letters-第17章

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easel　clung。'


Upon　the　shoulders　of　the　goat…herd　was　a　beast；　which　he　told　me　　was　a　LONTRA　or　otter；　which　he　had　lately　caught　in　the　　neighbouring　brook；　it　had　a　string　round　its　neck　which　was　　attached　to　his　arm；　at　his　left　side　was　a　bag　from　the　top　of　　which　peeped　the　heads　of　two　or　three　singular…looking　animals；　　and　beside　him　was　squatted　the　sullen　cub　of　a　wolf；　which　he　was　　endeavouring　to　tame。　　His　whole　appearance　was　to　the　last　degree　　savage　and　wild。　　After　a　little　conversation；　such　as　those　who　　meet　on　the　road　frequently　hold；　I　asked　him　if　he　could　read；　but　　he　made　no　answer。　　I　then　enquired　if　he　knew　anything　of　God　or　　Jesus　Christ；　he　looked　me　fixedly　in　the　face　for　a　moment；　and　　then　turned　his　countenance　towards　the　sun　which　was　beginning　to　　sink；　nodded　to　it；　and　then　again　looked　fixedly　upon　me。　　I　　believed　I　understood　this　mute　reply；　which　probably　was；　that　it　　was　God　who　made　that　glorious　light　which　illumines　and　gladdens　　all　creation；　and　gratified　with　this　belief　I　left　him；　and　　hastened　after　my　companions　who　were；　by　this　time；　a　considerable　　way　in　advance。

I　have　always　found　amongst　the　children　of　the　fields　a　more　　determined　tendency　to　religion　and　piety　than　amongst　the　　inhabitants　of　towns　and　cities；　and　the　reason　is　obvious；　they　　are　less　acquainted　with　the　works　of　man's　hands　than　with　those　　of　God；　their　occupations　are　simple；　and　requiring　less　of　　ingenuity　and　skill　than　those　which　engage　the　intention　of　the　　other　portion　of　their　fellow…creatures；　are　less　favourable　to　the　　engendering　of　self…conceit　and　sufficiency；　so　utterly　at　variance　　with　that　lowliness　of　spirit　which　constitutes　the　best　test　of　　piety。　　The　sneerers　and　scoffers　at　religion　do　not　spring　from　　amongst　the　simple　children　of　nature；　but　are　the　excrescences　of　　overwrought　refinement；　and　though　their　baneful　influence　has　　indeed　penetrated　to　the　country　and　corrupted　many　there；　the　　fountain…head　was　amongst　crowded　houses　where　nature　is　scarcely　　known。　　I　am　not　one　of　those　who　look　for　perfection　amongst　the　　rural　population　of　any　country；　perfection　is　not　to　be　found　　amongst　the　children　of　the　fall；　be　their　abode　where　it　may；　but　　until　the　heart　disbelieve　the　existence　of　a　God；　there　is　still　　hope　for　the　possessor；　however　stained　with　crime　he　may　be；　for　　even　Simon　the　Magician　was　converted。　　But　when　the　heart　is　once　　steeled　with　infidelity；　infidelity　confirmed　by　carnal　reasoning；　　an　exuberance　of　the　grace　of　God　is　required　to　melt　it；　which　is　　seldom　or　never　manifested；　for　we　read　in　the　blessed　book　that　　the　Pharisee　and　the　Wizard　became　receptacles　of　grace；　but　where　　is　mention　made　of　the　conversion　of　the　sneering　Sadducee？　and　is　　the　modern　infidel　aught　but　a　Sadducee　of　later　date？

TO　BE　CONTINUED。



LETTER：　10th　January；　1836



To　the　Rev。　Andrew　Brandram　（ENDORSED：　recd。　Feb。　29th；　1836）　JOURNAL　CONTINUED

BADAJOZ；　10th　JANUARY　1836。

THE　night　had　closed　in　before　we　reached　Evora；　and　having　taken　　leave　of　my　friends；　who　kindly　requested　me　to　consider　their　　house　my　home；　myself　and　my　little　party　proceeded　to　the　Largo　de　　San　Francisco；　where　was　a　hostelry；　which　the　muleteer　informed　me　　was　the　best　in　the　town。　　We　rode　into　the　kitchen；　at　the　extreme　　end　of　which　was　the　stable；　as　is　customary　in　Portugal。　　The　　house　was　kept　by　an　aged　gypsy…like　female　and　her　daughter；　a　　fine　blooming　girl　about　eighteen　years　of　age。　　The　house　was　　large；　in　the　upper　story　was　a　very　long　room；　like　a　granary；　　extending　nearly　the　whole　length　of　the　house；　the　further　end　was　　partitioned　off；　and　formed　a　tolerably　comfortable　chamber；　but　　rather　cold；　the　floor　being　of　tiles；　as　was　that　of　the　large　　room　in　which　the　muleteers　were　accustomed　to　sleep　on　the　　furniture　of　their　mules。　　Having　supped　I　went　to　bed；　and　after　　having　offered　up　my　devotions　to　Him　who　had　protected　me　through　　a　dangerous　journey；　I　slept　soundly　till　the　morning。

Evora　is　a　walled　town；　but　not　regularly　fortified；　and　could　not　　sustain　a　siege　of　a　day。　　It　has　five　gates；　before　that　to　the　　south…west　is　the　principal　promenade　of　the　inhabitants；　the　fair　　on　St。　John's　Day　is　likewise　held　there。　　The　houses　are　mostly　　very　ancient；　many　of　them　are　unoccupied。　　It　contains　about　five　　thousand　inhabitants；　though　twice　that　number　would　be　by　no　means　　disproportionate　to　its　size。　　The　two　principal　edifices　are　the　　See　or　Bishop's　Palace；　and　the　Convent　of　San　Francisco；　opposite　　to　which　I　had　taken　up　my　abode。　　A　large　barrack　for　cavalry　　stands　on　the　right…hand　side　on　entering　the　south…west　gate。　　The　　adjacent　country　is　uninteresting；　but　to　the　south…east；　at　the　　distance　of　six　leagues；　is　to　be　seen　a　range　of　blue　hills；　the　　highest　of　which　is　called　Serra　Dorso。　　It　is　picturesquely　　beautiful；　and　contains　within　its　recesses　wolves　and　wild　boars　　in　numbers。　　About　a　league　and　a　half　on　the　other　side　of　this　　hill　is　Estremoz。

I　passed　the　day　succeeding　my　arrival　principally　in　examining　the　　town　and　its　environs；　and　as　I　strolled　about　I　entered　into　　conversation　with　various　people　that　I　met。　　Several　of　these　were　　of　the　middle　classes；　shopkeepers　and　professional　men；　they　were　　all　Constitutionalists；　or　pretended　to　be　so；　but　had　very　little　　to　say；　except　a　few　commonplace　remarks　on　the　way　of　living　of　　the　friars；　their　hypocrisy　and　laziness。　　I　endeavoured　to　obtain　　some　information　respecting　the　state　of　instruction　at　Evora；　and　　from　their　replies　was　led　to　believe　that　it　must　be　very　low；　for　　it　seemed　that　there　was　neither　book…shop　nor　school　in　the　place。　　　When　I　spoke　of　religion；　they　exhibited　the　utmost　apathy；　and　　making　their　bows　left　me　as　soon　as　possible。　　Having　a　letter　of　　introduction　to　a　person　who　kept　a　shop　in　the　market…place；　I　　called　upon　him；　found　him　behind　his　counter　and　delivered　it　to　　him。　　I　found　that　he　had　been　persecuted　much　whilst　the　old　　system　was　in　its　vigour；　and　that　he　entertained　a　hearty　aversion　　to　it。　　I　told　him　that　the　nurse　of　that　system　had　been　the　　ignorance　of　the　people　in　religious　matters；　and　that　the　surest　　means　to　prevent　its　return　was　to　enlighten　them　in　those　points。　　　I　added　that　I　had　brought　with　me　to　Evora　a　small　stock　of　　Testaments　and　Bibles；　which　I　wished　to　leave　for　sale　in　the　　hands　of　some　respectable　merchant；　and　that　if　he　were　desirous　to　　lay　the　axe　to　the　root　of　superstition　and　tyranny　he　could　not　do　　so　more　effectually　than　by　undertaking　the　charge　of　these　books。　　　He　declared　his　willingness　to　do　so；　and　that　same　evening　I　sent　　him　ten　Testaments　and　a　Bible；　being　half　my　stock。

I　returned　to　the　hostelry；　and　sat　down　on　a　log　of　wood　on　the　　hearth　within　the　immense　chimney　in　the　common　apartment。　　Two　men　　were　on　their　knees　on　the　stones；　before　them　was　a　large　heap　of　　pieces　of　iron；　brass；　and　copper；　they　were　assorting　it　and　　stowing　it　away　in　various　large　bags。　　They　were　Spanish　　CONTRABANDISTAS；　or　smugglers　of　the　lowest　class；　and　earned　a　　miserable　livelihood　by　smuggling　such　rubbish　from　Portugal　into　　Spain。　　Not　a　word　proceeded　from　their　lips；　and　when　I　addressed　　them　in　their　native　language　they　returned　no　answer　but　a　kind　of　　growl。　　They　looked　as　dirty　and　rusty　as　the　iron　in　which　they　　trafficked。　　The　woman　of　the　house　and　her　daughter　were　　exceedingly　civil；　and　coming　near　to　me　crouched　down；　asking　　various　questions　about　England。　　A　man　dressed　something　like　an　　English　sailor；　who　sat　on　the　other　side　of　the　hearth；　　confronting　me；　said：　　'I　hate　the　English；　for　they　are　not　　baptized；　and　have　not　the　law'　（meaning　the　law　of　God）。　　I　　laughed；　and　told　him；　that　according　to　the　law　of　England　no　one　　who　was　not　baptized　could　be　buried　in　consecrated　ground；　　whereupon　he　said；　'Then　you　are　stricter　than　we。'　　He　then　asked：　　　'What　is　meant　by　the　lion　and　the　unicorn　which　I　saw　the　other　　day　on　the　coat　of　arms　over　the　door　of　the　English　consul　at　St。　　Uves？'　　I　said　that　they　were　the　arms　of　England。　　'Yes；'　he　　replied；　'but　what　do　they　represent？'　　I　said　I　did　not　know。　　　'Then；'　said　he；　'you　do　not　know　the　story　of　your　own　house。'　　I　　answered：　　'Suppose　I　were　to　tell　you　that　they　represented　the　　lion　of　Belem　（Bethlehem）　and　the　horned　monster　of　the　flaming　pit　　in　combat　as　to　which　should　obtain　the　mastery　in　England；　what　　would　you　say？'　　He　replied：　　'I　should　say　that　you　gave　a　fair　　answer。'　　This　man　and　myself　became　great　friends；　he　came　from　　Palmella；　not　far　from　St。　Uves；　he　had　several　mules　and　horses　　with　him；　and　dealt　in　corn　and　barley。

I　again　walked　out　in　the　environs　of　the　town。　　About　half　a　mile　　from　the　southern　wall　is　a　stone　fountain；　where　the　muleteers　and　　other　people　approaching　the　town　are　accustomed　to　water　their　　cattle。　　I　sat　down　by　it；　and　there　I　remained　about　two　hours；　　entering　into　discourse　with　every　one　who　halted　at　the　fountain；　　and　I　will　here　observe　that　during　the　time　of　my　sojourn　at　Evora　　I　repeated　my　visit　every　day；　and　remained　there　about　the　same　　time；　and　by　following　this　plan　I　believe　that　I　spoke　to　near　two　　hundred　of　the　children　of　Portugal　upon　matters　connected　with　　their　eternal　welfare。　　Of　those　whom　I　addressed　I　found　very　few　　had　received　any　species　of　literary　education；　none　of　them　had　　seen　the　Bible；　and　not　more　than　half　a　dozen　had　the　slightest　　knowledge　of　what　the　Holy　Book　consisted。　　I　found　that　most　of　　them　were　bigoted　Romanists　and　Miguelites　at　heart。　　When　they　　told　me　they　were　Christians；　I　denied　the　possibility　of　their　　being　so；　as　they　were　ignorant　of　Christ　and　His　commandments；　and　　rested　their　hope　of　salvation　in　outward　forms　and　superstitious　　observances　which　were　the　inventions　of　Satan；　who　wished　to　keep　　them　in　darkness　in　order　that　at　last　they　might　stumble　into　the　　pit　which　he　had　digged　for　them。　　I　said　repeatedly　that　the　Pope　　whom　they　revered　was　a　deceiver　and　the　prime　minister　of　Satan　　here　on　earth；　and　that　the　monks　and　friars；　to　whom　they　had　been　　accustomed　to　confess　themselves；　and　whose　absence　they　so　　deplored；　were　his　subordinate　agents。　　When　called　upon　for　　proofs；　I　invariably　cited　the　ignorance　of　my　hearers　respecting　　the　Scripture；　and　said　that　if　their　spiritual　guides　had　been　　really　ministers　of　Christ　they　would　not　have　permitted　their　　flocks　to　remain　unacquainted　with　His　word。　　Since　this　occasion　I　　have　been　frequently　surprised　that　I　received　no　insult　or　ill…　treatment　from　the　people　whose　superstitions　I　was　thus　attacking；　　but　I　really　experienced　none；　and　am　inclined　to　believe　that　the　　utter　fearlessness　which　I　displayed；　trusting　in　the　protection　of　　the　Almighty；　may　have　been　the　cause。　　When　threatened　by　danger　　the　best　policy　is　to　fix　your　eye　steadily　upon　it；　and　it　will　in　　general　vanish　like　the　morning　mist　before　the　sun；　whereas　if　you　　quail　before　it；　it　becomes　more　imminent。　　I　have　fervent　hope　　that　the　words　which　I　uttered　sunk　deep　into　the　hearts　of　some　of　　my　hearers；　as　I　observed　many　of　them　dep