Letters of George Borrow to the British and Foreign Bible Society Part 22

I remain, Revd. and dear Sir, most truly yours,

G. BORROW.

_P.S._--I should wish to make another Biblical tour this summer, until the storm be blown over. Should I undertake such an expedition, I should avoid the towns and devote myself entirely to the peasantry. I have sometimes thought of visiting the villages of the Alpujarra mountains in Andalusia, where the people live quite secluded from the world. What do you think of my project?

To the Rev. A. Brandram

(_Endorsed_: recd. 27th June, 1838) MADRID, _June_ 16, 1838.

REVD. AND DEAR SIR,--I have received your communication of the 30th ult., containing the resolutions of the Committee, to which I shall of course attend.

Of your letter in general, permit me to state that I reverence the spirit in which it is written, and am perfectly disposed to admit the correctness of the views which it exhibits. [Greek text]. But it appears to me that in one or two instances I have been misunderstood in the letters which I have addressed [to you] on the subject of Graydon.

I bear this unfortunate gentleman no ill will, G.o.d forbid, and it will give me pain if he were reprimanded publicly or privately; moreover I can see no utility likely to accrue from such a proceeding. All that I have stated hitherto is the damage which he has done in Spain to the cause and myself, by the--what shall I call it?--imprudence of his conduct; and the idea which I have endeavoured to inculcate is the absolute necessity of his leaving Spain instantly.

Take now in good part what I am about to say, and O! do not misunderstand me! I owe a great deal to the Bible Society, and the Bible Society owes nothing to me. I am well aware and am always disposed to admit that it can find thousands more zealous, more active, and in every respect more adapted to transact its affairs and watch over its interests. Yet with this consciousness of my own inutility I must be permitted to state that linked to a man like Graydon I can no longer consent to be, and that if the Society expect such a thing, I must take the liberty of retiring, perhaps to the wilds of Tartary or the Zigani camps of Siberia.

My name at present is become public property--no very enviable distinction in these unhappy times, and neither wished nor sought by myself. I have of late been subjected to circ.u.mstances which have rendered me obnoxious to the hatred of those who never forgive, the b.l.o.o.d.y Church of Rome, which I have doubt will sooner or later find means to accomplish my ruin; for no one is better aware than myself of its fearful resources, whether in England or Spain, in Italy or in any other part. I should not be now in this situation, had I been permitted to act alone. How much more would have been accomplished, it does not become me to guess.

I had as many or more difficulties to surmount in Russia than I originally had here, yet all that the Society expected or desired was effected without stir or noise, and that in the teeth of an imperial _Ukase_ which forbade the work which I was employed to superintend.

Concerning my late affair, I must here state that I was sent to prison on a charge which was subsequently acknowledged not only to be false but ridiculous. I was accused of uttering words disrespectful towards the _Gefe Politico_ of Madrid; my accuser was an officer of the police who entered my apartment one morning before I was dressed, and commenced searching my papers and flinging my books into disorder. Happily, however, the people of the house who were listening at the door heard all that pa.s.sed, and declared on oath that, so far from mentioning the _Gefe Politico_, I merely told the officer that he, the officer, was an insolent fellow and that I would cause him to be punished. He subsequently confessed that he was an instrument of the Vicar General and that he merely came to my apartment in order to obtain a pretence for making a complaint. He has been dismissed from his situation, and the Queen has expressed her sorrow at my imprisonment. If there be any doubt entertained on the matter, pray let Sir George Villiers be written to!

I should be happy to hear what success attends our efforts in China. I hope a prudent conduct has been adopted; for think not that a strange and loud language will find favour in the eyes of the Chinese; and above all, I hope that we have not got into war with the Augustines and their followers, who, if properly managed, may be of incalculable service in propagating the Scriptures.

I remain, Revd. and dear Sir, truly yours,

G. BORROW.

_P.S._--The doc.u.ments, or some of them, shall be sent as soon as possible.

To the Rev. A. Brandram

(Endorsed: recd. July 5, 1838) MADRID, _June_ 26, 1838.

REVD. AND DEAR SIR,--I shall not be able to send the doc.u.ments in question, as they are lodged in the archives, and are now become state-papers. Those that relate to the affair at Malaga I have not yet been able to obtain a perusal of; it will therefore perhaps suffice for the present to say that in one of them the Government was stigmatized as being '_voraz de pesetas_' (voracious of pesetas), and the Catholic religion termed '_un sistema del mas grosero fanatismo_' (a system of the grossest fanaticism). It was well for the writer of this trash that the Government were at the time alarmed at the step which they had taken in imprisoning myself, and did not wish to press the matter home: otherwise he could not have escaped so easily as he did. Yet what must we think of an Englishman, who, relying for protection on the fear and respect which the mighty country to which he belongs everywhere inspires, visits a Spanish town in a state of revolution--as Malaga was--and, for the bringing about a particular object, adds to the ferment by appealing to already excited pa.s.sions? But I shall not dwell further on this subject.

The Society are already aware of the results of the visit of our friend to Malaga, all their Bibles and Testaments having been seized throughout Spain, with the exception of my stock in Madrid (upwards of 3000)--Count Ofalia having in a communication to Sir George declared that he had full confidence in my honour and good faith, being well persuaded that I harboured no designs but those I professed.

I send you on the other side some extracts from one of the tracts which purports to be 'A true history of the Virgin of Sorrows, to whom Don Carlos, the Rebel and Fanatic, has dedicated his cause, and the ignorance which he trumpets.' The one, however, which has given most offence is 'A Catechism on the Princ.i.p.al Controversies between Protestants and Catholics,' translated from the English.

I now await your orders. I wish to know whether I am at liberty to pursue the course which may seem to me best under existing circ.u.mstances, and which at present appears to be to mount my horses which are neighing in the stable, and once more to betake myself to the plains and mountains of dusty Spain, and to dispose of my Testaments to the muleteers and peasants. By doing so I shall employ myself usefully, and at the same time avoid giving offence. Better days will soon arrive, which will enable me to return to Madrid and reopen my shop; till then, however, I should wish to pursue my labours in comparative obscurity.

I remain, Revd. and dear Sir, most truly yours,

GEORGE BORROW.

_P.S._--I am engaged in translating the Acts of the Apostles into Basque.

_On the fly-leaf of this letter appear the following extracts_.

Historia Verdadera de la Virjen Dolorosa a Quien el rebelde y fanatico D. Carlos Ha Dedicado su causa y la ignorancia que Pregona.

EXTRACTOS

P. 17. 'Echase de ver en todos estos epitetos grandiosos prodigados a Maria la obra del enemigo de Dios, el cual, ensencialmente idolatra, ha sabido introducir la idolatria bajo las apariencias del Cristianismo, y se esfuerza en desviar sobre una criatura, y hasta en la imagen de esta, la adoracion que se debe a Dios tan solo. Sin duda que con igual objeto se colocan por todas partes las estatuas de Maria, adornadas con una corona, y llevando en brazos un tierno infante, como para acostumbrar al pueblo al concepto entranable de [la superi] oridad de Maria sobre Jesus.'

P. 30. 'Tal es nuestra conclusion. Reconociendo y sancionando este culto, la Iglesia de Roma se const.i.tuye iglesia _idolatra_, y todos sus miembros que no saben buscar la verdad detras del monstruos-o hacinamiento de impiedad con que la oculta, son supuestos por la misma condenados a la perdicion. El caudillo de esta Iglesia, que no se averguenza de prohibir y hacer que se prohiba, por donde quiera alcanza su ferula, la palabra de Dios, debiera saber cuando menos, se atesorase el espiritu de Cristo, que mejor empleara sus bulas barriendo la Iglesia Romana de todas sus iniquidades, que no promulgando tan injustas prohibiciones. Pero ya que, afferrandose contra mejora, esta iglesia proteje y consagra por todas partes un sinnumero de supersticiones y cultos erroneos, claro esta que con esto se alza y caracteriza como uno de los princ.i.p.ales ajentes del Anticristo.'

To Mr. W. Hitchin

(_Endorsed_: recd. July 20, 1838) MADRID, _July_ 9, 1838.

On the other side I beg leave to present my account. One or two items require some explanation.

1st, Mr. Borrego's bill of 3084 _reals_, of which 1760 are for the printing of the Basque Gospel, the remainder is for advertis.e.m.e.nts, boxes, package and freight of books to various parts of Spain, namely, to Valencia, Malaga, Santander, Corunna, etc. The original bill I shall forward as soon as it has been signed and vouched for by Messrs. O'Shea, who paid the money.

2nd, As to prison expenses, I must observe that the Government after placing me at liberty offered to indemnify me for all the expense I had incurred in prison, but I refused to accept their offer; should, however, the Committee think that I ought to have done so, they will deduct the amount.

3rd, 60 _reals_ for porterage; on receiving intelligence that my depots had been seized in various parts of the country, I thought it advisable to place my stock in Madrid in safety, and in consequence under cover of night removed it from the shop, and concealed it in portions in the houses of various friends.

In conclusion, I must beg that you will collate my present account with my last, as I am apprehensive that I may have charged the same outlay twice; the copy of my last account was lost when my papers were seized.

I make an excursion to-morrow to the rural districts of New Castile, which will probably occupy a fortnight. I have sent before me two hundred Testaments.

I remain, etc.,

G. BORROW.

To the Rev. A. Brandram