letters-第55节

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ion　　in　future　the　publication　in　Spain　of　such　a　class　of　writings。

It　of　course　does　not　become　me　to　advise　the　Committee　and　　yourself　upon　this　point。　　I　merely　take　the　liberty　of　　communicating　the　circumstance；　and　observing　that　the　Prelate　in　　question　is　a　most　learned　and　respectable　man；　and　one　of　the　　warmest　of　our　friends。

I　have　not　seen　any　of　the　tracts　seized　at　Murcia；　nor　do　I　wish。　　　If　examined　by　the　Council；　I　shall　declare　on　oath　that　I　am　　innocent　and　ignorant　of　the　matter；　and　that　I　believe　the　Bible　　Society　to　be　the　same。　　Sir　George　assured　me　that　one　or　two　of　　them　were　outrages　not　only　to　common　sense　but　decency。

I　forgot　to　tell　you　yesterday　that　my　poor　servant　is　dead。　　He　　died　of　the　pestilential　typhus　caught　in　the　prison；　his　body　at　　the　period　of　his　death　was　a　frightful　mass　of　putridity；　and　was　　in　consequence　obliged　to　be　instantly　shovelled　into　the　Campo　　Santo　or　common　field　of　the　dead　near　Madrid。　　May　Christ　be　his　　stay　at　the　Great　Day；　a　more　affectionate　creature　never　breathed。

Hear　now　what　the　MADRID　GAZETTE　says　of　our　Society；　in　an　article　　in　which　it　reproves　in　the　strongest　terms　the　conduct　lately　　pursued　by　pseudo…agents；　and　gives　me　a　rap　on　the　knuckles　for　an　　anti…catholic　expression　or　two　in　the　advertisement　in　which　I　　denounced　them。　　The　GAZETTE　is　the　official　organ　of　the　　Government；　and　all　it　says　is　under　authority：…

'We　will　not　conclude　this　article　without　bestowing　the　merited　　tribute　of　praise　on　the　project　truly　magnificent　of　the　Bible　　Society；　considered　not　under　the　religious　but　the　social　aspect。　　　Christianity　has　been；　is；　and　will　be　the　grand　agent　in　the　　civilisation　of　the　world；　and　the　preaching　of　its　doctrine；　and　　the　propagation　of　its　maxims　among　the　nations　who　know　it　not；　is　　the　most　costly　present　which　can　be　offered　them；　and　the　pledge　　of　belonging　one　day　to　the　civilised　world；　or　if　they　already　　belong　to　it；　of　ameliorating　their　actual　condition　in　society。

'Excellent　moral　results　must　also　be　produced　among　the　poorer　　classes　of　the　people　in　Christian　countries　by　the　distribution　of　　copies　of　the　sacred　writings；　and　the　Bible　Society　acts　with　the　　highest　prudence；　by　accommodating　itself　to　the　civil　and　　ecclesiastic　laws　of　each　country；　and　by　adopting　the　editions　　there　current。　　In　Spain；　where　every　translation　of　the　Bible　is　　forbidden；　and　in　general　every　book　of　religion；　without　previous　　censure　and　license　of　the　ecclesiastical　authority；　much　good　may　　arise　from　distributing　either　of　the　two　translations；　that　of　　Father　Scio　or　that　of　Amat；　but　precisely　as　they　are；　and　without　　the　suppression　of　the　notes；　which　explain　some　difficult　　passages。　　If　the　great　object　be　the　propagation　of　the　evangelic　　maxims；　the　notes　are　no　obstacle；　and　by　preserving　them　we　fulfil　　our　religious　principle　of　not　permitting　to　private　reason　the　　interpretation　of　the　sacred　Word。'

Excuse　me　this　long　extract。

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

G。　BORROW。

P。S。　…　I　should　wish　to　make　another　Biblical　tour　this　summer；　　until　the　storm　be　blown　over。　　Should　I　undertake　such　an　　expedition；　I　should　avoid　the　towns　and　devote　myself　entirely　to　　the　peasantry。　　I　have　sometimes　thought　of　visiting　the　villages　　of　the　Alpujarra　mountains　in　Andalusia；　where　the　people　live　　quite　secluded　from　the　world。　　What　do　you　think　of　my　project？



LETTER：　16th　June；　1838



To　the　Rev。　A。　Brandram　（ENDORSED：　recd。　27th　June；　1838）　MADRID；　JUNE　16；　1838。

REVD。　AND　DEAR　SIR；　…　I　have　received　your　communication　of　the　　30th　ult。；　containing　the　resolutions　of　the　Committee；　to　which　I　　shall　of　course　attend。

Of　your　letter　in　general；　permit　me　to　state　that　I　reverence　the　　spirit　in　which　it　is　written；　and　am　perfectly　disposed　to　admit　　the　correctness　of　the　views　which　it　exhibits。　　＇Greek　text　which　　cannot　be　reproduced＇。　　But　it　appears　to　me　that　in　one　or　two　　instances　I　have　been　misunderstood　in　the　letters　which　I　have　　addressed　＇to　you＇　on　the　subject　of　Graydon。

I　bear　this　unfortunate　gentleman　no　ill　will；　God　forbid；　and　it　　will　give　me　pain　if　he　were　reprimanded　publicly　or　privately；　　moreover　I　can　see　no　utility　likely　to　accrue　from　such　a　　proceeding。　　All　that　I　have　stated　hitherto　is　the　damage　which　he　　has　done　in　Spain　to　the　cause　and　myself；　by　the　…　what　shall　I　　call　it？　…　imprudence　of　his　conduct；　and　the　idea　which　I　have　　endeavoured　to　inculcate　is　the　absolute　necessity　of　his　leaving　　Spain　instantly。

Take　now　in　good　part　what　I　am　about　to　say；　and　O！　do　not　　misunderstand　me！　　I　owe　a　great　deal　to　the　Bible　Society；　and　the　　Bible　Society　owes　nothing　to　me。　　I　am　well　aware　and　am　always　　disposed　to　admit　that　it　can　find　thousands　more　zealous；　more　　active；　and　in　every　respect　more　adapted　to　transact　its　affairs　　and　watch　over　its　interests。　　Yet　with　this　consciousness　of　my　　own　inutility　I　must　be　permitted　to　state　that　linked　to　a　man　　like　Graydon　I　can　no　longer　consent　to　be；　and　that　if　the　Society　　expect　such　a　thing；　I　must　take　the　liberty　of　retiring；　perhaps　　to　the　wilds　of　Tartary　or　the　Zigani　camps　of　Siberia。

My　name　at　present　is　become　public　property　…　no　very　enviable　　distinction　in　these　unhappy　times；　and　neither　wished　nor　sought　　by　myself。　　I　have　of　late　been　subjected　to　circumstances　which　　have　rendered　me　obnoxious　to　the　hatred　of　those　who　never　　forgive；　the　bloody　Church　of　Rome；　which　I　have　doubt　will　sooner　　or　later　find　means　to　accomplish　my　ruin；　for　no　one　is　better　　aware　than　myself　of　its　fearful　resources；　whether　in　England　or　　Spain；　in　Italy　or　in　any　other　part。　　I　should　not　be　now　in　this　　situation；　had　I　been　permitted　to　act　alone。　　How　much　more　would　　have　been　accomplished；　it　does　not　become　me　to　guess。

I　had　as　many　or　more　difficulties　to　surmount　in　Russia　than　I　　originally　had　here；　yet　all　that　the　Society　expected　or　desired　　was　effected　without　stir　or　noise；　and　that　in　the　teeth　of　an　　imperial　UKASE　which　forbade　the　work　which　I　was　employed　to　　superintend。

Concerning　my　late　affair；　I　must　here　state　that　I　was　sent　to　　prison　on　a　charge　which　was　subsequently　acknowledged　not　only　to　　be　false　but　ridiculous。　　I　was　accused　of　uttering　words　　disrespectful　towards　the　GEFE　POLITICO　of　Madrid；　my　accuser　was　　an　officer　of　the　police　who　entered　my　apartment　one　morning　　before　I　was　dressed；　and　commenced　searching　my　papers　and　　flinging　my　books　into　disorder。　　Happily；　however；　the　people　of　　the　house　who　were　listening　at　the　door　heard　all　that　passed；　and　　declared　on　oath　that；　so　far　from　mentioning　the　GEFE　POLITICO；　I　　merely　told　the　officer　that　he；　the　officer；　was　an　insolent　　fellow　and　that　I　would　cause　him　to　be　punished。　　He　subsequently　　confessed　that　he　was　an　instrument　of　the　Vicar　General　and　that　　he　merely　came　to　my　apartment　in　order　to　obtain　a　pretence　for　　making　a　complaint。　　He　has　been　dismissed　from　his　situation；　and　　the　Queen　has　expressed　her　sorrow　at　my　imprisonment。　　If　there　be　　any　doubt　entertained　on　the　matter；　pray　let　Sir　George　Villiers　　be　written　to！

I　should　be　happy　to　hear　what　success　attends　our　efforts　in　　China。　　I　hope　a　prudent　conduct　has　been　adopted；　for　think　not　　that　a　strange　and　loud　language　will　find　favour　in　the　eyes　of　　the　Chinese；　and　above　all；　I　hope　that　we　have　not　got　into　war　　with　the　Augustines　and　their　followers；　who；　if　properly　managed；　　may　be　of　incalculable　service　in　propagating　the　Scriptures。

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

G。　BORROW。

P。S。　…　The　documents；　or　some　of　them；　shall　be　sent　as　soon　as　　possible。



LETTER：　26th　June；　1838



To　the　Rev。　A。　Brandram　（Endorsed：　recd。　July　5；　1838）　MADRID；　JUNE　26；　1838。

REVD。　AND　DEAR　SIR；　…　I　shall　not　be　able　to　send　the　documents　in　　question；　as　they　are　lodged　in　the　archives；　and　are　now　become　　state…papers。　　Those　that　relate　to　the　affair　at　Malaga　I　have　not　　yet　been　able　to　obtain　a　perusal　of；　it　will　therefore　perhaps　　suffice　for　the　present　to　say　that　in　one　of　them　the　Government　　was　stigmatized　as　being　'VORAZ　DE　PESETAS'　（voracious　of　pesetas）；　　and　the　Catholic　religion　termed　'UN　SISTEMA　DEL　MAS　GROSERO　　FANATISMO'　（a　system　of　the　grossest　fanaticism）。　　It　was　well　for　　the　writer　of　this　trash　that　the　Government　were　at　the　time　　alarmed　at　the　step　which　they　had　taken　in　imprisoning　myself；　and　　did　not　wish　to　press　the　matter　home：　　otherwise　he　could　not　have　　escaped　so　easily　as　he　did。　　Yet　what　must　we　think　of　an　　Englishman；　who；　relying　for　protection　on　the　fear　and　respect　　which　the　mighty　country　to　which　he　belongs　everywhere　inspires；　　visits　a　Spanish　town　in　a　state　of　revolution　…　as　Malaga　was　…　　and；　for　the　bringing　about　a　particular　object；　adds　to　the　　ferment　by　appealing　to　already　excited　passions？　　But　I　shall　not　　dwell　further　on　this　subject。　　The　Society　are　already　aware　of　　the　results　of　the　visit　of　our　friend　to　Malaga；　all　their　Bibles　　and　Testaments　having　been　seized　throughout　Spain；　with　the　　exception　of　my　stock　in　Madrid　（upwards　of