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ture　I　received　your　letter　　of　the　29th　June；　in　which　you　mention　letters　being　on　the　way　for　　me。　　I；　however；　could　not　wait　for　them　for　many　reasons；　　principally　because　in　that　event　I　should　have　lost　a　considerable　　number　of　Testaments；　which　I　had　sent　before　me。　　I　am　moreover　　tolerably　well　acquainted　with　the　contents　＇of＇　those　　communications　from　the　one　which　I　have　already　received。

For　some　time　past　I　have　been　determined　at　whatever　risk　to　make　　an　effort　to　circulate　the　Scriptures　in　the　rural　districts　of　New　　Castile；　where　I　am　grieved　to　say　the　most　profound　ignorance　of　　true　religion　prevails。　　I　have　been　induced　to　take　up　my　quarters　　for　the　present　in　Villa　Seca；　from　being　well　acquainted　with　a　　labourer　of　the　place；　moreover　its　situation　is　favourable　to　my　　views　as　there　are　many　other　villages　in　its　vicinity。　　Poverty　it　　is　true　abounds；　but　I　am　perfectly　sure　that　our　friends　at　home　　are　disposed　to　make　every　reasonable　sacrifice；　and　not　for　a　　moment　to　balance　the　dust　of　Mammon　against　the　eternal　welfare　of　　their　fellow…creatures。

For　the　last　two　days　I　have　been　riding　in　various　directions。　　It　　is　a　great　blessing　that　heat　agrees　with　me　wonderfully；　as　we　　have　no　less　than　thirty…six　degrees　according　to　Reaumur；　　otherwise　it　would　be　impossible　for　me　to　accomplish　anything；　the　　atmosphere　resembling　the　flickering　glow　about　the　mouth　of　an　　oven。　　I　have　already　disposed　of　about　thirty　Testaments；　of　　course　at　exceedingly　low　prices。　　To…day；　however；　I　have　　commenced　a　new　course；　and　have　sent　abroad　various　peasants　with　　some　parcels　of　Testaments；　my　host；　whom　it　has　pleased　the　Lord　　to　render　favourable　to　the　cause；　has　himself　taken　the　field；　and　　has　proceeded　to　the　neighbouring　village　of　Vargas　mounted　on　his　　donkey。　　If　success　do　not　attend　my　efforts；　the　Lord　knows　that　　it　will　be　no　fault　of　mine。　　It　will　be　the　working　of　His　own　　holy　will。

I　had　scarcely　written　the　above　lines　when　I　heard　the　voice　of　　the　donkey　in　the　court…yard；　and　going　out　I　found　my　host　　returned。　　He　had　disposed　of　his　whole　cargo　of　twenty　Testaments　　at　the　old　Moorish　village　of　Vargas；　distant　from　hence　about　two　　leagues；　and　all　in　the　space　of　about　half　an　hour。　　Eight　poor　　harvest…men；　who　were　refreshing　themselves　at　the　door　of　the　　wine…house；　purchased　each　a　copy；　whilst　the　village　schoolmaster　　took　all　the　rest　for　the　little　ones　beneath　his　care；　lamenting　　at　the　same　time　the　great　difficulty　he　had　long　experienced　in　　obtaining　religious　books；　owing　to　their　scarcity　and　extravagant　　price。　　Many　other　persons　were　also　anxious　to　procure　Testaments；　　but　my　envoy　（Juanito　Lopez）　was　unable　to　supply　them。　　At　his　　departure　they　requested　him　to　return　within　a　few　days。

I　will　not　conceal　from　you　that　I　am　playing　a　daring　game；　and　it　　is　very　possible　that　when　I　least　expect　it　I　may　be　seized；　tied　　to　the　tail　of　a　mule；　and　dragged　either　to　the　prison　of　Toledo　　or　Madrid。　　Yet　such　a　prospect　does　not　discourage　me　in　the　　least；　but　rather　urges　me　on　to　persevere；　for　I　assure　you　…　and　　in　this　assertion　there　lurks　not　the　slightest　desire　to　magnify　　myself　and　produce　an　effect　…　that　I　am　eager　to　lay　down　my　life　　in　this　cause；　and　whether　a　Carlist's　bullet　or　the　jail…fever　　bring　my　career　to　an　end；　I　am　perfectly　indifferent。　　But　I　have　　other　matters　now　to　speak　of。

You　hint　that　a　desire　is　entertained　at　home　to　have　a　personal　　conference　with　me。　　In　the　name　of　the　Highest　I　entreat　you　all　　to　banish　such　a　preposterous　idea。　　A　journey　home　（provided　you　　intend　that　I　should　return　to　Spain）　could　lead　to　no　result　but　　expense　and　the　loss　of　precious　time。　　I　have　nothing　to　explain　　to　you　which　you　are　not　already　perfectly　well　acquainted　with　by　　my　late　letters。　　I　was　fully　aware　at　the　time　I　was　writing　them　　that　I　should　afford　you　little　satisfaction；　for　the　plain　　unvarnished　truth　is　seldom　agreeable。　　But　I　now　repeat；　and　these　　are　perhaps　among　the　last　words　which　I　shall　ever　be　permitted　to　　pen；　that　I　cannot　approve；　and　I　am　sure　no　Christian　can；　of　the　　system　which　has　lately　been　pursued　in　the　large　sea…port　cities　　of　Spain；　and　which　the　Bible　Society　has　been　supposed　to　　sanction；　notwithstanding　the　most　unreflecting　person　could　easily　　foresee　that　such　a　line　of　conduct　could　produce　nothing　in　the　　end　but　obloquy　and　misfortune。

It　was　unkind　and　unjust　to　taunt　me　with　having　been　unsuccessful　　in　distributing　the　Scriptures。　　Allow　me　to　state　that　no　other　　person　under　the　same　circumstances　would　have　distributed　the　　tenth　part。　　Yet　had　I　been　utterly　unsuccessful；　it　would　have　　been　wrong　to　check　me　with　being　so；　after　all　I　have　undergone　…　　and　with　how　little　of　that　are　you　acquainted。　　You　are　perfectly　　correct　in　concluding　that　certain　persons　are　laughing　in　their　　sleeve。　　But　at　what？　　At　the　success　of　their　own　machinations？　　　Not　at　all！　　They　are　laughing　at　the　inconceivable　fatuity　which　　induces　those　whom　THEY　ONCE　DREADED　to　destroy　themselves　and　　their　own　labours。　　The　stone　with　immense　toil　is　rolled　up　to　the　　brow　of　the　mountain；　when　they　see　it　recoil；　not　at　the　touch　of　　Jupiter　but　at　the　impulse　of　the　insane　Sisyphus；　who　pulls　it　　down　on　his　own　body。　　With　common　sense　and　prudence　very　much　　might　have　been　accomplished　in　Spain；　and　still　may。　　I　am　sorry　　to　say　that　hitherto　very　little　of　＇that＇　has　been　used。

You　are　surprised　that　I　should　presume　to　hint　that　I　have　been　　linked　to　G。　＇Graydon＇；　but　at　the　same　time　admit　that　my　　identification　with　him　by　my　enemies　has　been　unavoidable。　　Now　in　　the　name　of　all　that　is　reasonable；　to　what　does　such　an　admission　　amount　but　that　I　have　been　linked　to　this　man；　and　it　matters　very　　little　whether　or　not　I　have　been　brought　into　personal　contact　　with　him。　　But　now　farewell　to　him：　　and　in　taking　leave　of　this　　subject；　I　will　add　that　the　unfortunate　M。　＇Marin＇　is　dying　of　a　　galloping　consumption；　brought　on　by　distress　of　mind。　　All　the　　medicine　in　the　world　would　not　accomplish　his　cure。

With　God's　permission　I　will　write　again　in　a　few　days　and　till　　then；

I　remain；　Revd。　and　dear　Sir；　most　truly　yours；

GEORGE　BORROW。



LETTER：　17th　July；　1838



To　the　Rev。　A。　Brandram　（ENDORSED：　recd。　July　30；　1838）　VILLA　SECA；　NEW　CASTILLE；　17　JULY　1838。

REVD。　AND　DEAR　SIR；　…　I　addressed　a　letter　to　you　on　the　14th　　instant；　which　I　hope　you　will　receive　in　course　of　time；　together　　with　the　present；　in　that　letter　I　informed　you　where　I　was；　　stating　my　proceedings　and　intentions。　　It　has　pleased　the　Lord　to　　permit　me　to　be　hitherto　very　successful　in　these　regions；　so　much　　so　that　during　less　than　a　week　I　have　disposed　of　the　entire　stock　　of　Testaments　which　I　brought　with　me；　namely　two　hundred；　only　　three　or　four　remain；　which　are　already　bespoken。　　Last　night　I　　sent　off　a　messenger　to　Madrid　for　a　fresh　supply；　which　I　expect　　will　arrive　in　a　day　or　two。

I　must　here　observe　that　up　to　the　present　moment　I　have　　endeavoured　as　much　as　possible　to　avoid　noise；　and　notoriety。　　　Advertisements　and　handbills　I　have　utterly　eschewed。　　I　brought　　none　with　me；　and　in　these　rural　places；　the　name　of　a　printing　　press　is　unknown；　nor　have　I　much　endeavoured　to　work　upon　the　mind　　of　the　simple　peasantry　around　me　by　words。　　I　merely　tell　them　　that　I　bring　them　the　words　and　life　of　the　Saviour　and　His　saints　　at　a　price　adapted　to　their　humble　means。　　Nevertheless　the　news　of　　the　arrival　of　the　book　of　life　is　spreading　like　wild…fire　through　　the　villages　of　the　Sagra　of　Toledo；　and　wherever　my　people　and　　myself　direct　our　course　we　find　the　inhabitants　disposed　to　　receive　our　merchandise；　it　is　even　called　for　where　not　exhibited。　　　Last　night　as　I　was　bathing　myself　and　＇my＇　horse　in　the　Tagus；　a　　knot　of　people　gathered　on　the　bank　crying：　　'Come　out　of　the　　water；　Englishman；　and　give　us　books；　we　have　got　our　money　in　our　　hands。'　　The　poor　creatures　then　held　out　their　hands　filled　with　　CUARTOS；　a　copper　coin　of　the　value　of　a　farthing；　but　I　had　　unfortunately　no　Testament　to　afford　them。　　My　servant；　however；　　who　was　at　a　short　distance；　having　exhibited　one；　it　was　instantly　　torn　from　his　hands　by　the　people；　and　a　scuffle　ensued　to　obtain　　possession　of　it。　　It　has　very　frequently　occurred　that　the　poor　　labourers　in　the　neighbourhood；　being　eager　to　obtain　Testaments　　and　having　no　money　to　offer　us　in　exchange；　have　brought　various　　other　articles　to　our　cottage　as　equivalents　…　for　example；　　rabbits；　fruit　and　barley；　and　I　have　made　a　point　never　to　　disappoint　them；　as　such　articles　are　of　utility　either　for　our　own　　consumption　or　that　of　the　horses。

In　Villa　Seca　there　is　a　school　in　which　fifty…seven　children　are　　taught　the　first　rudiments　of　education。　　Yesterday　morning　the　　schoolmaster；　a　tall　slim　figure　of　about　sixty；　bearing　on　his　　head　one　of　the　peaked　hats　of　Andalusia　and　wrapped　　notwithstanding　the　excessive　heat　of　the　weather　in　a　long　cloak；　　made　his　appearance；　and　having　seated　himself　requested　to　be　　shown　one　of　our　books。　　Having　delivered　it　to　him；　he　remained　　examining　it　for　nearly　half　an　hour　without　uttering　a　word。　　At　　last　he　laid　it　down　with　a　sigh　and　said　that　he　should　be　very　　happy　to　purchase　some　of　these　books　for　his　school；　but　from　　their　appearance；　especially　from　the　quality　of　the　paper　and　　binding；　he　was　apprehensive　that　to　pay　for　them　would　exceed　the　　means　of　the　parents　of　his　pupils；　as　they　were　almost　destitute　　of　money；　being　poor　labourers。　　He　then　commenced　blaming　the　　Government；　which；　he　said；　established　schools　without　affording　　the　necessary　books；　adding　that　in　his　school　there　were　but　two　　books　for　the　use　of　all　his　pupils；　and　these　he　confessed　　contained　but　little　good。　　I　asked　him　what　he　considered　the　　Testaments　were　worth。　　He　said；　'SENOR　CAVALIER；　to　speak　frankly　　I　have　in　other　times　paid　twelve　REALS　for　books　inferior　to　yours　　in　every　respect；　but　I　assure　you　that　my　poor　pupils　would　be　　utterly　unable　to　pay　the　half　of　that　price。'　　I　replied；　'I　will　　sell　you　as　many　as　you　please