan which ,i communicated first to ,mr4 ,wilby1 and then to yourself1 namely1 attempting to induce the ,government to adopt the ,scriptures in the schools which they are about to establish8 ,since ,i have been at ,madrid ,i have obtained letters to individuals of great importance at ,lisbon1 and ,i know that ,don ,jose d',azveto will do anything to serve me within the limits of reason4 ,therefore let the ,committee be summoned1 and a resolution forthwith adopted as to my next course4 ,i think all our negotiations in the ,peninsula may be brought to a successful termination in a few months2 then you must send over an agent1 a plain man of business1 to engage colporteurs and to come to arrangements with booksellers1 both in ,spain and in the provincial towns of ,portugal1 but let him not be a hesitater and starter of needless doubts and difficulties2 anything may be accomplished with a little shrewdness1 a little boldness1 and a great trust in ,god4 ,i hope that my exertions have afforded satisfaction at home1 but if not1 let me be allowed to state that it was not in my power to accomplish more than ,i have4 ,i have borne hunger and thirst1 cold and fatigue1 ,i have exposed myself to danger from robbers1 and was near losing my life from the ruffian soldiery at ,arrayolos1 whose bullets so narrowly missed me4 ,i have been as economical as possible1 though the charges in ,portugal for everything are enormous1 and a stranger there is like a ship on shore1 a mark for plunder4 ,in ,spain the people are far more honest1 and the charges1 though high1 reasonable in comparison4 ,before leaving ,lisbon ,i drew on excellent ,mr4 ,wilby for #ge pounds2 of this sum #ab pounds was remitted to ,malaja1 through which place ,i shall probably pass on my return to ,lisbon4 ,i have still remaining by me money sufficient for two months1 ,i therefore need not enter into a detail of my expenses4 ,i now wait for a letter from you2 and when you write1 please to remit to me a small letter of credit on some one at ,madrid1 or request ,mr4 ,wilby to do so1 as he has correspondents here1 and in that case communicate my address to him4 ,i give you below an abridgment of my interview with ,mr4 ,mendizabal4 ,i think it will make you laugh4 ,i have the honour to remain1 ,revd4 and dear ,sir1 etc41 ,g4 ,,borrow4 ,interview with ,mr4 ,mendizabal ,at about #h o'clock in the morning of the #gth inst4 ,i went to the palace1 where ,mr4 ,mendizabal resides4 ,i informed the usher that ,i came from the ,british ,ambassador1 whereupon ,i was shown into a room1 and after waiting about three hours ,i was admitted to the presence of the ,prime ,minister of ,spain4 ,he was dressed in a morning gown and sat behind a table covered with papers4 ,he is a man of about five-and-forty1 somewhat above the middle height1 with very handsome features1 aquiline nose and large sparkling eyes2 his hair is partly grey4 ,i presented him the letter with which ,sir ,geo4 ,villiers had furnished me1 and when he had read it1 ,i said that before entering upon the matter which more immediately brought me to him1 ,i begged leave to set him right upon a point relating to which he was labouring under considerable error3 ,sir ,geo4 ,villiers had informed me that ,mr4 ,m4 entertained an opinion that the ,bible ,society had been endeavouring to exercise an undue influence over the minds of the slave population of ,cuba by means of their agents2 but that ,i could assure him with truth1 that neither directly nor indirectly had they exerted or attempted to exert any influence at all over any part of the inhabitants of that island1 as they had neither sent agents there1 nor held any communication with the residents4 ,while ,i was saying this1 he interrupted me several times1 insisting that it was so1 and that he had documents to prove it4 ,i told him that it was probable he confounded the ,bible ,society with some other institution for the propagation of religion1 perhaps with one of the missionary societies1 more especially one of those belonging to the ,united ,states1 which might have sent individuals to the island in question for the purpose of communicating religious instruction to the slaves--but all ,i could say was to no avail2 he would have it that it was the ,british ,bible ,society who had despatched missionaries to ,cuba to incite the blacks to rise up against their masters4 ,the absurdity of this idea struck me so forcibly that it was with difficulty ,i restrained myself from laughing outright4 ,i at last said that1 whatever he might think to the contrary1 the ,committee of the ,bible ,society were by no means of that turbulent and outrageous disposition2 that they were for the most part staid1 quiet gentlemen1 who attended to their own affairs1 and a little1 and but a little to the promulgation of ,christ's ,gospel1 which1 however1 they too much respected to endeavour to kindle a spirit of insurrection anywhere1 as they all know full well that it is the ,word of ,god says that servants are to obey their masters at all times and occasions4 ,i then requested permission to print the ,new ,testament in ,spanish at ,madrid4 ,he said he should not grant it1 for that the ,new ,testament was a very dangerous book1 especially in disturbed times4 ,i replied that ,i was not aware that the holy book contained any passages sanctioning blood-shedding and violence1 but ,i rather thought that it abounded with precepts of an entirely opposite tendency2 but he still persisted that it was an improper book4 ,i must here observe that it was with the utmost difficulty ,i obtained an opportunity of explaining myself1 on account of the propensity which he possesses of breaking in upon the discourse of the person who is addressing him2 and at last1 in self-defence1 ,i was myself obliged to infringe the rules of conversation1 and to hold on without paying any attention to his remarks--not that ,i gained much by so doing1 for he plainly told me that he was an obstinate man1 and that he never abandoned his opinions4 ,i certainly do not think him the most tractable of men1 but ,i am inclined to think that he is not ill-natured1 as he preserved his temper very well during the interview1 and laughed heartily at two or three of my remarks4 ,at last he said3 ',i will not give you permission now3 but let the war be concluded1 let the factious be beaten1 and the case will be altered2 come to me six months hence4' ,i then requested to be allowed to introduce into ,spain a few copies of the ,new ,testament in the ,catalan dialect1 as we had lately printed a most beautiful edition at ,london1 but he still said ',no1 no1' and when ,i asked if he had any objection to my calling again on the morrow and showing him a copy1 he made use of these remarkable words3 ',i do not wish you should come1 lest you should convince me1 and ,i do not wish to be convinced4' ,to the ,rev4 ,a4 ,brandram 7,endorsed3 recd4 ,april #b1 #ahcf7 ,mar4 #bb1 #ahcf1 ,,calle ,,de ,,la ,,zarza1 ,,madrid4 ,,revd4 ,,and ,,dear ,,sir1--,i received your letter of the #hth inst41 which gave me much pleasure1 as ,i understood from it that my humble efforts had afforded satisfaction4 ,i also received the two letters from ,st4 ,petersburg which were written by a dear friend of that place1 to whom ,i shall trouble you to forward a letter as soon as ,i have an opportunity of writing1 which at present ,i have not1 as my time is much occupied4 ,i have to communicate to you what will not fail to be interesting4 ,the ,spanish press have taken up our affair1 and ,i am at present engaged in attempting to lay the foundation of a ,bible ,society at ,madrid1 to accomplish which the editor of the influential newspaper1 the ,espanol1 has promised me his assistance4 ,there has already appeared in that journal a most brilliant article which gives the history of our ,society1 and states the advantages which would result to ,spain from the establishment within its bosom of a society whose aim should be the propagation of the ,scripture1 in the ,spanish language1 amongst the population4 ,of this article ,i send extracts below1 and shall probably1 when ,i have more time1 send the whole4 ,the person whom we are looking forward to as a head of the projected institution is a certain ,bishop1 advanced in years1 a person of great piety and learning1 who has himself translated the ,new ,testament in a manner1 as ,i am informed1 far superior to that of any of his predecessors2 but ,i have not as yet seen it1 and therefore cannot speak positively as to its merits4 ,however1 he is disposed to print and circulate it1 and if the translation be really an excellent one it would not be unwise in us to patronise it1 if by so doing we could induce him to co-operate with us in our plans for enlightening unhappy ,spain4 ,but more of this anon4 ,i have little doubt that the time is almost at hand when the cause of ,god will triumph in this country1 and ,i am exerting every means which ,i can devise in humbleness of heart to help to bring about an event so desirable4 ,i intend to remain a few weeks longer at ,madrid at all events1 for the present moment is too fraught with interest to allow me to quit it immediately4 ,as far as self is concerned ,i should rejoice to return instantly to ,lisbon1 for ,i am not partial to ,madrid1 its climate1 or anything it can offer1 if ,i except its unequalled gallery of pictures2 but ,i did not come hither to gratify self but as a messenger of the ,word4 ,may ,i take the liberty of begging you to write a line to my dear and revered friend ,mr4 ,cunningham1 informing him that ,i am in tolerable health1 and that ,i hope to write myself speedily4 ,the three letters which you say have not arrived were1 ,i believe1 destroyed by a servant for the sake of the postage1 but ,i shall send you parts of my journal to supply the deficiency4 ,extracts from the ',espanol' ',the first founders of the ,bible ,societies 7for by this name they were known7 immediately comprehended their philosophic and civilising mission1 and fulfilled the thought of its inventor4 ,in a short period the circle of their action expanded itself1 and not content with making ,great ,britain alone a participator of this salutary institution1 they wished to extend it to all countries1 and therefore called to their assistance the majority of the known languages4 ,to all the quarters of the inhabited world they sent at their own expense agents to traverse the countries and discover the best means of disseminating the truths of the ,bible1 and to discover manuscripts of the ancient versions4 ,they did more3 convinced of the necessity of placing themselves above the miserable considerations of sectarian spirit1 they determined that the text should not be accompanied by any species of note or commentary which might provoke the discord which unhappily reigns among the different fractions of ,christianity1 which separates more and more their views instead of guiding them to the religious end which they propose4 ',thus the doctrine of the ,nazarene might be studied with equal success by the ,greek schismatic and the ,catholic ,spaniard1 by the sectary of ,calvin and the disciple of ,luther3 its seed might bless at one and the same time the fruitful plains of ,asia and the sterile sands of desert ,arabia1 the burning soil of ,india and the icy land of the ferocious ,esquimaux4 ,antiquity knew no speedier means of conveying its ideas than the harangues which the orators pronounced from the summit of the tribune1 amidst assemblies of thousands of citizens2 but modern intelligence wished to discover other means infinitely more efficacious1 more active1 more rapid1 more universal1 and has invented the press4 ,thus it was that in the preceding ages the warm and animated words of the missionary were necessarily the only organ which ,christianity had at command to proclaim its principles2 but scarcely did this invention come to second the progress of modern civilisation1 than it foresaw the future ally destined to complete the intelligent and social labour which it had taken upon itself4' 7,after stating what has been accomplished by the ,b4 ,f4 ,b4 ,society1 and how many others have sprung up under her auspices in different lands1 the article continues37 ',why should ,spain which has explored the ,new ,world1 which has generalised inoculation in order to oppose the devastations of a horrid pest1 which has always distinguished herself by zeal in labouring in the cause of humanity--why should she alone be destitute of ,bible ,societies8 ,why should a nation eminently ,catholic continue isolated from the rest of ,europe1 without joining in the magnificent enterprise in which the latter is so busily engaged8' ,,george ,,borrow4 7,my best respects to ,mr4 ,jowett47 ,to the ,rev4 ,a4 ,brandram 7,endorsed3 recd4 ,may #e1 #ahcf7 ,,madrid1 ,no4 #c1 ,,calle ,,de ,,la ,,zarza1 #bj ,april #ahcf ,,revd4 ,,and ,,dear ,,sir1--,i have received your letter of the #fth inst41 in which you request me to write to you a little more frequently1 on the ground that my letters are not destitute of interest2 your request1 however1 is not the principal reason which incites me to take up the pen at the present moment4 ,though ,i hope that ,i shall be able to communicate matter which will afford yourself and our friends at home subject for some congratulation1 my more immediate object is to inform you of my situation1 of which ,i am sure you have not the slightest conception4 ,for the last three weeks ,i have been without money1 literally without a farthing4 ,about a month ago ,i received fifteen pounds from ,mr4 ,wilby1 and returned him an order for twenty1 he having1 when ,i left ,lisbon1 lent me five pounds1 on account1 above what ,i drew for1 as he was apprehensive of my being short of money before ,i reached ,madrid4 #ab pounds1 #es4 of this ,i instantly expended for a suit of clothes1 #aec my own being so worn1 that it was impossible to appear longer in public with them4 ,at the time of sending him the receipt ,i informed him that ,i was in need of money1 and begged that he would send the remaining #cj pounds by return of post4 ,i have never heard from him from that moment1 though ,i have written twice4 ,perhaps he never received my letters1 or ,i may not have received his1 the post of ,estremadura having been three times robbed2 ,i can imagine no other reason4 ,the money may still come1 but ,i have given up all hopes of it1 and am compelled to write home1 though what ,i am to do till ,i can receive your answer ,i am at a loss to conceive4 ,but ,god is above all1 and ,i am far from complaining2 but you would oblige me1 upon receiving this1 to procure me instantly a letter of credit on some house in ,madrid4 ,i believe ,messrs4 ,hammersley of ,london have correspondents here4 ,whatever ,i undergo1 ,i shall tell nobody my situation3 it might hurt the ,society and our projects here4 ,i know enough of the world to be aware that it is considered as the worst of crimes to be without money4 ,above all1 let me intreat you never to hint of this affair in any communication to ,mr4 ,wilby2 he is a most invaluable man1 and he might take offence4 ,a week ago1 after having spent much time in drawing up a petition1 ,i presented it to the ,ecclesiastical ,committee of ,censors4 ,it was strongly backed by the ,civil ,governor of ,madrid1 within whose department the ,censorship is4 ,in this petition1 after a preamble on the religious state of ,spain1 ,i requested permission to print the ,new ,testament without note or comment1 according to the version of ,father ,scio1 and in the same form and size as the small edition of ,paris1 in order that the book might be 'al alcance asi de los pobres como de los ricos' 7within the reach of the poor as well as of the wealthy74 #aed ,the ,ecclesiastical ,board are at present consulting about it1 as ,i was informed to-day1 upon my repairing to their house for the purpose of knowing how matters were going on4 ,i have hopes of success1 having done all in my power to prevent a failure by making important friends since the moment of my arrival4 ,i was introduced to the ,governor by his most intimate acquaintance ,synudi1 the ,deputy of ,huelba1 to whom ,i was introduced by the celebrated ,alcala de ,galiano1 the ,deputy of ,cadiz1 who will sooner or later be ,prime ,minister1 and to him ,i was introduced by--but ,i will not continue1 as ,i might run on for ever1 much after the fashion as ',this is the house which ,jack built4' ,and now ,i have something to tell you which ,i think will surprise you1 and which1 strange as it may sound1 is nevertheless true4 ,the authority of the ,pope in this country is in so very feeble and precarious a situation1 that little more than a breath is required to destroy it1 and ,i am almost confident that in less than a year it will be disowned4 ,i am doing whatever ,i can in ,madrid to prepare the way for an event so desirable4 ,i mix with the people1 and inform them who and what the ,pope is1 and how disastrous to ,spain his influence has been4 ,i tell them that the indulgences1 which they are in the habit of purchasing1 are of no more intrinsic value than so many pieces of paper1 and were merely invented with the view of plundering them4 ,i frequently ask3 ',is it possible that ,god1 who is good1 would sanction the sale of sin8' and1 ',supposing certain things are sinful1 do you think that ,god1 for the sake of your money1 would permit you to perform them8' ,in many instances my hearers have been satisfied with this simple reasoning1 and have said that they would buy no more indulgences4 ,moreover1 the newspapers have1 in two or three instances1 taken up the subject of ,rome upon national and political grounds4 ,the ,pope is an avowed friend of ,carlos1 and an enemy of the present ,government1 and in every instance has refused to acknowledge the ,bishops who have been nominated to vacant sees by the ,queen4 ,therefore the editors say1 and very naturally1 if the ,pope does everything in his power to impede the progress of ,spanish regeneration1 it is high time to cut the ties which still link ,spain to the papal chair4 ,it is my sincere prayer1 and the prayer of many of those who have the interest of ,spain at heart1 that ,the ,man of ,rome will continue in the course which he is at present pursuing1 for by so doing he loses ,spain1 and then he is nothing4 ,he is already laughed at throughout ,italy--,ireland will alone remain to him--much good it may do him6 ,in respect to the ,apocrypha1 let me be permitted to observe that an anticipation of that difficulty was one of my motives for forbearing to request permission to print the entire ,bible2 and here ,i will hint that in these countries1 until the inhabitants become ,christian1 it would be expedient to drop the ,old ,testament altogether1 for if the ,old accompany the ,new the latter will be little read1 as the former is so infinitely more entertaining to the carnal man4 ,mr4 ,wilby in his last letter informs me that #cj ,bibles have been sold in ,lisbon within a short time1 but that the demand for ,testaments has not amounted to half that number4 ,my best respects to ,mr4 ,jowett4 ,g4 ,b4 ,to the ,rev4 ,a4 ,brandram 7,endorsed3 recd4 ,june #a1 #ahcf7 ,,madrid1 ,may #bb1 #ahcf4 ,,revd4 ,,and ,,dear ,,sir1--,i write in the greatest hurry4 ,i shall receive the permission1 the ,lord willing1 in a few days2 the ,duke de ,rivas has this moment told me so1 and he is ,minister of the ,interior4 ,the ,ecclesiastical ,court declined deciding upon the matter1 and left it entirely in the hands of the ,ministers4 ,just as the ,english ,ambassador was about to remind ,mr4 ,mendizabal of his promise to me1 the latter gentleman and his colleagues retired from office2 a new ,ministry was formed composed entirely of my friends1 amongst them ,alcala ,galiano 7turn to my last letter74 ,as soon as the ,minister of ,finance1 with whom ,i am very intimate1 returns from ,france1 ,i shall request to be permitted to introduce the ,catalan ,new ,testament upon paying a reasonable duty4 ,i received ,mr4 ,jackson's letter containing the money1 and yours1 also with money1 and a rap on the knuckles besides2 it was scarcely merited1 as ,i can prove in five words4 ,not having the ,scripture to offer to the people1 ,i was obliged to content myself with mentioning it to them2 the people here know not the ,scripture even by name1 but they know a certain personage well enough1 and as soon as the subject of religion is brought up they are sure to bring him forward1 as they consider him the fountainhead of all religion4 ,those therefore in the situation of myself have three things at their option2 to speak nothing--to speak lies--or to speak the truth4 ,in simpleness of heart ,i thought proper to adopt the last principle as my line of conduct2 ,i do not think ,i have erred1 but ,i shall be more reserved in future4 ,in conclusion let me be permitted to observe that the last skirts of the cloud of papal superstition are vanishing below the horizon of ,spain2 whoever says the contrary either knows nothing of the matter or wilfully hides the truth4 ,i remain1 ,revd4 and dear ,sir1 most truly yours1 ,g4 ,,borrow4 ,to the ,rev4 ,a4 ,brandram 7,endorsed3 recd4 ,june #b1 #ahcf7 #aj ,,at ,,night1 ,,madrid1 ,may #bb1 #ahcf4 ,,my ,,dear ,,sir1--,there has been a partial disturbance at ,madrid1 and it is not impossible that the new ,ministry will go out and ,mr4 ,m4 be reinstated--which event1 however1 will make little difference to us1 as the ,british ,ambassador has promised to back the application which ,i shall instantly make4 ,there are so many changes and revolutions here that nothing is certain even for a day4 ,i wish to let you know what is going forward1 and am aware that you will excuse two letters arriving at one time4 ,g4 ,b4 ,to the ,rev4 ,a4 ,brandram 7,endorsed3 recd4 ,june #d1 #ahcf7 ,,madrid1 ,monday night1 half p4 #aa1 ,may #cj4 ,the post will presently depart1 therefore ,i have no time to lose4 ,every thing1 thank ,god1 is again tranquil1 and it appears that the present ,ministry will stand its ground4 ,i am just returned from the house of one of the ,ministers2 ,i can consequently speak pretty positively4 ,the ,queen will not accept their resignations1 and the army is on their side4 ,the ,cortes have been dissolved4 ,the whole ,cabinet are of opinion that my petition is just and reasonable and ought to be granted4 ,i have been requested to appear next ,thursday at the ,office1 when ,i expect to receive the permission1 or to hear that steps have been taken towards making it out4 ,the reason of ,mr4 ,mendizabal's resignation was his inability to accomplish the removal of ,general ,cordova from the head of the army4 ,it is not for me to offer an opinion on the ,general's military talents1 but he is much beloved by the soldiers1 whose comforts and interests he has much attended to2 to deprive him of command would therefore be attended with danger4 ,i have no complaint to make against ,mr4 ,m42 he is a kind1 well-meaning man1 and had he remained in office ,i have no doubt that he would have acceded to my petition4 ,i hope you will pray that ,god will grant me wisdom1 humbleness of spirit1 and success in all that is right4 ,g4 ,,borrow4 ,to the ,rev4 ,a4 ,brandram 7,endorsed3 recd4 ,july #aa1 #ahcf7 ,,calle ,,santiago1 ,no4 #af ,,piso #c,,ro1 ,,madrid1 ,june #cj1 #ahcf4 ,,revd4 ,,and ,,dear ,,sir1--,as ,i have little doubt that you are anxiously awaiting the arrival of some intelligence from me1 ,i write a few lines which ,i have no doubt will prove satisfactory to you1 and in the course of a few days ,i hope to write again1 when ,i shall probably be able to announce the happy termination of the affair which brought me to ,spain4 ,the difficulties which ,i have had to encounter since ,i last wrote to you have been so many and formidable that ,i have been frequently on the verge of despairing ever to obtain permission to print the ,gospel in ,spain1 which has become the most ardent wish of my heart4 ,only those who have been in the habit of dealing with ,spaniards1 by whom the most solemn promises are habitually broken1 can form a correct idea of my reiterated disappointments and of the toil of body and agony of spirit which ,i have been subjected to4 ,one day ,i have been told1 at the ,ministry1 that ,i had only to wait a few moments and all ,i wished would be acceded to2 and then my hopes have been blasted with the information that various difficulties1 which seemed insurmountable1 had presented themselves1 whereupon ,i have departed almost broken-hearted2 but the next day ,i have been summoned in a great hurry and informed that 'all was right1' and that on the morrow a regular authority to print the ,scriptures would be delivered to me2 but by that time fresh and yet more terrible difficulties had occurred--so that ,i became weary of my life4 ,during the greatest part of the last six weeks ,i have spent upon an average ten hours every day1 dancing attendance on one or another of the ,ministers1 and when ,i have returned home ,i have been so fatigued that ,i have found it impossible to write1 even to my nearest friends4 ,the heat has been suffocating1 for the air seems to be filled with flaming vapours1 and the very ,spaniards are afraid to stay out1 and lie gasping and naked on their brick floors2 therefore if you have felt disappointed in not having heard from me for a considerable time1 the above statement must be my excuse4 ,during the last fortnight the aspect of my affair has become more favourable1 and1 notwithstanding all the disappointments ,i have met1 ,i now look forward with little apprehension to the result4 ,the ,english ,ambassador1 ,mr4 ,villiers1 has taken me by the hand in the most generous manner and has afforded me the most effectual assistance4 ,he has spoken to all the ,ministers1 collectively and individually1 and has recommended the granting of my petition in the strongest manner1 pointing out the terrible condition of the people at present who are without religious instruction of any kind1 and the impossibility of exercising any species of government over a nation of atheists1 which the ,spaniards will very shortly become if left to themselves4 ,whether moved by his arguments or by a wish to oblige a person of so much importance as the ,british ,ambassador1 the ,cabinet of ,madrid now exhibit a manifest willingness to do all in their power to satisfy me2 and though by the law of ,spain the publishing of the ,scripture in the vulgar tongue without notes is forbidden1 measures have been taken by which the rigor of the law can be eluded and the printer be protected1 until such time as it shall be deemed prudent to repeal the law made1 as is now generally confessed1 in a time of ignorance and superstitious darkness4 ,i herewith send you a letter which ,i received some days since from ,mr4 ,villiers2 ,i have several others on the same subject1 but ,i prefer sending this particular one as it is the last4 ,since ,i received it1 the ,ministers have met and discussed the petition1 and the result was1 as ,i have been informed1 though not officially1 in its favour4 ,you would oblige me by mentioning to his ,lordship the ,president of the ,bible ,society the manner in which ,mr4 ,villiers has befriended me1 and to beg that he would express by letter an acknowledgment of the favour which ,i have received2 and at the same time1 ,i think that a vote of thanks from the ,committee would not be amiss1 as ,i may be again in need of ,mr4 ,v4's assistance before ,i leave ,spain4 ,the interest which he has taken in this affair is the more surprising1 as ,mr4 ,graydon informed me that upon his applying to him he declined to interfere4 ,i saw ,mr4 ,graydon twice or thrice4 ,he left ,madrid for ,barcelona about a month since1 because the heat of the former place in the summer months is more than he can bear1 and as he found ,i was so far advanced1 he thought he might be of more utility in ,catalonia4 ,i have at present nothing more to say1 and am so weak from heat and fatigue that ,i can hardly hold the pen4 ,i have removed from my old lodgings to those which ,mr4 ,graydon occupied2 therefore when you write1 direct as above4 ,with my best remembrances to ,mr4 ,jowett1 ,i remain1 my dear ,sir1 very truly yours1 ,g4 ,b4 ,to the ,rev4 ,a4 ,brandram 7,endorsed3 recd4 ,july #ah1 #ahcf7 #g ,july1 #ahcf1 ,,madrid1 ,,calle ,,santiago1 ,no4 #af ,,piso #c,,ro4 ,,revd4 ,,and ,,dear ,,sir1--,the affair is settled--thank ,god666 and we may begin to print whenever we think proper4 ,perhaps you have thought ,i have been tardy in accomplishing the business which brought me to ,spain2 but to be able to form a correct judgment you ought to be aware of all the difficulties which ,i have had to encounter1 and which ,i shall not enumerate2 ,i shall content myself with observing that for a thousand pounds ,i would not undergo again all the mortifications and disappointments of the last two months4 ,the present ,ministry have been afraid to offend the clergy1 and with great reason1 as they are not of the movement or radical party1 and many of their friends are bigoted papists2 nevertheless1 influenced by the pressing applications of the ,british ,ambassador and being moreover well-disposed to myself1 they have consented to the printing of the ,testament2 but it must be done in a private manner4 ,i have just had a long interview with ,mr4 ,isturitz1 who told me that if we were resolved upon the enterprise we had best employ the confidential printer of the ,government1 who would keep the matter secret2 as in the present state of affairs he would not answer for the consequences if it were noised abroad4 ,i of course expressed my perfect readiness to comply with so reasonable a request4 ,i will now candidly confess to you that ,i do not think that the present ,ministry1 or1 as it is generally called1 the ,court ,ministry1 will be able to stand its ground2 nevertheless a change of ,ministry would not alter the aspect of our affair in the least1 for if the other or movement party come in1 the liberty of the press 7a great misfortune for ,spain7 would be probably granted2 at all events1 the influence of the ,english ,ambassador would be greater than it is even at present1 and upon his assistance ,i may rely at all times and occasions4 ,i am not aware that there is any great necessity for my continuance in ,spain2 nevertheless1 should you think there is1 you have only to command4 ,but ,i cannot help thinking that in a month or two when the heats are over ,mr4 ,graydon might return1 as nothing very difficult remains to be accomplished1 and ,i am sure that ,mr4 ,villiers at my entreaty would extend to him the patronage with which he has honoured me4 ,but1 as ,i before observed1 ,i am ready to do whatever the ,bible ,society may deem expedient4 ,do not forget the two letters of thanks to the ,ambassador1 and it would not be unwise to transmit a vote of thanks to ',his ,excellence ,antonio ,alcala ,galiano1 ,president of ,marine1' who has been of great assistance to me4 ,i have the honour to be1 ,revd4 and dear ,sir1 your most obedient servant1 ,g4 ,b4 ,p4,s4--,in about six weeks ,i shall want some more money4 ,my best remembrances to ,mr4 ,jowett4 ,to the ,rev4 ,a4 ,brandram 7,endorsed3 recd4 ,july #cjth1 #ahcf7 ,,madrid1 ,july #aith1 #ahcf4 ,,revd4 ,,and ,,dear ,,sir1--,as ,i believe you have no account of my proceedings at ,badajoz1 ,i send you the following which will perhaps serve for your ',monthly ,extracts4' ,i have corrected and improved my translation of the ,lord's ,prayer into ,rommany1 and should it be printed1 let it be done so with care4 ,perhaps in a few days ,i shall send a general account of what ,i have been about since my arrival at ,madrid1 but ,i am at present very feeble and languid1 and can scarcely hold a pen4 ,there is nothing new here1 all is quiet1 and ,i hope will continue so4 ,my time does not pass very agreeably1 ,i am without books or conversation1 for all my acquaintance have left the place to escape from the intolerable heat4 ,i often sigh for ,russia1 and wish ,i was there1 editing ,mandchou or ,armenian2 pray remember me kindly to ,mr4 ,jowett and to my other friends4 ,i remain1 etc4 ,g4 ,,borrow4 ,about one o'clock in the afternoon of the #fth of ,january1 #ahcf1 ,i crossed the bridge of the ,guadiana1 a boundary river between ,portugal and ,spain1 and entered ,badajoz1 a strong ,spanish town containing about #hjjj inhabitants1 and founded by the ,romans4 ,i instantly returned thanks to ,god who had protected me during a journey of five days through the wilds of ,alemtejo1 the province of ,portugal the most infested by robbers and desperate characters1 and which ,i had traversed with no other human companion than a lad1 nearly idiotic1 who was to convey back the mules which carried myself and baggage4 ,it was not my intention to make much stay at ,badajoz1 and as a vehicle would set out for ,madrid the day next but one after my arrival1 ,i proposed to depart therein for the capital of ,spain4 ,the next morning ,i was standing at the door of the inn where ,i had taken up my residence2 the weather was gloomy1 and rain seemed to be at hand4 ,i was thinking of the state of the country ,i had lately entered1 which was involved in bloody anarchy and confusion1 and where the ministers of a religion1 falsely styled ,catholic and ,christian1 were blowing the trump of war1 instead of preaching the love-engendering words of the blessed ,gospel4 ,suddenly two men wrapped in long cloaks came down the narrow and almost deserted street4 ,they were about to pass me1 and the face of the nearest was turned full towards me4 ,i knew to whom the countenance which he displayed must belong1 and ,i touched him on the shoulder4 ,the man stopped and his companion also2 ,i said a certain word1 to which after an exclamation of surprise he responded in the manner which ,i expected4 ,the men were of that singular family1 or race1 which has diffused itself over every part of the civilized globe1 and the members of which are known as ,gypsies1 ,bohemians1 ,gitanos1 ,zigani1 and by many other names1 but whose proper appellation seems to be ',rommany1' from the circumstance that in many and distant countries they so style themselves1 and also the language which they speak amongst each other4 ,we began conversing in the ,spanish dialect of this language1 with which ,i was tolerably well acquainted4 ,upon inquiring of my two newly-made acquaintances whether there were many of their people at ,badajoz and in the vicinity1 they informed me that there were nine or ten families residing in the town1 and that there were others at ,merida1 a town about nine leagues distant4 ,i asked by what means they supported themselves1 and they replied that they and their brethren gained a livelihood by jobbing in horses1 mules1 etc41 but that all those in ,badajoz were very poor1 with the exception of one man1 who was exceedingly mubalballo or rich1 as he was in possession of many horses and other beasts4 ,they removed their cloaks for a moment1 and ,i saw that their undergarments were rags4 ,they left me in haste1 and went about the town informing the rest that a stranger was arrived1 who spoke ,rommany as well as themselves1 who had the eyes and face of a ,gitano1 and seemed to be of the eratti1 or blood4 ,in less than half-an-hour the street before the inn was filled with the men1 women1 and children of ,egypt4 ,i went out amongst them1 and my heart sank within me as ,i surveyed them2 so much squalidness1 dirt1 and misery ,i had never before seen amongst a similar number of human beings4 ,but the worst of all was the evil expression of their countenances1 plainly denoting that they were familiar with every species of crime2 and it was not long before ,i found that their countenances did not belie them4 ,after they had asked me an infinity of questions1 and felt my hands1 face1 and clothes1 they retired to their homes4 ,my meeting with these wretched people was the reason of my remaining at ,badajoz a much longer time than ,i originally intended4 ,i wished to become better acquainted with their condition and manners1 and above all to speak to them about ,christ and ,his ,word1 for ,i was convinced that should ,i travel to the end of the universe ,i should meet with none who were more in need of ,christian exhortation1 and ,i accordingly continued at ,badajoz for nearly three weeks4 ,during this time ,i was almost constantly amongst them1 and as ,i spoke their language and was considered by them as one of themselves1 ,i had better opportunities of coming to a fair conclusion respecting their character than any other person1 whether ,spaniard or foreigner1 could have hoped for1 not possessed of a similar advantage4 ,the result of my observations was a firm belief that the ,spanish ,gitanos are the most vile1 degraded1 and wretched people upon the earth4 ,in no part of the world does the ,gypsy race enjoy a fair fame and reputation1 there being no part where they are not considered1 and ,i believe with justice1 as cheats and swindlers2 but those of ,spain are not only all this1 but far more4 ,the ,gypsies of ,england1 ,russia1 etc41 live by fraud of various descriptions1 but they seldom commit acts of violence1 and their vices are none or very few2 the men are not drunkards1 nor are the women harlots2 but the ,gypsy of ,spain is a cheat in the market-place1 a brigand and murderer on the high-road1 and a drunkard in the wine-shop1 and his wife is a harlot and thief on all times and occasions4 ,the excessive wickedness of these outcasts may perhaps be attributed to their having abandoned their wandering life and become inmates of the towns1 where to the original bad traits of their character they have super-added the evil and vicious habits of the rabble4 ,their mouths teem with abomination1 and in no part of the world have ,i heard such frequent1 frightful1 and extraordinary cursing as amongst them4 ,religion they have none2 they never attend mass1 nor confess themselves1 and never employ the names of ,god1 ,christ and the ,virgin1 but in imprecation and blasphemy4 ,from what ,i learnt from them it appeared that their ancestors had some belief in metempsychosis1 but they themselves laughed at the idea1 and were decidedly of opinion that the soul perished when the body ceased to breathe2 and the argument which they used was rational enough1 so far as it impugned metempsychosis3 ',we have been wicked and miserable enough in this life1' they said2 'why should we live again8' ,i translated certain portions of ,scripture into their dialect1 which ,i frequently read to them1 especially the parables of ,lazarus and the ,prodigal ,son1 and told them that the latter had been as wicked as themselves1 and both had suffered as much or more2 but that the sufferings of the former1 who always looked forward to a blessed resurrection1 were recompensed in the world to come by admission to the society of ,abraham and the prophets1 and that the latter1 when he repented of his crimes1 was forgiven and received into as much favour as the just son had always enjoyed4 ,they listened with admiration1 but alas6 not of the truths1 the eternal truths ,i was telling them1 but at finding that their broken jargon could be written and read4 ,the only words of assent to the heavenly doctrine which ,i ever obtained1 and which were rather of the negative kind1 were the following1 from a woman3 ',brother1 you tell us strange things1 though perhaps you do not lie2 a month since ,i would sooner have believed these tales1 than that ,i should this day have seen one who could write ,rommany4' ,they possess a vast number of songs or couplets which they recite to the music of the guitar4 ,for the purpose of improving myself in the language ,i collected and wrote down upwards of one hundred of these couplets1 the subjects of which are horse-stealing1 murder1 and the various incidents of gypsy-life in ,spain4 ,perhaps a collection of songs more characteristic of the people from whom they originated was never made1 though amongst them are to be found some tender and beautiful thoughts1 though few and far between1 as a flower or shrub is here and there seen springing from the interstices of the rugged and frightful rocks of which are composed the mountains and sierras of ,spain4 ,the following is their traditionary account of the expulsion of their fathers from ,egypt4 ',and it came to pass that ,pharaoh the ,king collected numerous armies for the purpose of war2 and after he had conquered the whole world1 he challenged ,god to descend from heaven and fight him2 but the ,lord replied1 ,there is no one who shall fight with ,me2 and thereupon the ,lord opened a mountain1 and ,he cast therein ,pharaoh the ,king and all his numerous armies2 so that the ,egyptians remained without defence1 and their enemies arose and scattered them wide abroad4' ,to the ,rev4 ,a4 ,brandram ,no4 #af ,,calle ,,de ,,santiago1 ,,madrid1 ,july #beth1 #ahcf4 ,,revd4 ,,and ,,dear ,,sir1--,i enclose you a letter from a ,spanish gentleman who wishes to become a subscriber to the ,society4 ,he is a person of great respectability1 great learning1 and is likewise one of the editors of the ,espanol1 the principal newspaper in ,spain4 ,should you accept his offer of becoming a correspondent1 he may be of infinite service1 as the newspaper which he superintends would be always open to the purposes of the ,society4 ,he has connections all over ,spain1 and no one could assist more effectually in diffusing the ,scriptures when printed4 ,he wishes very much to have an account of the proceedings of the ,society1 therefore any books you could send him relating thereto would be highly acceptable4 ,great things might be done in ,spain1 and ,i am convinced that if there was a ,protestant church in ,madrid it would be crammed4 ,i have spoken to ,mr4 ,wood1 an ,englishman1 the printer of the ,espanol1 who has the best printing presses in ,spain1 and he is willing to begin the work whenever you think proper3 he will engage to bring it out in three months1 in the same shape as the ,catalan ,testaments4 ,in order that you may have as little trouble as possible1 ,i have translated ,dr4 ,usoz's letter4 ,i have not thought fit to transmit the printed paper which he alludes to1 as it would make this letter very bulky4 ,it is an official account of his studies1 and the honours he attained at the ,university4 ,i remain1 ,revd4 and dear ,sir1 ,most truly yours1 ,g4 ,,borrow4 ,,translation ,,of ,,dr4 ,,usoz',s ,,letter4 ,gentlemen of the ,british and ,foreign ,bible ,society1 ,having by good fortune become acquainted with your ,agent1 ,mr4 ,g4 ,borrow1 at present residing in this city1 and having learnt from him that ,i might take the liberty of addressing myself to you for the purpose of inquiring whether you would have any objection to insert my name in your list as a member1 ,i avail myself of the present opportunity to do so1 and hope that my wishes will be gratified4 ,i believe it is necessary for every member to pay #a pound sterling1 or #ajj reals of our coin1 annually2 perhaps you will inform me when1 and in whose hands1 ,i may deposit this sum4 ,as ,i have no other object in this than to endeavour1 by all the means in my power1 to cause the ,scriptures to be read as much as possible in my unhappy country1 ,i should wish to be considered in the light of a correspondent1 as ,i flatter myself that if you would consent1 after taking the necessary precautions1 to entrust me with copies of the ,scripture1 ,i should find no difficulty in circulating them in every province of my country4 ,being fully convinced that nothing but the reading of the ,bible can form the basis of solid liberty in ,spain1 ,i will employ every effort to promote it1 if your philanthropic ,society will assist me4 ,it would answer no purpose to occupy your attention by speaking prolixly of the purity of my intention and my zeal2 time and experience will speak either for or against me2 ,i will merely enclose this printed paper1 by which you will learn who he is who has taken the liberty of writing to you4 ,it is superfluous to add that1 should you consent to my desire1 ,i should want all the notices and documents respecting your ,society which you could supply me with4 ,as ,i possess some knowledge of ,english1 you might avail yourselves of this language in your answer1 provided the letters used be written clearly4 ,i have the honour1 etc4 ,,luis ,,de ,,usoz ,y ,,rio4 ,p4,s4--,should you direct to me directly1 or by other means than the post1 my address is3 ,a ,d4 ,luis de ,usoz y ,rio1 ,calle de ,santa ,catalina1 ,no4 #ab nuevo1 ,madrid4 ,to ,j4 ,jackson1 ,esq4 7,endorsed3 recd4 ,aug4 #bfth1 #ahcf7 ,,madrid1 ,aug4 #aj1 #ahcf4 ,,my ,,dear ,,sir1--,i have received your two letters containing the #ej pounds and the resolution of the ,society2 ,i have likewise received ,mr4 ,brandram's4 ,i shall make the provisional engagement to print as desired1 and shall leave ,madrid as soon as possible2 but ,i must here inform you that ,i shall find much difficulty in returning to ,england1 as all the provinces are disturbed in consequence of the ,constitution of #ahab having been proclaimed1 and the roads are swarming with robbers and banditti4 ,it is my intention to join some muleteers and attempt to reach ,granada1 from whence1 if possible1 ,i shall proceed to ,malaga or ,gibraltar1 and thence to ,lisbon1 where ,i left the greatest part of my baggage4 ,do not be surprised therefore1 if ,i am tardy in making my appearance4 ,it is no easy thing at present to travel in ,spain4 ,but all these troubles are for the benefit of the ,cause1 and must not be repined at4 ,i remain1 my dear ,sir1 most truly yours1 ,g4 ,b4 ,report of ,mr4 ,geo4 ,borrow's late ,proceedings in ,spain ,,london1 ,october #ag1 #ahcf4 ,on the #afth of ,january ,i quitted ,badajoz1 a ,spanish town on the frontier of ,portugal1 for ,madrid1 whither ,i arrived in safety4 ,as my principal motive for visiting the ,spanish capital was the hope of obtaining permission from the ,government to print the ,new ,testament in the ,castilian language in ,spain1 ,i lost no time upon my arrival in taking what ,i considered to be the necessary steps4 ,i must here premise that ,i was an entire stranger at ,madrid1 and that ,i bore no letters1 of introduction to any person of influence whose credit might have assisted me in this undertaking2 so that notwithstanding ,i entertained a hope of success1 relying on the assistance of the ,almighty1 this hope was not at all times very vivid1 but was frequently overcast with the clouds of despondency4 ,mr4 ,mendizabal was at this time ,prime ,minister of ,spain1 and was considered as a man of almost unbounded power1 in whose hands were placed the destinies of the country4 ,i therefore considered that if ,i could by any means induce him to favour my view ,i should have no reason to fear interruption from other quarters1 and ,i determined upon applying to him2 but though ,i essayed two or three times to obtain an interview with him1 ,i failed1 as he was far too much engrossed in important business to receive a humble and unknown stranger4 ,in this dilemma ,i bethought me of waiting upon ,mr4 ,villiers1 the ,british ,ambassador at ,madrid1 and craving with the freedom permitted to a ,british subject his advice and assistance in this most interesting affair4 ,i was received by him with great kindness1 and enjoyed a conversation with him on various subjects1 before ,i introduced the matter which ,i had most at heart4 ,he said that if ,i wished for an interview with ,mr4 ,m4 he would endeavour to procure me one2 but at the same time told me frankly that he could not hope that any good would arise from it1 as ,mr4 ,m4 was violently prejudiced against the ,british and ,foreign ,bible ,society1 and was far more likely to discountenance than encourage any efforts which they might be disposed to make for introducing the ,gospel into ,spain4 ,i however remained resolute in my desire to make the trial1 and before ,i left him obtained a letter of introduction to ,mr4 ,mendizabal1 with whom ,i had an interview a few days after4 ,the particulars of this interview have been detailed on a former occasion4 ,it will be sufficient to state here that ,i obtained from ,mr4 ,mendizabal1 if not immediate permission to print the ,scriptures1 a promise that at the expiration of a few months1 when he hoped that the country would be in a more tranquil state1 ,i should be at full liberty to do so1 with which promise ,i departed well satisfied1 and full of gratitude to the ,lord1 who seemed to have so wonderfully smoothed my way in an enterprise which at first sight seemed particularly arduous and difficult4 ,before three months had elapsed ,mr4 ,mendizabal had ceased to be ,prime ,minister2 with his successor1 ,mr4 ,isturitz1 ,i had become acquainted1 and also with his colleagues1 ,galiano and the ,duke de ,rivas1 and it was not long before ,i obtained--not however without much solicitation and difficulty--the permission which ,i so ardently desired4 ,before1 however1 ,i could turn it to my account1 the revolution broke out in ,spain1 and the press became free4 ,the present appears to be a moment peculiarly well adapted for commencing operations in ,spain1 the aim and view of which should be the introducing into that singularly unhappy portion of the world the knowledge of the ,saviour4 ,the clouds of bigotry and superstition which for so many centuries cast their dreary shadow upon ,spain1 are to a considerable degree dispelled1 and there is little reason for supposing that they will ever again conglomerate4 ,the ,papal ,see is no longer regarded with reverence1 and its agents and ministers have incurred universal scorn and odium2 therefore any fierce and determined resistance to the ,gospel in ,spain is not to be apprehended either from the people themselves1 or from the clergy1 who are well aware of their own weakness4 ,it is scarcely necessary to remark that every country which has been long subjected to the sway of popery is in a state of great and deplorable ignorance4 ,spain1 as might have been expected1 has not escaped this common fate1 and the greatest obstacle to the diffusion of the ,gospel light amongst the ,spaniards would proceed from the great want of education amongst them4 ,perhaps there are no people in the world to whom nature has been1 as far as regards mental endowments1 more bounteously liberal than the ,spaniards4 ,they are generally acute and intelligent to an extraordinary degree1 and express themselves with clearness1 fluency1 and elegance upon all subjects which are within the scope of their knowledge4 ,it may indeed be said of the mind of a ,spaniard1 as of his country1 that it merely requires cultivation to be a garden of the first order2 but1 unhappily1 both1 up to the present time1 have been turned to the least possible account4 ,few amongst the lower class of the population of the towns are acquainted with letters1 and fewer still amongst the peasantry2 but though compelled to acknowledge the ignorance of the ,spaniards in general1 ,i have great pleasure in being able to state that during the latter years it has been becoming less and less1 and that the rising generation is by no means so illiterate as the last1 which was itself superior in acquirements to the preceding one4 ,it is to be hoped that the progress in improvement will still continue1 and that within a few years the blessings of education will be as generally diffused amongst the ,spaniards as amongst the people of ,france and ,england4 ,government has already commenced the establishment of ,normal ,schools1 and though the state of the country1 convulsed with the horrors of civil war1 precludes the possibility of devoting to them the care and attention which they deserve1 ,i have no doubt that when it shall please the ,lord to vouchsafe peace unto ,spain they will receive all the requisite patronage and support1 as their utility is already generally recognised4 ,before quitting ,madrid ,i entered into negotiation with ,mr4 ,charles ,wood1 a respectable ,englishman established there1 for the printing of #ejjj copies of the ,new ,testament in ,spanish1 which number1 if on good paper and in handsome type1 ,i have little doubt might be easily disposed of within a short time in the capital and in the principal provincial towns of ,spain1 particularly ,cadiz and ,seville1 where the people are more enlightened than in other parts in most respects1 and where many would be happy to obtain the sacred volume in a handsome yet cheap form1 and some in any shape whatever--as there the ,word of ,god is at least known by reputation1 and no small curiosity has of late years been manifested concerning it1 though unfortunately that curiosity has not hitherto been gratified1 for reasons too well known to require recapitulation4 ,in the rural districts the chances of the ,scriptures are considerably less1 for there1 as far as ,i am aware1 not only no curiosity has been excited respecting it1 but it is not known by name1 and when mentioned to the people1 is considered to be nothing more or less than the mass-book of the ,romish ,church4 ,on various occasions ,i have conversed with the peasantry of ,estremadura1 ,la ,mancha1 and ,andalusia respecting the holy ,book1 and without one exception they were not only ignorant of its contents1 but ignorant of its nature2 some who could read1 and pretended to be acquainted with it1 said that it contained hymns to the ,virgin1 and was written by the ,pope2 yet the peasantry of these three provinces are by no means the least enlightened of ,spain1 but perhaps the reverse4 ,in a word1 great as the ignorance of the generality of the ,spaniards upon most essential points is1 they are principally ignorant of the one most essential of all1 the religion of our ,lord and ,saviour ,jesus ,christ4 ,no time1 however1 ought to be lost in supplying those with the word who are capable of receiving it2 though millions in ,spain are undoubtedly beyond the reach of any efforts which the ,bible ,society can make to assist them1 however much it may have at heart their eternal salvation1 it is gratifying to have grounds for belief that thousands are able and willing to profit by the exertions which may be made to serve them4 ,though the days of the general orange-gathering are not arrived1 when the tree requires but a slight shaking to scatter its ripe and glorious treasures on the head of the gardener1 still goodly and golden fruit is to be gathered on the most favoured and sunny branches2 the quantity is small in comparison with what remains green and acid1 but there is enough to repay the labour of him who is willing to ascend to cull it2 the time of the grand and general harvesting is approaching1 perhaps it will please the ,almighty to hasten it2 and it may even now be nearer than the most sanguine of us dares to hope4 ,g4 ,,borrow4 ,to the ,rev4 ,a4 ,brandram 7,endorsed3 recd4 ,nov4 #cjth1 #ahcf7 ,,lisbon1 ,novr4 #aeth1 #ahcf4 ,,revd4 ,,and ,,dear ,,sir1--,on taking leave of you ,i promised to write from ,cadiz1 and ,i still hope to perform my promise2 but as ,i am apprehensive that several days will elapse before ,i shall reach that place ,i avail myself of the present opportunity of informing you that ,i am alive and well1 lest you should become uneasy at not hearing from me at the time you expected4 ,it is owing to the mercy of ,god that1 instead of being able to pen these lines1 ,i am not at the present moment floundering in the brine1 a prey to the fishes and monsters of the ocean4 ,we had a most unpleasant passage to ,falmouth4 ,the ship was crowded with passengers1 most of whom were poor consumptive individuals and other invalids1 fleeing from the cold blasts of ,england's winter to the sunny shores of ,portugal and ,madeira4 ,in a more uncomfortable vessel1 especially steam-ship1 it has never been my fate to make a voyage2 the berths were small and insupportably close1 and of the wretched holes mine was amongst the worst1 the rest having been for the most part bespoken before ,i arrived on board1 so that to avoid the suffocation which seemed to threaten me ,i lay upon the floor of one of the cabins1 and continued to do so until my arrival here4 ,we remained at ,falmouth twenty-four hours1 taking in coals and repairing the engine1 which had sustained considerable damage4 ,on ,monday the #gth inst4 we again started and made for the ,bay of ,biscay2 the sea was high and the wind strong and contrary1 nevertheless on the morning of the fourth day we were in sight of the rocky coast to the north of ,cape ,finisterre4 ,i must here observe that this was the first voyage that the captain who commanded the vessel had ever made on board of her1 and that he knew little or nothing about the coast towards which we were bearing2 he was a person picked up in a hurry1 the former captain having resigned his command on the ground that the ship was not sea-worthy1 and that the engines were frequently unserviceable4 ,i was not acquainted with these circumstances at the time1 or perhaps ,i should have felt more alarmed than ,i did when ,i saw the vessel approaching nearer and nearer to the shore1 till at last we were only a few hundred yards distant4 ,as it was1 however1 ,i felt very much surprised1 for having passed it twice before1 both times in steam-vessels1 and having seen with what care the captains endeavoured to maintain a wide offing1 ,i could not conceive the reason of our being now so near the dangerous region4 ,the wind was blowing hard towards the shore1 if that can be called a shore which consists of steep abrupt precipices1 on which the surf was breaking with the noise of thunder1 tossing up clouds of spray and foam to the height of a cathedral4 ,we coasted slowly along1 rounding several tall forelands1 some of them piled up by the hand of nature in the most fantastic shapes1 until about the fall of night4 ,cape ,finisterre was not far ahead1 a bluff brown granite mountain1 whose frowning head may be seen far away by those who travel the ocean4 ,the stream which poured round its breast was terrific1 and though our engines plied with all their force1 we made little or no way4 ,by about eight o'clock at night1 the wind had increased to a hurricane1 the thunder rolled frightfully1 and the only light which we had to guide us on our way was the red forked lightning which burst at times from the bosom of the big black clouds which lowered over our heads4 ,we were exerting ourselves to the utmost to weather the cape1 which we could descry by the lightning on our lee1 its brow being frequently brilliantly lighted up by the flashes which quivered around it1 when suddenly1 with a great crash1 the engine broke1 and the paddles on which depended our lives ceased to play4 ,i will not attempt to depict the scene of horror and confusion which ensued3 it may be imagined1 but never described4 ,the captain1 to give him his due1 displayed the utmost coolness and intrepidity1 and he and the whole crew made the greatest exertions to repair the engine1 and when they found their labour in vain1 endeavoured by hoisting the sails and by practising all possible manoeuvres to preserve the ship from impending destruction4 ,but all was of no use2 we were hard on a lee shore1 to which the howling tempest was impelling us4 ,about this time ,i was standing near the helm1 and ,i asked the steersman if there was any hope of saving the vessel or our lives2 he replied1 ',sir1 it is a bad affair2 no boat could for a minute live in this sea1 and in less than an hour the ship will have her broadside on ,finisterre1 where the strongest man-of-war ever built must go to shivers instantly4 ,none of us will see the morning4' ,the captain likewise informed the other passengers in the cabin to the same effect1 telling them to prepare themselves1 and having done so he ordered the door to be fastened1 and none to be permitted to come on deck4 ,i1 however1 kept my station1 though almost drowned with water1 immense waves continually breaking over our windward side and flooding the ship2 the water-casks broke from their lashings1 and one of them struck me down1 and crushed the foot of the unfortunate man at the helm1 whose place was instantly taken by the captain4 ,we were now close on the rocks1 when a horrid convulsion of the elements took place2 the lightning enveloped us as with a mantle1 the thunders were louder than the roar of a million cannon1 the dregs of the ocean seemed to be cast up1 and in the midst of all this turmoil the wind1 without the slightest intimation veered right about1 and pushed us from the horrible coast faster than it had previously drawn us towards it4 ,the oldest sailors on board acknowledged that they had never witnessed so providential an escape4 ,i said from the bottom of my heart1 ',our ,father3 hallowed be ,thy name4' ,the next day we were near foundering1 for the sea was exceedingly high1 and our vessel1 which was not intended for sailing1 laboured terribly1 and leaked much4 ,the pumps were continually working4 ,she likewise took fire1 but the flames were extinguished4 ,in the evening the steam-engine was partially repaired1 and we reached ,lisbon on the #acth4 ,most of my clothes and other things are spoiled1 for the hold was overflowed with the water from the boiler and the leak4 ,the vessel will be ready for sea in about a week1 when ,i shall depart for ,cadiz2 but most of the passengers who intended going farther than ,lisbon have abandoned her1 as they say she is doomed4 ,but ,i have more trust in the ,lord that governeth the winds1 and in whose hands the seas are as a drop4 ,he who preserved us at ,finisterre can preserve elsewhere1 and if it be ,his will that we perish1 the firm ground is not more secure than the heaving sea4 ,i have seen our excellent friend ,mr4 ,wilby1 and delivered to him the parcel1 with which ,i was entrusted4 ,he has been doing everything in his power to further the sale of the sacred volume in ,portuguese2 indeed his zeal and devotedness are quite admirable1 and the ,society can never appreciate his efforts too highly4 ,but since ,i was last at ,lisbon the distracted state of the country has been a great obstacle to him2 people's minds are so engrossed with politics that they find no time to think of their souls4 ,before this reaches you1 you will doubtless have heard of the late affair at ,belem1 where poor ,freire 7,i knew him well7 one of the ex-,ministers lost his life1 and which nearly ended in an affray between the ,english forces and the native4 ,the opinions of the ,portuguese seem to be decidedly democratic1 and ,i have little doubt that were the ,english squadron withdrawn the unfortunate young ,queen would lose her crown within a month1 and be compelled with her no less unfortunate young husband to seek a refuge in another country4 ,i repeat that ,i hope to write to you from ,cadiz2 ,i shall probably be soon in the allotted field of my labours1 distracted1 miserable ,spain4 ,the news from thence is at present particularly dismal2 the ferocious ,gomez1 after having made an excursion into ,estremadura1 which he ravaged like a pestilence1 has returned to ,andalusia1 the whole of which immense province seems to be prone at his feet4 ,i shall probably find ,seville occupied by his hordes1 but ,i fear them not1 and trust that the ,lord will open the path for me to ,madrid4 ,one thing ,i am resolved upon3 either to be the instrument of doing something for ,spain1 or never to appear again in my native land4 ,g4 ,b4 ,to the ,rev4 ,a4 ,brandram 7,endorsed3 recd4 ,dec4 #bhth1 #ahcf7 ,,seville1 ,dec4 #eth1 #ahcf4 ,,revd4 ,,and ,,dear ,,sir1--,i arrived safely at ,cadiz on the #bast ult42 the steam-engine had been partially repaired at ,lisbon1 and our passage was speedy and prosperous4 ,i was happy to have reached the shores of ,spain1 being eager to enter upon my allotted task4 ,cadiz is a small but beautiful city1 built upon a tongue of land and surrounded on all points but one by the sea1 which dashes up against its walls3 the houses are lofty1 and of a dazzling whiteness2 the streets are straight and narrow4 ,on my arrival ,i found great confusion reigning3 numerous bands of the factious were reported to be hovering in the neighbourhood1 an attack was not deemed improbable1 and the place had just been declared in a state of siege4 ,i took up my abode at the ,french ,hotel1 in the ,calle de la ,niveria1 and was allotted a species of cock-loft or garret to sleep in1 for the house was filled with guests1 being a place of much resort on account of the excellent table d'hote which is kept there4 ,i dressed myself and walked about the town4 ,i entered several coffee houses3 the din of tongues in all was deafening2 in one no less than six orators were haranguing at the same time on the state of the country1 and the probability of an intervention on the part of ,england and ,france4 ,as ,i was listening to one of them he suddenly called upon me for my opinion1 as ,i was a foreigner1 and seemingly just arrived4 ,i replied that ,i could not venture to guess what steps the two ,governments would pursue under the present circumstances1 but thought that it would be as well if the ,spaniards would exert themselves more1 and call less on ,jupiter4 ,as ,i did not wish to engage in any political conversation ,i instantly quitted the house1 and sought those parts of the town where the lower classes principally reside4 ,i entered into discourse with several individuals1 but found them very ignorant2 none could write or read1 and their ideas respecting religion were anything but satisfactory1 most professing a perfect indifference4 ,i afterwards went into a bookseller's shop1 and made enquiries respecting the demand for literature1 which he informed me was small4 ,i produced our #bdmo edition of the ,new ,testament in ,spanish1 and asked the bookseller whether he thought a book of that description would sell in ,cadiz4 ,he said it was exceedingly beautiful1 both in type and paper1 but it was a work not sought after1 and very little known4 ,i did not pursue my enquiries in other shops1 for ,i reflected that ,i was not very likely to receive a very favourable opinion from booksellers respecting a publication in which they had no interest4 ,i had1 moreover1 but two or three copies of the ,new ,testament with me1 and could not have supplied them had they given me an order4 ,that night ,i became very unwell1 and was apprehending that ,i had been seized with the cholera1 as the symptoms of my complaint were very similar to those which accompany that disorder4 ,i was for some time in most acute pain1 and terribly sick2 ,i drank oil mixed with brandy1 and in some degree recovered1 and for the two succeeding days was very feeble1 and able to undertake nothing4 ,this attack was the cause of my not writing to you from ,cadiz as ,i had fully intended4 ,early on the #bdth ,i embarked for ,seville in the small ,spanish steamer the ,betis4 ,the morning was wet1 and the aspect of nature was enveloped in a dense mist1 which prevented my observing surrounding objects4 ,after proceeding about six leagues1 we reached the north-eastern extremity of the bay of ,cadiz1 and passed by ,saint ,lucar1 an ancient town close by where the ,guadalquivir disembogues itself4 ,the mist suddenly disappeared1 and the sun of ,spain burst forth in full brilliancy1 enlivening all around1 and particularly myself1 who had till then been lying on the deck in a dull melancholy stupor4 ,we entered the mouth of the ',great ,river1' for that is the ,english translation of ,qued al ,kiber1 as the ,moors designated the ancient ,betis4 ,we came to anchor for a few minutes at a little village called ,bonanca1 at the extremity of the first reach of the river1 where we received several passengers1 and again proceeded4 ,there is not much in the appearance of the ,guadalquivir to interest the traveller3 the banks are low and destitute of trees1 the adjacent country is flat1 and only in the distance is seen a range of tall blue sierras4 ,the water is turbid and muddy1 and in colour closely resembling the contents of a duck-pool2 the average width of the stream is from #aej to #bjj yards4 ,but it is impossible to move along this river without remembering that it has borne the ,roman1 the ,vandal1 and the ,arab1 and has been the witness of deeds which have resounded through the world1 and been the themes of immortal song4 ,i repeated ,latin verses and fragments of old ,spanish ballads1 till we reached ,seville at about nine o'clock of a lovely moonlight night4 ,before entering upon more important matter ,i will say a few words respecting ,seville and its curiosities4 ,it contains #ij1jjj inhabitants1 and is situated on the left bank of the ,guadalquivir1 about eighteen leagues from its mouth4 ,it is surrounded with high ,moorish walls1 in a good state of preservation1 and built of such durable materials that it is probable they will for many centuries bid defiance to the encroachment of time4 ,the most remarkable edifices are the cathedral and ,alcazar or palace of the ,moorish kings4 ,the tower of the former1 called ,la ,giralda1 belongs to the period of the ,moors1 and formed part of the ,grand ,mosque of ,seville4 ,it is #bbj ells in height1 and is ascended not by stairs or ladders1 but by a vaulted pathway1 in the manner of an inclined plane2 this path is by no means steep1 so that a cavalier might ride up to the top1 a feat which ,ferdinand the ,seventh is said to have accomplished4 ,the view from the summit is very extensive1 and on a fine clear day the ridge called the ,sierra de ,ronda may be discovered though the distance is upward of twenty-two leagues4 ,the cathedral itself is a noble ,gothic structure1 reputed the finest of the kind in ,spain4 ,in the chapels allotted to the various saints are some of the most magnificent paintings which ,spanish art has produced4 ,here are to be seen the far-famed ',angel of the ,guard1' by ,murillo1 his ',saint ,anthony at ,devotion1' the celestial spirits hovering around him1 and ,saint ,thomas of ,villa ,nueva bestowing ,charity'2 there are also some pictures by ,soberan 8 ,zurbaran of almost inestimable value4 ,indeed1 the cathedral at ,seville is at the present time far more rich in splendid paintings than at any former period1 possessing many very recently removed from some of the suppressed convents1 particularly from the ,capuchin and ,franciscan4 ,no one should visit ,seville without paying particular attention to the ,alcazar4 ,it is perhaps the most perfect specimen of ,moorish architecture which is at present to be found in ,europe4 ,it contains many splendid halls1 particularly that of the ,ambassadors1 so called1 which is in every respect more magnificent than the one of the same name within the ,alhambra of ,granada4 ,this palace was a favourite residence of ,peter the ,cruel1 who carefully repaired it1 without altering its ,moorish character and appearance4 ,it probably remains in much the same state as at the time of his death4 ,on the right side of the river is a large suburb called ,triana1 communicating with ,seville by means of a bridge of boats2 for there is no permanent bridge across the ,guadalquivir owing to the violent inundations to which it is subject4 ,this suburb is inhabited by the dregs of the populace1 and abounds with ,gitanos or ,gypsies4 ,about a league and a half to the north-west stands the village of ,santo ,ponce2 at the foot and on the side of some elevated ground higher up are to be seen vestiges of ruined walls and edifices which once formed part of ,italica1 the birth-place of ,silius ,italicus and ,trajan1 from which latter personage ,triana derives its name4 ,one fine morning ,i walked thither1 and having ascended the hill ,i directed my course northward4 ,i soon reached what had once been bagnios1 and a little farther on1 in a kind of valley between two gentle acclivities1 the amphitheatre4 ,this latter object is by far the most considerable relic of ancient ,italica2 it is oval in its form1 with two gateways1 fronting the east and west4 ,on all sides are to be seen the time-worn broken granite benches1 from whence myriads of human beings once gazed down on the area below1 where the gladiator shouted1 and the lion and leopard yelled4 ,all around beneath these flights of benches are vaulted excavations1 from whence the combatants1 part human1 part bestial1 darted forth by their several doors4 ,i spent several hours in this singular place1 forcing my way through the wild fennel and brushwood into the caverns1 now the haunts of adders and other reptiles1 whose hissings ,i heard4 ,having sated my curiosity1 ,i left the ruins1 and returning by another way reached a place where lay the carcase of a horse half-devoured4 ,upon it with lustrous eyes stood an enormous vulture1 who1 as ,i approached1 slowly soared aloft till he alighted on the eastern gate of the amphitheatre1 from whence he uttered a hoarse cry1 as if in anger that ,i had disturbed him from his feast of carrion4 ,and now for another subject4 ,you are doubtless anxious to know what are my projects1 and why ,i am not by this time further advanced on my way to ,madrid2 know then that the way to ,madrid is beset with more perils than harassed ,christian in his route to the ,eternal ,kingdom4 ,almost all communication is at an end between this place and the capital1 the diligences and waggons have ceased running1 even the bold arrieros or muleteers are at a stand-still2 and the reason is that the rural portion of ,spain1 especially this part1 is in a state of complete disorganisation and of blackest horror4 ,the three fiends1 famine1 plunder1 and murder1 are playing their ghastly revels unchecked2 bands of miscreants captained by such--what shall ,i call them8--as ,orejita and ,palillos1 are prowling about in every direction1 and woe to those whom they meet4 ,a few days since they intercepted an unfortunate courier1 and after scooping out his eyes put him to death with most painful tortures1 and mangled his body in a way not to be mentioned4 ,moreover1 the peasantry1 who have been repeatedly plundered by these fellows1 and who have had their horses and cattle taken from them by the ,carlists1 being reduced with their families to nakedness and the extreme of hunger1 seize in rage and desperation upon every booty which comes within their reach1 a circumstance which can awaken but little surprise4 ,this terrible state of things1 staring me in the face on my arrival at ,seville1 made me pause4 ,i thought that the tempest might in some degree subside1 but hitherto ,i have been disappointed4 ,my mind is at present made up4 ,i shall depart for ,madrid in two or three days1 at all risks4 ,the distance is #cjj miles4 ,i shall hire1 in the first place1 horses1 and a guide1 as far as ,cordova 7twenty-six leagues74 ,i shall have to pay a great price1 it is true1 but ,i have money1 praised be ,god1 who inspired me with the idea of putting fifty sovereigns in my pocket when ,i left ,london4 ,i should otherwise be helpless4 ,from ,cordova ,i must endeavour to obtain horses to ,val de ,penas 7twenty leagues71 which is half way to ,madrid4 ,were ,i at ,val de ,penas1 ,i should feel comparatively at ease2 for from thence ,i know the road1 having traversed it in my ways from ,madrid to ,grenada2 it moreover runs through ,la ,mancha1 which1 though infested with banditti1 is plain open ground1 and if ,i could obtain no guide or horses1 or had been plundered of my money1 ,i might hope to make my way on foot4 ,but ,i am ignorant of the country between ,seville and ,cordova1 and from ,cordova to ,val de ,penas4 ,the route is through the dismal and savage mountains of the ,sierra ,morena1 where ,i should inevitably be bewildered1 and perhaps1 if not murdered1 fall a prey to the wolves4 ,were the whole way known to me1 ,i would leave my baggage here and dressed as a beggar or ,gypsy set out on foot2 strange as this plan may sound in ,english ears1 it would be the safest course ,i could pursue4 ,should ,i perish in this journey1 keep the affair secret as long as possible from my dear mother1 and when it should be necessary to reveal it to her1 do me the favour to go to ,norwich on purpose2 should ,i reach ,madrid1 you will hear from me in about five weeks1 from the time you receive this4 ,it would be of no utility to write to you from ,cordova2 the letter would never reach you1 ,i hope this will4 ,gomez had not hitherto paid a visit to ,seville2 when ,i arrived here1 he was said to be in the neighbourhood of ,ronda4 ,the city was under watch and ward1 several gates had been blocked up with masonry1 trenches dug1 and redoubts erected1 but ,i am convinced that the place would not have held out six hours against a resolute assault4 ,gomez has proved himself to be a most extraordinary man1 and with his small army of ,aragonese and ,basques has within the last four months made the tour of ,spain2 he has very frequently been hemmed in with forces three times the number of his own1 in places whence escape seemed impossible1 but he has always baffled his enemies1 whom he seems to laugh at4 ,the most absurd accounts of victories gained over him are continually issuing from the press at ,seville2 the other day it was stated that his army had been utterly defeated1 himself killed1 and that #abjj prisoners were on their way to ,seville4 ,i saw these prisoners2 instead of #abjj desperadoes1 they consisted of about twenty poor lame ragged wretches1 many of them boys from fourteen to sixteen years of age2 they were evidently camp-followers1 who1 unable to keep up with the army1 had been picked up straggling in the plains and amongst the hills4 ,it now appears that no battle had occurred1 and that the death of ,gomez was a fiction4 ,the grand defect of ,gomez is not knowing how to take advantage of circumstances2 after his defeat of ,lopez he might have marched to ,madrid and proclaimed ,don ,carlos there1 and after sacking ,cordova1 he might have captured ,seville4 ,there are several booksellers' shops in ,seville1 in two of which ,i found copies of the ,new ,testament 7our own #abmo edition of #ahbf72 they had been obtained from ,gibraltar about two years since1 during which time six copies had been sold in one shop and four in the other4 ,i have become acquainted with an elderly person1 a ,genoese by birth1 who1 should we succeed in bringing out an edition of the sacred volume at ,madrid1 may be of service to us1 as a colporteur in this place and the neighbourhood1 where he is well known4 ,he has assured me of his willingness to undertake the task1 and1 if required1 to visit ,cordova1 ,grenada1 or any part of ,andalusia1 town or country2 he has been accustomed to bookselling1 and at one time he also brought some of our ,testaments from ,gibraltar1 all of which were however taken from him by the ,custom ,house officers with the exception of one copy1 which he afterwards disposed of to a lady for #cj reals 7#fs4 #f;d474 ,should the ,bible ,society be desirous to circulate the book in the rural districts of ,spain1 they must be prepared to make considerable sacrifices4 ,in some of the towns1 especially the sea-ports1 it is probable that many copies may be disposed of1 at a fair price2 but can it be expected that amongst myriads1 who are in want of the common necessaries of life1 who are without food1 fuel or clothing1 and on whose wretched heads the horrors which civil war--and such a civil war--have principally fallen1 men can have money for books8 ,i am willing to visit every part of ,spain1 and to risk my life a thousand times in laying ,god's ,word before the people1 but ,i can promise no more4 ,i have no extraordinary powers1 indeed scarcely those allotted to the average of humanity2 ,god1 it is true1 can operate wonders by any instrument1 but we must bide ,his will4 ,i have had the good fortune to form the acquaintance of ,mr4 ,wetherell1 an ,english gentleman1 who has for many years been established in a very important branch of business at ,seville4 ,he takes a warm interest in my mission1 and has frequently informed me that nothing will afford him greater pleasure than to further the cause at this place and in the neighbourhood2 as he employs a vast number of individuals1 ,i have little doubt that he has the power1 as he certainly has the will4 ,he is a virtuoso and possesses a singular collection of the ancient idols of ,mexico1 which bear a surprising resemblance to those used by the followers of the ,buddhist superstition4 ,in return for a translation of an ,arabic inscription which ,i made for him1 he presented me with a copy of the ,cabalistic book ,zohar1 in the ,rabbinical language and character1 which on the destruction of the ,inquisition at ,seville 7#ahbj7 he obtained from the library of that horrible tribunal4 ,pray remember me to ,mr4 ,jowett and ,mr4 ,browne and my other friends4 ,may the ,lord bless you1 my dear ,sir4 ,,george ,,borrow4 ,to the ,rev4 ,a4 ,brandram 7,endorsed3 recd4 ,jany4 #f1 #ahcg7 ,,madrid1 ,december #bfth1 #ahcf4 ,,revd4 ,,and ,,dear ,,sir1--,i am just arrived at ,madrid in safety4 ,it has pleased the ,lord to protect me through the perils of a most dismal journey4 ,i reached ,cordova in three days1 attended by the old ,italian whom ,i mentioned in my last letter1 for ,i could procure no other guide4 ,from ,cordova ,i have ridden to ,madrid in the company of a contrabandista1 or smuggler1 whose horses ,i insured1 and to whom ,i am to give a gratuity of #db dollars4 ,we passed through the horrible pass of ,despena ,perros in the ,sierra ,morena4 ,providence here manifested itself2 the day before1 the banditti of the pass committed a dreadful robbery and murder by which they sacked #dj1jjj reals2 they were probably content with their booty and did not interrupt me and my guide4 ,we entered ,la ,mancha1 where ,i expected to fall into the hands of ,palillos and ,orejita4 ,providence again showed itself4 ,it had been delicious weather2 suddenly the ,lord breathed forth a frozen blast1 the severity of which was almost intolerable2 no human being but ourselves ventured forth2 we traversed snow-covered plains and passed through villages and towns without seeing an individual2 the robbers kept close in their caves and hovels1 but the cold nearly killed me4 ,we reached ,aranjuez late on ,christmas day1 and ,i got into the house of an ,englishman1 where ,i swallowed nearly two bottles of brandy2 it affected me no more than warm water4 ,i am now at my journey's end1 and shall presently fall to work1 for ,i must lose no time1 but profit by the present opportunity4 ,all is quiet in ,madrid and in the neighbourhood2 ,gomez has returned to ,biscay4 ,if my letter be somewhat incoherent1 mind it not4 ,i have just alighted1 and the cold has still the mastery of me2 ,i shall send a journal in a few days which will be more circumstantial4 ,write to my mother and say ,i am in safety4 ,i shall write myself to-morrow1 ,i can no more now4 ,,george ,,borrow4 ,to ,j4 ,tarn1 ,esq4 7,endorsed3 recd4 ,jany4 #i1 #ahcg7 ,no4 #af ,,piso #c,,ro ,,calle ,,san ,,iago1 ,,madrid1 ,dec4 #cast1 #ahcf4 ,,my ,,dear ,,sir1--,i forward the bill of my expenses from the moment of my quitting ,london up to the time of my arrival at ,madrid4 ,when it is considered that ,i have been nearly two months on this most perilous journey1 it will probably not be deemed extravagant2 should that however be the case1 ,i shall be very willing to defray from my salary any deduction which may be made4 ,i beg leave to call your attention particularly to the expense of horse-hire4 ,i paid an ounce of gold for two miserable animals from ,seville to ,cordova1 ,i had to maintain them by the way1 to pay their expenses back1 and to provide a guide4 ,neither of the horses was worth what ,i paid for their hire2 it is true their master risked their being captured by the bands of robbers from whom ,i providentially escaped4 ,it will in future be much cheaper to purchase horses4 ,you will oblige me by informing me how my account with you stands1 for it seems ,i was indebted to you on departing4 ,i have seen ,mr4 ,o',shea and ,mr4 ,wood2 with the assistance of the former gentleman ,i hope to obtain the paper for the work at a considerable less price than that stated in ,mr4 ,w4's estimate1 as ,mr4 ,o',shea is connected with the paper-mills of ,catalonia4 ,i shall write to ,mr4 ,brandram in a few days and in the meanwhile remain1 etc41 ,g4 ,,borrow4 ,to the ,rev4 ,a4 ,brandram 7,endorsed3 recd4 ,jany4 #bd1 #ahcg7 ,jany4 #ad1 #ahcg1 ,,madrid4 ,,calle ,,san ,,iago ,no4 #af1 ,,piso #c,,ro4 ,,revd4 ,,and ,,dear ,,sir1--,immediately on my arrival at ,madrid1 which occurred on the #bfth of last month1 ,i despatched letters to yourself and ,mr4 ,tarn1 in that to ,mr4 ,t4 was enclosed an account of my expenses1 both of which letters ,i hope have arrived in safety4 ,i now take up the pen to acquaint you with what ,i have done since my arrival1 and what ,i1 with the ,lord's assistance1 purpose doing4 ,my first care was to wait on my excellent friend1 ,mr4 ,villiers1 who received me with his usual kindness4 ,i asked him if it were his opinion that ,i might venture to commence printing the ,scriptures without an application to the present ,government1 as the law is doubtful on the point4 ,his reply was satisfactory3 ',you obtained the permission of the ,government of ,isturitz1' said he1 'which was a much less liberal one than the present2 ,i am a witness to the promise made to you by the former ,ministers1 which ,i consider sufficient2 you had best commence and complete the work as soon as possible1 without any fresh application1 and should any one attempt to interrupt you1 you have only to come to me1 whom you may command at any time4'--,i went away with a light heart4 ,i next visited ,mr4 ,o',shea1 who was very glad to see me again1 and assured me that he took the greatest interest in my undertaking1 and should be happy to further it to the utmost of his power4 ,i knew that he had been connected with the paper-manufactories of the south1 and a thought struck me4 ,you will remember that ,i brought over specimens of paper from thirty to eighty reals per ream1 and that ,i was authorised to purchase #fjj #aig reams of paper at #fj reals per ream4 ,i asked ,mr4 ,o',shea if he did not think that1 through his connections1 he could procure me such paper as ,i wanted at a much cheaper rate than it was possible for me to obtain it2 he said he would make enquiries4 ,i returned in a few days3 he had performed more than ,i expected1 and he showed me paper at #de reals1 better than what ,i could have purchased at #gj1 likewise some very good at #cg4 ,i hesitated for some time between these two specimens2 ,i at length1 however1 determined to purchase that at #de reals4 ,i am therefore able to communicate that in paper alone #ijjj reals will have been saved to the funds of the ,society1 and at the same time a superior article have been procured4 ,i found that during my absence from ,madrid ,mr4 ,wood had quitted ,mr4 ,borrego1 and had accepted a situation in another printing establishment2 but as ,mr4 ,borrego is in possession of the only ,english press at ,madrid1 is moreover an intimate friend of ,mr4 ,o',shea1 and above all enjoys the good opinion of ,mr4 ,villiers who interests himself in his welfare1 ,i am determined to entrust the printing to him4 ,mr4 ,borrego has agreed to make a reduction of #aj reals per sheet in his estimate1 which ,i consider very liberal conduct1 as the former charge1 considering the rate of printing at ,madrid1 was by no means high4 ,we have resolved to print the work precisely the same in shape and size as the copy entrusted to my charge1 except that we shall substitute single for double columns4 ,i shall look over each sheet of the work myself1 but in order to bring out as correct an edition as possible ,i have engaged the literary assistance of ,dr4 ,usoz1 the gentleman who some time since addressed a letter to the ,society1 in which he expressed a wish to become a member4 ,he is one of the best ,castilian scholars in ,madrid1 and1 as he feels zeal in the cause1 will1 ,i have no doubt1 prove eminently useful4 ,any remuneration for his labour he will leave to the consideration of the ,bible ,society and myself4 ,we shall commence printing within a few days1 and ,i expect to have the work ready within ten weeks4 ,now permit me to propose a very important question to you4 ,what is to be done with the volumes when the work shall have passed through the press8 ,as ,i am sure you will feel at a loss to give a satisfactory answer1 allow me to propose the only plan which appears feasible4 ,believe me when ,i say that it is not the result of a few moments' cogitation4 ,i have mused on it much and often4 ,i mused on it when off ,cape ,finisterre in the tempest1 in the cut-throat passes of the ,morena1 and on the plains of ,la ,mancha1 as ,i jogged along a little way ahead of the smuggler4 ,it is this4 ,as soon as the work is printed and bound1 ,i will ride forth from ,madrid into the wildest parts of ,spain1 where the ,word is most wanted1 and where it seems next to an impossibility to introduce it4 ,i will go through the whole of the ,asturias and ,galicia1 and along the entire line of the ,pyrenees1 not forgetting to visit every part of ,biscay4 ,to accomplish this ,i must have horses and a man to take care of them4 ,to purchase horses will be much more economical than to hire them1 as the hire of an animal for a journey of only thirty leagues generally amounts to nearly its full value2 the purchase of three horses will not amount to more than #cf pounds1 and a servant may be obtained for #i;d4 per day and his board4 ,i will take with me #abjj copies1 which ,i will engage to dispose of1 for little or much1 to the wild people of the wild regions which ,i intend to visit4 ,as for the rest of the edition it must be disposed of1 if possible1 in a different way--,i may say the usual way2 part must be entrusted to booksellers1 part to colporteurs1 and a depot must be established at ,madrid4 ,such work is every person's work1 and to any one may be confided the execution of it2 it is a mere affair of trade4 ,what ,i wish to be employed in is what1 ,i am well aware1 no other individual will undertake to do3 namely1 to scatter the ,word upon the mountains1 amongst the valleys and the inmost recesses of the worst and most dangerous parts of ,spain1 where the people are more fierce1 fanatic and1 in a word1 ,carlist1--parts where bookshops are unknown1 and where none of those means can be resorted to for the spread of the ,bible which can be used in the more civilised portions of the kingdom4 ,this is the plan which ,i most humbly offer to the consideration of the ,committee and yourself4 ,i shall not feel at all surprised should it be disapproved of altogether2 but ,i wish it to be understood that in that event ,i could do nothing further than see the work through the press1 as ,i am confident that whatever ardour and zeal ,i at present feel in the cause would desert me immediately1 and that ,i should neither be able nor willing to execute anything which might be suggested4 ,i wish to engage in nothing which would not allow me to depend entirely on myself4 ,it would be heart-breaking to me to remain at ,madrid1 expending the ,society's money1 with almost the certainty of being informed eventually by the booksellers and their correspondents that the work has no sale4 ,in a word1 to make sure that some copies find their way among the people ,i must be permitted to carry them to the people myself2 and what people have more need of ,christian instruction than the inhabitants of the districts alluded to8 ,ere the return of the contrabandista to ,cordova1 ,i purchased one of the horses which had brought us to ,madrid4 ,it is an exceedingly strong1 useful animal1 and as ,i had seen what it is capable of performing1 ,i gave him the price which he demanded 7about #aa pounds1 #ags474 ,it will go twelve leagues a day with ease1 and carry three hundred-weight on its back4 ,i am looking out for another1 but shall of course make no further purchase until ,i hear from you4 ,i confess ,i would sooner provide myself with mules1 but they are very expensive creatures4 ,in the first place1 the original cost of a tolerable one amounts to #cj pounds2 and they1 moreover1 consume a vast quantity of fodder1 at least two pecks of barley in the twenty-four hours with straw in proportion1 and if they are stinted in their food they are of no manner of service2 the attendance which they require is likewise very irksome1 as they must be fed once every four hours night and day2 they are1 however1 noble animals1 and are much in vogue amongst the principal nobility4 ,hoping to hear from you soon1 ,i remain1 ,revd4 and dear ,sir1 most truly yours1 ,g4 ,b4 ,to the ,rev4 ,a4 ,brandram 7,endorsed3 recd4 ,mar4 #f1 #ahcg7 ,,madrid1 ,no4 #af ,,calle ,,sant4 ,,iago1 ,feby4 #bg1 #ahcg4 ,,revd4 ,,and ,,dear ,,sir1--,i have received your letter of the #bgth ult4 containing the resolution of the ,committee1 and also yours of the #agth ult4 with my account4 ,i was exceedingly grieved at learning that poor ,mr4 ,tarn has been removed1 for he was a most worthy person1 and the ,bible ,society will experience a severe loss in his death2 but ,i hope and trust that eventually some one will be found worthy to succeed him4 ,he is doubtless at present in the other world receiving the reward of his faith in this2 let us pray that we may be counted worthy to join him there6 ,by the time these lines reach you the four ,gospels will have passed through the press2 for the work is going on well and prosperously1 and ,i have little doubt that within five weeks it will be completed4 ,i have already entered into arrangements respecting the binding with ,mr4 ,borrego1 who is about to unite bookbinding with printing2 the terms are very reasonable1 considering the current prices of the country1 as ,i am to pay but three reals per volume for a calf binding similar to that of the copy which was entrusted to me4 ,i have reckoned that the expense of each book1 printing1 paper1 and binding included1 will but barely amount to #ae reals2 and cheaper than this it is utterly impossible to bring out a work of the size of the ,new ,testament1 handsomely and creditably in ,spain4 ,within a few days ,i shall despatch letters circular to all the principal booksellers in ,spain1 specifying the nature1 size and quality of the work1 and inviting them to subscribe at #ae reals per copy1 the prime cost2 for if anything will tempt them to a speculation of the kind1 it will be the hope and prospect of making a very handsome profit4 ,yet they are so short-sighted and1 like all their countrymen1 so utterly unacquainted with the rudiments of business1 that it is by no means improbable that they1 one and all1 take no notice of this proposal1 which is however the only plan which at present appears available for promoting the general circulation of the ,scriptures4 ,dr4 ,usoz1 the gentleman who is at present assisting me in the editing of the work in question1 is very anxious to become a member and a correspondent of the ,bible ,society4 ,his letter on that subject ,i translated and transmitted previous to my last visit to ,england1 but he has never received an answer4 ,i beg leave to say that ,i am extremely desirous that his request be granted1 and that he be written to without delay2 and ,i must moreover beg to be furnished with a written or printed authority to establish a branch ,bible ,society in ,madrid1 and to nominate ,dr4 ,usoz as secretary4 ,that part of my last letter1 where ,i stated my wish of making a tour through the ,asturias1 ,galicia1 and the ,biscays1 as soon as the work should be completed1 does not seem to have been clearly understood4 ,i did not intend to devote myself entirely to the wild people1 but to visit the villages and towns as well as the remote and secluded glens4 ,i intended to take letters of introduction to some of the most respectable people of ,oviedo1 of ,corunna1 of ,lugo1 of ,vigo1 ,pontevedro1 ,barbastro1 ,bilboa1 etc41 and to establish depots of ,bibles in those towns2 but in my way ,i intended to visit the secret and secluded spots amongst the rugged hills and mountains1 and to talk to the people1 after my manner1 of ,christ and to explain to them the nature of ,his book1 and to place that book in the hands of those whom ,i should deem capable of deriving benefit from it4 ,true it is that such a journey would be attended with considerable danger1 and very possibly the fate of ,st4 ,stephen might befall the adventurer2 but does the man deserve the name of a follower of ,christ who would shrink from danger of any kind in the cause of ,him whom he calls his ,master8 ',he who loses his life for ,my sake1 shall save it1' are words which the ,lord ,himself uttered1 and words surely fraught with consolation to every one engaged in propagating ,his ,gospel in savage and barbarian lands4 ,about a fortnight since ,i purchased another horse1 for these animals are at present exceedingly cheap4 ,a royal requisition is about to be issued for #ejjj1 and the consequence is that an immense number are for sale2 for by virtue of this requisition the horses of any person not a foreigner can be seized for the benefit of the service4 ,it is probable that when the number is made up the price of horses will be treble what it is at present1 which consideration induced me to purchase this animal before ,i exactly want him4 ,he is a black ,andalusian stallion of great size and strength1 and capable of performing a journey of #ajj leagues in a week's time1 but he is unbroke1 savage and furious4 ,however1 a cargo of ,bibles which ,i hope shortly to put on his back will1 ,i have no doubt1 thoroughly tame him1 especially when labouring up the flinty hills of the north of ,spain4 ,i wished to purchase a mule1 according to my instructions1 but though ,i offered #cj pounds for a sorry one1 ,i could not obtain her2 whereas the cost of both the horses1 tall1 powerful1 stately animals1 scarcely amounted to that sum4 ,i will now say a few words respecting the state of ,spain1 though what ,i communicate will probably startle you1 as in ,england you are quite in the dark respecting what is going on here4 ,at the moment ,i am writing1 ,cabrera1 the tiger-friar1 is within nine leagues of ,madrid with an army nearly ten thousand strong2 he has beaten the ,queen's troops in several engagements1 and has ravaged ,la ,mancha with fire and sword1 burning several towns2 bands of affrighted fugitives are arriving every hour bringing tidings of woe and disaster1 and ,i am but surprised that the enemy does not appear1 and by taking ,madrid1 which is at his mercy1 put an end to the war at once4 ,but the truth is1 the ,carlist generals do not wish the war to cease2 for as long as the country is involved in bloodshed and anarchy1 they can plunder and exercise that lawless authority so dear to men of fierce and brutal passions4 ,cabrera is a wretch whose sole enjoyment consists in inflicting pain and torture and causing woe and misery to his fellow creatures2 he is one of the instruments of the anger of the ,almighty1 a scourge in the hand of ,providence to chastise a land whose wickedness had become intolerable4 ,for the elect's sake1 and there are a few even in ,spain1 may it please the ,lord to shorten the affliction of these days1 or all flesh must succumb4 ,i remain1 dear ,sir1 most truly yours1 ,g4 ,b4 ,p4,s4--,pray let me hear from you shortly1 and remember me particularly to ,mr4 ,jowett and ,mr4 ,browne4 ,p4,s4 #b4--;,i have already paid1 in part1 for the printing and paper1 as you will have concluded by my draft4 ,the ,gospel of ,saint ,luke1 in the ,rommany language1 is nearly ready for the press4 ,it is my intention to subjoin a vocabulary of all the words used1 with an explanation in the ,spanish language4 ,before ,i left ,england ,i was authorised to look out for a person competent to translate the ,scriptures in ,basque 7,spanish74 ,i am acquainted with a gentleman who is well versed in that dialect1 of which ,i myself have some knowledge4 ,perhaps it would not be unwise to engage him to translate ,st4 ,luke as a trial of his powers4 ,to the ,rev4 ,a4 ,brandram 7,endorsed3 recd4 ,mar4 #be1 #ahcg7 ,,madrid1 ,no4 #af ,,calle ,,sant ,,iago ,,piso #c,,ro4 ,march #afth1 #ahcg4 ,,revd4 ,,sir1--,i write a few lines for the purpose of informing you that the ,new ,testament in ,castilian will be ready in a few days1 probably before you receive this epistle1 should it reach you1 which ,i have some doubts of from the terrible and distracted state of ,spain at the present time4 ,the work has been printed on the best paper1 and no pains have been spared1 at least on my part1 to render it as correct as possible1 having read every proof-sheet three times4 ,i must here take the liberty of observing that the work executed in ,london1 and of which a copy was delivered to me to print from1 abounds in errors of every kind and reflects little credit on the person who edited it2 no systematic order is observed either in the orthography or the use of accents or capitals1 and whole sentences frequently appear in a mangled and mutilated state which renders them unintelligible4 ,on my final settlement with ,mr4 ,borrego ,i shall send a regular account of my disbursements2 he has already received two-thirds of his money1 as you will have conjectured from the bills ,i have drawn4 ,i wish very much that the ,committee would vote a letter of thanks to ,mr4 ,henry ,o',shea for the interest which he has taken in this affair and the assistance which he has rendered4 ,i shall write again in a few days4 ,i am afraid that you did not receive my last letter4 ,i remain1 ,revd4 and dear ,sir1 most faithfully yours1 ,,george ,,borrow4 ,to the ,rev4 ,a4 ,brandram 7,endorsed3 recd4 ,decr4 #a1 #ahcg7 ,,madrid1 ,april #bg1 #ahcg4 ,,my ,,dear ,,sir1--,please to let the bearer have the under-mentioned ,bibles2 they are for ,dr4 ,usoz1 from whom ,i have received their value4 ,entire ,bible in ,german4 ,entire ,bible in ,modern ,greek4 ,do4 do4 in ,portuguese4 ,if possible1 ,i should wish to have the ,new ,testament in ,persian1 for my own private use4 ,most sincerely yours1 ,,george ,,borrow4 ,the ,basque translation of ,st4 ,luke is completed and in my possession2 the whole expense attending it amounts to #h pounds and a few odd shillings4 ,to the ,rev4 ,a4 ,brandram 7,endorsed3 recd4 ,may #ac1 #ahcg7 ,,madrid1 #bi ,april1 #ahcg4 ,,revd4 ,,and ,,dear ,,sir1--,do me the favour after reading the enclosed letter1 and making what use of it you please1 to seal it1 pay the postage1 and despatch it to ,russia4 ,it contains all ,i have at present to say1 and is as much intended for yourself1 as for the person to whom it is directed4 ,i leave ,madrid in about three days1 and it is my intention to write frequently whilst upon my journey2 but should few letters reach you1 be not surprised1 but attribute it to the state of the country1 which is terrible indeed4 ,i am first going to ,salamanca1 by the pass of the ,guadarama2 from thence to ,burgos2 then to the ,asturias1 ,galicia1 and ,biscay1 and along the whole chain of the ,pyrenees4 ,some hundreds of our books have been placed in the hands of a bookseller at ,madrid1 and ,i have ordered them to be advertised1 once a week1 in the principal journals4 ,dr4 ,usoz and another friend will do what they can in my absence4 ,to-morrow ,i send the bill of my expenses2 it would have been despatched sooner1 but ,i could not obtain my account from ,mr4 ,o',shea4 ,i remain1 ,revd4 and dear ,sir1 most faithfully yours1 ,g4 ,,borrow4 ,p4,s4--,my best remembrances to ,mr4 ,jowett1 ,mr4 ,browne1 and all my friends4 ,to ,mr4 ,john ,hasfeldt ,,madrid1 #bi ,april1 #ahcg4 ,i received your letter of last ,january a few weeks since1 and ,i sincerely hope that mine of ,february may have reached your hands4 ,the principal reason of my taking up the pen at present is the long and adventurous journey which ,i am about to engage in1 and which ,i am afraid will preclude the possibility of my writing to you for some months4 ,in a few days ,i quit ,madrid1 it being my intention to visit the mountainous districts of ,spain1 particularly ,galicia and the ,basque ,provinces1 for the purpose of disposing of part of the edition of the ,new ,testament in ,spanish1 lately completed at ,madrid1 under my superintendence4 ,it was my intention to have set out sooner1 but the state of the weather has been such that ,i thought it more prudent to defer my departure2 during the last two months violent and bitter winds have blown without ceasing1 before whose baneful influence animal and vegetable nature seems to have quailed4 ,i was myself1 during a fortnight1 prostrated1 body and limb1 by a violent attack of la grippe1 or1 as it is styled in ,english1 the 'influenza4' ,i am1 however1 by the blessing of the ,almighty1 perfectly recovered and enjoying excellent spirits1 but multitudes less favoured have perished1 especially the poor4 ,i expect to be absent on my journey about five months1 when1 if ,i am spared1 not having fallen a prey to sickness1 ,carlists1 banditti1 or wild beasts1 ,i shall return to ,madrid for the purpose of carrying through the press my own translation of the ,gospel of ,st4 ,luke in the language of the ,spanish ,gypsies1 and also the same ,gospel in ,cantabrian or ,basque1 executed by the domestic physician of the ,marquis of ,salvatierra4 ,what ,i am destined to do subsequently ,i know not2 but ,i should wish to visit ,china by a land journey1 either through ,russia1 or by ,constantinople and ,armenia as far as the ,indian ,gulf2 as it is my opinion that1 with ,god's permission1 ,i might sow some seed by the way which might in time yield a good harvest4 ,speaking of these matters reminds me that in your next letter 7written in your usual choice ,danish7 you might send me some useful information respecting what might be done in ,russia4 ,do you think permission might be obtained to print the ,new ,testament in ,russ1 and that the ,russian ,hierarchy would be inclined to offer any serious opposition8 ,i wish you would speak to ,gretsch on the subject1 to whom you will1 as usual1 present my kindest remembrances4 ,i believe you are acquainted with ,mrs4 ,biller1 but if not1 you would confer a great favour upon me by calling on her1 and requesting her opinion1 as she is better acquainted than perhaps any person in ,russia with the course to be pursued if the attempt were to be hazarded4 ,perhaps at the same time you will enquire of her as to what has become of my translation into ,russ of the second and third ,homilies which ,i left with her1 and whether license to print has been obtained4 ,if not1 ,i should wish that energetic steps be taken to that effect1 and as you are an energetic person1 and she may possibly have too many important affairs upon her hands1 ,i pray you to take the matter up1 but at all events to follow her advice2 pray remember me to her likewise4 ,the translation was corrected by that unfortunate man ,nicanoff1 who1 though he lived and died a drunkard1 was an excellent ,russian scholar2 therefore ,i think that no objection can reasonably be made in respect to style1 though indeed the original is very plain and homely1 being adapted to the most common understanding4 ,i offer no apology for giving you all this trouble1 as ,i am fully aware that you are at all times eagerly ready to perform anything which ,i may consider as a service rendered to myself4 ,spain at present1 ,i am sorry to say1 is in a more distracted and convulsed situation than at any former period1 and the prospect is gloomy in the extreme4 ,the ,queen's troops have sustained of late grievous defeats in the ,basque provinces and ,valencia1 and a ,carlist expedition of #ah1jjj men1 whose object is to ravage ,castile and to carry the war to the gates of ,madrid1 is shortly expected to pass the ,ebro4 ,from what ,i have seen and heard of the demoralised state of the ,cristinos forces1 ,i believe they will meet with no effectual resistance1 and that ,cristina and her daughter will be compelled to flee from the capital to ,cadiz1 or to some strong frontier town4 ,nevertheless1 such is the nature of the ,spanish people1 that it is impossible to say whether the liberal cause 7as it is called7 be desperate or not1 as neither one party nor the other knows how to improve an advantage4 ,twice might ,don ,carlos have marched to ,madrid and seized the crown2 and more than once his army has been at the mercy of the ,cristinos2 yet still is the affair undecided1 and will perhaps continue so for years4 ,the country is1 as you may well conceive1 in a most distracted state2 robbery and murder are practised with impunity1 and the roads are in such an insecure state that almost all communication has ceased between one town and another2 yet ,i am going forth without the slightest fear1 trusting in ,god2 for if ,he is with me1 who shall stand against me8 ,i have a servant1 a person who has been a soldier for fifteen years1 who will go with me for the purpose of attending to the horses and otherwise assisting me in my labours4 ,his conduct on the journey is the only thing to which ,i look forward with uneasiness2 for though he has some good points1 yet in many respects a more atrocious fellow never existed4 ,he is inordinately given to drink1 and of so quarrelsome a disposition that he is almost constantly involved in some broil4 ,like most of his countrymen1 he carries an exceedingly long knife1 which he frequently unsheaths and brandishes in the faces of those who are unfortunate enough to awaken his choler4 ,it is only a few days since that ,i rescued the maid-servant of the house from his grasp1 whom otherwise he would undoubtedly have killed1 and all because she too much burnt a red herring which he had given her to cook4 ,you perhaps wonder that ,i retain a person of this description1 but1 bad as he is1 he is the best servant ,i can obtain2 he is very honest1 a virtue which is rarely to be found in a ,spanish servant1 and ,i have no fear of his running away with the horses during the journey1 after having perhaps knocked me on the head in some lone posada4 ,he is moreover acquainted with every road1 cross-road1 river1 and mountain in ,spain1 and is therefore a very suitable squire for an errant knight1 like myself4 ,on my arrival in ,biscay ,i shall perhaps engage one of the uncorrupted ,basque peasants1 who has never left his native mountains and is utterly ignorant of the ,spanish language1 for ,i am told that they are exceedingly faithful and laborious4 ,the best servant ,i ever had was the ,tartar ,mahmoud at ,st4 ,petersburg1 and ,i have frequently repented that ,i did not bring him with me on my leaving ,russia2 but ,i was not then aware that ,i was about to visit this unfortunate country1 where goodness of every description is so difficult to find4 ,to the ,rev4 ,a4 ,brandram 7,endorsed3 recd4 ,may #bc1 #ahcg7 ,,madrid1 ,may #ajth1 #ahcg4 ,,revd4 ,,and ,,dear ,,sir1--,i herewith send the long promised account of my private expenses1 which ,i hope will be found correct4 ,i start to-morrow for ,salamanca1 at which place ,i should now be1 but for the misconduct of my servant1 whom ,i have been compelled to turn away4 ,i have experienced great difficulty in obtaining another2 my present one is a ,greek1 who formerly waited on ,mr4 ,o',shea2 ,i hope he will turn out well4 ,mr4 ,o',shea has given me a general letter of credit to his correspondents in various parts of ,spain4 ,you will receive my draft in a few days4 ,i shall write from ,salamanca1 and various other places1 detailing all my proceedings and adventures4 ,i hope you received my last letter4 ,i remain1 etc41 ,,george ,,borrow4 ,to the ,rev4 ,a4 ,brandram 7,endorsed3 recd4 ,june #ba1 #ahcg7 ,,salamanca1 ,june #g1 #ahcg4 ,,revd4 ,,and ,,dear ,,sir1--,i arrived at ,salamanca about a fortnight since1 in safety and in tolerable good health4 ,i shall defer for a few days communicating the particulars of my journey1 though they are not destitute of interest1 having at present information to afford which ,i consider of more importance1 and which ,i hope will afford the same satisfaction to yourself and our friends at home which ,i myself experience in communicating them4 ,some days previous to my departure from ,madrid ,i was very much indisposed4 ,owing to the state of the weather--for violent and biting winds had long prevailed--,i had been attacked with a severe cold which terminated in a shrieking disagreeable cough1 which the many remedies which ,i successively tried were unable to subdue4 ,i had made preparation for departing on a particular day1 but owing to the state of my health ,i was apprehensive that ,i should be compelled to postpone my journey for a time4 ,the last day of my stay in ,madrid1 finding myself scarcely able to stand1 ,i was fain to submit to a somewhat desperate experiment1 and by the advice of the barber-surgeon who visited me1 ,i determined to be bled4 ,late on the night of that same day he eased me of sixteen ounces of blood1 and having received his fee1 left me1 wishing me a pleasant journey1 and assuring me upon his reputation that by noon the next day ,i should be perfectly recovered4 ,a few minutes after his departure1 whilst ,i was sitting alone1 meditating on the journey which ,i was about to undertake1 and on the rickety state of my health1 ,i heard a loud knock at the street-door of the house1 on the third floor of which ,i was lodged1 not very comfortably4 ,in a minute or two ,mr4 ,southern of the ,british ,embassy entered my apartment4 ,after a little conversation he informed me that ,mr4 ,villiers had desired him to wait upon me1 to communicate a resolution which he1 ,mr4 ,villiers1 had come to4 ,being apprehensive that alone and unassisted ,i should experience considerable difficulty in propagating the ,gospel of ,god to any considerable extent in ,spain1 he was bent upon exerting to the utmost his own credit and influence to further my views1 which he himself considered1 if carried into proper effect1 extremely well calculated to operate beneficially on the political and moral state of the country4 ,to this end it was his intention to purchase a very considerable number of copies of the ,new ,testament1 and to despatch them forthwith to the various ,british consuls established in different parts of ,spain1 with strict and positive orders to employ all the means1 which their official situation should afford them1 to circulate the books in question and to assure their being noticed4 ,they were moreover to be charged to afford myself1 whenever ,i should appear in their respective districts1 all the protection1 encouragement1 and assistance ,i should stand in need of1 as a friend of ,mr4 ,villiers1 and a person in the success of whose enterprise he himself took the warmest interest4 ,i could scarcely believe my ears on receiving this information2 for though ,i had long been aware that ,mr4 ,villiers was at all times willing to assist me1 he having frequently given me sufficient proof1 ,i could never expect that he would come forward in so noble1 and to say the least of it1 considering his high diplomatic situation1 so bold and decided a manner4 ,i believe that this is the first instance of a ,british ,ambassador having made the cause of the ,bible ,society a national one1 or indeed to favour it directly or indirectly4 ,what renders the case of ,mr4 ,villiers more remarkable is that on my first arrival at ,madrid ,i found him by no means well disposed towards the ,society4 ,the ,holy ,spirit has probably illumined his mind on this point4 ,honour be to him3 ,i hope that by his means our institution will shortly possess many agents in ,spain with far more power and opportunity than ,i myself can ever expect to possess1 who will scatter abroad the seed of the ,gospel1 and make of a barren and thirsty wilderness a green and smiling corn-field4 ,the next day verified the prediction of the barber4 ,i had to a considerable degree lost my cough and fever1 though1 owing to the great loss of blood1 ,i was very feeble and weak4 ,precisely at twelve o'clock myself and man rode forth from the gate of ,saint ,vincent1 directing our course to the lofty mountains which separate ,old from ,new ,castile4 ,that night we rested at ,guadarama1 a large village at their foot1 distant from ,madrid about twenty-five miles4 ,the journey to ,salamanca occupied four days1 and ,i disposed of five ,testaments by the way4 ,since my arrival at ,salamanca ,i have been taking measures that the ,word of ,god may become generally known in this place1 so celebrated in many respects4 ,the principal bookseller of the town1 ,blanco1 a man of great wealth and respectability1 has consented to become our agent here1 and ,i have deposited in his shop a certain number of ,new ,testaments4 ,he is the proprietor of a small printing press1 where the official bulletin of the place is published4 ,for this bulletin ,i have prepared an advertisement of the work1 in which amongst other things ,i have said that the ,new ,testament is the only guide to salvation4 ,i have also spoken of the ,bible ,society1 and the great pecuniary sacrifices which it is making with the view of proclaiming ,christ crucified1 and of making ,his doctrine known4 ,this step will perhaps be considered by some as too bold1 but ,i am not aware that ,i can take any more calculated to arouse the attention of the people--a considerable point4 ,i have also ordered numbers of the same advertisement to be struck off in the shape of bills which ,i am causing to be stuck up in various parts of the town4 ,i have great hope that by means of these a considerable number of ,new ,testaments will be sold4 ,i shall repeat this experiment in ,valladolid1 ,leon1 ,st4 ,jago1 and all the principal towns which it is my intention to visit in my wanderings1 and ,i shall likewise distribute them as ,i ride along4 ,the children of ,spain will thus be brought to know that such a work as the ,new ,testament is in existence1 a fact of which not five in one hundred are at present aware1 notwithstanding their so frequently repeated boasts of their ,catholicity and ,christianity4 ,i carry with me the ,gospel of ,st4 ,luke in the ,cantabrian or ,basque language4 ,it is my intention to print this little book1 either at ,san ,sebastian or ,pamplona2 as it would be unwise not to avail myself of so favourable an opportunity of circulating it as my visit to the provinces where the language is spoken will afford me4 ,i have examined it with much attention1 and find it a very faithful version4 ,the only objection which can be brought against it is that ,spanish words are frequently used to express ideas for which there are equivalents in ,basque2 but this language1 as spoken at present in ,spain1 is very corrupt1 and a work written entirely in the ,basque of ,larramendi's ,dictionary would be intelligible to very few4 ,i have read passages from it to the men of ,guipuscoa1 who assured me that they had no difficulty in understanding it1 and that it was written in the colloquial style of their province4 ,g4 ,b4 ,to the ,rev4 ,a4 ,brandram 7,endorsed3 recd4 ,july #be1 #ahcg7 ,,astorga1 #eth ,july1 #ahcg4 ,,revd4 ,,and ,,dear ,,sir1--,i avail myself of the present opportunity of giving an account of what has befallen me since ,i last wrote to you from ,salamanca1 which ,i shortly after quitted4 ,by that time my advertisements had been affixed in all parts of the city1 and several ,new ,testaments had been sold2 ,i myself had the pleasure of seeing three despatched in less than a quarter of an hour that ,i remained in the shop4 ,from ,salamanca ,i proceeded to ,valladolid1 distant about twenty-five leagues1 where ,i employed the same means which ,i had adopted at ,salamanca for the promulgation of ,god's ,word4 ,i must here observe that ,valladolid is a place where literature of every description is at the lowest ebb1 and bookselling there is merely carried on in connexion with other business1 it being in itself quite insufficient to afford a livelihood to those who pursue it4 ,nevertheless during the five days that ,i continued there my labours were so far favoured that twenty copies were disposed of1 and a fair prospect opened that many more would be demanded4 ,before leaving ,i gave orders that the advertisements should be renewed every week1 as evil-disposed1 persons probably of the ,carlist or ,papist party1 had defaced or torn down a great number of those which had been put up4 ,from pursuing this course ,i expect that much and manifold good will accrue1 as the people of these parts will have continual opportunities of acquainting themselves that a book which contains the living word is in existence and within their reach1 which may induce them to secure it and consult it even unto salvation4 ,quitting ,valladolid1 ,i directed my route to ,leon by the ,palencia road2 the greatest part of the way was barren and uninteresting to a high degree1 consisting of wide dusty plains scantily sown with barley1 but unrelieved with trees or waters4 ,the people are ignorant and brutal1 though they boast themselves to be ,old ,castilians1 which is however not the fact1 as these desolate and benighted regions belong to what was once the kingdom of ,leon4 ,their inhospitality is so great that ,i have been refused a glass of water in their villages1 though ,i asked it in the name of ,god2 though ,i have subsequently obtained it by paying for it1 for their hearts can always be opened by the key of interest1 though inaccessible to every noble and generous sentiment4 ,i suffered dreadfully during this journey1 as did likewise my man and horses1 for the heat was the fiercest which ,i have ever known1 and resembled the breath of the simoom or the air from an oven's mouth4 ,leon is beautifully situated in a smiling blooming country abounding in grass and trees1 and watered by many streams which have their source in a mighty chain of mountains in the neighbourhood1 which traverse a great part of ,spain and are connected with the ,pyrenees2 but unfortunately it is exceedingly unhealthy1 for the heats of the summer-time raise noxious exhalations from the waters1 which generate all kinds of disorders1 especially fevers and tertian agues4 ,it is the ,feversham of ,spain4 ,nomen cui infausta ,fata dedere febris sic4 ,i had scarcely been at ,leon three days when ,i was seized with a fever1 against which ,i thought the strength even of my constitution would have yielded2 for it wore me almost to a skeleton1 and when it departed1 at the end of about a week1 left me in such a deplorable state of weakness that ,i was scarcely able to make the slightest exertion4 ,i had however previously persuaded a bookseller to undertake the charge of vending the ,testaments1 and had published my advertisements as usual1 though without very fervent hope of success1 as ,leon is a place where the inhabitants1 with very few exceptions1 are furious ,carlists and ignorant and blinded followers of the old ,papal ,church4 ,it is1 moreover1 a ,bishop's see1 which was once enjoyed by the prime councillor of ,don ,carlos1 whose fierce and bigoted spirit still seems to pervade the place4 ,scarcely had the advertisements appeared when the clergy were in motion2 they went from house to house1 banning and cursing and denouncing misery on whomsoever should either purchase or read 'the accursed books' which had been sent into the country by heretics for the purpose of perverting the innocent minds of the population4 ,they did more3 they commenced a process against the bookseller in the ecclesiastical court4 ,fortunately this court is not at present in the possession of much authority1 and the bookseller1 who is a bold and determined man1 set them at defiance1 and went so far as to affix an advertisement to the gate of the very cathedral4 ,notwithstanding the cry raised against the work several copies were sold at ,leon1 two were purchased by ex-friars1 and the same number by parochial priests from neighbouring villages4 ,i believe the whole number disposed of during my stay amounted to fifteen1 so that my visit to this dark corner has not been altogether in vain1 as the seed of the ,gospel has been sown1 though sparingly4 ,but the palpableness of the darkness which envelops ,leon is truly lamentable1 and the ignorance of the people is so great that printed charms and incantations against ,satan and his host and against every kind of misfortune are publicly sold in the shops and are in great demand2 such are the results of ,popery1 a delusion which more than any other has tended to debase and brutalise the human mind4 ,i had scarcely risen from the bed where the fever had cast me1 when ,i found that my servant had become alarmed2 he informed me that he had seen several soldiers in the uniform of ,don ,carlos knocking at the door of the posada1 and that they had been making enquiries concerning me4 ,it was indeed a singular fact connected with ,leon that upwards of fifty of these fellows1 who had on various accounts left the ranks of the pretender1 were walking about the streets dressed in his livery1 and with all the confidence which the certainty of the protection of the local authorities could afford them1 should any one be disposed to interrupt them4 ,he moreover informed me that the person in whose house we were living was a notorious alcahuete1 or spy to the robbers in the neighbourhood1 and that unless we took our departure speedily and unexpectedly1 we should to a certainty be plundered on the road4 ,i did not pay much attention to these hints1 but my desire to quit ,leon was great1 as ,i was convinced that as long as ,i continued there ,i should be unable to regain my health and vigour4 ,accordingly1 at three o'clock in the morning of the fourth 7yesterday7 we departed1 taking the route for ,lugo1 a principal town in the province of ,galicia4 ,we had scarcely proceeded half a league when we were overtaken by a thunderstorm of tremendous violence4 ,we were at that time in the midst of a kind of wood which extends to some distance in that direction4 ,the trees were bowed to the ground or torn up by their roots by the wind1 whilst the ground was plowed up by the lightning which burst all around and nearly blinded us4 ,the horse which ,i rode upon1 which was a spirited ,andalusian stallion1 became furious and bounded into the air as if possessed2 owing to my state of weakness ,i had the greatest difficulty in maintaining my seat and in avoiding a fall which might have been fatal4 ,a tremendous discharge of rain followed the storm1 which swelled the brooks into streams and flooded the surrounding country1 causing great damage amongst the corn4 ,after riding about five leagues we began to enter the mountainous district which surrounds ,astorga2 the road was flinty and very trying to the poor horses1 who suffered much1 whilst the heat was suffocating4 ,it was with the utmost difficulty that we reached ,astorga1 covered with mud and dust and our tongues cleaving to the roofs of our mouths from thirst4 ,we were compelled to take up our abode in a wretched hovel1 full of pigs1 vermin1 and misery1 and from this place ,i write1 for this morning ,i felt myself unable to proceed on my journey1 being exhausted with illness1 fatigue and want of food1 for scarcely anything is to be obtained4 ,but ,i return ,god thanks and glory for being permitted to undergo these crosses and troubles for ,his ,word's sake4 ,i would not exchange my present situation1 unenviable as some may think it1 for a throne4 ,pray excuse the style and writing of this letter1 both are inevitably bad4 ,i hope in a few days to have reached ,lugo1 where ,i shall be more at my ease4 ,,george ,,borrow4 ,to the ,rev4 ,a4 ,brandram 7,endorsed3 recd4 #abth ,august #ahcg7 ,,corunna1 #bjth ,july #ahcg4 ,,revd4 ,,and ,,dear ,,sir1--,my last letter was dated from ,astorga1 and ,i stated that ,i was suffering from the relics of the fever which had assailed me at ,leon2 in a day or two1 however1 ,i was sufficiently recovered to mount my horse and proceed on my journey to ,lugo4 ,i shall send a regular account of this journey next post1 from which those at home1 interested in ,bible proceedings in ,spain1 may gather some idea of this very strange country and people4 ,i arrived safely at ,lugo1 but much fatigued1 for the way thither lay through the wildest mountains and wildernesses4 ,the ,lord deigned to favour my humble efforts at ,lugo2 ,i brought thither thirty ,testaments1 all of which were disposed of in one day1 the ,bishop of the place himself purchasing two copies1 whilst several priests and friars1 instead of following the example of their brethren at ,leon by persecuting the work1 spoke well of it1 and recommended its perusal4 ,i was much grieved that my stock of these holy books was exhausted1 for there was a great demand for them2 and had ,i been able to supply them1 quadruple the quantity might have been sold during the four days that ,i remained at ,lugo4 ,midway between ,lugo and ,corunna ,i was near falling into the hands of robbers4 ,two fellows suddenly confronted me with presented carbines1 which they probably intended to discharge into my body1 but they took fright at the noise of my servant's horse1 who was following a little way behind4 ,this affair occurred at the bridge ,castellanos1 a spot notorious for robbery and murder1 and well adapted for both1 for it stands at the bottom of a deep dell surrounded by wild desolate hills4 ,only a quarter of an hour previous1 ,i had passed three ghastly heads1 stuck on poles standing by the wayside2 they were those of a captain of banditti and two of his men1 who had been seized and executed about two months before4 ,their principal haunt was the vicinity of the bridge ,i have already spoken of1 and it was their practice to cast the bodies of the murdered into the deep black water which runs rapidly beneath4 ,these three beads will always live in my remembrance1 particularly that of the captain1 which stood on a higher pole than the other two2 the long hair was waving in the wind1 and the blackened distorted features were grinning in the sun4 ,the fellows whom ,i met were themselves of his band4 ,i have a depot of five hundred ,testaments at ,corunna1 from which it is my intention to supply the principal towns of ,galicia4 ,i have as usual published my advertisements1 and the work enjoys a tolerable sale--seven or eight copies per day on the average4 ,perhaps some will say that these are small matters and not worthy of being mentioned2 but let these bethink them that till within a few months the very existence of the ,gospel was almost unknown in ,spain1 and that it must necessarily be a difficult task to induce a people like the ,spaniards1 who read very little and who in general consider money expended in books of any kind as cast away1 to purchase a work like the ,new ,testament1 offering them little prospect of amusement1 and which1 though the basis of all true religion1 they have never been told is useful as a guide to salvation4 ,let us hope that the present is the dawning of better and more enlightened times1 and though little has been accomplished1 still it is more than nothing that ,testaments are being sold in unhappy benighted ,spain1 from ,madrid to the northernmost part of ,galicia1 a distance of nearly four hundred miles4 ,in about a fortnight ,i shall depart for ,santiago1 where ,i intend to pass several days2 then retracing my steps to ,corunna ,i shall visit ,ferrol1 whence ,i shall perhaps shape my course for ,oviedo in the ,asturias1 either along the seashore or by the mountain route1 in which latter case ,i should have to revisit ,lugo4 ,every part of ,galicia abounds with robbers and factious1 so that almost all travelling is at an end1 and the road to ,santiago is so bad that no one is permitted to travel it unless in company with the weekly post1 which goes attended by a strong military escort4 ,this gives me some uneasiness1 as the stallion ,i ride is so vicious and furious that it is dangerous to bring him in contact with other horses whom1 with the exception of his companion1 he invariably attacks1 getting me into all manner of scrapes4 ,an old ,castilian peasant1 whose pony he had maltreated1 once said to me1 ',sir ,cavalier1 if you have any love for yourself1 get rid of that beast1 who is capable of proving the ruin of a kingdom4' ,but he is a gallant creature who seldom tires1 and he has borne me too far to permit me to think of parting with him4 ,since my arrival at ,corunna ,i have received advice from my agent at ,valladolid that the forty copies which ,i deposited in his hands have been sold1 and that he was anxious for a fresh supply4 ,i have accordingly ordered fifty more to be sent him from ,madrid4 ,since my departure from the capital ,i have myself disposed of sixty-five1 without including those sold at ,lugo and other places by means of the advertisements1 on which ,i principally rely1 as they speak at all times whether ,i am present or absent4 ,i wish it to be distinctly understood that throughout my journey ,i have given away none of the books1 having invariably received money for them1 viz41 from #aj to #ab reals4 ,the enemies of the ,bible ,society have stated in several publications that it has no vent for the ,bibles and ,testaments which it publishes in many foreign languages but by sending them to the various countries1 and there distributing them gratis or selling them by auction1 when they are bought for waste paper 7see in particular ,wiseman's ,letters74 ,my conduct in this point has been principally influenced by a desire to give1 in the case of ,spain at least1 the direct lie to this assertion1 and this conduct ,i shall pursue until ,i receive direct orders to abandon it4 ,i will now conclude by repeating that in a few days you will receive my journal1 which will prove more interesting than the above hasty scrawl4 ,i remain1 etc41 ,g4 ,,borrow4 ,to the ,rev4 ,andrew ,brandram 7,endorsed3 recd4 ,aug4 #bc1 #ahcg7 ,journey from ,astorga to ,lugo ,before proceeding to narrate what befell me in this journey1 it will perhaps not be amiss to say a few words concerning ,astorga and its vicinity4 ,it is a walled town containing about five or six thousand inhabitants1 with a cathedral and college1 which last is1 however1 at present deserted4 ,it is situated on the confines1 and may be called the capital1 of a tract of land called the country of the ,maragatos1 which occupies about three square leagues1 and has for its north-western boundary a mountain called ,telleno1 the loftiest of a chain of hills which have their origin near the mouth of the river ,minho1 and are connected with the immense range which constitutes the frontier of the ,asturias and ,guipuscoa4 ,the land is ungrateful and barren1 and niggardly repays the toil of the cultivator1 being for the most part rocky1 with a slight sprinkling of a red bricky earth4 ,the ,maragatos are perhaps the most singular caste to be found amongst the chequered population of ,spain4 ,they have their own peculiar customs and dress1 and never intermarry with the ,spaniards4 ,their name is a clue to their origin1 as it signifies ',moorish ,goths1' and at this present day their garb differs but little from that of the ,moors of ,barbary1 as it consists of a long tight jacket1 secured at the waist by a broad girdle2 loose short trowsers which terminate at the knee1 and boots and gaiters4 ,their heads are shaven1 a slight fringe of hair being only left at the lower part4 ,if they wore the turban1 or barret1 they could scarcely be distinguished from the ,moors in dress1 but in lieu thereof they wear the sombrero or broad slouching hat of ,spain4 ,there can be little doubt that they are a remnant of those ,goths who sided with the ,moors on their invasion of ,spain1 and who adopted their religion1 customs1 and manner of dress1 which1 with the exception of the first1 are still to a considerable degree retained4 ,it is1 however1 evident that their blood has at no time mingled with that of the wild children of the desert1 for scarcely amongst the hills of ,norway would you find figures and faces more essentially ,gothic than those of the ,maragatos4 ,they are strong1 athletic men1 but loutish and heavy1 and their features1 though for the most part well-formed1 are vacant and devoid of expression4 ,they are slow and plain in speech1 and those eloquent and imaginative sallies so common in the conversation of other ,spaniards seldom or never escape them2 they have1 moreover1 a coarse1 thick pronunciation1 and when you hear them speak1 you almost imagine that it is some ,german or ,english peasant attempting to express himself in the language of the ,peninsula4 ,they are constitutionally phlegmatic1 and it is very difficult to arouse their anger2 but they are dangerous and desperate when once incensed1 and a person who knew them well told me that he would rather face ten ,valencians1 people infamous for their ferocity and blood-thirstiness1 than confront one angry ,maragato1 sluggish and stupid though he be on other occasions4 ,the men scarcely ever occupy themselves in husbandry1 which they abandon to the females1 who plough the flinty fields and gather in the scanty harvests4 ,their husbands and sons are far differently employed1 for they are a nation of arrieros or carriers1 and almost esteem it a disgrace to follow any other profession4 ,on every road of ,spain1 particularly those north of the mountains which divide the two ,castiles1 may be seen gangs of fives and sixes of these people lolling or sleeping beneath the broiling sun on their gigantic and heavily laden mutes and mules1 the boast of ,spain1 but dearly purchased by the debasement and degeneration of a once noble breed of horses4 ,in a word1 almost the entire commerce of nearly one half of ,spain passes through the hands of the ,maragatos1 whose fidelity to their trust is such that no one accustomed to employ them would hesitate to entrust them with the transport of a ton of treasure from the sea of ,biscay to ,madrid1 knowing well that it would not be their fault were it not delivered safe and undiminished even of a grain1 and that bold must be the thieves who would seek to wrest it from the far-feared ,maragatos1 who would cling to it whilst they could stand1 and would cover it with their bodies when they fell in the act of loading or discharging their long carbines4 ,but they are far from being disinterested1 and if they are the most trustworthy of all the arrieros of ,spain1 they in general demand for the transport of articles a sum at least double of what others of the trade would esteem a reasonable recompense4 ,by this means they accumulate large sums of money1 notwithstanding that they indulge themselves in a far superior fare to that which contents in general the parsimonious ,spaniard--another argument in favour of their pure ,gothic descent2 for the ,maragatos1 like true men of the north1 delight in swilling liquors and battening upon gross and luscious meats1 which help to swell out their tall and goodly figures4 ,many of them have died possessed of considerable riches1 part of which they have not unfrequently bequeathed to the erection or embellishment of religious houses4 ,on the east end of the cathedral of ,astorga1 which towers over the lofty and precipitous wall1 a colossal figure of lead may be seen on the roof4 ,it is the statue of a ,maragato carrier1 who endowed the cathedral with a large sum4 ,he is in his national dress1 but his head is averted from the land of his fathers1 and whilst he waves in his hand a species of flag1 he seems to be summoning his race from their unfruitful region to other climes where a richer field is open to their industry and enterprise4 ,i spoke to several of these men respecting the all-important subject of religion2 but ',i found their hearts blunted1 and with their ears they heard heavily1 and their eyes were closed4' ,there was one in particular to whom ,i showed the ,new ,testament and addressed for a considerable time4 ,he listened1 or seemed to listen1 patiently1 taking occasional copious draughts from an immense jug of whitish wine which stood between his knees4 ,after ,i had concluded1 he said3 ',to-morrow ,i set out for ,lugo1 whither ,i am told yourself are going4 ,if you wish to send your chest1 ,i have no objection to take it at so much 7naming an extravagant price74 ,as for what you have told me1 ,i understand little of it and believe not a word of it2 but in respect to the books which you have shown me1 ,i will take three or four4 ,i shall not read them1 it is true1 but ,i have no doubt that ,i can sell them at a higher price than you demand4' ,so much for the ,maragatos4 ,it was four o'clock of a beautiful morning that we sallied from ,astorga1 or rather from the suburbs in which we had been lodged2 we directed our course to the north in the direction of ,galicia4 ,leaving the mountain ,telleno on our left1 we passed along the eastern skirts of the land of the ,maragatos over broken uneven ground1 enlivened here and there by small green valleys and runs of water4 ,several of the ,maragato women mounted on donkeys passed us on their way to ,astorga whither they were carrying vegetables2 we saw others in the fields handling their rude ploughs drawn by lean oxen2 we likewise passed through a small village in which we however saw no living soul4 ,near this village we entered the high road which leads direct from ,madrid to ,corunna1 and at last having travelled near four leagues we came to a species of pass formed on our left by a huge lumpish hill 7one of those which descend from the great mountain ,telleno71 and on our right by one of considerably less altitude4 ,in the middle of this pass which was of considerable breadth1 a noble view opened itself to us4 ,before us1 at the distance of about a league and a half1 rose the mighty frontier chain of which ,i have spoken before2 its blue sides and broken and picturesque peaks still wearing a thin veil of the morning mist1 which the fierce rays of the sun were fast dispelling4 ,it seemed an enormous barrier threatening to oppose our further progress1 and it reminded me of the fables respecting the children of ,magog1 who are said to reside in remotest ,tartary behind a gigantic wall of rocks which can only be passed by a gate of steel a thousand cubits in height4 ,we shortly after arrived at ,manzanal1 a village consisting of wretched huts1 and exhibiting every sign of poverty and misery4 ,it was now time to refresh ourselves and horses1 and we accordingly put up at a kind of venta1 the last habitation in the village1 where1 though we found barley for the animals1 we had much difficulty in procuring anything for ourselves4 ,i was at last fortunate enough to obtain a large jug of milk1 for there were plenty of cows in the neighbourhood feeding in a picturesque valley which we had passed by1 in which there was abundance of grass and trees and a run of water broken by tiny cascades4 ,the jug might contain about half a gallon1 but ,i emptied it in a few minutes1 for the thirst of fever was still burning within me though ,i was destitute of appetite4 ,the venta had something the appearance of a ,german baiting house4 ,it consisted of an immense stable1 from which was partitioned a kind of kitchen and a place where the family slept4 ,the master1 a robust young man1 lolled on a large solid stone bench which stood within the door4 ,he was very inquisitive respecting news1 but ,i could afford him none2 whereupon he became communicative1 and gave me the history of his life1 the sum of which was that he had been a courier in the ,basque provinces1 but about a year since had been despatched to this village where he kept the post-house4 ,he was an enthusiastic liberal1 and spoke in bitter terms of the surrounding population1 who1 he said1 were all ,carlists and friends of the friars4 ,i paid little attention to his discourse1 for ,i was looking at a ,maragato lad of about fourteen who served in the house as a kind of ostler4 ,i asked the master if we were still in the land of the ,maragatos1 but he told me that we had left it behind nearly a league1 and that the lad was an orphan1 and was serving until he could rake up a sufficient capital to become an arriero4 ,i addressed several questions to the boy1 but the urchin looked sullenly in my face1 and either answered by monosyllables or was doggedly silent4 ,i asked him if he could read3 ',yes1' said he1 'as much as that black brute of yours who is tearing down the manger4' ,quitting ,manzanal1 we continued our course1 the ground gradually descending2 we soon arrived at a place where the road took a turn to the west1 though previously it had tended due north4 ,we now found that we had to descend the steep sides of a deep and narrow valley which wound amongst mountains1 not those of the chain which we had seen before us and which we had left at our right1 but those of the ,telleno range1 just before they unite with that chain4 ,arrived at the brink of the valley we turned into a foot-path1 to avoid making a considerable circuit1 for we saw the road on the other side of the valley opposite to us about a furlong distant1 and the path appeared to lead direct towards it4 ,we had not gone far before we met two ,galicians on their way to cut the harvests of ,castile4 ,one of them shouted1 ',cavalier1 turn back3 in a moment you will be amongst precipices where your horses will break their necks1 for we ourselves could scarcely climb them on foot4' ,the other cried1 ',cavalier1 proceed1 but be careful1 and your horses1 if sure-footed1 will run no great danger2 my comrade is a fool4' ,a violent dispute instantly ensued between the two mountaineers1 each supporting his opinion with loud oaths and curses2 but without stopping to see the result ,i passed on4 ,but the path was now filled with stones and huge slaty rocks1 on which my horse slid1 frequently on his haunches4 ,i likewise heard the sound of water in a deep gorge1 which ,i had hitherto not perceived1 and ,i soon saw that it would be worse than madness to proceed4 ,i turned my horse and was hastening to regain the path which ,i had left1 when ,antonio1 my faithful ,greek1 pointed out to me a meadow1 by which he said we might regain the high road much lower down than if we returned on our steps4 ,the meadow was brilliant with short green grass1 and in the middle there was a small rivulet of water4 ,i spurred my horse on1 expecting to be in the high road in a moment2 the horse1 however1 snorted and stared wildly1 and was evidently unwilling to cross the seemingly inviting spot4 ,i thought that the scent of a wolf or some other wild animal might have disturbed him1 but was soon undeceived by his sinking up to the knees in a bog4 ,the animal uttered a shrill sharp neigh1 and exhibited every sign of the greatest terror1 making at the same time great efforts to extricate himself1 and plunging forward1 but every moment sinking deeper4 ,at last he arrived where a small vein of rock showed itself1 on this he placed his fore feet1 and with one tremendous exertion freed himself from the deceitful soil1 springing over the rivulet and alighting on comparatively firm ground1 where he stood panting1 his heaving sides covered with a foamy sweat4 ,antonio1 who had been a terrified observer of the whole scene1 afraid to venture forward1 returned by the path by which we came and shortly afterwards rejoined me4 ,this adventure brought to my recollection the meadow with its foot-path1 which tempted ,christian from the straight road to heaven1 and finally conducted him to the dominions of the ,giant ,despair4 ,no hay atajo ,sin trabajo4 ',there is no short cut ,without some deep rut4' says the ,spanish proverb4 ,we now began to descend the valley by a broad and excellent carretera1 or carriage road1 which was cut out of the steep side of the mountain on our right4 ,on our left was the gorge1 down which tumbled the run of water which ,i have before mentioned4 ,the road was tortuous1 and at every turn the scene became more picturesque4 ,the gorge gradually widened1 and the brook at its bottom1 fed by a multitude of springs1 grew more considerable2 but it was soon far beneath us1 pursuing its headlong course till it reached level ground1 where it flowed in the midst of a beautiful but confined prairie4 ,there was something silvan and savage in the mountains on the further side1 clad from foot to pinnacle with trees1 so closely growing that the eye was unable to obtain a glimpse of the hill-sides which were uneven with ravines and gulleys1 the haunts of the wolf1 the wild boar and the corso or mountain-stag2 the last of which1 as ,i was informed by a peasant who was driving a car of oxen1 frequently descended to feed in the prairie and were shot for the sake of their skins1 for the flesh being strong and disagreeable is held at no account4 ,but notwithstanding the wildness of these regions1 the handiworks of man were visible4 ,the sides of the gorge though precipitous were yellow with little fields of barley1 and we saw a hamlet and church down in the prairie below1 whilst merry songs ascended to our ears from where the mowers were toiling with their scythes1 cutting the luxuriant and abundant grass4 ,i could scarcely believe that ,i was in ,spain1 in general so brown1 so arid and cheerless1 and ,i almost fancied myself in ,greece1 in that land of ancient glory1 whose mountain and forest scenery ,theocritus has so well described4 ,at the bottom of the valley we entered a small village washed by the brook1 which had now swelled almost to a stream4 ,a more romantic situation ,i had never witnessed4 ,it was surrounded and almost overhung by huge mountains1 and embowered in trees of various kinds2 waters sounded1 nightingales sang1 and the cuckoo's full note boomed from the distant branches1 but the village was miserable4 ,the huts were built of slate-stones1 of which the neighbouring hills seemed to be principally composed1 and roofed with the same1 but not in the neat tidy manner of ,english houses1 for the slates were of all sizes1 and seemed to be flung on in confusion4 ,we were spent with heat and thirst1 and sitting down on a stone bench ,i entreated a woman to give us a little water4 ,the woman said she would1 but added that she expected to be paid for it4 ,my ,greek on hearing this burst into horrid execrations1 and speaking ,greek1 ,turkish and ,spanish invoked the vengeance of the ,panhagia on the heartless woman1 saying ',if ,i were to offer a ,mahometan gold for a draught of water1 he would dash it in my face2 and you are a ,catholic with the stream running at your door4' ,i told him to be silent1 and giving the woman two cuartos repeated my request2 whereupon she took a pitcher1 and1 going to the stream1 filled it with water4 ,it tasted muddy and disagreeable1 but it drowned the fever which was devouring me4 ,we again mounted and proceeded on our way1 which for a considerable distance lay along the margin of the stream1 which now fell in small cataracts1 now brawled over stones1 and at other times ran dark and silent through deep pools overhung with tall willows--pools which seemed to abound with the finny tribe1 for huge trout frequently sprang from the water catching the brilliant fly which skimmed along its deceitful surface4 ,how delightful6 ,the sun was rolling high in the firmament1 casting from its girdle of fire the most glorious rays1 so that the atmosphere was flickering with their splendour2 but their fierceness was either warded off by the shadow of the trees or rendered innocuous either by the refreshing coolness which rose from the waters or by the gentle breezes which murmured at intervals over the meadows 'fanning the cheek or raising the hair' of the wanderer4 ,the hills gradually receded1 till at last we entered a plain where tall grass was undulating1 and mighty chestnut-trees in full blossom spread their giant and umbrageous boughs4 ,beneath many stood cars1 the tired oxen prostrate on the ground1 the cross-bar of the pole which they support pressing heavily on their heads1 whilst their drivers were either employed in cooking or were enjoying a delicious siesta in the grass and shade4 ,i went up to one of the largest of these groups and demanded of the individuals whether they were in need of the ,testament of ,jesus ,christ4 ,they stared at one another and then at me1 till at last a young man who was dandling a long gun in his hands as he reclined demanded of me what it was1 at the same time enquiring whether ,i was a ,catalan1 'for you speak hoarse1' said he1 'and are tall and fair like that family4' ,i sat down amongst them and said ,i was no ,catalan1 but ,i came from a spot in the western sea many leagues distant to sell that book at half the price it cost1 and that their souls' welfare depended upon their being acquainted with it4 ,i then explained to them the nature of the ,new ,testament and read to them the ,parable of the ,sower4 ,they stared at each other again1 but said that they were poor and could not buy books4 ,i rose1 mounted1 and was going away1 saying to them3 ',peace bide with you4' ,whereupon the young man with the gun rose1 and saying2 ',caspita6 this is odd1' snatched the book from my hand1 and gave me the price ,i had demanded4 ,perhaps the whole world might be searched in vain for a spot whose natural charms could rival those of this plain or valley of ,bembibre1 with its wall of mighty mountains1 its spreading chestnut-trees1 and its groves of oaks and willows which clothe the banks of its stream1 a tributary to the ,minho4 ,true it is that when ,i passed through it the candle of heaven was blazing in full splendour1 and everything lighted by its rays looked gay1 glad and blessed4 ,whether it would have filled me with the same feelings of admiration if viewed beneath another sky ,i will not pretend to determine1 but it certainly possessed advantages which at no time could fail to delight2 for it exhibited all the peaceful beauties of an ,english landscape blended with something wild and grand1 and ,i thought within myself that he must be a restless dissatisfied man who born amongst those scenes would wish to quit them4 ,at the time ,i would have desired no better fate than that of a shepherd on the prairies or a hunter on the hills of ,bembibre4 ,three hours passed away1 and we were in another situation4 ,we had halted and refreshed ourselves and horses at ,bembibre1 a village of mud and slate1 and which possessed little to attract attention4 ,we were now ascending1 for the road was over one of the extreme ledges of those frontier hills which ,i have before so often mentioned2 but the aspect of heaven had blackened1 clouds were rolling rapidly from the west over the mountains1 and a cold wind was moaning dismally4 ',there is a storm travelling through the air1' said a peasant1 whom we overtook mounted on a wretched mule1 'and the ,asturians had better be on the look-out1 for it is speeding in their direction4' ,he had scarce spoken when a light so vivid and dazzling that it seemed the whole lustre of the fiery element was concentrated therein broke around us1 filling the whole atmosphere1 and covering rock1 tree and mountain with a glare indescribable4 ,the mule of the peasant tumbled prostrate1 while the horse ,i rode reared himself perpendicularly1 and turning round dashed down the hill at headlong speed which for some time it was impossible to check4 ,the lightning was followed by a peal almost as terrible1 but distant1 for it sounded hollow and deep2 the hills1 however1 caught up its voice1 seemingly pitching it along their summits1 till it was lost in interminable space4 ,other flashes and peals succeeded1 but slight in comparison1 and a few drops of rain2 the body of the tempest seemed to be over another region4 ',a hundred families are weeping where that bolt fell1' said the peasant1 when ,i rejoined him1 'for its blaze has blinded my mule at six leagues' distance4' ,he was leading the animal by the bridle1 as its sight was evidently affected4 ',were the friars still in their nest above there1' he continued1 ',i should say that this was their doing1 for they are the cause of all the miseries of the land4' ,i raised my eyes in the direction in which he pointed4 ,half-way up the mountain over whose foot we were wending jutted forth a black1 frightful crag1 which at an immense altitude overhung the road and seemed to threaten destruction4 ,it resembled one of those ledges of the rocky mountains in the picture of the deluge1 up to which the terrified fugitives have scrambled from the eager pursuit of the savage and tremendous billow1 down on which they are gazing in horror1 whilst above them rise still higher and giddier heights to which they seem unable to climb4 ,built on the very rim of this crag stood an edifice1 seemingly devoted to the purposes of religion1 as ,i could discern the spire of a church rearing itself high over wall and roof4 ',that is the house of ,the ,virgin of the ,rocks1' said the peasant1 'and it was lately full of friars1 but they have been driven out1 and the only inmates now are owls and ravens4' ,i replied that their life in such a bleak exposed abode could not have been very enviable1 as in winter they must have incurred great risk of perishing with cold4 ',by no means1' said he2 'they had the best of wood for their braseros and chimneys1 and the best of wine to warm them at their meals1 which were not the most sparing2 moreover they had another convent down in the vale yonder1 to which they could retire at their pleasure4' ,i asked him the reason of his antipathy to the friars1 to which he replied that he had been their vassal1 and that they had deprived him every year of the flower of what he possessed4 ,discoursing in this manner we reached a village just below the convent1 where he left me1 having first pointed out to me a house of stone with an image over the door1 which he said once also belonged to the canalla 7rabble7 above4 ,the sun was setting fast1 and1 eager to reach ,villafranca1 where ,i had determined on resting and which was still distant three leagues and a half1 ,i made no halt at this place4 ,the road was now down a rapid and crooked descent which terminated in a valley1 at the bottom of which was a long and narrow bridge4 ,beneath it rolled a river descending from a wide pass between two mountains1 for the chain was here cleft probably by some convulsion of nature4 ,i looked up the pass and on the hills on both sides4 ,far above on my right1 but standing out bold and clear1 and catching the last rays of the sun1 was 'the ,convent of the ,precipices'2 whilst directly over against it1 on the further side of the valley1 rose the perpendicular side of the rival hill which1 to a considerable extent intercepting the light1 flung its black shadow over the upper end of the pass1 involving it in mysterious darkness4 ,emerging from the centre of this gloom with thundering sound dashed a river1 white with foam and bearing along with it huge stones and branches of trees1 for it was the wild ,sil1 probably at that time swollen by the recent rains1 which ,i now saw hurrying to the ocean from its cradle in the heart of the ,asturian hills4 ,its fury1 its roar1 and the savage grandeur of the surrounding scenery which was worthy of the pencil of ,salvator recalled to my mind the powerful lines of ,stolberg addressed to a mountain torrent-- ',the pine-trees are shaken1 they yield to thy shocks1 ,and1 crashing1 they tumble in wild disarray2 ,the rocks fly before thee--thou seizest the rocks ,and whirlst them1 like pebbles1 contemptuous away4' ,hours again passed away4 ,it was now night1 and we were in the midst of woodlands1 feeling our way1 for the darkness was so great that ,i could scarcely see the length of a yard before my horse's head4 ,the animal seemed uneasy1 and would frequently stop short1 prick up his ears1 and utter a low mournful whine4 ,flashes of sheet-lightning frequently illumed the black sky and flung a momentary glare over our path4 ,no sound interrupted the stillness of the night save the slow tramp of the horses' hoofs1 and occasionally the croaking of frogs from some pool or morass4 ,i now bethought me that ,i was in ,spain1 the chosen land of the two fiends1 assassination and plunder1 and how easily two tired unarmed wanderers might become their victims4 ,we at last cleared the woodlands1 and after proceeding a short distance the horse gave a joyous neigh and broke into a smart trot4 ,a barking of dogs speedily reached my ears1 and we seemed to be approaching some town or village4 ,in effect we were close to ,cacabelos1 a town about five miles distant from ,villafranca4 ,it was now near eleven at night1 and ,i reflected that it would be far more expedient to tarry in this place till the morning than to attempt at present to reach ,villafranca1 exposing ourselves to all the horrors of darkness in a lonely and unknown road4 ,my mind was soon made up on this point--but ,i determined without my hosts1 for at the first posada which ,i attempted to enter ,i was told that we could not be accommodated1 and particularly our horses1 as the stable was full of water4 ,at the second 7there were but two71 ,i was answered from the window by a gruff voice nearly in the words of ,scripture3 ',trouble me not1 the gate is already locked1 and my servants are also with me in bed2 ,i cannot arise to let you in4' ,indeed we had no particular desire to enter1 as it appeared a wretched hovel2 though the poor horses pawed piteously against the door1 and seemed to crave admittance4 ,we had now no choice but to resume our doleful way to ,villafranca1 which we were told was a short league distant1 though it proved a league and a half4 ,we however found it no easy matter to quit the town1 for we were bewildered amongst its labyrinths and could not find the outlet4 ,a lad about eighteen was1 however1 persuaded by the promise of a peseta to guide us1 whereupon he led us by many turnings to a bridge which he told us to cross and to follow the road1 which was that of ,villafranca2 he then1 having received his fee1 hastened from us4 ,we followed his directions1 not1 however1 without a suspicion that he might be deceiving us4 ,the night had settled darker down upon us1 so that it was impossible to distinguish any object1 however nigh4 ,the lightning had become more faint and rare4 ,we heard the rustling of trees and occasionally the barking of dogs1 which last sound1 however1 soon ceased1 and we were in the midst of night and silence4 ,my horse1 either from weariness or the badness of the road1 frequently stumbled2 whereupon ,i dismounted1 and leading him by the bridle1 soon left my companion far in the rear4 ,i had proceeded in this manner a considerable way when a circumstance occurred of a character well suited to the time and place4 ,i was again amidst trees and bushes1 when the horse1 stopping short1 nearly pulled me back4 ,i know not how it was1 but fear suddenly came over me1 which1 though in darkness and in solitude1 ,i had not felt before4 ,i was about to urge the animal forward1 when ,i heard a noise at my right hand1 and listened attentively4 ,it seemed to be that of a person or persons forcing their way through branches and brushwood4 ,it soon ceased1 and ,i heard feet on the road4 ,it was the short1 staggering kind of tread of people carrying a very heavy substance1 nearly too much for their strength1 and ,i thought ,i heard the hurried breathing of men over-fatigued4 ,there was a short pause in the middle of the road2 then the stamping recommenced until it reached the other side1 when ,i again heard a similar rustling amidst branches2 it continued for some time1 and died gradually away4 ,i continued my road1 musing on what had just occurred and forming conjectures as to the cause4 ,the lightning resumed its flashing1 and ,i saw that ,i was approaching tall black mountains--,but ,i will omit further particulars of this midnight journey4 ',quien vive1' roared a voice about an hour from this time1 for ,i had at last groped my way to ,villafranca4 ,it proceeded from the sentry at the suburb1 one of those singular half soldiers1 half guerillas1 called ,miguelets1 who are in general employed by the ,spanish ,government to clear the roads of robbers4 ,i gave the usual answer ',espana1' and went up to the place where he stood4 ,after a little conversation1 ,i sat down on a stone1 awaiting the arrival of ,antonio1 who was long in making his appearance4 ,on his arrival ,i asked him if any one had passed him on the road1 but he replied that he had seen nothing4 ,the night1 or rather morning1 was still very dark1 though a small corner of the moon was occasionally visible4 ,on our enquiring the way to the gate1 the ,miguelet directed us down a street to the left1 which we followed4 ,the street was steep1 we could see no gate1 and our progress was soon stopped by houses and wall4 ,we knocked at the gates of two or three of these houses 7in the upper stories of which lights were burning7 for the purpose of being set right1 but we were either disregarded or not heard4 ,a horrid squalling of cats from the tops of the houses and dark corners saluted our ears1 and ,i thought of the night-arrival of ,don ,quixote and his squire at ,tobosa1 and their vain search amongst the deserted streets for the palace of ,dulcinea4 ,at length we saw light and heard voices in a cottage at the further side of a kind of ditch4 ,leading the horses over1 we called at the door1 which was opened by an aged man1 who appeared by his dress to be a baker1 as indeed he proved1 which accounted for his being up at so late an hour4 ,on begging him to show us the way into the town1 he led us up a very narrow alley at the end of his cottage1 saying that he would likewise conduct us to the posada4 ,the alley led directly to what appeared to be the market-place1 at a corner house of which our guide stopped and knocked4 ,after a long pause an upper window was opened1 and a female voice demanded who we were4 ,the old man replied that two travellers had arrived who were in need of lodging4 ',i cannot be disturbed at this time of night1' said the woman1 'they will be wanting supper1 and there is nothing in the house2 they must go elsewhere4' ,she was going to shut the window1 but ,i cried that we wanted no supper1 but merely a resting-place for ourselves and horses1 that we had come that day from ,astorga1 and were dying with fatigue4 ',who is that speaking8' cried the woman4 ',surely that is the voice of ,gil1 the ,german clock-maker from ,pontevedra4 ,welcome1 old companion1 you are come at the right time1 for my own is out of order4 ,i am sorry ,i kept you waiting1 but ,i will admit you in a moment4' ,the window was slammed to2 presently light shone through the crevices if the door1 a key turned in the lock1 and we were admitted4 ,to the ,rev4 ,a4 ,brandram 7,endorsed3 recd4 ,sept4 #aa1 #ahcg7 ,,saint ,,james 7,,santiago7 ,,of ,,compostella1 #aith ,aug4 #ahcg4 ,,revd4 ,,and ,,dear ,,sir1--,i left ,corunna about ten days since for this town1 travelling with the courier or weekly post1 who was escorted by a strong party of soldiers in consequence of the distracted state of the country4 ,nothing particular worth relating occurred during the journey1 which occupied a day and a half1 though the distance is barely ten leagues4 ,santiago1 or ,saint ,james1 is1 as you are aware1 the capital of ,galicia1 and the residence of the ,metropolitan4 ,it is1 or was1 the most celebrated resort for pilgrims in the whole world1 with the exception of ,jerusalem1 as it is said to contain the bones of ,saint ,james the ,elder1 the ,child of the ,thunder1 who according to the legend of the ,roman ,church first preached the ,gospel in ,spain4 ,the cathedral1 though built at various periods and by no means uniform1 is a majestic1 venerable edifice1 in every respect calculated to excite awe and admiration2 indeed it is almost impossible to walk its long dusky aisles and hear the solemn music and the noble chanting and inhale the incense of the mighty censers1 which are at times swung so high by machinery that they smite the vaulted roof1 whilst gigantic tapers glitter here and there amongst the gloom from the shrine of many a saint1 before which the worshippers are kneeling1 breathing forth their prayers and petitions for help1 love1 and mercy1 and entertain a doubt that we are treading the floor of a house where ,god delighteth to dwell4 ,yet the ,lord is distant from that house4 ,he heareth not1 ,he seeth not3 or1 if ,he hear and see1 it is with anger4 ,what availeth that solemn music1 that noble chanting1 that incense of sweet savour8 ,what availeth kneeling before that grand altar of silver1 surmounted by that figure with its silver hat and breastplate1 the emblem of one who1 although an ,apostle and ,confessor1 was at best an unprofitable servant8 ,what availeth hoping for remission of sin by trusting in the merits of him who possessed none1 or by paying homage to others who were born and nurtured in sin1 and who alone by the exercise of a lively faith granted from above could hope to preserve themselves from the wrath of the ,almighty8 ,yet such acts and formalities constitute what is termed religion at ,compostella1 where1 perhaps1 ,god and ,his will are less known and respected than at ,pekin or amid the wildernesses where graze the coursers of the ,mongol and the ,mandchou4 ,perhaps there is no part of ,spain where the ,romish religion is so cherished as throughout ,galicia4 ,in no part of ,spain are the precepts and ordinances of that ,church1 especially fasting and confession1 so strictly observed1 and its ministers regarded with so much respect and deference4 ,the natural conclusion therefore would be that1 if the religion of ,rome be the same as that founded by ,christ1 the example of the ,saviour is more closely followed1 and the savage and furious passions more bridled1 bloodshed and rapine less frequent1 unchastity and intemperance less apparent1 and the minds of the people more enlightened and free from the mists of superstition in ,galicia than in other provinces4 ,what is the fact8 ,almost every road is teeming with banditti1 who under the name of ,carlists plunder friend and foe1 and to robbery join cruelty so atrociously horrible that indignation at the crime is frequently lost in wonder2 for the ,galician robbers are seldom satisfied with booty1 and unlike their brethren in other parts generally mutilate or assassinate those who are so unfortunate as to fall in their hands2 prostitution is carried on to an enormous extent1 and although loathsome concustant sic diseases stare the stranger in the face in the street1 in the market-place1 in the church1 and at the fountain2 ',drunken as a ,galician' is a proverb2 and superstitions forgotten1 abandoned in the rest of ,spain1 are clung to here with surprising pertinacity1 the clergy exerting themselves to uphold them by carrying on a very extensive sale in charms1 verifying the old saying1 ',witches are found where friars abound4' ,an unhappy man1 whilst collecting vipers amongst the hills1 which he was in the practice of selling to the apothecaries1 was lately met near ,orense by some of these monsters4 ,having plundered and stripped him1 they tied his hands behind him and thrust his head into the sack1 which contained several of these horrible reptiles alive6 ,they then fastened the sack at the mouth round his neck1 and having feasted their ears for a time with his cries1 they abandoned him to his fate4 ,the poor wretch1 stung by the vipers in the face and eyes1 presently became mad and ran through several villages1 till he fell dead4 ,i am now in the heart of this strange country and people4 ,it has pleased the ,lord to bless my humble endeavours more than ,i had reason to expect2 since my arrival ,santiago between thirty and forty copies of the ,new ,testament have been despatched4 ,the bookseller of the place1 ,rey ,romero1 a venerable man of seventy1 very wealthy and respected1 has taken up the cause with an enthusiasm which doubtless emanates from on high1 losing no opportunity of recommending the work to those who enter his shop1 which is very splendid and commodious4 ,in many instances1 when the peasants of the neighbourhood have come with the intention of purchasing some of the foolish popular story-books of ,spain1 he has persuaded them in lieu thereof to carry home ,testaments1 assuring them that it was not only a better and more instructive1 but even a far more entertaining book than those they came in quest of4 ,he has taken a great fancy to me1 and comes to visit me every evening1 when he accompanies me in my walks about the town and environs4 ,every one who is aware how rare it is to meet with friendship and cordiality in ,spain will easily conceive my joy at finding such a coadjutor1 and ,i have no doubt that when ,i am absent he will exert himself as much1 and ,i hope as effectually1 as now that ,i am present4 ,i leave ,saint ,james to-morrow for ,pontevedra and ,vigo1 carrying with me some ,testaments which ,i hope to dispose of1 notwithstanding there are no booksellers in those places4 ,i shall then return to ,corunna1 either by ,compostella or by some other route4 ,i trust the ,lord will preserve me in this journey as ,he has done in others4 ,from ,corunna ,i propose to travel through the mountains to ,oviedo in the ,asturias1 provided that town be not speedily in the hands of the factious4 ,by the time these lines reach you1 you will doubtless have heard of the irruption of a part of the ,pretender's hordes into ,old ,castile2 they have carried everything before them1 and have sacked and taken possession of the city of ,segovia1 distant only one day's march from ,madrid4 ,from the aspect of things ,i should say that the miseries of this land1 far from having reached their climax1 are but commencing4 ,yet let no one mourn for ,egypt3 she is but paying the price of her sorceries and superstitions4 7,,unsigned47 ,p4,s4--,at ,san ,sebastian ,i shall need ,davison's ,turkish ,grammar1 which you have in the ,library4 ,it will be of assistance to me in editing the ,basque ,st4 ,luke2 the two languages are surprisingly connected4 ,to the ,rev4 ,a4 ,brandram 7,endorsed3 recd4 ,oct4 #i1 #ahcg7 ,,corunna1 ,sep4 #ae1 #ahcg4 ,,revd4 ,,and ,,dear ,,sir1--,about ten days have elapsed since my return to ,corunna4 ,i stated in my last letter1 from ,compostella1 that it was my intention to visit ,pontevedra and ,vigo1 which ,i carried into effect4 ,in the first of these places ,i left1 as ,i passed through1 eight copies of the ,new ,testament in the hands of ,senor ,garcia1 the public notary2 three days subsequent1 on my return1 ,i found that he had disposed of them1 and ,i have since sent him a fresh supply4 ,he is a very zealous and exceeding intelligent person1 and ,i have no doubt will prove a highly useful agent in ,pontevedra and its beautiful neighbourhood1 which is the garden of ,galicia4 ,in ,vigo ,i disposed of four ,testaments1 but was not so fortunate as to find any person willing or calculated to undertake the charge accepted by my friend in the former town4 ,having reached ,padron1 in my journey back1 ,i sent my servant and horses forward to ,saint ,james1 and guided by a peasant1 proceeded across the country to ,cape ,finisterre1 on whose rocky sides ,i so narrowly escaped being shipwrecked last year4 ,the distance was fifteen leagues1 and the route lay over wild mountains and valleys1 where we suffered much from fatigue and the heat of the sun4 ,arrived at ,finisterre we were seized as ,carlist spies by the fishermen of the place1 who determined at first on shooting us1 but at last contented themselves with conducting us prisoners to ,corcubion1 where the ,alcalde of the district1 after having examined me and perused my passport1 ordered me to be set at liberty1 and treated me with all manner of civility4 ,by this journey ,i accomplished what has long been one of the ardent wishes of my heart4 ,i have carried the ,gospel to the extreme point of the old world1 having left a ,testament in the hands of ,antonio de ,trava1 an ancient mariner of ,finisterre1 who took my part in a very friendly manner1 and probably saved me from experiencing much violence at the hands of his companions4 ,finisterre is a place of wonders1 which ,i hope at some future time to have the pleasure of narrating2 but at present ,i must speak of other matters4 ,about one hundred ,testaments have been disposed of at ,saint ,james of ,compostella1 and there is at present a steady regular demand for them there which inspires my heart with gratitude to the ,almighty4 ,shortly previous to my journey to ,saint ,james1 ,i despatched fifty copies to ,lugo1 where the ,lord vouchsafed me good success on a former occasion2 this second supply being almost exhausted1 ,i have sent more4 ,only fifty-eight copies have hitherto been sold at ,corunna1 for its inhabitants are far too much engrossed by party politics to entertain much relish for heavenly manna4 ,i pray every night and morning that their eyes may be opened to their eternal welfare4 ,having now arranged matters in ,galicia1 as well as circumstances will permit1 ,i am about to quit this province1 directing my course to ,oviedo in the ,asturias4 ,the way is long1 and is infested by robbers and factious2 yet ,i go forth without much fear1 hoping that the ,lord will prove my shield and guard as on other occasions4 ,from ,oviedo ,i proceed to ,santander1 and from thence to the ,basque provinces4 ,santander1 being a large and flourishing town1 affords me a tolerable prospect of success1 and ,i have accordingly directed my agent at ,madrid to despatch thither forthwith #aej ,testaments4 ,the intermediate country is1 however1 in a most distracted state1 a great part of it being in the hands of the ,carlists2 it is therefore probable that the books may never reach me1 in which event ,i shall have to apply to ,england4 ,to the ,basque provinces ,i hope to carry ,saint ,luke in a ,biscayan version1 which ,i shall print at ,santander should an opportunity present itself4 ,no time must be lost in accomplishing all that is possible in ,spain1 which in the course of a few months may be entirely in the hands of the ,pretender4 ,i received the lines which you directed to the care of the ,british consul at ,corunna1 and was thankful for them4 ,pray present my kind remembrances to ,mrs4 ,brandram and family1 to ,mr4 ,jowett1 and ,mr4 and ,mrs4 ,browne4 ,i remain1 ,revd4 and dear ,sir1 most truly yours1 ,g4 ,,borrow4 ,to the ,rev4 ,a4 ,brandram 7,endorsed3 recd4 ,oct4 #ag1 #ahcg7 ,,oviedo1 ,,asturias1 #bi ,septr4 #ahcg4 ,,revd4 ,,and ,,dear ,,sir1--,a day or two after the date of my last letter ,i quitted ,corunna and passed over the bay to ,ferrol1 where ,i left twenty ,testaments in the hands of a person who has just established a small book-shop in that place4 ,my servant ,antonio went round by land with my horse1 the only one which ,i now possess1 ,i having disposed #bea of the largest of the two at ,corunna1 as ,i thought he was unable to support the fatigue of a journey to ,oviedo4 ,at ,ferrol ,i hired a horse and guide as far as ,ribadeo1 a distance of twenty leagues1 and somewhat less than half the way to ,oviedo4 ,this journey was a terrible one2 during the greatest part of it we had to toil up and down mountain gorges and ravines1 to force our way through bushes and thickets1 and to wade rivulets and torrents swollen by the rain1 which descended continually2 our guide proved perfectly ignorant of the country1 and we had to bribe various peasants to accompany us1 though we incurred great risk by so doing of being conducted to some den of thieves1 and stripped and murdered4 ,at ,ribadeo we procured a fresh horse and guide1 and continued our way to ,oviedo1 encountering still greater difficulties1 the ground being still more rugged and broken than that which we had previously passed over4 ,my own horse rolled down a precipice1 and was much maimed1 whilst that of the guide was so worn out by the time he reached ,gijon1 four leagues from ,oviedo1 that he foundered4 ,as for ,antonio and myself1 we arrived barefooted and bleeding1 for ,i need scarcely say that during all this journey1 which amounted at least to #acj miles1 we went on foot1 the poor horses being scarcely able to carry our books and baggage4 ,i am now by the blessing of the ,almighty in the city of ,oviedo1 the capital of the ,asturias1 although at an unpropitious season1 for the bray of war is at the gate1 and there is the cry of the captains and the shouting4 ,castile is at the present time in the hands of the ,carlists1 who have captured and plundered ,valladolid1 in much the same manner as they did ,segovia4 ,they are every day expected to march on this place1 in which case they will probably experience an obstinate resistance1 very excellent redoubts having been erected1 and several of the convents strongly fortified1 especially that of ,santa ,clara de la ,vega4 ,all minds here are at present in a state of feverish anxiety and suspense1 more especially as no intelligence at present arrives from ,madrid1 which by the last accounts was beleaguered by the bands of ,cabrera1 ,palillos1 and ,orejita4--,but ,i am interrupted1 and ,i lay down my pen4 ,a strange adventure has just occurred to me4 ,i am in the ancient town of ,oviedo1 in a very large1 scantily furnished and remote room of an ancient posada1 formerly a palace of the ,counts of ,santa ,cruz4 ,it is past ten at night and the rain is descending in torrents4 ,i ceased writing on hearing numerous footsteps ascending the creaking stairs which lead to my apartment--the door was flung open1 and in walked nine men of tall stature1 marshalled by a little hunch-backed personage4 ,they were all muffled in the long cloaks of ,spain1 but ,i instantly knew by their demeanour that they were caballeros1 or gentlemen4 ,they placed themselves in a rank before the table where ,i was sitting2 suddenly and simultaneously they all flung back their cloaks1 and ,i perceived that every one bore a book in his hand1 a book which ,i knew full well4 ,after a pause1 which ,i was unable to break1 for ,i sat lost in astonishment and almost conceived myself to be visited by apparitions1 the hunch-back advancing somewhat before the rest said in soft silvery tones3 ',senor ,cavalier1 was it you who brought this book to the ,asturias8' ,i now supposed that they were the civil authorities of the place come to take me into custody1 and rising from my seat ,i exclaimed1 ',it certainly was ,i1 and it is my glory to have done so4 ,the book is the ,new ,testament of ,god2 ,i wish it was in my power to bring a million4' ',i heartily wish so too1' said the little personage with a sigh4 ',be under no apprehension1 ,sir ,cavalier2 these gentlemen are my friends4 ,we have just purchased these books in the shop where you have placed them for sale1 and have taken the liberty of calling upon you in order to return you our thanks for the treasure you have brought us4 ,i hope you can furnish us with the ,old ,testament also4' ,i replied that ,i was sorry to inform him that at present it was entirely out of my power to comply with his wish1 as ,i had no ,old ,testaments in my possession1 but did not despair of procuring some speedily1 from ,england4 ,he then asked me a great many questions concerning my ,biblical travels in ,spain1 and my success1 and the views entertained by the ,society in respect to ,spain1 adding that he hoped ,i should pay particular attention to the ,asturias1 which he assured me was the best ground in the ,peninsula for our labour4 ,after about half-an-hour's conversation1 he suddenly said in the ,english language1 ',good night1 sir1' wrapped his cloak around him1 and walked out as he had come4 ,his companions1 who had hitherto not uttered a word1 all repeated1 ',good night1 sir1' and adjusting their cloaks followed him4 ,in order to explain this strange scene ,i must inform you that this morning ,i visited the petty bookseller of the place1 ,longoria1 and having arranged preliminaries with him ,i sent him in the evening a package of forty ,testaments1 all ,i possess1 with some advertisements4 ,at the time he assured me that1 though he was willing to undertake the sale1 there was nevertheless not a prospect of success1 as a whole month had elapsed since he had sold a book of any description1 on account of the uncertainty of the times and the poverty which pervaded the land4 ,i therefore sat down to write this letter much dispirited2 this incident has1 however1 admonished me not to be cast down when things look gloomiest1 as the hand of the ,lord is generally then most busy3 that men may learn to perceive that whatever good is accomplished is not theirs but ,his4 ,i shall quit ,oviedo in a few days1 but whither ,i shall now direct my course ,i have not determined4 ,it would be easy for me to reach ,santander1 which is but thirty leagues distant and the road tolerably free from accidents2 but the state of affairs at ,madrid gives me considerable uneasiness1 for ,i remember that ,madrid is the depot of our books1 and ,i am apprehensive that in the revolutions and disturbances which at present seem to threaten it1 our whole stock may perish4 ,true it is that in order to reach ,madrid ,i should have to pass through the midst of the ,carlist hordes1 who would perhaps slay or make me prisoner2 but ,i am at present so much accustomed to perilous adventure1 and have hitherto experienced so many fortunate escapes1 that the dangers which infest the route would not deter me a moment from venturing4 ,but there is no certain intelligence1 and ,madrid may be in safety or on the brink of falling2 perhaps a few hours will inform us1 when ,i shall at once decide4 ,my next letter will therefore be either from ,santander or the capital of ,spain4 ,oviedo is picturesquely situated between two mountains1 ,morcin and ,naranco2 the former is very high and ragged1 and during the greatest part of the year is covered with snow2 the sides of the latter are cultivated and planted with vines4 ,the town itself possesses nothing very remarkable with the exception of the cathedral1 the tower of which is very high1 and is perhaps the purest specimen of ,gothic architecture at present in existence4 ,the interior of the edifice is neat and appropriate but simple and unadorned1 for ,i observed but one picture1 the ,conversion of ,st4 ,paul4 ,one of the chapels is a cemetery1 in which rest the bones of eleven ,gothic kings1 whose souls ,i trust in ,christ have been accepted4 ,i will now conclude in the words of ,heber3 ',from ,greenland's icy mountains1 ,from ,india's coral strand-- ,where ,afric's sunny fountains ,roll down the yellow sand-- ,from many an ancient river1 ,from many a palmy plain1 ,they call us to deliver ,their land from error's chain4' ,most truly yours1 ,g4 ,b4 ,p4,s4--,morning ,sept4 #cjth1 twenty ,testaments have been sold4 ,to the ,rev4 ,a4 ,brandram 7,endorsed3 recd4 ,nov4 #ac1 #ahcg7 ,,madrid1 ,novr4 #a1 #ahcg4 ,,calle ,,santiago1 ,no4 #af ,,piso #c,,ro4 ,,revd4 ,,and ,,dear ,,sir1--,in my last letter1 from ,oviedo in the ,asturias1 ,i stated that my next would be dated either from ,santander or the capital of ,spain4 ,i arrived yesterday at ,madrid1 but ,i previously visited ,santander1 which ,i reached with my usual good fortune1 without accident1 after a fatiguing journey of six days4 ,when there1 ,i found to my great sorrow that the two hundred ,testaments which ,i had ordered to be sent from ,madrid were not come2 and ,i supposed that they had either been seized on the way by the ,carlists or that my letter had miscarried4 #bef ,i then thought of applying to ,england for a supply1 but ,i abandoned the idea for two reasons2 first1 that ,i should have to remain idly loitering at ,santander for at least a month before ,i could receive them--a place where every article is so dear that my expenses with the strictest economy would have amounted to nearly two pounds per diem2 secondly1 that ,i was very unwell1 and unable to procure medical advice at ,santander3 for1 to tell the truth1 ever since ,i left ,corunna ,i have been afflicted with a terrible dysentery1 and latterly with an ophthalmia1 the result of the other malady4 ,i therefore determined on returning to ,madrid4 ,to effect this1 however1 seemed almost impossible4 ,parties of the army of ,don ,carlos1 which in a partial degree had been routed in ,castile1 were hovering about the country through which ,i should have to pass1 more especially that part called ',the ,mountains1' so that all communication had ceased between ,santander and the southern districts4 ,nevertheless ,i determined to trust1 as usual1 in the ,almighty and to venture4 ,i purchased1 therefore1 a small horse and sallied forth with ,antonio1 notwithstanding ,i was so unwell as to be scarcely able to support myself4 ,i wished to have written to you from ,santander1 but ,i was exceedingly dispirited and could not collect my thoughts4 ,before departing1 ,i of course entered into conference with the booksellers as to what they should do in the event of my finding an opportunity of sending them a stock of ,testaments from ,madrid1 and having arranged things to my satisfaction ,i committed myself to ,providence4 ,i will not dwell long on this journey of three hundred miles4 ,we were in the midst of the fire1 yet1 strange to say1 escaped without a hair being singed2 robberies1 murders1 and all kinds of atrocity were perpetrated before1 behind1 and on both sides of us1 but not so much as a dog barked at us1 though in one instance a plan had been laid to intercept us4 ,about four leagues from ,santander1 whilst we were baiting our horses at a village hostelry1 ,i saw a fellow run off after having held a whispering conversation with a boy who was dealing out barley to us4 ,i instantly enquired of the latter what the man had said to him1 but only obtained an evasive answer4 ,it appeared afterwards that the conversation was about ourselves4 ,two or three leagues further on there was an inn and village1 where we had proposed staying1 and indeed had expressed our intention of doing so2 but on arriving there1 finding that the sun was still far from its bourn1 ,i determined to proceed further1 expecting to find a resting-place at the distance of a league2 though ,i was mistaken1 finding none until we reached ,montaneda1 nine leagues and a half from ,santander1 where was stationed a small detachment of soldiers4 ,at the dead of night we were aroused from our sleep by a cry that the 'factious' were not far off4 ,a messenger had arrived from the ,alcalde of the village where we had previously intended staying1 who stated that a party of ,carlists had just surprised that place1 and were searching for an ,english spy whom they supposed to be at the inn4 ,the officer commanding the soldiers1 upon hearing this1 not deeming his own situation a safe one1 instantly drew off his men1 falling back on a stronger party stationed in a fortified village near at hand2 as for ourselves we saddled our horses and continued our way in the dark4 ,had the ,carlists succeeded in apprehending me1 ,i should instantly have been shot1 and my body cast on the rocks to feed the vultures and wolves4 ,but 'it was not so written'--said my man1 who is a ,greek and a fatalist4 ,the next night we had another singular escape2 we had arrived near the entrance of a horrible pass1 called ,el puerto de la puente de las tablas1 or the pass of the bridge of planks1 which wound through a black and frightful mountain1 on the further side of which was the town of ,onas1 where we meant to tarry for the night4 ,the sun had set about a quarter of an hour4 ,suddenly a man with his face covered with blood rushed out of the pass4 ,turn back1 sir1' he said1 'in the name of ,god2 there are murderers in that pass2 they have just robbed me of my mule and all ,i possess1 and ,i have hardly escaped with life from their hands4' ,i scarcely can say why1 but ,i made him no answer1 and proceeded2 indeed ,i was so weary and unwell that ,i cared not what became of me4 ,we entered--the rocks rose perpendicularly right and left1 entirely intercepting the scanty twilight1 so that the darkness of the grave1 or rather the blackness of the valley of the shadow of death1 reigned around us1 and we knew not where we went1 but trusted solely to the instinct of the horses1 who moved on with their heads close to the ground4 ,the only sound which we heard was the splash of a stream which tumbled down the pass4 ,i expected every moment to feel a knife at my throat1 but--it was not so written4 ,we threaded the pass without meeting a human being1 and within three quarters of an hour after the time we entered it1 we found ourselves within the posada of the town of ,onas1 which was filled with troops and armed peasants expecting an attack from the grand ,carlist army1 which was near at hand4 ,well6 we reached ,burgos in safety1 we reached ,valladolid in safety1 we passed the ,guadarama in safety1 and now we are safely housed in ,madrid4 ,people say we have been very lucky2 ,antonio says1 ',it was so written'2 but ,i say1 ',glory be to the ,lord for ,his mercies vouchsafed4' ,i did not find matters in a very prosperous state in ,madrid4 ,few copies of the ,new ,testament have been sold2 yet what else could be rationally expected in these latter times8 ,don ,carlos with a large army has been at the gates2 plunder and massacre were expected1 and people have been too much occupied in planning to secure their lives and property to have much time to devote to reading of any description4 ,i have had an interview with ,dr4 ,usoz1 and have just received a most interesting letter from him1 replete with patriotism and piety2 amongst other things he says1 'only circumstances and the public poverty are the cause of the works not having met with sale at ,madrid4' ,of this letter ,i shall send a translation4 ,it contains some remarks respecting ,father ,scio's version1 which ,i consider to be of high importance1 and humbly recommend to the attention of the ,committee4 ,but ,i am at present in ,madrid1 and am thus enabled to superintend in person the measures calculated to secure the sale of the work4 ,i shall forthwith cause a thousand advertisements to be printed and affixed from time to time in every part of the city4 ,i shall likewise employ colporteurs to vend them in the streets1 and shall perhaps establish a stall or small shop1 where ,testaments and ,testaments alone will be sold4--,no exertion of which ,i am capable will be spared1 and if 'the ,word of the ,lord' become not speedily better known at ,madrid1 it will be because the ,lord in ,his inscrutable wisdom does not so will it4 ,whilst in the northern provinces ,i ordered a hundred copies to be despatched from ,madrid to each of the three great towns1 ,valencia1 ,seville1 and ,cadiz1 with advertisements2 ,i am glad to be able to state that advice has been received that the books have reached their destination4 ,at the commencement of the coming year it is my intention to visit those parts2 for no work seems to prosper in ,spain which is not closely attended to by the master4 ,whilst at ,valladolid ,i ordered all the copies which remained unsold of the second supply to be sent to ,burgos1 and ,i am now going to despatch a third fifty to the former town1 and a still larger quantity to ,oviedo1 those which ,i carried thither having been all sold during my short stay4 ,in a few days it is my intention to commit to the press ,luke in ,basque and in ,rommany1 the latter of which versions ,i propose to carry with me to ,andalusia and ,valencia1 the two provinces which most abound with the ,rommany-,chai1 of whom1 by the way1 ,i found no trace in ,old ,castile1 ,galicia1 or the ,asturias4 ,as for the ,basque version1 it is probable that even in ,madrid it will not be without demand1 as many ,biscayans residing there will doubtless be eager to read the ,gospel when placed within their reach in their native tongue4 ,i will now conclude by begging pardon for all errors of commission and omission4 ,i am a frail foolish vessel1 and have accomplished but a slight portion of what ,i proposed in my vanity4 ,yet something1 though but little1 has been effected by this journey1 which ,i have just brought to a conclusion4 ,the ,new ,testament of ,christ is enjoying a quiet sale in the principal towns of the north of ,spain1 and ,i have secured the friendly interest and co-operation of the booksellers of those parts1 particularly him1 the most considerable of them all1 ,rey ,romero of ,compostella4 ,i have1 moreover1 by private sale disposed of one hundred and sixteen ,testaments to individuals entirely of the lower classes1 namely1 muleteers1 carmen1 contrabandistas1 etc4 ,my accounts will follow in a few days4 ,now may the ,lord bless you1 and dispose you to pray for myself and all in this land of misery and sorrow4 ,g4 ,b4 ,to the ,rev4 ,a4 ,brandram 7,endorsed3 recd4 ,dec4 #b1 #ahcg7 ,,madrid1 ,no4 #af ,,calle ,,st4 ,,iago ,,piso #c,,ro4 ,novr4 #bj1 #ahcg4 ,,revd4 ,,and ,,dear ,,sir1--,on the other side you have an account of the money which ,i expended during my journey1 and also of what ,i have laid out in the ,society's service since my return4 ,in respect to my expenses1 ,i wish to state that most articles are very dear in ,spain1 especially in the parts where ,i have travelled1 and that ,i have been subjected to many expenses which ,i have not specified in the account1 for example the gate-dues for the books1 in every town where ,i have introduced them--the printing of advertisements--and particularly farriers' bills1 as the poor horses were continually ailing from over-work1 bad provender and falls received amongst the mountains4 ,in the account of ,testaments sold you will observe that ,i make no mention of by far the greater number1 namely those disposed of at ,lugo1 ,saint ,james1 etc41 etc41 as ,i have not yet received the money from the booksellers4 ,about a week since ,i received advice from ,leon that the forty copies which ,i had left there had been all sold1 and that the money was in readiness2 ,i have despatched a fresh supply of fifty to that important town1 where last summer ,i nearly lost my life in a burning fever4 ,i am expecting every day a fresh order from ,salamanca1 and hope that1 as the circle widens in the lake into which a stripling has cast a pebble1 so will the circle of our usefulness continue widening until it has embraced the whole vast region of ,spain4 ,i have delayed writing for nearly a fortnight1 as during that period ,i have been looking out for a suitable shop in which to commence operations in ,madrid4 ,i have just found one quite to my mind1 situated in the ,calle del ,principe1 one of the principal streets4 ,the rent1 it is true1 is rather high 7eight reals per diem72 but a good situation1 as you are well aware1 must be paid for4 ,i came to the resolution of establishing a shop from finding that the ,madrid booksellers entrusted with the ,testaments gave themselves no manner of trouble to secure the sale1 and even withheld advertisements from the public with which they were supplied4 ,but now everything will be on another footing1 and ,i have sanguine hopes of selling all that remain of the edition within a short time4 ,a violent and furious letter against the ,bible ,society and its proceedings has lately appeared in a public print2 it is prefixed to a ,pastoral of the ,spiritual ,governor i4e4 ,bishop of ,valencia1 in which he forbids the sale of the ,london ,bible in that see4 ,about a week since ,i inserted in the ,espanol an answer to that letter1 which answer has been read and praised4 ,i send you herewith an ,english translation of it4 ,you will doubtless deem it too warm and fiery1 but tameness and gentleness are of little avail when surrounded by the vassal slaves of bloody ,rome4 ,it has answered one purpose--it has silenced our antagonist1 who1 it seems1 is an unprincipled benefice-hunting curate4 ,as you read ,spanish1 ,i have copied his own words respecting the omission of the ,apocrypha2 nevertheless1 lest you should find some difficulty in understanding it1 ,i subjoin here the ,english4 ',if the works of ,luther were to be given to the world curtailed of their principal chapters1 and his maxims and precepts to a certain degree transformed1 what would his followers and disciples do8 ,would they not rise with one accord in numerous bands1 and1 in order to sustain the honour of their preceptor1 would they not recur to the original writings and produce in his support his manuscripts8 ,would they not resort to all kinds of argument to prove the spuriousness of that edition1 and employ declamation and reasoning in order to blacken the illicit and fraudulent means which the ,catholics were employing8' etc41 etc41 etc4 ,i deemed it my duty1 as ,agent of the ,bible ,society in ,spain1 not to permit so brutal an attack upon it to pass unanswered4 ,indeed ,i was called upon by my friends to reply1 and though ,i am adverse to all theological and political disputes1 ,i feared to refuse1 lest the motives of my silence should be misconstrued4 ,but now ,i must be permitted to say 7between ourselves7 that it was a very unadvised act to send such a ,bible as the ,london one over to ,spain1 a ,bible which does the editor no credit and the ,society less2 and it was a still more unadvised act to advertise in the prints of ,valencia that it would be given gratis to the poor4 ,mr4 ,villiers1 whom ,i consulted1 made use of these words3 ',how is it possible for you 7meaning myself7 to sell books at ,madrid and other places1 when it becomes known that those very same books are being given away at ,valencia8 ,moreover1 giving away ,bibles to the multitude will seem to imply that there is some plot or conspiracy in the wind1 and the ,government1 with some shadow of reason1 may be called upon to interfere1 and the proceedings of the ,society may be brought to a sudden stop in ,spain4' ,i hope you will excuse these hints2 they are well meant1 and in uttering them ,i have1 as you know1 the prosperity of our hallowed cause solely at heart4 ,g4 ,b4 7,i am still very unwell47 ,to the ,editors of ,el ,espanol ,,gentlemen1--,my attention has this moment been directed by a friend to a letter which appeared in your journal of the #eth instant1 signed ,jose ,francisco ,garcia and prefixed to a circular of the ,governor of the ,see of ,valencia1 the object of which is to forbid the purchasing or reading of the ,castilian version of the ,bible by ,father ,felipe ,scio1 as edited in ,london by the ,british and ,foreign ,bible ,society1 and which the ,agent of the ,society at ,valencia has announced for sale4 ,did the principles of the ,bible ,society permit them to rejoice at the misfortunes of their fellow-creatures1 even of their enemies1 the style and tone which the writer of this epistle has1 unfortunately for himself and his cause1 adopted1 would afford them plenteous matter for congratulation4 ,he calls himself an ecclesiastic and talks about 'the sacred duty of his august ministry1' and for the purpose1 ,i suppose1 of showing how strictly he fulfils the precepts of his mild ,master and ,redeemer1 he styles the ,society in question 'an infernal ,society1' and speaks of 'its accursed fecundity4' ,goodly words6 ,charitable words6 ,may ,i be permitted to enquire in what part of the sacred writings he found them recommended8 ,perhaps in the following text of the ,vulgate3-- ',vae vobis ,scribae et ,pharisaei hypocritae1 qui decimatis mentham1 et anethum1 et cyminum1 et reliquistis quae graviora sunt legis1 judicium1 et misericordiam1 et fidem4 ,haec oportuit facere1 et illa non omittere4' ,matt4 cap4 xxiii4 vers4 #bc4 ,ay de vosotros1 ,escribas y ,phariseos hipocritas1 que diezmais la yerba buena1 y el eneldo1 y el comino1 y habeis dexado las cosas1 que son mas importantes de la ,ley1 la justicia1 y la misericordia1 y la fe6 ,esto era menester hacer1 y no dexar lo otro4 ,the ,british and ,foreign ,bible ,society is an infernal society and consequently its members1 one and all1 are children of the devil4 ,now1 what is required to constitute a child of the devil1 according to the opinion of the ,founder of ,christianity--of ,jesus--the ,living ,word--the ,eternal ,god8 ,let me quote ,his own words1 according to the ,vulgate1 the book of the ,church of ,rome3 ',vos ex patre diabolo estis3 et desideria patris vestri vultis facere4 ,ille homicida erat ab initio1 et in veritate non stetit1 quia non est veritas in eo3 cum loquitur mendacium1 ex propriis loquitur1 quia mendax est et pater ejus4' ,joan4 cap4 viii4 vers4 #dd4 ',vosotros sois hijos del diablo1 y quereis cumplir los deseos de vuestro padre3 el fue homicida desde el principio1 y no permanecio en la verdad2 porque no hay verdad en el3 quando habla mentira1 de suyo habla2 porque es mentiroso1 y padre de la mentira4' ,by this it should appear that the infernal ,bible ,society by the propagation of the ,scriptures merely fulfils the desire of its father the devil1 and disseminates that which is his4 ,being a child of the devil it cannot propagate truth2 it propagates the ,gospel1 and nothing else--ergo1 the ,gospel is a lie and the father of it the devil4 ,but the ,bible ,society is accused1 not only in the circular1 but in the epistle which introduces it to the ,espanol1 of vending a mutilated and curtailed version of the holy books4 ,it is accused of omitting six of the books which are generally bound up with what is denominated the ,bible2 viz41 ,tobias1 ,judith1 ,baruch1 ,sabiduria1 ,eclesiastico1 y #ao y #bo de los ,machabeos4 ,the ,christian ecclesiastic1 the author of the epistle1 in indignation at this omission becomes suddenly argumentative1 and puts a case to the heretics1 which he deems in point2 ',si vieran la luz publica las obras de ,lutero mutiladas en sus principales capitulos1 y transformadas en cierto modo sus maximas y preceptos2 que diligencias no practicarian sus secuaces y discipulos8 ,se levantarian a una en tropas numerosas para sostener el honor de su preceptor1 y con el fin de dejar en su justo lugar a su amado maestre1 recurririan a sus escritos originales1 manifestarian en su apoyo los manuscritos1 apelarian a todo linage de argumentos para acreditar la ilegitimidad de aquella edicion1 y emplearian sus declamaciones y raciocinios para ascar los medios rateres e ilicitos de que se valia el catolicismo4' ,hear it in ,gath6 hear it in ,gilead6 hear it on the hills of ,israel6 yea let the furthest corners of the earth hear it6 ,the principal chapters of the ,bible are not those of the ,new ,testament1 which contains the will and words of the ,saviour1 by whom we are to be judged--not those of ,isaiah1 who foretold so beautifully and distinctly the coming of that ,saviour to the world--not those of ,moses1 who wrote of things in their earliest date1 and so nobly depicted the progress of the creation1--but those of the books of ,tobit1 ,baruch1 etc41 books which the ,roman ,church itself has called apocryphal1 and the greater part of which exhibit an internal character of spuriousness which precludes the possibility of their being the offspring of inspired minds1 though they contain some things useful and instructive1 such as may be found in the writings of the early doctors1 who however never claimed nor were deemed to possess the gift of inspiration from on high4 ,let me here ask3 what is to be discovered in the chapters of ,tobit1 etc41 of first rate importance to the ,christian in his worldly pilgrimage1 or which serves to corroborate and illustrate other parts of ,scripture8 ,above all1 is ,christ crucified spoken of or hinted at1 as in the authenticated writings of the ,prophets8 ,if not1 what is their value in comparison with that of other books of ,scripture1 even could their authenticity be proved8 ,now to that point4 ,this ,christian ecclesiastic calls with a loud voice upon his brethren to prove by pamphlets and writing the divinity of the books of ,tobit1 ,judith1 etc4 ,yea1 let them accomplish that--let them bring sufficient evidence that these apocryphal writings were held in veneration by the ,jews1 that they enjoyed a place in the sanctuary along with the inspired writings1 let them show that they were penned by ,prophets1 above all let them produce the originals--and the ,bible ,society will immediately admit them into its editions4 ,why not8 ,i am not aware that one point of doctrine1 either ,protestant or ,roman1 depends upon their reception or rejection4 ,in conclusion4 ,what struck me most on the perusal of this singular epistle1 all the main points of which ,i believe ,i have tolerably well answered1 and without much trouble1 was the ignorance more than childish1 the extraordinary1 unaccountable ignorance1 which the author displays on the subject on which he has written1 and all which relates to it1 notwithstanding that subject is a religious one1 and he1 an ecclesiastic as he gives the world to know1 standing forward as champion of the ,church of ,rome4 ,he is evidently as well acquainted with ,scripture and the works of the ,fathers as with the ,talmud and ,zend-avesta1 and with the ideas and dogmas of those whom he calls heretics1 as with the religious opinions of the ,mongols and the followers of the ,lama of the ,himalayan hills4 ,the miserable attack which1 in his rancorous feebleness1 he has just committed on the ,bible ,society will redound merely to his own shame and ridicule1 and the disgrace of the sect to which he belongs4 ,what could persuade him to speak of the ,vulgate8 ,what could induce him to grasp that two-edged sword8 ,does it not cut off his own hands8 ,does the ,vulgate allude to the ,bible ,society1 or to him and his fellows1 when it cries3-- ,vae vobis legisperitis1 quia tulistis clavem scientiae1 ipsi non introistis3 et eos1 qui introibant1 prohibuistis4--,lucae1 cap4 xi4 vers4 #eb4 ',ay de vosotros1 ,doctores de la ,ley que os alzasteis con la llave de la ciencia6 vosotros no entrasteis1 y habeis prohibido a los que entraban4' ,and again3-- ,qui ex ,deo est1 verba ,dei audit4 ,propterea vos non auditis1 quia ex ,deo non estis4--,joan4 cap4 viii4 vers4 #dg4 ',el que es de ,dios1 oye las palabras de ,dios4 ,por eso vosotros no las ois1 porque no sois de ,dios4' ,what could induce him to speak of ,luther and his works8 ,what does he1 what do his abettors1 know of ,luther and his writings1 or of the ideas which the heretics entertain respecting either8 ,i will instruct them4 ,luther was a bold inquiring man1 with some learning2 he read the ,scriptures in the original tongues1 and found that their contents were in entire variance with the doctrines of the ,church of the ,seven ,hills2 he told the world so1 as other men had done1 with feebler voices1 before1 and the best part of the world believed--not him--but the ,scripture1 for he gave it to them in a shape which they could understand4 ,the heretics look not for salvation by the merits either of ,luther or ,calvin1 for merits they had none--being merely the instruments which ,providence selected to commence a great work which ,he has hitherto not thought proper to perfect4 ,the heretics look for salvation to ,christ and hope to be forgiven by lively faith in ,him and by virtue of ,his blood-shedding4 ,they trust not in ,peter nor in ,paul--both men and sinners--in ,luther nor in ,calvin--greater sinners still--but in ,christ alone4 ,they trust not in stick nor stone1 in picture nor in image1 in splinter of cross nor bone of saint1 but in ,christ alone--not in ,his mother or ,his brother--,he ,himself has said3 'those that do the will of my ,father that is in heaven1 they are my mother1 they are my brethren4' ,quae est mater mea1 et qui sunt fratres mei8 4 4 4 ,quicumque fecerit voluntatem ,patris mei1 qui in coelis est1 ipse meus frater et soror et mater est4--,matt4 cap4 xii4 vers4 #dh-ej4 ,christ alone is the foundation and cope-stone of the true ,church4 ,,george ,,borrow4 ,to the ,rev4 ,a4 ,brandram 7,endorsed3 recd4 ,dec4 #h1 #ahcg7 #bhth ,novr4 #ahcg1 ,,madrid1 ,no4 #af ,,calle ,,st4 ,,iago1 ,,piso #c,,ro4 ,,revd4 ,,and ,,dear ,,sir1--,i have just received your letter of ,nov4 #aeth1 for which ,i thank you heartily4 ,i write these lines in a great hurry1 as no time must be lost4 ,the shop opened yesterday1 and several ,testaments have been sold1 but three parts of the customers departed on finding that only the ,new ,testament was to be obtained2 and ,i may here state that if the books which ,i carried to the provinces had been ,bibles1 ,i could have sold ten times the amount of what ,i did4 ,i must therefore be furnished with ,bibles instanter4 ,send me therefore the ,london edition1 bad as it is1 say #ejj copies4 ,i believe you have a friend at ,cadiz1 the consul1 who would have sufficient influence to secure their admission into ,spain4 ,but the most advisable way would be to pack them in two chests1 placing at the top ,bibles in ,english and other languages1 for there is a demand1 viz43 #ajj ,english1 #ajj ,french1 #ej ,german1 #ej ,hebrew1 #ej ,greek1 #aj ,modern ,greek1 #aj ,persian1 #bj ,arabic4 ,pray do not fail4 ,direct the books thus3-- ,,despacho ,,de ,,la ,,sociedad ,,biblica1 ,no4 #be ,,calle ,,del ,,principe1 ,,madrid4 ,i start to-morrow for ,toledo with #ajj ,testaments1 for ,i must spare no exertion in such a cause4 ,i go as usual on horseback4 ,i am in a great hurry and can write no more4 ,yours most truly1 7,send1 with the books1 a ,modern ,greek grammar and dictionary4 ,you must likewise renew my credit on ,messrs4 ,o',shea ,compy47 ,to the ,rev4 ,a4 ,brandram 7,endorsed3 recd4 ,jany4 #h1 #ahch7 ,,madrid1 ,,calle ,,santiago ,no4 #af1 ,dec4 #be1 #ahcg4 ,,revd4 ,,and ,,dear ,,sir1--,i have to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the #eth instant1 and also my friend ,mr4 ,jackson's of the #hth4 ,i should have replied ere this1 had not my time been entirely occupied since my return from ,toledo4 ,the versions of ,st4 ,luke in ,gitano and ,basque have been committed to the press2 and as the compositors are entirely ignorant of these languages a most strict surveillance is required1 which ,i hope will be admitted as an excuse for having so long delayed to answer4 ,i expect that within a fortnight my task will be completed4 ,you are aware that ,i have established in ,madrid a shop1 or despacho1 as it is here called1 for the sale of ,testaments1 and you are doubtless anxious to receive information as to its success4 ,it succeeds well1 nay1 ,i may say very well1 when all circumstances are taken into consideration2 for it ought to be known that ,i have ventured upon this step in the very place which of all in ,spain1 affords the least chance of a successful issue1 yet at the same time in the place where such a step was most needed1 provided it be the imperative duty of ,christians to make the ,word of their ,master known in the dark portions of the earth4 ,it was a step fraught with difficulties of every kind4 ,madrid1 it is true1 is the capital of ,spain2 yet let no one for a moment suppose that being so it is consequently the largest1 richest and most enlightened town in the ,peninsula4 ,in the first place1 it is inferior in population to ,valencia and ,barcelona2 in the second1 misery and distress reign here to an extent unknown elsewhere2 and so far from its being peculiarly enlightened1 ,i believe that of all places in the ,peninsula it is the least so4 ,it is the centre of old1 gloomy1 bigoted ,spain1 and if there be one inveterate disgusting prejudice more prevalent and more cherished in one spot than another1 it is here1 in this heart of old1 popish1 anti-christian ,spain1 always difficult of access1 but now peculiarly so1 as it is scarcely possible to travel a league from its gates without being stript naked and murdered4 ,yet in this singular capital1 in the midst of furious priests and ,carlists1 ,i have ventured upon establishing a shop which bears on its front in large letters3 ',despatch of the ,british and ,foreign ,bible ,society4' ,to call the attention of the people to this establishment1 ,i printed three thousand advertisements on paper1 yellow1 blue1 and crimson1 with which ,i almost covered the sides of the streets1 and besides this inserted notices in all the journals and periodicals1 employing also a man after the ,london fashion to parade the streets with a placard1 to the astonishment of the populace4 ,the consequence has been that at present every person in ,madrid1 man1 woman1 and child1 is aware of the existence of the establishment4 ,you must feel convinced that such exertions would in ,london or in ,paris have insured the sale of the whole edition of the ,new ,testament within a few days4 ,but hitherto ,i have had to contend with ignorance--and such ignorance1 with bigotry--and such bigotry1 and with great and terrible distress4 ,so that since the opening of the establishment1 which ,i hope the ,lord will deign to bless1 ,i have contrived to sell1 and ,i may say that every copy sold has cost me an exertion1 and no slight one1 between #gj and #hj ,new ,testaments #bgd and #aj ,bibles4 ,you will doubtless wonder where ,i obtained the latter3 in the shop of a bookseller who dared not sell them himself1 but who had brought them secretly from ,gibraltar4 ,of these ,bibles there were two of the large edition1 printed by ,william ,clowes1 #ahbh 7,i would give my right hand for a thousand of them72 these ,i sold 7on the bookseller's account7 for #gj reals or #ag shillings each1 and the others1 which were of the very common edition1 for #g shillings1 which is1 however1 far too dear4 ,my own ,testament ,i sell for #aj reals1 which every person allows to be unaccountably cheap1 but ,i deem it best to be moderate1 on account of the distress of the times4 ,permit me here to observe that this ,testament has been allowed by people who have perused it1 and with no friendly feeling1 to be one of the most correct works that have ever issued from the press in ,spain1 and to be an exceedingly favourable specimen of typography and paper3 and lucky it is for me that it is impossible to say anything against the edition4 #bge;a ,you will easily suppose that such an establishment in ,madrid has caused a great sensation4 ,the priests and bigots are teeming with malice and fury1 which hitherto they have thought proper to exhibit only in words1 as they know that all ,i do here is favoured by ,mr4 ,villiers2 #bge;b but there is no attempt1 however atrocious1 which may not be expected from such people1 and were it right and seemly for me1 the most insignificant of worms1 to make such a comparison1 ,i would say that1 like ,paul at ,ephesus1 ,i am fighting with wild beasts4 ,i receive daily a great many applications for copies gratis1 as it is here the generally received opinion that the ,bible ,society invariably gives away its publications2 and ,i must confess that this opinion1 however it may have originated1 is very prejudicial to the sale of the ,testament4 ',wait a while1' say many1 'and these books may be had for nothing4 ,friends of ours who have been in ,england have had them pressed upon them1 and cart-loads have been given away in ,cadiz and other places4' ,such a conversation was related to me yesterday1 by my excellent friend and coadjutor ,doctor ,usoz1 who had just heard it in a coffee-house4 ,of this gentleman ,i cannot speak in too high terms of admiration2 he is one of the most learned men in ,spain1 and is become in every point a ,christian1 according to the standard of the ,new ,testament4 ,my projects are these4 ,as soon as ever my ,gospels are ready1 ,i mount the saddle once more1 entrusting the despacho and shopman to the care of ,dr4 ,usoz4 ,my course will be directed to ,andalusia1 a rich and tolerably enlightened province4 ,hitherto ,i have only had to deal with poverty1 ignorance1 and bigotry2 but ,i hope with ,god's assistance to accomplish much at ,seville and ,cadiz4 ,it is true that to arrive there ,i shall have to pass through ,la ,mancha and the ,morena district1 which are entirely in the hands of the swarms of banditti whose general is ,palillos 7he has upwards of #ijjj under his command71 or through ,estremadura1 occupied at present by the hordes of ,jara and ,orejita4 ,but ,i fear nothing1 and trust that ,one above will preserve me4 ,in the meantime let me beg and pray that you will send ,bibles1 ,bibles1 ,bibles of all sizes and prices1 and in all languages to ,madrid4 ,you cannot conceive how helpless and forlorn ,i feel1 #djj miles from the sea-coast1 on being begged to supply what ,i possess not4 ,i received an order the other day for #bj ,hebrew ,bibles4 ,i replied with tears in my eyes1 ',i have nothing but the ,new ,testament in ,spanish4' ,you wish to know my reasons for censuring the ,london edition of the ,spanish ,bible4 ,i will state them in a few words3 the utmost confusion reigns throughout1 both as to accentuation and punctuation2 words are frequently omitted or misspelt1 and occasionally a short sentence is left out4 ,all this is very annoying1 but ,i was perhaps wrong in sending home 'so unmitigated a censure4' ,it may possibly occur that a ,spanish edition1 unless superintended by very zealous and careful people1 may turn out yet more incorrect4 ,therefore ,i should not be sorry to see any number arrive at ,madrid4 ,in reply to your observation that ,i am in a mistake in supposing that ,bibles have been given away to any extent in the south of ,spain1 permit me to observe1 and always with the greatest humility1 that ,i never ventured to form any supposition respecting the matter4 ,but the ,vicar ,general of ,valencia gave as a reason for publishing the circular in which he forbids the ,bible1 an advertisement inserted in the ,commercial ,diary of ,valencia1 to the effect1 that a person was commissioned in that city to sell at cheap prices1 and even to give away gratis to those who might not have money at their disposal1 copies of the ,spanish ,bible printed in ,london2 and on this passage his commentator observes1 ',fine generosity6 ,charity worthy of applause and gratitude6' ,the friend who brought me the newspaper stated at the time that the advertisement was calculated to do harm4 ,it is certainly liable to much misconstruction4 ,and now1 my dear ,sir1 having detailed my whereabouts1 permit me to subscribe myself1 ,yours most truly1 ,,george ,,borrow4 ,to the ,rev4 ,a4 ,brandram 7,endorsed3 recd4 ,jan4 #bf1 #ahch7 ,,madrid1 ,january #ae1 #ahch4 ,no4 #af ,,calle ,,santiago4 ,,revd4 ,,and ,,dear ,,sir1--,the priests have at length 'swooped upon me1' and ,i have received a peremptory order from the ,political ,governor of ,madrid to sell no more ,new ,testaments4 ,i have been apprehensive of something similar for some little time1 on account of the late change of ,ministry1 the present head of the ,cabinet1 ,ofalia1 being one of the most furious bigots in ,spain4 ,i have just paid a visit to ,sir ,george ,villiers1 who has promised to do all in his power to cause the veto to be annulled4 ,but ,i must here state that he has not at present much influence1 he having opposed with all his power the accession of ,ofalia to the premiership1 to which station the latter has been exalted for the mere purpose of serving as an instrument of the priestly party4 ,i therefore do not place much reliance in ,sir ,george ,villiers' power of assisting me2 but ,i have still great confidence in myself1 through the ,almighty in whose cause ,i am engaged4 ,matters were going on very well before this check4 ,the demand1 even for ,testaments1 was becoming considerable1 so much so that the clergy were alarmed1 and the consequence has been this step4 ,but they had previously recourse to another well worthy of them2 they attempted to act upon my fears4 ,one of the ruffians of ,madrid1 called ,manolos1 came up to me one night in a dark street1 and told me that unless ,i discontinued selling 'my ,jewish books' ,i should have a knife 'nailed in my heart'2 but ,i told him to go home1 say his prayers1 and tell his employers that ,i pitied them1 whereupon he turned away with an oath4 ,a few days after1 ,i received an order to send two copies of the ,testament to the office of the ,political ,governor1 with which1 after consulting with ,sir ,george ,villiers1 ,i complied1 and in less than twenty-four hours1 namely1 on the evening of last ,saturday1 an alguacil arrived at the shop with the notice prohibiting the further sale of the ,new ,testament1 permission to print which ,i had obtained from the ,ministry of ,isturitz after so much trouble and anxiety4 ,one circumstance rejoices me4 ,they have not shut up my little despacho1 and as soon as ever the ,bibles arrive 7and ,i have advice from ,barcelona of their being on the way7 ,i shall advertise them1 for ,i have received no prohibition respecting the sale of any work but the ,new ,testament4 ,moreover1 within a few days the ,gospel of ,saint ,luke in ,rommany will be ready for delivery1 so that ,i hope to carry on matters in a small way till better times arrive4 ,i have been advised to erase from the shop windows the words ',despatch of the ,british and ,foreign ,bible ,society1' but ,i intend to do no such thing2 those words have tended very much to call attention1 which was my grand object4 ,had ,i attempted to conduct things in an underhand manner1 ,i should at the present moment scarcely have sold #cj copies instead of nearly #cjj1 which in ,madrid are more than equivalent to #c1jjj sold on the littoral4 ,people who know me not1 nor are acquainted with my situation1 may be disposed to call me rash2 but ,i am far from being so1 as ,i never adopt a venturous course when any other is open to me4 ,but ,i am not a person to be terrified by any danger1 when ,i see that braving it is the only way to achieve an object4 ,the booksellers refused to sell my work2 ,i was compelled to establish a shop of my own4 ,every shop in ,madrid has a name4 ,what name should ,i give mine but the true one8 ,i was not ashamed of my cause nor my colours4 ,i hoisted them1 and have fought beneath them not without success4 ,the ,levitical party in ,madrid have1 in the meantime1 spared no effort to vilify me4 ,they have started a publication called ',the friend of the ,christian religion1' in which has appeared a furious attack upon me1 which ,i have however treated with the contempt it deserves4 ,but not satisfied with this1 they have endeavoured to incite the ignorant populace against me1 by telling them that ,i am a sorcerer and a companion of ,gypsies and witches1 and ,i have been called so in the streets4 ,that ,i am an associate of ,gypsies and fortune-tellers ,i do not deny1 and why should ,i be ashamed of their company when my ,master mingled with publicans and thieves8 ,many of the poor ,gypsy race come frequently to visit me1 receive instruction1 and hear parts of the ,gospel read to them in their own language1 and when they are hungry and faint ,i give them to eat and drink4 ,this may be deemed sorcery in ,spain1 but ,i am not without hope that it will be otherwise estimated in ,england2 and were ,i to perish to-morrow ,i think there are some who would be disposed to say that ,i have lived not altogether in vain 7always as an instrument of the ',most ,highest'71 having been permitted to turn one of the most valuable books of ,god into the speech of the most oppressed and miserable of ,his creatures4 ,no more at present1 but ,i hope to write again within a few days4 ,,george ,,borrow4 ,to the ,rev4 ,a4 ,brandram 7,endorsed3 recd4 ,mar4 #bg1 #ahch7 ,,madrid1 ,,calle ,,santiago1 ,no4 #af4 #ag ,march1 #ahch4 ,,revd4 ,,and ,,dear ,,sir1--,as ,i entertain little doubt that yourself and my other good friends are anxious to obtain information respecting the course of matters in ,madrid1 ,i write the present letter1 although ,i could have wished to tarry a little longer1 in the hope of being able to afford more satisfactory intelligence4 ,in the first place1 allow me to state that about six weeks since ,i despatched to ,england a copy of ,saint ,luke in ,rommany1 by the courier of the ,embassy1 which ,i hope you received1 and that it afforded you satisfaction4 ,i may also add that yesterday the printing of the ,basque translation of the same ,gospel was brought to a happy conclusion1 to my very great satisfaction1 as it has caused me much trouble and anxiety1 the press having been brought to a stop three times from the necessity of casting fresh type1 the usual ,spanish founts being insufficient to print a sheet in this singular language1 owing to all its words being contained within the compass of six or seven letters1 the demand for which is in consequence tremendous4 ,with the ,rommany ,i had no difficulty whatever4 ,within a week or two it is my intention to publish both ,gospels simultaneously4 ,with this preamble1 ,i will now proceed to other matters4 ,during the last two months ,i have been almost incessantly engaged in negotiations with the ,ministry of ,count ,ofalia1 for the purpose of obtaining permission to sell the ,new ,testament in ,madrid and the nullification of the prohibition4 ,i have experienced1 as might be expected1 great opposition1 which ,i have not yet surmounted2 but ,i am by no means dispirited1 as these obstacles are merely temporary4 ,i have had to contend against six ,bishops at present resident in ,madrid1 and amongst them him of ,toledo1 the ,primate of ,spain1 who have denounced the ,bible1 the ,bible ,society1 and myself4 ,nevertheless1 notwithstanding their powerful and united efforts1 they have been unable to effect their principal object1 namely1 my expulsion from ,madrid and ,spain4 ,the ,count ,ofalia is a very good and excellent man1 though weak and superstitious to an exceeding degree2 and notwithstanding he has permitted himself to be made the instrument1 to a certain extent1 of these people1 he will not consent to be pushed to such a length4 ,throughout this business1 as far as it has proceeded1 ,i cannot find words sufficiently strong1 to do justice to the zeal and interest which ,sir ,george ,villiers has displayed in the cause of the ,testament4 ,he has had six interviews with ,ofalia on the subject1 and in these he has expressed to him his sense of the injustice and tyranny which have been practised in this instance towards his countryman1 as he does me the honour of calling me4 ,ofalia has been much moved by these remonstrances1 and on several occasions has promised to do all in his power to oblige ,sir ,george2 but then the ,bishops1 and particularly his confessor1 whom he consults every night1 again beset him1 and playing upon his religious fears1 prevent him from acting a just1 honest1 and honourable part4 ,at the desire of ,sir ,george ,villiers1 ,i drew up1 a little time since1 a brief account of the ,bible ,society and an exposition of its views1 especially in respect to ,spain1 which he himself presented with his own hand to the ,count4 ,of this memorial ,i send you a translation1 and ,i think that you will do me the justice to say that1 if ,i have not flattered and cajoled1 ,i have expressed myself honestly and frankly1 as a ,christian ought4 ,ofalia on reading it1 said1 ',what a pity that this is a mixed society1 and that all its members are not ,catholics4' ,a few days subsequently1 to my great astonishment1 he sent a message to me by a friend1 requesting that ,i would send him a copy of my ,gypsy ,gospel4 ,i may as well here state that the fame of this work1 although unpublished1 has spread like wildfire through ,madrid1 and every person is passionately eager to possess a copy2 indeed1 several grandees of ,spain have sent messages with similar requests1 all of which ,i have1 however1 denied4 ,i instantly resolved to take advantage of this overture on the part of ,count ,ofalia1 and to call on him myself4 ,i therefore caused a copy of the ,gospel to be handsomely bound1 and proceeding to the palace1 was instantly admitted to him4 ,he is a dusky1 diminutive person1 between fifty and sixty years of age1 with false hair and teeth1 but exceedingly gentlemanly manners4 ,he received me with great affability1 and thanked me for my present2 but on my proceeding to speak of the ,new ,testament1 he told me that the subject was surrounded with difficulties1 and that the whole body of the clergy had taken up the matter against me2 but he conjured me to be patient and peaceable1 and he would endeavour to devise some plan to satisfy me4 ,amongst other things1 he said that the ,bishops hated a sectarian more than an atheist2 whereupon ,i replied1 that1 like the ,pharisees of old1 they cared more for the gold of the ,temple than the ,temple itself4 ,throughout the whole of our interview he evidently laboured under great fear1 and was continually looking behind and around him1 seemingly in dread of being overheard1 which brought to my mind an expression of ,sir ,george ,villiers1 that if there be any truth in metempsychosis1 the anima of ,count ,ofalia must have originally belonged to a mouse4 ,we parted in kindness1 and ,i went away wondering by what strange chance this poor man had become ,prime ,minister of a country like ,spain4 ,i have now given a plain narrative of what ,i have been about up to the present moment1 by which you will see that ,i have accomplished all that lay within the circumscribed sphere of my ability1 and have brought every engine into play which it was in my power to command4 ,let it always be borne in mind that it was no fault of mine that1 immediately after my arrival in ,madrid from my journey1 a retrograde ,ministry came into power1 the head of which is a weak1 timid1 priest-ridden man4 ,sir ,george has several times told me1 that had the ,ministry of ,calatrava and ,mendizabal remained in place1 he himself would have answered that ,i should have received no interruption in my labours1 and that he will almost say the same in respect to any future ,ministry2 and it is impossible that the present can long maintain its ground1 as it is disliked by the ,court and despised by the people4 ,i therefore write at present for instructions4 ,shall ,i wait a little time longer in ,madrid2 or shall ,i proceed at once on a journey to ,andalusia and other places8 ,i am in strength1 health and spirits1 thanks be to the ,lord6 and am at all times ready to devote myself1 body and mind1 to ,his cause4 ,therefore ,i pray that my friends at home will point out the course which they think ,i ought to pursue under these circumstances4 ,in a few days ,i shall send my account to ,mr4 ,hitchin4 ,i have hitherto delayed1 not having yet settled for the printing of the ,basque ,st4 ,luke4 ,i received your kind letter of the #hth ultimo4 ,i remain1 my dear ,sir1 most truly yours1 ,g4 ,b4 ,p4,s4--,i have received the #ejj ,bibles in sheets from ,barcelona4 ,translation of a ,memorial to his ,excellence the ,count ,d',ofalia 7,endorsed3 ,memorial of ,mr4 ,g4 ,borrow to ,count ,ofalia1 ,madrid1 recd4 ,march #bh1ahch47 ,to ,his ,excellence ,the ,count ,d',ofalia ,,sir1--,i have the honour to inform you that1 being a member and ,agent of the ,british and ,foreign ,bible ,society1 ,i some months since printed1 with permission1 at ,madrid1 an edition of the ,new ,testament of ,jesus ,christ in the ,castilian language according to the authorised version of ,father ,felipe ,scio1 ,confessor of the late ,king ,ferdinand of happy memory4 ,that to effect the sale of the said work1 in which the ,society had subjected itself to an expense of more than #ajj1jjj reals1 ,i subsequently established a ,despatch at ,madrid1 where the work was publicly sold at a moderate price until the #abth of ,january last1 when the person intrusted with the management of the said ,despatch received a notice from ,don ,francisco ,gamboa1 ,civil ,governor of ,madrid1 forbidding the further sale of the ,new ,testament until fresh information4 ,as very erroneous ideas are generally entertained in ,spain concerning the constitution of the ,bible ,society and the views in which its proceedings originate1 ,i will endeavour in a few words to afford some correcting information respecting both4 ,i beg to state that the ,bible ,society is composed of ,christians attached to many and various sects and forms of worship--for example1 members of the ,roman1 ,greek1 ,anglican1 ,calvinistic1 and ,lutheran ,churches1 and of all ranks and grades in society1 who1 though they may differ from each other in points of religious discipline1 form and ceremony1 agree in the one grand and principal point3 that there is no salvation from the punishment due to original sin but through vivid faith in ,christ1 manifested and proved by good works1 such being the amount of the doctrine found in those inspired writings known as the ,new ,testament which contain the words of the ,saviour whilst resident in flesh on earth1 together with the revelations of the ,holy ,spirit to ,his disciples after ,he had ascended to the throne of ,his heavenly glory4 ,having said thus much respecting those who constitute the ,bible ,society and the religious feeling which unites them1 ,i will now devote a few words to the explanation of their views1 than which nothing can be more simple or easily defined4 ,they have no other wish or intention in thus associating together than to assist1 as humble instruments under ,christ1 in causing ,his doctrine to be propagated and known in all the regions of the vast world1 the greatest part of which is still involved in heathenism and ignorance2 and looking upon their earthly goods as of little or no value in comparison with such a glorious end1 they expend them in printing editions of their ,master's ,word in all languages1 and in transporting them to the remotest corners of the earth1 that their benighted fellow-creatures may see the lamp of salvation1 and enjoy the same spiritual advantages as themselves4 ,such is their wish1 such their view1 totally unallied with commerce or politics1 hope of gain and lust of power4 ,the mightiest of earthly monarchs1 the late ,alexander of ,russia1 was so convinced of the single-mindedness and integrity of the ,british and ,foreign ,bible ,society1 that he promoted their efforts within his own dominions to the utmost of his ability1 and established at ,st4 ,petersburg a ,bible ,society of his own1 whose publications have been a source of blessing not only to ,russia1 but to many other lands4 ,after the above statement it is unnecessary for me to dilate on the intentions of the ,society with respect to ,spain1 a country which perhaps most of any in the world is in need of the assistance of the ,christian philanthropist1 as it is overspread with the thickest gloom of heathenish ignorance1 beneath which the fiends and demons of the abyss seem to be holding their ghastly revels2 a country in which all sense of right and wrong is forgotten1 and where every man's hand is turned against his fellow to destroy or injure him1 where the name of ,jesus is scarcely ever mentioned but in blasphemy1 and ,his precepts are almost utterly unknown4 ,in this unhappy country the few who are enlightened are too much occupied in the pursuit of lucre1 ambition1 or ungodly revenge to entertain a desire or thought of bettering the moral state of their countrymen4 ,but it has pleased the ,lord to raise up in foreign lands individuals differently situated and disposed1 whose hearts bleed for their brethren in ,spain4 ,it is their belief that ignorance of ,god's ,word is the sole cause of these horrors1 and to dispel that ignorance they have printed the ,gospel in ,spain1 which they dispose of at a price within the power of the poorest to command4 ,vain men would fain persuade themselves and others that the ,society entertains other motives1 by which uncharitableness they prove that they themselves are neither ,christians1 nor acquainted with the spirit of ,christianity4 ,but let the most fearful and dubious reassure themselves with the thought1 that should the ,bible ,society foster the very worst intentions1 it would baffle their power1 if even assisted by ,satanic agency1 to render ,spain worse than it at present is4 ,i beseech you1 ,sir1 to co-operate in a good cause1 and not seek to retard its progress2 for be assured that sooner or later it will triumph4 ,i have the honour to remain1 ,sir1 ,your ,excellence's obedient servant1 ,,george ,,borrow4 ,to the ,rev4 ,a4 ,brandram 7,endorsed3 recd4 ,apr4 #ith1 #ahch7 ,march #cj1 #ahch4 ,,madrid1 #af ,,calle ,,santiago4 ,,revd4 ,,and ,,dear ,,sir1--,without waiting for an answer to my last1 which ,i despatched some ten days since1 ,i shall take the liberty of again troubling you with a short letter4 ,my principal motive for so doing is a visit which ,i have just been favoured with from our friend ,mr4 ,rule of ,gibraltar1 a gentleman who has much interested me1 and of whose zeal1 piety1 and discretion ,i have formed the highest opinion4 ,it seems that the little congregation at ,cadiz has been broken up and dispersed by order of the ,government1 and in consequence he has travelled to ,madrid to make intercession in its behalf4 ,i am happy to say that ,sir ,george ,villiers has promised to befriend him to the utmost of his ability4 ,since his arrival here he has received intelligence which has filled him with much uneasiness1 and he has entreated me to write home in conjunction with himself respecting the affair1 with which indeed ,i am in some degree concerned4 ,i1 however1 beg leave to state1 that it is with the utmost reluctance ,i say a word upon the subject1 being at all times unwilling to interfere in the slightest degree in the projects or movements of another party2 but ,i feel that entire silence in this case would be wrong and unadvisable4 ,i come now to the point4 ,a friend of ours1 who by your last favour ,i was informed was about to leave ,spain for the benefit of his health1 has1 it appears1 changed his mind1 and is on his way to visit ,andalusia and the principal towns1 namely ,cadiz1 ,malaga1 and ,seville4 ,now ,mr4 ,rule is far better acquainted with him than ,i can pretend to be1 and he has told me that knowing him perfectly well1 he entertains great dread as to the effect which our friend's visit to those parts will have over the issue of the affair which has brought him1 ,mr4 ,r41 to ,madrid4 ,i must here observe that ,i had myself made preparations to visit ,andalusia1 having indeed been advised to do so by ,sir ,george ,villiers1 who will afford me all the recommendations and assistance which ,i can possibly desire4 ,i may add that some time since ,i despatched thither a considerable number of ,testaments1 which are now being sold at ,seville1 etc4 ,i therefore humbly conceive that the arrival of another edition is likely to produce a clash highly detrimental to the interests of the ,society1 and to perplex the minds of the people of the west of ,spain respecting its views4 ,but ,i confess ,i am chiefly apprehensive of the reacting at ,seville of the ,valencian drama1 which ,i have such unfortunate cause to rue1 as ,i am the victim on whom an aggravated party have wreaked their vengeance1 and for the very cogent reason that ,i was within their reach4 ,i think1 my dearest sir1 you know sufficient of my disposition to be aware that ,i am one of the last people disposed to make complaint1 whether with or without cause2 but that passage in your affectionate and kind letter which implied1 though in the gentlest terms1 that ,i had been rash in my proceedings in ,madrid1 gave me a pang1 more especially as ,i knew from undoubted sources that nothing which ,i had done1 said1 or written was the original cause of the arbitrary step which had been adopted in respect to me4 ,there is another matter which gives me much uneasiness and which ,i wish to confide to your bosom and yours alone1 though you will1 of course1 communicate it to such friends as you may deem proper4 ,i have received two letters from an ex-priest at ,valencia of the name of ,marin1 to the first of which ,i have replied1 though very cautiously4 ,this very unfortunate individual1 who it seems for some time past has felt the workings of the ,spirit1 was last year induced by certain promises1 and hopes thrown out1 to leave ,valencia1 where he enjoyed a benefice on which he supported himself and an aged mother1 and to repair to ,gibraltar for the purpose of receiving ,christian instruction under ,mr4 ,rule4 ,after remaining some time at that place1 where1 ,mr4 ,r4 informs me1 his conduct was in most points exemplary1 he returned to ,valencia1 where his apostasy1 as the ,papists termed it1 having become known1 his salary of six pesetas daily was sequestrated1 and himself and his parent in consequence deprived of their only means of subsistence4 ,but this is not all4 ,the aid and assistance which he had been led to expect from ,england were withheld in his great pinch and need1 and the very persons who had taken advantage of the commotion within him to induce him to take what ,i must term a rash and hazardous expedition1 were the first to forsake him1 and ,mr4 ,rule states that there is cogent reason for fearing that this unfortunate man and his aged parent are at present perishing with hunger in the barbarous streets of ,valencia4 ,i wish it to be known that the man himself in his letters told me nothing of the promises which had been held out to him1 nor breathed a word of complaint1 ,i being indebted to ,mr4 ,r4 for my knowledge on this point1 who has a very high opinion of his sincerity1 although he has been termed an impostor1 though the fact of his having lost his salary by the opinions which he has embraced ought to have precluded such an idea4 ,now the ,lord forbid that this man and his mother perish1 so that his death be laid by the enemy at the threshold of the humble but unworthy servants of ,christ4 ,i therefore this day have sent him a small sum on my own account to relieve the pinch of utter need1 till more can be known of him4 ,pray excuse this letter written with a heart full of trouble and doubt4 ,dispose of me as you think proper1 my dear sir1 who am truly yours1 ,g4 ,b4 ,to the ,rev4 ,a4 ,brandram 7,endorsed3 recd4 ,may #a1 #ahch7 ,,madrid1 ,april #ai1 #ahch4 ,,revd4 ,,and ,,dear ,,sir1--,i enclose a letter from ,mr4 ,rule1 dated ,valencia1 #abth inst41 which ,i have just received1 and upon which ,i beg to make a few observations4 ,in this very extraordinary espistle ,i am requested to take charge of an ex-priest of the name of ,pascual ,marin1 on his arrival at ,madrid1 where it appears he is hastening1 to furnish him with cash1 make an estimate of his probable expenses1 and moreover to write home to the ,society1 without delay1 for the purpose of advising the ,committee to join with the gentlemen of another religious institution in affording the said ,marin the means for supporting himself in the ,spanish capital1 where it is the writer's opinion that he may be usefully employed in distributing the ,scriptures1 and in preparing the way for a future mission4 ,well and good6 ,but my friends at home1 discreet as ,i know them to be1 will doubtless be anxious to be informed by virtue of what correspondence or communication with me does ,mr4 ,rule now write from ,valencia1 consigning to my hands this person1 whom ,i have never seen1 and whom ,i know not1 although1 as ,i have stated on a former occasion1 ,i have received two letters from him1 to one of which ,i returned a cautious and guarded answer4 ,mr4 ,rule suddenly arrived at ,madrid1 upon some business connected with the ,society to which he belongs2 he called upon me1 and ,i1 upon learning from him that he was a perfect stranger in ,madrid1 without friends or acquaintances1 received him with the hospitality which the ,scripture enjoins1 and which ,i continued during his stay in the capital1 a period of about ten days4 ,in the course of our conversations he spoke to me of the peculiar hardships of the case of ,pascual ,marin of ,valencia1 who1 as he informed me1 had been induced1 partly by conviction1 and partly by persuasion1 to secede from his own ,church1 but who not having received from ,england the assistance which he had been led to expect1 was in danger of perishing1 with his mother1 in the streets of ,valencia1 he having lost the benefice which constituted their support4 ,whereupon through the medium of ,mr4 ,rule ,i sent him #ejj reals on my own account1 without1 however1 directly or indirectly pledging myself to do anything more in his behalf1 or to attempt to engage the ,bible ,society to do so4 ,mr4 ,rule left ,madrid for ,valencia1 and on his departure informed me that it was his firm intention to carry ,marin with him to ,gibraltar1 to which resolution ,i1 of course1 made no objection1 as ,i conceived that it was a matter with which ,i had little or no connection1 and in which it would be advisable not to involve myself1 more especially on account of the peculiar state of the affairs at ,madrid with which the ,society had done me the honour to entrust me4 ,i was aware that in my situation peculiar caution in every step was necessary and indispensable1 and after ,mr4 ,rule's departure ,i harboured not the slightest surmise that my attentions to himself1 or the slight conversation which ,i had held with him respecting ,marin1 could possibly tend to compromise me in any point4 ,i was1 however1 mistaken4 ,in the name of all that is singular1 what does ,mr4 ,rule mean1 without the courtesy of asking my permission1 by sending this man to me at ,madrid8 ,assist in preparing the way for a mission6 ,very probably2 but that mission will be my own1 over the frontiers1 under an escort of lancers4 ,assist in distributing the ,scriptures6 ,probably again2 but it will be to the wild winds of ,madrid1 when they are torn to pieces by the common hangman in the ,plaza ,mayor1 and cast into the air4 ,i must confess that ,i am vexed and grieved that as fast as ,i build up1 some intemperate friend rushes forward1 and by his perhaps well-meant zeal casts down and destroys what has cost me much labour4 ,things are beginning to assume a more favourable aspect4 ,i have opened my shop once more1 though not at present for the sale of ,testaments4 ,the priests are frantic1 and through the medium of one or other of the ,ministers1 are continually giving me trouble2 but ,sir ,george ,villiers has vowed to protect me1 and has stated so publicly1 and he is every day acquiring more and more influence here4 ,he has gone so far as to state to ,ofalia and ,gamboa1 that provided ,i be allowed to pursue my plans without interruption1 he will be my bail 7fiador7 and answerable for everything ,i do1 as he does me the honour to say that he knows me1 and that he can confide in my discretion4 ,therefore let me call upon my beloved and respected friends at home1 as they love their ,lord and the credit of ,his cause1 to offer no encouragement to any disposed 'to run the muck' 7it is ,sir ,george's expression7 against the religious or political institutions of ,spain1 to keep clear of the exaltado or republican party1 and to eschew tracts1 with political frontispieces1 concerning any uncertain future dispensation2 but to confine themselves strictly and severely to the great work of propagating the ,word which sooner or later is doomed to christianise the entire world4 ,i hope ,i shall be excused the freedom of these observations1 when it is reflected that ,i1 being the ,agent of the ,bible ,society1 have to answer to those who protect me here for all that is done in any part of ,spain under the sanction of the ,society4 ,concerning ,marin and what is to be done in his respect1 ,i feel myself after much reflection and private prayer totally incompetent to offer a suggestion4 ,he can be of no possible service to me in ,madrid1 but the contrary4 ,one thing1 however1 is evident1 that1 thanks to particular individuals1 we are to a certain extent compromised4 ,i remain1 ,revd4 and dear ,sir1 most truly yours1 ,g4 ,b4 ,to the ,rev4 ,andrew ,brandram 7,endorsed3 recd4 ,may #crd1 #ahch7 ,,madrid1 ,april #bc1 #ahch1 ,,calle ,,santiago4 ,,revd4 ,,and ,,dear ,,sir1--,i have to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the #ajth inst4 and also my friend ,mr4 ,jackson's of the #eth1 containing the resolution of the ,committee in my respect1 which ,i shall of course attend to4 ,my reason for troubling you with these lines is an apprehension that my late communication has not been understood by you2 for there is something in the tone of your reply which has made me rather unhappy1 though ,i can easily conjecture that at the time you wrote it you were labouring under a considerable pressure of business4 ,had you paid a little more attention to my letter1 you would have perceived that it was written unwillingly on my part1 but ,mr4 ,rule thought his province had been invaded4 ,as for myself ,i wish to say nothing1 but it will be as well to remind you that all the difficulty and danger connected with what has been accomplished in ,spain have fallen to my share1 ,i having been labouring on the flinty rock and sierra1 and not in smiling meadows refreshed by sea breezes4 ,i hoped in ,seville and other towns of ,andalusia to have secured the sale of more ,testaments than it is probable that ,i shall be able to do in ,spain proper1 where ,i was afraid that my efforts had not been appreciated2 but if my good friend ,mr4 ,graydon has preceded me to those regions let him remain there and let no one interrupt him4 ,i hope in the ,lord that he will be permitted to prosper4 ,when you write to him1 present my cordial regards1 and assure him that at all times ,i shall be happy to hear from him4 ,i hope nothing in my last letter1 in which ,i forwarded ,mr4 ,r's communication1 will be taken in bad part4 ,i repeat that ,i was grieved to have ,marin saddled upon me1 in a place where ,i am surrounded by spies and persecuted by many and vindictive enemies4 ,the idea1 however1 of his having gone back to ,rome is preposterous1 the ,bishop of ,jaen having assured ,mr4 ,r4 that he had turned a deaf ear to all the promises which had been made to him1 with the view of inducing him to recant4 ,he has not yet made his appearance4 ,i remain1 my dear ,sir1 yours1 ,,george ,,borrow4 ,p4,s4--,you have never had the urbanity to acknowledge the receipt of my ,gypsy ,gospel4 ,in the ,spanish newspapers it has been called a great accession to the literature of ,spain4 ,to ,mr4 ,william ,hitchin 7,endorsed3 recd4 ,may #h1 #ahch7 ,,madrid1 ,april #bf1 #ahch4 ,i take the liberty of herewith sending you my accompt4 ,it is still an imperfect one1 the printing of the ,basque ,gospel not being charged for1 which ,i have not defrayed1 together with some other items1 for which ,i am indebted to my printer1 who1 having lately fought a duel1 is laid up with his wounds1 and cannot for the present transact business4 ,i have charged here1 as you will observe1 for the translation of the ,basque ,st4 ,luke1 an item1 which ,i sent in1 in a former accompt1 but which appears to have been overlooked in your favour of ,decr4 #bh1 #ahcg4 ,independent of the ,despatch1 ,i have charged for the hire of a room as a general depot for the ,scriptures4 ,i am afraid to place my whole stock in the shop1 owing to the continual persecution to which ,i am subjected1 notwithstanding ,i enjoy powerful protection4 ,only last week a band of alguazils rushed into the premises and seized #be copies of the ,gospel of ,st4 ,luke in ,rommany which ,i had advertised4 ,to the present accompt of the money which ,i have disbursed1 you will please to add the previous one of ,novr4 #ahcg1 which ,i sent in1 which will enable you to see how ,i stand4 ,i hope the ,financial ,committee and yourself will excuse any inaccuracies1 supposing ,i have fallen into any1 respecting money drawn1 as ,i am much busied in negociations1 and have lately been so harassed by vexatious proceedings1 that ,i believe my mind has somewhat suffered4 ,however1 glory to ,god1 the ,society's shop is open at ,madrid1 though we are not allowed to advertise and though it be but a small taper burning amongst ,egyptian darkness4 ,i hope it will serve as a watch-light and beacon to some4 ,i remain1 etc41 ,,george ,,borrow4 ,p4,s4--,the reprint of #a4e sheet was owing to want of care on my part1 in the translation4 ,i therefore wish that the amount be struck out from my disbursements4 ,to the ,rev4 ,a4 ,brandram 7,endorsed3 recd4 ,may #bb1 #ahch7 ,,prison ,,of ,,madrid1 ,may #aa1 #ahch4 ,,revd4 ,,and ,,dear ,,sir1--,i write1 as you see1 from the prison of ,madrid1 in which ,i have been confined for the last ten days2 for it has pleased ,god to confer upon me the highest of mortal honours1 the privilege of bearing chains for ,his sake4 ,i shall not at present detail the circumstances which occasioned my arrest1 as doubtless the ,english newspapers will afford you all the particulars1 nor shall ,i dwell upon the situation in which ,i find myself1 but be content with observing that the violence1 the preconcerted violence and atrocity1 which have been practised towards me1 will prove the means of accomplishing not what my enemies hoped and wished1 the destruction and disgrace of the ,bible-cause in ,spain1 but its triumph1 its pure and sublime triumph4 ,satan has1 as usual1 foiled himself1 and his poisoned shafts have recoiled1 and pierced his own bosom4 ,you will have heard how gallantly ,sir ,george ,villiers has taken my part1 and how he has made a national question of the persecution of which ,i have been the object1 and which lately reached its climax4 ,it will be necessary to tell you here that ,i have always communicated to him the steps which ,i intended to take in order to promote the circulation of the ,bible1 and they have uniformly met with his approbation2 therefore you will easily conceive that in what ,i have done there has been no rashness nor anything which savoured of the arts of the charlatan3 ,i have too much respect for the ,gospel and my own character to have recourse to them4 ,i will now state a fact which speaks volumes as to the state of affairs at ,madrid4 ,my arch-enemy the ,archbishop of ,toledo1 the ,primate of ,spain1 wishes to give me the kiss of brotherly peace4 ,he has caused a message to be conveyed to me in my dungeon1 assuring me that he has had no share in causing my imprisonment1 which he says was the work of the ,civil ,governor1 who was incited to that step by the ,jesuits4 ,he adds that he is determined to seek out my persecutors amongst the clergy and to have them punished1 and that when ,i leave prison he shall be happy to co-operate with me in the dissemination of the ,gospel666 ,i cannot write much now1 for ,i am not well1 having been bled and blistered4 ,i must1 however1 devote a few lines to another subject1 but not one of rejoicing or ,christian exultation4 ,marin arrived just after my arrest1 and visited me in prison1 and there favoured me with a scene of despair1 abject despair1 which nearly turned my brain4 ,i despised the creature1 ,god forgive me1 but ,i pitied him2 for he was without money and expected every moment to be seized like myself and incarcerated1 and he is by no means anxious to be invested with the honours of martyrdom4 ,i have offered him some relief--what else could ,i do8 ,he seems partly insane4 ,i reap1 as ,i expected1 the full credit of his conversion4 ,the ,bishop of ,cordova got up the other day in council1 and said that ,i was a dangerous pestilent person1 who under the pretence of selling the ,scriptures went about making converts1 and moreover employed subordinates1 for the purpose of deluding weak and silly people into separation from the ,mother ,church4 ,of this man ,i have said in a letter to ,mr4 ,rule1 not yet sent3 ',i hope that ,marin's history will prove a warning to many of our friends1 and tend to a certain extent to sober down the desire for doing what is called at home smart things1 many of which terminate in a manner very different from the original expectations of the parties concerned4 ,to do a great and a good thing requires a heart replete with the love of ,christ and a head cooled by experience and knowledge of the world2 both of which desiderata ,i consider incompatible with a wish to shine4' ,it is probable that ,i shall leave prison to-morrow4 ,pray write to my mother and beg her not to be alarmed4 ,i remain1 ,revd4 and dear ,sir1 ,yours faithfully1 ,,george ,,borrow4 ,to the ,rev4 ,a4 ,brandram 7,endorsed3 recd4 ,may #bc1 #ahch7 ,,madrid1 ,may #ac #ahch4 ,,revd4 ,,and ,,dear ,,sir1--,post is just about to start1 but ,i am compelled to write a few words4 ,the ,bible cause has triumphed in ,spain4 ,whatever ,i do in future connected with the ,gospel is to have the sanction of the ,government1 who have expressed a desire to co-operate with the ,bible ,society towards the civilization of the country4 ,i left prison yesterday1 and this morning was sent for to the ,british ,embassy1 where ,sir ,george entered into an infinity of details which ,i cannot state at present4 ,sir ,george has commanded me1 however1 to write to the following effect3-- ,mr4 ,graydon must leave ,spain1 or the ,bible ,society must publicly disavow that his proceedings receive their encouragement1 unless they wish to see the ,sacred ,book1 which it is their object to distribute1 brought into universal odium and contempt4 ,he has lately been to ,malaga1 and has there played precisely the same part which he acted last year at ,valencia1 with the addition that in printed writings he has insulted the ,spanish ,government in the most inexcusable manner4 ,a formal complaint of his conduct has been sent up from ,malaga1 and a copy of one of his writings4 ,sir ,george blushed when he saw it1 and informed ,count ,ofalia that any steps which might be taken towards punishing the author would receive no impediment from him4 ,i shall not make any observation on this matter further than stating that ,i have never had any other opinion of ,mr4 ,graydon than that he is insane--insane as the person who for the sake of warming his own hands would set a street on fire4 ,sir ,george said to-day that he1 ,graydon1 was the cause of my harmless shop being closed at ,madrid and also of my imprisonment4 ,the ,society will of course communicate with ,sir ,george on the subject3 ,i wash my hands of it4 ,i remain1 dear ,sir1 most truly yours1 ,,george ,,borrow4 ,to the ,rev4 ,a4 ,brandram 7,endorsed3 recd4 ,may #bh1 #ahch7 ,,madrid1 ,may #ag1 #ahch4 ,excuse the haste in which my last letter was written2 it doubtless seemed somewhat incoherent1 ,i will now endeavour to be more explicit4 ,moreover1 since sending it1 ,i have had an interview of nearly two hours with ,count ,ofalia1 and have much that is new to communicate4 ,but previously to stating what is likely to afford pleasure and satisfaction1 ,i must proceed to disburden myself of what ,i heard with the greatest pain1 and which ,i communicate with sorrow and reluctance4 ,sir ,george ,villiers and ,mr4 ,southern1 first ,secretary of ,legation1 were the persons who first informed me of what has taken place at ,malaga4 ,it appears that ,mr4 ,graydon arrived there a short time before my imprisonment at ,madrid2 and instead of endeavouring to circulate the ,scriptures in a quiet and reasonable manner1 such as becomes a gentleman and a ,christian1 and such as had been recommended to me previous to my late long journey in the north of ,spain and which ,i have always endeavoured to follow1 he had recourse to means the most improper and disreputable1 very similar to those which he is said to have followed in all the other towns which he has visited4 ,in order to excite curiosity and cause a sensation1 he published advertisements and handbills replete with the lowest abuse of the ,spanish clergy and ,government1 and containing his own private opinions concerning religion4 ,however1 not contented with this1 he had the cruelty--,i will not call it baseness--to speak of myself1 with1 whom he asserted that he was co-operating in every point1 and that all he was doing was under the sanction of the ,bible ,society4 ,intelligence of these proceedings was of course sent to ,madrid1 with one of the handbills1 which ,i have not seen1 but of which ,mr4 ,southern1 a literary and accomplished gentleman1 has said that its abusive virulence is only to be equalled by its stupidity and folly4 ,sir ,george ,villiers1 though very unwell1 was deeply engaged in my affair1 and exchanging official notes with the ,government4 ,he had just informed ,count ,ofalia that unless full and summary satisfaction were afforded me1 he should demand his passports1 and write to the commanders of all the ,english ships of war engaged in furnishing assistance to ,spain1 commanding them to suspend operations forthwith4 ,suddenly ,count ,ofalia arrived at the ,embassy1 and flinging down on the table one of ,graydon's handbills1 exclaimed3 ',peruse that1 and then tell me1 as a ,cavalier and a gentleman1 and the ,envoy of a powerful and enlightened nation1 whether you can any longer uphold the cause of your friend in prison1 and persist in saying that he has been cruelly and unjustly treated4 ,you see that he is in the closest connexion with an individual whose conduct every civilised man must reprobate1 it being a most flagrant breach of common decency and order4' ,this unexpected incident occurring at such a critical moment almost stunned ,sir ,george2 but1 recovering himself1 he denied in the most positive manner that ,i had any connexion with ,graydon1 and asserted that he did not believe the latter was an ,agent of the ,bible ,society1 and that at all events he was quite sure that he had acted in this case without its knowledge and concurrence1 and that it would be willing to declare so in the clearest and most satisfactory manner4 ,count ,ofalia1 finding ,sir ,george so positive1 said that since ,i had such a voucher he could not reasonably doubt my innocence2 and that with respect to the ,society he supposed that it too well understood its own interest to trust its affairs to a person whose conduct was calculated to bring odium and misfortune on the fairest and most promising cause4 ,but ,sir ,george has subsequently assured me that1 but for this unfortunate occurrence1 he could have made much better terms for me with the ,spanish ,government than from that period he thought it politic to demand4 ,i will now state one circumstance1 and the ,lord knows how true it is4 ,it was my prayer night and morning in my dungeon that ,i might hear of no fresh outbreak of this man1 whose character ,i was but too well acquainted with1 as ,i think you will concede when you call to mind my letter written immediately after ,i had received intelligence that he was on the way to ,andalusia4 ,he has up to the present moment been the ',evil ,genius' of the ,bible cause in ,spain and of myself1 and has so chosen his means and moments of operation that he has been almost invariably successful in shaking to the ground every feasible plan which my friends and myself have devised for the propagation of the ,gospel in a steady and permanent manner4 ,but ,i wish not to dwell upon this subject1 and shall only observe that his insane career 7for in charity ,i believe him to be insane7 must be instantly brought to a termination4 ,sir ,george has already written him a letter1 in which ,i believe he advises him to quit the country4 ,mr4 ,southern the other day made the following observation1 which ,i shall ever remember3-- ',sir ,george ,villiers up to the present moment has been disposed to render you 7meaning myself7 every assistance1 and especially the ,bible ,society1 which he looks upon as the most philanthropic institution which the world has ever known4 ,take care1 however1 that he be not wearied and disgusted4 ,he must not be involved in such affairs as this of ,malaga1 and it must not be expected that he is to put his lance in rest in defence of every person who visits ,spain to insult the authorities1 and who1 after having received merited reproof and correction1 writes home to his friends that he is a martyr in the holy cause of religion4' ,i may perhaps give offence by what1 ,i have written4 ,i shall be grieved if it prove so4 ,but ,i have had no other resource1 and ,i have stated the truth and what my conscience commanded me2 and permit me here to observe1 that if any one in the world has a right to be thus free it is myself1 who have ventured and suffered much in ,spain4 ,excuse me now for speaking one moment of myself4 ,notwithstanding ,i have travelled very extensively in this strange country1 and have established many depots of ,testaments most of which are flourishing 7,i have just received intelligence from my correspondent at ,valladolid that forty copies have been sold at ,burgos1 the heart of ,old ,castile71 not one word of complaint has been transmitted to the ,government2 and though ,i have suffered so much persecution in ,madrid1 ,i have been but paying 7one of my sources of information is ,count ,ofalia himself7 the account of others who seem to have been reckless as to how much woe and misery they might heap on my head1 provided they could play the part with impunity which their own distempered desires dictated4 ,now to pleasanter subjects4 ,count ,ofalia has given me very excellent advice1 which it will be well if the ,society permit me to follow4 ,amongst other things he said3--',be very cautious for some time1 and even suspend the sale of the ,gospel in ,madrid1 and devote all your energies to make friends amongst the clergy1 very many of whom are disposed to favour your enterprise4 ,it would not be prudent at present for the ,government to interfere with ecclesiastical matters1 as the war is not yet terminated1 but much can be done in a quiet way by yourself4' ,i must here state that there is a board of ecclesiastics at present sitting1 occupied in examining the ,spanish ,bible as printed by the ,society4 ,it has been denounced by the ,jesuits as not being a faithful edition of ,father ,scio's version1 independent of the omission of the ,apocrypha2 but hitherto the opinion of the board has been decidedly in our favour1 and the ,bishop of ,vich has1 moreover1 declared that it probably will be expedient to co-operate with the ,society in printing cheap editions of the ,scripture for the use of the people1 as daily experience shows that the old system cannot be carried on and that the sacred writings must be thrown open4 ,the chief difficulty to settle will be the ,apocrypha2 but ,i have authorised a friend to state that the ,society is disposed to make every possible concession1 and to go so far as to relinquish the ,old ,testament entirely and to content itself with circulating the ,new4 ,perhaps ,i went too far in this advance2 but ,i believe a similar concession has been made in the case of ,ireland1 and ,i feared to lose all by aiming at too much4 ,however flattering affairs may appear at present1 ,i am well aware that a herculean labour is to be surmounted before matters can be placed on a safe footing in ,spain4 ,prudence1 coolness and firmness are at this moment particularly necessary2 and let it never for a moment be supposed that religious instruction and the knowledge of genuine ,christianity can be introduced into ,spain by scurrilous handbills and the low arts of the mountebank4 ,a split with ,rome will very shortly ensue1 by which ,i mean that no attention will be paid to ,bulls1 against which several of the principal ecclesiastics have spoken2 with these puissant auxiliaries we must act in concert4 ,allow me in conclusion to state a beautiful piece of conduct of ,sir ,george ,villiers4 ,i have commissioned one of the ,bishops to request for me an interview with the ,archbishop of ,toledo4 ,sir ,george on hearing this said3--',tell the ,archbishop that ,i also am anxious for the favour of an interview1 in order that ,i may assist in clearing up any doubt1 which he may still entertain1 respecting the intentions of the ,bible ,society2 he has only to state the day1 and ,i will wait upon him4' ,g4 ,,borrow4 ,p4,s4--,i yesterday transmitted you a ,spanish newspaper in which ,i have published an advertisement1 disclaiming in the name of the ,bible ,society any writings which may have been circulated tending to lower the authorities1 civil and ecclesiastic1 in the eyes of the people1 and denying that it is its intention or wish to make proselytes from the ,catholic form of worship4 ,i took this step by advice1 ,i had likewise a particular reason of my own4 ,marin is still here looking out for some secular employ1 but he is continually haunting me4 ,he tells me that he is preparing an accounts of all his dealings with ,g ,graydon and ,r ,rule1 in which he details the promises made him to induce him to sign a document purporting to be a separation from the ,roman ,church4 ,he says that he was abandoned because he refused to preach publicly against the ,chapter of ,valencia1 which step would have insured him a dungeon4 ,this may be true or false1 but ,i have taken my precautions4 ,translation of the ,advertisement 7,endorsed3 recd4 ,may #bh1 #ahch7 ,a rumour having been spread that some individuals1 calling themselves agents of the ,british and ,foreign ,bible ,society1 under the pretext of circulating copies of the ,holy ,scriptures1 have traversed several towns on the eastern and western coasts of ,spain1 and have published writings in which the respect due to the ecclesiastical and civil authorities of ,spain has not been observed1 but on the contrary an intention has evidently been manifested in them to disparage them in the eyes of the population of those parts1 ,i hasten to make the following public ,declaration3 ,that such individuals--if it be certain that there are such--have in this respect acted upon their own responsibility1 without permission and even in direct opposition to the intentions of the ,bible ,society1 inasmuch as on the principles of the ,new ,testament similar attempts are to be reprobated and regarded with horror1 being in direct opposition to the express commands of the ,saviour and ,his ,apostles1 who in their addresses and writings have on various occasions exhorted the faithful to shew respect and obedience to their masters and superiors1 even when they were heretics or idolaters4 ,and as it has been stated that certain persons1 under pretext of being agents of the ,british and ,foreign ,bible ,society1 have shown zeal in persuading1 and have actually in some cases persuaded1 various individuals to sign documents purporting to be declarations of separation from the ,catholic ,faith--,i herewith publicly declare that the ,british and ,foreign ,bible ,society has no connection with such persons2 and should there be any such1 it is not disposed either to confirm or to approve their proceedings1 but on the contrary is desirous of stating in the most energetic and solemn manner that it disavows and rejects all connexion or intercourse with them4 ,the ,british and ,foreign ,bible ,society is composed of individuals belonging to all sects1 in which those are divided who follow the faith of ,jesus ,christ1 amongst whom are seen co-operating for one grand and holy object1 followers of the ,apostles1 ,romans1 and members of the ,greek and of the ,english ,church1 whose design is the propagation of the word of ,christ in all countries1 separating wholly from the forms of discipline of the ,church1 which are matters of secondary consideration1 which for a long time have filled the world with bloodshed and calamity1 and have tended to keep up in the hearts of ,christians unhappy and malignant feuds4 ,far from being desirous of making proselytes among those professing the ,catholic worship1 the ,bible ,society is at all times disposed to hold out the hand of ,christian fraternity to the clergy of ,spain and to co-operate with those who believe1 as the ,catholic clergy assuredly do1 'that all shall be saved1 who1 believing in ,jesus ,christ1 show it by their good works4' ,madrid ,may #ab1 #ahch1 ,office of the ,bible ,society1 ,calle del ,principe4 7,signed7 ,,george ,,borrow1 ,sole authorised ,agent of the ,british and ,foreign ,bible ,society in ,spain4 ,to the ,rev4 ,a4 ,brandram 7,endorsed3 recd4 ,june #b1 #ahch7 ,,madrid1 ,may #bcrd1 #ahch4 ,,revd4 ,,and ,,dear ,,sir1--,i have just had an interview with the ,archbishop of ,toledo4 ,it was satisfactory to a degree ,i had not dared to hope for4 ,in the name of the ,most ,highest take steps for preventing that miserable creature ,graydon from ruining us all4 ,,george ,,borrow4 ,to the ,rev4 ,a4 ,brandram 7,endorsed3 recd4 ,june #d1 #ahch7 ,,madrid1 ,may #be1 #ahch1 ,,calle ,,santiago4 ,,revd4 ,,and ,,dear ,,sir1--,events follow each other so quickly in this singular country1 and my situation is so peculiar1 and ,i am afraid so little understood at home1 that ,i am obliged to take up the pen more frequently than ,i am inclined4 ,do not think me intrusive in again troubling you4 ,i do it in the hope of preventing any alarm which an incorrect report of the following circumstance might cause you4 ,immediately on receiving intelligence of the scenes which had taken place at ,malaga1 the ,spanish ,government resolved to put an end to all ,bible transactions in ,spain1 and forthwith gave orders for the seizure of all the ,bibles and ,testaments in the country wherever they might be deposited or exposed for sale4 ,they notified the same to ,sir ,george ,villiers1 expressly stating that the resolution was taken in consequence of the1 ',ocurrido en ,malaga4' ,i have now learnt that several of my depots have been seized in various parts of ,spain1 for example1 at ,salamanca1 ,seville1 and of course at ,malaga4 ,this1 however1 gives me little uneasiness1 for1 with the blessing of ,god1 ,i shall be able to repair all1 always provided ,i am allowed to follow my own plans1 and to avail myself of the advantages which have lately been opened especially to cultivate the kind feeling lately manifested towards me by the principal ,spanish clergy4 ,but now prompt measures must be taken on the part of the ,bible ,society4 ,knowing as ,i do the character of the unfortunate man who has lately caused so much havoc1 ,i am apprehensive that he may be guilty of some fresh excess4 ,from ,mr4 ,rule's letter1 which ,i forwarded to you1 it appears that for some time it has been his intention to quit ,spain1 but not quietly1 witness this last affair of ,malaga4 ,now my fear is that on his return to ,barcelona1 on finding that the books and ,bibles intrusted to his discretion have been seized1 he will publish as a parting legacy some tirade against the ,government and clergy4 ,if he do1 he will probably bring himself into trouble and at all events destruction on our cause2 for the ,government is quite despotic1 as indeed is necessary at the present time1 and the whole of ,spain is under martial law4 ,therefore for his own sake1 if not for the sake of the cause1 let him instantly retire1 abandoning the ,bibles to their fate4 ,they shall not be lost4 ,i have had1 as you are aware1 an interview with the ,archbishop of ,toledo4 ,i have not time to state particulars1 but he said amongst other things1 ',be prudent1 the ,government are disposed to arrange matters amicably1 and ,i am disposed to co-operate with them4' ,at parting he shook me most kindly by the hand1 saying that he liked me4 ,sir ,george intends to visit him in a few days4 ,he is an old1 venerable-looking man1 between seventy and eighty4 ,when ,i saw him1 he was dressed with the utmost simplicity1 with the exception of a most splendid amethyst ring1 the lustre of which was truly dazzling4 ,my poor servant1 a ,basque from ,hernani1 is1 ,i am afraid1 dying of the jail-fever1 which he caught in prison whilst attending me4 ,he has communicated this horrible disorder to two other persons4 ,poor ,marin is also very ill1 but ,i believe with a broken heart2 ,i administer to his needs as far as prudence will allow me1 for ,i am grieved for him4 ,i have not yet despatched my letter to ,mr4 ,rule1 as ,i wish not to offend him2 but ,i cannot approve of his forcing ,marin to come up to ,madrid1 contrary to his wishes4 ,zeal is a precious thing1 when accompanied with one grain of common sense4 ,in conclusion1 ,i beg leave to say that ,sir ,george ,villiers has authorised me to state that provided the ,bible ,society entertain any doubts respecting my zeal in the ,christian cause1 or the correctness of my conduct during my sojourn in ,spain1 he hopes they will do him the satisfaction to communicate with him4 ,i remain1 ,revd4 and dear ,sir1 most truly yours1 ,,george ,,borrow4 ,to the ,rev4 ,a4 ,brandram 7,endorsed3 recd4 ,june #bc1 #ahch7 ,june #ac1 #ahch1 ,,madrid1 ,no4 #af ,,calle ,,st4 ,,iago1 ,,revd4 ,,and ,,dear ,,sir1--,i have received your letter of ,june #ast1 but not that of the #cjth ,may which you allude to in the same1 therefore ,i am still in the dark upon many points4 ,another bitter cup has been filled for my swallowing4 ,the ,bible ,society and myself have been accused of blasphemy1 sedition1 etc4 ,a collection of tracts has been seized in ,murcia1 in which the ,catholic religion and its dogmas are handled with the most abusive severity2 these books have been sworn to as having been left by the ,committee of the ,bible ,society whilst in that town1 and ,count ,ofalia has been called upon to sign an order for my arrest and banishment from ,spain4 ,sir ,george1 however1 advises me to remain quiet and not to be alarmed2 as he will answer for my innocence4 ,i am now compelled to ask a blunt question4 ,will the ,bible ,society look calmly on and see itself compromised and my life and liberty exposed to danger by the lunatic vagaries of that unfortunate ,graydon1 who1 like a swine in a field newly sown1 has of late been solely occupied in rooting up the precious seed and destroying every hope of a glorious harvest8 ,the newspapers are teeming with articles against us1 for we are no longer looked upon as a ,society founded on the broad principles of ,christianity1 but as one instituted for the carrying into effect of sectarian purposes4 ,in justice to me1 it behoves the ,society to communicate with ,sir ,george ,villiers1 who has abstracts of all the letters which ,i have written to the ,society1 and who will vouch for their correctness4 ,do not be cast down2 all will go well if the stumbling block be removed4 ,i write in haste4 ,g4 ,,borrow4 ,p4,s4--,what do you mean1 my dear ,sir1 by the 'grano salis'8 ,to the ,rev4 ,a4 ,brandram 7,endorsed3 recd4 ,june #be1 #ahch7 ,,madrid1 ,june #ad1 #ahch4 ,,revd4 ,,and ,,dear ,,sir1--,immediately after having despatched my letter of yesterday1 ,i received through my friend1 ,mr4 ,wood1 a communication from the ,bishop of ---1 the president of the body of ecclesiastics at present engaged in examining our ,bible4 ,he is of my opinion that the ,committee of the ,bible ,society should in the present exigency draw up an exposition of their views respecting ,spain1 stating what they are prepared to do1 and what they are not prepared to do--above all1 whether in seeking to circulate the ,gospel in this country they harbour any projects hostile to the ,government and the established religion2 moreover1 whether the late distribution of tracts was done by their connivance or authority1 and whether they are disposed to sanction in future the publication in ,spain of such a class of writings4 ,it of course does not become me to advise the ,committee and yourself upon this point4 ,i merely take the liberty of communicating the circumstance1 and observing that the ,prelate in question is a most learned and respectable man1 and one of the warmest of our friends4 ,i have not seen any of the tracts seized at ,murcia1 nor do ,i wish4 ,if examined by the ,council1 ,i shall declare on oath that ,i am innocent and ignorant of the matter1 and that ,i believe the ,bible ,society to be the same4 ,sir ,george assured me that one or two of them were outrages not only to common sense but decency4 ,i forgot to tell you yesterday that my poor servant is dead4 ,he died of the pestilential typhus caught in the prison2 his body at the period of his death was a frightful mass of putridity1 and was in consequence obliged to be instantly shovelled into the ,campo ,santo or common field of the dead near ,madrid4 ,may ,christ be his stay at the ,great ,day2 a more affectionate creature never breathed4 ,hear now what the ,madrid ,gazette says of our ,society1 in an article in which it reproves in the strongest terms the conduct lately pursued by pseudo-agents1 and gives me a rap on the knuckles for an anti-catholic expression or two in the advertisement in which ,i denounced them4 ,the ,gazette is the official organ of the ,government1 and all it says is under authority3-- ',we will not conclude this article without bestowing the merited tribute of praise on the project truly magnificent of the ,bible ,society1 considered not under the religious but the social aspect4 ,christianity has been1 is1 and will be the grand agent in the civilisation of the world2 and the preaching of its doctrine1 and the propagation of its maxims among the nations who know it not1 is the most costly present which can be offered them1 and the pledge of belonging one day to the civilised world2 or if they already belong to it1 of ameliorating their actual condition in society4 ',excellent moral results must also be produced among the poorer classes of the people in ,christian countries by the distribution of copies of the sacred writings2 and the ,bible ,society acts with the highest prudence1 by accommodating itself to the civil and ecclesiastic laws of each country1 and by adopting the editions there current4 ,in ,spain1 where every translation of the ,bible is forbidden1 and in general every book of religion1 without previous censure and license of the ecclesiastical authority1 much good may arise from distributing either of the two translations1 that of ,father ,scio or that of ,amat2 but precisely as they are1 and without the suppression of the notes1 which explain some difficult passages4 ,if the great object be the propagation of the evangelic maxims1 the notes are no obstacle1 and by preserving them we fulfil our religious principle of not permitting to private reason the interpretation of the sacred ,word4' ,excuse me this long extract4 ,i remain1 ,revd4 and dear ,sir1 most truly yours1 ,g4 ,,borrow4 ,p4,s4--,i should wish to make another ,biblical tour this summer1 until the storm be blown over4 ,should ,i undertake such an expedition1 ,i should avoid the towns and devote myself entirely to the peasantry4 ,i have sometimes thought of visiting the villages of the ,alpujarra mountains in ,andalusia1 where the people live quite secluded from the world4 ,what do you think of my project8 ,to the ,rev4 ,a4 ,brandram 7,endorsed3 recd4 #bgth ,june1 #ahch7 ,,madrid1 ,june #af1 #ahch4 ,,revd4 ,,and ,,dear ,,sir1--,i have received your communication of the #cjth ult41 containing the resolutions of the ,committee1 to which ,i shall of course attend4 ,of your letter in general1 permit me to state that ,i reverence the spirit in which it is written1 and am perfectly disposed to admit the correctness of the views which it exhibits4 ,greek text4 ,but it appears to me that in one or two instances ,i have been misunderstood in the letters which ,i have addressed to you on the subject of ,graydon4 ,i bear this unfortunate gentleman no ill will1 ,god forbid1 and it will give me pain if he were reprimanded publicly or privately2 moreover ,i can see no utility likely to accrue from such a proceeding4 ,all that ,i have stated hitherto is the damage which he has done in ,spain to the cause and myself1 by the--what shall ,i call it8--imprudence of his conduct2 and the idea which ,i have endeavoured to inculcate is the absolute necessity of his leaving ,spain instantly4 ,take now in good part what ,i am about to say1 and ,o6 do not misunderstand me6 ,i owe a great deal to the ,bible ,society1 and the ,bible ,society owes nothing to me4 ,i am well aware and am always disposed to admit that it can find thousands more zealous1 more active1 and in every respect more adapted to transact its affairs and watch over its interests4 ,yet with this consciousness of my own inutility ,i must be permitted to state that linked to a man like ,graydon ,i can no longer consent to be1 and that if the ,society expect such a thing1 ,i must take the liberty of retiring1 perhaps to the wilds of ,tartary or the ,zigani camps of ,siberia4 ,my name at present is become public property--no very enviable distinction in these unhappy times1 and neither wished nor sought by myself4 ,i have of late been subjected to circumstances which have rendered me obnoxious to the hatred of those who never forgive1 the bloody ,church of ,rome1 which ,i have doubt will sooner or later find means to accomplish my ruin2 for no one is better aware than myself of its fearful resources1 whether in ,england or ,spain1 in ,italy or in any other part4 ,i should not be now in this situation1 had ,i been permitted to act alone4 ,how much more would have been accomplished1 it does not become me to guess4 ,i had as many or more difficulties to surmount in ,russia than ,i originally had here1 yet all that the ,society expected or desired was effected without stir or noise1 and that in the teeth of an imperial ,ukase which forbade the work which ,i was employed to superintend4 ,concerning my late affair1 ,i must here state that ,i was sent to prison on a charge which was subsequently acknowledged not only to be false but ridiculous4 ,i was accused of uttering words disrespectful towards the ,gefe ,politico of ,madrid2 my accuser was an officer of the police who entered my apartment one morning before ,i was dressed1 and commenced searching my papers and flinging my books into disorder4 ,happily1 however1 the people of the house who were listening at the door heard all that passed1 and declared on oath that1 so far from mentioning the ,gefe ,politico1 ,i merely told the officer that he1 the officer1 was an insolent fellow and that ,i would cause him to be punished4 ,he subsequently confessed that he was an instrument of the ,vicar ,general and that he merely came to my apartment in order to obtain a pretence for making a complaint4 ,he has been dismissed from his situation1 and the ,queen has expressed her sorrow at my imprisonment4 ,if there be any doubt entertained on the matter1 pray let ,sir ,george ,villiers be written to6 ,i should be happy to hear what success attends our efforts in ,china4 ,i hope a prudent conduct has been adopted2 for think not that a strange and loud language will find favour in the eyes of the ,chinese2 and above all1 ,i hope that we have not got into war with the ,augustines and their followers1 who1 if properly managed1 may be of incalculable service in propagating the ,scriptures4 ,i remain1 ,revd4 and dear ,sir1 truly yours1 ,g4 ,,borrow4 ,p4,s4--,the documents1 or some of them1 shall be sent as soon as possible4 ,to the ,rev4 ,a4 ,brandram 7,endorsed3 recd4 ,july #e1 #ahch7 ,,madrid1 ,june #bf1 #ahch4 ,,revd4 ,,and ,,dear ,,sir1--,i shall not be able to send the documents in question1 as they are lodged in the archives1 and are now become state-papers4 ,those that relate to the affair at ,malaga ,i have not yet been able to obtain a perusal of2 it will therefore perhaps suffice for the present to say that in one of them the ,government was stigmatized as being 'voraz de pesetas' 7voracious of pesetas71 and the ,catholic religion termed 'un sistema del mas grosero fanatismo' 7a system of the grossest fanaticism74 ,it was well for the writer of this trash that the ,government were at the time alarmed at the step which they had taken in imprisoning myself1 and did not wish to press the matter home3 otherwise he could not have escaped so easily as he did4 ,yet what must we think of an ,englishman1 who1 relying for protection on the fear and respect which the mighty country to which he belongs everywhere inspires1 visits a ,spanish town in a state of revolution--as ,malaga was--and1 for the bringing about a particular object1 adds to the ferment by appealing to already excited passions8 ,but ,i shall not dwell further on this subject4 ,the ,society are already aware of the results of the visit of our friend to ,malaga1 all their ,bibles and ,testaments having been seized throughout ,spain1 with the exception of my stock in ,madrid 7upwards of #cjjj7--;,count ,ofalia having in a communication to ,sir ,george declared that he had full confidence in my honour and good faith1 being well persuaded that ,i harboured no designs but those ,i professed4 ,i send you on the other side some extracts from one of the tracts which purports to be ',a true history of the ,virgin of ,sorrows1 to whom ,don ,carlos1 the ,rebel and ,fanatic1 has dedicated his cause1 and the ignorance which he trumpets4' ,the one1 however1 which has given most offence is ',a ,catechism on the ,principal ,controversies between ,protestants and ,catholics1' translated from the ,english4 ,i now await your orders4 ,i wish to know whether ,i am at liberty to pursue the course which may seem to me best under existing circumstances1 and which at present appears to be to mount my horses which are neighing in the stable1 and once more to betake myself to the plains and mountains of dusty ,spain1 and to dispose of my ,testaments to the muleteers and peasants4 ,by doing so ,i shall employ myself usefully1 and at the same time avoid giving offence4 ,better days will soon arrive1 which will enable me to return to ,madrid and reopen my shop2 till then1 however1 ,i should wish to pursue my labours in comparative obscurity4 ,i remain1 ,revd4 and dear ,sir1 most truly yours1 ,,george ,,borrow4 ,p4,s4--,i am engaged in translating the ,acts of the ,apostles into ,basque4 ,on the fly-leaf of this letter appear the following extracts4 ,historia ,verdadera de la ,virjen ,dolorosa a ,quien el rebelde y fanatico ,d4 ,carlos ,ha ,dedicado su causa y la ignorancia que ,pregona4 ,,extractos ,p4 #ag4 ',echase de ver en todos estos epitetos grandiosos prodigados a ,maria la obra del enemigo de ,dios1 el cual1 ensencialmente idolatra1 ha sabido introducir la idolatria bajo las apariencias del ,cristianismo1 y se esfuerza en desviar sobre una criatura1 y hasta en la imagen de esta1 la adoracion que se debe a ,dios tan solo4 ,sin duda que con igual objeto se colocan por todas partes las estatuas de ,maria1 adornadas con una corona1 y llevando en brazos un tierno infante1 como para acostumbrar al pueblo al concepto entranable de la superi oridad de ,maria sobre ,jesus4' ,p4 #cj4 ',tal es nuestra conclusion4 ,reconociendo y sancionando este culto1 la ,iglesia de ,roma se constituye iglesia idolatra1 y todos sus miembros que no saben buscar la verdad detras del monstruos-o hacinamiento de impiedad con que la oculta1 son supuestos por la misma condenados a la perdicion4 ,el caudillo de esta ,iglesia1 que no se averguenza de prohibir y hacer que se prohiba1 por donde quiera alcanza su ferula1 la palabra de ,dios1 debiera saber cuando menos1 se atesorase el espiritu de ,cristo1 que mejor empleara sus bulas barriendo la ,iglesia ,romana de todas sus iniquidades1 que no promulgando tan injustas prohibiciones4 ,pero ya que1 afferrandose contra mejora1 esta iglesia proteje y consagra por todas partes un sinnumero de supersticiones y cultos erroneos1 claro esta que con esto se alza y caracteriza como uno de los principales ajentes del ,anticristo4' ,to ,mr4 ,w4 ,hitchin 7,endorsed3 recd4 ,july #bj1 #ahch7 ,,madrid1 ,july #i1 #ahch4 ,on the other side ,i beg leave to present my account4 ,one or two items require some explanation4 #ast1 ,mr4 ,borrego's bill of #cjhd reals1 of which #agfj are for the printing of the ,basque ,gospel1 the remainder is for advertisements1 boxes1 package and freight of books to various parts of ,spain1 namely1 to ,valencia1 ,malaga1 ,santander1 ,corunna1 etc4 ,the original bill ,i shall forward as soon as it has been signed and vouched for by ,messrs4 ,o',shea1 who paid the money4 #bnd1 ,as to prison expenses1 ,i must observe that the ,government after placing me at liberty offered to indemnify me for all the expense ,i had incurred in prison1 but ,i refused to accept their offer2 should1 however1 the ,committee think that ,i ought to have done so1 they will deduct the amount4 #crd1 #fj reals for porterage2 on receiving intelligence that my depots had been seized in various parts of the country1 ,i thought it advisable to place my stock in ,madrid in safety1 and in consequence under cover of night removed it from the shop1 and concealed it in portions in the houses of various friends4 ,in conclusion1 ,i must beg that you will collate my present account with my last1 as ,i am apprehensive that ,i may have charged the same outlay twice2 the copy of my last account was lost when my papers were seized4 ,i make an excursion to-morrow to the rural districts of ,new ,castile1 which will probably occupy a fortnight4 ,i have sent before me two hundred ,testaments4 ,i remain1 etc41 ,g4 ,,borrow4 ,to the ,rev4 ,a4 ,brandram 7,endorsed3 recd4 ,july #bh1 #ahch7 ,,villa ,,seca1 ,,district ,,of ,,toledo1 ,july #ad1 #ahch4 ,,revd4 ,,and ,,dear ,,sir1--,i write these lines from ,villa ,seca1 a village situated on the bank of the ,tagus about nine leagues from ,madrid4 ,a few minutes before my departure ,i received your letter of the #bith ,june1 in which you mention letters being on the way for me4 ,i1 however1 could not wait for them for many reasons1 principally because in that event ,i should have lost a considerable number of ,testaments1 which ,i had sent before me4 ,i am moreover tolerably well acquainted with the contents of those communications from the one which ,i have already received4 ,for some time past ,i have been determined at whatever risk to make an effort to circulate the ,scriptures in the rural districts of ,new ,castile1 where ,i am grieved to say the most profound ignorance of true religion prevails4 ,i have been induced to take up my quarters for the present in ,villa ,seca1 from being well acquainted with a labourer of the place2 moreover its situation is favourable to my views as there are many other villages in its vicinity4 ,poverty it is true abounds1 but ,i am perfectly sure that our friends at home are disposed to make every reasonable sacrifice1 and not for a moment to balance the dust of ,mammon against the eternal welfare of their fellow-creatures4 ,for the last two days ,i have been riding in various directions4 ,it is a great blessing that heat agrees with me wonderfully1 as we have no less than thirty-six degrees according to ,reaumur2 otherwise it would be impossible for me to accomplish anything1 the atmosphere resembling the flickering glow about the mouth of an oven4 ,i have already disposed of about thirty ,testaments1 of course at exceedingly low prices4 ,to-day1 however1 ,i have commenced a new course1 and have sent abroad various peasants with some parcels of ,testaments2 my host1 whom it has pleased the ,lord to render favourable to the cause1 has himself taken the field1 and has proceeded to the neighbouring village of ,vargas mounted on his donkey4 ,if success do not attend my efforts1 the ,lord knows that it will be no fault of mine4 ,it will be the working of ,his own holy will4 ,i had scarcely written the above lines when ,i heard the voice of the donkey in the court-yard1 and going out ,i found my host returned4 ,he had disposed of his whole cargo of twenty ,testaments at the old ,moorish village of ,vargas1 distant from hence about two leagues1 and all in the space of about half an hour4 ,eight poor harvest-men1 who were refreshing themselves at the door of the wine-house1 purchased each a copy2 whilst the village schoolmaster took all the rest for the little ones beneath his care1 lamenting at the same time the great difficulty he had long experienced in obtaining religious books1 owing to their scarcity and extravagant price4 ,many other persons were also anxious to procure ,testaments1 but my envoy 7,juanito ,lopez7 was unable to supply them4 ,at his departure they requested him to return within a few days4 ,i will not conceal from you that ,i am playing a daring game1 and it is very possible that when ,i least expect it ,i may be seized1 tied to the tail of a mule1 and dragged either to the prison of ,toledo or ,madrid4 ,yet such a prospect does not discourage me in the least1 but rather urges me on to persevere2 for ,i assure you--and in this assertion there lurks not the slightest desire to magnify myself and produce an effect--that ,i am eager to lay down my life in this cause1 and whether a ,carlist's bullet or the jail-fever bring my career to an end1 ,i am perfectly indifferent4 ,but ,i have other matters now to speak of4 ,you hint that a desire is entertained at home to have a personal conference with me4 ,in the name of the ,highest ,i entreat you all to banish such a preposterous idea4 ,a journey home 7provided you intend that ,i should return to ,spain7 could lead to no result but expense and the loss of precious time4 ,i have nothing to explain to you which you are not already perfectly well acquainted with by my late letters4 ,i was fully aware at the time ,i was writing them that ,i should afford you little satisfaction1 for the plain unvarnished truth is seldom agreeable4 ,but ,i now repeat1 and these are perhaps among the last words which ,i shall ever be permitted to pen1 that ,i cannot approve1 and ,i am sure no ,christian can1 of the system which has lately been pursued in the large sea-port cities of ,spain1 and which the ,bible ,society has been supposed to sanction1 notwithstanding the most unreflecting person could easily foresee that such a line of conduct could produce nothing in the end but obloquy and misfortune4 ,it was unkind and unjust to taunt me with having been unsuccessful in distributing the ,scriptures4 ,allow me to state that no other person under the same circumstances would have distributed the tenth part4 ,yet had ,i been utterly unsuccessful1 it would have been wrong to check me with being so1 after all ,i have undergone--and with how little of that are you acquainted4 ,you are perfectly correct in concluding that certain persons are laughing in their sleeve4 ,but at what8 ,at the success of their own machinations8 ,not at all6 ,they are laughing at the inconceivable fatuity which induces those whom they once dreaded to destroy themselves and their own labours4 ,the stone with immense toil is rolled up to the brow of the mountain1 when they see it recoil1 not at the touch of ,jupiter but at the impulse of the insane ,sisyphus1 who pulls it down on his own body4 ,with common sense and prudence very much might have been accomplished in ,spain1 and still may4 ,i am sorry to say that hitherto very little of that has been used4 ,you are surprised that ,i should presume to hint that ,i have been linked to ,g4 ,graydon1 but at the same time admit that my identification with him by my enemies has been unavoidable4 ,now in the name of all that is reasonable1 to what does such an admission amount but that ,i have been linked to this man1 and it matters very little whether or not ,i have been brought into personal contact with him4 ,but now farewell to him3 and in taking leave of this subject1 ,i will add that the unfortunate ,m4 ,marin is dying of a galloping consumption1 brought on by distress of mind4 ,all the medicine in the world would not accomplish his cure4 ,with ,god's permission ,i will write again in a few days and till then1 ,i remain1 ,revd4 and dear ,sir1 most truly yours1 ,,george ,,borrow4 ,to the ,rev4 ,a4 ,brandram 7,endorsed3 recd4 ,july #cj1 #ahch7 ,,villa ,,seca1 ,,new ,,castille1 #ag ,july #ahch4 ,,revd4 ,,and ,,dear ,,sir1--,i addressed a letter to you on the #adth instant1 which ,i hope you will receive in course of time1 together with the present2 in that letter ,i informed you where ,i was1 stating my proceedings and intentions4 ,it has pleased the ,lord to permit me to be hitherto very successful in these regions1 so much so that during less than a week ,i have disposed of the entire stock of ,testaments which ,i brought with me1 namely two hundred2 only three or four remain1 which are already bespoken4 ,last night ,i sent off a messenger to ,madrid for a fresh supply1 which ,i expect will arrive in a day or two4 ,i must here observe that up to the present moment ,i have endeavoured as much as possible to avoid noise1 and notoriety4 ,advertisements and handbills ,i have utterly eschewed4 ,i brought none with me1 and in these rural places1 the name of a printing press is unknown2 nor have ,i much endeavoured to work upon the mind of the simple peasantry around me by words4 ,i merely tell them that ,i bring them the words and life of the ,saviour and ,his saints at a price adapted to their humble means4 ,nevertheless the news of the arrival of the book of life is spreading like wild-fire through the villages of the ,sagra of ,toledo1 and wherever my people and myself direct our course we find the inhabitants disposed to receive our merchandise2 it is even called for where not exhibited4 ,last night as ,i was bathing myself and my horse in the ,tagus1 a knot of people gathered on the bank crying3 ',come out of the water1 ,englishman1 and give us books2 we have got our money in our hands4' ,the poor creatures then held out their hands filled with cuartos1 a copper coin of the value of a farthing1 but ,i had unfortunately no ,testament to afford them4 ,my servant1 however1 who was at a short distance1 having exhibited one1 it was instantly torn from his hands by the people1 and a scuffle ensued to obtain possession of it4 ,it has very frequently occurred that the poor labourers in the neighbourhood1 being eager to obtain ,testaments and having no money to offer us in exchange1 have brought various other articles to our cottage as equivalents--for example1 rabbits1 fruit and barley2 and ,i have made a point never to disappoint them1 as such articles are of utility either for our own consumption or that of the horses4 ,in ,villa ,seca there is a school in which fifty-seven children are taught the first rudiments of education4 ,yesterday morning the schoolmaster1 a tall slim figure of about sixty1 bearing on his head one of the peaked hats of ,andalusia and wrapped notwithstanding the excessive heat of the weather in a long cloak1 made his appearance1 and having seated himself requested to be shown one of our books4 ,having delivered it to him1 he remained examining it for nearly half an hour without uttering a word4 ,at last he laid it down with a sigh and said that he should be very happy to purchase some of these books for his school1 but from their appearance1 especially from the quality of the paper and binding1 he was apprehensive that to pay for them would exceed the means of the parents of his pupils1 as they were almost destitute of money1 being poor labourers4 ,he then commenced blaming the ,government1 which1 he said1 established schools without affording the necessary books1 adding that in his school there were but two books for the use of all his pupils1 and these he confessed contained but little good4 ,i asked him what he considered the ,testaments were worth4 ,he said1 ',senor ,cavalier1 to speak frankly ,i have in other times paid twelve reals for books inferior to yours in every respect1 but ,i assure you that my poor pupils would be utterly unable to pay the half of that price4' ,i replied1 ',i will sell you as many as you please for three reals each2 ,i am acquainted with the poverty of the land1 and my friends and myself in affording the people the means of spiritual instruction have no wish to curtail their scanty bread4' ,he replied3 ',benedito seo ,dios' 7'blessed be ,god'71 and could scarcely believe his ears4 ,he instantly purchased a dozen1 expending therein1 as he said1 all the money he possessed with the exception of a few cuartos4 ,the introduction of the reading of the ,word of ,god into the country schools of ,spain is therefore now begun1 and ,i humbly hope that it will prove one of those events which the ,bible ,society after the lapse of years will have most reason to remember with joy and gratitude to the ,almighty4 ,an old peasant is at present reading in the portico4 ,eighty-four years have passed over his head1 and he is almost entirely deaf2 nevertheless he is reading aloud the second chapter of ,matthew4 ,three days since he bespoke a ,testament1 but not being able to raise the money he has not redeemed it until the present moment2 he has just brought thirty farthings4 ,as ,i survey the silvery hair which overshadows his sun-burnt countenance1 the words of the song occur to me3 ',lord1 now lettest ,thou ,thy servant depart in peace1 according to ,thy word3 for mine eyes have seen ,thy salvation4' ,i will now conclude these anecdotes with one not divested of singularity4 ,over a branch of the ,tagus by the bridge ,azeca there is a large water-mill4 ,i have formed an acquaintance with the tenant of this mill1 who is known in the neighbourhood by the name of ,don ,antero4 ,two days ago1 taking me into a retired place1 he asked me to my great astonishment if ,i would sell him a thousand ,testaments at the price at which ,i was disposing of them to the peasantry1 saying that if ,i would consent he would pay me immediately2 in fact he put his hand into his pocket1 and pulled it out filled with gold ounces4 ,i asked him what was the reason for his wish to make so considerable a purchase4 ,whereupon he informed me that he had a relation in ,toledo whom he wished to establish1 and that he was of opinion that he could do no better than take a shop there and furnish it with ,testaments4 ,i told him that he must think of nothing of the kind1 as probably the books would be seized on the first attempt to introduce them into ,toledo1 as the priests and canons were much averse to their distribution4 ,he was1 however1 not disconcerted1 and said his relation could travel1 as ,i myself was doing1 to dispose of them to the peasants with profit to himself4 ,i confess ,i was disposed at first to accept his offer1 but at length declined it1 as ,i did not wish to expose a poor man to the risk of losing money1 goods1 and perhaps liberty and life4 ,i was likewise averse to the books being offered to the peasantry at an advanced price1 being aware that they could not afford it2 and the books1 by such an attempt would lose a considerable part of that prestijio 7,i know no ,english word to express my meaning7 which they now enjoy4 ,their cheapness strikes the minds of the people with wonder1 and they consider it almost as much in the light of a miracle as the ,jews did the manna which dropped from heaven at the time they were famishing1 or the spring which suddenly gushed from the flinty rock to assuage their thirst in the wilderness4 ,the following is a list of the villages of the ,sagra2 or champaign country of ,toledo1 already supplied with ,testaments4 ,it will perhaps be expedient to print this list in the ',extracts4' ,vargas ,mocejon ,villa ,seca ,cobeja ,villaluenga ,yuncler4 ,in about a week ,i shall depart from hence and proceed to another district1 as it would not be prudent to make a long sojourn in any particular district under existing circumstances4 ,it is my intention to cross the country to ,aranjuez1 and endeavour to supply with the ,word the villages on the frontier of ,la ,mancha4 ,write to me as soon as possible1 always directing to my lodgings in ,madrid4 ,i wish to know the lowest price at which ,i am at liberty to dispose of ,testaments1 and conclude with hoping that what ,i have narrated will meet the approbation of you ,,all4 7,,unsigned47 ,to the ,rev4 ,a4 ,brandram 7,endorsed3 recd4 ,aug4 #bnd1 #ahch7 ,,madrid1 ,no4 #af ,,calle ,,santiago1 ,july #bc1 #ahch4 ,,revd4 ,,and ,,dear ,,sir1--,as1 ,i was about to leave ,villa ,seca for ,aranjuez ,i received your letters of the #crd and #gth inst41 on the perusal of which ,i instantly returned to ,madrid instead of pursuing my intended route4 ,my answer will be very brief1 as ,i am afraid of giving way to my feelings2 ,i hope1 however1 that it will be to the purpose4 ,it is broadly hinted in yours of the #gth that ,i have made false statements in asserting that the ,government1 in consequence of what has lately taken place1 had come to a resolution of seizing the ,bible depots in various parts of this country4 ,in reply1 ,i beg leave to inform you that by the first courier you will receive from the ,british ,legation at ,madrid the official notice from ,count ,ofalia to ,sir ,george ,villiers of the seizures already made1 and the motives which induced the ,government to have recourse to such a measure4 ,the following seizures have already been made1 though some have not as yet been officially announced3 ,the ,society's books at ,oviedo1 ,pontevedra1 ,salamanca1 ,santiago1 ,seville1 and ,valladolid4 ,it appears from your letters that the depots in the south of ,spain have escaped4 ,i am glad of it1 although it be at my own expense4 ,i see the hand of the ,lord throughout the late transactions4 ,he is chastening me4 ,it is ,his pleasure that the guilty escape and the innocent be punished4 ,the ,government give orders to seize the ,bible depots throughout the country on account of the late scenes at ,malaga and ,valencia4 ,i have never been there1 yet only my depots are meddled with1 as it appears6 ,the ,lord's will be done1 blessed be the name of the ,lord6 ,i will write again to-morrow4 ,i shall have then arranged my thoughts1 and determined on the conduct which it becomes a ,christian to pursue under these circumstances4 ,permit me in conclusion to ask you3 ,have you not to a certain extent been partial in this matter8 ,have you not1 in the apprehension of being compelled to blame the conduct of one1 who has caused me unutterable anxiety1 misery1 and persecution1 and who has been the bane of the ,bible cause in ,spain1 refused to receive the information which it was in your power to command8 ,i called on the ,committee and yourself1 from the first1 to apply to ,sir ,george ,villiers2 no one is so well versed in what has lately been going on as himself4 ,but no4 ,it was ,god's will that ,i1 who have risked all and lost almost all in the cause1 be taunted1 suspected1 and the sweat of agony and tears which ,i have poured out be estimated at the value of the water of the ditch or the moisture which exudes from rotten dung4 ,but ,i murmur not1 and hope ,i shall at all times be willing to bow to the dispensations of the ,almighty4 ,sir ,george ,villiers has returned to ,england for a short period2 you have therefore the opportunity of consulting him4 ,i will not leave ,spain until the whole affair has been thoroughly sifted4 ,i shall then perhaps appear and bid you an eternal farewell4 ,four hundred ,testaments have been disposed of in the ,sagra of ,toledo4 7,,unsigned47 ,p4,s4--,i am just returned from the ,embassy1 where ,i have had a long interview with that admirable person1 ,lord ,wm4 ,hervey4 ,he has requested me to write him a letter on the point in question1 which with the official documents he intends to send to the ,secretary of ,state in order to be laid before the ,bible ,society4 ,he has put into my hands the last communication from ,ofalia4 ,it relates to the seizure of my depots at ,malaga1 ,pontevedra1 etc4 ,i have not opened it1 but send it for your perusal4 ,to the ,rev4 ,a4 ,brandram 7,endorsed3 recd4 ,aug4 #adth1 #ahch7 ,no4 #af ,,calle ,,santiago1 ,,madrid1 ,august #c1 #ahch4 ,,revd4 ,,and ,,dear ,,sir1--,since writing to you last ,i have been at some distance from ,madrid4 ,indeed my affairs at the time were in such a condition and so much depended upon my personal superintendence1 that ,i was obliged to depart almost immediately after dispatching my answers to your two last4 ,i am now returned principally on account of a rather unfortunate accident which occurred on the frontier of ,la ,mancha1 the particulars of which ,i shall give you presently4 ,i shall1 however1 only tarry sufficient time to rest the horses and again go forth1 for ,i am but too well aware that no time must now be lost1 my enemies being numerous and watchful4 ,on leaving ,madrid ,i proceeded in the direction of ,aranjuez1 selling from twenty to forty copies in every village that lay in the way or near it2 my intention was to penetrate deep into ,la ,mancha1 and in that view ,i had forwarded a large supply of books to ,aranjuez4 ,having arrived there ,i made a sojourn of three days1 during which time1 myself1 my servant and ,juan ,lopez1 of whom ,i have previously spoken to you1 visited every house in the town4 ,we found a vast deal of poverty and ignorance amongst the inhabitants1 and experienced some opposition2 nevertheless it pleased the ,almighty to permit us to dispose of about eighty ,testaments1 which were purchased entirely by the very poor people1 those in easier circumstances paying no attention to the ,word of ,god1 but rather turning it to scoff and ridicule4 ,one circumstance was very gratifying and cheering to me1 namely1 the ocular proof which ,i possessed that the books which ,i disposed of were read1 and with attention1 by those to whom ,i disposed of them1 and that many others participated in their benefit4 ,in the streets of ,aranjuez and beneath the mighty cedars and gigantic elms and plantains which compose its noble woods1 ,i have frequently seen groups assembled1 listening to individuals who1 with the ,new ,testament in their hands1 were reading aloud the comfortable words of salvation4 ,it is probable that had ,i remained a longer period in ,aranjuez ,i might have sold many more of our divine books1 but ,i was eager to gain ,la ,mancha and its sandy plains1 and to conceal myself for a season amongst its solitary villages2 for ,i was apprehensive that a storm was gathering around me4 ,but when once through ,ocana1 the frontier town1 ,i knew well that ,i should have nothing to fear from the ,spanish authorities as their power ceased there1 the rest of ,la ,mancha being almost entirely in the hands of the ,carlists1 and overrun by small parties of banditti1 from whom however ,i trusted that the ,lord would preserve me4 ,i therefore departed for ,ocana1 situate about three leagues from ,aranjuez4 ,i started with my servant about six in the evening1 having early in the morning sent forward ,lopez with between two and three hundred ,testaments4 ,we left the high road and proceeded by a shorter way1 through wild hills and over very broken and precipitous ground4 ,being well-mounted we found ourselves just after sunset opposite ,ocana1 which stands on a steep hill4 ,a deep valley lay between us and the town2 we descended and came to a small bridge which traverses a rivulet at the bottom of the valley1 at a very small distance from a kind of suburb2 we crossed the bridge1 and were passing by a deserted house on our left hand when a man appeared from under the porch4 ,what ,i am about to state will seem incomprehensible to you1 but a singular history and a singular people are connected with it4 ,the man placed himself before my horse so as to bar the way1 and said ,schophon1 which in the ,hebrew tongue signifies a rabbit4 ,i knew this word to be one of the ,jewish countersigns1 and asked the man if he had anything to communicate4 ,he said3 ',you must not enter the town1 for a net is prepared for you4 ,the ,corregidor of ,toledo1 on whom may all evil light1 in order to give pleasure to the priests of ,maria1 in whose face ,i spit1 has ordered all the ,alcaldes of these parts and the ,escribanos and the ,corchetes to lay hands on you wherever they may find you1 and to send you and your books and all that pertains to you to ,toledo4 ,your servant was seized this morning in the town above as he was selling the writings in the streets1 and they are now awaiting your arrival in the posada2 but ,i knew you from the accounts of my brethren1 and have been waiting here four hours to give you warning1 in order that your horse may turn his tail to your enemies and neigh in derision of them4 ,fear nothing for your servant1 for he is known to the ,alcalde and will be set at liberty1 but do you flee1 and may ,god attend you4' ,having said this1 he hurried towards the town4 ,i hesitated not a moment to take his advice1 knowing full well that1 as my books had been taken possession of1 ,i could do no more in that direction4 ,we turned back1 in the direction of ,aranjuez1 the horses notwithstanding the nature of the ground galloping at full speed1 and like the true ,moorish breed bearing their tails erect and stiff2 but our adventures were not over4 ,about mid-way1 and about half a league from the small village of ,antigola1 we saw close to us on our left hand three men on a low bank4 ,as far as the darkness would permit us to distinguish they were naked1 but each bore in his hand a long gun2 these were rateros1 or the common assassins and robbers of the roads4 ,we halted1 and cried out ',who goes there8' ,they1 replied1 ',what's that to you8 ,pass by4' ,their drift was to fire at us from a position from which it would be impossible to miss4 ,we shouted3 ',if you do not instantly pass to the right side of the road1 we will tread you down beneath the horses' hoofs4' ,they hesitated1 and then obeyed1 for all ,spanish assassins are dastards1 and the least show of resolution daunts them4 ,as we galloped past1 one cried with an obscene oath1 ',tiraremos' 7'fire'7 but another said1 ',no6 hay peligro' 'there's danger'4 ,we reached ,aranjuez1 where early next morning ,lopez rejoined us1 and we returned to ,madrid4 ,i am sorry to state that two hundred ,testaments were seized at ,ocana1 where they were sealed and despatched to ,toledo4 ,lopez informed me that in two hours he could have sold them all1 the demand was so great2 as it was1 twenty-seven were sold in less than ten minutes4 ,he is just departed on another expedition1 and ,i am about to follow1 for with ,god's leave ,i will fight it out to the last4 ,i enclose you a list of all the towns and villages hitherto visited4 ,i have nothing more to say for the present1 but that you may make what use you please of this letter4 ,such is my life in ,spain4 7,,unsigned47 ,pueblos4 ,villa ,seca4 ,azana4 ,mocejon4 ,ylleicas4 ,magan4 ,forrejon4 ,oliar4 ,parla4 ,vargas4 ,pinto4 ,villaluenga4 ,baldemoro4 ,yuncler4 ,zetafe4 ,alameda4 ,leganez4 ,anober4 ,aranjuez4 ,cobena4 ,ocana4 ,to the ,rev4 ,a4 ,brandram 7,endorsed3 recd4 ,sept4 #ab1 #ahch7 ,,labajos1 ,,province ,,of ,,segovia1 ,aug4 #bcrd1 #ahch4 ,,revd4 ,,and ,,dear ,,sir1--,lord ,william ,hervey was perfectly satisfied with my conduct in the affair stated on the other side1 and so was ,count ,ofalia1 who expressed his regret that circumstances had compelled her ,majesty's ,government to take those steps against the circulation of the ,scriptures with which you are already acquainted4 ,g4 ,b4 ,copy of ,letter to the ,right ,hon4 ,lord ,william ,hervey ,,labajos1 ,,province ,,of ,,segovia1 ,august #bcrd1 #ahch4 ,,my ,,lord1--,i beg leave to call your attention to the following facts4 ,on the #bast instant ,i received information that a person in my employ of the name of ,juan ,lopez had been thrown into the prison of ,villallos1 in the province of ,avila1 by order of the ,cura of that place4 ,the crime with which he was charged was selling the ,new ,testament4 ,at the time ,i alluded to1 ,i was at ,labajos1 in the province of ,segovia1 and the division of the factious chieftain ,balmaseda was in the immediate neighbourhood4 ,on the #bbnd1 ,i mounted my horse and rode to ,villallos1 a distance of three leagues4 ,on my arrival there1 ,i found that ,lopez had been removed from the prison to a private house4 ,an order had arrived from the ,corregidor of ,avila1 commanding that the person of ,lopez should be placed in full and perfect liberty and that the books which had been found in his possession should be alone detained4 ,nevertheless1 in direct opposition to this order1 a copy of which ,i herewith transmit1 the ,alcalde of ,villallos1 at the instigation of the ,cura1 refused to permit the said ,lopez to quit the place1 either to proceed to ,avila or in any other direction4 ,it had been hinted to ,lopez that1 as the factious were expected1 it was intended on their arrival to denounce him to them as a liberal1 and to cause him to be sacrificed4 ,taking these circumstances into consideration1 ,i deemed it my duty1 as a ,christian and a gentleman1 to rescue my unfortunate servant from such lawless bands1 and in consequence defying opposition ,i bore him off1 though perfectly unarmed1 through a crowd of at least one hundred peasants4 ,on leaving the place ,i shouted ',viva ,isabela ,segunda4' ,as it is my belief that the ,cura of ,villallos is a person capable of any infamy1 ,i beg leave humbly to entreat your ,lordship to cause a copy of the above narration to be forwarded to the ,spanish ,government4 ,i have the honour to remain1 my ,lord1 your ,lordship's most obedient and most humble servant1 ,,george ,,borrow4 ,to the ,rev4 ,g4 ,browne 7,endorsed3 recd4 ,sept4 #fth1 #ahch7 ,,madrid1 ,aug4 #bi1 #ahch4 ,,revd4 ,,and ,,dear ,,sir1--,i am this moment arrived at ,madrid from my expedition in ,old ,castile1 and ,i have received your kind lines appended to my friend ,mr4 ,brandram's communication4 ,i will set out for ,england as soon as possible2 but ,i must be allowed time4 ,i am almost dead with fatigue1 suffering and anxiety2 and it is necessary that ,i should place the ,society's property in safe and sure custody4 ,it has pleased the ,lord to assist me visibly in my last journey4 ,in the midst of a thousand perils ,i have disposed of nine hundred ,testaments amongst the peasantry on the north side of the precipitous hills of the ,guadarama range1 and all in the space of three weeks4 ,in a day or two ,i shall write to ,mr4 ,brandram with particulars4 ,pray excuse these hasty lines2 present my kindest remembrances to ,mrs4 ,browne1 and believe me1 ,revd4 and dear ,sir1 ,gratefully and truly yours1 ,,george ,,borrow4 ,to the ,rev4 ,a4 ,brandram 7,endorsed3 recd4 ,sept4 #aj1 #ahch7 ,,madrid1 ,sept4 #a1 #ahch4 ,,revd4 ,,and ,,dear ,,sir1--,from my letter to the ,revd4 ,geo4 ,browne of the #bh ult4 you are already doubtless aware of my arrival at ,madrid from my expedition in ,old ,castile4 ,i now proceed to detail to you a few occurrences1 premising that my notices will necessarily be brief1 as ,i am considerably indisposed1 and am moreover much occupied in making preparations for my departure for ,england1 and in arranging the affairs of the ,society in ,spain in as satisfactory a manner as circumstances will permit4 ,i set out for my journey on the #dth of last month on horseback and accompanied by my servant4 ,the first day brought us to ,la ,granja1 a distance of twelve leagues from ,madrid1 where ,i expected to find ,lopez and another man whom ,i had sent before4 ,nothing particular occurred during this day's journey1 except that notwithstanding my haste ,i sold some ,testaments in the villages near the roadside and that it pleased ,god to permit us to traverse the pass of ,pena ,cerrada without coming in contact with the banditti that haunt the gloomy pine forests which embower it and extend for leagues in every direction4 ,arrived at ,la ,granja1 ,i could hear nothing of ,lopez nor of the other individual1 and in consequence after a stay of a day which was necessary to refresh the horses1 ,i departed for ,segovia4 ,i did not attempt to distribute the ,word at ,la ,granja1 being well aware that orders had been transmitted to the authorities of the place to seize all copies of the sacred writings which might be offered for sale4 ,i may say the same with respect to ,segovia1 where still none of my people made their appearance4 ,at ,segovia ,i received from a friend a chest containing two hundred ,testaments1 and almost immediately after1 by the greatest chance in the world1 ,i heard from a peasant that there were men in the neighbourhood of ,abades selling books4 ,abades is about three leagues distant from ,segovia1 and upon receiving this intelligence ,i instantly departed for the former place1 with three burricos asses laden with ,testaments4 ,i reached ,abades at nightfall1 and found ,lopez in the house of the surgeon of the place1 where ,i also took up my residence4 ,he had already disposed of a considerable number of ,testaments in the neighbourhood1 and had that day commenced selling at ,abades itself4 ,he had1 however1 been interrupted by two of three ,curas of the village1 who with horrid curses denounced the work1 threatening eternal condemnation to ,lopez for selling it and to any person who should purchase it2 whereupon ,lopez1 terrified1 forebore until ,i should arrive4 ,the third ,cura1 however1 exerted himself to the utmost to persuade the people to provide themselves with ,testaments1 telling them that his brethren were hypocrites and false guides1 who by keeping them in ignorance of the word and will of ,christ were leading them to the abyss4 ,upon receiving this information1 ,i instantly sallied forth to the marketplace1 and that same night succeeded in disposing of upwards of thirty ,testaments4 ,the next morning the house was entered by the two factious ,curas2 but upon my rising to confront them they retreated1 and ,i heard no more of them1 except that they publicly cursed me in the church more than once1 an event which as no ill resulted from it gave me little concern4 ,i will not detail the events of the next week2 suffice it to say that arranging my forces in the most advantageous way ,i succeeded by ,god's assistance in disposing of in that period from five to six hundred ,testaments amongst the villages from one to seven leagues distance from ,abades4 ,at the expiration of that period ,i received information from ,segovia1 in which province ,abades is situated1 to the effect that my proceedings were known in ,segovia1 and that an order was about to be sent to the ,alcalde of ,abades to seize all books in my possession4 ,whereupon1 notwithstanding that it was late in the evening1 ,i decamped with all my people and upwards of three hundred ,testaments1 having a few hours previously received a fresh supply from ,madrid4 ,that night we passed in the fields and next morning proceeded to ,labajos1 a village on the high road from ,madrid to ,valladolid4 ,in this place we offered no books for sale1 but contented ourselves with supplying the neighbouring villages with the ,word of ,god2 we likewise sold it in the highways4 ,we had not been at ,labajos a week1 during which time we were remarkably successful1 when the ,carlist chieftain ,balmaseda at the head of his wild cavalry made his desperate inroad into the southern part of ,old ,castile1 dashing down like an avalanche from the pine woods of ,soria4 ,i was present at all the horrors which ensued--the sack of ,arrevalo--and the forcible entry into ,martin ,munoz and ,san ,cyrian4 ,amidst these terrible scenes1 we continued our labours undaunted1 with the exception of my servant1 who seized with uncontrollable fear ran away to ,madrid4 ,i now lost ,lopez for three or four days1 and suffered dreadful anxiety on his account1 apprehending that he had been shot by the ,carlists4 ,at last ,i heard that he was in prison at ,villallos1 at the distance of three leagues4 ,the steps which ,i took to rescue him you will find detailed in the communication which ,i deemed it my duty to transmit to ,lord ,wm4 ,hervey at ,madrid1 a copy of which1 together with the letter of ,lopez which informed me of his situation1 ,i transmit herewith4 ,after the rescue of ,lopez1 ,i thought it advisable to return to ,madrid1 more especially as my stock of ,testaments was exhausted1 we having in the course of little more than a fortnight disposed of nearly nine hundred ,testaments--not in populous and wealthy towns but in highways and villages1 not to the spurious ,spaniards of ,madrid and the coasts1 but to the sun-blackened peasantry of ,old ,castile1 the genuine descendants of those terrible men who subjugated ,mexico and ,peru4 ,my men returned by ,pena ,cerrada1 whilst ,i1 encumbered by two horses1 crossed the ,guadarama4 ,i nearly perished there1 having lost my way in the darkness and tumbled down a precipice4 ,but ,i am now in ,madrid and1 if not well1 trusting in the ,lord and defying ,satan4 ,i shall probably be in ,england within three weeks4 ,i remain1 ,revd4 and dear ,sir1 truly yours1 ,g4 ,b4 ,to the ,rev4 ,a4 ,brandram 7,endorsed3 recd4 ,sept4 #bh1 #ahch7 ,,madrid1 #ai ,sepr4 #ahch1 ,no4 #af ,,calle ,,santiago4 ,,revd4 ,,and ,,dear ,,sir1--,i write this to inform you that for the last ten days ,i have been confined to my bed by a fever4 ,i am now better1 and hope in a few days to be able to proceed to ,saragossa1 which is the only road open4 ,i bore up against my illness as long as ,i could1 but it became too powerful for me4 ,by good fortune ,i obtained a decent physician1 a ,dr4 ,hacayo1 who had studied medicine in ,england1 and aided by him and the strength of my constitution ,i got the better of my attack1 which however was a dreadfully severe one4 ,i hope my next letter will be from ,bordeaux4 ,i cannot write more at present1 for ,i am very feeble4 ,i remain1 ,revd4 and dear ,sir1 truly yours1 ,g4 ,,borrow4 ,account of ,proceedings in the ,peninsula ,,gentlemen ,,of ,,the ,,committee ,,of ,,the ,,british ,,and ,,foreign ,,bible ,,society-- ,i beg leave to call your attention to the following statements4 ,they relate to my proceedings during the period which embraces my second sojourn in ,spain--to my labours in a literary point of view--to my travels in a very remarkable country1 the motive in which they originated and the result to which they led--to my success in the distribution of the ,scripture1 and to the opposition and encouragement which ,i have experienced4 ,as my chief objects are brevity and distinctness ,i shall at once enter upon my subject1 abstaining from reflections of every kind1 which in most cases only tend to embarrass1 being anxious to communicate facts alone1 with most of which1 it is true1 you are already tolerably well acquainted1 but upon all and every of which ,i am eager to be carefully and categorically questioned4 ,it is neither my wish nor my interest to conceal one particular of what ,i have been doing4 ,and with these few prefatory observations ,i commence4 ,in the first place1 my literary labours4 ,having on my former visit to ,spain obtained from the then ,prime ,minister ,isturitz and his ,cabinet permission and encouragement for the undertaking1 ,i published on my return an edition of the ,new ,testament at ,madrid1 a copy of which ,i now present to you for the first time4 ,this work1 executed at the office of ,borrego1 the most fashionable printer at ,madrid1 who had been recommended to me by ,isturitz himself and most particularly by my excellent friend ,mr4 ,o',shea1 is a publication which ,i conceive no member of the ,committee will consider as calculated to cast discredit on the ,bible ,society1 it being printed on excellent ,english paper and well bound1 but principally and above all from the fact of its exhibiting scarcely one typographical error1 every proof having been read thrice by myself and once or more times by the first scholar in ,spain4 ,i subsequently published the ,gospel of ,saint ,luke in the ,rommany and ,biscayan languages4 ,with respect to the first1 ,i beg leave to observe that no work printed in ,spain ever caused so great and so general a sensation1 not so much amongst the ,gypsies1 that peculiar people1 for whom it was intended1 as amongst the ,spaniards themselves1 who1 though they look upon the ,roma with some degree of contempt as a low and thievish race of outcasts1 nevertheless take a strange interest in all that concerns them1 it having been from time immemorial their practice1 more especially of the dissolute young nobility1 to cultivate the acquaintance of the ,gitanos as they are popularly called1 probably attracted by the wild wit of the latter and the lascivious dances of the females4 ,the apparition therefore of the ,gospel of ,saint ,luke at ,madrid in the peculiar jargon of these people was hailed as a strange novelty and almost as a wonder1 and ,i believe was particularly instrumental in bruiting the name of the ,bible ,society far and wide through ,spain1 and in creating a feeling far from inimical towards it and its proceedings4 ,i will here take the liberty to relate an anecdote illustrative of the estimation in which this little work was held at ,madrid4 ,the ,committee are already aware that a seizure was made of many copies of ,saint ,luke in the ,rommany and ,biscayan languages1 in the establishment at which they were exposed for sale1 which copies were deposited in the office of the ,civil ,governor4 ,shortly before my departure a royal edict was published1 authorising all the public libraries to provide themselves with copies of the said works on account of their philological merit2 whereupon1 on application being made to the office1 it was discovered that the copies of the ,gospel in ,basque were safe and forthcoming1 whilst every one of the sequestered copies of the ,gitano ,gospel had been plundered by hands unknown4 ,the consequence was that ,i was myself applied to by then agents of the public libraries of ,valencia and other places1 who paid me the price of the copies which they received1 assuring me at the same time that they were authorised to purchase them at whatever price which might be demanded4 ,respecting the ,gospel in ,basque ,i have less to say4 ,it was originally translated into the dialect of ,guipuscoa by ,dr4 ,oteiza1 and subsequently received corrections and alterations from myself4 ,it can scarcely be said to have been published1 it having been prohibited and copies of it seized on the second day of its appearance4 ,but it is in my power to state that it is anxiously expected in the ,basque provinces1 where books in the aboriginal tongue are both scarce and dear1 and that several applications have been made at ,san ,sebastian and in other towns where ,basque is the predominating language4 ,i now proceed to the subject of my travels in ,spain4 ,before undertaking them ,i was little acquainted with the genius of the ,spanish people in general1 having resided almost entirely in ,madrid1 and ,i was fully convinced that it was not from the inhabitants of one city that an accurate judgment could be formed of a population of nine millions1 thinly scattered over a vast country so divided and intersected by mountain barriers as is the ,peninsula4 ,with this population under all its various circumstances and under all its various phases1 the result of descent from a variety of foreign nations1 ,i was anxious to make myself acquainted2 for ,i reflected that he who builds a city on ground which he has not fully examined will perhaps discover when too late that his foundation is in a swamp1 and that the whole of his labour is momentarily in danger of being swallowed up4 ,i therefore went forth not so much for the purpose of distributing the ,scriptures as to make myself acquainted with the prefatory steps requisite to be taken in order to secure my grand object4 ,before departing from ,madrid ,i consulted with the many friends1 some of them highly distinguished1 which ,i had the honour to possess in that capital4 ,their unanimous advice1 whether ,catholics or ,protestants1 was that for the present ,i should proceed with the utmost caution1 but without concealing the object of my mission which ,i considered to be the simple propagation of the ,scripture--that ,i should avoid with diligence the giving offence to the prejudices of the people1 especially in the rural districts1 and endeavour everywhere to keep on good terms with the clergy1 at least one-third of whom are known to be anxious for the dissemination of the ,word of ,god though at the same time unwilling to separate themselves from the discipline and ceremonials of ,rome4 ,i bore this advice in mind1 which indeed perfectly tallied with my own ideas1 and throughout the two thousand miles of my peregrination during the summer of last year1 ,i performed much if not all of what ,i proposed1 and am not aware that in one single instance my proceedings were such as could possibly merit reproof4 ,i established depots in all the principal towns of the north of ,spain1 and in all gave notice to the public of the arrival of the ,new ,testament in a mild yet expressive advertisement which ,i here exhibit1 and which ,i beg leave to state is the only advertisement which ,i ever made use of4 ,the consequence was that the work enjoyed a reasonable sale1 and ,i experienced no opposition--except in the case of ,leon1 a town remarkable for its ultra-,carlism--but on the contrary much encouragement especially on the part of the ecclesiastics4 ,i visited ,salamanca and ,valladolid the chief seats of ,castilian learning1 ,i visited ,saint ,james of ,compostella1 the temple of the great image of the ,patron of ,spain1 and in none of these cities was a single voice raised against the ,bible ,society or its ,agent4 ,but ,i did not confine myself to the towns1 but visited the small and large villages1 and by this means became acquainted with both citizens and rustics2 amongst the former ,i found little desire for sober serious reading1 but on the contrary a rage for stimulant narratives1 and amongst too many a lust for the deistical writings of the ,french1 especially for those of ,talleyrand1 which have been translated into ,spanish and published by the press of ,barcelona1 and for which ,i was frequently pestered4 ,i several times enquired of the book-sellers of the various towns which ,i visited as to the means to be used towards introducing the ,scripture amongst the villagers2 but to this question they invariably replied that1 unless the villagers came to the towns and purchased the work1 they saw no means of making it known amongst them1 unless ,i made friends in the villages in whose hands ,i could deposit copies for sale1 though in such a case the difficulty of recovering the money would be immense4 ,i therefore at last resolved to make an experiment1 the result of which fully corresponded with an opinion which ,i had for some time formed--namely1 that in the villages1 sequestered and apart amongst the mountains and in the sandy plains of ,spain1 ,i might at any time be sure of a glorious harvest1 far more rich than that which it was possible for me to expect in towns and cities1 unless ,i had recourse to means unwarranted1 nay forbidden1 by the ,book which ,i distributed1 and which means had been proscribed by the ,society itself on my departure for ,spain4 ,but now to proceed at once to the experiment1 which ,i made at different periods and in different provinces4 ,i twice sallied forth one morning alone and on horseback1 and proceeded to a distant village1 bearing behind me a satchel of books4 ,on my arrival1 which took place just after the siesta or afternoon's sleep had concluded1 ,i proceeded in both instances to the market-place1 where ,i spread a horse-cloth on the ground1 on which ,i deposited my books4 ,i then commenced crying with a loud voice3 ',peasants1 peasants1 ,i bring you the ,word of ,god at a cheap price4 ,i know you have but little money1 but ,i bring it to you at whatever you can command1 at four or three reals according to your means4' ,i thus went on till a crowd gathered round me1 who examined the book with attention1 many of them reading it aloud4 ,but ,i had not long to tarry2 in both instances ,i disposed of my cargo almost instantaneously1 and then mounted my horse without a question having been asked me1 and returned to my temporary residence lighter than ,i left it4 ,this occurred in ,castile and ,galicia1 near the towns of ,santiago and ,valladolid4 ,the above are incidents which ,i have hitherto kept within the privacy of my own bosom and which ,i have confided to none2 they were but experiments1 which at that time ,i had no wish to repeat1 nor to be requested so to do4 ,i was perfectly aware that such a line of conduct1 if followed before the proper time1 would give offence to the clergy1 not only to the ,carlist but the liberal clergy1 and likewise to the ,government2 and it formed no part of my plan to be on ill terms with either4 ,for ,i remembered that ,i was a stranger and a labourer on sufferance in ,christ's cause in a half-barbaric land1 on which the light of freedom and true religion was just beginning to dawn1 and ,i was unwilling by over-precipitance and for the sake of a mere temporary triumph to forego the solid and lasting advantages which ,i foresaw1 and had been told that patience and prudence would assure4 ,i resolved to use the knowledge which ,i had obtained by these experiments only as a last resource1 provided any accident which it was impossible for me then to foresee should overturn all the plans which my friends and myself had been forming for the quiet and peaceful introduction of the ,scriptures amongst the ,spaniards with the consent or at least with the connivance of the ,government and clergy1 knowing well that a great part of the latter were by no means disposed to offer any serious opposition to such a measure1 they having sense and talent enough to perceive that the old system can no longer be upheld of which the essential part is1 as is well known1 to keep the people in ignorance of the great sterling truths of ,christianity4 ,i now come to the most distressing part of my narrative and likewise to the most miserable of my own life4 ,i returned to ,madrid from my long1 fatiguing and most perilous journey1 in which ,i must be permitted to say that independent of a thousand miraculous escapes from the factious and the banditti ,i had been twice arrested as a spy1 namely1 once at ,vigo and subsequently at ,cape ,finisterre1 in which latter instance ,i narrowly escaped with life1 the ignorant fishermen having determined upon shooting me and my guide4 ,upon finding the booksellers of ,madrid1 with the exception of ,razola1 a man of no importance1 averse to undertake the sale of the ,new ,testament ,i determined upon establishing a shop of my own1 a step to which ,i was advised by many sincere friends of the ,cause and of myself4 ,having accomplished this1 ,i advertised the work incessantly1 not only in the public prints but by placards posted in all the streets of the city2 but ,i wish it to be distinctly understood that the advertisement which ,i used was the same quiet innocent advertisement1 a copy of which you possess1 and of which ,i have availed myself in the provinces1 an advertisement which had never given offence nor was calculated to give offence if squandered about the streets by millions4 ,i make this statement in self-justification1 ,i having1 in consequence of a letter in which ,i made some observations respecting advertisements and handbills1 received a paragraph in a communication from home1 in which ,i was checked with having made a plentiful use of advertisements and handbills myself4 ,it would have been as well if my respected and revered friend the writer had made himself acquainted with the character of my advertisements before he made that observation4 ,there is no harm in an advertisement1 if truth1 decency and the fear of ,god are observed2 and ,i believe my own will be scarcely found deficient in any of these three requisites4 ,it is not the use of a serviceable instrument1 but its abuse that merits reproof1 and ,i cannot conceive that advertising was abused by me when ,i informed the people of ,madrid1 that the ,new ,testament was to be purchased at a cheap price in the ,calle del ,principe4 ,i had scarcely opened my establishment at ,madrid when ,i began to hear rumours of certain transactions at ,valencia1 said to be encouraged by the ,british and ,foreign ,bible ,society4 ,as these transactions1 as they were reported1 were in the highest degree absurd and improper1 and as ,i was convinced that the ,bible ,society would sanction nothing of the kind1 ,i placed little or no credit in them1 and put them down to the account of ,jesuitical malignity4 ,in less than a fortnight appeared in the newspapers what ,i conceived to be a gross and uncalled-for attack upon the ,bible ,society1 appended to a pastoral of the ,bishop of ,valencia1 in which he forbade the sale of the ,bible throughout his diocese4 ,the ,committee are acquainted with my answer to that epistle2 they are well aware with what zeal and fervour ,i spoke against the spirit of ,popery1 and defended the ,society and their cause as far as my feeble talents would permit4 ,yet ,i here confess that the said answer was penned1 if not in perfect ignorance of what had been transacted in ,valencia1 at least in almost utter disbelief2 for had it been my fortune at the time to have been as well informed as ,i have subsequently been1 so far from publishing the answer in question ,i would at once have publicly disclaimed1 as ,i afterwards did1 any participation or sympathy in transactions which were not only calculated to bring the ,bible cause into odium1 but the ,bible ,society into difficulties1 into discredit1 and worst of all1 into contempt4 ,a helpless widow was insulted1 her liberty of conscience invaded1 and her only son incited to rebellion against her4 ,a lunatic was employed as the repartidor or distributor of the blessed ,bible1 who having his head crammed with what he understood not1 ran through the streets of ,valencia crying aloud that ,christ was nigh at hand and would appear in a short time2 whilst advertisements to much the same effect were busily circulated in which the name1 the noble name1 of the ,bible ,society was prostituted2 whilst the ,bible exposed for sale in an apartment of a public house served for little more than a decoy to the idle and curious1 who were there treated with incoherent railings against the ,church of ,rome and ,babylon1 in a dialect which it was well for the deliverer that only a few of the audience understood4 ,but ,i fly from these details1 and will now repeat the consequences of the above proceedings to myself2 for ,i1 ,i1 and only ,i1 as every respectable person in ,madrid can vouch1 have paid the penalty for them all1 though as innocent as the babe who has not yet seen the light4 ,i had much difficulty at ,madrid1 principally on account of the state of political matters which absorbed the minds of all1 in bringing the ,new ,testament into notice4 ,however by dint of perseverance ,i contrived to direct the public curiosity towards it1 indeed ,i was beginning to average a sale of twenty copies daily1 when the shop was suddenly closed by order of the ,government in consequence of the complaints from ,valencia1 myself being supposed to be the instigator and director of the scenes in that place already narrated4 ,for the next four months ,i carried on negotiations with the ,government through the medium of ,sir ,george ,villiers1 who from my first arrival in the ,peninsula1 had most generously befriended me4 ,but in his endeavours to forward my views he found exceeding difficulties4 ,the clergy were by this time1 both ,carlist and liberal1 thoroughly incensed against me1 and indeed with much apparent reason2 the former denounced me to the populace as a sorcerer and a heretic1 and the latter spoke of me as an accomplished hypocrite4 ,i was at last flung into prison--into the pestilential ,carcel de la ,corte1 where my faithful servant ,francisco caught the gaol-fever1 of which he subsequently died4 ,but in this instance my enemies committed a very imprudent act1 an act which had very nearly produced the result for which ,i had been so long unsuccessfully negotiating4 ,my protector1 ,sir ,george ,villiers1 informed the ,spanish ,prime ,minister1 ,ofalia1 that unless full satisfaction was offered me1 he should deem it his duty to cease any further transactions with the ,spanish ,government1 and to order all the ,british land and sea-forces1 co-operating with those of the ,queen to terminate the rebellion1 to desist from further operations4 ,i was about to obtain all ,i wished1 when at the critical moment the news of the scenes at ,malaga arrived at ,madrid1 and ,sir ,george had little more to say than that ,satan seemed to mingle in this game4 ,nevertheless ,i left prison1 with the understanding that the ,government would connive at the circulation of the ,scriptures in a quiet manner1 not calculated to produce disturbances nor to give scandal to the clergy4 ,but speedily followed the affair of the sectarian tracts of ,carthagena1 which tracts were sworn to as having been left there by agents of the ,bible ,society2 and ,i instantly knew that ,i had nothing more to expect from the ,government4 ,but some time previous ,i had formed an unalterable resolution that1 come what might1 ,i would no longer bear the odium of actions1 which in whatever motive they originated had already subjected me to unheard-of persecution1 loathsome imprisonment1 loss of friends1 and to the grief of seeing prudent and long-brooded plans baffled and brought to nought1 and the ,society to which ,i belonged subjected to opprobrium as ,i believed undeserved2 and ,i therefore published in the journals of ,madrid an advertisement1 in which ,i disowned1 in my own name and that of the ,society1 any sympathy with the actor or actors in those transactions1 which had given so much cause of offence to the authorities1 civil and ecclesiastic1 of ,spain4 ,my principal reason for taking this step originated from my having become personally acquainted with the ex-priest ,pascual ,marin1 who arrived at ,madrid the very day in which ,i was committed to prison4 ,his narrative served to confirm all the rumours which ,i had previously heard4 ,the ,committee are fully aware with what unwillingness ,i formed the acquaintance of that man1 who was sent up to me in order that ,i might provide for him1 without my consent being obtained or even demanded2 but ,i now rejoice in the circumstance1 without which ,i might still have been playing the odious1 disgraceful1 and heart-breaking part which ,i had supported so long4 ,but by the decided step which ,i now took1 the burden of obloquy fell at once from my shoulders1 as the bundle of sin from the back of ,christian1 and rolling into a deep pit was seen no more4 ,that advertisement gave infinite satisfaction to the liberal clergy4 ,i was complimented for it by the ,primate of ,spain1 who said ,i had redeemed my credit and that of the ,society2 and it is with some feeling of pride that ,i state that it choked and prevented the publication of a series of terrible essays against the ,bible ,society1 which were intended for the official ,gazette1 and which were written by the ,licentiate ,albert ,lister1 the editor of that journal1 the friend of ,blanco ,white1 and the most talented man in ,spain4 ,these essays still exist in the editorial drawer1 and were communicated to me by the head manager of the royal printing office1 my respected friend and countryman ,mr4 ,charles ,wood1 whose evidence in this matter and in many others ,i can command at pleasure4 ,in lieu of which essays came out a mild and conciliatory article by the same writer1 which1 taking into consideration the country in which it was written and its peculiar circumstances1 was an encouragement to the ,bible ,society to proceed1 although with secrecy and caution4 ,yet this article1 sadly misunderstood in ,england1 gave rise to communications from home highly mortifying to myself and ruinous to the ,bible cause4 ,in the meantime my depots had been seized in various parts of ,spain1 depots the greatest part of which ,i had established with immense difficulty and peril1 some of them being in the remote and almost inaccessible province of ,galicia1 at the distance of almost four hundred miles from ,madrid4 ,i now deemed that the time was at hand to avail myself of my resource1 and to sell at all risks the ,testament amongst the peasantry of ,spain1 by whom ,i knew that it would be received with transport and with gratitude4 ,i determined to commence with the ,sagra of ,toledo1 where resided an honest labourer of my acquaintance2 my foot was in the stirrup when ,i received a letter from home1 which ,i can only consider as having originated with the ,enemy of mankind for the purpose of perplexing my already harassed and agitated mind4 ,in this letter ,i was told1 amongst other matter which ,i need not repeat1 to prepare to quit ,spain4 ,but by the shaft ,i knew the quiver from which it came1 and1 merely exclaiming1 ',satan1 ,i defy thee1' ,i hurried to ,sagra1 and disposed of amongst the peasantry in one fortnight four hundred copies of the ,new ,testament4 ,but it is hard to wrestle with the great ,enemy2 another shaft arrived in the shape of a letter1 which compelled me to return to ,madrid1 whilst the cause of ,god was beckoning me to ,aranjuez and ,la ,mancha1 to which places ,i indeed hurried as soon as ,i had arranged matters at ,madrid4 ,without losing time or being dispirited by the events of the last journey1 ,i repaired to ,old ,castile2 here my success was almost miraculous1 nine hundred copies of the ,holy ,book being sold in less than three weeks1 but not in peace and tranquillity1 as the province became suddenly a scene of horrors which ,i shall not attempt to describe4 ,it was not the war of men1 or even of cannibals1 which ,i witnessed2 it seemed a contest of fiends from the infernal pit4 ,but ,god guided me safe and unharmed through this 'valley of the shadow1' and permitted me to regain ,madrid2 where1 upon finding myself formally recalled1 ,i deposited the ,society's property in as safe a place as ,i could find1 and was about to return home when a fever which had been long lurking in my blood at last prostrated me1 confining me to my bed for many days1 at the expiration of which1 though very unfit for travel1 ,i departed for ,england1 where at last by ,god's will ,i am arrived in safety4 ,before concluding1 ,i have a communication to make1 the importance of which few1 ,i believe1 will be tempted to deny4 ,i have at various times stated that the ,bible ,cause had many and powerful friends in ,spain1 though my statements up to the present moment seem to have been hailed with little attention4 ,i remember in one particular letter recommending prudence1 patience1 and co-operation with the liberal clergy1 who were sincerely disposed to help us on1 provided that by intemperateness of conduct we gave them no reasonable ground for offence4 ,there is now a society formed at ,madrid1 determined upon making the ,word of ,god1 without note or comment1 known amongst the children of ,spain4 ,the laws concerning the publishing the ,scripture have been diligently and minutely examined1 and it has been discovered that by none of the laws of ,spain1 ancient or modern1 whether made by ,cortes or by kings1 is the publication of the ,scripture1 in the whole or in parts1 with or without comment1 forbidden--but merely and solely by particular ,bulls of various ,bishops of ,rome1 which ,bulls though respected by many of the ,spaniards form no part of the law of ,spain4 ,provided resistance be offered to the undertaking either by the ,government or any portion of the ecclesiastics1 it has been determined to bring the matter before the ,cortes1 from whom a favourable decision may be expected with certainty4 ,an individual has been selected as the ostensible manager of this great and glorious undertaking1 this individual is ,mr4 ,c4 ,wood1 whom ,i have already had occasion to mention1 though it is in my power to state that but for the manner in which the name of the ,bible ,society has on various occasions been brought before the public1 and almost invariably to its disadvantage1 myself its well-known ,agent1 would have been the person selected4 ,if it be here asked who are the respectable and influential persons who are at the head of this undertaking and who patronise it1 ,i reply the ,archbishop of ,toledo1 the ,primate of ,spain1 and the ,bishops of ,vich and ,jaen4 ,now merely one word in conclusion4 ,i have related facts1 and to attempt to contravene them would be as futile as to endeavour to breast the billows of the ,atlantic4 ,for the fact that ,i have throughout my residence in ,spain conducted myself as becomes a gentleman1 a ,christian and an ,agent of a ,christian ,society1 ,i can at all times command the evidence of ,sir ,george ,villiers4 ,for the fact that no act of mine has given offence to the ,spanish ,government1 or was calculated to do so1 ,i can1 if required1 produce a communication from ,count ,ofalia1 who has in writing expressed to ,sir ,george ,villiers his full reliance in my prudence and good faith4 ,for the fact that the establishment at ,madrid was closed1 not in consequence of my own imprudence1 but on account of certain proceedings at ,valencia1 ,i can receive1 if ,i need it1 a testimonial from ,count ,ofalia4 ,for the fact that proceedings of a highly objectionable nature were transacted in the south of ,spain1 ,i have the affidavit of the unhappy ex-priest ,pascual ,marin1 who can likewise afford1 when called upon1 information on various points4 ,for the fact that my depots in various provinces of ,spain were seized in consequence of doings with which ,i had no connexion1 ,i can cite official correspondence4 ,for the fact that my advertisement1 in which ,i disowned in the name of the ,society and in my own any sympathy with the scenes alluded to1 was productive of infinite benefit to the ,cause1 ,i can at any time produce incontestable evidence4 ,and lastly1 for my zeal in the ,bible ,cause1 whilst employed in the ,peninsula1 ,i can have the evidence not only of some of the most illustrious characters resident in ,madrid1 but likewise that of the greatest part of ,spain1 throughout which ,i believe my name is better known than in my native village in ,east ,anglia4 ,mr4 ,g4 ,borrow's ,report on ,past and ,future ,operations in ,spain 7,endorsed3 recd4 ,nov4 #bh1 #ahch7 ,,london1 ,novr4 #ahch4 ,having been requested to commit to paper my opinion respecting the mode most advisable to be adopted for the propagation of the ,word of ,god in ,spain1 provided the ,committee of the ,bible ,society should consider it their duty to resume operations in that country1 ,i shall as briefly as possible communicate the results of an experience which three years' residence has enabled me to acquire4 ,the ,committee are already aware that ,i have traversed the greatest part of ,spain in all directions1 and have lived for a considerable time in ,madrid and other large towns4 ,i have therefore had opportunities of forming a tolerably accurate idea as to the mode of thinking upon religious subjects of the ,spaniards1 whether of town or country1 and of their character in general4 ,i need not enter into a repetition of my labours during my last sojourn in ,spain4 ,it is well known that1 after printing the ,new ,testament at ,madrid1 ,i endeavoured to distribute it in the principal towns1 and also in the rural districts4 ,particular circumstances prevented my experiencing in the former the success which ,i had hoped for1 and with some reason1 at the commencement of my ,biblical labours2 and indeed ,i did not find the minds of the inhabitants of the great cities which ,i visited so well disposed as ,i could have wished1 for receiving and relishing the important but simple truths of the ,bible4 ,i cannot say that a spirit of fanatic bigotry was observable amongst them1 except in a very few instances1 but rather of lamentable indifference2 their minds being either too much engrossed by the politics of the period to receive the doctrine of the ,bible1 or averse to it owing to the poison of infidelity imbibed from the deistical writings of the ,french4 ,my success among the peasants was however very different1 nearly two thousand copies having been disposed of in an extraordinarily short space of time1 and under much disadvantage owing to the peculiarly unhappy situation of those parts which it was my fortune to visit4 ,i will now1 without further preamble1 state the line of conduct which ,i should wish to see pursued in ,spain under existing circumstances4 ,as the minds of the inhabitants of the cities1 from the causes above stated1 do not appear to be exactly prepared for the reception of the ,scripture1 it seems most expedient for some time to come to offer it principally to the peasantry1 by the greater part of whom there is so much ground for believing that it will be received with gratitude and joy4 ,true it is that the ,spanish peasantry are in general not so well educated as their brethren of the cities1 their opportunities of acquiring a knowledge of letters having always been inferior2 nevertheless it would be difficult to enter a cottage of which at least one of the inmates could not read1 more or less4 ,they are moreover a serious people1 and any book upon religious subjects is far more certain of captivating their attention than one of a lighter character1 and1 above all1 their minds have hitherto never been tainted by those unhappy notions of infidelity too prevalent amongst the other class4 ,there is one feature which ,i wish to mention here1 which is indeed common to the ,spanish people in general but more particularly to the peasantry1 namely1 that whenever a book is purchased1 whether good or bad1 the purchaser entertains a firm intention of reading it1 which he almost invariably puts into execution4 ,i do not make this observation merely upon hearsay--though ,i have frequently heard it from quarters which ,i am bound to respect--many examples tending to substantiate the fact having come under my own knowledge4 ,it is at least a great consolation to the distributor of the ,word of ,god in ,spain1 that the seed which he casts around him is in general received by the earth beneath the surface1 from which he is induced to trust that it will some day spring up and produce good fruit4 ,i now beg leave to repeat from a previous communication the manner in which ,i made my first attempt to distribute the ,scriptures amongst the peasantry4 ,i must here remind the ,committee that until ,i myself solved the problem of the possibility1 no idea had been entertained of introducing the ,bible in the rural districts of countries exclusively ,papist4 ,this remark1 which ,i make with the utmost humility1 merely springs from an idea that a similar attempt1 if made with boldness and decision1 might prove equally successful in ,italy1 ,mexico1 and many other countries1 even pagan1 which have not yet been penetrated1 particularly ,china and ,grand ,tartary1 on the shores of which the ,bible labours under great disadvantage and odium from being put into the hands of the natives by people seemingly in connection with those for whom it is impossible they can entertain much respect1 as they are well known to contribute largely towards the corruption of the public morals4 ,but ,i now return to my subject1 and proceed at once to the experiment which ,i made at different periods and in different provinces4 ,i twice sallied forth alone and on horseback1 and bent my course to a distant village4 ,on my arrival1 which took place just after the siesta or afternoon's nap had concluded1 ,i proceeded in both instances to the market-place1 where ,i spread a horse-cloth on the ground1 upon which ,i deposited my books4 ,i then commenced crying with a loud voice3 ',peasants1 peasants1 ,i bring you the ,word of ,god at a cheap price4 ,i know you have but little money1 but ,i bring it you at whatever you can command1 at four or three reals1 according to your means4' ,i thus went on till a crowd gathered round me1 who examined the books with attention1 many of them reading aloud1 but ,i had not long to wait4 ,in both instances my cargo was disposed of almost instantaneously1 and ,i mounted my horse without a question being asked me1 and returned to my temporary abode lighter than ,i came4 ,these instances occurred in ,castile and ,galicia1 near the towns of ,santiago and ,valladolid4 ,it is the firm conviction of the writer from subsequent experience that every village in ,spain will purchase ,testaments1 from twenty to sixty1 according to its circumstances4 ,during the last two months of his sojourn in ,spain he visited about forty villages1 and in only two instances was his sale less than thirty copies in each4 ,the two villages which he alludes to were ,mocejon in the ,sagra of ,toledo1 and ,torre ,lodones about four leagues from ,madrid in the road which leads to the ,guadarama hills4 ,the last village is indeed a mere wretched assemblage of huts1 the inhabitants of which labour under the most squalid poverty1 owing to the extreme niggardness of the neighbouring soil1 which consists almost entirely of rock from which scarcely anything can be gathered1 so that the people are proverbially thieves4 ,only three copies of the sacred volume were purchased in this unhappy place1 and only nine in the comparatively rich village of ,mocejon--which1 it is true1 was visited on the day of a festival1 when the inhabitants were too much occupied with dancing and other amusements to entertain any serious thoughts4 ,there are at the present moment about two thousand copies of the ,new ,testament in ,madrid4 ,it appears to the writer that it would be most expedient to distribute one-half of these books in ,la ,mancha1 commencing from the town of ,ocana1 and concluding with ,argamasilla at the other end of the province2 the remaining thousand might be devoted to the many villages on the road towards ,arragon1 especially to those of ,alcarria where the people are honest1 mild and serious4 ,the writer would by no means advise for the present an attempt to distribute the entire ,bible amongst the peasantry1 as he is of opinion that the ,new ,testament is much better adapted to their understandings and circumstances4 ,if it be objected to the plan which he has presumed to suggest that it is impossible to convey to the rural districts of ,spain the book of life without much difficulty and danger1 he begs leave to observe that it does not become a real ,christian to be daunted by either when it pleases his ,maker to select him as an instrument2 and that moreover if it be not written that a man is to perish by wild beast or reptiles1 he is as safe in the den even of the cockatrice as in the most retired chamber of the king's palace2 and that if on the contrary he be doomed to perish by them1 his destiny will overtake him notwithstanding all the precautions which he1 like a blind worm1 may essay for his security4 ,in conclusion the writer begs leave to remind the ,committee that a society of liberal ,spanish ecclesiastics is being formed for printing and circulating the ,scripture without note or comment4 ,he does not advise the entering into an intimate alliance and co-operation with this society1 but he ventures to hope that if it continue to progress1 there will be found ,christian hearts in ,england to wish it success and ,christian hands to afford it some occasional assistance4 ,if the work of the ,lord be done1 it matters little whether ,apollos or ,paul be the labourers4 ,,george ,,borrow4 ,to the ,rev4 ,a4 ,brandram 7,endorsed3 recd4 ,feb4 #d1 #ahci7 ,,seville1 ,jany4 #ab1 #ahci4 ,,revd4 ,,and ,,dear ,,sir1--,i reached ,cadiz in safety1 after crossing the ,bay of ,biscay in rather boisterous weather4 ,i have been in ,seville about a week1 part of which time ,i have been rather indisposed with an old complaint2 this night at ten o'clock ,i leave1 with the letter-courier1 for ,madrid1 whither ,i hope to arrive in something less than four days4 ,i should have started before now1 had an opportunity presented itself4 ,i have been much occupied since coming here in writing to my friends in ,spain apprising them of my arrival1 amongst others to ,sir ,george ,villiers4 ,i have of course visited the ,sevillian bookseller1 my correspondent here4 ,he informed me that seventy-six copies of the hundred ,testaments entrusted to his care were placed in embargo by the ,government last summer4 ,they are at present in the possession of the ,ecclesiastical ,governor4 ,i visited him also the other day1 to make enquiries concerning our property4 ,he lives in a large house in the ,pajaria1 or straw-market4 ,he is a very old man1 between seventy and eighty1 and like almost all those who wear the sacerdotal habit in this city is a fierce persecuting ,papist4 ,i believe he scarcely believed his ears when his two grand-nephews1 beautiful black-haired boys1 who were playing in the courtyard1 ran to inform him that an ,englishman was waiting to speak with him1 as it is probable that ,i was the first heretic who ever ventured into his habitation4 ,i found him in a vaulted room seated on a lofty chair1 with two sinister-looking secretaries1 also in sacerdotal habits1 employed in writing at a table before him4 ,he brought powerfully to my recollection the grim old inquisitor who persuaded ,philip the ,second to slay his own son as an enemy to the ,church4 ,he arose as ,i entered1 and gazed upon me with a countenance dark with suspicion and dissatisfaction4 ,he at last condescended to point me to a sofa1 and ,i proceeded to state to him my business4 ,he became much agitated when ,i mentioned the ,testaments to him2 but ,i no sooner spoke of the ,bible ,society and told him who ,i was1 than he could contain himself no longer1 and with a stammering tongue and with eyes flashing fire like hot coals1 he proceeded to rail against the ,society and myself1 saying that the aims of the first were atrocious and that as to myself1 he was surprised that being once lodged in the prison of ,madrid ,i had ever been permitted to quit it2 adding that it was disgraceful in the ,government to allow a person of my character to roam about an innocent and peaceful country1 corrupting the minds of the ignorant and unsuspicious4 ,far from allowing myself to be disconcerted by his rude behaviour1 ,i replied to him with all possible politeness1 and assured him that in this instance he had no reason to alarm himself1 as that my sole motive in claiming the books in question was to avail myself of an opportunity1 which at present presented itself of sending them out of the country1 which indeed ,i had been commanded to do by an official notice4 ,but nothing would soothe him1 and he informed me that he should not deliver up the books on any condition1 save by a positive order of the ,government4 ,as the matter was by no means an affair of consequence ,i thought it wise not to persist1 and also prudent to take my leave before he requested me4 ,i was followed even down into the street by his niece and grand-nephews1 who during the whole of the conversation had listened at the door of the apartment and heard every word4 ,i have at present little more to say1 having detailed everything worth mentioning which has occurred since my landing in the ,peninsula for the third time4 ,as soon as ,i reach ,madrid ,i shall proceed to make preparations for a fresh expedition1 but in what direction ,i have scarcely determined4 ,please therefore to pray that ,i may be enlightened1 and that the angel of the ,lord may smooth my path before me4 ,greet all my friends in my name2 ,i hope speedily to be able to write to each1 and in the meantime remain1 ,revd4 and dear ,sir1 yours ever1 ,g4 ,b4 ,to the ,rev4 ,a4 ,brandram 7,endorsed3 recd4 ,feb4 #d1 #ahci7 ,,madrid1 ,no4 #af ,,calle ,,santiago1 #be ,january1 #ahci4 ,,revd4 ,,and ,,dear ,,sir1--,my last letter was from ,seville1 in which ,i gave you an account of my proceedings in that place1 at the same time stating that ,i was about to repair to ,madrid with the courier4 ,after travelling four days and nights we arrived1 without having experienced the slightest accident2 though it is but just to observe1 and always with gratitude to the ,almighty1 that the next courier was stopped4 ,a singular accident befell me immediately after my arrival4 ,on entering the arch of the posada1 called ,la ,reyna1 where ,i intended to put up1 ,i found myself encircled in a person's arms1 and on turning round in amazement beheld my ,greek servant ,antonio2 he was haggard and ill-dressed1 and his eyes seemed starting from their sockets4 ,as soon as we were alone he informed me that since my departure he had undergone great misery and destitution1 having during the whole period been unable to obtain a master in need of his services1 so that he was brought nearly to the verge of desperation2 but that on the night immediately preceding my arrival he had a dream in which he saw me1 mounted on a black horse1 ride up to the gate of the posada1 and that on that account he had been waiting there during the greatest part of the day4 ,i do not pretend to offer any opinion concerning this narrative1 which is beyond the reach of my philosophy1 and shall content myself with observing that only two individuals in ,madrid1 one of them ,lord ,clarendon 7late ,sir ,george ,villiers71 were aware of my arrival in ,spain4 ,i was very glad to receive him again into my service1 as notwithstanding his faults1 and he has many1 he has in many instances proved of no slight assistance to me in my wanderings and ,biblical labours1 as indeed ,i have informed you on previous occasions4 ,i was soon settled in my former lodgings1 when one of my first cares was to pay a visit to ,lord ,clarendon4 ,i need not dilate on the particulars of our interview2 suffice it to say1 that he received me with more than usual kindness1 and assured me that ,i might invariably rely upon him1 if ,i should ever chance to be in need of his assistance and protection4 ,i told him that it was not our intention to take any steps towards preventing the civil or ecclesiastical authorities of ,toledo from destroying the ,testaments seized at ,ocana2 and he smiled when ,i added that the only wish we ventured to express concerning the matter was that1 in the event of these books1 which contain the ,word of ,god1 being committed to the flames1 the said authorities1 civil or ecclesiastic1 would commit the act with all the publicity possible4 ,my preparations for taking the field are now nearly completed1 and within forty hours ,i hope to commence operations4 ,my first attempt will be made in a large village at about a league's distance2 and if it please the ,lord to permit me to succeed there1 it is my intention to proceed to all those villages or hamlets in the vicinity of ,madrid hitherto not supplied4 ,i then wend towards the east1 to a distance of about thirty leagues4 ,i have been very passionate in prayer during the last two or three days2 and ,i entertain some hope that the ,lord has condescended to answer me1 as ,i appear to see my way with considerable clearness4 ,it may1 of course1 prove a delusion1 and the prospects which seem to present themselves may be mere palaces of clouds which a breath of wind is sufficient to tumble into ruin2 therefore bearing this possibility in mind it behoves me to beg that ,i may be always enabled to bow meekly to the dispensations of the ,almighty1 whether they be of favour or severity4 ,two days ago ,i received my largest and most useful horse from the ,sagra of ,toledo and likewise a note from ,lopez2 he is unable to come himself at present to assist me1 but he sent a countryman who1 he is of opinion1 will be of equal utility1 at least for a time4 ,i yesterday despatched him to the low parts of ,madrid1 or as they are styled1 ,los ,barrios bajos2 he succeeded in disposing of twelve ,testaments1 amongst the very poor people1 in a few hours4 ,my other horse is at ,salamanca1 in ,old ,castile2 but he suffered so much during my late expeditions1 that it will hardly answer my purpose to send for him4 ,in passing through ,la ,mancha we stayed for four hours at ,manzanares1 a large village which ,i hope to visit again shortly4 ,i was standing in the market-place conversing with a curate1 when a frightful ragged object presented itself2 it was a girl about eighteen or nineteen1 perfectly blind1 a white film being spread over her huge staring eyes2 her countenance was as yellow as that of a mulatto4 ,i thought at first that she was a ,gypsy1 and addressing myself to her1 enquired in ,gitano if she were of that race4 ,she understood me2 but shaking her head replied1 that she was something better than a ,gitana1 and could speak something better than that jargon of witches1 whereupon she commenced asking me several questions in exceeding good ,latin4 ,i was of course very much surprised1 but summoning all my ,latinity1 ,i called her ,manchegan prophetess1 and expressing my admiration at her learning begged to be informed by what means she became possessed of it4 ,i must here observe that a crowd instantly gathered around us who1 though they understood not one word of our discourse1 at every sentence of the girl shouted applause1 proud in possession of a prophetess who could answer the ,englishman4 ,she informed me that she was born blind1 and that a ,jesuit priest had taken compassion on her when she was a child1 and had taught her the 'holy language1' in order that the attention and hearts of ,christians might be more easily turned towards her4 ,i soon discovered that he had taught her something more than ,latin1 for upon telling her that ,i was an ,englishman1 she said that she had always loved ,britain which was once the nursery of saints and sages--for example1 ,bede and ,alcuin1 ,colombus sic and ,thomas of ,canterbury2 but she added1 those times had gone by since the re-appearance of ,semiramis 7,elizabeth74 ,her ,latin was truly excellent2 and when ,i1 like a genuine ,goth1 spoke of ,anglia and ,terra ,vandalica 7,andalusia71 she corrected me by saying that in her language those places were called ,britannia1 and ,terra ,betica4 ,when we had finished our discourse1 a gathering was made for the prophetess1 the very poorest contributing something4 ,what wonderful people are the ,jesuits6 ,when shall we hear of an ,english rector instructing a beggar girl in the language of ,cicero8 ,ever yours1 ,g4 ,b4 ,to the ,rev4 ,a4 ,brandram 7,endorsed3 recd4 ,feby4 #be1 #ahci7 ,,madrid1 #af ,,calle ,,santiago1 #ae ,febry4 #ahci4 ,,revd4 ,,and ,,dear ,,sir1--,in my last communication ,i stated that ,i had got everything in readiness to commence operations in the neighbourhood of ,madrid1 and indeed since that period ,i have entered upon my labours in reality1 though unforeseen circumstances produced an unavoidable delay of several days4 ,it is with feelings of gratitude to the ,almighty that ,i now state that considerable success has attended my feeble efforts in the good cause4 ,all the villages within the distance of four leagues to the east of ,madrid have been visited1 and ,testaments to the number of nearly two hundred have been disposed of4 ,it will be here necessary for me to inform you that these villages1 for the most part1 are very small2 some of them consisting of not more than a dozen houses1 or ,i should rather say miserable cabins4 ,i left my servant ,antonio to superintend matters in ,madrid1 and proceeded with ,vitoriano1 the peasant from ,villa ,seca1 in the direction which ,i have already mentioned4 ,we however soon parted company1 and pursued different routes4 ,the first village at which ,i made an attempt was ,cobenna1 about three leagues from ,madrid4 ,i was dressed in the fashion of the peasants of the neighbourhood of ,segovia in ,old ,castile1 namely1 ,i had on my head a species of leather helmet1 or montera1 with a jacket and trowsers of the same material4 ,i had the appearance of a person between sixty and seventy years of age1 and drove before me a burrico1 with a sack of ,testaments lying across its back4 ,on nearing the village ,i met a genteel-looking young woman leading a little boy by the hand4 ,as ,i was about to pass her with the customary salutation of ',vaya usted con ,dios1' she stopped1 and after looking at me for a moment she said2 ',uncle 7,tio71 what is that you have on your burrico8 ,is it soap8' ,i replied1 ',yes2 it is soap to wash souls clean4' ,she demanded what ,i meant2 whereupon ,i told her that ,i carried cheap and godly books for sale4 ,on her requesting to see one1 ,i produced a copy from my pocket1 and handed it to her4 ,she instantly commenced reading it with a loud voice1 and continued so for at least ten minutes1 occasionally exclaiming1 ',que lectura tan bonita1 que lectura tan linda6' 7',what beautiful1 what charming reading6'7 ,at last1 on my informing her that ,i was in a hurry and could not wait any longer1 she said1 ',true1 true1' and asked me the price of the book4 ,i told her ',but three reals'2 whereupon she said that though what ,i asked was very little1 it was more than she could afford to give1 as there was little or no money in those parts4 ,i said ,i was sorry for it1 but that ,i could not dispose of the book for less than ,i had demanded1 and accordingly resuming it1 wished her farewell and left her4 ,i had not1 however1 proceeded thirty yards1 when the boy came running behind me1 shouting out of breath3 ',stop1 uncle6 the book1 the book4' ,upon overtaking me he delivered me the three reals in copper1 and seizing the ,testament1 ran back to her1 who ,i suppose was his sister1 flourishing the book over his head with great glee4 ,on arriving at the village ,i directed my steps to a house around the door of which ,i saw several persons gathered1 chiefly women4 ,on my displaying my books their curiosity was instantly aroused1 and every person had speedily one in his hand1 many reading aloud4 ,however1 after waiting nearly an hour ,i had disposed of but one copy1 all complaining bitterly of the distress of the times and the almost total want of money1 though at the same time they acknowledged that the books were wonderfully cheap and appeared to be very good and ,christian-like4 ,i was about to gather up my merchandise and depart1 when on a sudden the curate of the place made his appearance4 ,after having examined the books for some time with considerable attention1 he asked me the price of a copy1 and upon my informing him that it was three reals1 he replied that the binding was worth more1 and that he was much afraid that ,i had stolen the books1 and that it was perhaps his duty to send me to prison as a suspicious character4 ,he added however that the books were good books1 however they might be obtained1 and concluded by purchasing and paying for two copies4 ,the poor people no sooner heard their curate recommend the volumes1 than all were eager to secure one1 and hurried here and there for the purpose of procuring money1 so that between twenty and thirty copies were sold almost in an instant4 ,this adventure not only affords an instance of the power still possessed by the ,spanish clergy over the minds of the people1 but likewise that such influence is not always exerted in a manner favourable to the maintenance of ignorance and superstition4 ,in another village on my showing a ,testament to a woman1 she said that she had a child at school for whom she should like to purchase one1 but that she must first know whether the book was calculated to be of service to him4 ,she then went away1 and presently returned with the schoolmaster1 followed by all the children under his care4 ,she then1 showing the schoolmaster a book1 enquired if it would answer for her son4 ,the schoolmaster called her a simpleton for asking such a question1 and said that he knew the book well1 and there was not its equal in the world4 7,no hay otro en el mundo47 ,he instantly purchased five copies for his pupils1 regretting that he had no more money1 ',for in that case1' said he1 ',i would buy the whole cargo4' ,upon hearing this1 the woman purchased four copies3 namely1 one for her son1 another for her husband who was dead1 a third for herself1 and a fourth for her brother1 whom1 she said1 she was expecting home that night from ,madrid4 ,in this manner we proceeded1 not however with uniform success4 ,in some villages the people were so poor and needy that they had literally no money2 even in these1 however1 we managed to dispose of a few copies in exchange for barley or refreshments4 7,is this right87 ,on entering one very small hamlet1 ,vitoriano was stopped by the curate1 who on learning what he carried told him that unless he instantly departed1 he would cause him to be imprisoned1 and write to ,madrid in order to give information of what was going on4 ,the excursion lasted about eight days4 ,immediately after my return1 ,i despatched ,vitoriano to ,caramanchel1 a village at the distance of half a league from ,madrid1 the only one towards the west which had not been visited last year4 ,he stayed there about an hour and disposed of twelve copies1 and then returned1 as he is exceedingly timid and was afraid of being met by the thieves who swarm on that road in the evening4 ,in a few days ,i depart for ,guadalajara and the villages of ,alcarria4 7,,unsigned47 ,to the ,rev4 ,a4 ,brandram 7,endorsed3 recd4 ,mar4 #ae1 #ahci7 ,,naval ,,carnero1 ,,new ,,castile1 ,march #d1 #ahci4 ,,revd4 ,,and ,,dear ,,sir1--,i have to acknowledge the receipt of your kind letter of the #fth ult41 which ,i hope to be able to answer in all points on another occasion4 ,i am now in a small town on the road to ,talavera1 to which place it is possible that ,i may proceed4 ,i take up the pen in order to give you a brief account of what has taken place since ,i last wrote4 ,i have that to communicate which ,i am confident will cause yourself and the remainder of my dear friends in ,earl ,street to smile2 while at the same time it will not fail to prove interesting1 as affording an example of the feeling prevalent in some of the lone and solitary villages of ,spain with respect to innovation and all that savours thereof1 and the strange acts which are sometimes committed by the rural authorities and the priests1 without the slightest fear of being called to account2 for as they live quite apart #cib from the rest of the world1 they know no people greater than themselves1 and scarcely dream of a higher power than their own4 ,in my latest communication ,i stated that ,i was about to make an excursion to ,gaudalajara and the villages of ,alcarria2 indeed ,i merely awaited the return of ,vitoriano to sally forth3 ,i having despatched him in that direction with a few ,testaments as a kind of explorer1 in order that from his report as to the disposition manifested by the people for purchasing1 ,i might form a tolerably accurate opinion as to the number of copies which it might be necessary to carry with me4 ,however ,i heard nothing of him for a fortnight1 at the end of which period a letter was brought to me by a peasant1 dated from the prison of ,fuente ,la ,higuera1 a village eight leagues from ,madrid1 in the campina1 or champaign of ,alcala4 ,this letter1 written by ,vitoriano1 gave me to understand1 that he had been already eight days imprisoned1 and that unless ,i could find some means to extricate him there was every probability of his remaining in durance until he should perish with hunger1 which he had no doubt would occur as soon as his money was exhausted and he was unable to purchase the necessaries of life at a great price4 ,from what ,i afterwards learned it appeared that after passing the town of ,alcala he had commenced distributing1 and with considerable success4 ,his entire stock consisted of sixty-one ,testaments1 twenty-five of which he sold without the least difficulty or interruption in the single village of ,arganza1 the poor labourers showering blessings on his head for providing them with such good books at an easy price4 ,not more than eighteen remained when he turned off the high road towards ,fuente ,la ,higuera4 ,this place was already tolerably well known to him1 he having visited it of old when he travelled the country in the capacity of a vendor of cacharros or earthen pans4 ,he subsequently stated that he felt some misgiving whilst on the way1 as the village had invariably enjoyed a bad reputation4 ,on his arrival1 after having put up his caballejo1 or little pony1 at a posada1 he proceeded to the ,alcalde for the purpose of demanding permission to sell books1 which that dignitary immediately granted4 ,he now entered a house and sold a copy1 and likewise in a second4 ,emboldened by success he entered a third1 which it appeared belonged to the barber-surgeon of the village4 ,this personage1 having just completed his dinner1 was seated in an arm-chair within his doorway when ,vitoriano made his appearance4 ,he was a man of about thirty-five1 of a savage1 truculent countenance4 ,on ,vitoriano's offering him a ,testament he took it into his hand to examine it2 but no sooner did his eyes glance over the title-page than he burst into a loud laugh1 exclaiming3 ',ha1 ha1 ,don ,jorge ,borrow1 the ,english heretic1 we have encountered you at last4 ,glory to the ,virgin and the ,saints6 ,we have long been expecting you here1 and at length you have arrived4' ,he then enquired the price of the book1 and on being told three reals1 he flung down two1 and rushed out of the house with the ,testament in his hand4 ,vitoriano now became alarmed1 and determined upon leaving the place as soon as possible4 ,he therefore hurried back to the posada1 and having paid for the barley which his pony had consumed1 went into the stable1 and placing the pack-saddle on the animal's back was about to lead it forth when the ,alcalde of the village1 the surgeon1 and twelve other men1 some of whom were armed with muskets1 suddenly presented themselves4 ,they instantly made ,vitoriano prisoner1 and1 after seizing the books and laying an embargo on the pony1 proceeded amidst much abuse to drag their captive to what they denominated their prison1 a low damp apartment with a little grated window1 where they locked him up and left him4 ,at the expiration of three quarters of an hour they again appeared1 and conducted him to the house of the curate1 where they sat down in conclave1 the curate who was a man stone-blind being president1 whilst the sacristan officiated as secretary4 ,the surgeon having stated his accusation against the prisoner1 namely1 that he had detected him in the fact of selling a version of the ,scriptures in the vulgar tongue1 the curate proceeded to examine ,vitoriano1 asking him his name and place of residence--to which he replied that his name was ,vitoriano ,lopez1 and that he was a native of ,villa ,seca in the ,sagra of ,toledo4 ,the curate then demanded what religion he professed1 and whether he was a ,mahometan or freemason1 and received for answer that he was a ,roman ,catholic4 ,i must here state that ,vitoriano1 though sufficiently shrewd in his way1 is a poor old labourer of sixty-four1 and until that moment had never heard of ,mahometans or freemasons4 ,the curate becoming now incensed1 called him a tunante or scoundrel1 and added1 ',you have sold your soul to a heretic2 we have long been aware of your proceedings1 and those of your master4 ,you are the same ,lopez1 whom he last year rescued from the prison of ,villallos1 in the province of ,avila4 ,i sincerely hope that he will attempt to do the same thing here4' ',yes1 yes1' shouted the rest of the conclave1 'let him but venture here1 and we will shed his heart's blood on our stones4' ,in this manner they went on for nearly half-an-hour2 at last they broke up the meeting and conducted ,vitoriano once more to his prison4 ,during his confinement he lived tolerably well1 being in possession of money2 his meals were sent him twice a day from the posada1 where his pony remained in embargo4 ,once or twice he asked permission of the ,alcalde1 who visited him every night and morning with his armed guard1 to purchase pen and paper1 in order that he might write to ,madrid2 but this favour was peremptorily refused him1 and all the inhabitants of the village were forbidden under terrible penalties to afford him the means of writing1 or to convey any message from him beyond the precincts of the place1 and two boys were stationed before the window of his cell for the purpose of watching everything which might be conveyed to him4 ,it happened one day that ,vitoriano1 being in need of a pillow for his head1 sent word to the people of the posada to send him his alforjas or saddle-bags1 which they did4 ,in these bags there chanced to be a kind of rope or1 as it is called in ,spanish1 soga1 with which he was in the habit of fastening his satchel to the pony's back4 ,the urchins seeing an end of this rope hanging from the alforjas instantly ran to the ,alcalde to give him information4 ,late at evening the ,alcalde again visited the prisoner1 at the head of his twelve men as usual4 ',buenas noches1' said the ,alcalde4 ',buenas noches tenga usted1' replied ,vitoriano4 ',for what purpose did you send for the soga this afternoon8' demanded the functionary4 ',i sent for no soga1' said the prisoner1 ',i sent for my alforjas to serve as a pillow1 and it was sent in them by chance4' ',thou art a false malicious knave1' retorted the ,alcalde1 'you intend to hang yourself1 and by so doing ruin us all1 as your death would be laid to our door4 ,give me the soga4' ,no greater insult can be offered to a ,spaniard1 than to tax him with an intention of committing suicide4 ,poor ,vitoriano flew into a violent rage1 and after calling the ,alcalde several uncivil names1 he pulled the soga from his bags1 and flinging it at his head1 told him to take it home and use it for his own neck4 ,at length the people of the posada took pity on the prisoner1 perceiving that he was very harshly treated for no crime at all4 ,they therefore determined to afford him an opportunity of informing his friends of his situation1 and accordingly sent him a pen and inkhorn1 concealed in a loaf of bread1 and a piece of writing-paper1 pretending that the latter was intended for cigars4 ,so ,vitoriano wrote the letter2 but now ensued the difficulty of sending it to its destination1 as no person in the village dare have carried it for any reward4 ,the good people1 however1 persuaded a disbanded soldier from another village1 who chanced to be at ,fuente ,la ,higuera in quest of work1 to charge himself with it1 promising that ,i would pay him well for his trouble4 ,the man1 watching his opportunity1 received the letter from ,vitoriano at the window2 and it was he who1 after travelling on foot all night1 delivered it to me in safety at ,madrid4 ,i was now relieved from my anxiety1 and had no fears for the result4 ,i instantly went to a friend who is in possession of large estates about ,guadalajara1 in which province ,fuente ,la ,higuera is situated1 who furnished me with letters to the ,civil ,governor of ,guadalajara and all the principal authorities1 and at ,antonio's request1 ,i despatched him upon the errand of the prisoner's liberation4 ,he first directed his course to ,fuente ,la ,higuera1 where entering the ,alcalde's house he boldly told him what he had come about4 ,the ,alcalde1 expecting that ,i was at hand with an army of ,englishmen for the purpose of rescuing the prisoner1 became greatly alarmed1 and instantly despatched his wife to summon his twelve men4 ,however1 on ,antonio's assuring him that there was no intention of having recourse to violence1 he became more tranquil4 ,in a little time ,antonio was summoned before the conclave and its blind sacerdotal president4 ,they at first attempted to frighten him1 by assuming a loud bullying tone and talking of the necessity of killing all strangers1 and especially the detested ,don ,jorge and his dependents4 ,antonio1 however1 who is not a person apt to allow himself to be easily terrified1 scoffed at their threats1 and showing them his letters to the authorities of ,guadalajara said that he should proceed there on the morrow and denounce their lawless conduct2 adding that he was a ,turkish subject1 and that should they dare to offer him the slightest incivility he would write to the ,sublime ,porte1 in comparison with whom the best kings in the world were but worms1 and who would not fail to avenge the wrongs of any of his children1 however distant1 in a manner too terrible to be mentioned4 ,he then returned to his posada4 ,the conclave now proceeded to deliberate among themselves1 and at last determined to despatch their prisoner on the morrow to ,guadalajara1 and deliver him into the hands of the ,civil ,governor4 ,nevertheless1 in order to keep up a semblance of authority1 they that night placed two men armed at the door of the posada where ,antonio was lodged1 as if he himself were a prisoner2 these men as often as the clock struck the hours1 shouted1 ',ave ,maria6 ,death to the heretics6' ,early in the morning the ,alcalde presented himself at the posada1 but before entering he made an oration at the door to the people in the street saying amongst other things3 ',brethren1 these are the fellows who have come to rob us of our religion4' ,he then went into ,antonio's apartment1 and after saluting him with great politeness said that as a royal or high mass was about to be celebrated that morning1 he had come to invite him to go to church with him2 whereupon ,antonio1 though by no means a mass-goer1 rose and accompanied him1 and remained two hours1 as he told me1 on his knees on the cold stones to his great discomfort1 the eyes of the whole congregation being fixed upon him during the time4 ,after mass and breakfast1 he departed for ,guadalajara1 ,vitoriano having been already despatched there under a guard4 ,on his arrival he presented his letters to the individuals for whom they were intended4 ,the ,civil ,governor was convulsed with merriment on hearing ,antonio's account of the adventure4 ,vitoriano was set at liberty and the books were placed in embargo at ,guadalajara3 the ,governor stating1 however1 that though it was his duty to detain them at present1 they should be sent to me whenever ,i chose to claim them4 ,he moreover said that he would do his best to cause the authorities of ,fuente ,la ,higuera to be severely punished1 as in the whole affair they had acted in a most cruel1 tyrannical manner1 for which they had no authority4 ,thus terminated this affair1 one of those little accidents which chequer missionary life in ,spain4 ,vitoriano is now with me at ,naval ,carnero1 as he begged me almost on his knees to be permitted to attend me and to be employed as before4 ,at his imprisonment he smiles4 ,antonio and myself have lately been very successful at ,madrid1 having sold considerably upwards of a hundred ,testaments and several ,bibles4 ,it is with deep gratitude ,i state that the poor of ,madrid receive the ,scripture with gladness3 to the rich ,i offer it not1 their hearts are hard4 ,i am writing a journal of the present expedition4 ,,george ,,borrow4 ,to ,mr4 ,w4 ,hitchin 7,endorsed3 recd4 ,march #ba1 #ahci7 ,,madrid1 ,march #i1 #ahci4 ,on the other side ,i send you my account1 which ,i hope you will find correct4 ,in order to prevent confusion1 ,i have charged my expenses from the period of my leaving ,london until my arrival at ,cadiz in the ,spanish1 instead of the ,english currency4 ,respecting the item of ,vitoriano1 it will be as well to observe that1 when employed in journeying1 ,i allow him six reals per diem and his diet1 and two when in ,madrid4 ,i do not know that there is anything else to which ,i need direct your attention1 except that ,i have not noted my quarter's salary because ignorant of the rate of exchange4 ,if you please1 you can credit me to the amount4 ,i did not go further than ,naval ,carnero on the way to ,talavera1 on account of an accident which occurred1 the clergy having raised the country against me4 ,glory to ,god1 they are becoming thoroughly alarmed1 and with much reason4 ,i have disposed of all the ,bibles bound already1 and have been compelled on account of the demand to order the rest of the sheets to be got in readiness4 ,we shall be compelled to evacuate our storehouse and to seek another1 as the rats are doing prodigious havoc to the stores4 ,pray1 remember me to all friends1 and believe me1 etc41 ,,george ,,borrow4 ,to the ,rev4 ,a4 ,brandram 7,endorsed3 recd4 ,apr4 #h1 #ahci7 #bj ,march #ahci1 ,,madrid1 ,,calle ,,santiago4 ,,revd4 ,,and ,,dear ,,sir1--,having much to communicate1 and of no slight importance1 ,i shall offer no apology for now addressing you4 ,my last letter was from ,naval ,carnero1 in which ,i informed you of various circumstances1 connected with the distribution of the blessed ,gospel1 which had recently occurred4 ,i likewise stated that it was very probable that ,i should proceed to ,talavera1 for the purpose of seeing what might be done in that neighbourhood4 ,the day1 however1 subsequent to dispatching my letter ushered in events which compelled me to alter my resolution2 twenty ,testaments were seized in a village in the neighbourhood of ,naval ,carnero1 and ,i learned that our proceedings1 on the other side of ,madrid1 had caused alarm amongst the heads of the clergy1 who made a formal complaint to the ,government--who immediately sent orders to all the ,alcaldes of the villages1 great and small1 in ,new ,castile to seize the ,new ,testament wherever it might be exposed for sale1 but at the same time to be particularly careful not to detain or maltreat the person or persons who might be attempting to vend it4 ,an exact description of myself accompanied these orders1 and the authorities1 both civil and military1 were exhorted to be on their guard against me1 and my arts and machinations2 for1 as the document stated1 ,i was to-day in one place and to-morrow at twenty leagues distance4 ,on receiving this intelligence1 ,i instantly resolved to change for a time my strategic system1 and not to persist in a course which would expose the sacred volume to seizure at every step which ,i might take to circulate it4 ,i therefore galloped back to ,madrid1 leaving ,vitoriano to follow4 ,it will be as well to observe here1 that we sold twenty and odd ,testaments in villages adjacent to ,naval ,carnero1 before the orders had arrived4 ,arrived at ,madrid1 ,i lost not a moment in putting into execution the plan which ,i had formed4 ,having an extensive acquaintance amongst the lower orders1 ,i instantly selected eight of the most intelligent to co-operate with me1 amongst whom were five women4 ,all these ,i supplied with ,testaments1 and then sent them forth to all the parishes in ,madrid4 ,i will at once state the result which1 ,i confess1 has more than answered my expectations4 ,since my return from ,naval ,carnero nearly six hundred copies of the life and words of ,him of ,nazareth have been sold in the streets and alleys of ,madrid1 a fact which ,i hope ,i may be permitted to mention with gladness and with decent triumph in the ,lord4 ,there is a place in ,madrid called the ,puerta del ,sol1 which is a central spot1 surrounded with shops1 into which the four principal streets disembogue1 if ,i may be allowed the expression4 ,these streets are the ,calle ,alcala1 the ,calle ,montera1 the ,calle ,mayor1 and that of ,carreta4 ,the wealthiest of all these is the ,calle ,montera1 where reside the principal merchants and shop-keepers of ,madrid2 it is in fact the street of commerce1 and is in many respects similar to the ,zacatin of ,granada4 ,every house in this street is supplied with its ,testament1 and the same may be said with respect to the ,puerta del ,sol2 nay1 in some instances every individual in the house1 man and child1 man-servant and maid-servant1 is furnished with a copy1 which we have invariably sold1 and never given4 ,my ,greek ,antonio has made wonderful exertions in this quarter1 and it is but justice to say that but for his instrumentality1 on many occasions1 ,i might be by no means able to give so favourable an account of the spread of the ,bible in ,spain1 as ,i now conscientiously can4 ,there was a time when1 as you are well aware1 ,i was in the habit of saying1 ',dark ,madrid1' an expression which ,i thank ,god ,i may now drop2 for can that city justly be called 'dark' in which thirteen hundred ,testaments1 at least1 are in circulation and in daily use8 ,it appears to me that a glorious reform is commencing in ,spain2 indeed matters have lately come to my knowledge1 which had they been prophesied only a year ago by the ,spirit of truth itself1 ,i should have experienced much difficulty in believing4 ,you will be surprised when ,i tell you that in two churches of ,madrid1 the ,new ,testament is regularly expounded every ,sunday evening1 by the respective curates1 to about twenty children who attend1 and who are provided with copies of the ,society's edition of ,madrid1 #ahcg4 ,the churches which ,i allude to are those of ,san ,gines and ,santa ,cruz4 ,now ,i humbly conceive that this fact alone is more than equivalent to all the expense which the ,society has incurred1 in the efforts which it has hitherto made to introduce the ,gospel into ,spain2 but be this as it may1 ,i am certain1 if ,i may judge by my own feelings1 that it has amply recompensed me for all the anxiety and unhappiness which ,i underwent last year4 ,whenever ,i am now called upon to discontinue my labours in the ,peninsula1 ,i shall comply without the slightest murmur or remonstrance1 my heart being filled with gratitude to the ,lord for having been permitted1 useless vessel as ,i am1 to see at least some of the seed springing up which during two years ,i have been casting on the stony ground of the interior of ,spain4 ,there is at present a great demand for ,bibles2 since the time of writing last we have sold upwards of one hundred copies4 ,indeed the demand is far greater than ,i can answer1 as the books are disposed of faster than they can be bound by the man whom ,i employ for that purpose1 and in whose secrecy and honour ,i have perfect confidence4 ,eight-and-twenty copies are at present bespoken and paid for4 ,many of these ,bibles have found their way into the best houses in ,madrid4 ,the ,marquis of ,santa ,coloma has a large family1 but every individual of it1 old or young1 is now in possession of a ,bible and likewise of a ,testament1 which1 strange to say1 were recommended by the chaplain of the house4 ,one of my most zealous agents in the propagation of the ,bible is an ecclesiastic4 ,he never walks out without carrying one beneath his gown1 which he offers to the first person he meets whom he thinks likely to purchase4 ,another excellent assistant is an elderly gentleman of ,navarre1 enormously rich1 who is continually purchasing copies on his own account1 which he1 as ,i am told1 sends into his native province1 for distribution amongst his friends and the poor4 ,i have at present sold as many ,testaments as ,i think ,madrid will bear1 for a time4 ,i have therefore called in the greatest part of my people1 and content myself with the sale of twelve or fourteen a week1 for ,i am afraid to over-stock the market1 and to bring the book into contempt by making it too common4 ,the greatest part of those which still remain 7about one thousand7 ,i reserve for ,seville1 ,granada1 and some of the other inland cities of ,andalusia1 specially ,jaen1 the bishop of which is very favourable to us and our cause4 ,i have likewise my eye on ,ceuta1 its garrison1 its convicts1 and singular inhabitants1 half ,spaniards1 half ,moors4 ,to ,andalusia ,i shall probably proceed in about three weeks4 ,i beg leave to call your attention to the work ,i sent you1 and the ferocious attack which it contains against the ,bible ,society1 and especially to the letter of the curate1 which ,i sincerely wish you would insert in your ,extracts4 ,this publication was established and is supported by money sent by the ,cardinals of ,rome1 and is principally directed against us4 ,its abuse1 however1 is our praise2 and the world may form some judgment of what we are accomplishing in ,spain by attending to some of the remarks and observations which appear in this work1 and which are in all points worthy of ,rome and its clan4 ,my respects to ,mr4 ,josiah ,forster1 who ,i hope will have received the biography of ,ripoll1 the ,quaker1 executed at ,valencia in #ahbf4 ,what news from ,china8 7,,unsigned47 ,to the ,rev4 ,joseph ,jowett 7,endorsed3 recd4 ,april #bb1 #ahci7 ,april #aj1 #ahci1 ,,madrid1 ,no4 #af ,,calle ,,santiago4 ,,revd4 ,,and ,,dear ,,sir1--,in a few days ,i shall leave ,madrid for ,seville2 and being anxious to write a few lines before my departure in order that yourself and others friends may be acquainted with the exact state of affairs in ,spain1 ,i embrace the present opportunity4 ,in the first place however ,i beg leave to apologise for not having ere this performed my promise of writing4 ,many causes unnecessary to recapitulate prevented me2 but ,i steadfastly hope that already with your usual considerate goodness you have imputed my tardiness to anything but neglect4 ,a convoy starts for ,andalusia on the #acth1 and ,i intend to avail myself of it so far as to send therewith my servant ,antonio with the horses and the ,testaments which ,i destine for circulation in that province4 ,i shall myself follow with the courier4 ,true it is that ,i had determined to proceed by ,estremadura1 but circumstances have occurred which have induced me to alter my resolution4 ,the roads in ,spain are in a worse state than ever2 and in ,estremadura particularly1 which for some time past has enjoyed a tolerable state of tranquillity1 a band of ,carlist robbers have lately made their appearance1 who murder1 make prisoner1 or put at ransom every person who has the misfortune to fall into their hands4 ,i therefore deem it wise to avoid1 if possible1 the alternative of being shot or having to pay one thousand pounds for being set at liberty1 which has already befallen several individuals4 ,it is moreover wicked to tempt ,providence systematically4 ,i have already thrust myself into more danger than was perhaps strictly necessary1 and as ,i have been permitted hitherto to escape1 it is better to be content with what it has pleased the ,lord to do for me up to the present moment1 than to run the risk of offending ,him by a blind confidence in ,his forbearance1 which may be over-taxed4 ,as it is1 however1 at all times best to be frank1 ,i am willing to confess that ,i am what the world calls exceedingly superstitious2 perhaps the real cause of my change of resolution was a dream1 in which ,i imagined myself on a desolate road in the hands of several robbers1 who were hacking me with their long ugly knives4 ,we have been very successful of late1 having1 since my last letter to ,mr4 ,brandram1 sold no less than two hundred ,bibles1 so that not more than one hundred and fifty remain of the five hundred which were sent to me from ,barcelona in sheets4 ,i have discontinued selling ,testaments in ,madrid1 as it appears to me that we shall have barely sufficient1 unless something unforeseen occurs1 for ,andalusia and one or two other points which ,i wish to visit4 ,when ,i recollect the difficulties which have encompassed our path1 ,i can sometimes hardly credit all that the ,almighty has permitted us to accomplish within the last year3 a large edition of the ,new ,testament almost entirely disposed of in the very centre of old1 gloomy1 fanatic ,spain1 in spite of the opposition and the furious cry of the sanguinary priesthood and the edicts of a tyrannical1 deceitful ,government2 moreover a spirit of religious enquiry excited1 which ,i have fervent hope will sooner or later lead to blessed and most important results4 ,till of late the name most abhorred and dreaded in these parts of ,spain was that of ,martin ,luther1 who was in general considered as a species of demon1 a cousin-german to ,belial and ,beelzebub1 who under the disguise of a man wrote and preached blasphemy against the ,highest4 ,yet now1 strange to say1 this once abominated personage is spoken of with no slight degree of respect4 ,people1 with ,bibles in their hands1 not unfrequently visit me1 enquiring with much earnestness and with no slight degree of simplicity for the writings of the great ,doctor ,martin1 whom indeed some suppose to be still alive4 ,it will be as well here to observe that of all the names connected with the ,reformation1 that of ,luther is the only one known in ,spain1 and let me add that no controversial writings but his are likely to be esteemed as possessing the slightest weight or authority1 however great their intrinsic merit may be4 ,the printing1 therefore1 of tracts in the ,spanish language1 of the description hitherto adopted1 appears to be pregnant with no good or benefit whatever4 ,of what might be the result of well-executed translations of judicious selections from the works of ,luther1 it is not my business to offer an opinion4 ,before commencing this journey to ,andalusia ,i must take the liberty of making one humble request to my friends of the ,bible ,society1 which is to be patient4 ,it may not be in my power to send them for a long time any flattering accounts of operations commenced there4 ,i shall be surrounded with enemies1 bitter1 malignant1 and powerful1 against whose efforts it is very possible that ,i may not be able to stand my ground2 or the books which ,i carry with me may be seized and sequestrated1 in spite of all the plans which ,i have devised for their safety4 ,the great failing of ,protestants1 in general1 is a tendency to spring suddenly to the pinnacle of exultation1 and as suddenly to fall to the lowest bathos of dejection1 forgetting that the brightest day as well as the most gloomy night must necessarily have a termination4 ,how far more wise are the members of that object of my undying detestation1 the ,church of ,rome2 from mixing with whom ,i have acquired one principal point of wisdom1 which may be termed1 ,ever to expect evil1 and ever to hope for good2 by attending to which maxim we find that ,church ever regaining the ground which it has lost4 ,yesterday seeming a lifeless stick1 as in the case of ,england1 to-day it is a magnificent tree1 glorious with leaves and fruit4 ,excuse these observations which1 ,i assure you1 are well meant4 ,no one acquainted with me will lay undue partiality to the ,roman ,church to my charge1 yet there are some points about it which ,i highly admire2 and you know well enough that it is lawful to receive instruction from an enemy4 ,i have been lately going through ,morrison's ,chinese ,matthew4 ,i confess that ,i am the merest tyro in the language1 nevertheless ,i am compelled to state that upon the whole ,i do not like the translation4 ,it appears to me that in various instances the characters are not grammatically placed2 ,i mean1 not as they are placed in the writings if the best ,chinese authors to express the same ideas4 ,moreover he has translated the sacred ,name by the character which the ,chinese are in the habit of bestowing on the spirits whose idols they worship1 and which is by no means applicable to the one great ,god1 whom the missionaries of the ,greek and ,roman ,churches for want of an equivalent in ,chinese have always styled1 and with justice three ,chinese characters 7tien tsz hwang71 or ,king of ,heaven4 ,the ,holy ,ghost1 he renders by tching fung1 or ,holy ,wind1 which is a ,hebraism1 and which can scarcely be understood by the ,chinese4 ,in ,lipoftsoff's ,mandchou version it is happily translated by the ,holy ,spirit4 ,you will recollect that on my second return to ,spain you requested me to look into ,morrison's ,testament1 on which account ,i shall offer no excuse for these trifling remarks4 ,do me the favour1 my dear ,sir1 to inform ,mr4 ,hitchin that within a day or two ,i shall send him another account of money received and disbursed4 ,i hope you forwarded the packet containing the life of ,ripoll to ,mr4 ,forster4--,having now said my say for the present1 ,i have the honour to remain1 ,revd4 and dear ,sir1 ,your most obedient humble servant1 ,,george ,,borrow4 ,to the ,rev4 ,a4 ,brandram4 7,endorsed3 recd4 ,may #ba1 #ahci7 ,,seville1 ,,spain1 ,may #b1 #ahci4 ,,revd4 ,,and ,,dear ,,sir1--,i have been in ,seville one week4 ,perhaps on learning this you will be disposed to demand the reason of my not having written previously to this1 knowing1 as ,i do1 the anxiety of my friends to know the fate of their adventurer in his wanderings in wild ,spain2 but believe me that ,i had several reasons for deferring1 the principal being an unconquerable aversion to writing blank letters4 ,at present ,i have something to communicate besides my arrival1 indeed one or two odd things4 ,the courier and myself came all the way without the slightest accident1 my usual wonderful good fortune accompanying us4 ,i may well call it wonderful4 ,i was not aware when ,i resolved to venture with the mail that ,i was running into the den of the lion1 the whole of ,la ,mancha with the exception of a few fortified places being once more in the hands of ,pollillos and his banditti1 who whenever it pleases them1 stop the courier1 burn the vehicle and letters1 murder the paltry escort which attends1 and carry away any chance passenger to the mountains1 where an enormous ransom is demanded1 which if not paid1 brings on the dilemma of four shots through the head1 as the ,spaniards say4 ,the upper part of ,andalusia is becoming rapidly nearly as bad as ,la ,mancha4 ,the last time the courier had passed1 he was attacked at the defile of ,la ,rumblar by six mounted robbers2 he was guarded by an escort of as many soldiers2 but the former suddenly galloped from behind a solitary venta and dashed the soldiers to the ground1 who were taken quite by surprise1 the hoofs of the robbers' horses making no noise on account of the great quantity of mud4 ,the soldiers were instantly disarmed and bound to olive-trees1 with the exception of two who escaped amongst the rocks2 they were then mocked and tormented by the robbers1 or rather fiends1 for nearly half an hour1 when they were shot1 the head of the corporal who commanded being blown to fragments with a blunderbuss4 ,the robbers then burnt the coach1 which they accomplished by igniting the letters by means of the tow with which they light their cigars4 ,the life of the courier was saved by one of them who had formerly been his postillion2 he was1 however1 robbed and stripped4 ,as we passed by the scene of the butchery the poor fellow burst into tears1 and1 though a ,spaniard1 cursed ,spain and the ,spaniards1 saying that he shortly intended to pass over to ,morocco to confess ,mahomet and to learn the ,law of the ,moors1 for that any country and religion was better than his own4 ,he pointed to the tree where the corporal had been tied2 though much rain had fallen since1 the ground around was still saturated with blood1 and a dog was gnawing a piece of the unfortunate wretch's skull4 ,a friar travelled with us the whole way from ,madrid to ,seville2 he was of the ,missionaries1 and was going to the ,philippine ,islands to conquer 7para conquistar71 for such was his word1 by which ,i suppose he meant preaching to the ,indians4 ,during the whole journey he exhibited every symptom of the most abject fear1 which operated upon him so that he became deadly sick1 so that we were obliged to stop twice in the road and lay him amongst the green corn4 ,he said that if he fell into the hands of the factious he was a lost priest1 for that they would first make him say mass and then blow him up with gunpowder4 ,he had been a professor of philosophy1 as he told me1 in one of the convents 7,i think it was ,san ,tomas7 of ,madrid1 before their suppression1 but appeared to be grossly ignorant of the ,scripture1 which he confounded with the works of ,virgil4 ,we stopped at ,manzanares as usual2 it was ,sunday morning and the market was crowded with people4 ,i was recognised in a moment1 and twenty pairs of legs instantly hurried away in quest of the prophetess1 who presently made her appearance in the house to which we had retired to breakfast4 ,after many greetings on both sides1 she proceeded in her admirable ,latin to give me an account of all that had occurred in the village since ,i had last been there1 and of the atrocities of the factious in the neighbourhood4 ,i asked her to breakfast and introduced her to the friar whom she addressed in this manner2 ,anne ,domine ,reverendissime facis adhuc sacrificium8 ,but the friar did not understand her1 and waxing angry anathematized her for a witch and bade her begone4 ,she was however not to be disconcerted1 and commenced singing in extemporary ,castilian verse the praises of friars and religious houses in general4 ,on departing ,i gave her a peseta1 upon which she burst into tears and entreated that ,i would write to her if ,i reached ,seville in safety4 ,we did arrive at ,seville in safety1 and ,i took leave of the friar telling him that ,i hoped to meet him again at ,philippi4 ,i must now be brief4 ,in a few days ,antonio arrived with the horses4 ,difficulties now began to show themselves4 ,all the ,testaments were stopped at the custom house1 they were contained in two large chests3 but ,i now know ,spain and the ,spaniards4 ,for a few dollars ,i procured a fiador or person who engaged that the chests should be carried down the river and embarked at ,san ,lucar for a foreign land4 ,yesterday ,i hired a boat and sent them down1 but on the way ,i landed in a secure place all the ,testaments which ,i intend for this part of the country4 ,the chests therefore1 with the copies required for ,tangiers and ,england1 with the hundred ,gospels in ,gitano and ,basque for the ,library of the ,bible ,society1 are at present at ,san ,lucar in the custom house1 from which ,i expect to receive to-morrow the receipt which the authorities here demand1 and which will be necessary for the security of my voucher4 ,indeed the whole affair1 though attended with considerable trouble and expense to me1 was a mere formality1 as ,i was given to understand4 ,i was myself treated with the greatest politeness1 and was told that my intentions were known and honoured4 ,late last night ,antonio and myself returned from an excursion on foot1 bringing beneath our cloaks1 as if they were smuggled goods1 a considerable number of ,testaments2 our path lay along the banks of the ,guadalquivir1 the rain poured and the river roared1 and by the time we reached ,seville we were wet through and covered with mud from head to foot4 ,to-day ,i am laid up1 being so stiff and sore that ,i can hardly move2 but anything for the ,gospel's sake4 ,it is my opinion1 and ,i am not one of those who hazard an opinion rashly1 that much may be accomplished in this place1 which1 though by no means the most populous and wealthy1 is the most interesting town in all ,spain1 and stands beneath the most glorious heaven1 and amidst the most delightful environs2 but to effect anything1 patience must be exhibited and prudence employed1 and much of both4 ,consider my situation here4 ,i am in a city by nature very ,levitical1 as it contains within it the most magnificent and splendidly endowed cathedral of any in ,spain4 ,i am surrounded by priests and friars1 who know and hate me1 and who1 if ,i commit the slightest act of indiscretion1 will halloo their myrmidons against me4 ,the press is closed to me1 the libraries are barred against me1 ,i have no one to assist me but my hired servant1 no pious ,english families to comfort or encourage me1 the ,british subjects here being ranker papists and a hundred times more bigoted than the ,spanish themselves1 the consul a renegade ,quaker4 ,yet notwithstanding1 with ,god's assistance ,i will do much1 though silently1 burrowing like the mole in darkness beneath the ground4 ,those who have triumphed in ,madrid1 and in the two ,castiles where the difficulties were seven times greater1 are not to be dismayed by priestly frowns at ,seville4 ,all ,i dread is the imprudence of very excellent people1 whose aim is good1 but who are doing exactly what is calculated to further the views of the enemy4 ,i wish they could be brought to see the absolute necessity of changing their system4 ,i suppose you heard of the affair of ,cadiz4 ,i have of late written several letters home1 which ,i wish may have been received as they contain information which ,i think will be considered of importance2 nevertheless as the road to ,france has for some time past been in the hands of the ,carlists1 it is very possible that they may have miscarried4 ,i shall therefore take the liberty of telling you that about a thousand ,testaments have been sold1 and all the ,bibles1 to the amount of #dfc1 since my return to the ,peninsula4 ,i shall be happy to receive a letter from you as soon as possible3 you can direct either to my lodgings at ,madrid1 or to ,posada de la ,reyna1 ,calle ,gimios1 ,sevilla4 ,pray excuse this letter1 it is badly written1 with a bad pen and with bad ink4 ,i am moreover sick and in pain4 ,present my respects to ,mr4 ,jowett1 ,mr4 ,browne1 and all friends1 not forgetting ,dr4 ,steinkopff1 to whom ,i shortly hope to write4 7,,unsigned47 ,to the ,rev4 ,g4 ,browne 7,endorsed3 recd4 ,july #a1 #ahci7 ,,seville1 ,,plazuela ,,de ,,la ,,pila ,,seca1 ,no4 #g1 ,june #ab1 #ahci4 ,,revd4 ,,and ,,dear ,,sir1--,i received in due course of time your exceedingly kind letter of the #afth ,april1 and am very grateful for the various intelligence which you were pleased to communicate4 ,i should have replied ere this2 but ,i am one of those1 as ,i believe you are aware1 who are averse to writing1 especially from a considerable distance1 unless they possess matter of sufficient consequence to fill creditably the pages of an epistle4 ,i could wish that at the present moment ,i had more to write upon1 and more interesting details to send you than these which follow4 ,for two or three weeks after my arrival at ,seville ,i was unable to accomplish anything1 on account of the seizure of the books1 with which you are doubtless acquainted4 ,i however by the assistance of the ,almighty1 for which ,i prayed1 was enabled1 though not without considerable trouble1 to overcome that difficulty1 and to obtain all the ,testaments of which ,i was in need1 to the number of two hundred and upwards4 ,but still ,i commenced not operations2 indeed ,i was quite at a loss1 being in a strange place and under very peculiar circumstances1 to imagine the best course to pursue4 ,i therefore waited with perfect patience until it should please ,providence to assist me1 and true it is that help came in rather a remarkable manner4 ,i was standing in the courtyard of the ,reyna posada1 where for the time ,i had taken up my abode1 when a man singularly dressed and gigantically tall entered4 ,my curiosity being excited1 ,i enquired of the master of the house who he was1 when he informed me that he was a foreigner who had resided a considerable time in ,seville1 and he believed a ,greek4 ,upon hearing this ,i instantly went up to the stranger1 and accosted him in the ,greek language in which1 though ,i speak it very ill1 ,i can make myself understood4 ,he replied in the same idiom1 and1 flattered by the interest which ,i a foreigner expressed for his nation1 was not slow in communicating to me his history4 ,he told me1 that his name was ,dionysius2 that he was a native of ,cephalonia1 and had been educated for the ,church1 which however not suiting his temper1 he had abandoned in order to follow the profession of the sea1 for which he had an early inclination2 that after many adventures and changes of fortune he found himself one morning on the coast of ,spain--a shipwrecked mariner2 and that1 ashamed to return to his own country in poverty and distress1 he had remained in the ,peninsula1 residing chiefly at ,seville1 where he now carried on a small trade in books4 ,he said that he was of the ,greek religion1 to which he professed strong attachment1 and soon discovering that ,i was a ,protestant1 spoke with unbounded abhorrence of the ,papal system1 nay of its followers in general1 whom he called ,latins1 and whom he charged with the ruin of his own country1 inasmuch as they sold it to the ,turk4 ,it instantly struck me that this individual would be an excellent assistant in the work which had brought me to ,seville1 namely the propagation of the eternal ,gospel2 and accordingly after some more conversation1 in which he exhibited considerable learning1 ,i explained myself to him4 ,he entered into my views with considerable eagerness2 and hitherto ,i have had no reason to repent my confidence1 he having disposed of a considerable number of ,new ,testaments1 and even contrived to send a certain number of copies to two small towns1 at some distance from ,seville4 ,on account of the extreme dearness of every article at the posada1 where moreover ,i had a suspicion that ,i was watched1 ,i removed with my servant and horses to an empty house in a solitary part of the town1 where ,i still am1 and where ,i purpose to remain during my stay in ,andalusia4 ,here ,i live in the greatest privacy1 admitting no person but two or three in whom ,i have the greatest confidence1 who entertain the same views as myself and who assist me in the circulation of the ,gospel4 ,one of these is a very remarkable person3 an aged professor of music1 by birth an old ,castilian1 and one of the very few who retain traces of the ancient ,spanish character1 which with all its faults1 its stiffness1 its formality1 and its pride1 ,i believe 7always setting the character of the ,christian aside7 to be the most estimable and trustworthy in the world4 ,this venerable individual has just brought me the price of six ,testaments and a ,gypsy ,gospel1 which he has this day sold under the heat of an ,andalusian sun4 ,what was his motive8 ,a ,christian one1 truly4 ,he says that his unfortunate countrymen1 who are at present robbing and murdering each other1 may probably be rendered better by the reading of the ,gospel1 but cannot be injured3 adding1 that many a man has been reformed by the ,scripture but that no one ever yet became a thief or assassin from its perusal4 ,i have not yet addressed myself much to the lower orders in these parts4 ,indeed the quantity of books1 at my disposal1 at present remaining unsold in ,spain is so small1 that ,i am almost tempted to be niggard of them1 lest in an unprovided hour an extraordinary call should be made4 ,however1 before leaving ,seville1 it will be well to pay some attention to the poor4 ,i have an agent awaiting my orders1 another ,greek1 introduced to me by ,dionysius2 he is a labouring brick-layer1 a native of the ,morea1 and has been upwards of thirty-five years in this country1 so that he has almost entirely lost his native language2 nevertheless his attachment to his own country is so strong1 that he considers whatever is not ,greek to be utterly barbarous and bad4 ,though entirely destitute of education he has1 by his strength of character and by a kind of rude eloquence which he possesses1 obtained such a mastery over the minds of the labouring classes of ,seville that to everything he asserts they assent1 however his assertions may shock their prejudices and ,spanish pride2 so that notwithstanding he is a foreigner he may at any time become the ,masaniello of ,seville4 ,i am happy to be able to add that he is an honest1 industrious man notwithstanding his eccentricities1 so that should ,i employ him1 which ,i have not yet resolved upon1 ,i may entertain perfect confidence that his actions will be no disparagement to the book he vends4 ,we are continually pressed for ,bibles1 which of course we cannot supply2 ,testaments are held in comparatively little esteem4 ,allow me to make here a remark which it is true ,i ought to have made three years ago2 but we live and learn4 ,it is unwise to print ,testaments1 and ,testaments alone for ,catholic countries4 ,the reason is plain4 ,the ,catholic1 unused to ,scripture reading1 finds a thousand things which he cannot possibly understand in the ,new ,testament1 the foundation of which is the ,old4 ',search the ,scriptures1 for they bear witness to ,me1' may well be applied to this point4 ,it may be replied that ,new ,testaments separate are in great demand and of infinite utility in ,england4 ,but ,england1 thanks be to the ,lord1 is not ,spain2 and though an ,english labourer may read a ,testament and derive from it the most blessed fruit1 it does not follow that a ,spanish peasant will enjoy similar success1 as he will find many dark things with which the other is well acquainted and competent to understand1 being versed in the ,bible history from his childhood4 ,i confess however that in the campaign of last summer we could not have accomplished with ,bibles what ,providence permitted us to do with ,testaments1 the former being far too bulky for rural journeys4 ,in conclusion1 ,i am glad to be able to say that one of my principal reasons for leaving ,madrid was an inability to answer the pressing demands for ,bibles which came pouring upon me every instant1 and to which every person in the house where ,i lived can bear witness4 ,let the ,revd4 ,doctor ,wiseman get over this fact1 who in his unchristian and unfounded attack on the ,bible ,society has stated that it cannot dispose of its books at any price1 nor indeed get rid of them gratis6 ,dear ,mrs4 ,browne shall have her letter4 ,g4 ,b4 ,p4,s4 ,i have just received ,mr4 ,brandram's epistle4 ,present to him my best thanks for it1 and above all for the remarks1 which ,i will remember4 ,pray let him send me the ,pamphlet of the ,t4 ,s4 ,i wish to see their observations on the ,vulgate4 ,likewise the other papers4 ,to the ,rev4 ,a4 ,brandram 7,endorsed3 recd4 ,july #ae1 #ahci7 ,,seville1 ,,plazuela ,,de ,,la ,,pila ,,seca1 ,no4 #g1 #bh ,june #ahci4 ,,revd4 ,,and ,,dear ,,sir1--,i received your letter of the #bbnd ,may1 and likewise ,mr4 ,jackson's of the #eth ,june1 containing the conclusion of the ,annual ,report1 which you were so kind as to send me4 ,i wish in the first place to say a few words1 which some passages in your communication suggest4 ,think not ,i pray you that any observation of yours respecting style1 or any peculiarities of expression which ,i am in the habit of exhibiting in my correspondence1 can possibly awaken in me any feeling but that of gratitude1 knowing so well as ,i do the person who offers them1 and the motives by which he is influenced4 ,i have reflected on those passages which you were pleased to point out as objectionable1 and have nothing to reply further than that ,i have erred1 that ,i am sorry1 and will endeavour to mend1 and that moreover ,i have already prayed for assistance so to do4 ,allow me however to offer a word not in excuse but in explanation of the expression 'wonderful good fortune' which appeared in a former letter of mine4 ,it is clearly objectionable1 and1 as you very properly observe1 savours of pagan times4 ,but ,i am sorry to say that ,i am much in the habit of repeating other people's sayings without weighing their propriety4 ,the saying was not mine3 but ,i heard it in conversation and thoughtlessly repeated it4 ,a few miles from ,seville ,i was telling the courier of the many perilous journeys which ,i had accomplished in ,spain in safety1 and for which ,i thanked the ,lord4 ,his reply was3 ',la mucha suerte de ,usted tambien nos ha acompanado en este viage4' ,your reply to the ,trinitarian ,society1 for ,i suppose that it was written by you1 afforded me the highest satisfaction4 ,i admired its tone and spirit1 and said at the time that a more convincing piece of reasoning had never been penned on any subject4 ,the case of ,luther and the early ,reformers1 who were converted from the errors of ,popery by the perusal of the ,vulgate1 the book of the ,popish ,church1 is certainly exceedingly strong2 as it at once does away with any argument which may be raised against the propriety of circulating versions made from it4 ,perhaps it would have been as well to add that the ,lollards' ,bible1 the book which converted ,england1 was a literal translation from the ,vulgate and not from the original tongues1 which1 as is well knows1 ,wickliffe did not understand4 ,those who decry the ,vulgate should please to remember that1 though adopted by the ,popish ,church1 its foundation was laid before ,popery existed1 and that before criticising a book it is desirable to have read it4 ,there are faults in the ,vulgate1 indeed far too many2 but ,i believe them to be more the result of infirmity than malice1 all the heavy and strong texts most dangerous to the ,papal system appearing in it uncurtailed and unmodified4 ,no people dread the ,vulgate more than the ,papists themselves1 which they know to be a terrible two-edged sword which will cut off their hands if they handle it4 ,i now beg leave to send you an extract of a letter which ,i received yesterday morning from ,madrid4 ,it is from my landlady1 who is my agent there1 and ,i consider it to be my duty to communicate it to the ,society1 as ,i consider that it speaks volumes as to the state of affairs in the capital and the spirit of enquiry abroad2 at the same time ,i presume not to offer any comment upon it4 ,the rest of the letter treats of indifferent matters4 ',the binder has brought me eight ,bibles1 which he has contrived to make up out of the sheets gnawn by the rats1 and which would have been necessary even had they amounted to eight thousand 7y era necesario se puvieran vuelto #hjjj71 #dbb;a because the people are innumerable who come to seek more4 ,don ,santiago has been here with some friends1 who insisted upon having a part of them4 ,the ,aragonese gentleman has likewise been1 he who came before your departure and bespoke twenty-four4 ,he now wants twenty-five4 ,i begged them to take ,testaments1 but they would not4' #dbb;b ,we go on selling ,testaments at ,seville in a quiet satisfactory manner4 ,we have just commenced offering the book to the poor4 ,that most remarkable individual1 ,johannes ,chrysostom1 the ,greek bricklayer1 being the agent whom we employ4 ,i confess that we might sell more than we at present do1 were we to press the matter2 but we are cautious1 and moreover our stock of ,testaments is waning apace4 ,two or three ladies of my acquaintance occasionally dispose of some amongst their friends1 but they say that they experience some difficulty1 the cry for ,bibles being great4 ,dionysius also tells me that for every ,testament which he sells he could dispose of with ease fifty ,bibles4 ,within a few weeks ,i propose to cross the water to ,ceuta and ,tangiers with part of the books at present in embargo at ,san ,lucar4 ,i shall take the liberty of giving you a full and minute description of the state of those places1 the first of which has1 ,i believe1 never been visited by any one bearing the ,gospel4 ,when ,i consider the immensity of what remains to be done1 even in this inconsiderable portion of the globe1 before wretched mortals can be brought to any sense of their lost and fallen state1 ,i invariably lose all hope of anything efficient being accomplished by human means1 unless it shall please the ,almighty to make of straws and rushes weapons capable of cleaving the adamantine armour of superstition and unbelief4 ,it is eight o'clock at night1 and ,johannes ,chrysostom has ,i just arrived from his labour4 ,i have not spoken to him2 but ,i hear him below in the courtyard detailing to ,antonio the progress he has made in the last two days4 ,he speaks barbarous ,greek1 plentifully interlarded with ,spanish words2 but ,i gather from his discourse that he has already sold twelve ,testaments among his fellow-labourers4 ,i hear copper coin falling on the stones and ,antonio1 who is not of a very ,christian temper1 reproving him for not having brought the proceeds of the sale in silver4 ,he now asks for fifteen ,testaments more1 as he says the demand is becoming great1 and that he shall have no difficulty in disposing of them in the course of the morrow whilst pursuing his occupations4 ,antonio goes to fetch them1 and he now stands alone by the little marble fountain1 singing a wild song1 which ,i believe to be a hymn of his beloved ,greek ,church4 ,behold one of the helpers which the ,lord has sent me in my ,gospel labours on the shores of the ,guadalquivir4 ,should you wish to transmit to me any part of the ,report1 ,i should conceive that you had best direct it to the care of ,mr4 ,brackenbury at ,cadiz1 on whom ,i propose to call on my way to ,ceuta1 etc4 ,as for ,cadiz itself1 ,i have no intention of attempting to do any thing there1 at least for the present4 ,after a great deal of gloomy and unsettled weather the genuine ,andalusian summer has come upon us at last4 ,the brilliancy of the sun and the azure of the heavens are perfectly indescribable4 ,the people here complain sadly of the heat1 but as for myself1 ,i luxuriate in it1 like the butterflies which hover about the macetas1 or flowerpots1 in the court4 ,hoping that you will present my remembrances to ,mrs4 ,brandram1 and likewise to all other dear friends1 ,i remain ,revd4 and dear ,sir1 yours truly1 ,,george ,,borrow4 ,to the ,rev4 ,a4 ,brandram 7,endorsed3 recd4 ,aug4 #e1 #ahci7 ,,seville1 ,no4 #g ,,plazuela ,,de ,,la ,,pila ,,seca1 #ahth ,july #ahci4 ,,revd4 ,,and ,,dear ,,sir1--,as ,i am about to leave ,seville in a few days for ,san ,lucar1 ,tangiers1 and ,ceuta1 ,i wish before setting out to send a word or two in order that you may be acquainted with the state of matters up to the present moment4 ,our work is concluded here for the season1 and for the very efficient reason that ,i have no more ,testaments to sell1 somewhat more than two hundred having been circulated since my arrival4 ,a poor ,genoese1 the waiter at a ,swiss ordinary1 has just been with me requesting a dozen1 which he says have been bespoken by people who frequent the house1 but ,i have been obliged to send him away1 it not being in my power to supply him4 ,about ten days since ,i was visited by various alguacils1 headed by the ,alcalde del ,barrio1 or headborough1 who made a small seizure of ,testaments and ,gypsy ,gospels which happened to be lying about4 ,this visit was far from being disagreeable to me1 as ,i considered it to be a very satisfactory proof of the effect of our exertions in ,seville4 ,i cannot help here relating to you an anecdote4 ,a day or two subsequent1 having occasion to call at the house of the headborough to complain of an act of dishonesty which had been committed by my porters1 ,i found him lying on his bed1 for it was the hour of the siesta1 reading intently one of the very ,testaments which he had taken away--all of which1 if he had obeyed his orders1 he would have deposited in the office of the ,civil ,governor4 ,so intently indeed was he engaged in his reading that he did not at first observe my entrance2 when he did1 however1 he sprang up in great confusion1 and locked the book up in his cabinet2 whereupon ,i smiled and told him to be under no alarm1 as ,i was glad to see him so usefully employed4 ,recovering himself he said that he had read the book nearly through1 and that he had found no harm in it1 but on the contrary everything to praise1 adding that he believed that the clergy must be possessed with devils 7endemoniados7 to persecute it in the manner which they did4 ,it was ,sunday when the seizure was made1 and ,i happened to be reading the ,liturgy4 ,one of the alguacils when going away made an observation respecting the very different manner in which the ,protestants and ,catholics keep the ,sabbath1 the former being in their houses reading good books1 and the latter abroad in the bull ring1 seeing the wild bulls tearing out the gory bowels of the poor horses4 ,the bull amphitheatre at ,seville is1 as you perhaps may have heard1 the finest in all ,spain1 and is invariably on a ,sunday1 the only day in which it is open1 filled with applauding multitudes4 ,i am happy to be able to say that the soil of ,spain is now tolerably well broken up1 and to a certain degree prepared for the labours of any future missionaries bearing the blessed ,bible1 who may visit this interesting part of the world4 ,we have had considerable difficulty hitherto in circulating ,testaments1 and we have merely been enabled to scatter about the thousands1 which are now being read1 by very extraordinary exertions4 ,nevertheless when ,i take a large view of the subject ,i feel inclined to believe that we were right in commencing our labours in the interior of ,spain by printing an edition of the ,new ,testament at ,madrid4 ,i much doubt whether the astonishing demand for the ,bible1 which almost compelled me to leave the capital1 and which now shows itself at ,seville and other places1 for example1 ,burgos1 ,valladolid1 and ,saint ,james of ,galicia1 to the great mortification of the ,popish clergy1 would have arisen but for the appearance of the ,new ,testament which awaked in people's minds the desire of possessing the entire ,scripture4 ,with great humility1 however1 ,i feel disposed to advise that provided at any future time the ,society should think itself called upon to recommence its exertions here in the cause of a crucified ,saviour1 it employ1 as its mighty instrument the ,bible1 the entire blessed ,bible2 having nevertheless always ready for distribution a certain quantity of ,testaments1 the wishes of weak human beings being influenced by such strange causes that it is probable that were it known at ,madrid1 or in other places1 that there was a dearth of ,testaments1 the demand for the same would instantly become greater than for the entire ,bible4 ,a few days since ,i received a communication from my correspondent at ,saint ,james at ,galicia1 old ,rey ,romero1 whom ,i have mentioned on a former occasion when residing there4 ,the good old man has sent me in his account1 by which it appears that #aae copies of the ,new ,testament were sold at ,saint ,james between the months of ,august #ahcg and ,may #ahch1 at which time the further sale of the work was forbidden1 and #ce copies1 which remained unsold1 placed in embargo4 ,the balance of the account in our favour is #iej reals after deducting all expenses4 ,i shall preserve this letter with care1 as ,i attach some importance to it4 ,who has not heard of ,saint ,james of ,compostella1 the temple of the great image of the patron of ,spain1 and the most favourite resort in the world of benighted ,popish pilgrims8 ,nevertheless #aae copies of the pure unadulterated ,word of ,god were purchased there in a few months at the high price of ten reals each4 ,i humbly beg leave to refer you to my account of that remarkable place1 and to hope that in the statement of proceedings in ,spain it will not be forgotten4 #fd copies1 it appears1 were also sold in the small town of ,lugo1 also in ,galicia1 and #ef at ,leon1 the capital of the ancient kingdom of the same name1 and which perhaps may be considered as the least enlightened and most fanatic place in all ,spain4 ,by advice from ,madrid from ,mrs4 ,maria ,diaz1 whom ,i charged with the care of the property of the ,bible ,society in that place1 it appears that there remain unsold3-- ,of ,testaments1 #ifb ,of ,gospels in the ,gypsy tongue1 #bhf ,of ditto in ,basque1 #cid ,the quantity of ,testaments would not have been so large had ,i not recovered before leaving ,madrid upwards of two hundred1 which had been placed in embargo at ,santander and subsequently removed to the capital4 ,on a rough account1 therefore1 ,i should say that about three thousand have been sold during the last twelve months in the interior of ,spain1 for which ,i give praise to ,god with the humility and gratitude due4 ,of those which remain ,i should wish to be permitted on my return from my present expedition to circulate some in ,la ,mancha1 especially at ,manzanares and ,valdepenas4 ,the state of that province is truly horrible2 it appears peopled partly with spectres and partly with demons4 ,there is famine1 and such famine2 there is assassination1 and such unnatural assassination4 ,there you see soldiers and robbers1 ghastly lepers and horrible and uncouth maimed and blind1 exhibiting their terrible nakedness in the sun4 ,i was prevented last year in carrying the ,gospel amongst them4 ,may ,i be more successful this4 ,i now beg leave to conclude my tedious letter with requesting that you will be kind enough to send the enclosed communication to my friend in ,russia4 ,i hope you will pardon the trouble ,i am giving you1 but ,i have no other resource1 as there is no direct mode of communication between ,russia and ,spain4 ,present my kind remembrances to dear ,mr4 ,jowett and other friends1 and believe me to remain1 ,revd4 and dear ,sir1 ,ever truly yours1 ,g4 ,b4 ,to the ,rev4 ,a4 ,brandram 7,endorsed3 recd4 ,oct4 #g1 #ahci7 ,,tangiers1 ,september #d1 #ahci4 ,,revd4 ,,and ,,dear ,,sir1--,i have now been nearly one month in this place1 and should certainly have written to you before had ,i possessed any secure means of despatching a letter2 but there is no mail from ,tangiers to any part of the world1 so that when writing one is obliged to have recourse to the disagreeable necessity of confiding letters to individuals who chance to be going to ,gibraltar to be put into the post there1 who not unfrequently lose or forget them4 ,one which ,i wrote for ,spain has already miscarried1 which circumstance makes me cautious4 ,i will now relate the leading events which have occurred to me since my departure from ,seville1 observing however that ,i have kept a regular journal1 which on the first opportunity ,i shall transmit for the satisfaction of my friends at home4 ,you are already aware that ,i had determined to carry the ,scripture in ,spanish to the ,christian families established on the sea-coast of ,barbary1 and more especially ,tangiers1 the ,spanish language being in general use among them1 whether ,spaniards by birth or ,genoese1 ,french or ,english4 ,to enable me to do this1 having no copies of the sacred volume at ,seville1 ,i determined to avail myself of a certain number of ,testaments in embargo at the custom-house of ,san ,lucar a town at the mouth of the ,guadalquivir1 forming part of the stock seized by order of the ,government and which ,i had been officially requested to remove from ,spain4 ,i started from ,seville on the night of the #cast of ,july in one of the steamers which ply upon the ,guadalquivir1 arriving at ,san ,lucar early in the morning4 ,i shall now make an extract from my journal1 relative to the ,testaments4 ',it will be as well here to curtail what relates to these books1 otherwise the narrative might be considerably embarrassed4 ,they consisted of a chest of ,testaments in ,spanish1 and a small box of ,saint ,luke's ,gospel in the ,gitano or language of the ,spanish ,gypsies4 ,i obtained them from the custom-house of ,san ,lucar with a pass for that of ,cadiz4 ,at ,cadiz ,i was occupied two days1 and also a person whom ,i employed1 in going through all the required formalities and in procuring the necessary papers4 ,the expense was great1 as money was demanded at every step ,i took1 though ,i was simply complying with the orders of the ,spanish ,government in removing prohibited books from ,spain4 ,the farce did not end till after my arrival at ,gibraltar1 where ,i paid the ,spanish consul a dollar for certifying on the back of the pass that the books had arrived1 which pass ,i was obliged to send back to ,cadiz4 ,it is true that he never saw the books nor enquired about them2 but he received the money1 for which alone he seemed to be anxious4 ',whilst at the custom-house of ,san ,lucar1 ,i was asked one or two questions respecting the books contained in the chests2 this afforded me some opportunity of speaking of the ,new ,testament and the ,bible ,society4 ,what ,i said excited attention1 and presently all the officers and dependents of the house1 great and small1 were gathered around me1 from the governor to the porter4 ,as it was necessary to open the boxes to inspect their contents1 we all proceeded to the courtyard where1 holding a ,testament in my hand1 ,i recommenced my discourse4 ,i scarcely know what ,i said1 for ,i was much agitated and hurried away by my feelings1 when ,i bethought me of the manner in which the ,word of ,god was persecuted in the unhappy kingdom of ,spain4 ,my words however evidently made impression1 and to my astonishment every person present pressed me for a copy4 ,i sold several within the walls of the custom-house4 ,the object1 however1 of most attention was the ,gypsy ,gospel1 which was minutely examined amidst smiles and exclamations of surprise1 some individual every now and then crying ',cosas de los ,ingleses4' ,a bystander asked me whether ,i could speak the ,gitano language4 ,i replied that ,i could not only speak it but write it1 and instantly made a speech of about five minutes in the ,gypsy tongue1 which ,i had no sooner concluded than all clapped their hands1 and simultaneously shouted1 ',cosas de los ,ingleses6 ,cosas de los ,ingleses6' ,i disposed of several ,gypsy ,gospels likewise1 and having now settled the business which brought me to the custom-house1 ,i saluted my new friends and departed with my books4 ',i strolled from the inn to view the town4 ,it was past noon1 and the heat was exceedingly fierce 4 4 4 ,i became tired of gazing1 and was retracing my steps1 when ,i was accosted by two ,gypsies1 men who by some means had heard of my arrival4 ,we exchanged some words in ,gitano1 but they appeared to be very ignorant of the language1 and utterly unable to maintain a conversation in it4 ,they were clamorous for a gabicote1 or book1 in ,gypsy4 ,i refused it them1 saying that they could turn it to no profitable account2 and learning that they could read1 promised them each a ,testament in ,spanish4 ,this offer1 however1 they refused with disdain1 saying that they cared for nothing written in the language of the ,busne or ,gentiles4 ,they then persisted in their demand1 to which ,i at last yielded1 being unable to resist their importunity2 whereupon they accompanied me to the inn1 and received what they so ardently desired4' ,i arrived at ,cadiz on the second day of ,august1 when ,i waited upon ,mr4 ,brackenbury1 the ,british consul-general4 ,his house1 which is the corner one at the entrance of the ,alameda or public walk1 enjoys a noble prospect of the bay1 and is very large and magnificent4 ,i had of course long been acquainted with ,mr4 ,b4 by reputation4 ,i knew that for many years he had filled with advantage to his native country and with honour to himself the distinguished and highly responsible situation which he holds in ,spain4 ,i knew likewise that he was a good and pious ,christian1 and moreover the firm and enlightened friend of the ,bible ,society4 ,of all this ,i was aware2 but ,i had never enjoyed the advantage of being personally acquainted with him4 ,i saw him now indeed for the first time4 ,i was much struck with his appearance2 there is much dignity in his countenance1 which is1 however1 softened by an expression of good humour truly captivating and engaging4 ,his manner is frank and affable in the extreme4 ,i am not going to enter into minute details of our interview1 which was a very interesting one to myself4 ,he knew already the leading parts of my history since my arrival in ,spain1 and made several comments thereon which displayed his intimate knowledge of the situation of ,spain1 as regards ecclesiastical matters1 and the state of opinion respecting religious innovation4 ,i was flattered to find that his ideas in many points accorded with my own1 and we were both decidedly of opinion that1 notwithstanding the great persecution and outcry which had lately been raised against the ,gospel1 the battle was by no means lost in ,spain1 and that we might yet hope to see the holy cause triumph4 ,during my stay at ,cadiz ,i experienced every kind of hospitality from ,mr4 ,b4 and his charming family4 ,upon my departure he supplied me with a letter of introduction to ,mr4 ,hay1 the ,british consul at ,tangiers1 which ,i have since learned was most flattering to myself and worded in the most energetic manner4 ,i quitted ,cadiz on the morning of ,sunday1 the #dth ,august1 in the steamer ,balear1 arriving at ,gibraltar on the evening of the same day4 ,nothing particular occurred to me during my stay at ,gibraltar1 where ,i engaged my passage on board a small trading vessel for ,tangiers4 ,we were detained by various causes until ,thursday the #hth1 when we sailed about noon1 and assisted by a strong and favourable wind we reached the harbour of ,tangiers before sunset4 ,i was not permitted to go on shore that night1 my passport and bill of health having first to be examined by the authorities4 ,early however on the following morning1 ,mr4 ,hay1 who had received ,mr4 ,brackenbury's letters of introduction1 sent a ,moorish soldier and his own servant to conduct me to his house1 where he received me in the kindest manner4 ,he had already procured me a comfortable lodging in the house of a ,christian woman where ,i have remained ever since my arrival at ,tangiers1 constantly receiving every species of attention and civility from ,mr4 ,hay4 ,tangiers stands on the side of a rather steep hill which rises above the sea4 ,it is a walled town1 and towards the water is defended with batteries mounted with heavy cannon4 ,the streets are very numerous and intersect each other in all directions2 they are narrow and precipitous1 and the houses low1 small and mean4 ,the principal mosque1 or jamma djmah is rather a handsome edifice1 and its tower1 or sumah1 which is built of bricks of various colours1 presents a picturesque appearance when viewed from the sea3 of its interior ,i can of course say little1 as any ,christian who should venture to intrude would be instantly cast forth and probably killed by the populace4 ,about half way up the hill within the town there is a small market-place called in the language of the country soc4 ,it is surrounded with little shops or booths1 in which all kinds of dry fruits1 such as dates1 raisins1 almonds1 and walnuts are exposed for sale1 and also honey1 soap1 sugar1 and such other articles of grocery4 ,these little shops are not in general kept by ,moors1 but by people from the country of ,suz1 who speak a different language from the ,moors1 and are of a different race1 being a branch of the ,berber stem2 they are the grocers of ,barbary and are1 in comparison with the ,moors1 an honest1 peaceable1 and industrious people4 ,the castle of the ,governor stands at the northern extremity of ,tangiers1 on the top of a high eminence which towers above the town2 its outer walls embrace a very large portion of ground1 which is principally occupied by large edifices in the greatest dilapidation and decay4 ,the castle itself when ,i visited it was undergoing repair1 during the absence of the pasha who has since returned4 ,all its inlets and outlets and also the greatest part of the apartments were choked up with ruins1 rubbish1 and mortar4 ,the courtyard however is very fine1 and is adorned with a fountain distilling limpid water1 which is a rare spectacle in ,tangiers where water is not in abundance4 ,at each end of this court there is a hall of audience1 highly magnificent in its way1 with a roof of rich fretted work in the old ,moorish taste1 such as ,i have seen in the ,alhambra of ,granada1 and in that truly fairy palace the ,alcazar of ,seville4 ,tangiers contains a population of about twenty thousand souls1 of which at least one-third are ,jews3 the ,christian portion does not amount to about two hundred and fifty individuals1 including the various consuls and their families4 ,these latter gentlemen enjoy considerable authority in the town1 so much so that in all disputes between ,moors and ,christians they alone are the judges1 and their decision is law2 they are a very respectable body1 being without one exception exceedingly well-bred gentlemanly individuals1 and several of them1 particularly ,mr ,hay1 the ,british consul-general1 possessed of high literary attainments4 ,they enjoy very large salaries from their respective governments1 varying from ten to sixteen thousand dollars per annum1 so that1 as all the necessaries and indeed many of the luxuries of life may be obtained at a very cheap price at ,tangiers1 they live in a state of magnificence more akin to that of petty kings than consuls in general4 ,the most perfect harmony exists amongst them1 and if1 at any time1 any little dispute occur between two or three of them1 the rest instantly interfere and arrange matters2 and they are invariably united to a man against the slightest infringement of their privileges and immunities on the part of the ,moorish ,government1 and a slight or injury to one is instantly resented by all4 ,the duties of the greatest part of them are far from being onerous1 more especially as each is provided with a vice-consul1 who is also an exceedingly well-bred and very well-paid gentleman4 ,they pass the greatest part of their time in cultivating their delicious gardens1 which1 surrounded by hedges of ksob1 which is a species of gigantic reed1 cover the hills in the vicinity of ,tangiers4 ,their houses1 which are palace-looking buildings in the ,european taste and which contrast strangely with the mean huts of the ,moors1 are all surmounted by a flag-staff1 which on gala days displays the banner of its respective nation4 ,it is curious then to gaze from the castle hill on the town below2 twelve banners are streaming in the wind of the ,levant1 which blows here almost incessantly4 ,one is the bloody flag of the ,moor1 the natural master of the soil2 but the eleven are of foreigners and ,nazarenes1 and are emblems of distant and different people4 ,there floats the meteor banner of ,england beside the dirty rags of ,spain and ,portugal4 ,there the pride of ,naples1 of ,sardinia1 and ,sweden4 ,there the angry tricolor2 and not far from it the most beautiful of all1 the ,dannebrog of ,denmark1 a white cross gleaming consolingly amidst blood and fire1 as when first seen by ,waldemar2 neighbour to it the ,austrian2 there the ,orange2 and yonder1 far remote from all1 like the country1 the stripes and stars of the ,united ,states4 ,tangiers1 with a ,moorish and ,jewish population1 is not the city either of the ,moor or the ,jew3 it is that of the consuls4 ,were it possible for any unprejudiced and rational being to doubt for a moment that the religion of ,mahomet is a false one and uncalculated to promote the moral and political improvement of mankind1 a slight glance at this ,mahometan country would be sufficient to undeceive him4 ,the ,moors are the most fanatic of all ,mahometans1 and consider the ,turks1 ,persians1 and other followers of the ,desert-,prophet1 as seceders from the severe precepts of their religion4 ,what is their state8 ,they are governed in their towns and provinces by arbitrary despots called ,pashas1 who are accountable to no person but the ,emperor1 whose authority they frequently set at nought1 and who is himself a despot of the most terrible description4 ,their lives1 properties1 and families are perfectly at the disposal of these men1 who decapitate1 imprison1 plunder1 and violate as their inclination tempts them4 ,in this country it is every person's interest1 however wealthy1 to exhibit an appearance of abject poverty2 as the suspicion of wealth instantly produces from the ,sultan or ,pasha a demand for some large sum1 which must be forthwith paid or decapitation or torture are the severe alternatives4 ,here justice is indeed an empty name1 the most atrocious criminals escaping unpunished if able to offer a bribe sufficient to tempt the cupidity of those whose duty it is to administer it4 ,here money is sought after with insatiable avidity by great and small1 for its own sake1 and not for what it will produce4 ,it is piled up in the treasury or is buried underground1 according to the situation in life of its possessors4 ,in this land there is neither public peace or individual security2 no one travels a league but at the extreme danger of his life1 and war is continually raging not against foreign enemies but amongst the people themselves4 ,the ,sultan collects armies and marches against this or that province1 which is sure to be in a state of rebellion2 if successful1 a thousand heads are borne before him on his return in ghastly triumph on the lances of his warriors2 and if vanquished1 his own not unfrequently blackens in the sun above the gate of some town or village4 ,here truth and good faith are utterly unknown1 friendship exists not1 nor kindly social intercourse2 here pleasure is sought in the practice of abominations or in the chewing of noxious and intoxicating drugs2 here men make a pomp and a parade of their infamy2 and the cavalcade which escorts with jealous eye the wives and concubines of the potentate on a march or journey is also charged with the care of his zammins1 the unfortunate youths who administer to his fouler passions4 ,such is the moral1 and the political state of ,morocco6 ,such are the fruits of a religion which is not that of the ,bible4 ,the state of the ,jews in this country is in every respect pitiable4 ,it is one of great thraldom1 yet is nevertheless far superior to what it was previous to the accession of the present monarch ,muley ,abd al ,rahman to the throne2 before that period they enjoyed scarcely any of the rights of human beings1 and were plundered1 beaten1 and maimed by the ,moslems at pleasure4 ,as the ,moors of ,barbary are the most fanatic amongst the ,mahometans1 so are the ,barbary ,jews the most superstitious of their race1 observing in the strictest manner the precepts of the ,talmud and the sages4 ,a great many singular ceremonies and usages are to be found amongst them which are not observed by the ,hebrews in any other part of the world1 more especially at their wedding festivals which are carried on during a period of eleven days1 during which the house which is open to all comers exhibits a continual scene of dancing1 feasting1 and revelry of every description4 ,there is much at these marriages which has served to remind me of those of the ,gitanos of ,spain at which ,i have been frequently present1 especially the riot and waste practised2 for like the ,gitano1 the ,barbary ,jew frequently spends during the days of his wedding not only all that he is possessed of1 but becomes an embarrassed man for the rest of his life by the sums which he is compelled to borrow in order not to incur the opprobrium of appearing mean on so solemn an occasion4 ,the books current among them are the ,bible with the commentaries of the rabbins1 parts of the ,mischna1 and the prayers for all the year2 likewise1 but more rare1 the ,zohar1 which all speak of with unbounded veneration1 though few pretend to understand it4 ,i have not unfrequently seen at their synagogues the ,bible ,society's edition of the ,psalms1 and they appeared to prize it highly4 ,a market is held on every ,thursday and ,sunday morning beyond the walls of ,tangiers in a place called the ,soc de ,barra or outward market-place4 ,thither repair the ,moors from the country1 bringing with them corn1 fruit and other articles1 the productions of their fields and gardens for the consumption of the town4 ,it is my delight to visit this spot which is on the side of a hill1 and sitting down on a stone to gaze4 ,what a singular scene presents itself to the view3 a wild confusion of men and horses1 of donkeys and camels1 of countenances of all hues1 swarthy and black1 livid and pale1 of turbans of all dyes1 white1 green and red1 of ,jewish skull-caps with here and there an ,andalusian hat1 of haiks and gaberdines1 of arrogant ,moors1 indifferent ,europeans and cringing ,hebrews1 the latter walking barefooted in the place where the corn is sold1 which the ,moor says is sacred and unfit to be pressed by the sandals of the dog-,jew4 ,what a hubbub of sounds3 the unearthly cry of the enormous camels and the neighing1 braying1 and bleating of other quadrupeds1 mingled with the discordant jabber of various and strange tongues4 ,i have been in many singular places in the course of my existence1 but certainly in none more so than the ,soc de ,barra of ,tangiers4 ,there is much ,spanish spoken in this place1 especially amongst the ,jews2 it is also generally understood by the ,europeans4 ,the prevalent language however is the ,arabic1 or rather a dialect of it called by some ,mograbbin4 ,i was glad to find that ,i could make myself very well understood with the ,arabic of the ,east1 notwithstanding that it differs in many points from the ,mograbbin1 or language of the ,west4 ,one thing has particularly struck me2 namely that the wild people1 who arrive from the far interior and who perhaps have never before seen a ,european1 invariably understand me best1 and frequently in conversation designate objects with the same words as myself1 which however are not intelligible to the ,moors of the coast4 ,i am by this time exceedingly well known at ,tangiers1 indeed ,i take the best means of being so by entering into discourse with every person4 ,i believe ,i am liked by the ,moors and am certainly treated with much respect by the ,jews amongst whom a report prevails that ,i am a ,polish rabbi4 ,shortly after my arrival ,i was visited by the most wealthy ,jewish merchant of ,tangiers1 who pressed me in the strongest manner to take up my abode at his house1 assuring me that ,i should live at free cost1 and be provided with all the comforts and luxuries which could be procured4 ,i will now proceed to relate what has been accomplished in the cause of the ,gospel since my arrival at ,tangiers4 ,i will endeavour to be as concise as possible1 reserving some particulars until a future occasion4 ,for the first fortnight ,i accomplished nothing1 and indeed attempted nothing in the way of distribution1 being occupied in making myself acquainted with the place and studying the character of its inhabitants4 ,i occasionally spoke to the ,christians1 who are principally ,genoese and ,spanish sailors and their families1 on the subject of religion1 but with the greatest caution1 being unwilling to alarm the two or three friars who reside in what is called the ,spanish convent1 who are the only officiating ,christian priests of the place1 and who might have warned their flock against the heretic intruder4 ,i found1 as ,i had anticipated1 great ignorance among these poor people respecting the most important points of the religion which they profess1 and the ,gospel of ,god they had never seen nor heard of4 ,at the end of the above-mentioned period ,i employed a ,jewish youth to carry the ,testament to their houses and to offer it to them for sale4 ,it is with humble gratitude to the ,lord that ,i am able to state that considerable success crowned our efforts4 ,the blessed ,book is now in the hands of most of the ,christians of ,tangiers1 from the lowest to the highest1 from the fisherman to the consul4 ,one dozen and a half were carried to ,tetuan on speculation1 a town about six leagues from hence2 they will be offered to the ,christians who reside there4 ,other two dozen are on their way to distant ,mogadore4 ,one individual1 a tavern-keeper1 has purchased ,testaments to the number of thirty1 which he says he has no doubt he can dispose of to the foreign sailors1 who stop occasionally at his house4 ,you will be surprised to hear that several amongst the ,jews have purchased copies of the ,new ,testament1 with the intention as they state of improving themselves in ,spanish1 but ,i believe from curiosity4 ,whatever their motive be1 let them but once read this holy ,book and ,i have no fear of their remaining enemies of the ,lamb whom their fathers crucified4 ,i regret that only few can read the ,spanish language1 their law forbidding them to read or write any characters but the ,hebrew4 ,had ,i the ,new ,testament to offer them in the latter tongue1 ,i believe that ,i could dispose of thousands of copies in ,barbary4 ,my work being completed here for the present1 ,i now hasten back to ,seville2 pray write to me speedily directing to the usual place4 ,i remain1 ,revd and dear ,sir1 ,truly yours1 ,g4 ,,borrow4 ,to the ,rev4 ,g4 ,browne 7,endorsed3 recd4 ,oct4 #g1 #ahci7 ,,cadiz1 ,sepr4 #ba #ahci4 ,,revd4 ,,and ,,dear ,,sir ,,and ,,excellent ,,friend1--,i arrived at ,cadiz this morning by a small coasting-vessel1 after undergoing a quarantine of four days at ,tarifa4 ,on calling at ,mr4 ,brackenbury's ,i received your kind communication of the #bith ,july1 acquainting me with the resolution of the ,committee4 ,had ,i been aware of that resolution before my departure for ,tangiers1 ,i certainly should not have gone4 ,my expedition1 however1 was the result of much reflection4 ,i wished to carry the ,gospel to the ,christians of the ,barbary shore who were much in want of it2 and ,i had one hundred and thirty ,testaments at ,san ,lucar which ,i could only make available by exportation4 ,the success which it has pleased the ,lord to yield me in my humble efforts at distribution in ,barbary will1 ,i believe1 prove the best criterion as to the fitness of the enterprise4 ,i stated in my last communication to ,mr4 ,brandram the plan which ,i conceived to be the best for circulating that portion of the edition of the ,new ,testament which remains unsold at ,madrid1 and ,i scarcely needed a stimulant in the execution of my duty4 ,at present however ,i know not what to do2 ,i am sorrowful1 disappointed1 and unstrung4 ,i wish to return to ,england as soon as possible2 but ,i have books and papers at ,madrid which are of much importance to me and which ,i cannot abandon4 ,this perhaps alone prevents me embarking in the next packet4 ,i have moreover brought with me from ,tangiers the ,jewish youth who so powerfully assisted me in that place in the work of distribution4 ,i had hoped to have made him of service in ,spain2 he is virtuous and clever4 ,my servant ,antonio ,i was compelled to send back to ,madrid ere my departure from ,seville on account of his many irregularities4 ,i am almost tempted to ask whether some strange1 some unaccountable delusion does not exist4 ,what should induce me to stay in ,spain1 as you appear to suppose ,i intend8 ,i may1 however1 have misunderstood you4 ,i wish to receive a fresh communication as soon as possible either from yourself or ,mr4 ,brandram2 in the meantime ,i shall go to ,seville1 to which place and to the usual number pray direct4 ,i enclose the last letter which ,i received from the firm of ,o',shea1 from which it will appear that ,i received word missing thirty of the fifty pounds drawn for3 the residue covers the expenses at ,madrid1 of which ,i defray one-half1 the books being deposited at my lodgings4 ,i shall shortly send in my account for the last four months4 ,pray present my kind remembrances to ,mrs4 ,b4 and believe me to remain1 ,revd4 and dear ,sir1 ,ever truly yours1 ,g4 ,b4 ,p4,s4--,best regards also to ,messrs4 ,brandram and ,jowett4 ,i have this moment received a letter from ,seville1 which was awaiting my arrival at the post office4 ,the ,british consul states that the ,bibles in embargo there are at the disposal of the ,society2 this is the work of my friend ,mr4 ,southern at ,madrid1 for had he not exerted his powerful interest in the matter they were lost1 and could not even have been exported4 ,to whom shall ,i send them8 ,to ,gibraltar1 or to ,england8 ,to the ,rev4 ,a4 ,brandram 7,private7 7,endorsed3 recd4 ,octr4 #ad1 #ahci7 ,,seville1 ,,plazuela ,,de ,,la ,,pila ,,seca ,no4 #g1 #bith ,sepr4 #ahci4 ,,revd4 ,,and ,,dear ,,sir1--,i beg leave to return you my best thanks for your kind communication of the #bgth ,aug4 which ,i found awaiting me on my return from ,tangiers1 and for which ,i was already to a certain degree prepared by my dear friend ,mr4 ,browne's letter directed to the care of ,mr4 ,brackenbury at ,cadiz4 ,i shall act up as soon as possible to the ,committee's request1 that ,i take immediate measures for selling the remainder of our ,bible stock in ,spain1 or leaving it in safe custody4 ,i will now tell you in a few words the steps which it appears to me most advisable to take in the present emergency4 ,i shall mount my horses and depart for ,la ,mancha2 where ,i shall take up my abode for a few weeks in a town with which you are already acquainted and where ,i believe ,i have friends1 and to which place ,i shall order a chest of ,testaments to be despatched from ,madrid1 on the receipt of which ,i shall endeavour with the assistance of ,hayim ,ben ,attar to put as many copies as possible into circulation4 ,i have always wished to do something in ,la ,mancha1 which is in every respect the worst part of ,spain4 ,i distinctly see that it must be now or never4 ,god has granted me success in many difficult enterprises3 perhaps it will please ,him to favour me in this4 ,i shall then move upon ,madrid1 and arrange matters in that capital4 ,if ,i may be permitted here to offer my advice1 ,i would strongly recommend that four hundred copies of the ,new ,testament be left there in deposit1 with those of ,saint ,luke in ,gypsy and ,basque which remain unsold4 ,of the former ,gospel1 indeed1 there are not many1 nearly one hundred copies having been circulated amongst the ,rommanees of ,andalusia during my present visit4 ,i then purpose to make for ,france1 passing through ,saragossa1 in which place1 which is large and populous1 ,i hope to accomplish some good in the ,lord's cause4 ,this is the outline of my plan1 which ,i shall attempt to put into execution without delay2 though if any one could propose a wiser1 and better adapted to the present circumstances1 ,i shall at once relinquish it4 ,i have just received a communication from ,mr4 ,brackenbury1 in which he has done me the honour to furnish me with a copy of a letter which he has addressed to yourself and in which he has spoken of me4 ,the principal consolation of a person in misfortune is the being able to say1 ',in whatever ,i have done1 ,i have had the glory of ,god at heart'2 and certainly next to this consolation is the knowledge that his deeds and actions meet the approbation of the good1 the wise1 and the distinguished4 ,i wish not to recapitulate what ,i have done1 but ,i beg to be permitted to say that wherever ,i have been ,i have endeavoured to elicit the kindly feelings of my fellow-creatures1 not for my own benefit but for the advancement of the true doctrine4 ,i found ,mr4 ,b4 during my last visit in a state of considerable agitation4 ,he showed me a letter from ,lord4 ,p ,palmerston1 a circular as it appeared1 in which the ,british consuls and their assistants in ,spain are strictly forbidden to afford the slightest countenance to religious agents4 ,what was the cause of this last blow8 ,mr4 ,b4 says it was an ill-advised application made to his ,lordship to interfere with the ,spanish ,government in behalf of a certain individual whose line of conduct needs no comment4 ,there are people in ,spain who remember the time when those very consuls received from a ,british ,ambassador at ,madrid instructions of an exactly contrary character2 but when dead flies fall into the ointment of the apothecary1 they cause it to send forth an unpleasant savour4 ,i am very glad that ,i went to ,tangiers1 for many reasons4 ,in the first place1 ,i was permitted to circulate many copies of ,god's ,word both amongst the ,jews and the ,christians1 by the latter of whom it was particularly wanted1 their ignorance of the most vital points of religion being truly horrible4 ,in the second place1 ,i acquired a vast stock of information concerning ,africa and the state of its interior4 ,one of my principal associates was a black slave1 whose country was only three days' journey from ,timbuctoo1 which place he had frequently visited4 ,the ,soosi men also told me many of the secrets of the land of wonders from which they come1 and the rabbis from ,fez and ,morocco were no less communicative4 ,moreover ,i consider it a great advantage to have obtained the friendship of ,mr4 ,hay1 who is a true ,british gentleman4 ,i found him at first reserved and distant1 and ,i thought averse to countenance the object of my mission4 ,in a few days1 however1 his manner changed surprisingly1 and at my departure he begged me to communicate to the ,bible ,society that at all times and seasons he should be happy to receive its commands1 and to render all the assistance in ,fez and ,morocco which his official situation would permit him1 should the views of the ,society at any future time be directed to those regions4 ,permit me1 my dear ,sir1 to correct in your letter something which savours of inaccuracy4 ,you hint at the issues of the ,scriptures in ,spain having been small4 ,now during the last year ,i have issued three thousand ,testaments and five hundred ,bibles1 which is certainly no small circulation of the ,word of ,god in such a country4 ,but pray inform me why the circulation has not been ten times greater8 ,surely you are aware that among the many peculiarities of my situation was this distressing one1 namely1 that ,i was scarcely ever able to supply the people with the books that they were in want of4 ,they clamoured for ,bibles1 and ,i had nothing but ,testaments to offer them4 ,had ,i been possessed of twenty thousand ,bibles in the spring of the present year1 ,i could have disposed of them all without leaving ,madrid2 and they would have found their way through all ,spain4 ,i beseech you always to bear this fact in mind in your reports to the public1 otherwise that public will remain strangely in the dark respecting the spirit of enquiry which is abroad in ,spain4 ,you are quite right in supposing that ,i entertain a favourable opinion of ,mr4 ,wood4 ,i know him to be a good husband and father1 and a man who fears the ,lord3 he is likewise possessed of considerable ability2 but ,i am entirely unacquainted with any plan which he may have formed respecting printing the ,scriptures in ,spain1 or any memorial which he may have sent in to the ,bible ,society on the subject1 so that of course ,i cannot be expected to express an opinion4 ,it is my intention in a few days to depart from hence on my expedition1 so that should you be desirous of writing to me1 you had perhaps best address to ,madrid4 ,when the ,bible ,society has no further occasion for my poor labours1 ,i hope it will do me justice to the world4 ,i have been its faithful and zealous servant4 ,i shall on a future occasion take the liberty of addressing you as a friend respecting my prospects4 ,i have the materials of a curious book of travels in ,spain2 ,i have enough metrical translations from all languages1 especially the ,celtic and ,sclavonic1 to fill a dozen volumes2 and ,i have formed a vocabulary of the ,spanish ,gypsy tongue1 and also a collection of the songs and poetry of the ,gitanos with introductory essays4 ,perhaps some of these literary labours might be turned to account4 ,i wish to obtain honourably and respectably the means of visiting ,china1 or particular parts of ,africa4 ,i call this letter private1 but communicate such parts of it as you think proper4 7,,unsigned47 ,to the ,rev4 ,a4 ,brandram 7,endorsed3 recd4 ,dec4 #ai1 #ahci7 ,,prison ,,of ,,seville1 ,novr4 #be1 #ahci4 ,,revd4 ,,and ,,dear ,,sir1--,i write these lines as you see from the common prison of ,seville1 to which ,i was led yesterday1 or rather dragged1 neither for murder nor robbery nor debt but simply for having endeavoured to obtain a passport for ,cordova1 to which place ,i was going with my ,jewish servant1 ,hayim ,ben ,attar4 ,it is necessary for me here to give you some information respecting my proceedings since ,i last wrote4 ,i wished to distribute some more ,testaments in ,seville before ,i left the country1 and accordingly procured a considerable number from ,madrid4 ,everything was accomplished with the utmost secrecy1 and the blessed books obtained considerable circulation4 ,i likewise sent agents into the country1 and went myself in my accustomed manner4 ,all went well1 the entire stock which had reached me was circulated1 and ,i rested from my labours for a little time2 for indeed ,i had need of quiet1 being indisposed4 ,some ,english people now came to ,seville and distributed tracts in a very unguarded manner1 knowing nothing of the country or the inhabitants4 ,they were even so unwise as to give tracts instead of money on visiting public buildings1 etc4 ,these persons came to me1 and requested my co-operation and advice1 and likewise introductions to people spiritually disposed amongst the ,spaniards1 to all which requests ,i returned a decided negative4 ,but ,i foresaw all4 ,in a day or two ,i was summoned before the ,gefe ,politico or1 as he was once called1 ,corregidor of ,seville1 who ,i must say treated me with the utmost politeness1 and indeed respect2 but at the same time he informed me that he had 7to use his own expression7 terrible orders from ,madrid concerning me1 if ,i should be discovered in the act of distributing the ,scriptures or any writings of a religious tendency4 ,he then taxed me with having circulated both lately1 especially tracts3 whereupon ,i told him that ,i had never distributed a tract since ,i had been in ,spain1 nor had any intention of doing so4 ,we had much conversation and parted in kindness4 ,i went away for a few days1 though without intending to do anything1 and wrote to the firm of ,o',shea for money1 of which ,i stood in need and which ,i received4 ,i now determined to make for ,la ,mancha and to put my plan into execution1 which ,i should have done sooner had the roads been a little more secure4 ,yesterday ,i sent my passport to be signed by the ,alcalde del ,barrio4 ,this fellow is the greatest ruffian in ,seville1 and ,i have on various occasions been insulted by him2 he pretends to be a liberal1 but is of no principle at all1 and as ,i reside within his district he has been employed by the ,canons of the cathedral to vex and harass me on every possible occasion4 7,by the way1 the hatred which these last people nourish against me amounts almost to frenzy1 and scarcely a day passes by in which they do not send in false accusations against me to the ,gefe ,politico2 they have even gone so far as to induce people to perjure themselves by swearing that ,i have sold or given them books1 people whom ,i have never seen nor heard of2 and the same system was carried on whilst ,i was in ,africa1 for they are so foolishly suspicious that they could not be persuaded that ,i was out of ,seville47 ,the above-mentioned ,alcalde refused to sign the passport1 though he was bound to do so1 it being quite in form1 and insulted the messenger3 whereupon ,i sent the latter back with money to pay any fees lawful or unlawful which might be demanded1 as ,i wished to avoid noise and the necessity of applying to the consul1 ,mr4 ,williams4 ,but the fellow became only more outrageous4 ,i then went myself to demand an explanation and was called all the vilest names contained in the ,spanish ,germania 7,billingsgate71 whereupon ,i told him that if he proceeded in this manner ,i would make a complaint to the authorities through the consul4 ,he then said that if ,i did not instantly depart he would drag me off to prison1 and cause me to be knocked down if ,i made the slightest resistance4 ,i dared him repeatedly to do both1 and said that he was a disgrace to the ,government which employed him and to human nature4 ,he called me a heretic4 ,we were now in the street and a mob was collected1 whereupon ,i cried ',viva ,inglaterra1 y viva ,la ,constitucion4' ,the populace seemed disposed to side with me1 notwithstanding the exhortations of the monster to them that they would knock down the foreigner1 for he himself quailed before me as ,i looked him in the eyes defying him4 ,he at last ran to a neighbouring guard-house1 and requested the assistance of the ,nationals in conducting me to prison4 ,i followed him and delivered myself up at the first summons1 and walked to the prison without uttering a word3 not so the ruffian1 who continued his abuse until we arrived at the gate4 ,i was asked my name by the authorities of the prison1 which ,i refused to give unless in the presence of the consul1 and indeed to answer any questions4 ,i was then ordered to the patio or courtyard1 where are kept the lowest thieves and assassins of ,seville1 who having no money cannot pay for better accommodation1 and by whom ,i should have been stripped naked in a moment as a matter of course1 as they are all in a state of raging hunger and utter destitution4 ,i asked for a private cell1 which ,i was told ,i might have if ,i could pay for it4 ,i stated my willingness to pay anything which might be demanded1 and was conducted to an upper ward1 consisting of several cells and a corridor4 ,here ,i found six or seven prisoners who received me very civilly1 and instantly procured me paper and ink for the purpose of writing to the consul4 ,in less than an hour ,mr4 ,williams arrived and ,i told him my story1 at which he wondered1 as he well might1 and presently departed in order to demand redress of the authorities4 ,the next morning ,i was informed that the ruffian the ,alcalde had upon his own authority entered my house and searched for prohibited books1 hoping1 if he found any1 to justify to a certain degree his conduct to me4 ,he found none1 and is now quite in my power1 without a shadow of excuse--he having entered by force the house of a foreigner1 without authority1 and not in the presence of the consul of the nation4 ,i have now been here four-and-twenty hours1 and am assured that my liberation will have been effectuated before another day shall have passed over4 ,my fellow-prisoners have treated me with unbounded kindness and hospitality1 and ,i have never found myself amongst more quiet and well-behaved men4 ,yet--what is their history8 ,the handsome black-haired man who is now looking over my shoulder is the celebrated thief ,palacio1 the most expert housebreaker and dexterous swindler in ,spain--in a word1 the modern ,guzman ,dalfarache4 ,the brawny man who sits by the brasero of charcoal is ,salvador1 the highwayman of ,ronda1 who has committed a hundred murders4 ,a fashionably dressed man1 short and slight in person1 is walking about the room3 he wears immense whiskers and mustachios2 he is one of that most singular race the ,jews of ,spain2 he is imprisoned for counterfeiting money4 ,he is an atheist1 but like a true ,jew the name which he most hates is that of ,christ4 ,yet he is so quiet and civil1 and they are all so quiet and civil1 and it is that which most horrifies me1 for quietness and civility in them seem so unnatural4 ,novr4 #bfth4 ,since writing the above1 ,i have been set at liberty4 ,i am going to ,madrid in a few hours to demand redress1 and to make preparations for leaving ,spain as soon as possible4 ,there is nothing more to be done here for the present in the cause of the ,gospel4 ,i received your letter1 which ,i read with great pleasure4 ,you are quite right in most of your observations1 and especially in one4 ,that circular was uncalled for4 ,ever yours1 ,,george ,,borrow4 ,to the ,rev4 ,a4 ,brandram 7,endorsed3 recd4 ,jan4 #c1 #ahdj47 ,decr4 #bd1 #ahci1 ,,madrid1 ,no4 #af ,,calle ,,santiago4 ,,rev4 ,,and ,,dear ,,sir1--,the last letter which ,i wrote to you was from ,seville1 and in that ,i gave you an account of what ,i had been doing for some time previous and likewise of my imprisonment4 ,i have now been in ,madrid nearly three weeks1 and immediately after my arrival ,i demanded redress of the ,spanish ,government for the various outrages which ,i have recently been subjected to at ,seville4 ,mr4 ,aston1 the ,british ,minister1 not having yet arrived at ,madrid1 ,i presented my complaint through ,mr4 ,jerningham the first secretary of ,legation1 who has superseded ,mr4 ,southern1 the latter gentleman having been appointed to ,lisbon4 ,mr4 ,southern introduced me to ,mr4 ,jerningham1 who received me with great kindness and took up my cause very warmly4 ,whether ,i shall be able to obtain justice ,i know not1 for ,i have against me the ,canons of ,seville2 and all the arts of villainy which they are so accustomed to practise will of course be used against me for the purpose of screening the ruffian who is their instrument4 ,an instance which ,i am about to give will speak volumes as to this person's character4 ,when ,i was in prison1 he forced his way into my house and searched it for ,testaments1 but found none4 ,when he was questioned by the vice-consul as to the authority by which he made this search1 he pulled out a paper purporting to be the deposition of an old woman to the effect that ,i had sold her a ,testament some ten days before4 ,this document was a forgery4 ,i had never seen the female in question1 and during the whole time that ,i have been in ,andalusia ,i have never sold a book of any description to any such person4 ,i have been1 my dear ,sir1 fighting with wild beasts during the greatest part of the time which has elapsed since ,i had last the pleasure of seeing you4 ,none but myself can have an idea of what ,i have undergone and the difficulties which ,i have had to encounter2 but ,i wish not to dilate on that subject4 ,thanks be to the ,most ,high that my labours are now brought to a conclusion4 ,the ,madrid edition of the ,new ,testament has been distributed1 with the exception of a few hundred copies1 which ,i have no wish should be sold at present1 for reasons stated on a prior occasion1 and which ,i shall endeavour to leave in safe custody4 ,the fate of this edition has been a singular one1 by far the greatest part having been dispersed among the peasantry of ,spain and the remainder amongst the very poor of the towns1 the artisans of ,madrid and ,seville1 the water-carriers and porters4 ,you will rarely find a copy of this work in the houses of the wealthy and respectable1 but you will frequently light upon it in the huts of the labourers1 in the garrets or cellars of the penniless1 and even in the hulks and convict-garrisons 7presidios74 ,i myself saw it in the prison of ,seville4 ,as for the few copies of the entire ,bible which ,i had at my disposal1 they have been distributed amongst the upper classes1 chiefly amongst the mercantile body1 the members of which upon the whole are by far the most intellectual and best educated of the subjects of the ,spanish monarchy4 ,i have thus cast my books upon the waters4 ,it is for the ,lord on high to determine the quantity of good which they are to operate4 ,i have a humble hope however that they will be permitted to do some4 ,if the eyes of only a few of these unhappy people amongst whom ,i am still sojourning be through them opened to one of the damning errors of popery1 ,i shall esteem myself amply remunerated for all the pain1 the anxiety1 and ,i may almost say misery 7for the flesh is weak7 which ,i have experienced in the work1 even for that--to me1 the most heart-breaking of everything--the strange1 the disadvantageous light in which1 ,i am aware1 ,i must frequently have appeared to those ,i most respect and love4 ,my situation throughout has been a most peculiar one1 rocks and quicksands have surrounded me on every side1 and frequently ,i have been compelled to give offence to my friends in order not to afford a triumph to the enemies of ,god and ,his cause4 ,in your last kind communication1 ,i think1 you said that neither our excellent friend ,mr4 ,b4 ,brackenbury nor myself appeared properly to appreciate the worth of two other of our friends who had been labouring in ,spain4 ,permit me here to observe that we both appreciate their sterling worth of character and piety2 they are both very extraordinary individuals1 one particularly so1 and the zeal which both have displayed in a holy cause is quite above praise4 ,but it is necessary in order to accomplish much good in a country situated as this is at present1 that the greatest prudence and foresight go hand in hand with zeal and piety4 ,a corrupt ,government1 influenced by an atrocious priesthood1 has for the last three years been on the look-out to take advantage of every rash movement of the helpers in ,god's cause in ,spain4 ,it ought always to be borne in mind that though nominally a constitutional country1 ,spain is governed by despotism the more infamous and dangerous as it decks itself in the garb of liberty4 ,whenever a native becomes obnoxious to the ,government1 he is instantly seized and imprisoned1 though perhaps guilty of no crime which can be punished by law2 foreigners have by law particular privileges1 but these privileges are every day violated1 and redress is seldom or never obtained2 which proves that the law is a dead letter4 ,i know perfectly well that it is no infraction of the law to print or sell the ,holy ,scriptures1 either with or without comment1 in ,spain4 ,what then8 ,is there not such a thing as ,a ,royal ,ordinance to the effect that the ,scriptures be seized wherever they are found8 ,true it is that ordinance is an unlawful one3 but what matters that1 provided it be put into execution by the authorities civil and military8 ,too many ,englishmen who visit ,spain imagine that they carry their own highly favoured country at their back1 a country in which the law rules supreme2 but let them once be brought into collision with the ,government1 and they will soon learn how little it avails them to have right on their side whilst brute force is always at the call of their adversaries4 ,i have informed ,mr4 ,jerningham that for some time past ,i have relinquished distributing the ,scriptures in ,spain--which is the truth4 ,i therefore claim the privileges of a ,british subject and the protection of my ,government4 ,i shall return to ,england as soon as ,i can obtain some redress for this affair4 ,it is then my intention to attempt to obtain an interview with some of the members of the ,house of ,lords4 ,i have important disclosures to make respecting the system of persecution which still exists in this country with respect to ,protestants1 who are not only debarred the exercise of their religion but to whom the common privilege of burial is denied3 so much for the tolerance of ,popery4 ,yet there are journals of talent and learning in ,england who1 observing that ,british ,protestants1 alarmed at the progress which the ,papal doctrine is making in the ,british islands1 are concerting measures for their own defence1 accuse them of raising once more the senseless bray against ,popery2 as if every unprejudiced person was not aware that ,popery is an unrelenting fiend which never spares when it has the power to crush--and that power ,i am afraid it will soon possess in ,britain1 unless the poor down-trodden ,protestants stand back to back and combat the monster to the death4 ,this is no vain alarm1 ,i assure you2 therefore ,i beg that you will not smile4 ,few people know more of the secrets of ,popery than myself1 or the stand which she intends to take when time and place serve4 ,therefore in conclusion let me entreat those of our friends who may hear these lines read to be on their guard1 to drop all petty dissensions1 and to comport themselves like brothers4 ,protestants must no longer be disunited4 ,i will write again in a day or two4 ,may the ,lord be with you1 ,revd4 and dear ,sir4 ,,george ,,borrow4 ,to the ,rev4 ,a4 ,brandram 7,endorsed3 recd4 ,jan4 #g1 #ahdj7 ,,madrid1 ,no4 #af ,,calle1 ,,santiago1 #bhth ,dec4 #ahci4 ,,revd4 ,,and ,,dear ,,sir1--,i lose not a moment in writing to you in consequence of an article in one of the ,london papers 7the ,courier1 ,i believe7 which has just been shown me4 ,it relates to my late imprisonment at ,seville1 and contains part of a letter which ,i showed to a friend and which indeed was a copy of that which ,i sent to yourself4 ,with respect to the letter ,i have little to observe1 save that ,i showed it to various individuals 7who took copies7 in order that an incorrect account of the affair might not get abroad2 but ,i beg leave solemnly to assure you that ,i disavow and give no countenance to any remarks or observations respecting it which may find their way into print4 ,i am not ashamed of the ,methodists of ,cadiz2 their conduct in many respects does them honour1 nor do ,i accuse any one of fanaticism amongst our dear and worthy friends2 but ,i cannot answer for the tittle-tattle of ,madrid4 ,far be it from me to reflect upon any one3 ,i am but too well aware of my own multitudinous imperfections and follies4 ,i am going instantly to write to ,mr4 ,rule1 and ,i would also to our other friend did ,i but know his address4 ,should you have an opportunity of communicating with him1 pray1 pray say something on the subject1 and present to him my kind love4 ,i hope sincerely no further notice will be taken of this affair in the newspapers1 but to attempt to correct their errors would merely make bad worse4 ,pray excuse my agitation1 but ,i write in haste4 ,i remain1 ,revd4 and dear ,sir1 yours sincerely1 ,,george ,,borrow4 ,to the ,rev4 ,a4 ,brandram 7,endorsed3 recd4 ,jan4 #ac1 #ahdj7 ,,madrid1 ,no4 #af ,,calle ,,santiago1 #b ,january #ahdj4 ,,revd4 ,,and ,,dear ,,sir1--,to-morrow ,i depart in order to return to ,seville4 ,i have laid a full account of the late outrageous assault before the ,british ,embassy1 and a strong representation has been made to the ,spanish ,government4 ,i have now nothing further to detain me in the ,spanish capital1 and ,i hope that within a very short time ,i shall be able to bid adieu to the shores of ,spain1 which ,i shall quit with as little regret as the tired labourer at nightfall quits the filthy ditch in which he has been toiling during the whole of a dreary day4 ,i should feel much obliged if you would write me a line or two1 directed to my usual address1 ,no4 #g ,plazuela de la ,pila ,seca1 ,sevilla1 with any little information respecting matters of serious import1 as ,i am almost entirely unacquainted with what has been going on during the last six months1 the public journals containing little which has any interest for me4 ,is it possible that the ,british ,government is going to bombard the coast of ,china because the ,emperor of that country is not disposed to countenance opium smuggling8 ,i have frequently difficulty in believing my eyes when ,i read of the proceedings of ,christians and people high in authority1 whom it is of course my wish and duty to respect4 ,is it wonderful that the ,chinese cling to ,buddh and refuse to confess the ,son of the ,eternal1 when they see the professors of the ,christian religion commit such acts of cruel violence and flagrant injustice8 ,i have drawn for twenty pounds1 which will liquidate the expenses of the journey from ,seville and back again4 ,i shall require no more until my departure for ,england4 ,in the meanwhile ,i am preparing my accounts and various other papers4 ,pray present my best remembrances to all my friends4 ,if there be anything which ,i can perform for any of them before ,i leave ,spain1 let them but inform me and it shall be done4 ,i remain1 ,revd4 and dear ,sir1 ever yours1 ,,george ,,borrow4 ,to the ,rev4 ,a4 ,brandram 7,endorsed3 recd4 ,march #cast1 #ahdj7 ,,seville1 ,march #ah1 #ahdj4 ,,revd4 ,,and ,,dear ,,sir1--,last night ,i received a letter from my worthy friend ,mr4 ,brackenbury1 in which he informed me that he had received a communication from ,mr4 ,jackson stating that since my departure from ,madrid the ,society had heard nothing from me and that it was anxious on my account4 ,this intelligence astonished me2 as towards the end of ,january and beginning of ,february ,i wrote two letters1 one to yourself and the other to ,mr4 ,hitchin4 ,from yourself ,i had expected an answer1 and your silence made me very1 very unhappy4 ,for upwards of five months ,i have not heard a word from ,england1 though during that period ,i have written twelve letters1 of which seven were to the ,bible ,society4 ,i did not return to ,england immediately after my departure from ,madrid1 for several reasons4 ,first1 there was my affair with the ,alcalde still pending2 second1 ,i wished to get my papers into some order2 third1 ,i wished to effect a little more in the cause1 though not in the way of distribution as ,i had no books2 moreover the house in which ,i resided was paid for1 and ,i was unwilling altogether to lose the money2 ,i likewise dreaded an ,english winter1 for ,i have lately been subjected to attacks1 whether of gout or rheumatism ,i know not1 which ,i believe were brought on by sitting1 standing and sleeping in damp places during my wanderings in ,spain4 ,the ,alcalde has lately been turned out of his situation1 but ,i believe more on account of his being a ,carlist than for his behaviour to me2 that however1 is of little consequence1 as ,i have long forgotten the affair4 ,i have again been in trouble2 and the ,government and clergy seem determined on persecuting me until ,i leave ,spain4 ,i embark on the third of next month1 and you will probably see me by the sixteenth4 ,i wish very much to spend the remaining years of my life in the northern parts of ,china1 as ,i think ,i have a call to those regions1 and shall endeavour by every honourable means to effect my purpose4 ,i have a work nearly in readiness for publication1 and two others in a state of forwardness4 ,the title of the first ,i take the liberty of sending you on the other side4 ,i hope yet to die in the cause of my ,redeemer4 ,i have at present nothing further to say of importance4 ,i therefore remain1 as usual1 ,revd4 and dear ,sir1 most sincerely yours1 ,g4 ,b4 ,p4,s4--,what an admirable man and ,christian is ,mr4 ,brackenbury6 ,the title ,george ,borrow wrote on the fly-leaf was444 ,,the ,,zin-,,cali ,,or ,,an ,,account ,,of ,,the ,,gypsies ,,of ,,spain ,,with ,,an ,,original ,,collection ,,of ,,their ,,songs ,,with ,,english ,,translations ,,and ,a ,,copious ,,vocabulary ,,of ,,their ,,language ,,explained ,,in ,,spanish ,,and ,,english ,,by ,g4 ,b4 ,,in ,,two ,,volumes4 ,footnotes3 #acg ,friday1 or the day of ,crucifixion4 #aec ,almost all other articles in ,madrid are proportionably dear4 #aed ,amat's ,bible sells for #d dollars4 #aig ,the ,spanish sheet is but one-fourth the size of the ,english4 #bea ,this animal cost the ,society about two thousand reals at ,madrid2 ,i1 however1 sold him for three thousand at ,corunna1 notwithstanding that he had suffered much from the hard labour which he had been subjected to in our wanderings in ,galicia1 and likewise from bad provender4 #bef ,i have since discovered that they were only despatched the day before my arrival at ,madrid4 #bgd ,i think the sale is becoming brisker2 this very day we have sold eight4 #bge;a ,i wish much that ,i had the ,old ,testament apart1 precisely in the same form4 #bge;b ,mr4 ,villiers has hitherto taken but #ej copies1 which he has distributed amongst his friends2 his situation has been such lately1 that more could not be reasonably expected from him4 ,even his is not a bed of roses4 #cib ,greek text as ,antonio says4 #dbb;a ,i send the original phrase which is remarkable1 and in remarkable ,spanish4 #dbb;b ,they were supplied six months ago4