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　atrocity；　which　have　been　practised　　towards　me；　will　prove　the　means　of　accomplishing　not　what　my　　enemies　hoped　and　wished；　the　destruction　and　disgrace　of　the　　Bible…cause　in　Spain；　but　its　triumph；　its　pure　and　sublime　　triumph。

Satan　has；　as　usual；　foiled　himself；　and　his　poisoned　shafts　have　　recoiled；　and　pierced　his　own　bosom。　　You　will　have　heard　how　　gallantly　Sir　George　Villiers　has　taken　my　part；　and　how　he　has　　made　a　national　question　of　the　persecution　of　which　I　have　been　　the　object；　and　which　lately　reached　its　climax。　　It　will　be　　necessary　to　tell　you　here　that　I　have　always　communicated　to　him　　the　steps　which　I　intended　to　take　in　order　to　promote　the　　circulation　of　the　Bible；　and　they　have　uniformly　met　with　his　　approbation；　therefore　you　will　easily　conceive　that　in　what　I　have　　done　there　has　been　no　rashness　nor　anything　which　savoured　of　the　　arts　of　the　charlatan：　　I　have　too　much　respect　for　the　Gospel　and　　my　own　character　to　have　recourse　to　them。

I　will　now　state　a　fact　which　speaks　volumes　as　to　the　state　of　　affairs　at　Madrid。　　My　arch…enemy　the　Archbishop　of　Toledo；　the　　Primate　of　Spain；　wishes　to　give　me　the　kiss　of　brotherly　peace。　　　He　has　caused　a　message　to　be　conveyed　to　me　in　my　dungeon；　　assuring　me　that　he　has　had　no　share　in　causing　my　imprisonment；　　which　he　says　was　the　work　of　the　Civil　Governor；　who　was　incited　　to　that　step　by　the　Jesuits。　　He　adds　that　he　is　determined　to　seek　　out　my　persecutors　amongst　the　clergy　and　to　have　them　punished；　　and　that　when　I　leave　prison　he　shall　be　happy　to　co…operate　with　　me　in　the　dissemination　of　the　Gospel！！！

I　cannot　write　much　now；　for　I　am　not　well；　having　been　bled　and　　blistered。　　I　must；　however；　devote　a　few　lines　to　another　subject；　　but　not　one　of　rejoicing　or　Christian　exultation。　　Marin　arrived　　just　after　my　arrest；　and　visited　me　in　prison；　and　there　favoured　　me　with　a　scene　of　despair；　abject　despair；　which　nearly　turned　my　　brain。　　I　despised　the　creature；　God　forgive　me；　but　I　pitied　him；　　for　he　was　without　money　and　expected　every　moment　to　be　seized　　like　myself　and　incarcerated；　and　he　is　by　no　means　anxious　to　be　　invested　with　the　honours　of　martyrdom。　　I　have　offered　him　some　　relief　…　what　else　could　I　do？　　He　seems　partly　insane。　　I　reap；　as　　I　expected；　the　full　credit　of　his　conversion。　　The　Bishop　of　　Cordova　got　up　the　other　day　in　council；　and　said　that　I　was　a　　dangerous　pestilent　person；　who　under　the　pretence　of　selling　the　　Scriptures　went　about　making　converts；　and　moreover　employed　　subordinates；　for　the　purpose　of　deluding　weak　and　silly　people　　into　separation　from　the　Mother　Church。

Of　this　man　I　have　said　in　a　letter　to　Mr。　Rule；　not　yet　sent：　　'I　　hope　that　Marin's　history　will　prove　a　warning　to　many　of　our　　friends；　and　tend　to　a　certain　extent　to　sober　down　the　desire　for　　doing　what　is　called　at　home　SMART　THINGS；　many　of　which　terminate　　in　a　manner　very　different　from　the　original　expectations　of　the　　parties　concerned。　　To　do　a　great　and　a　good　thing　requires　a　heart　　replete　with　the　love　of　Christ　and　a　head　cooled　by　experience　and　　knowledge　of　the　world；　both　of　which　desiderata　I　consider　　incompatible　with　a　wish　to　shine。'

It　is　probable　that　I　shall　leave　prison　to…morrow。　　Pray　write　to　　my　mother　and　beg　her　not　to　be　alarmed。

I　remain；　Revd。　and　dear　Sir；

Yours　faithfully；

GEORGE　BORROW。



LETTER：　13th　May；　1838



To　the　Rev。　A。　Brandram　（ENDORSED：　recd。　May　23；　1838）　MADRID；　May　13　＇1838＇。

REVD。　AND　DEAR　SIR；　…　Post　is　just　about　to　start；　but　I　am　　compelled　to　write　a　few　words。　　The　Bible　cause　has　triumphed　in　　Spain。　　Whatever　I　do　in　future　connected　with　the　Gospel　is　to　　have　the　sanction　of　the　Government；　who　have　expressed　a　desire　to　　co…operate　with　the　Bible　Society　towards　the　civilization　of　the　　country。

I　left　prison　yesterday；　and　this　morning　was　sent　for　to　the　　British　Embassy；　where　Sir　George　entered　into　an　infinity　of　　details　which　I　cannot　state　at　present。　　Sir　George　has　commanded　　me；　however；　to　write　to　the　following　effect：…

Mr。　Graydon　must　leave　Spain；　or　the　Bible　Society　must　publicly　　disavow　that　his　proceedings　receive　their　encouragement；　unless　　they　wish　to　see　the　Sacred　Book；　which　it　is　their　object　to　　distribute；　brought　into　universal　odium　and　contempt。　　He　has　　lately　been　to　Malaga；　and　has　there　played　precisely　the　same　part　　which　he　acted　last　year　at　Valencia；　with　the　addition　that　in　　printed　writings　he　has　insulted　the　Spanish　Government　in　the　most　　inexcusable　manner。　　A　formal　complaint　of　his　conduct　has　been　　sent　up　from　Malaga；　and　a　copy　of　one　of　his　writings。　　Sir　George　　blushed　when　he　saw　it；　and　informed　Count　Ofalia　that　any　steps　　which　might　be　taken　towards　punishing　the　author　would　receive　no　　impediment　from　him。

I　shall　not　make　any　observation　on　this　matter　further　than　　stating　that　I　have　never　had　any　other　opinion　of　Mr。　Graydon　than　　that　he　is　insane　…　insane　as　the　person　who　for　the　sake　of　　warming　his　own　hands　would　set　a　street　on　fire。　　Sir　George　said　　to…day　that　he；　Graydon；　was　the　cause　of　my　harmless　shop　being　　closed　at　Madrid　and　also　of　my　imprisonment。　　The　Society　will　of　　course　communicate　with　Sir　George　on　the　subject：　　I　wash　my　hands　　of　it。

I　remain；　dear　Sir；　most　truly　yours；

GEORGE　BORROW。



LETTER：　17th　May；　1838



To　the　Rev。　A。　Brandram　（ENDORSED：　recd。　May　28；　1838）　MADRID；　May　17；　1838。

EXCUSE　the　haste　in　which　my　last　letter　was　written；　it　doubtless　　seemed　somewhat　incoherent；　I　will　now　endeavour　to　be　more　　explicit。　　Moreover；　since　sending　it；　I　have　had　an　interview　of　　nearly　two　hours　with　Count　Ofalia；　and　have　much　that　is　new　to　　communicate。　　But　previously　to　stating　what　is　likely　to　afford　　pleasure　and　satisfaction；　I　must　proceed　to　disburden　myself　of　　what　I　heard　with　the　greatest　pain；　and　which　I　communicate　with　　sorrow　and　reluctance。

Sir　George　Villiers　and　Mr。　Southern；　first　Secretary　of　Legation；　　were　the　persons　who　first　informed　me　of　what　has　taken　place　at　　Malaga。　　It　appears　that　Mr。　Graydon　arrived　there　a　short　time　　before　my　imprisonment　at　Madrid；　and　instead　of　endeavouring　to　　circulate　the　Scriptures　in　a　quiet　and　reasonable　manner；　such　as　　becomes　a　gentleman　and　a　Christian；　and　such　as　had　been　　recommended　to　me　previous　to　my　late　long　journey　in　the　north　of　　Spain　and　which　I　have　always　endeavoured　to　follow；　he　had　　recourse　to　means　the　most　improper　and　disreputable；　very　similar　　to　those　which　he　is　said　to　have　followed　in　all　the　other　towns　　which　he　has　visited。　　In　order　to　excite　curiosity　and　cause　a　　sensation；　he　published　advertisements　and　handbills　replete　with　　the　lowest　abuse　of　the　Spanish　clergy　and　Government；　and　　containing　his　own　private　opinions　concerning　religion。　　However；　　not　contented　with　this；　he　had　the　cruelty　…　I　will　not　call　it　　baseness　…　to　speak　of　MYSELF；　with；　whom　he　asserted　that　he　was　　co…operating　in　every　point；　and　that　all　he　was　doing　was　under　　the　sanction　of　the　Bible　Society。

Intelligence　of　these　proceedings　was　of　course　sent　to　Madrid；　　with　one　of　the　handbills；　which　I　have　not　seen；　but　of　which　Mr。　　Southern；　a　literary　and　accomplished　gentleman；　has　said　that　its　　abusive　virulence　is　only　to　be　equalled　by　its　stupidity　and　　folly。　　Sir　George　Villiers；　though　very　unwell；　was　deeply　engaged　　in　my　affair；　and　exchanging　official　notes　with　the　Government。　　　He　had　just　informed　Count　Ofalia　that　unless　full　and　summary　　satisfaction　were　afforded　me；　he　should　demand　his　passports；　and　　write　to　the　commanders　of　all　the　English　ships　of　war　engaged　in　　furnishing　assistance　to　Spain；　commanding　them　to　suspend　　operations　forthwith。　　Suddenly　Count　Ofalia　arrived　at　the　　Embassy；　and　flinging　down　on　the　table　one　of　Graydon's　handbills；　　exclaimed：　　'Peruse　that；　and　then　tell　me；　as　a　Cavalier　and　a　　gentleman；　and　the　Envoy　of　a　powerful　and　enlightened　nation；　　whether　you　can　any　longer　uphold　the　cause　of　your　friend　in　　prison；　and　persist　in　saying　that　he　has　been　cruelly　and　unjustly　　treated。　　You　see　that　he　is　in　the　closest　connexion　with　an　　individual　whose　conduct　every　civilised　man　must　reprobate；　it　　being　a　most　flagrant　breach　of　common　decency　and　order。'

This　unexpected　incident　occurring　at　such　a　critical　moment　almost　　stunned　Sir　George；　but；　recovering　himself；　he　denied　in　the　most　　positive　manner　that　I　had　any　connexion　with　Graydon；　and　asserted　　that　he　did　not　believe　the　latter　was　an　Agent　of　the　Bible　　Society；　and　that　at　all　events　he　was　quite　sure　that　he　had　acted　　in　this　case　without　its　knowledge　and　concurrence；　and　that　it　　would　be　willing　to　declare　so　in　the　clearest　and　most　　satisfactory　manner。

Count　Ofalia；　finding　Sir　George　so　positive；　said　that　since　I　had　　such　a　voucher　he　could　not　reasonably　doubt　my　innocence；　and　that　　with　respect　to　the　Society　he　supposed　that　it　too　well　understood　　its　own　interest　to　trust　its　affairs　to　a　person　whose　conduct　was　　calculated　to　bring　odium　and　misfortune　on　the　fairest　and　most　　promising　cause。　　But　Sir　George　has　subsequently　assured　me　that；　　but　for　this　unfortunate　occurrence；　he　could　have　made　much　better　　terms　for　me　with　the　Spanish　Government　than　from　that　period　he　　thought　it　politic　to　demand。

I　will　now　state　one　circumstance；　and　the　Lord　knows　how　true　it　　is。　　It　was　my　prayer　night　and　morning　in　my　dungeon　that　I　might　　hear　of　no　fresh　outbreak　of　this　man；　whose　character　I　was　but　　too　well　acquainted　with；　as　I　think　you　will　concede　when　you　call　　to　mind　my　letter　written　immediately　after　I　had　received　　intelligence　that　he　was　on　the　way　to　Andalusia。　　He　has　up　to　the　　present　moment　been　the　'Evil　Genius'　of　the　Bible　cause　in　Spain　　and　of　myself；　and　has　so　chosen　his　means　and　moments　of　operation　　that　he　has　been　almost　invariably　successful　in　shaking　to　the　　ground　every　feasible　plan　which　my　friends　and　myself　have　devised　　for　the　propagation　of　the　Gospel　in　a　STEADY　AND　PERMANENT　MANNER。　　　But　I　wish　not　to　dwell　upon　this　subject；　and　shall　only　observe　　that　his　insane　career　（for　in　charity　I　believe　him　to　be