letters-第49部分

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e　orders　for　the　　seizure　of　all　the　Bibles　and　Testaments　in　the　country　wherever　　they　might　be　deposited　or　exposed　for　sale。　　They　notified　the　　same　to　Sir　George　Villiers；　expressly　stating　that　the　resolution　　was　taken　in　consequence　of　the；　'OCURRIDO　EN　MALAGA。'　　I　have　now　　learnt　that　several　of　my　depots　have　been　seized　in　various　parts　　of　Spain；　for　example；　at　Salamanca；　Seville；　and　of　course　at　　Malaga。　　This；　however；　gives　me　little　uneasiness；　for；　with　the　　blessing　of　God；　I　shall　be　able　to　repair　all；　always　provided　I　　am　allowed　to　follow　my　own　plans；　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　clergy。

But　now　prompt　measures　must　be　taken　on　the　part　of　the　Bible　　Society。　　Knowing　as　I　do　the　character　of　the　unfortunate　man　who　　has　lately　caused　so　much　havoc；　I　am　apprehensive　that　he　may　be　　guilty　of　some　fresh　excess。　　From　Mr。　Rule's　letter；　which　I　　forwarded　to　you；　it　appears　that　for　some　time　it　has　been　his　　intention　to　quit　Spain；　but　not　quietly；　witness　this　last　affair　　of　Malaga。　　Now　my　fear　is　that　on　his　return　to　Barcelona；　on　　finding　that　the　books　and　Bibles　intrusted　to　his　discretion　have　　been　seized；　he　will　publish　as　a　parting　legacy　some　tirade　　against　the　Government　and　clergy。　　If　he　do；　he　will　probably　　bring　himself　into　trouble　and　at　all　events　destruction　on　our　　cause；　for　the　Government　is　quite　despotic；　as　indeed　is　necessary　　at　the　present　time；　and　the　whole　of　Spain　is　under　martial　law。　　　Therefore　for　his　own　sake；　if　not　for　the　sake　of　the　cause；　let　　him　instantly　retire；　abandoning　the　Bibles　to　their　fate。　　They　　shall　not　be　lost。

I　have　had；　as　you　are　aware；　an　interview　with　the　Archbishop　of　　Toledo。　　I　have　not　time　to　state　particulars；　but　he　said　amongst　　other　things；　'Be　prudent；　the　Government　are　disposed　to　arrange　　matters　amicably；　and　I　am　disposed　to　co…operate　with　them。'　　At　　parting　he　shook　me　most　kindly　by　the　hand；　saying　that　he　liked　　me。　　Sir　George　intends　to　visit　him　in　a　few　days。　　He　is　an　old；　　venerable…looking　man；　between　seventy　and　eighty。　　When　I　saw　him；　　he　was　dressed　with　the　utmost　simplicity；　with　the　exception　of　a　　most　splendid　amethyst　ring；　the　lustre　of　which　was　truly　　dazzling。

My　poor　servant；　a　Basque　from　Hernani；　is；　I　am　afraid；　dying　of　　the　jail…fever；　which　he　caught　in　prison　whilst　attending　me。　　He　　has　communicated　this　horrible　disorder　to　two　other　persons。　　Poor　　Marin　is　also　very　ill；　but　I　believe　with　a　broken　heart；　I　　administer　to　his　needs　as　far　as　prudence　will　allow　me；　for　I　am　　grieved　for　him。　　I　have　not　yet　despatched　my　letter　to　Mr。　Rule；　　as　I　wish　not　to　offend　him；　but　I　cannot　approve　of　his　forcing　　Marin　to　come　up　to　Madrid；　contrary　to　his　wishes。　　Zeal　is　a　　precious　thing；　when　accompanied　with　one　grain　of　common　sense。

In　conclusion；　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　cause；　or　the　　correctness　of　my　conduct　during　my　sojourn　in　Spain；　he　hopes　they　　will　do　him　the　satisfaction　to　communicate　with　him。

I　remain；　Revd。　and　dear　Sir；　most　truly　yours；

GEORGE　BORROW。



LETTER：　13th　June；　1838



To　the　Rev。　A。　Brandram　（ENDORSED：　recd。　June　23；　1838）　JUNE　13；　1838；　MADRID；　No。　16　CALLE　ST。　IAGO；

REVD。　AND　DEAR　SIR；　…　I　have　received　your　letter　of　June　1st；　but　　not　that　of　the　30th　May　which　you　allude　to　in　the　same；　therefore　　I　am　still　in　the　dark　upon　many　points。

Another　bitter　cup　has　been　filled　for　my　swallowing。　　The　Bible　　Society　and　myself　have　been　accused　of　blasphemy；　sedition；　etc。　　　A　collection　of　tracts　has　been　seized　in　Murcia；　in　which　the　　Catholic　religion　and　its　dogmas　are　handled　with　the　most　abusive　　severity；　these　books　have　been　sworn　to　as　having　been　left　BY　THE　　COMMITTEE　OF　THE　BIBLE　SOCIETY　WHILST　IN　THAT　TOWN；　and　Count　　Ofalia　has　been　called　upon　to　sign　an　order　for　my　arrest　and　　banishment　from　Spain。　　Sir　George；　however；　advises　me　to　remain　　quiet　and　not　to　be　alarmed；　as　he　will　answer　for　my　innocence。

I　am　now　compelled　to　ask　a　blunt　question。　　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　　Graydon；　who；　like　a　swine　in　a　field　newly　sown；　has　of　late　been　　solely　occupied　in　rooting　up　the　precious　seed　and　destroying　　every　hope　of　a　glorious　harvest？　　The　newspapers　are　teeming　with　　articles　against　us；　for　we　are　no　longer　looked　upon　as　a　Society　　founded　on　the　broad　principles　of　Christianity；　but　as　one　　instituted　for　the　carrying　into　effect　of　sectarian　purposes。

In　justice　to　me；　it　behoves　the　Society　to　communicate　with　Sir　　George　Villiers；　who　has　abstracts　of　all　the　letters　which　I　have　　written　to　the　Society；　and　who　will　vouch　for　their　correctness。

Do　not　be　cast　down；　all　will　go　well　if　the　stumbling　block　be　　removed。　　I　write　in　haste。

G。　BORROW。

P。S。　…　What　do　you　mean；　my　dear　Sir；　by　the　'GRANO　SALIS'？



LETTER：　14th　June；　1838



To　the　Rev。　A。　Brandram　（ENDORSED：　recd。　June　25；　1838）　MADRID；　JUNE　14；　1838。

REVD。　AND　DEAR　SIR；　…　Immediately　after　having　despatched　my　letter　　of　yesterday；　I　received　through　my　friend；　Mr。　Wood；　a　　communication　from　the　Bishop　of　…；　the　president　of　the　body　of　　ecclesiastics　at　present　engaged　in　examining　our　Bible。

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　Spain；　stating　what　they　are　prepared　to　do；　and　what　　they　are　not　prepared　to　do　…　above　all；　whether　in　seeking　to　　circulate　the　Gospel　in　this　country　they　harbour　any　projects　　hostile　to　the　Government　and　the　established　religion；　moreover；　　whether　the　late　distribution　of　tracts　was　done　by　their　　connivance　or　authority；　and　whether　they　are　disposed　to　sanction　　in　future　the　publication　in　Spain　of　such　a　class　of　writings。

It　of　course　does　not　become　me　to　advise　the　Committee　and　　yourself　upon　this　point。　　I　merely　take　the　liberty　of　　communicating　the　circumstance；　and　observing　that　the　Prelate　in　　question　is　a　most　learned　and　respectable　man；　and　one　of　the　　warmest　of　our　friends。

I　have　not　seen　any　of　the　tracts　seized　at　Murcia；　nor　do　I　wish。　　　If　examined　by　the　Council；　I　shall　declare　on　oath　that　I　am　　innocent　and　ignorant　of　the　matter；　and　that　I　believe　the　Bible　　Society　to　be　the　same。　　Sir　George　assured　me　that　one　or　two　of　　them　were　outrages　not　only　to　common　sense　but　decency。

I　forgot　to　tell　you　yesterday　that　my　poor　servant　is　dead。　　He　　died　of　the　pestilential　typhus　caught　in　the　prison；　his　body　at　　the　period　of　his　death　was　a　frightful　mass　of　putridity；　and　was　　in　consequence　obliged　to　be　instantly　shovelled　into　the　Campo　　Santo　or　common　field　of　the　dead　near　Madrid。　　May　Christ　be　his　　stay　at　the　Great　Day；　a　more　affectionate　creature　never　breathed。

Hear　now　what　the　MADRID　GAZETTE　says　of　our　Society；　in　an　article　　in　which　it　reproves　in　the　strongest　terms　the　conduct　lately　　pursued　by　pseudo…agents；　and　gives　me　a　rap　on　the　knuckles　for　an　　anti…catholic　expression　or　two　in　the　advertisement　in　which　I　　denounced　them。　　The　GAZETTE　is　the　official　organ　of　the　　Government；　and　all　it　says　is　under　authority：…

'We　will　not　conclude　this　article　without　bestowing　the　merited　　tribute　of　praise　on　the　project　truly　magnificent　of　the　Bible　　Society；　considered　not　under　the　religious　but　the　social　aspect。　　　Christianity　has　been；　is；　and　will　be　the　grand　agent　in　the　　civilisation　of　the　world；　and　the　preaching　of　its　doctrine；　and　　the　propagation　of　its　maxims　among　the　nations　who　know　it　not；　is　　the　most　costly　present　which　can　be　offered　them；　and　the　pledge　　of　belonging　one　day　to　the　civilised　world；　or　if　they　already　　belong　to　it；　of　ameliorating　their　actual　condition　in　society。

'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　writings；　and　the　Bible　Society　acts　with　the　　highest　prudence；　by　accommodating　itself　to　the　civil　and　　ecclesiastic　laws　of　each　country；　and　by　adopting　the　editions　　there　current。　　In　Spain；　where　every　translation　of　the　Bible　is　　forbidden；　and　in　general　every　book　of　religion；　without　previous　　censure　and　license　of　the　ecclesiastical　authority；　much　good　may　　arise　from　distributing　either　of　the　two　translations；　that　of　　Father　Scio　or　that　of　Amat；　but　precisely　as　they　are；　and　without　　the　suppression　of　the　notes；　which　explain　some　difficult　　passages。　　If　the　great　object　be　the　propagation　of　the　evangelic　　maxims；　the　notes　are　no　obstacle；　and　by　preserving　them　we　fulfil　　our　religious　principle　of　not　permitting　to　private　reason　the　　interpretation　of　the　sacred　Word。'

Excuse　me　this　long　extract。

I　remain；　Revd。　and　dear　Sir；　most　truly　yours；

G。　BORROW。

P。S。　…　I　should　wish　to　make　another　Biblical　tour　this　summer；　　until　the　storm　be　blown　over。　　Should　I　undertake　such　an　　expedition；　I　should　avoid　the　towns　and　devote　myself　entirely　to　　the　peasantry。　　I　have　sometimes　thought　of　visiting　the　villages　　of　the　Alpujarra　mountains　in　Andalusia；　where　the　people　live　　quite　secluded　from　the　world。　　What　do　you　think　of　my　project？



LETTER：　16th　June；　1838



To　the　Rev。　A。　Brandram　（ENDORSED：　recd。　27th　June；　1838）　MADRID；　JUNE　16；　1838。

REVD。　AND　DEAR　SIR；　…　I　have　received　your　communication　of　the　　30th　ult。；　containing　the　resolutions　of　the　Committee；　to　which　I　　shall　of　course　attend。

Of　your　letter　in　general；　permit　me　to　state　that　I　reverence　the　　spirit　in　which　it　is　written；　and　am　perfectly　disposed　to　admit　　the　correctness　of　the　views　which　it　exhibits。　　＇Greek　text　which　　cannot　be　reproduced＇。　　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　Graydon。

I　bear　this　unfortunate　ge