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My　first　care　was　to　wait　on　my　excellent　friend；　Mr。　Villiers；　who　　received　me　with　his　usual　kindness。　　I　asked　him　if　it　were　his　　opinion　that　I　might　venture　to　commence　printing　the　Scriptures　　without　an　application　to　the　present　Government；　as　the　law　is　　doubtful　on　the　point。　　His　reply　was　satisfactory：　　'You　obtained　　the　permission　of　the　Government　of　Isturitz；'　said　he；　'which　was　　a　much　less　liberal　one　than　the　present；　I　am　a　witness　to　the　　promise　made　to　you　by　the　former　Ministers；　which　I　consider　　sufficient；　you　had　best　commence　and　complete　the　work　as　soon　as　　possible；　without　any　fresh　application；　and　should　any　one　attempt　　to　interrupt　you；　you　have　only　to　come　to　me；　whom　you　may　command　　at　any　time。'　…　I　went　away　with　a　light　heart。

I　next　visited　Mr。　O'Shea；　who　was　very　glad　to　see　me　again；　and　　assured　me　that　he　took　the　greatest　interest　in　my　undertaking；　　and　should　be　happy　to　further　it　to　the　utmost　of　his　power。　　I　　knew　that　he　had　been　connected　with　the　paper…manufactories　of　the　　south；　and　a　thought　struck　me。　　You　will　remember　that　I　brought　　over　specimens　of　paper　from　thirty　to　eighty　REALS　per　ream；　and　　that　I　was　authorised　to　purchase　600　reams　of　paper　at　60　REALS　　per　ream。　　I　asked　Mr。　O'Shea　if　he　did　not　think　that；　through　his　　connections；　he　could　procure　me　such　paper　as　I　wanted　at　a　much　　cheaper　rate　than　it　was　possible　for　me　to　obtain　it；　he　said　he　　would　make　enquiries。　　I　returned　in　a　few　days：　　he　had　performed　　more　than　I　expected；　and　he　showed　me　paper　at　45　REALS；　better　　than　what　I　could　have　purchased　at　70；　likewise　some　very　good　at　　37。　　I　hesitated　for　some　time　between　these　two　specimens；　I　at　　length；　however；　determined　to　purchase　that　at　45　REALS。　　I　am　　therefore　able　to　communicate　that　in　paper　alone　9000　REALS　will　　have　been　saved　to　the　funds　of　the　Society；　and　at　the　same　time　a　　superior　article　have　been　procured。

I　found　that　during　my　absence　from　Madrid　Mr。　Wood　had　quitted　Mr。　　Borrego；　and　had　accepted　a　situation　in　another　printing　　establishment；　but　as　Mr。　Borrego　is　in　possession　of　the　only　　English　press　at　Madrid；　is　moreover　an　intimate　friend　of　Mr。　　O'Shea；　and　above　all　enjoys　the　good　opinion　of　Mr。　Villiers　who　　interests　himself　in　his　welfare；　I　am　determined　to　entrust　the　　printing　to　him。　　Mr。　Borrego　has　agreed　to　make　a　reduction　of　10　　REALS　per　sheet　in　his　estimate；　which　I　consider　very　liberal　　conduct；　as　the　former　charge；　considering　the　rate　of　printing　at　　Madrid；　was　by　no　means　high。　　We　have　resolved　to　print　the　work　　precisely　the　same　in　shape　and　size　as　the　copy　entrusted　to　my　　charge；　except　that　we　shall　substitute　single　for　double　columns。

I　shall　look　over　each　sheet　of　the　work　myself；　but　in　order　to　　bring　out　as　correct　an　edition　as　possible　I　have　engaged　the　　literary　assistance　of　Dr。　Usoz；　the　gentleman　who　some　time　since　　addressed　a　letter　to　the　Society；　in　which　he　expressed　a　wish　to　　become　a　member。　　He　is　one　of　the　best　Castilian　scholars　in　　Madrid；　and；　as　he　feels　zeal　in　the　cause；　will；　I　have　no　doubt；　　prove　eminently　useful。　　Any　remuneration　for　his　labour　he　will　　leave　to　the　consideration　of　the　Bible　Society　and　myself。

We　shall　commence　printing　within　a　few　days；　and　I　expect　to　have　　the　work　ready　within　ten　weeks。

Now　permit　me　to　propose　a　very　important　question　to　you。　　What　is　　to　be　done　with　the　volumes　when　the　work　shall　have　passed　through　　the　press？　　As　I　am　sure　you　will　feel　at　a　loss　to　give　a　　satisfactory　answer；　allow　me　to　propose　the　only　plan　which　　appears　feasible。　　Believe　me　when　I　say　that　it　is　not　the　result　　of　a　few　moments'　cogitation。　　I　have　mused　on　it　much　and　often。　　　I　mused　on　it　when　off　Cape　Finisterre　in　the　tempest；　in　the　cut…　throat　passes　of　the　Morena；　and　on　the　plains　of　La　Mancha；　as　I　　jogged　along　a　little　way　ahead　of　the　smuggler。　　It　is　this。

As　soon　as　the　work　is　printed　and　bound；　I　will　ride　forth　from　　Madrid　into　the　wildest　parts　of　Spain；　where　the　Word　is　most　　wanted；　and　where　it　seems　next　to　an　impossibility　to　introduce　　it。　　I　will　go　through　the　whole　of　the　Asturias　and　Galicia；　and　　along　the　entire　line　of　the　Pyrenees；　not　forgetting　to　visit　　every　part　of　Biscay。　　To　accomplish　this　I　must　have　horses　and　a　　man　to　take　care　of　them。　　To　purchase　horses　will　be　much　more　　economical　than　to　hire　them；　as　the　hire　of　an　animal　for　a　　journey　of　only　thirty　leagues　generally　amounts　to　nearly　its　full　　value；　the　purchase　of　three　horses　will　not　amount　to　more　than　36　　pounds；　and　a　servant　may　be　obtained　for　9d。　per　day　and　his　　board。

I　will　take　with　me　1200　copies；　which　I　will　engage　to　dispose　of；　　for　little　or　much；　to　the　wild　people　of　the　wild　regions　which　I　　intend　to　visit。　　As　for　the　rest　of　the　edition　it　must　be　　disposed　of；　if　possible；　in　a　different　way　…　I　may　say　the　usual　　way；　part　must　be　entrusted　to　booksellers；　part　to　colporteurs；　　and　a　depot　must　be　established　at　Madrid。　　Such　work　is　every　　person's　work；　and　to　any　one　may　be　confided　the　execution　of　it；　　it　is　a　mere　affair　of　trade。　　What　I　wish　to　be　employed　in　is　　what；　I　am　well　aware；　no　other　individual　will　undertake　to　do：　　　namely；　to　scatter　the　Word　upon　the　mountains；　amongst　the　valleys　　and　the　inmost　recesses　of　the　worst　and　most　dangerous　parts　of　　Spain；　where　the　people　are　more　fierce；　fanatic　and；　in　a　word；　　Carlist；　…　parts　where　bookshops　are　unknown；　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　kingdom。

This　is　the　plan　which　I　most　humbly　offer　to　the　consideration　of　　the　Committee　and　yourself。　　I　shall　not　feel　at　all　surprised　　should　it　be　disapproved　of　altogether；　but　I　wish　it　to　be　　understood　that　in　that　event　I　could　do　nothing　further　than　see　　the　work　through　the　press；　as　I　am　confident　that　whatever　ardour　　and　zeal　I　at　present　feel　in　the　cause　would　desert　me　　immediately；　and　that　I　should　neither　be　able　nor　willing　to　　execute　anything　which　might　be　suggested。　　I　wish　to　engage　in　　nothing　which　would　not　allow　me　to　depend　entirely　on　myself。　　It　　would　be　heart…breaking　to　me　to　remain　at　Madrid；　expending　the　　Society's　money；　with　almost　the　certainty　of　being　informed　　eventually　by　the　booksellers　and　their　correspondents　that　the　　work　has　no　sale。　　In　a　word；　to　make　sure　that　some　copies　find　　their　way　among　the　people　I　must　be　permitted　to　carry　them　to　the　　people　myself；　and　what　people　have　more　need　of　Christian　　instruction　than　the　inhabitants　of　the　districts　alluded　to？

Ere　the　return　of　the　CONTRABANDISTA　to　Cordova；　I　purchased　one　of　　the　horses　which　had　brought　us　to　Madrid。　　It　is　an　exceedingly　　strong；　useful　animal；　and　as　I　had　seen　what　it　is　capable　of　　performing；　I　gave　him　the　price　which　he　demanded　（about　11　　pounds；　17s。）。　　It　will　go　twelve　leagues　a　day　with　ease；　and　　carry　three　hundred…weight　on　its　back。　　I　am　looking　out　for　　another；　but　shall　of　course　make　no　further　purchase　until　I　hear　　from　you。　　I　confess　I　would　sooner　provide　myself　with　mules；　but　　they　are　very　expensive　creatures。　　In　the　first　place；　the　　original　cost　of　a　tolerable　one　amounts　to　30　pounds；　and　they；　　moreover；　consume　a　vast　quantity　of　fodder；　at　least　two　pecks　of　　barley　in　the　twenty…four　hours　with　straw　in　proportion；　and　if　　they　are　stinted　in　their　food　they　are　of　no　manner　of　service；　　the　attendance　which　they　require　is　likewise　very　irksome；　as　they　　must　be　fed　once　every　four　hours　night　and　day；　they　are；　however；　　noble　animals；　and　are　much　in　vogue　amongst　the　principal　　nobility。

Hoping　to　hear　from　you　soon；　I　remain；　Revd。　and　dear　Sir；　most　　truly　yours；

G。　B。



LETTER：　27th　February；　1837



To　the　Rev。　A。　Brandram　（ENDORSED：　recd。　Mar。　6；　1837）　MADRID；　No。　16　CALLE　SANT。　IAGO；　FEBY。　27；　1837。

REVD。　AND　DEAR　SIR；　…　I　have　received　your　letter　of　the　27th　ult。　　containing　the　resolution　of　the　Committee；　and　also　yours　of　the　　＇17th＇　ult。　with　my　account。　　I　was　exceedingly　grieved　at　learning　　that　poor　Mr。　Tarn　has　been　removed；　for　he　was　a　most　worthy　　person；　and　the　Bible　Society　will　experience　a　severe　loss　in　his　　death；　but　I　hope　and　trust　that　eventually　some　one　will　be　found　　worthy　to　succeed　him。　　He　is　doubtless　at　present　in　the　other　　world　receiving　the　reward　of　his　faith　in　this；　let　us　pray　that　　we　may　be　counted　worthy　to　join　him　there！

By　the　time　these　lines　reach　you　the　four　Gospels　will　have　passed　　through　the　press；　for　the　work　is　going　on　well　and　prosperously；　　and　I　have　little　doubt　that　within　five　weeks　it　will　be　　completed。　　I　have　already　entered　into　arrangements　respecting　the　　binding　with　Mr。　Borrego；　who　is　about　to　unite　bookbinding　with　　printing；　the　terms　are　very　reasonable；　considering　the　current　　prices　of　the　country；　as　I　am　to　pay　but　three　REALS　per　volume　　for　a　calf　binding　similar　to　that　of　the　copy　which　was　entrusted　　to　me。　　I　have　reckoned　that　the　expense　of　each　book；　printing；　　paper；　and　binding　included；　will　but　barely　amount　to　15　REALS；　　and　cheaper　than　this　it　is　utterly　impossible　to　bring　out　a　work　　of　the　size　of　the　New　Testament；　handsomely　and　creditably　in　　Spain。

Within　a　few　days　I　shall　despatch　letters　circular　to　all　the　　principal　booksellers　in　Spain；　specifying　the　nature；　size　and　　quality　of　the　work；　and　inviting　them　to　subscribe　at　15　REALS　per　　copy；　the　prime　cost；　for　if　anything　will　tempt　them　to　a　　speculation　of　the　kind；　it　will　be　the　hope　and　prospect　of　making　　a　very　handsome　profit。　　Yet　they　are　so　short…sighted　and；　like　　all　their　countrymen；　so　utterly　unacquainted　with　the　rudiments　of　　business；　that　it　is　by　no　means　improbable　that　they；　one　and　all；　　take　no　notice　of　this　proposal；　which　is　however　the　only　plan　　which　at　present　appears　available　for　promoting　the　GENERAL　　circulation　of　the　Scriptures。

Dr。　Usoz；　the　gentleman　who　is　at　present　assisting　me　in　the　　editing　of　the　work　in　question；　is　very　anxious　to　become　a　member　　and　a　correspondent　of　the　Bible　Society。　　His　letter　on　that　　subject　I　translated　and