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tes；　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　avail；　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　masters。　　The　absurdity　of　this　　idea　struck　me　so　forcibly　that　it　was　with　difficulty　I　restrained　　myself　from　laughing　outright。　　I　at　last　said　that；　whatever　he　　might　think　to　the　contrary；　the　Committee　of　the　Bible　Society　　were　by　no　means　of　that　turbulent　and　outrageous　disposition；　that　　they　were　for　the　most　part　staid；　quiet　gentlemen；　who　attended　to　　their　own　affairs；　and　a　little；　and　but　a　little　to　the　　promulgation　of　Christ's　Gospel；　which；　however；　they　too　much　　respected　to　endeavour　to　kindle　a　spirit　of　insurrection　anywhere；　　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　occasions。　　I　　then　requested　permission　to　print　the　New　Testament　in　Spanish　at　　Madrid。　　He　said　he　should　not　grant　it；　for　that　the　New　Testament　　was　a　very　dangerous　book；　especially　in　disturbed　times。　　I　　replied　that　I　was　not　aware　that　the　holy　book　contained　any　　passages　sanctioning　blood…shedding　and　violence；　but　I　rather　　thought　that　it　abounded　with　precepts　of　an　entirely　opposite　　tendency；　but　he　still　persisted　that　it　was　an　improper　book。　　I　　must　here　observe　that　it　was　with　the　utmost　difficulty　I　obtained　　an　opportunity　of　explaining　myself；　on　account　of　the　propensity　　which　he　possesses　of　breaking　in　upon　the　discourse　of　the　person　　who　is　addressing　him；　and　at　last；　in　self…defence；　I　was　myself　　obliged　to　infringe　the　rules　of　conversation；　and　to　hold　on　　without　paying　any　attention　to　his　remarks　…　not　that　I　gained　　much　by　so　doing；　for　he　plainly　told　me　that　he　was　an　obstinate　　man；　and　that　he　never　abandoned　his　opinions。　　I　certainly　do　not　　think　him　the　most　tractable　of　men；　but　I　am　inclined　to　think　　that　he　is　not　ill…natured；　as　he　preserved　his　temper　very　well　　during　the　interview；　and　laughed　heartily　at　two　or　three　of　my　　remarks。　　At　last　he　said：　　'I　will　not　give　you　permission　now：　　　but　let　the　war　be　concluded；　let　the　factious　be　beaten；　and　the　　case　will　be　altered；　come　to　me　six　months　hence。'　　I　then　　requested　to　be　allowed　to　introduce　into　Spain　a　few　copies　of　the　　New　Testament　in　the　Catalan　dialect；　as　we　had　lately　printed　a　　most　beautiful　edition　at　London；　but　he　still　said　'No；　no；'　and　　when　I　asked　if　he　had　any　objection　to　my　calling　again　on　the　　morrow　and　showing　him　a　copy；　he　made　use　of　these　remarkable　　words：　　'I　do　not　wish　you　should　come；　lest　you　should　convince　　me；　and　I　do　not　wish　to　be　convinced。'



LETTER：　22nd　March；　1836



To　the　Rev。　A。　Brandram　（ENDORSED：　recd。　April　2；　1836）　MAR。　22；　1836；

CALLE　DE　LA　ZARZA；　MADRID。

REVD。　AND　DEAR　SIR；　…　I　received　your　letter　of　the　8th　inst。；　　which　gave　me　much　pleasure；　as　I　understood　from　it　that　my　humble　　efforts　had　afforded　satisfaction。　　I　also　received　the　two　letters　　from　St。　Petersburg　which　were　written　by　a　dear　friend　of　that　　place；　to　whom　I　shall　trouble　you　to　forward　a　letter　as　soon　as　I　　have　an　opportunity　of　writing；　which　at　present　I　have　not；　as　my　　time　is　much　occupied。

I　have　to　communicate　to　you　what　will　not　fail　to　be　interesting。　　　The　Spanish　press　have　taken　up　our　affair；　and　I　am　at　present　　engaged　in　attempting　to　lay　the　foundation　of　a　Bible　Society　at　　Madrid；　to　accomplish　which　the　editor　of　the　influential　　newspaper；　the　ESPANOL；　has　promised　me　his　assistance。　　There　has　　already　appeared　in　that　journal　a　most　brilliant　article　which　　gives　the　history　of　our　Society；　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　Scripture；　in　　the　Spanish　language；　amongst　the　population。　　Of　this　article　I　　send　extracts　below；　and　shall　probably；　when　I　have　more　time；　　send　the　whole。　　The　person　whom　we　are　looking　forward　to　as　a　　head　of　the　projected　institution　is　a　certain　Bishop；　advanced　in　　years；　a　person　of　great　piety　and　learning；　who　has　himself　　translated　the　New　Testament　in　a　manner；　as　I　am　informed；　far　　superior　to　that　of　any　of　his　predecessors；　but　I　have　not　as　yet　　seen　it；　and　therefore　cannot　speak　positively　as　to　its　merits。　　　However；　he　is　disposed　to　print　and　circulate　it；　and　if　the　　translation　be　really　an　excellent　one　it　would　not　be　unwise　in　us　　to　patronise　it；　if　by　so　doing　we　could　induce　him　to　co…operate　　with　us　in　our　plans　for　enlightening　unhappy　Spain。　　But　more　of　　this　anon。　　I　have　little　doubt　that　the　time　is　almost　at　hand　　when　the　cause　of　God　will　triumph　in　this　country；　and　I　am　　exerting　every　means　which　I　can　devise　in　humbleness　of　heart　to　　help　to　bring　about　an　event　so　desirable。　　I　intend　to　remain　a　　few　weeks　longer　at　Madrid　at　all　events；　for　the　present　moment　is　　too　fraught　with　interest　to　allow　me　to　quit　it　immediately。　　As　　far　as　self　is　concerned　I　should　rejoice　to　return　instantly　to　　Lisbon；　for　I　am　not　partial　to　Madrid；　its　climate；　or　anything　it　　can　offer；　if　I　except　its　unequalled　gallery　of　pictures；　but　I　　did　not　come　hither　to　gratify　self　but　as　a　messenger　of　the　Word。

May　I　take　the　liberty　of　begging　you　to　write　a　line　to　my　dear　　and　revered　friend　Mr。　Cunningham；　informing　him　that　I　am　in　　tolerable　health；　and　that　I　hope　to　write　myself　speedily。　　The　　three　letters　which　you　say　have　not　arrived　were；　I　believe；　　destroyed　by　a　servant　for　the　sake　of　the　postage；　but　I　shall　　send　you　parts　of　my　journal　to　supply　the　deficiency。


EXTRACTS　FROM　THE　'ESPANOL'


'The　first　founders　of　the　Bible　Societies　（for　by　this　name　they　　were　known）　immediately　comprehended　their　philosophic　and　　civilising　mission；　and　fulfilled　the　thought　of　its　inventor。　　In　　a　short　period　the　circle　of　their　action　expanded　itself；　and　not　　content　with　making　Great　Britain　alone　a　participator　of　this　　salutary　institution；　they　wished　to　extend　it　to　all　countries；　　and　therefore　called　to　their　assistance　the　majority　of　the　known　　languages。　　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　Bible；　and　to　　discover　manuscripts　of　the　ancient　versions。　　They　did　more：　　　convinced　of　the　necessity　of　placing　themselves　above　the　　miserable　considerations　of　sectarian　spirit；　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　Christianity；　which　separates　more　　and　more　their　views　instead　of　guiding　them　to　the　religious　end　　which　they　propose。

'Thus　the　doctrine　of　the　Nazarene　might　be　studied　with　equal　　success　by　the　Greek　schismatic　and　the　Catholic　Spaniard；　by　the　　sectary　of　Calvin　and　the　disciple　of　Luther：　　its　seed　might　bless　　at　one　and　the　same　time　the　fruitful　plains　of　Asia　and　the　　sterile　sands　of　desert　Arabia；　the　burning　soil　of　India　and　the　　icy　land　of　the　ferocious　Esquimaux。　　Antiquity　knew　no　speedier　　means　of　conveying　its　ideas　than　the　harangues　which　the　orators　　pronounced　from　the　summit　of　the　tribune；　amidst　assemblies　of　　thousands　of　citizens；　but　modern　intelligence　wished　to　discover　　other　means　infinitely　more　efficacious；　more　active；　more　rapid；　　more　universal；　and　has　invented　the　press。　　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　principles；　but　scarcely　did　this　invention　come　to　　second　the　progress　of　modern　civilisation；　than　it　foresaw　the　　future　ally　destined　to　complete　the　intelligent　and　social　labour　　which　it　had　taken　upon　itself。'

（After　stating　what　has　been　accomplished　by　the　B。　F。　B。　Society；　　and　how　many　others　have　sprung　up　under　her　auspices　in　different　　lands；　the　article　continues：）

'Why　should　Spain　which　has　explored　the　New　World；　which　has　　generalised　inoculation　in　order　to　oppose　the　devastations　of　a　　horrid　pest；　which　has　always　distinguished　herself　by　zeal　in　　labouring　in　the　cause　of　humanity　…　why　should　she　alone　be　　destitute　of　Bible　Societies？　　Why　should　a　nation　eminently　　Catholic　continue　isolated　from　the　rest　of　Europe；　without　joining　　in　the　magnificent　enterprise　in　which　the　latter　is　so　busily　　engaged？'

GEORGE　BORROW。

（My　best　respects　to　Mr。　Jowett。）



LETTER：　20th　April；　1836



To　the　Rev。　A。　Brandram　（ENDORSED：　recd。　May　5；　1836）　MADRID；　NO。　3；　CALLE　DE　LA　ZARZA；　20　APRIL　1836

REVD。　AND　DEAR　SIR；　…　I　have　received　your　letter　of　the　6th　inst。；　　in　which　you　request　me　to　write　to　you　a　little　more　frequently；　　on　the　ground　that　my　letters　are　not　destitute　of　interest；　your　　request；　however；　is　not　the　principal　reason　which　incites　me　to　　take　up　the　pen　at　the　present　moment。　　Though　I　hope　that　I　shall　　be　able　to　communicate　matter　which　will　afford　yourself　and　our　　friends　at　home　subject　for　some　congratulation；　my　more　immediate　　object　is　to　inform　you　of　my　situation；　of　which　I　am　sure　you　　have　not　the　slightest　conception。

For　the　last　three　weeks　I　have　been　without　money；　literally　　without　a　farthing。　　About　a　month　ago　I　received　fifteen　pounds　　from　Mr。　Wilby；　and　returned　him　an　order　for　twenty；　he　having；　　when　I　left　Lisbon；　lent　me　five　pounds；　on　account；　above　what　I　　drew　for；　as　he　was　apprehensive　of　my　being　short　of　money　before　　I　reached　Madrid。　　12　pounds；　5s。　of　this　I　instantly　expended　for　　a　suit　of　clothes；　my　own　being　so　worn；　that　it　was　impossible　to　　appear　longer　in　public　with　them。　　At　the　time　of　sending　him　the　　receipt　I　informed　him　that　I　was　in　need　of　money；　and　begged　that　　he　would　send　the　remaining　30　pounds　by　return　of　post。　　I　have　　never　heard　from　him　from　that　moment；　though　I　have　written　twice。　　　Perhaps　he　never　received　my　letters；　or　I　may　not　have　received　　his；　the　post