letters-第49章

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iety's　　property　in　safe　and　sure　custody。

It　has　pleased　the　Lord　to　assist　me　visibly　in　my　last　journey。　　　In　the　midst　of　a　thousand　perils　I　have　disposed　of　nine　hundred　　Testaments　amongst　the　peasantry　on　the　north　side　of　the　　precipitous　hills　of　the　Guadarama　range；　and　all　in　the　space　of　　three　weeks。　　In　a　day　or　two　I　shall　write　to　Mr。　Brandram　with　　particulars。

Pray　excuse　these　hasty　lines；　present　my　kindest　remembrances　to　　Mrs。　Browne；　and　believe　me；　Revd。　and　dear　Sir；

Gratefully　and　truly　yours；

GEORGE　BORROW。



LETTER：　1st　September；　1838



To　the　Rev。　A。　Brandram　（ENDORSED：　recd。　Sept。　10；　1838）　MADRID；　SEPT。　1；　1838。

REVD。　AND　DEAR　SIR；　…　From　my　letter　to　the　Revd。　Geo。　Browne　of　　the　28　ult。　you　are　already　doubtless　aware　of　my　arrival　at　Madrid　　from　my　expedition　in　Old　Castile。　　I　now　proceed　to　detail　to　you　　a　few　occurrences；　premising　that　my　notices　will　necessarily　be　　brief；　as　I　am　considerably　indisposed；　and　am　moreover　much　　occupied　in　making　preparations　for　my　departure　for　England；　and　　in　arranging　the　affairs　of　the　Society　in　Spain　in　as　satisfactory　　a　manner　as　circumstances　will　permit。

I　set　out　for　my　journey　on　the　4th　of　last　month　on　horseback　and　　accompanied　by　my　servant。　　The　first　day　brought　us　to　La　Granja；　　a　distance　of　twelve　leagues　from　Madrid；　where　I　expected　to　find　　Lopez　and　another　man　whom　I　had　sent　before。　　Nothing　particular　　occurred　during　this　day's　journey；　except　that　notwithstanding　my　　haste　I　sold　some　Testaments　in　the　villages　near　the　roadside　and　　that　it　pleased　God　to　permit　us　to　traverse　the　pass　of　Pena　　Cerrada　without　coming　in　contact　with　the　banditti　that　haunt　the　　gloomy　pine　forests　which　embower　it　and　extend　for　leagues　in　　every　direction。　　Arrived　at　La　Granja；　I　could　hear　nothing　of　　Lopez　nor　of　the　other　individual；　and　in　consequence　after　a　stay　　of　a　day　which　was　necessary　to　refresh　the　horses；　I　departed　for　　Segovia。　　I　did　not　attempt　to　distribute　the　Word　at　La　Granja；　　being　well　aware　that　orders　had　been　transmitted　to　the　　authorities　of　the　place　to　seize　all　copies　of　the　sacred　writings　　which　might　be　offered　for　sale。　　I　may　say　the　same　with　respect　　to　Segovia；　where　still　none　of　my　people　made　their　appearance。　　　At　Segovia　I　received　from　a　friend　a　chest　containing　two　hundred　　Testaments；　and　almost　immediately　after；　by　the　greatest　chance　in　　the　world；　I　heard　from　a　peasant　that　there　were　men　in　the　　neighbourhood　of　Abades　selling　books。　　Abades　is　about　three　　leagues　distant　from　Segovia；　and　upon　receiving　this　intelligence　　I　instantly　departed　for　the　former　place；　with　three　BURRICOS　　＇asses＇　laden　with　Testaments。

I　reached　Abades　at　nightfall；　and　found　Lopez　in　the　house　of　the　　surgeon　of　the　place；　where　I　also　took　up　my　residence。　　He　had　　already　disposed　of　a　considerable　number　of　Testaments　in　the　　neighbourhood；　and　had　that　day　commenced　selling　at　Abades　itself。　　　He　had；　however；　been　interrupted　by　two　of　three　CURAS　of　the　　village；　who　with　horrid　curses　denounced　the　work；　threatening　　eternal　condemnation　to　Lopez　for　selling　it　and　to　any　person　who　　should　purchase　it；　whereupon　Lopez；　terrified；　forebore　until　I　　should　arrive。　　The　third　CURA；　however；　exerted　himself　to　the　　utmost　to　persuade　the　people　to　provide　themselves　with　　Testaments；　telling　them　that　his　brethren　were　hypocrites　and　　false　guides；　who　by　keeping　them　in　ignorance　of　the　word　and　will　　of　Christ　were　leading　them　to　the　abyss。　　Upon　receiving　this　　information；　I　instantly　sallied　forth　to　the　marketplace；　and　that　　same　night　succeeded　in　disposing　of　upwards　of　thirty　Testaments。　　　The　next　morning　the　house　was　entered　by　the　two　factious　CURAS；　　but　upon　my　rising　to　confront　them　they　retreated；　and　I　heard　no　　more　of　them；　except　that　they　publicly　cursed　me　in　the　church　　more　than　once；　an　event　which　as　no　ill　resulted　from　it　gave　me　　little　concern。

I　will　not　detail　the　events　of　the　next　week；　suffice　it　to　say　　that　arranging　my　forces　in　the　most　advantageous　way　I　succeeded　　by　God's　assistance　in　disposing　of　in　that　period　from　five　to　six　　hundred　Testaments　amongst　the　villages　from　one　to　seven　leagues　　distance　from　Abades。　　At　the　expiration　of　that　period　I　received　　information　from　Segovia；　in　which　province　Abades　is　situated；　to　　the　effect　that　my　proceedings　were　known　in　Segovia；　and　that　an　　order　was　about　to　be　sent　to　the　ALCALDE　of　Abades　to　seize　all　　books　in　my　possession。　　Whereupon；　notwithstanding　that　it　was　　late　in　the　evening；　I　decamped　with　all　my　people　and　upwards　of　　three　hundred　Testaments；　having　a　few　hours　previously　received　a　　fresh　supply　from　Madrid。　　That　night　we　passed　in　the　fields　and　　next　morning　proceeded　to　Labajos；　a　village　on　the　high　road　from　　Madrid　to　Valladolid。　　In　this　place　we　offered　no　books　for　sale；　　but　contented　ourselves　with　supplying　the　neighbouring　villages　　with　the　Word　of　God；　we　likewise　sold　it　in　the　highways。　　We　had　　not　been　at　Labajos　a　week；　during　which　time　we　were　remarkably　　successful；　when　the　Carlist　chieftain　Balmaseda　at　the　head　of　his　　wild　cavalry　made　his　desperate　inroad　into　the　southern　part　of　　Old　Castile；　dashing　down　like　an　avalanche　from　the　pine　woods　of　　Soria。　　I　was　present　at　all　the　horrors　which　ensued　…　the　sack　of　　Arrevalo　…　and　the　forcible　entry　into　Martin　Munoz　and　San　Cyrian。　　　Amidst　these　terrible　scenes；　we　continued　our　labours　undaunted；　　with　the　exception　of　my　servant；　who　seized　with　uncontrollable　　fear　ran　away　to　Madrid。　　I　now　lost　Lopez　for　three　or　four　days；　　and　suffered　dreadful　anxiety　on　his　account；　apprehending　that　he　　had　been　shot　by　the　Carlists。　　At　last　I　heard　that　he　was　in　　prison　at　Villallos；　at　the　distance　of　three　leagues。　　The　steps　　which　I　took　to　rescue　him　you　will　find　detailed　in　the　　communication　which　I　deemed　it　my　duty　to　transmit　to　Lord　Wm。　　Hervey　at　Madrid；　a　copy　of　which；　together　with　the　letter　of　　Lopez　which　informed　me　of　his　situation；　I　transmit　herewith。　　　After　the　rescue　of　Lopez；　I　thought　it　advisable　to　return　to　　Madrid；　more　especially　as　my　stock　of　Testaments　was　exhausted；　we　　having　in　the　course　of　little　more　than　a　fortnight　disposed　of　　nearly　nine　hundred　Testaments　…　not　in　populous　and　wealthy　towns　　but　in　highways　and　villages；　not　to　the　spurious　Spaniards　of　　Madrid　and　the　coasts；　but　to　the　sun…blackened　peasantry　of　Old　　Castile；　the　genuine　descendants　of　those　terrible　men　who　　subjugated　Mexico　and　Peru。

My　men　returned　by　Pena　Cerrada；　whilst　I；　encumbered　by　two　　horses；　crossed　the　Guadarama。　　I　nearly　perished　there；　having　　lost　my　way　in　the　darkness　and　tumbled　down　a　precipice。　　But　I　am　　now　in　Madrid　and；　if　not　well；　trusting　in　the　Lord　and　defying　　Satan。　　I　shall　probably　be　in　England　within　three　weeks。

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

G。　B。



LETTER：　19th　September；　1838



To　the　Rev。　A。　Brandram　（ENDORSED：　recd。　Sept。　28；　1838）　MADRID；　19　SEPR。　1838；　No。　16　CALLE　SANTIAGO。

REVD。　AND　DEAR　SIR；　…　I　write　this　to　inform　you　that　for　the　last　　ten　days　I　have　been　confined　to　my　bed　by　a　fever。　　I　am　now　　better；　and　hope　in　a　few　days　to　be　able　to　proceed　to　Saragossa；　　which　is　the　only　road　open。

I　bore　up　against　my　illness　as　long　as　I　could；　but　it　became　too　　powerful　for　me。　　By　good　fortune　I　obtained　a　decent　physician；　a　　Dr。　Hacayo；　who　had　studied　medicine　in　England；　and　aided　by　him　　and　the　strength　of　my　constitution　I　got　the　better　of　my　attack；　　which　however　was　a　dreadfully　severe　one。

I　hope　my　next　letter　will　be　from　Bordeaux。　　I　cannot　write　more　　at　present；　for　I　am　very　feeble。

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

G。　BORROW。



Account　of　Proceedings　in　the　Peninsula



GENTLEMEN　OF　THE　COMMITTEE　OF　THE　BRITISH　AND　FOREIGN　BIBLE　SOCIETY　　…

I　beg　leave　to　call　your　attention　to　the　following　statements。　　　They　relate　to　my　proceedings　during　the　period　which　embraces　my　　second　sojourn　in　Spain　…　to　my　labours　in　a　literary　point　of　view　　…　to　my　travels　in　a　very　remarkable　country；　the　motive　in　which　　they　originated　and　the　result　to　which　they　led　…　to　my　success　in　　the　distribution　of　the　Scripture；　and　to　the　opposition　and　　encouragement　which　I　have　experienced。　　As　my　chief　objects　are　　brevity　and　distinctness　I　shall　at　once　enter　upon　my　subject；　　abstaining　from　reflections　of　every　kind；　which　in　most　cases　only　　tend　to　embarrass；　being　anxious　to　communicate　facts　alone；　with　　most　of　which；　it　is　true；　you　are　already　tolerably　well　　acquainted；　but　upon　all　and　every　of　which　I　am　eager　to　be　　carefully　and　categorically　questioned。　　It　is　neither　my　wish　nor　　my　interest　to　conceal　one　particular　of　what　I　have　been　doing。　　　And　with　these　few　prefatory　observations　I　commence。

In　the　first　place；　my　literary　labours。　　Having　on　my　former　visit　　to　Spain　obtained　from　the　then　Prime　Minister　Isturitz　and　his　　Cabinet　permission　and　encouragement　for　the　undertaking；　I　　published　on　my　return　an　edition　of　the　New　Testament　at　Madrid；　a　　copy　of　which　I　now　present　to　you　for　the　first　time。　　This　work；　　executed　at　the　office　of　Borrego；　the　most　fashionable　printer　at　　Madrid；　who　had　been　recommended　to　me　by　Isturitz　himself　and　most　　particularly　by　my　excellent　friend　Mr。　O'Shea；　is　a　publication　　which　I　conceive　no　member　of　the　Committee　will　consider　as　　calculated　to　cast　discredit　on　the　Bible　Society；　it　being　printed　　on　excellent　English　paper　and　well　bound；　but　principally　and　　above　all　from　the　fact　of　its　exhibiting　scarcely　one　　typographical　error；　every　proof　having　been　read　thrice　by　myself　　and　once　or　more　times　by　the　first　scholar　in　Spain。

I　subsequently　published　the　Gospel　of　Saint　Luke　in　the　Rommany　　and　Biscayan　languages。　　With　respect　to　the　first；　I　beg　leave　to　　observe　that　no　work　printed　in　Spain　ever　caused　so　great　and　so　　general　a　sensation；　not　so　much　amongst　the　Gypsies；　that　peculiar　　people；　for　whom　it　was　intended；　as　amongst　the　Spaniards　　themselves；　who；　though　they　look　upon　the　Roma　with　some　degree　of　　contempt　as　a　low　and　thievish　race　of　outcasts；　nevertheless　take　　a　strange　interest　in　all　that　concerns　them；　it　having　been　from　　time　immemorial　their　practice；　more　especially　of　the　dissolute　　young　nobility；　to　cultivate　the　acquaintance　of　the　Gitanos　as　　they　are　popularly　called；　probably　attracted　by　the　wild　wit　of　　the　latter　and　the　lascivious　dances　of　the　females。　　The　　apparition　therefore　of　the　Gospel　of　Saint　Luke　at　Madrid　in　the　　peculiar　jargon　of　these　people　was　hailed　as　a　strange　novelty　and　　almost　as　a　wonder；　and　I　believe　was　particularly　instrumental　in　　bruiting　the　name　of　the　Bible　Society　far　and　wide　through　Spain；　　and　in　creating　a　feeling　far　from　inimical　towards　it　and　its　　proceedings。　　I　will　here　take　the　liberty　to　relate　an　anecdote　　illustrative　of　the　estimation　in　which　this　little　work　was　held　　at　Madrid。　　The　Committee　are　already　aware　that　a　seizure　was　made　　of　many　copies　of　Saint　Luke　in　the　Rommany　and　Biscayan　languages；　　in　the　establishment　at　which　they　were　exposed　for　sale；　which　　copies