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attempt　　will　be　made　in　a　large　village　＇at＇　about　a　league's　distance；　and　　if　it　please　the　Lord　to　permit　me　to　succeed　there；　it　is　my　　intention　to　proceed　to　all　those　villages　or　hamlets　in　the　　vicinity　of　Madrid　hitherto　not　supplied。　　I　then　wend　towards　the　　east；　to　a　distance　of　about　thirty　leagues。　　I　have　been　very　　passionate　in　prayer　during　the　last　two　or　three　days；　and　I　　entertain　some　hope　that　the　Lord　has　condescended　to　answer　me；　as　　I　appear　to　see　my　way　with　considerable　clearness。　　It　may；　of　　course；　prove　a　delusion；　and　the　prospects　which　seem　to　present　　themselves　may　be　mere　palaces　of　clouds　which　a　breath　of　wind　is　　sufficient　to　tumble　into　ruin；　therefore　bearing　this　possibility　　in　mind　it　behoves　me　to　beg　that　I　may　be　always　enabled　to　bow　　meekly　to　the　dispensations　of　the　Almighty；　whether　they　be　of　　favour　or　severity。

Two　days　ago　I　received　my　largest　and　most　useful　horse　from　the　　Sagra　of　Toledo　and　likewise　a　note　from　Lopez；　he　is　unable　to　　come　himself　at　present　to　assist　me；　but　he　sent　a　countryman　who；　　he　is　of　opinion；　will　be　of　equal　utility；　at　least　for　a　time。　　I　　yesterday　despatched　him　to　the　low　parts　of　Madrid；　or　as　they　are　　styled；　LOS　BARRIOS　BAJOS；　he　succeeded　in　disposing　of　twelve　　Testaments；　amongst　the　very　poor　people；　in　a　few　hours。　　My　other　　horse　is　at　Salamanca；　in　Old　Castile；　but　he　suffered　so　much　　during　my　late　expeditions；　that　it　will　hardly　answer　my　purpose　　to　send　for　him。

In　passing　through　La　Mancha　we　stayed　for　four　hours　at　　Manzanares；　a　large　village　which　I　hope　to　visit　again　shortly。　　I　　was　standing　in　the　market…place　conversing　with　a　curate；　when　a　　frightful　ragged　object　presented　itself；　it　was　a　girl　about　　eighteen　or　nineteen；　perfectly　blind；　a　white　film　being　spread　　over　her　huge　staring　eyes；　her　countenance　was　as　yellow　as　that　　of　a　mulatto。　　I　thought　at　first　that　she　was　a　Gypsy；　and　　addressing　myself　to　her；　enquired　in　Gitano　if　she　were　of　that　　race。　　She　understood　me；　but　shaking　her　head　replied；　that　she　　was　something　better　than　a　Gitana；　and　could　speak　something　　better　than　that　jargon　of　witches；　whereupon　she　commenced　asking　　me　several　questions　in　exceeding　good　Latin。　　I　was　of　course　very　　much　surprised；　but　summoning　all　my　Latinity；　I　called　her　　Manchegan　prophetess；　and　expressing　my　admiration　at　her　learning　　begged　to　be　informed　by　what　means　she　became　possessed　of　it。　　I　　must　here　observe　that　a　crowd　instantly　gathered　around　us　who；　　though　they　understood　not　one　word　of　our　discourse；　at　every　　sentence　of　the　girl　shouted　applause；　proud　in　possession　of　a　　prophetess　who　could　answer　the　Englishman。　　She　informed　me　that　　she　was　born　blind；　and　that　a　Jesuit　priest　had　taken　compassion　　on　her　when　she　was　a　child；　and　had　taught　her　the　'holy　　language；'　in　order　that　the　attention　and　hearts　of　Christians　　might　be　more　easily　turned　towards　her。　　I　soon　discovered　that　he　　had　taught　her　something　more　than　Latin；　for　upon　telling　her　that　　I　was　an　Englishman；　she　said　that　she　had　always　loved　Britain　　which　was　once　the　nursery　of　saints　and　sages　…　for　example；　Bede　　and　Alcuin；　Colombus　＇SIC＇　and　Thomas　of　Canterbury；　but　she　added；　　those　times　had　gone　by　since　the　re…appearance　of　Semiramis　　（Elizabeth）。　　Her　Latin　was　truly　excellent；　and　when　I；　like　a　　genuine　Goth；　spoke　of　Anglia　and　Terra　Vandalica　（Andalusia）；　she　　corrected　me　by　saying　that　in　her　language　those　places　were　　called　Britannia；　and　Terra　Betica。　　When　we　had　finished　our　　discourse；　a　gathering　was　made　for　the　prophetess；　the　very　　poorest　contributing　something。　　What　wonderful　people　are　the　　Jesuits！　　When　shall　we　hear　of　an　English　rector　instructing　a　　beggar　girl　in　the　language　of　Cicero？

Ever　yours；

G。　B。



LETTER：　15th　February；　1839



To　the　Rev。　A。　Brandram　（ENDORSED：　recd。　Feby。　25；　1839）　MADRID；　16　CALLE　SANTIAGO；　15　FEBRY。　1839。

REVD。　AND　DEAR　SIR；　…　In　my　last　communication　I　stated　that　I　had　　got　everything　in　readiness　to　commence　operations　in　the　　neighbourhood　of　Madrid；　and　indeed　since　that　period　I　have　　entered　upon　my　labours　in　reality；　though　unforeseen　circumstances　　produced　an　unavoidable　delay　of　several　days。　　It　is　with　feelings　　of　gratitude　to　the　Almighty　that　I　now　state　that　considerable　　success　has　attended　my　feeble　efforts　in　the　good　cause。　　All　the　　villages　within　the　distance　of　four　leagues　to　the　east　of　Madrid　　have　been　visited；　and　Testaments　to　the　number　of　nearly　two　　hundred　have　been　disposed　of。　　It　will　be　here　necessary　for　me　to　　inform　you　that　these　villages；　for　the　most　part；　are　very　small；　　some　of　them　consisting　of　not　more　than　a　dozen　houses；　or　I　　should　rather　say　miserable　cabins。　　I　left　my　servant　Antonio　to　　superintend　matters　in　Madrid；　and　proceeded　with　Vitoriano；　the　　peasant　from　Villa　Seca；　in　the　direction　which　I　have　already　　mentioned。　　We　however　soon　parted　company；　and　pursued　different　　routes。　　The　first　village　at　which　I　made　an　attempt　was　Cobenna；　　about　three　leagues　from　Madrid。　　I　was　dressed　in　the　fashion　of　　the　peasants　of　the　neighbourhood　of　Segovia　in　Old　Castile；　　namely；　I　had　on　my　head　a　species　of　leather　helmet；　or　MONTERA；　　with　a　jacket　and　trowsers　of　the　same　material。　　I　had　the　　appearance　of　a　person　between　sixty　and　seventy　years　of　age；　and　　drove　before　me　a　BURRICO；　with　a　sack　of　Testaments　lying　across　　its　back。　　On　nearing　the　village　I　met　a　genteel…looking　young　　woman　leading　a　little　boy　by　the　hand。　　As　I　was　about　to　pass　her　　with　the　customary　salutation　of　'VAYA　USTED　CON　DIOS；'　she　　stopped；　and　after　looking　at　me　for　a　moment　she　said；　'Uncle　　（TIO）；　what　is　that　you　have　on　your　BURRICO？　　Is　it　soap？'　　I　　replied；　'Yes；　it　is　soap　to　wash　souls　clean。'　　She　demanded　what　　I　meant；　whereupon　I　told　her　that　I　carried　cheap　and　godly　books　　for　sale。　　On　her　requesting　to　see　one；　I　produced　a　copy　from　my　　pocket；　and　handed　it　to　her。　　She　instantly　commenced　reading　it　　with　a　loud　voice；　and　continued　so　for　at　least　ten　minutes；　　occasionally　exclaiming；　'QUE　LECTURA　TAN　BONITA；　QUE　LECTURA　TAN　　LINDA！'　　（'What　beautiful；　what　charming　reading！'）　　At　last；　on　my　　informing　her　that　I　was　in　a　hurry　and　could　not　wait　any　longer；　　she　said；　'True；　true；'　and　asked　me　the　price　of　the　book。　　I　told　　her　'But　three　REALS'；　whereupon　she　said　that　though　what　I　asked　　was　very　little；　it　was　more　than　she　could　afford　to　give；　as　　there　was　little　or　no　money　in　those　parts。　　I　said　I　was　sorry　　for　it；　but　that　I　could　not　dispose　of　the　book　for　less　than　I　　had　demanded；　and　accordingly　resuming　it；　wished　her　farewell　and　　left　her。　　I　had　not；　however；　proceeded　thirty　yards；　when　the　boy　　came　running　behind　me；　shouting　out　of　breath：　　'Stop；　uncle！　the　　book；　the　book。'　　Upon　overtaking　me　he　delivered　me　the　three　　REALS　in　copper；　and　seizing　the　Testament；　ran　back　to　her；　who　I　　suppose　was　his　sister；　flourishing　the　book　over　his　head　with　　great　glee。

On　arriving　at　the　village　I　directed　my　steps　to　a　house　around　　the　door　of　which　I　saw　several　persons　gathered；　chiefly　women。　　　On　my　displaying　my　books　their　curiosity　was　instantly　aroused；　　and　every　person　had　speedily　one　in　his　hand；　many　reading　aloud。　　　However；　after　waiting　nearly　an　hour　I　had　disposed　of　but　one　　copy；　all　complaining　bitterly　of　the　distress　of　the　times　and　the　　almost　total　want　of　money；　though　at　the　same　time　they　　acknowledged　that　the　books　were　wonderfully　cheap　and　appeared　to　　be　very　good　and　Christian…like。　　I　was　about　to　gather　up　my　　merchandise　and　depart；　when　on　a　sudden　the　curate　of　the　place　　made　his　appearance。　　After　having　examined　the　books　for　some　time　　with　considerable　attention；　he　asked　me　the　price　of　a　copy；　and　　upon　my　informing　him　that　it　was　three　REALS；　he　replied　that　the　　binding　was　worth　more；　and　that　he　was　much　afraid　that　I　had　　stolen　the　books；　and　that　it　was　perhaps　his　duty　to　send　me　to　　prison　as　a　suspicious　character。　　He　added　however　that　the　books　　were　good　books；　however　they　might　be　obtained；　and　concluded　by　　purchasing　and　paying　for　two　copies。　　The　poor　people　no　sooner　　heard　their　curate　recommend　the　volumes；　than　all　were　eager　to　　secure　one；　and　hurried　here　and　there　for　the　purpose　of　procuring　　money；　so　that　between　twenty　and　thirty　copies　were　sold　almost　in　　an　instant。　　This　adventure　not　only　affords　an　instance　of　the　　power　still　possessed　by　the　Spanish　clergy　over　the　minds　of　the　　people；　but　likewise　that　such　influence　is　not　always　exerted　in　a　　manner　favourable　to　the　maintenance　of　ignorance　and　superstition。

In　another　village　on　my　showing　a　Testament　to　a　woman；　she　said　　that　she　had　a　child　at　school　for　whom　she　should　like　to　purchase　　one；　but　that　she　must　first　know　whether　the　book　was　calculated　　to　be　of　service　to　him。　　She　then　went　away；　and　presently　　returned　with　the　schoolmaster；　followed　by　all　the　children　under　　his　care。　　She　then；　showing　the　schoolmaster　a　book；　enquired　if　　it　would　answer　for　her　son。　　The　schoolmaster　called　her　a　　simpleton　for　asking　such　a　question；　and　said　that　he　knew　the　　book　well；　and　there　was　not　its　equal　in　the　world。　　（NO　HAY　OTRO　　EN　EL　MUNDO。）　　He　instantly　purchased　five　copies　for　his　pupils；　　regretting　that　he　had　no　more　money；　'For　in　that　case；'　said　he；　　'I　would　buy　the　whole　cargo。'　　Upon　hearing　this；　the　woman　　purchased　four　copies：　　namely；　one　for　her　son；　another　for　her　　husband　who　was　dead；　a　third　for　herself；　and　a　fourth　for　her　　brother；　whom；　she　said；　she　was　expecting　home　that　night　from　　Madrid。

In　this　manner　we　proceeded；　not　however　with　uniform　success。　　In　　some　villages　the　people　were　so　poor　and　needy　that　they　had　　literally　no　money；　even　in　these；　however；　we　managed　to　dispose　　of　a　few　copies　in　exchange　for　barley　or　refreshments。　　（Is　this　　right？）

On　entering　one　very　small　hamlet；　Vitoriano　was　stopped　by　the　　curate；　who　on　learning　what　he　carried　told　him　that　unless　he　　instantly　departed；　he　would　cause　him　to　be　imprisoned；　and　write　　to　Madrid　in　order　to　give　information　of　what　was　going　on。　　The　　exc