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REVD。　AND　DEAR　SIR；　…　I　beg　leave　to　return　you　my　best　thanks　for　　your　kind　communication　of　the　27th　Aug。　which　I　found　awaiting　me　　on　my　return　from　Tangiers；　and　for　which　I　was　already　to　a　　certain　degree　prepared　by　my　dear　friend　Mr。　Browne's　letter　　directed　to　the　care　of　Mr。　Brackenbury　at　Cadiz。　　I　shall　act　up　　as　soon　as　possible　to　the　Committee's　request；　that　I　take　　immediate　measures　for　selling　the　remainder　of　our　Bible　stock　in　　Spain；　or　leaving　it　in　safe　custody。　　I　will　now　tell　you　in　a　few　　words　the　steps　which　it　appears　to　me　most　advisable　to　take　in　　the　present　emergency。

I　shall　mount　my　horses　and　depart　for　La　Mancha；　where　I　shall　　take　up　my　abode　for　a　few　weeks　in　a　town　with　which　you　are　　already　acquainted　and　where　I　believe　I　have　friends；　and　to　which　　place　I　shall　order　a　chest　of　Testaments　to　be　despatched　from　　Madrid；　on　the　receipt　of　which　I　shall　endeavour　with　the　　assistance　of　Hayim　Ben　Attar　to　put　as　many　copies　as　possible　　into　circulation。　　I　have　always　wished　to　do　something　in　La　　Mancha；　which　is　in　every　respect　the　worst　part　of　Spain。　　I　　distinctly　see　that　it　must　be　now　or　never。　　God　has　granted　me　　success　in　many　difficult　enterprises：　　perhaps　it　will　please　Him　　to　favour　me　in　this。

I　shall　then　move　upon　Madrid；　and　arrange　matters　in　that　capital。　　　If　I　may　be　permitted　here　to　offer　my　advice；　I　would　strongly　　recommend　that　four　hundred　copies　of　the　New　Testament　be　left　　there　in　deposit；　with　those　of　Saint　Luke　in　Gypsy　and　Basque　　which　remain　unsold。　　Of　the　former　Gospel；　indeed；　there　are　not　　many；　nearly　one　hundred　copies　having　been　circulated　amongst　the　　Rommanees　of　Andalusia　during　my　present　visit。　　I　then　purpose　to　　make　for　France；　passing　through　Saragossa；　in　which　place；　which　　is　large　and　populous；　I　hope　to　accomplish　some　good　in　the　Lord's　　cause。　　This　is　the　outline　of　my　plan；　which　I　shall　attempt　to　　put　into　execution　without　delay；　though　if　any　one　could　propose　a　　wiser；　and　better　adapted　to　the　present　circumstances；　I　shall　at　　once　relinquish　it。

I　have　just　received　a　communication　from　Mr。　Brackenbury；　in　which　　he　has　done　me　the　honour　to　furnish　me　with　a　copy　of　a　letter　　which　he　has　addressed　to　yourself　and　in　which　he　has　spoken　of　　me。　　The　principal　consolation　of　a　person　in　misfortune　is　the　　being　able　to　say；　'In　whatever　I　have　done；　I　have　had　the　glory　　of　God　at　heart'；　and　certainly　next　to　this　consolation　is　the　　knowledge　that　his　deeds　and　actions　meet　the　approbation　of　the　　good；　the　wise；　and　the　distinguished。　　I　wish　not　to　recapitulate　　what　I　have　done；　but　I　beg　to　be　permitted　to　say　that　wherever　I　　have　been　I　have　endeavoured　to　elicit　the　kindly　feelings　of　my　　fellow…creatures；　not　for　my　own　benefit　but　for　the　advancement　of　　the　true　doctrine。　　I　found　Mr。　B。　during　my　last　visit　in　a　state　　of　considerable　agitation。　　He　showed　me　a　letter　from　Lord。　P　　＇Palmerston＇；　a　circular　as　it　appeared；　in　which　the　British　　consuls　and　their　assistants　in　Spain　are　strictly　forbidden　to　　afford　the　slightest　countenance　to　religious　agents。　　What　was　the　　cause　of　this　last　blow？　　Mr。　B。　says　it　was　an　ill…advised　　application　made　to　his　Lordship　to　interfere　with　the　Spanish　　Government　in　behalf　of　a　certain　individual　whose　line　of　conduct　　needs　no　comment。　　There　are　people　in　Spain　who　remember　the　time　　when　those　very　consuls　received　from　a　British　Ambassador　at　　Madrid　instructions　of　an　exactly　contrary　character；　but　when　dead　　flies　fall　into　the　ointment　of　the　apothecary；　they　cause　it　to　　send　forth　an　unpleasant　savour。

I　am　very　glad　that　I　went　to　Tangiers；　for　many　reasons。　　In　the　　first　place；　I　was　permitted　to　circulate　many　copies　of　God's　Word　　both　amongst　the　Jews　and　the　Christians；　by　the　latter　of　whom　it　　was　particularly　wanted；　their　ignorance　of　the　most　vital　points　　of　religion　being　truly　horrible。　　In　the　second　place；　I　acquired　　a　vast　stock　of　information　concerning　Africa　and　the　state　of　its　　interior。　　One　of　my　principal　associates　was　a　black　slave；　whose　　country　was　only　three　days'　journey　from　Timbuctoo；　which　place　he　　had　frequently　visited。　　The　Soosi　men　also　told　me　many　of　the　　secrets　of　the　land　of　wonders　from　which　they　come；　and　the　rabbis　　from　Fez　and　Morocco　were　no　less　communicative。　　Moreover　I　　consider　it　a　great　advantage　to　have　obtained　the　friendship　of　　Mr。　Hay；　who　is　a　true　British　gentleman。　　I　found　him　at　first　　reserved　and　distant；　and　I　thought　averse　to　countenance　the　　object　of　my　mission。　　In　a　few　days；　however；　his　manner　changed　　surprisingly；　and　at　my　departure　he　begged　me　to　communicate　to　　the　Bible　Society　that　at　all　times　and　seasons　he　should　be　happy　　to　receive　its　commands；　and　to　render　all　the　assistance　in　Fez　　and　Morocco　which　his　official　situation　would　permit　him；　should　　the　views　of　the　Society　at　any　future　time　be　directed　to　those　　regions。

Permit　me；　my　dear　Sir；　to　correct　in　your　letter　something　which　　savours　of　inaccuracy。　　You　hint　at　the　issues　of　the　Scriptures　in　　Spain　having　been　small。　　Now　during　the　last　year　I　have　issued　　three　thousand　Testaments　and　five　hundred　Bibles；　which　is　　certainly　no　small　circulation　of　the　Word　of　God　in　such　a　　country。　　But　pray　inform　me　why　the　circulation　has　not　been　ten　　times　greater？　　Surely　you　are　aware　that　among　the　many　　peculiarities　of　my　situation　was　this　distressing　one；　namely；　　that　I　was　scarcely　ever　able　to　supply　the　people　with　the　books　　that　they　were　in　want　of。　　They　clamoured　for　Bibles；　and　I　had　　nothing　but　Testaments　to　offer　them。　　Had　I　been　possessed　of　　twenty　thousand　Bibles　in　the　spring　of　the　present　year；　I　could　　have　disposed　of　them　all　without　leaving　Madrid；　and　they　would　　have　found　their　way　through　all　Spain。　　I　beseech　you　always　to　　bear　this　fact　in　mind　in　your　reports　to　the　public；　otherwise　　that　public　will　remain　strangely　in　the　dark　respecting　the　spirit　　of　enquiry　which　is　abroad　in　Spain。

You　are　quite　right　in　supposing　that　I　entertain　a　favourable　　opinion　of　Mr。　Wood。　　I　know　him　to　be　a　good　husband　and　father；　　and　a　man　who　fears　the　Lord：　　he　is　likewise　possessed　of　　considerable　ability；　but　I　am　entirely　unacquainted　with　any　plan　　which　be　may　have　formed　respecting　printing　the　Scriptures　in　　Spain；　or　any　memorial　which　he　may　have　sent　in　to　the　Bible　　Society　on　the　subject；　so　that　of　course　I　cannot　be　expected　to　　express　an　opinion。　　It　is　my　intention　in　a　few　days　to　depart　　from　hence　on　my　expedition；　so　that　should　you　be　desirous　of　　writing　to　me；　you　had　perhaps　best　address　to　Madrid。

When　the　Bible　Society　has　no　further　occasion　for　my　poor　labours；　　I　hope　it　will　do　me　justice　to　the　world。　　I　have　been　its　　faithful　and　zealous　servant。　　I　shall　on　a　future　occasion　take　　the　liberty　of　addressing　you　as　a　friend　respecting　my　prospects。　　　I　have　the　materials　of　a　curious　book　of　travels　in　Spain；　I　have　　enough　metrical　translations　from　all　languages；　especially　the　　Celtic　and　Sclavonic；　to　fill　a　dozen　volumes；　and　I　have　formed　a　　vocabulary　of　the　Spanish　Gypsy　tongue；　and　also　a　collection　of　　the　songs　and　poetry　of　the　Gitanos　with　introductory　essays。　　　Perhaps　some　of　these　literary　labours　might　be　turned　to　account。　　　I　wish　to　obtain　honourably　and　respectably　the　means　of　visiting　　China；　or　particular　parts　of　Africa。　　I　call　this　letter　private；　　but　communicate　such　parts　of　it　as　you　think　proper。

（UNSIGNED。）



LETTER：　25th　November；　1839



To　the　Rev。　A。　Brandram　（ENDORSED：　recd。　Dec。　19；　1839）　PRISON　OF　SEVILLE；　Novr。　25；　1839。

REVD。　AND　DEAR　SIR；　…　I　write　these　lines　as　you　see　from　the　　common　prison　of　Seville；　to　which　I　was　led　yesterday；　or　rather　　dragged；　neither　for　murder　nor　robbery　nor　debt　but　simply　for　　having　endeavoured　to　obtain　a　passport　for　Cordova；　to　which　place　　I　was　going　with　my　Jewish　servant；　Hayim　Ben　Attar。

It　is　necessary　for　me　here　to　give　you　some　information　respecting　　my　proceedings　since　I　last　wrote。　　I　wished　to　distribute　some　　more　Testaments　in　Seville　before　I　left　the　country；　and　　accordingly　procured　a　considerable　number　from　Madrid。　　Everything　　was　accomplished　with　the　utmost　secrecy；　and　the　blessed　books　　obtained　considerable　circulation。　　I　likewise　sent　agents　into　the　　country；　and　went　myself　in　my　accustomed　manner。　　All　went　well；　　the　entire　stock　which　had　reached　me　was　circulated；　and　I　rested　　from　my　labours　for　a　little　time；　for　indeed　I　had　need　of　quiet；　　being　indisposed。

Some　English　people　now　came　to　Seville　and　distributed　tracts　in　a　　very　unguarded　manner；　knowing　nothing　of　the　country　or　the　　inhabitants。　　They　were　even　so　unwise　as　TO　GIVE　TRACTS　INSTEAD　OF　　MONEY　ON　VISITING　PUBLIC　BUILDINGS；　ETC。　　These　persons　came　to　me；　　and　requested　my　co…operation　and　advice；　and　likewise　　introductions　to　people　spiritually　disposed　amongst　the　Spaniards；　　to　all　which　requests　I　returned　a　decided　negative。　　But　I　foresaw　　all。　　In　a　day　or　two　I　was　summoned　before　the　GEFE　POLITICO　or；　　as　he　was　once　called；　CORREGIDOR　of　Seville；　who　I　must　say　　treated　me　with　the　utmost　politeness；　and　indeed　respect；　but　at　　the　same　time　he　informed　me　that　he　had　（to　use　his　own　　expression）　terrible　orders　from　Madrid　concerning　me；　if　I　should　　be　discovered　in　the　act　of　distributing　the　Scriptures　or　any　　writings　of　a　religious　tendency。　　He　then　taxed　me　with　having　　circulated　both　lately；　especially　tracts：　　whereupon　I　told　him　　that　I　had　never　distributed　a　tract　since　I　had　been　in　Spain；　nor　　had　any　intention　of　doing　so。　　We　had　much　conversation　and　parted　　in　kindness。　　I　went　away　for　a　few　days；　though　without　intending　　to　do　anything；　and　wrote　to　the　firm　of　O'Shea　for　money；　of　which　　I　stood　in　need　and　which　I　received。　　I　now　determined　to　make　for　　La　Mancha　and　to　put　my　plan　into　execution；　which　I　should　have　　done　sooner　had　the　roads　been　a　little　more　secure。　　Yesterday　I　　sent　my　passport　to　be　signed　by　the　ALCALDE　DEL　BARRIO。　　This　　fellow　is　the　greatest　ruffian　in　Seville；　and　I　have　on　various　　occasions　been　insulted　by　him；　he　pretends　to　be　a　liberal