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　　encouraged　by　the　British　and　Foreign　Bible　Society。　　As　these　　transactions；　as　they　were　reported；　were　in　the　highest　degree　　absurd　and　improper；　and　as　I　was　convinced　that　the　Bible　Society　　would　sanction　nothing　of　the　kind；　I　placed　little　or　no　credit　in　　them；　and　put　them　down　to　the　account　of　Jesuitical　malignity。　　In　　less　than　a　fortnight　appeared　in　the　newspapers　what　I　conceived　　to　be　a　gross　and　uncalled…for　attack　upon　the　Bible　Society；　　appended　to　a　pastoral　of　the　Bishop　of　Valencia；　in　which　he　　forbade　the　sale　of　the　Bible　throughout　his　diocese。　　The　　Committee　are　acquainted　with　my　answer　to　that　epistle；　they　are　　well　aware　with　what　zeal　and　fervour　I　spoke　against　the　spirit　of　　Popery；　and　defended　the　Society　and　their　cause　as　far　as　my　　feeble　talents　would　permit。　　Yet　I　here　confess　that　the　said　　answer　was　penned；　if　not　in　perfect　ignorance　of　what　had　been　　transacted　in　Valencia；　at　least　in　almost　utter　disbelief；　for　had　　it　been　my　fortune　at　the　time　to　have　been　as　well　informed　as　I　　have　subsequently　been；　so　far　from　publishing　the　answer　in　　question　I　would　at　once　have　publicly　disclaimed；　as　I　afterwards　　did；　any　participation　or　sympathy　in　transactions　which　were　not　　only　calculated　to　bring　the　Bible　cause　into　odium；　but　the　Bible　　Society　into　difficulties；　into　discredit；　and　worst　of　all；　into　　contempt。　　A　helpless　widow　was　insulted；　her　liberty　of　conscience　　invaded；　and　her　only　son　incited　to　rebellion　against　her。　　A　　lunatic　was　employed　as　the　REPARTIDOR　or　distributor　of　the　　blessed　Bible；　who　having　his　head　crammed　with　what　he　understood　　not；　ran　through　the　streets　of　Valencia　crying　aloud　that　Christ　　was　nigh　at　hand　and　would　appear　in　a　short　time；　whilst　　advertisements　to　much　the　same　effect　were　busily　circulated　in　　which　the　name；　the　noble　name；　of　the　Bible　Society　was　　prostituted；　whilst　the　Bible　exposed　for　sale　in　an　apartment　of　a　　public　house　served　for　little　more　than　a　decoy　to　the　idle　and　　curious；　who　were　there　treated　with　incoherent　railings　against　　the　Church　of　Rome　and　Babylon；　in　a　dialect　which　it　was　well　for　　the　deliverer　that　only　a　few　of　the　audience　understood。　　But　I　　fly　from　these　details；　and　will　now　repeat　the　consequences　of　the　　above　proceedings　to　myself；　for　I；　I；　and　only　I；　as　every　　respectable　person　in　Madrid　can　vouch；　have　paid　the　penalty　for　　them　all；　though　as　innocent　as　the　babe　who　has　not　yet　seen　the　　light。

I　had　much　difficulty　at　Madrid；　principally　on　account　of　the　　state　of　political　matters　which　absorbed　the　minds　of　all；　in　　bringing　the　New　Testament　into　notice。　　However　by　dint　of　　perseverance　I　contrived　to　direct　the　public　curiosity　towards　it；　　indeed　I　was　beginning　to　average　a　sale　of　twenty　copies　daily；　　when　the　shop　was　suddenly　closed　by　order　of　the　Government　in　　consequence　of　the　complaints　from　Valencia；　myself　being　supposed　　to　be　the　instigator　and　director　of　the　scenes　in　that　place　　already　narrated。　　For　the　next　four　months　I　carried　on　　negotiations　with　the　Government　through　the　medium　of　Sir　George　　Villiers；　who　from　my　first　arrival　in　the　Peninsula；　had　most　　generously　befriended　me。　　But　in　his　endeavours　to　forward　my　　views　he　found　exceeding　difficulties。　　The　clergy　were　by　this　　time；　both　Carlist　and　liberal；　thoroughly　incensed　against　me；　and　　indeed　with　much　apparent　reason；　the　former　denounced　me　to　the　　populace　as　a　sorcerer　and　a　heretic；　and　the　latter　spoke　of　me　as　　an　accomplished　hypocrite。　　I　was　at　last　flung　into　prison　…　into　　the　pestilential　CARCEL　DE　LA　CORTE；　where　my　faithful　servant　　Francisco　caught　the　gaol…fever；　of　which　he　subsequently　died。　　　But　in　this　instance　my　enemies　committed　a　very　imprudent　act；　an　　act　which　had　very　nearly　produced　the　result　for　which　I　had　been　　so　long　unsuccessfully　negotiating。　　My　protector；　Sir　George　　Villiers；　informed　the　Spanish　Prime　Minister；　Ofalia；　that　unless　　full　satisfaction　was　offered　me；　he　should　deem　it　his　duty　to　　cease　any　further　transactions　with　the　Spanish　Government；　and　to　　order　all　the　British　land　and　sea…forces；　co…operating　with　those　　of　the　Queen　to　terminate　the　rebellion；　to　desist　from　further　　operations。

I　was　about　to　obtain　all　I　wished；　when　at　the　critical　moment　the　　news　of　the　scenes　at　Malaga　arrived　at　Madrid；　and　Sir　George　had　　little　more　to　say　than　that　Satan　seemed　to　mingle　in　this　game。　　　Nevertheless　I　left　prison；　with　the　understanding　that　the　　Government　would　connive　at　the　circulation　of　the　Scriptures　in　a　　quiet　manner；　not　calculated　to　produce　disturbances　nor　to　give　　scandal　to　the　clergy。

But　speedily　followed　the　affair　of　the　sectarian　tracts　of　　Carthagena；　which　tracts　were　sworn　to　as　having　been　left　there　by　　agents　of　the　Bible　Society；　and　I　instantly　knew　that　I　had　　nothing　more　to　expect　from　the　Government。　　But　some　time　previous　　I　had　formed　an　unalterable　resolution　that；　come　what　might；　I　　would　no　longer　bear　the　odium　of　actions；　which　in　whatever　motive　　they　originated　had　already　subjected　me　to　unheard…of　persecution；　　loathsome　imprisonment；　loss　of　friends；　and　to　the　grief　of　seeing　　prudent　and　long…brooded　plans　baffled　and　brought　to　nought；　and　　the　Society　to　which　I　belonged　subjected　to　opprobrium　as　I　　believed　undeserved；　and　I　therefore　published　in　the　journals　of　　Madrid　an　advertisement；　in　which　I　disowned；　in　my　own　name　and　　that　of　the　Society；　any　sympathy　with　the　actor　or　actors　in　those　　transactions；　which　had　given　so　much　cause　of　offence　to　the　　authorities；　civil　and　ecclesiastic；　of　Spain。

My　principal　reason　for　taking　this　step　originated　from　my　having　　become　personally　acquainted　with　the　ex…priest　Pascual　Marin；　who　　arrived　at　Madrid　the　very　day　in　which　I　was　committed　to　prison。　　　His　narrative　served　to　confirm　all　the　rumours　which　I　had　　previously　heard。　　The　Committee　are　fully　aware　with　what　　unwillingness　I　formed　the　acquaintance　of　that　man；　who　was　sent　　up　to　me　in　order　that　I　might　provide　for　him；　without　my　consent　　being　obtained　or　even　demanded；　but　I　now　rejoice　in　the　　circumstance；　without　which　I　might　still　have　been　playing　the　　odious；　disgraceful；　and　heart…breaking　part　which　I　had　supported　　so　long。　　But　by　the　decided　step　which　I　now　took；　the　burden　of　　obloquy　fell　at　once　from　my　shoulders；　as　the　bundle　of　sin　from　　the　back　of　Christian；　and　rolling　into　a　deep　pit　was　seen　no　　more。

That　advertisement　gave　infinite　satisfaction　to　the　liberal　　clergy。　　I　was　complimented　for　it　by　the　Primate　of　Spain；　who　　said　I　had　redeemed　my　credit　and　that　of　the　Society；　and　it　is　　with　some　feeling　of　pride　that　I　state　that　it　choked　and　　prevented　the　publication　of　a　series　of　terrible　essays　against　　the　Bible　Society；　which　were　intended　for　the　official　Gazette；　　and　which　were　written　by　the　Licentiate　Albert　Lister；　the　editor　　of　that　journal；　the　friend　of　Blanco　White；　and　the　most　talented　　man　in　Spain。　　These　essays　still　exist　in　the　editorial　drawer；　　and　were　communicated　to　me　by　the　head　manager　of　the　royal　　printing　office；　my　respected　friend　and　countryman　Mr。　Charles　　Wood；　whose　evidence　in　this　matter　and　in　many　others　I　can　　command　at　pleasure。　　In　lieu　of　which　essays　came　out　a　mild　and　　conciliatory　article　by　the　same　writer；　which；　taking　into　　consideration　the　country　in　which　it　was　written　and　its　peculiar　　circumstances；　was　an　encouragement　to　the　Bible　Society　to　　proceed；　although　with　secrecy　and　caution。　　Yet　this　article；　　sadly　misunderstood　in　England；　gave　rise　to　communications　from　　home　highly　mortifying　to　myself　and　ruinous　to　the　Bible　cause。

In　the　meantime　my　depots　had　been　seized　in　various　parts　of　　Spain；　depots　the　greatest　part　of　which　I　had　established　with　　immense　difficulty　and　peril；　some　of　them　being　in　the　remote　and　　almost　inaccessible　province　of　Galicia；　at　the　distance　of　almost　　four　hundred　miles　from　Madrid。　　I　now　deemed　that　the　time　was　at　　hand　to　avail　myself　of　my　resource；　and　to　sell　at　all　risks　the　　Testament　amongst　the　peasantry　of　Spain；　by　whom　I　knew　that　it　　would　be　received　with　transport　and　with　gratitude。　　I　determined　　to　commence　with　the　Sagra　of　Toledo；　where　resided　an　honest　　labourer　of　my　acquaintance；　my　foot　was　in　the　stirrup　when　I　　received　a　letter　from　home；　which　I　can　only　consider　as　having　　originated　with　the　Enemy　of　mankind　for　the　purpose　of　perplexing　　my　already　harassed　and　agitated　mind。　　In　this　letter　I　was　told；　　amongst　other　matter　which　I　need　not　repeat；　to　prepare　to　quit　　Spain。　　But　by　the　shaft　I　knew　the　quiver　from　which　it　came；　and；　　merely　exclaiming；　'Satan；　I　defy　thee；'　I　hurried　to　Sagra；　and　　disposed　of　amongst　the　peasantry　in　one　fortnight　four　hundred　　copies　of　the　New　Testament。　　But　it　is　hard　to　wrestle　with　the　　great　Enemy；　another　shaft　arrived　in　the　shape　of　a　letter；　which　　compelled　me　to　return　to　Madrid；　whilst　the　cause　of　God　was　　beckoning　me　to　Aranjuez　and　La　Mancha；　to　which　places　I　indeed　　hurried　as　soon　as　I　had　arranged　matters　at　Madrid。

Without　losing　time　or　being　dispirited　by　the　events　of　the　last　　journey；　I　repaired　to　Old　Castile；　here　my　success　was　almost　　miraculous；　nine　hundred　copies　of　the　Holy　Book　being　sold　in　less　　than　three　weeks；　but　not　in　peace　and　tranquillity；　as　the　　province　became　suddenly　a　scene　of　horrors　which　I　shall　not　　attempt　to　describe。　　It　was　not　the　war　of　men；　or　even　of　　cannibals；　which　I　witnessed；　it　seemed　a　contest　of　fiends　from　　the　infernal　pit。　　But　God　guided　me　safe　and　unharmed　through　this　　'valley　of　the　shadow；'　and　permitted　me　to　regain　Madrid；　where；　　upon　finding　myself　formally　recalled；　I　deposited　the　Society's　　property　in　as　safe　a　place　as　I　could　find；　and　was　about　to　　return　home　when　a　fever　which　had　been　long　lurking　in　my　blood　at　　last　prostrated　me；　confining　me　to　my　bed　for　many　days；　at　the　　expiration　of　which；　though　very　unfit　for　travel；　I　departed　for　　England；　where　at　last　by　God's　will　I　am　arrived　in　safety。

Before　concluding；　I　have　a　communication　to　make；　the　importance　　of　which　few；　I　believe；　will　be　tempted　to　deny。

I