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e　last　words　which　I　shall　ever　be　permitted　to　　pen；　that　I　cannot　approve；　and　I　am　sure　no　Christian　can；　of　the　　system　which　has　lately　been　pursued　in　the　large　sea…port　cities　　of　Spain；　and　which　the　Bible　Society　has　been　supposed　to　　sanction；　notwithstanding　the　most　unreflecting　person　could　easily　　foresee　that　such　a　line　of　conduct　could　produce　nothing　in　the　　end　but　obloquy　and　misfortune。

It　was　unkind　and　unjust　to　taunt　me　with　having　been　unsuccessful　　in　distributing　the　Scriptures。　　Allow　me　to　state　that　no　other　　person　under　the　same　circumstances　would　have　distributed　the　　tenth　part。　　Yet　had　I　been　utterly　unsuccessful；　it　would　have　　been　wrong　to　check　me　with　being　so；　after　all　I　have　undergone　…　　and　with　how　little　of　that　are　you　acquainted。　　You　are　perfectly　　correct　in　concluding　that　certain　persons　are　laughing　in　their　　sleeve。　　But　at　what？　　At　the　success　of　their　own　machinations？　　　Not　at　all！　　They　are　laughing　at　the　inconceivable　fatuity　which　　induces　those　whom　THEY　ONCE　DREADED　to　destroy　themselves　and　　their　own　labours。　　The　stone　with　immense　toil　is　rolled　up　to　the　　brow　of　the　mountain；　when　they　see　it　recoil；　not　at　the　touch　of　　Jupiter　but　at　the　impulse　of　the　insane　Sisyphus；　who　pulls　it　　down　on　his　own　body。　　With　common　sense　and　prudence　very　much　　might　have　been　accomplished　in　Spain；　and　still　may。　　I　am　sorry　　to　say　that　hitherto　very　little　of　＇that＇　has　been　used。

You　are　surprised　that　I　should　presume　to　hint　that　I　have　been　　linked　to　G。　＇Graydon＇；　but　at　the　same　time　admit　that　my　　identification　with　him　by　my　enemies　has　been　unavoidable。　　Now　in　　the　name　of　all　that　is　reasonable；　to　what　does　such　an　admission　　amount　but　that　I　have　been　linked　to　this　man；　and　it　matters　very　　little　whether　or　not　I　have　been　brought　into　personal　contact　　with　him。　　But　now　farewell　to　him：　　and　in　taking　leave　of　this　　subject；　I　will　add　that　the　unfortunate　M。　＇Marin＇　is　dying　of　a　　galloping　consumption；　brought　on　by　distress　of　mind。　　All　the　　medicine　in　the　world　would　not　accomplish　his　cure。

With　God's　permission　I　will　write　again　in　a　few　days　and　till　　then；

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

GEORGE　BORROW。



LETTER：　17th　July；　1838



To　the　Rev。　A。　Brandram　（ENDORSED：　recd。　July　30；　1838）　VILLA　SECA；　NEW　CASTILLE；　17　JULY　1838。

REVD。　AND　DEAR　SIR；　…　I　addressed　a　letter　to　you　on　the　14th　　instant；　which　I　hope　you　will　receive　in　course　of　time；　together　　with　the　present；　in　that　letter　I　informed　you　where　I　was；　　stating　my　proceedings　and　intentions。　　It　has　pleased　the　Lord　to　　permit　me　to　be　hitherto　very　successful　in　these　regions；　so　much　　so　that　during　less　than　a　week　I　have　disposed　of　the　entire　stock　　of　Testaments　which　I　brought　with　me；　namely　two　hundred；　only　　three　or　four　remain；　which　are　already　bespoken。　　Last　night　I　　sent　off　a　messenger　to　Madrid　for　a　fresh　supply；　which　I　expect　　will　arrive　in　a　day　or　two。

I　must　here　observe　that　up　to　the　present　moment　I　have　　endeavoured　as　much　as　possible　to　avoid　noise；　and　notoriety。　　　Advertisements　and　handbills　I　have　utterly　eschewed。　　I　brought　　none　with　me；　and　in　these　rural　places；　the　name　of　a　printing　　press　is　unknown；　nor　have　I　much　endeavoured　to　work　upon　the　mind　　of　the　simple　peasantry　around　me　by　words。　　I　merely　tell　them　　that　I　bring　them　the　words　and　life　of　the　Saviour　and　His　saints　　at　a　price　adapted　to　their　humble　means。　　Nevertheless　the　news　of　　the　arrival　of　the　book　of　life　is　spreading　like　wild…fire　through　　the　villages　of　the　Sagra　of　Toledo；　and　wherever　my　people　and　　myself　direct　our　course　we　find　the　inhabitants　disposed　to　　receive　our　merchandise；　it　is　even　called　for　where　not　exhibited。　　　Last　night　as　I　was　bathing　myself　and　＇my＇　horse　in　the　Tagus；　a　　knot　of　people　gathered　on　the　bank　crying：　　'Come　out　of　the　　water；　Englishman；　and　give　us　books；　we　have　got　our　money　in　our　　hands。'　　The　poor　creatures　then　held　out　their　hands　filled　with　　CUARTOS；　a　copper　coin　of　the　value　of　a　farthing；　but　I　had　　unfortunately　no　Testament　to　afford　them。　　My　servant；　however；　　who　was　at　a　short　distance；　having　exhibited　one；　it　was　instantly　　torn　from　his　hands　by　the　people；　and　a　scuffle　ensued　to　obtain　　possession　of　it。　　It　has　very　frequently　occurred　that　the　poor　　labourers　in　the　neighbourhood；　being　eager　to　obtain　Testaments　　and　having　no　money　to　offer　us　in　exchange；　have　brought　various　　other　articles　to　our　cottage　as　equivalents　…　for　example；　　rabbits；　fruit　and　barley；　and　I　have　made　a　point　never　to　　disappoint　them；　as　such　articles　are　of　utility　either　for　our　own　　consumption　or　that　of　the　horses。

In　Villa　Seca　there　is　a　school　in　which　fifty…seven　children　are　　taught　the　first　rudiments　of　education。　　Yesterday　morning　the　　schoolmaster；　a　tall　slim　figure　of　about　sixty；　bearing　on　his　　head　one　of　the　peaked　hats　of　Andalusia　and　wrapped　　notwithstanding　the　excessive　heat　of　the　weather　in　a　long　cloak；　　made　his　appearance；　and　having　seated　himself　requested　to　be　　shown　one　of　our　books。　　Having　delivered　it　to　him；　he　remained　　examining　it　for　nearly　half　an　hour　without　uttering　a　word。　　At　　last　he　laid　it　down　with　a　sigh　and　said　that　he　should　be　very　　happy　to　purchase　some　of　these　books　for　his　school；　but　from　　their　appearance；　especially　from　the　quality　of　the　paper　and　　binding；　he　was　apprehensive　that　to　pay　for　them　would　exceed　the　　means　of　the　parents　of　his　pupils；　as　they　were　almost　destitute　　of　money；　being　poor　labourers。　　He　then　commenced　blaming　the　　Government；　which；　he　said；　established　schools　without　affording　　the　necessary　books；　adding　that　in　his　school　there　were　but　two　　books　for　the　use　of　all　his　pupils；　and　these　he　confessed　　contained　but　little　good。　　I　asked　him　what　he　considered　the　　Testaments　were　worth。　　He　said；　'SENOR　CAVALIER；　to　speak　frankly　　I　have　in　other　times　paid　twelve　REALS　for　books　inferior　to　yours　　in　every　respect；　but　I　assure　you　that　my　poor　pupils　would　be　　utterly　unable　to　pay　the　half　of　that　price。'　　I　replied；　'I　will　　sell　you　as　many　as　you　please　for　three　REALS　each；　I　am　　acquainted　with　the　poverty　of　the　land；　and　my　friends　and　myself　　in　affording　the　people　the　means　of　spiritual　instruction　have　no　　wish　to　curtail　their　scanty　bread。'　　He　replied：　　'BENEDITO　SEO　　DIOS'　（'blessed　be　God'）；　and　could　scarcely　believe　his　ears。　　He　　instantly　purchased　a　dozen；　expending　therein；　as　he　said；　all　the　　money　he　possessed　with　the　exception　of　a　few　CUARTOS。　　The　　introduction　of　the　reading　of　the　Word　of　God　into　the　country　　schools　of　Spain　is　therefore　now　begun；　and　I　humbly　hope　that　it　　will　prove　one　of　those　events　which　the　Bible　Society　after　the　　lapse　of　years　will　have　most　reason　to　remember　with　joy　and　　gratitude　to　the　Almighty。

An　old　peasant　is　at　present　reading　in　the　portico。　　Eighty…four　　years　have　passed　over　his　head；　and　he　is　almost　entirely　deaf；　　nevertheless　he　is　reading　aloud　the　second　＇chapter＇　of　Matthew。　　　Three　days　since　he　bespoke　a　Testament；　but　not　being　able　to　　raise　the　money　he　has　not　redeemed　it　until　the　present　moment；　he　　has　just　brought　thirty　farthings。　　As　I　survey　the　silvery　hair　　which　overshadows　his　sun…burnt　countenance；　the　words　of　the　song　　occur　to　me：　　'Lord；　now　lettest　Thou　Thy　servant　depart　in　peace；　　according　to　Thy　word：　　for　mine　eyes　have　seen　Thy　salvation。'

I　will　now　conclude　these　anecdotes　with　one　not　divested　of　　singularity。　　Over　a　branch　of　the　Tagus　by　the　bridge　Azeca　there　　is　a　large　water…mill。　　I　have　formed　an　acquaintance　with　the　　tenant　of　this　mill；　who　is　known　in　the　neighbourhood　by　the　name　　of　Don　Antero。　　Two　days　ago；　taking　me　into　a　retired　place；　he　　asked　me　to　my　great　astonishment　if　I　would　sell　him　a　thousand　　Testaments　at　the　price　at　which　I　was　disposing　of　them　to　the　　peasantry；　saying　that　if　I　would　consent　he　would　pay　me　　immediately；　in　fact　he　put　his　hand　into　his　pocket；　and　pulled　it　　out　filled　with　gold　ounces。　　I　asked　him　what　was　the　reason　for　　his　wish　to　make　so　considerable　a　purchase。　　Whereupon　he　informed　　me　that　he　had　a　relation　in　Toledo　whom　he　wished　to　establish；　　and　that　he　was　of　opinion　that　he　could　do　no　better　than　take　a　　shop　there　and　furnish　it　with　Testaments。　　I　told　him　that　he　must　　think　of　nothing　of　the　kind；　as　probably　the　books　would　be　seized　　on　the　first　attempt　to　introduce　them　into　Toledo；　as　the　priests　　and　canons　were　much　averse　to　their　distribution。　　He　was；　　however；　not　disconcerted；　and　said　his　relation　could　travel；　as　I　　myself　was　doing；　to　dispose　of　them　to　the　peasants　with　profit　to　　himself。　　I　confess　I　was　disposed　at　first　to　accept　his　offer；　　but　at　length　declined　it；　as　I　did　not　wish　to　expose　a　poor　man　　to　the　risk　of　losing　money；　goods；　and　perhaps　liberty　and　life。　　　I　was　likewise　averse　to　the　books　being　offered　to　the　peasantry　　at　an　advanced　price；　being　aware　that　they　could　not　afford　it；　　and　the　books；　by　such　an　attempt　would　lose　a　considerable　part　of　　that　PRESTIJIO　（I　know　no　English　word　to　express　my　meaning）　which　　they　now　enjoy。