letters-第24章

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deavour　to　procure　me　one；　but　at　the　same　time　told　me　frankly　　that　he　could　not　hope　that　any　good　would　arise　from　it；　as　Mr。　M。　　was　violently　prejudiced　against　the　British　and　Foreign　Bible　　Society；　and　was　far　more　likely　to　discountenance　than　encourage　　any　efforts　which　they　might　be　disposed　to　make　for　introducing　　the　Gospel　into　Spain。　　I　however　remained　resolute　in　my　desire　to　　make　the　trial；　and　before　I　left　him　obtained　a　letter　of　　introduction　to　Mr。　Mendizabal；　with　whom　I　had　an　interview　a　few　　days　after。　　The　particulars　of　this　interview　have　been　detailed　　on　a　former　occasion。　　It　will　be　sufficient　to　state　here　that　I　　obtained　from　Mr。　Mendizabal；　if　not　immediate　permission　to　print　　the　Scriptures；　a　promise　that　at　the　expiration　of　a　few　months；　　when　he　hoped　that　the　country　would　be　in　a　more　tranquil　state；　I　　should　be　at　full　liberty　to　do　so；　with　which　promise　I　departed　　well　satisfied；　and　full　of　gratitude　to　the　Lord；　who　seemed　to　　have　so　wonderfully　smoothed　my　way　in　an　enterprise　which　at　first　　sight　seemed　particularly　arduous　and　difficult。

Before　three　months　had　elapsed　Mr。　Mendizabal　had　ceased　to　be　　Prime　Minister；　with　his　successor；　Mr。　Isturitz；　I　had　become　　acquainted；　and　also　with　his　colleagues；　Galiano　and　the　Duke　de　　Rivas；　and　it　was　not　long　before　I　obtained　…　not　however　without　　much　solicitation　and　difficulty　…　the　permission　which　I　so　　ardently　desired。　　Before；　however；　I　could　turn　it　to　my　account；　　the　revolution　broke　out　in　Spain；　and　the　press　became　free。

The　present　appears　to　be　a　moment　peculiarly　well　adapted　for　　commencing　operations　in　Spain；　the　aim　and　view　of　which　should　be　　the　introducing　into　that　singularly　unhappy　portion　of　the　world　　the　knowledge　of　the　Saviour。　　The　clouds　of　bigotry　and　　superstition　which　for　so　many　centuries　cast　their　dreary　shadow　　upon　Spain；　are　to　a　considerable　degree　dispelled；　and　there　is　　little　reason　for　supposing　that　they　will　ever　again　conglomerate。　　　The　Papal　See　is　no　longer　regarded　with　reverence；　and　its　agents　　and　ministers　have　incurred　universal　scorn　and　odium；　therefore　　any　fierce　and　determined　resistance　to　the　Gospel　in　Spain　is　not　　to　be　apprehended　either　from　the　people　themselves；　or　from　the　　clergy；　who　are　well　aware　of　their　own　weakness。　　It　is　scarcely　　necessary　to　remark　that　every　country　which　has　been　long　　subjected　to　the　sway　of　popery　is　in　a　state　of　great　and　　deplorable　ignorance。　　Spain；　as　might　have　been　expected；　has　not　　escaped　this　common　fate；　and　the　greatest　obstacle　to　the　　diffusion　of　the　Gospel　light　amongst　the　Spaniards　would　proceed　　from　the　great　want　of　education　amongst　them。　　Perhaps　there　are　　no　people　in　the　world　to　whom　nature　has　been；　as　far　as　regards　　mental　endowments；　more　bounteously　liberal　than　the　Spaniards。　　　They　are　generally　acute　and　intelligent　to　an　extraordinary　　degree；　and　express　themselves　with　clearness；　fluency；　and　　elegance　upon　all　subjects　which　are　within　the　scope　of　their　　knowledge。　　It　may　indeed　be　said　of　the　mind　of　a　Spaniard；　as　of　　his　country；　that　it　merely　requires　cultivation　to　be　a　garden　of　　the　first　order；　but；　unhappily；　both；　up　to　the　present　time；　have　　been　turned　to　the　least　possible　account。　　Few　amongst　the　lower　　class　of　the　population　of　the　towns　are　acquainted　with　letters；　　and　fewer　still　amongst　the　peasantry；　but　though　compelled　to　　acknowledge　the　ignorance　of　the　Spaniards　in　general；　I　have　great　　pleasure　in　being　able　to　state　that　during　the　latter　years　it　has　　been　becoming　less　and　less；　and　that　the　rising　generation　is　by　　no　means　so　illiterate　as　the　last；　which　was　itself　superior　in　　acquirements　to　the　preceding　one。　　It　is　to　be　hoped　that　the　　progress　in　improvement　will　still　continue；　and　that　within　a　few　　years　the　blessings　of　education　will　be　as　generally　diffused　　amongst　the　Spaniards　as　amongst　the　people　of　France　and　England。　　　Government　has　already　commenced　the　establishment　of　Normal　　Schools；　and　though　the　state　of　the　country；　convulsed　with　the　　horrors　of　civil　war；　precludes　the　possibility　of　devoting　to　them　　the　care　and　attention　which　they　deserve；　I　have　no　doubt　that　　when　it　shall　please　the　Lord　to　vouchsafe　peace　unto　Spain　they　　will　receive　all　the　requisite　patronage　and　support；　as　their　　utility　is　already　generally　recognised。

Before　quitting　Madrid　I　entered　into　negotiation　with　Mr。　Charles　　Wood；　a　respectable　Englishman　established　there；　for　the　printing　　of　5000　copies　of　the　New　Testament　in　Spanish；　which　number；　if　on　　good　paper　and　in　handsome　type；　I　have　little　doubt　might　be　　easily　disposed　of　within　a　short　time　in　the　capital　and　in　the　　principal　provincial　towns　of　Spain；　particularly　Cadiz　and　　Seville；　where　the　people　are　more　enlightened　than　in　other　parts　　in　most　respects；　and　where　many　would　be　happy　to　obtain　the　　sacred　volume　in　a　handsome　yet　cheap　form；　and　some　in　any　shape　　whatever　…　as　there　the　Word　of　God　is　at　least　known　by　　reputation；　and　no　small　curiosity　has　of　late　years　been　　manifested　concerning　it；　though　unfortunately　that　curiosity　has　　not　hitherto　been　gratified；　for　reasons　too　well　known　to　require　　recapitulation。

In　the　rural　districts　the　chances　of　the　Scriptures　are　　considerably　less；　for　there；　as　far　as　I　am　aware；　not　only　no　　curiosity　has　been　excited　respecting　it；　but　it　is　not　known　by　　name；　and　when　mentioned　to　the　people；　is　considered　to　be　nothing　　more　or　less　than　the　mass…book　of　the　Romish　Church。　　On　various　　occasions　I　have　conversed　with　the　peasantry　of　Estremadura；　La　　Mancha；　and　Andalusia　respecting　the　holy　Book；　and　without　one　　exception　they　were　not　only　ignorant　of　its　contents；　but　ignorant　　of　its　nature；　some　who　could　read；　and　pretended　to　be　acquainted　　with　it；　said　that　it　contained　hymns　to　the　Virgin；　and　was　　written　by　the　Pope；　yet　the　peasantry　of　these　three　provinces　are　　by　no　means　the　least　enlightened　of　Spain；　but　perhaps　the　　reverse。　　In　a　word；　great　as　the　ignorance　of　the　generality　of　　the　Spaniards　upon　most　essential　points　is；　they　are　principally　　ignorant　of　the　one　most　essential　of　all；　the　religion　of　our　Lord　　and　Saviour　Jesus　Christ。

No　time；　however；　ought　to　be　lost　in　supplying　those　with　the　word　　who　are　capable　of　receiving　it；　though　millions　in　Spain　are　　undoubtedly　beyond　the　reach　of　any　efforts　which　the　Bible　Society　　can　make　to　assist　them；　however　much　it　may　have　at　heart　their　　eternal　salvation；　it　is　gratifying　to　have　grounds　for　belief　that　　thousands　are　able　and　willing　to　profit　by　the　exertions　which　may　　be　made　to　serve　them。　　Though　the　days　of　the　general　orange…　gathering　are　not　arrived；　when　the　tree　requires　but　a　slight　　shaking　to　scatter　its　ripe　and　glorious　treasures　on　the　head　of　　the　gardener；　still　goodly　and　golden　fruit　is　to　be　gathered　on　　the　most　favoured　and　sunny　branches；　the　quantity　is　small　in　　comparison　with　what　remains　green　and　acid；　but　there　is　enough　to　　repay　the　labour　of　him　who　is　willing　to　ascend　to　cull　it；　the　　time　of　the　grand　and　general　harvesting　is　approaching；　perhaps　it　　will　please　the　Almighty　to　hasten　it；　and　it　may　even　now　be　　nearer　than　the　most　sanguine　of　us　dares　to　hope。

G。　BORROW。



LETTER：　15th　November；　1836



To　the　Rev。　A。　Brandram　（ENDORSED：　recd。　Nov。　30th；　1836）　LISBON；　NOVR。　15TH；　1836。

REVD。　AND　DEAR　SIR；　…　On　taking　leave　of　you　I　promised　to　write　　from　Cadiz；　and　I　still　hope　to　perform　my　promise；　but　as　I　am　　apprehensive　that　several　days　will　elapse　before　I　shall　reach　　that　place　I　avail　myself　of　the　present　opportunity　of　informing　　you　that　I　am　alive　and　well；　lest　you　should　become　uneasy　at　not　　hearing　from　me　at　the　time　you　expected。　　It　is　owing　to　the　mercy　　of　God　that；　instead　of　being　able　to　pen　these　lines；　I　am　not　at　　the　present　moment　floundering　in　the　brine；　a　prey　to　the　fishes　　and　monsters　of　the　ocean。

We　had　a　most　unpleasant　passage　to　Falmouth。　　The　ship　was　crowded　　with　passengers；　most　of　whom　were　poor　consumptive　individuals　and　　other　invalids；　fleeing　from　the　cold　blasts　of　England's　winter　to　　the　sunny　shores　of　Portugal　and　Madeira。　　In　a　more　uncomfortable　　vessel；　especially　steam…ship；　it　has　never　been　my　fate　to　make　a　　voyage；　the　berths　were　small　and　insupportably　close；　and　of　the　　wretched　holes　mine　was　amongst　the　worst；　the　rest　having　been　for　　the　most　part　bespoken　before　I　arrived　on　board；　so　that　to　avoid　　the　suffocation　which　seemed　to　threaten　me　I　lay　upon　the　floor　of　　one　of　the　cabins；　and　continued　to　do　so　until　my　arrival　here。　　　We　remained　at　Falmouth　twenty…four　hours；　taking　in　coals　and　　repairing　the　engine；　which　had　sustained　considerable　damage。

On　Monday　the　7th　inst。　we　again　started　and　made　for　the　Bay　of　　Biscay；　the　sea　was　high　and　the　wind　strong　and　contrary；　　nevertheless　on　the　morning　of　the　fourth　day　we　were　in　sight　of　　the　rocky　coast　to　the　north　of　Cape　Finisterre。　　I　must　here　　observe　that　this　was　the　first　voyage　that　the　captain　who　　commanded　the　vessel　had　ever　made　on　board　of　her；　and　that　he　　knew　little　or　nothing　about　the　coast　towards　which　we　were　　bearing；　he　was　a　person　picked　up　in　a　hurry；　the　former　captain　　having　resigned　his　command　on　the　ground　that　the　ship　was　not　　sea…worthy；　and　that　the　engines　were　frequently　unserviceable。　　I　　was　not　acquainted　with　these　circumstances　at　the　time；　or　perhaps　　I　should　have　felt　more　alarmed　than　I　did　when　I　saw　the　vessel　　approaching　nearer　and　nearer　to　the　shore；　till　at　last　we　were　　only　a　few　hundred　yards　distant。　　As　it　was；　however；　I　felt　very　　much　surprised；　for　having　passed　it　twice　before；　both　times　in　　steam…vessels；　and　having　seen　with　what　care　the　captains　　endeavoured　to　maintain　a　wide　offing；　I　could　not　conceive　the　　reason　of　our　being　now　so　near　the　dangerous　region。　　The　wind　was　　blowing　hard　towards　the　shore；　if　that　can　be　called　a　shore　which　　consists　of　steep　abrupt　precipices；　on　which　the　surf　was　breaking　　with　the　noise　of　thunder；　tossing　up　clouds　of　spray　and　foam　to　　the　height　of　a　cathedral。　　We　coasted　slowly　along；　rounding　　several　tall　forelands；　some　of　them　piled　up　by　the　hand　of　nature　　in　the　most　fantastic　shapes；　until　about　the　fall　of　night。　　Cape　　Finisterre　was　not　far　ahead；　a　bluff　brown　granite　mountain；　whose　　frowning　head　may　be　seen　far　away　by　those　who　travel　the　ocean。　　　The　stream　which　poured　round　its　breast　was　terrific；　and　though　　our　engines　plied　with　all　their　force；　we　made　little　or　no　way。

By　about　eight　o'clock　at　night；　the　wind　had　increased　to　a　　hurricane；　the　thunder　rolled　frightfully；　and　the　only　light　which　　we　had　to　guide　us　on　our　way　was　the　red　forked　lightning　which　　burst　at　times　from　the　bosom　of　the　big　black　clouds　which　lowered　　over　our　heads。　　We　were　exerting　ourselves　to　the　utmost　to　　weather　the　cape；　which　we　could　descry　by　the　lightning　on　our　　lee；　its　brow　being　frequently　brilliantly　lighted　up　by　the　　flashes　which　quivered　around　it；　when　suddenly；　with　a　great　　crash；　the　engine　broke；　and　the　paddles　on　which　depended　our　　lives　ceased　to　play。

I　will