that his proceedings receive their encouragement, unless they wish to see
the Sacred Book, which it is their object to distribute, brought into
universal odium and contempt. He has lately been to Malaga, and has
there played precisely the same part which he acted last year at
Valencia, with the addition that in printed writings he has insulted the
Spanish Government in the most inexcusable manner. A formal complaint of
his conduct has been sent up from Malaga, and a copy of one of his
writings. Sir George blushed when he saw it, and informed Count Ofalia
that any steps which might be taken towards punishing the author would
receive no impediment from him.
I shall not make any observation on this matter further than stating that
I have never had any other opinion of Mr. Graydon than that he is
insane--insane as the person who for the sake of warming his own hands
would set a street on fire. Sir George said to-day that he, Graydon, was
the cause of my harmless shop being closed at Madrid and also of my
imprisonment. The Society will of course communicate with Sir George on
the subject: I wash my hands of it.
I remain, dear Sir, most truly yours,
GEORGE BORROW.
To the Rev. A. Brandram
(_Endorsed_: recd. May 28, 1838)
MADRID, May 17, 1838.
Excuse the haste in which my last letter was written; it doubtless seemed
somewhat incoherent, I will now endeavour to be more explicit. Moreover,
since sending it, I have had an interview of nearly two hours with Count
Ofalia, and have much that is new to communicate. But previously to
stating what is likely to afford pleasure and satisfaction, I must
proceed to disburden myself of what I heard with the greatest pain, and
which I communicate with sorrow and reluctance.
Sir George Villiers and Mr. Southern, first Secretary of Legation, were
the persons who first informed me of what has taken place at Malaga. It
appears that Mr. Graydon arrived there a short time before my
imprisonment at Madrid; and instead of endeavouring to circulate the
Scriptures in a quiet and reasonable manner, such as becomes a gentleman
and a Christian, and such as had been recommended to me previous to my
late long journey in the north of Spain and which I have always
endeavoured to follow, he had recourse to means the most improper and
disreputable, very similar to those which he is said to have followed in
all the other towns which he has visited. In order to excite curiosity
and cause a sensation, he published advertisements and handbills replete
with the lowest abuse of the Spanish clergy and Government, and
containing his own private opinions concerning religion. However, not
contented with this, he had the cruelty--I will not call it baseness--to
speak of _myself_, with, whom he asserted that he was co-operating in
every point, and that all he was doing was under the sanction of the
Bible Society.
Intelligence of these proceedings was of course sent to Madrid, with one
of the handbills, which I have not seen, but of which Mr. Southern, a
literary and accomplished gentleman, has said that its abusive virulence
is only to be equalled by its stupidity and folly. Sir George Villiers,
though very unwell, was deeply engaged in my affair, and exchanging
official notes with the Government. He had just informed Count Ofalia
that unless full and summary satisfaction were afforded me, he should
demand his passports, and write to the commanders of all the English
ships of war engaged in furnishing assistance to Spain, commanding them
to suspend operations forthwith. Suddenly Count Ofalia arrived at the
Embassy, and flinging down on the table one of Graydon's handbills,
exclaimed: 'Peruse that, and then tell me, as a Cavalier and a gentleman,
and the Envoy of a powerful and enlightened nation, whether you can any
longer uphold the cause of your friend in prison, and persist in saying
that he has been cruelly and unjustly treated. You see that he is in the
closest connexion with an individual whose conduct every civilised man
must reprobate, it being a most flagrant breach of common decency and
order.'
This unexpected incident occurring at such a critical moment almost
stunned Sir George; but, recovering himself, he denied in the most
positive manner that I had any connexion with Graydon, and asserted that
he did not believe the latter was an Agent of the Bible Society, and that
at all events he was quite sure that he had acted in this case without
its knowledge and concurrence, and that it would be willing to declare so
in the clearest and most satisfactory manner.
Count Ofalia, finding Sir George so positive, said that since I had such
a voucher he could not reasonably doubt my innocence; and that with
respect to the Society he supposed that it too well understood its own
interest to trust its affairs to a person whose conduct was calculated to
bring odium and misfortune on the fairest and most promising cause. But
Sir George has subsequently assured me that, but for this unfortunate
occurrence, he could have made much better terms for me with the Spanish
Government than from that period he thought it politic to demand.
I will now state one circumstance, and the Lord knows how true it is. It
was my prayer night and morning in my dungeon that I might hear of no
fresh outbreak of this man, whose character I was but too well acquainted
with, as I think you will concede when you call to mind my letter written
immediately after I had received intelligence that he was on the way to
Andalusia. He has up to the present moment been the 'Evil Genius' of the
Bible cause in Spain and of myself, and has so chosen his means and
moments of operation that he has been almost invariably successful in
shaking to the ground every feasible plan which my friends and myself
have devised for the propagation of the Gospel in a _steady and permanent
manner_. But I wish not to dwell upon this subject, and shall only
observe that his insane career (for in charity I believe him to be
insane) must be instantly brought to a termination. Sir George has
already written him a letter, in which I believe he advises him to quit
the country. Mr. Southern the other day made the following observation,
which I shall ever remember:--
'Sir George Villiers up to the present moment has been disposed to render
you (meaning myself) every assistance, and especially the Bible Society,
which he looks upon as the most philanthropic institution which the world
has ever known. Take care, however, that he be not wearied and
disgusted. He must not be involved in such affairs as this of Malaga,
and it must not be expected that he is to put his lance in rest in
defence of every person who visits Spain to insult the authorities, and
who, after having received merited reproof and correction, writes home to
his friends that he is a martyr in the holy cause of religion.'
I may perhaps give offence by what, I have written. I shall be grieved
if it prove so. But I have had no other resource, and I have stated the
truth and what my conscience commanded me; and permit me here to observe,
that if any one in the world has a right to be thus free it is myself,
who have ventured and suffered much in Spain.
Excuse me now for speaking one moment of myself. Notwithstanding I have
travelled very extensively in this strange country, and have established
many depots of Testaments most of which are flourishing (I have just
received intelligence from my correspondent at Valladolid that forty
copies have been sold at Burgos, the heart of Old Castile), not one word
of complaint has been transmitted to the Government; and though I have
suffered so much persecution in Madrid, I have been but paying (one of my
sources of information is Count Ofalia himself) the account of others who
seem to have been reckless as to how much woe and misery they might heap
on my head, provided they could play the part with impunity which their
own distempered desires dictated.
Now to pleasanter subjects. Count Ofalia has given me very excellent
advice, which it will be well if the Society permit me to follow.
Amongst other things he said:--'Be very cautious for some time, and even
suspend the sale of the Gospel in Madrid, and devote all your energies to
make friends amongst the clergy, very many of whom are disposed to favour
your enterprise. It would not be prudent at present for the Government
to interfere with ecclesiastical matters, as the war is not yet
terminated, but much can be done in a quiet way by yourself.'
I must here state that there is a board of ecclesiastics at present
sitting, occupied in examining the Spanish Bible as printed by the
Society. It has been denounced by the Jesuits as not being a faithful
edition of Father Scio's version, independent of the omission of the
Apocrypha; but hitherto the opinion of the board has been decidedly in
our favour, and the Bishop of Vich has, moreover, declared that it
probably will be expedient to co-operate with the Society in printing
cheap editions of the Scripture for the use of the people, as daily
experience shows that the old system cannot be carried on and that the
sacred writings must be thrown open.
The chief difficulty to settle will be the Apocrypha; but I have
authorised a friend to state that the Society is disposed to make every
possible concession, and to go so far as to relinquish the Old Testament
entirely and to content itself with circulating the New. Perhaps I went
too far in this advance; but I believe a similar concession has been made
in the case of Ireland, and I feared to lose all by aiming at too much.
However flattering affairs may appear at present, I am well aware that a
herculean labour is to be surmounted before matters can be placed on a
safe footing in Spain. Prudence, coolness and firmness are at this
moment particularly necessary; and let it never for a moment be supposed
that religious instruction and the knowledge of genuine Christianity can
be introduced into Spain by scurrilous handbills and the low arts of the
mountebank.
A split with Rome will very shortly ensue, by which I mean that no
attention will be paid to Bulls, against which several of the principal
ecclesiastics have spoken; with these puissant auxiliaries we must act in
concert.
Allow me in conclusion to state a beautiful piece of conduct of Sir
George Villiers. I have commissioned one of the Bishops to request for
me an interview with the Archbishop of Toledo. Sir George on hearing
this said:--'Tell the Archbishop that I also am anxious for the favour of
an interview, in order that I may assist in clearing up any doubt, which
he may still entertain, respecting the intentions of the Bible Society;
he has only to state the day, and I will wait upon him.'
G. BORROW.
_P.S._--I yesterday transmitted you a Spanish newspaper in which I have
published an advertisement, disclaiming in the name of the Bible Society
any writings which may have been circulated tending to lower the
authorities, civil and ecclesiastic, in the eyes of the people, and
denying that it is its intention or wish to make proselytes from the
Catholic form of worship. I took this step by advice, I had likewise a
particular reason of _my own_.
Marin is still here looking out for some secular employ, but he is
continually haunting me. He tells me that he is preparing an accounts of
all his dealings with G [Graydon] and R [Rule], in which he details the
promises made him to induce him to sign a document purporting to be a
separation from the Roman Church. He says that he was abandoned because
he refused to preach publicly against the Chapter of Valencia, which step
would have insured him a dungeon. This may be true or false, but I have
taken my precautions.
Translation of the Advertisement
(_Endorsed_: recd. May 28, 1838)
A rumour having been spread that some individuals, calling themselves
agents of the British and Foreign Bible Society, under the pretext of
circulating copies of the Holy Scriptures, have traversed several towns
on the eastern and western coasts of Spain, and have published writings
in which the respect due to the ecclesiastical and civil authorities of
Spain has not been observed, but on the contrary an intention has
evidently been manifested in them to disparage them in the eyes of the
population of those parts, I hasten to make the following public
Declaration:
That such individuals--if it be certain that there are such--have in this
respect acted upon their own responsibility, without permission and even
in direct opposition to the intentions of the Bible Society, inasmuch as
on the principles of the New Testament similar attempts are to be
reprobated and regarded with horror, being in direct opposition to the
express commands of the Saviour and His Apostles, who in their addresses
and writings have on various occasions exhorted the faithful to shew
respect and obedience to their masters and superiors, even when they were
heretics or idolaters.
And as it has been stated that certain persons, under pretext of being
agents of the British and Foreign Bible Society, have shown zeal in
persuading, and have actually in some cases persuaded, various
individuals to sign documents purporting to be declarations of separation
from the Catholic Faith--I herewith publicly declare that the British and
Foreign Bible Society has no connection with such persons; and should
there be any such, it is not disposed either to confirm or to approve
their proceedings, but on the contrary is desirous of stating in the most
energetic and solemn manner that it disavows and rejects all connexion or
intercourse with them.
The British and Foreign Bible Society is composed of individuals
belonging to all sects, in which those are divided who follow the faith
of Jesus Christ, amongst whom are seen co-operating for one grand and
holy object, followers of the Apostles, Romans, and members of the Greek
and [of the] English Church, whose design is the propagation of the word
of Christ in all countries, separating wholly from the forms of
discipline of the Church, [which are] matters of secondary consideration,
which for a long time have filled the world with bloodshed and calamity,
and have tended to keep up in the hearts of Christians unhappy and
malignant feuds. Far from being desirous of making proselytes among
those professing the Catholic worship, the Bible Society is at all times
disposed to hold out the hand of Christian fraternity to the clergy of
Spain and to co-operate with those who believe, as the Catholic clergy
assuredly do, 'that all shall be saved, who, believing in Jesus Christ,
show it by their good works.'
Madrid _May_ 12, 1838,
Office of the Bible Society,
Calle del Principe.
(Signed) GEORGE BORROW,
Sole authorised Agent of the British
and Foreign Bible Society in Spain.
To the Rev. A. Brandram
(_Endorsed_: recd. June 2, 1838)
MADRID, [_May_ 23rd, 1838].
REVD. AND DEAR SIR,--I have just had an interview with the Archbishop [of
Toledo]. It was satisfactory to a degree I had not dared to hope for.
In the name of the _Most Highest_ take steps for preventing that
miserable creature Graydon from ruining us all.
GEORGE BORROW.
To the Rev. A. Brandram
(_Endorsed_: recd. June 4, 1838)
MADRID, _May_ 25, 1838,
CALLE SANTIAGO.
REVD. AND DEAR SIR,--Events follow each other so quickly in this singular
country, and my situation is so peculiar, and I am afraid so little
understood at home, that I am obliged to take up the pen more frequently
than I am inclined. Do not think me intrusive in again troubling you. I
do it in the hope of preventing any alarm which an incorrect report of
the following circumstance might cause you.
Immediately on receiving intelligence of the scenes which had taken place
at Malaga, the Spanish Government resolved to put an end to all Bible
transactions in Spain, and forthwith gave orders for the seizure of all
the Bibles and Testaments in the country wherever they might be deposited
or exposed for sale. They notified the same to Sir George Villiers,
expressly stating that the resolution was taken in consequence of the,
'_Ocurrido en Malaga_.' I have now learnt that several of my depots have
been seized in various parts of Spain, for example, at Salamanca,
Seville, and of course at Malaga. This, however, gives me little
uneasiness, for, with the blessing of God, I shall be able to repair all,
always provided I am allowed to follow my own plans, and to avail myself
of the advantages which have lately been opened especially to cultivate
the kind feeling lately manifested towards me by the principal Spanish
clergy.
But now prompt measures must be taken on the part of the Bible Society.
Knowing as I do the character of the unfortunate man who has lately
caused so much havoc, I am apprehensive that he may be guilty of some
fresh excess. From Mr. Rule's letter, which I forwarded to you, it
appears that for some time it has been his intention to quit Spain, but
not quietly, witness this last affair of Malaga. Now my fear is that on
his return to Barcelona, on finding that the books and Bibles intrusted
to his discretion have been seized, he will publish as a parting legacy
some tirade against the Government and clergy. If he do, he will
probably bring himself into trouble and at all events destruction on our
cause; for the Government is quite despotic, as indeed is necessary at
the present time, and the whole of Spain is under martial law. Therefore
for his own sake, if not for the sake of the cause, let him instantly
retire, abandoning the Bibles to their fate. They shall not be lost.
I have had, as you are aware, an interview with the Archbishop of Toledo.
I have not time to state particulars, but he said amongst other things,
'Be prudent, the Government are disposed to arrange matters amicably, and
I am disposed to co-operate with them.' At parting he shook me most
kindly by the hand, saying that he liked me. Sir George intends to visit
him in a few days. He is an old, venerable-looking man, between seventy
and eighty. When I saw him, he was dressed with the utmost simplicity,
with the exception of a most splendid amethyst ring, the lustre of which
was truly dazzling.
My poor servant, a Basque from Hernani, is, I am afraid, dying of the
jail-fever, which he caught in prison whilst attending me. He has
communicated this horrible disorder to two other persons. Poor Marin is
also very ill, but I believe with a broken heart; I administer to his
needs as far as prudence will allow me, for I am grieved for him. I have
not yet despatched my letter to Mr. Rule, as I wish not to offend him;
but I cannot approve of his forcing Marin to come up to Madrid, contrary
to his wishes. Zeal is a precious thing, when accompanied with one grain
of common sense.
In conclusion, I beg leave to say that Sir George Villiers has authorised
me to state that provided the Bible Society entertain any doubts
respecting my zeal in the Christian cause, or the correctness of my
conduct during my sojourn in Spain, he hopes they will do him the
satisfaction to communicate with him.
I remain, Revd. and dear Sir, most truly yours,
GEORGE BORROW.
To the Rev. A. Brandram
(_Endorsed_: recd. June 23, 1838)
_June_ 13, 1838, MADRID,
No. 16 CALLE ST. IAGO,
REVD. AND DEAR SIR,--I have received your letter of June 1st, but not
that of the 30th May which you allude to in the same, therefore I am
still in the dark upon many points.
Another bitter cup has been filled for my swallowing. The Bible Society
and myself have been accused of blasphemy, sedition, etc. A collection
of tracts has been seized in Murcia, in which the Catholic religion and
its dogmas are handled with the most abusive severity; these books have
been sworn to as having been left _by the Committee of the Bible Society
whilst in that town_, and Count Ofalia has been called upon to sign an
order for my arrest and banishment from Spain. Sir George, however,
advises me to remain quiet and not to be alarmed; as he will answer for
my innocence.
I am now compelled to ask a blunt question. Will the Bible Society look
calmly on and see itself compromised and my life and liberty exposed to
danger by the lunatic vagaries of that unfortunate Graydon, who, like a
swine in a field newly sown, has of late been solely occupied in rooting
up the precious seed and destroying every hope of a glorious harvest?
The newspapers are teeming with articles against us, for we are no longer
looked upon as a Society founded on the broad principles of Christianity,
but as one instituted for the carrying into effect of sectarian purposes.
In justice to me, it behoves the Society to communicate with Sir George
Villiers, who has abstracts of all the letters which I have written to
the Society, and who will vouch for their correctness.
Do not be cast down; all will go well if the stumbling block be removed.
I write in haste.
G. BORROW.
P.S.--What do you mean, my dear Sir, by the '_grano salis_'?
To the Rev. A. Brandram
(_Endorsed_: recd. June 25, 1838)
MADRID, _June_ 14, 1838.
REVD. AND DEAR SIR,--Immediately after having despatched my letter of
yesterday, I received through my friend, Mr. Wood, a communication from
the Bishop of ---, the president of the body of ecclesiastics at present
engaged in examining our Bible.
He is of my opinion that the Committee of the Bible Society should in the
present exigency draw up an exposition of their views respecting Spain,
stating what they are prepared to do, and what they are not prepared to
do--above all, whether in seeking to circulate the Gospel in this country
they harbour any projects hostile to the Government and the established
religion; moreover, whether the late distribution of tracts was done by
their connivance or authority, and whether they are disposed to sanction
in future the publication in Spain of such a class of writings.
It of course does not become me to advise the Committee and yourself upon
this point. I merely take the liberty of communicating the circumstance,
and observing that the Prelate in question is a most learned and
respectable man, and one of the warmest of our friends.
I have not seen any of the tracts seized at Murcia, nor do I wish. If
examined by the Council, I shall declare on oath that I am innocent and
ignorant of the matter, and that I believe the Bible Society to be the
same. Sir George assured me that one or two of them were outrages not
only to common sense but decency.
I forgot to tell you yesterday that my poor servant is dead. He died of
the pestilential typhus caught in the prison; his body at the period of
his death was a frightful mass of putridity, and was in consequence
obliged to be instantly shovelled into the Campo Santo or common field of
the dead near Madrid. May Christ be his stay at the Great Day; a more
affectionate creature never breathed.
Hear now what the _Madrid Gazette_ says of our Society, in an article in
which it reproves in the strongest terms the conduct lately pursued by
pseudo-agents, and gives me a rap on the knuckles for an anti-catholic
expression or two in the advertisement in which I denounced them. The
_Gazette_ is the official organ of the Government, and all it says is
under authority:--
'We will not conclude this article without bestowing the merited tribute
of praise on the project truly magnificent of the Bible Society,
considered not under the religious but the social aspect. Christianity
has been, is, and will be the grand agent in the civilisation of the
world; and the preaching of its doctrine, and the propagation of its
maxims among the nations who know it not, is the most costly present
which can be offered them, and the pledge of belonging one day to the
civilised world; or if they already belong to it, of ameliorating their
actual condition in society.
'Excellent moral results must also be produced among the poorer classes
of the people in Christian countries by the distribution of copies of the
sacred writings; and the Bible Society acts with the highest prudence, by
accommodating itself to the civil and ecclesiastic laws of each country,
and by adopting the editions there current. In Spain, where every
translation of the Bible is forbidden, and in general every book of
religion, without previous censure and license of the ecclesiastical
authority, much good may arise from distributing either of the two
translations, that of Father Scio or that of Amat; but precisely as they
are, and without the suppression of the notes, which explain some
difficult passages. If the great object be the propagation of the
evangelic maxims, the notes are no obstacle, and by preserving them we
fulfil our religious principle of not permitting to private reason the
interpretation of the sacred Word.'
Excuse me this long extract.
I remain, Revd. and dear Sir, most truly yours,
G. BORROW.