letters-第22章

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k　　floors；　therefore　if　you　have　felt　disappointed　in　not　having　heard　　from　me　for　a　considerable　time；　the　above　statement　must　be　my　　excuse。

During　the　last　fortnight　the　aspect　of　my　affair　has　become　more　　favourable；　and；　notwithstanding　all　the　disappointments　I　have　　met；　I　now　look　forward　with　little　apprehension　to　the　result。　　　The　English　Ambassador；　Mr。　Villiers；　has　taken　me　by　the　hand　in　　the　most　generous　manner　and　has　afforded　me　the　most　effectual　　assistance。　　He　has　spoken　to　all　the　Ministers；　collectively　and　　individually；　and　has　recommended　the　granting　of　my　petition　in　　the　strongest　manner；　pointing　out　the　terrible　condition　of　the　　people　at　present　who　are　without　religious　instruction　of　any　　kind；　and　the　impossibility　of　exercising　any　species　of　government　　over　a　nation　of　atheists；　which　the　Spaniards　will　very　shortly　　become　if　left　to　themselves。　　Whether　moved　by　his　arguments　or　by　　a　wish　to　oblige　a　person　of　so　much　importance　as　the　British　　Ambassador；　the　Cabinet　of　Madrid　now　exhibit　a　manifest　　willingness　to　do　all　in　their　power　to　satisfy　me；　and　though　by　　the　law　of　Spain　the　publishing　of　the　Scripture　in　the　vulgar　　tongue　without　notes　is　forbidden；　measures　have　been　taken　by　　which　the　rigor　of　the　law　can　be　eluded　and　the　printer　be　　protected；　until　such　time　as　it　shall　be　deemed　prudent　to　repeal　　the　law　made；　as　is　now　generally　confessed；　in　a　time　of　ignorance　　and　superstitious　darkness。

I　herewith　send　you　a　letter　which　I　received　some　days　since　from　　Mr。　Villiers；　I　have　several　others　on　the　same　subject；　but　I　　prefer　sending　this　particular　one　as　it　is　the　last。　　Since　I　　received　it；　the　Ministers　have　met　and　discussed　the　petition；　and　　the　result　was；　as　I　have　been　informed；　though　not　officially；　in　　its　favour。

You　would　oblige　me　by　mentioning　to　his　Lordship　the　President　of　　the　Bible　Society　the　manner　in　which　Mr。　Villiers　has　befriended　　me；　and　to　beg　that　he　would　express　by　letter　an　acknowledgment　of　　the　favour　which　I　have　received；　and　at　the　same　time；　I　think　　that　a　vote　of　thanks　from　the　Committee　would　not　be　amiss；　as　I　　may　be　again　in　need　of　Mr。　V。's　assistance　before　I　leave　Spain。　　　The　interest　which　he　has　taken　in　this　affair　is　the　more　　surprising；　as　Mr。　Graydon　informed　me　that　upon　his　applying　to　　him　he　declined　to　interfere。

I　saw　Mr。　Graydon　twice　or　thrice。　　He　left　Madrid　for　Barcelona　　about　a　month　since；　because　the　heat　of　the　former　place　in　the　　summer　months　is　more　than　he　can　bear；　and　as　he　found　I　was　so　　far　advanced；　he　thought　he　might　be　of　more　utility　in　Catalonia。

I　have　at　present　nothing　more　to　say；　and　am　so　weak　from　heat　and　　fatigue　that　I　can　hardly　hold　the　pen。　　I　have　removed　from　my　old　　lodgings　to　those　which　Mr。　Graydon　occupied；　therefore　when　you　　write；　direct　as　above。　　With　my　best　remembrances　to　Mr。　Jowett；　I　　remain；　my　dear　Sir；　very　truly　yours；

G。　B。



LETTER：　7th　July；　1836



To　the　Rev。　A。　Brandram　（ENDORSED：　recd。　July　18；　1836）　7　JULY；　1836；　MADRID；　CALLE　SANTIAGO；　No。　16　PISO　3RO。

REVD。　AND　DEAR　SIR；　…　The　affair　is　settled　…　thank　God！！！　and　we　　may　begin　to　print　whenever　we　think　proper。

Perhaps　you　have　thought　I　have　been　tardy　in　accomplishing　the　　business　which　brought　me　to　Spain；　but　to　be　able　to　form　a　　correct　judgment　you　ought　to　be　aware　of　all　the　difficulties　　which　I　have　had　to　encounter；　and　which　I　shall　not　enumerate；　I　　shall　content　myself　with　observing　that　for　a　thousand　pounds　I　　would　not　undergo　again　all　the　mortifications　and　disappointments　　of　the　last　two　months。

The　present　Ministry　have　been　afraid　to　offend　the　clergy；　and　　with　great　reason；　as　they　are　not　of　the　movement　or　radical　　party；　and　many　of　their　friends　are　bigoted　papists；　nevertheless；　　influenced　by　the　pressing　applications　of　the　British　Ambassador　　and　being　moreover　well…disposed　to　myself；　they　have　consented　to　　the　printing　of　the　Testament；　but　it　must　be　done　in　a　private　　manner。　　I　have　just　had　a　long　interview　with　Mr。　Isturitz；　who　　told　me　that　if　we　were　resolved　upon　the　enterprise　we　had　best　　employ　the　confidential　printer　of　the　Government；　who　would　keep　　the　matter　secret；　as　in　the　present　state　of　affairs　he　would　not　　answer　for　the　consequences　if　it　were　noised　abroad。　　I　of　course　　expressed　my　perfect　readiness　to　comply　with　so　reasonable　a　　request。

I　will　now　candidly　confess　to　you　that　I　do　not　think　that　the　　present　Ministry；　or；　as　it　is　generally　called；　the　Court　　Ministry；　will　be　able　to　stand　its　ground；　nevertheless　a　change　　of　Ministry　would　not　alter　the　aspect　of　our　affair　in　the　least；　　for　if　the　other　or　movement　party　come　in；　the　liberty　of　the　　press　（a　great　misfortune　for　Spain）　would　be　probably　granted；　at　　all　events；　the　influence　of　the　English　Ambassador　would　be　　greater　than　it　is　even　at　present；　and　upon　his　assistance　I　may　　rely　at　all　times　and　occasions。

I　am　not　aware　that　there　is　any　great　necessity　for　my　continuance　　in　Spain；　nevertheless；　should　you　think　there　is；　you　have　only　to　　command。　　But　I　cannot　help　thinking　that　in　a　month　or　two　when　　the　heats　are　over　Mr。　Graydon　might　return；　as　nothing　very　　difficult　remains　to　be　accomplished；　and　I　am　sure　that　Mr。　　Villiers　at　my　entreaty　would　extend　to　him　the　patronage　with　　which　he　has　honoured　me。　　But；　as　I　before　observed；　I　am　ready　to　　do　whatever　the　Bible　Society　may　deem　expedient。

Do　not　forget　THE　TWO　letters　of　thanks　to　the　Ambassador；　and　it　　would　not　be　unwise　to　transmit　a　VOTE　of　thanks　to　'His　Excellence　　Antonio　Alcala　Galiano；　President　of　Marine；'　who　has　been　of　great　　assistance　to　me。

I　have　the　honour　to　be；　Revd。　and　dear　Sir；　your　most　obedient　　servant；

G。　B。

P。S。　…　In　about　six　weeks　I　shall　want　some　more　money。

My　best　remembrances　to　Mr。　Jowett。



LETTER：　19th　July；　1836



To　the　Rev。　A。　Brandram　（ENDORSED：　recd。　July　30th；　1836）　MADRID；　JULY　19th；　1836。

REVD。　AND　DEAR　SIR；　…　As　I　believe　you　have　no　account　of　my　

proceedings　at　Badajoz；　I　send　you　the　following　which　will　perhaps　　serve　for　your　'Monthly　Extracts。'　　I　have　corrected　and　improved　　my　translation　of　the　Lord's　Prayer　into　Rommany；　and　should　it　be　　printed；　let　it　be　done　so　with　care。　　Perhaps　in　a　few　days　I　　shall　send　a　general　account　of　what　I　have　been　about　since　my　　arrival　at　Madrid；　but　I　am　at　present　very　feeble　and　languid；　and　　can　scarcely　hold　a　pen。　　There　is　nothing　new　here；　all　is　quiet；　　and　I　hope　will　continue　so。　　My　time　does　not　pass　very　agreeably；　　I　am　without　books　or　conversation；　for　all　my　acquaintance　have　　left　the　place　to　escape　from　the　intolerable　heat。　　I　often　sigh　　for　Russia；　and　wish　I　was　there；　editing　Mandchou　or　Armenian；　　pray　remember　me　kindly　to　Mr。　Jowett　and　to　my　other　friends。　　I　　remain；　etc。

G。　BORROW。


About　one　o'clock　in　the　afternoon　of　the　6th　of　January；　1836；　I　　crossed　the　bridge　of　the　Guadiana；　a　boundary　river　between　　Portugal　and　Spain；　and　entered　Badajoz；　a　strong　Spanish　town　　containing　about　8000　inhabitants；　and　founded　by　the　Romans。　　I　　instantly　returned　thanks　to　God　who　had　protected　me　during　a　　journey　of　five　days　through　the　wilds　of　Alemtejo；　the　province　of　　Portugal　the　most　infested　by　robbers　and　desperate　characters；　and　　which　I　had　traversed　with　no　other　human　companion　than　a　lad；　　nearly　idiotic；　who　was　to　convey　back　the　mules　which　carried　　myself　and　baggage。　　It　was　not　my　intention　to　make　much　stay　at　　Badajoz；　and　as　a　vehicle　would　set　out　for　Madrid　the　day　next　but　　one　after　my　arrival；　I　proposed　to　depart　therein　for　the　capital　　of　Spain。

The　next　morning　I　was　standing　at　the　door　of　the　inn　where　I　had　　taken　up　my　residence；　the　weather　was　gloomy；　and　rain　seemed　to　　be　at　hand。　　I　was　thinking　of　the　state　of　the　country　I　had　　lately　entered；　which　was　involved　in　bloody　anarchy　and　confusion；　　and　where　the　ministers　of　a　religion；　falsely　styled　Catholic　and　　Christian；　were　blowing　the　trump　of　war；　instead　of　preaching　the　　love…engendering　words　of　the　blessed　Gospel。　　Suddenly　two　men　　wrapped　in　long　cloaks　came　down　the　narrow　and　almost　deserted　　street。　　They　were　about　to　pass　me；　and　the　face　of　the　nearest　　was　turned　full　towards　me。　　I　knew　to　whom　the　countenance　which　　he　displayed　must　belong；　and　I　touched　him　on　the　shoulder。　　The　　man　stopped　and　his　companion　also；　I　said　a　certain　word；　to　which　　after　an　exclamation　of　surprise　he　responded　in　the　manner　which　I　　expected。　　The　men　were　of　that　singular　family；　or　race；　which　has　　diffused　itself　over　every　part　of　the　civilized　globe；　and　the　　members　of　which　are　known　as　Gypsies；　Bohemians；　Gitanos；　Zigani；　　and　by　many　other　names；　but　whose　proper　appellation　seems　to　be　　'Rommany；'　from　the　circumstance　that　in　many　and　distant　countries　　they　so　style　themselves；　and　also　the　language　which　they　speak　　amongst　each　other。　　We　began　conversing　in　the　Spanish　dialect　of　　this　language；　with　which　I　was　tolerably　well　acquainted。　　Upon　　inquiring　of　my　two　newly…made　acquaintances　whether　there　were　　many　of　their　people　at　Badajoz　and　in　the　vicinity；　they　informed　　me　that　there　were　nine　or　ten　families　residing　in　the　town；　and　　that　there　were　others　at　Merida；　a　town　about　nine　leagues　　distant。　　I　asked　by　what　means　they　supported　themselves；　and　they　　replied　that　they　and　their　brethren　gained　a　livelihood　by　jobbing　　in　horses；　mules；　etc。；　but　that　all　those　in　Badajoz　were　very　　poor；　with　the　exception　of　one　man；　who　was　exceedingly　MUBALBALLO　　or　rich；　as　he　was　in　possession　of　many　horses　and　other　beasts。　　　They　removed　their　cloaks　for　a　moment；　and　I　saw　that　their　　undergarments　were　rags。

They　left　me　in　haste；　and　went　about　the　town　informing　the　rest　　that　a　stranger　was　arrived；　who　spoke　Rommany　as　well　as　　themselves；　who　had　the　eyes　and　face　of　a　Gitano；　and　seemed　to　be　　of　the　ERATTI；　or　blood。　　In　less　than　half…an…hour　the　street　　before　the　inn　was　filled　with　the　men；　women；　and　children　of　　Egypt。　　I　went　out　amongst　them；　and　my　heart　sank　within　me　as　I　　surveyed　them；　so　much　squalidness；　dirt；　and　misery　I　had　never　　before　seen　amongst　a　similar　number　of　human　beings。　　But　the　　worst　of　all　was　the　evil　expression　of　their　countenances；　plainly　　denoting　that　they　were　familiar　with　every　species　of　crime；　and　　it　was　not　long　before　I　found　that　their　countenances　did　not　　belie　them。　　After　they　had　asked　me　an　infinity　of　questions；　and　　felt　my　hands；　face；　and　clothes；　they　retired　to　their　homes。　　My　　meeting　with　these　wretched　people　was　the　reason　of　my　remaining　　at　Badajoz　a　much　longer　time　than　I　originally　intended。　　I　wished　　to　become　better　acquainted　with　their　condition　and　manners；　and　　above　all　to　speak　to　them　about　Christ　and　His　Word；　for　I　was　　convinced　that　should　I　travel　to　the　end　of　the　universe　I　should　　meet　with　none　who　were　more　in　need　of　Christian　exhortation；　and　　I　accordingly　continued　at　Badajoz　for　nearly　three　weeks。

During　this　time　I　was　almost　constantly　amongst　them；　and　as　I　　spoke　their　language　and　was　considered　by　them　as　one　of　　themselves；　I　had　better