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evisit　it　in　a　short　time；　when　I　hope　to　obtain　far　　better　information　as　to　the　moral　and　religious　education　of　its　　inmates。

On　my　arrival　at　Lisbon　I　was　disappointed　in　my　expectation　of　　finding　Mr。　Wilby；　who　was　in　the　country　and　was　not　expected　for　　a　week。　　I　therefore　had　at　first　no　person　to　whom　I　could　apply　　for　counsel　as　to　the　best　means　of　proceeding；　but　unwilling　to　　remain　idle　till　the　period　of　his　arrival；　I　at　once　commenced　　operations　at　Lisbon　as　I　have　narrated。　　At　the　end　of　four　or　　five　days　I　started　for　Cintra；　distant　about　four　leagues　from　　Lisbon；　situate　on　a　ledge　of　the　northern　declivity　of　a　wild　and　　picturesque　mountain。　　Cintra　contains　about　eight　hundred　　inhabitants；　and　in　its　environs　are　many　magnificent　QUINTAS　or　　country　seats　of　some　of　the　first　families　in　Portugal；　it　is　　likewise　a　royal　residence；　for　at　its　north…eastern　side　stands　an　　ancient　palace；　which　though　unfurnished　is　preserved　in　＇good　　repair＇；　and　which　was　the　favourite　residence　of　the　ancient　　kings。　　On　one　of　the　ridges　of　＇this＇　mountain　are　seen　the　ruins　　of　an　immense　castle；　which　for　centuries　was　the　stronghold　of　the　　Moors　in　this　part　of　the　Peninsula。　　The　morning　after　my　arrival　　I　was　about　to　ascend　the　mountain　to　examine　it；　when　I　observed　a　　person；　advanced　in　years；　whom；　by　his　dress；　I　judged　to　be　an　　ecclesiastic；　upon　enquiry　I　found　in　effect　that　he　was　one　of　the　　three　priests　of　the　place。　　I　instantly　accosted　him；　and　had　no　　reason　to　repent　for　so　doing；　for　I　found　him　affable　and　　communicative。　　After　praising　the　beauty　of　the　scenery；　I　made　　some　enquiry　as　to　the　state　of　education　amongst　the　people　　beneath　his　care。　　He　told　me　that　he　was　sorry　to　＇say　that＇　they　　were　in　a　state　of　great　ignorance；　that　very　few　of　them　could　　either　write　or　＇read＇；　that　there　was　no　school　in　the　place　but　　one　at　which　a　few　children　were　taught　the　alphabet；　but　which　was　　not　then　open；　that　there　was　a　school　at　Colhares；　about　a　league　　＇distant＇。　　He　said　that　nothing　so　surprised　him　as　to　see　　English；　the　most　learned　and　intelligent　people　in　the　world；　　visiting　a　place　like　Cintra；　where　there　was　no　literature　and　　nothing　of　utility　（AONDE　NO　HA　NEM　LEITURA；　NEM　SCIENCIA；　NEM　　ALGUMA　COUSA　QUE　PRESTA）。　　You　may　easily　guess　that　I　was　in　no　　slight　degree　surprised　to　hear　a　priest　of　Portugal　lament　the　　ignorance　of　the　populace；　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　imagined。

That　same　day　I　visited　Colhares；　a　romantic　village　lower　down　the　　mountain　to　the　west；　near　the　sea。　　Seeing　some　peasants　collected　　round　the　smithy　I　enquired　about　the　school；　and　one　instantly　　offered　to　be　my　guide　thither。　　I　went　upstairs　into　a　small　　apartment　where　I　found　the　master　with　about　a　dozen　pupils　　standing　in　a　row；　for　there　was　but　one　chair；　or　rather　stool；　to　　which；　after　having　embraced　me；　he　conducted　me　with　great　　civility。　　After　some　discourse　he　shewed　me　the　books　which　he　　used　for　the　instruction　of　his　pupils；　they　were　spelling…books　　like　those　used　in　our　village　schools　and　the　before…mentioned　　'Christian　Doctrine。'　　Upon　my　enquiring　whether　it　was　his　custom　　to　use　the　Scripture　in　his　school；　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　field；　and　that　in　general　　they　were　by　no　means　solicitous　that　their　children　should　learn　　anything；　as　they　considered　the　time　occupied　in　acquiring　　learning　as　squandered　away。　　He　added　that　all　the　village　schools　　in　Portugal　were　supported　by　the　Government；　but　that　many　of　them　　had　lately　been　discontinued；　as　the　schoolmasters　experienced　the　　greatest　difficulty　in　obtaining　their　salaries；　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　fact。　　He　　told　me　that　he　had　a　copy　of　the　New　Testament　in　his　possession；　　which　I　desired　to　see；　but　on　examining　it　I　discovered　that　it　　was　only　the　Epistles　（from　Pereira's　version）　with　long　Popish　　notes。　　I　asked　him　whether　he　considered　that　there　was　any　harm　　in　reading　the　Scripture　without　notes；　he　said　that　there　was　　certainly　no　harm　in　it；　but　that　simple　people　without　the　　assistance　of　notes　could　derive　but　little　benefit　therefrom；　as　　the　greatest　part　that　they　read　would　be　unintelligible　to　them。　　　Whereupon　I　shook　hands　with　him；　and　on　departing　said　that　there　　was　no　part　of　Scripture　so　difficult　to　understand　as　those　very　　notes　which　were　intended　to　elucidate　it；　and　that　the　Almighty　　would　never　have　inspired　His　saints　with　a　desire　to　write　what　　was　unintelligible　to　the　great　mass　of　mankind。

For　some　days　after　this　I　traversed　the　country　in　all　directions；　　riding　into　the　fields　where　I　saw　the　peasants　at　work；　and　　entering　into　discourse　with　them；　and　notwithstanding　many　of　my　　questions　must　have　appeared　to　them　very　singular；　I　never　　experienced　any　incivility；　though　they　frequently　answered　me　with　　smiles　and　laughter。　　（I　have　now　communicated　about　half　of　what　I　　have　to　say；　the　remainder　next　week。　G。　BORROW。）



LETTER：　15th　December；　1835



To　the　Rev。　A。　Brandram　（ENDORSED：　recd。　Jan。　10；　1836）　EVORA　IN　THE　ALEMTEJO；　15TH　DEC。；　1835。

AT　length　I　departed　for　Mafra；　the　principal　part　of　the　way　lay　　over　steep　and　savage　hills；　very　dangerous　for　horses；　and　I　had　　reason　to　repent；　before　I　got　back　to　Cintra；　that　I　had　not　　mounted　one　of　the　sure…footed　mules　of　the　country。　　I　reached　　Mafra　in　safety；　it　is　a　large　village；　which　has　by　degrees　sprung　　up　in　the　vicinity　of　an　immense　building；　originally　intended　to　　serve　as　a　convent　and　palace；　and　which　next　to　the　Escurial　is　　the　most　magnificent　edifice　in　the　Peninsula。　　In　this　building　is　　to　be　seen　the　finest　library　in　Portugal；　comprising　books　in　all　　sciences　and　languages；　and　which；　if　not　suited　to　the　place　in　　which　the　building　stands；　which　is　almost　a　desert；　is　yet　well　　suited　to　the　size　and　grandeur　of　the　building　which　contains　it。　　　But　here　are　now　no　monks　to　take　care　of　it；　they　have　been　driven　　forth；　some　of　them　to　beg　their　bread；　some　of　them　to　serve　under　　the　banners　of　Don　Carlos　in　Spain；　and　many；　as　I　have　been　　informed；　to　prowl　about　as　banditti。　　The　place　is　now　abandoned　　to　two　or　three　menials；　and　exhibits　an　aspect　of　solitude　and　　desolation　which　is　truly　appalling。　　Whilst　I　was　viewing　the　　cloisters　an　exceedingly　fine　and　intelligent…looking　lad　came　up　　to　me；　and　asked　（I　suppose　in　the　hope　of　obtaining　a　trifle）　if　I　　would　permit　him　to　show　me　the　village　church；　which　he　told　me　　was　well　worth　seeing。　　I　said　'No；'　but　that　if　he　would　show　me　　the　village　school；　I　should　be　much　obliged　to　him。　　He　looked　at　　me　with　astonishment；　and　assured　me　that　there　was　nothing　to　be　　seen　in　the　school；　at　which　not　more　than　half　a　dozen　boys　were　　instructed；　and　that　he　himself　was　one　of　the　number；　but　I　told　　him　that　he　should　show　me　no　other　place；　and　he　at　last　　unwillingly　attended　me。　　On　the　way　he　said　that　the　schoolmaster　　was　one　of　the　brothers　of　the　convent　who　had　lately　been　　expelled；　and　that　he　was　a　very　learned　man　and　spoke　French　and　　Greek。　　We　went　past　a　stone　cross；　and　the　boy　bent　and　crossed　　himself　with　much　devotion：　　I　mention　this　circumstance；　as　it　was　　the　first　instance　of　devotion　which　I　had　observed　amongst　the　　Portuguese　since　my　arrival。　　When　near　the　house　where　the　　schoolmaster　resided；　he　pointed　it　out　to　me　and　then　hid　himself　　behind　a　wall；　where　he　waited　till　I　returned。

On　stepping　over　the　threshold　I　was　confronted　by　a　short　stout　　man；　between　sixty　and　seventy　years　of　age；　dressed　in　a　blue　　jerkin　and　grey　trousers；　without　shirt　or　waistcoat。　　He　looked　at　　me　sternly；　and　enquired　in　the　French　language　what　was　my　　pleasure。　　I　apologised　for　intruding　upon　him；　and　stated　that；　　being　informed　that　he　occupied　the　situation　of　schoolmaster　to　　the　place；　I　had　come　to　pay　my　respects　to　him；　and　to　beg　to　be　　informed　respecting　the　manner　of　instruction　which　he　adopted。　　He　　said　that　whosoever　told　me　that　he　was　a　schoolmaster　lied；　for　　that　he　was　a　brother　of　the　convent。　　I　replied　that　I　had　heard　　that　all　the　friaries　had　been　broken　up　and　the　brothers　　dismissed；　whereupon　he　sighed；　and　said　it　was　too　true。　　He　was　　then　silent　for　a　minute；　and　his　better　nature　overcoming　his　　angry　feelings　he　produced　a　snuff…box　and　offered　it　to　me。　　The　　snuff…box　is　the　olive…branch　of　the　Portuguese；　and　he　who　wishes　　to　be　on　good　terms　with　them；　or　to　conciliate　them；　must　never　　refuse　to　put　his　finger　and　thumb　into　it　when　preferred；　I　took　　therefore　a　large　pinch；　though　I　detest　the　dust；　and　we　were　soon　　friendly　enough。　　He　was　eager　to　obtain　news；　especially　from　　Lisbon　and　Spain。　　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　　Queen；　and　insisted　upon　her　either　receiving　their　swords　or　　dismissing　her　Ministers；　whereupon　he　rubbed　his　hands　and　said；　　'I　am　sure　that　things　will　not　remain　tranquil　at　Lisbon。'　　Upon　　my　saying　that　the　affairs　of　Don　Carlos　were　on　the　decline；　he　　frowned；　and　said　that　it　could　not　possibly　be；　for　that　God　was　　too　just　to　suffer　it。　　I　felt　for　the　poor　man；　who　had　been　　driven　from　his　home　in　the　noble　convent　close　by；　and　from　a　　state　of　comfort　and　affluence　reduced　in　his　old　age　to　indigence　　and　misery；　for　his　dwelling　seemed　to　contain　scarcely　an　article　　of　furniture。　　I　tried　twice　or　thrice　to　induce　him　to　converse　on　　the　school；　but　he　always　avoided　the　subject　or　said　shortly　that　　he　knew　nothing　about　it；　the　idea　of　being　a　schoolmaster　was　　evidently　humiliating　to　him。

On　my　leaving　him；　the　boy　came　from　his　hiding…place　and　rejoined　　me；　he　said　his　reason　for　hiding　himself　was