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　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　insane）　　must　be　instantly　brought　to　a　termination。　　Sir　George　has　already　　written　him　a　letter；　in　which　I　believe　he　advises　him　to　quit　the　　country。　　Mr。　Southern　the　other　day　made　the　following　　observation；　which　I　shall　ever　remember：…

'Sir　George　Villiers　up　to　the　present　moment　has　been　disposed　to　　render　you　（meaning　myself）　every　assistance；　and　especially　the　　Bible　Society；　which　he　looks　upon　as　the　most　philanthropic　　institution　which　the　world　has　ever　known。　　Take　care；　however；　　that　he　be　not　wearied　and　disgusted。　　He　must　not　be　involved　in　　such　affairs　as　this　of　Malaga；　and　it　must　not　be　expected　that　he　　is　to　put　his　lance　in　rest　in　defence　of　every　person　who　visits　　Spain　to　insult　the　authorities；　and　who；　after　having　received　　merited　reproof　and　correction；　writes　home　to　his　friends　that　he　　is　a　martyr　in　the　holy　cause　of　religion。'

I　may　perhaps　give　offence　by　what；　I　have　written。　　I　shall　be　　grieved　if　it　prove　so。　　But　I　have　had　no　other　resource；　and　I　　have　stated　the　truth　and　what　my　conscience　commanded　me；　and　　permit　me　here　to　observe；　that　if　any　one　in　the　world　has　a　right　　to　be　thus　free　it　is　myself；　who　have　ventured　and　suffered　much　　in　Spain。

Excuse　me　now　for　speaking　one　moment　of　myself。　　Notwithstanding　I　　have　travelled　very　extensively　in　this　strange　country；　and　have　　established　many　depots　of　Testaments　most　of　which　are　flourishing　　（I　have　just　received　intelligence　from　my　correspondent　at　　Valladolid　that　forty　copies　have　been　sold　at　Burgos；　the　heart　of　　Old　Castile）；　not　one　word　of　complaint　has　been　transmitted　to　the　　Government；　and　though　I　have　suffered　so　much　persecution　in　　Madrid；　I　have　been　but　paying　（one　of　my　sources　of　information　is　　Count　Ofalia　himself）　the　account　of　others　who　seem　to　have　been　　reckless　as　to　how　much　woe　and　misery　they　might　heap　on　my　head；　　provided　they　could　play　the　part　with　impunity　which　their　own　　distempered　desires　dictated。

Now　to　pleasanter　subjects。　　Count　Ofalia　has　given　me　very　　excellent　advice；　which　it　will　be　well　if　the　Society　permit　me　to　　follow。　　Amongst　other　things　he　said：…　'Be　very　cautious　for　some　　time；　and　even　suspend　the　sale　of　the　Gospel　in　Madrid；　and　devote　　all　your　energies　to　make　friends　amongst　the　clergy；　very　many　of　　whom　are　disposed　to　favour　your　enterprise。　　It　would　not　be　　prudent　at　present　for　the　Government　to　interfere　with　　ecclesiastical　matters；　as　the　war　is　not　yet　terminated；　but　much　　can　be　done　in　a　quiet　way　by　yourself。'

I　must　here　state　that　there　is　a　board　of　ecclesiastics　at　present　　sitting；　occupied　in　examining　the　Spanish　Bible　as　printed　by　the　　Society。　　It　has　been　denounced　by　the　Jesuits　as　not　being　a　　faithful　edition　of　Father　Scio's　version；　independent　of　the　　omission　of　the　Apocrypha；　　but　hitherto　the　opinion　of　the　board　　has　been　decidedly　in　our　favour；　and　the　Bishop　of　Vich　has；　　moreover；　declared　that　it　probably　will　be　expedient　to　co…operate　　with　the　Society　in　printing　cheap　editions　of　the　Scripture　for　　the　use　of　the　people；　as　daily　experience　shows　that　the　old　　system　cannot　be　carried　on　and　that　the　sacred　writings　must　be　　thrown　open。

The　chief　difficulty　to　settle　will　be　the　Apocrypha；　but　I　have　　authorised　a　friend　to　state　that　the　Society　is　disposed　to　make　　every　possible　concession；　and　to　go　so　far　as　to　relinquish　the　　Old　Testament　entirely　and　to　content　itself　with　circulating　the　　New。　　Perhaps　I　went　too　far　in　this　advance；　but　I　believe　a　　similar　concession　has　been　made　in　the　case　of　Ireland；　and　I　　feared　to　lose　all　by　aiming　at　too　much。　　However　flattering　　affairs　may　appear　at　present；　I　am　well　aware　that　a　herculean　　labour　is　to　be　surmounted　before　matters　can　be　placed　on　a　safe　　footing　in　Spain。　　Prudence；　coolness　and　firmness　are　at　this　　moment　particularly　necessary；　and　let　it　never　for　a　moment　be　　supposed　that　religious　instruction　and　the　knowledge　of　genuine　　Christianity　can　be　introduced　into　Spain　by　scurrilous　handbills　　and　the　low　arts　of　the　mountebank。

A　split　with　Rome　will　very　shortly　ensue；　by　which　I　mean　that　no　　attention　will　be　paid　to　Bulls；　against　which　several　of　the　　principal　ecclesiastics　have　spoken；　with　these　puissant　　auxiliaries　we　must　act　in　concert。

Allow　me　in　conclusion　to　state　a　beautiful　piece　of　conduct　of　Sir　　George　Villiers。　　I　have　commissioned　one　of　the　Bishops　to　request　　for　me　an　interview　with　the　Archbishop　of　Toledo。　　Sir　George　on　　hearing　this　said：…　'Tell　the　Archbishop　that　I　also　am　anxious　for　　the　favour　of　an　interview；　in　order　that　I　may　assist　in　clearing　　up　any　doubt；　which　he　may　still　entertain；　respecting　the　　intentions　of　the　Bible　Society；　he　has　only　to　state　the　day；　and　　I　will　wait　upon　him。'

G。　BORROW。　　　P。S。　…　I　yesterday　transmitted　you　a　Spanish　newspaper　in　which　I　　have　published　an　advertisement；　disclaiming　in　the　name　of　the　　Bible　Society　any　writings　which　may　have　been　circulated　tending　　to　lower　the　authorities；　civil　and　ecclesiastic；　in　the　eyes　of　　the　people；　and　denying　that　it　is　its　intention　or　wish　to　make　　proselytes　from　the　Catholic　form　of　worship。　　I　took　this　step　by　　advice；　I　had　likewise　a　particular　reason　of　MY　OWN。

Marin　is　still　here　looking　out　for　some　secular　employ；　but　he　is　　continually　haunting　me。　　He　tells　me　that　he　is　preparing　an　　accounts　of　all　his　dealings　with　G　＇Graydon＇　and　R　＇Rule＇；　in　　which　he　details　the　promises　made　him　to　induce　him　to　sign　a　　document　purporting　to　be　a　separation　from　the　Roman　Church。　　He　　says　that　he　was　abandoned　because　he　refused　to　preach　publicly　　against　the　Chapter　of　Valencia；　which　step　would　have　insured　him　　a　dungeon。　　This　may　be　true　or　false；　but　I　have　taken　my　　precautions。


TRANSLATION　OF　THE　ADVERTISEMENT　（ENDORSED：　recd。　May　28；　1838）

A　rumour　having　been　spread　that　some　individuals；　calling　　themselves　agents　of　the　British　and　Foreign　Bible　Society；　under　　the　pretext　of　circulating　copies　of　the　Holy　Scriptures；　have　　traversed　several　towns　on　the　eastern　and　western　coasts　of　Spain；　　and　have　published　writings　in　which　the　respect　due　to　the　　ecclesiastical　and　civil　authorities　of　Spain　has　not　been　　observed；　but　on　the　contrary　an　intention　has　evidently　been　　manifested　in　them　to　disparage　them　in　the　eyes　of　the　population　　of　those　parts；　I　hasten　to　make　the　following　public　Declaration：

That　such　individuals　…　if　it　be　certain　that　there　are　such　…　have　　in　this　respect　acted　upon　their　own　responsibility；　without　　permission　and　even　in　direct　opposition　to　the　intentions　of　the　　Bible　Society；　inasmuch　as　on　the　principles　of　the　New　Testament　　similar　attempts　are　to　be　reprobated　and　regarded　with　horror；　　being　in　direct　opposition　to　the　express　commands　of　the　Saviour　　and　His　Apostles；　who　in　their　addresses　and　writings　have　on　　various　occasions　exhorted　the　faithful　to　shew　respect　and　　obedience　to　their　masters　and　superiors；　even　when　they　were　　heretics　or　idolaters。

And　as　it　has　been　stated　that　certain　p