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e　purpose　　of　carrying　through　the　press　my　own　translation　of　the　Gospel　of　　St。　Luke　in　the　language　of　the　Spanish　Gypsies；　and　also　the　same　　Gospel　in　Cantabrian　or　Basque；　executed　by　the　domestic　physician　　of　the　Marquis　of　Salvatierra。　　What　I　am　destined　to　do　　subsequently　I　know　not；　but　I　should　wish　to　visit　China　by　a　land　　journey；　either　through　Russia；　or　by　Constantinople　＇and＇　Armenia　　as　far　as　the　Indian　Gulf；　as　it　is　my　opinion　that；　with　God's　　permission；　I　might　sow　some　seed　by　the　way　which　might　in　time　　yield　a　good　harvest。

Speaking　of　these　matters　reminds　me　that　in　your　next　letter　　（written　in　your　usual　choice　Danish）　you　might　send　me　some　useful　　information　respecting　what　might　be　done　in　Russia。　　Do　you　think　　permission　might　be　obtained　to　print　the　New　Testament　in　Russ；　　and　that　the　Russian　Hierarchy　would　be　inclined　to　offer　any　　serious　opposition？　　I　wish　you　would　speak　to　Gretsch　on　the　　subject；　to　whom　you　will；　as　usual；　present　my　kindest　　remembrances。　　I　believe　you　are　acquainted　with　Mrs。　Biller；　but　　if　not；　you　would　confer　a　great　favour　upon　me　by　calling　on　her；　　and　requesting　her　opinion；　as　she　is　better　acquainted　than　　perhaps　any　person　in　Russia　with　the　course　to　be　pursued　if　the　　attempt　were　to　be　hazarded。　　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　her；　and　whether　　license　to　print　has　been　obtained。　　If　not；　I　should　wish　that　　energetic　steps　be　taken　to　that　effect；　and　as　you　are　an　　energetic　person；　and　she　may　possibly　have　too　many　important　　affairs　upon　her　hands；　I　pray　you　to　take　the　matter　up；　but　at　　all　events　to　follow　her　advice；　pray　remember　me　to　her　likewise。　　　The　translation　was　corrected　by　that　unfortunate　man　Nicanoff；　　who；　though　he　lived　and　died　a　drunkard；　was　an　excellent　Russian　　scholar；　therefore　I　think　that　no　objection　can　reasonably　be　made　　in　respect　to　style；　though　indeed　the　original　is　very　plain　and　　homely；　being　adapted　to　the　most　common　understanding。　　I　offer　no　　apology　for　giving　you　all　this　trouble；　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　myself。

Spain　at　present；　I　am　sorry　to　say；　is　in　a　more　distracted　and　　convulsed　situation　than　at　any　former　period；　and　the　prospect　is　　gloomy　in　the　extreme。　　The　Queen's　troops　have　sustained　of　late　　grievous　defeats　in　the　Basque　provinces　and　Valencia；　and　a　　Carlist　expedition　of　18；000　men；　whose　object　is　to　ravage　Castile　　and　to　carry　the　war　to　the　gates　of　Madrid；　is　shortly　expected　to　　pass　the　Ebro。　　From　what　I　have　seen　and　heard　of　the　demoralised　　state　of　the　Cristinos　forces；　I　believe　they　will　meet　with　no　　effectual　resistance；　and　that　Cristina　and　her　daughter　will　be　　compelled　to　flee　from　the　capital　to　Cadiz；　or　to　some　strong　　frontier　town。　　Nevertheless；　such　is　the　nature　of　the　Spanish　　people；　that　it　is　impossible　to　say　whether　the　liberal　cause　（as　　it　is　called）　be　desperate　or　not；　as　neither　one　party　nor　the　　other　knows　how　to　improve　an　advantage。　　Twice　might　Don　Carlos　　have　marched　to　Madrid　and　seized　the　crown；　and　more　than　once　his　　army　has　been　at　the　mercy　of　the　Cristinos；　yet　still　is　the　　affair　undecided；　and　will　perhaps　continue　so　for　years。　　The　　country　is；　as　you　may　well　conceive；　in　a　most　distracted　state；　　robbery　and　murder　are　practised　with　impunity；　and　the　roads　are　　in　such　an　insecure　state　that　almost　all　communication　has　ceased　　between　one　town　and　another；　yet　I　am　going　forth　without　the　　slightest　fear；　trusting　in　God；　for　if　He　is　with　me；　who　shall　　stand　against　me？

I　have　a　servant；　a　person　who　has　been　a　soldier　for　fifteen　　years；　who　will　go　with　me　for　the　purpose　of　attending　to　the　　horses　and　otherwise　assisting　me　in　my　labours。　　His　conduct　on　　the　journey　is　the　only　thing　to　which　I　look　forward　with　　uneasiness；　for　though　he　has　some　good　points；　yet　in　many　　respects　a　more　atrocious　fellow　never　existed。　　He　is　inordinately　　given　to　drink；　and　of　so　quarrelsome　a　disposition　that　he　is　　almost　constantly　involved　in　some　broil。　　Like　most　of　his　　countrymen；　he　carries　an　exceedingly　long　knife；　which　he　　frequently　unsheaths　and　brandishes　in　the　faces　of　those　who　are　　unfortunate　enough　to　awaken　his　choler。　　It　is　only　a　few　days　　since　that　I　rescued　the　maid…servant　of　the　house　from　his　grasp；　　whom　otherwise　he　would　undoubtedly　have　killed；　and　all　because　　she　too　much　burnt　a　red　herring　which　he　had　given　her　to　cook。　　　You　perhaps　wonder　that　I　retain　a　person　of　this　description；　but；　　bad　as　he　is；　he　is　the　best　servant　I　can　obtain；　he　is　very　　honest；　a　virtue　which　is　rarely　to　be　found　in　a　Spanish　servant；　　and　I　have　no　fear　of　his　running　away　with　the　horses　during　the　　journey；　after　having　perhaps　knocked　me　on　the　head　in　some　lone　　POSADA。　　He　is　moreover　acquainted　with　every　road；　cross…road；　　river；　and　mountain　in　Spain；　and　is　therefore　a　very　suitable　　squire　for　an　errant　knight；　like　myself。　　On　my　arrival　in　Biscay　　I　shall　perhaps　engage　one　of　the　uncorrupted　Basque　peasants；　who　　has　never　left　his　native　mountains　and　is　utterly　ignorant　of　the　　Spanish　language；　for　I　am　told　that　they　are　exceedingly　faithful　　and　laborious。　　The　best　servant　I　ever　had　was　the　Tartar　Mahmoud　　at　St。　Petersburg；　and　I　have　frequently　repented　that　I　did　not　　bring　him　with　me　on　my　leaving　Russia；　but　I　was　not　then　aware　　that　I　was　about　to　visit　this　unfortunate　country；　where　goodness　　of　every　description　is　so　difficult　to　find。



LETTER：　10th　May；　1837



To　the　Rev。　A。　Brandram　（ENDORSED：　recd。　May　23；　1837）　MADRID；　MAY　10TH；　1837。

REVD。　AND　DEAR　SIR；　…　I　herewith　send　the　long　promised　account　of　　my　private　expenses；　which　I　hope　will　be　found　correct。　　I　start　　to…morrow　for　Salamanca；　at　which　place　I　should　now　be；　but　for　　the　misconduct　of　my　servant；　whom　I　have　been　compelled　to　turn　　away。　　I　have　experienced　great　difficulty　in　obtaining　another；　my　　present　one　is　a　Greek；　who　formerly　waited　on　Mr。　O'Shea；　I　hope　　he　will　turn　out　well。　　Mr。　O'Shea　has　given　me　a　general　letter　of　　credit　to　his　correspondents　in　various　parts　of　Spain。　　You　will　　receive　my　draft　in　a　few　days。　　I　shall　write　from　Salamanca；　and　　various　other　places；　detailing　all　my　proceedings　and　adventures。　　　I　hope　you　received　my　last　letter。

I　remain；　etc。；

GEORGE　BORROW。



LETTER：　7th　June；　1837



To　the　Rev。　A。　Brandram　（ENDORSED：　recd。　June　21；　1837）　SALAMANCA；　June　7；　1837。

REVD。　AND　DEAR　SIR；　　…　I　arrived　at　Salamanca　about　a　fortnight　　since；　in　safety　and　in　tolerable　good　health。　　I　shall　defer　for　a　　few　days　communicating　the　particulars　of　my　journey；　though　they　　are　not　destitute　of　interest；　having　at　present　information　to　　afford　which　I　consider　of　more　importance；　and　which　I　hope　will　　afford　the　same　satisfaction　to　yourself　and　our　friends　at　home　　which　I　myself　experience　in　communicating　them。

Some　days　previous　to　my　departure　from　Madrid　I　was　very　much　　indisposed。　　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　cough；　which　the　　many　remedies　which　I　successively　tried　were　unable　to　subdue。　　I　　had　made　preparation　for　departing　on　a　particular　day；　but　owing　　to　the　state　of　my　health　I　was　apprehensive　that　I　should　be　　compelled　to　postpone　my　journey　for　a　time。　　The　last　day　of　my　　stay　in　Madrid；　finding　myself　scarcely　able　to　stand；　I　was　fain　　to　submit　to　a　somewhat　desperate　experiment；　and　by　the　advice　of　　the　barber…surgeon　who　visited　me；　I　determined　to　be　bled。　　Late　　on　the　night　of　that　same　day　he　eased　me　of　sixteen　ounces　of　　blood；　and　having　received　his　fee；　left　me；　wishing　me　a　pleasant　　journey；　and　assuring　me　upon　his　reputation　that　by　noon　the　next　　day　I　should　be　perfectly　recovered。

A　few　minutes　after　his　departure；　whilst　I　was　sitting　alone；　　meditating　on　the　journey　which　I　was　about　to　undertake；　and　on　　the　rickety　state　of　my　health；　I　heard　a　loud　knock　at　the　street…　door　of　the　house；　on　the　third　floor　of　which　I　was　lodged；　not　　very　comfortably。　　In　a　minute　or　two　Mr。　Southern　of　the　British　　Embassy　entered　my　apartment。　　After　a　little　conversation　he　　informed　me　that　Mr。　Villiers　had　desired　him　to　wait　upon　me；　to　　communicate　a　resolution　which　he；　Mr。　Villiers；　had　come　to。　　　Being　apprehensive　that　alone　and　unassisted　I　should　experience　　considerable　difficulty　in　propagating　the　Gospel　of　God　to　any　　considerable　extent　in　Spain；　he　was　bent　upon　exerting　to　the　　utmost　his　own　credit　and　influence　to　further　my　views；　which　he　　himself　considered；　if　carried　into　proper　effect；　extremely　well　　calculated　to　operate　beneficially　on　the　political　and　moral　state　　of　the　country。　　To　this　end　it　was　his　intention　to　purchase　a　　very　considerable　number　of　copies　of　the　New　Testament；　and　to　　despatch　them　forthwith　to　the　various　British　consuls　established　　in　different　parts　of　Spain；　with　strict　and　positive　orders　to　　employ　all　the　means；　which　their　official　situation　should　afford　　them；　to　circulate　the　books　in　question　and　to　assure　their　being　　noticed。　　They　were　moreover　to　be　charged　to　afford　myself；　　whenever　I　should　appear　in　their　respective　districts；　all　the　　protection；　encouragement；　and　assistance　I　should　stand　in　need　　of；　as　a　friend　of　Mr。　Villiers；　and　a　person　in　the　success　of　　whose　enterprise　he　himself　took　the　warmest　interest。

I　could　scarcely　believe　my　ears　on　receiving　this　information；　for　　though　I　had　long　been　aware　that　Mr。　Villiers　was　at　all　times　　willing　to　assist　me；　he　having　frequently　given　me　sufficient　　proof；　I　could　never　expect　that　he　would　come　forward　in　so　noble；　　and　to　say　the　least　of　it；　considering　his　high　diplomatic　　situation；　so　bold　and　decided　a　manner。　　I　believe　that　this　is　　the　first　instance　of　a　British　Ambassador　having　made　the　cause　of　　the　Bible　Society　a　national　one；　or　indeed　to　favour　it　directly　　or　indirectl