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have　afforded　　satisfaction　at　home；　but　if　not；　let　me　be　allowed　to　state　that　　it　was　not　in　my　power　to　accomplish　more　than　I　have。　　I　have　　borne　hunger　and　thirst；　cold　and　fatigue；　I　have　exposed　myself　to　　danger　from　robbers；　and　was　near　losing　my　life　from　the　ruffian　　soldiery　at　Arrayolos；　whose　bullets　so　narrowly　missed　me。　　I　have　　been　as　economical　as　possible；　though　the　charges　in　Portugal　for　　everything　are　enormous；　and　a　stranger　there　is　like　a　ship　on　　shore；　a　mark　for　plunder。　　In　Spain　the　people　are　far　more　　honest；　and　the　charges；　though　high；　reasonable　in　comparison。　　　Before　leaving　Lisbon　I　drew　on　excellent　Mr。　Wilby　for　75　pounds；　　of　this　sum　12　pounds　was　remitted　to　Malaja；　through　which　place　I　　shall　probably　pass　on　my　return　to　Lisbon。　　I　have　still　remaining　　by　me　money　sufficient　for　two　months；　I　therefore　need　not　enter　　into　a　detail　of　my　expenses。　　I　now　wait　for　a　letter　from　you；　　and　when　you　write；　please　to　remit　to　me　a　small　letter　of　credit　　on　some　one　at　Madrid；　or　request　Mr。　Wilby　to　do　so；　as　he　has　　correspondents　here；　and　in　that　case　communicate　my　address　to　　him。　　I　give　you　below　an　abridgment　of　my　interview　with　Mr。　　Mendizabal。　　I　think　it　will　make　you　laugh。　　I　have　the　honour　to　　remain；　Revd。　and　dear　Sir；　etc。；

G。　BORROW。


INTERVIEW　WITH　MR。　MENDIZABAL


At　about　8　o'clock　in　the　morning　of　the　7th　inst。　I　went　to　the　　palace；　where　Mr。　Mendizabal　resides。　　I　informed　the　usher　that　I　　came　from　the　British　Ambassador；　whereupon　I　was　shown　into　a　　room；　and　after　waiting　about　three　hours　I　was　admitted　to　the　　presence　of　the　Prime　Minister　of　Spain。　　He　was　dressed　in　a　　morning　gown　and　sat　behind　a　table　covered　with　papers。　　He　is　a　　man　of　about　five…and…forty；　somewhat　above　the　middle　height；　with　　very　handsome　features；　aquiline　nose　and　large　sparkling　eyes；　his　　hair　is　partly　grey。　　I　presented　him　the　letter　with　which　Sir　　Geo。　Villiers　had　furnished　me；　and　when　he　had　read　it；　I　said　　that　before　entering　upon　the　matter　which　more　immediately　brought　　me　to　him；　I　begged　leave　to　set　him　right　upon　a　point　relating　to　　which　he　was　labouring　under　considerable　error：　　Sir　Geo。　Villiers　　had　informed　me　that　Mr。　M。　entertained　an　opinion　that　the　Bible　　Society　had　been　endeavouring　to　exercise　an　undue　influence　over　　the　minds　of　the　slave　population　of　Cuba　by　means　of　their　agents；　　but　that　I　could　assure　him　with　truth；　that　neither　directly　nor　　indirectly　had　they　exerted　or　attempted　to　exert　any　influence　at　　all　over　any　part　of　the　inhabitants　of　that　island；　as　they　had　　neither　sent　agents　there；　nor　held　any　communication　with　the　　residents。　　While　I　was　saying　this；　he　interrupted　me　several　　times；　insisting　that　it　was　so；　and　that　he　had　documents　to　prove　　it。　　I　told　him　that　it　was　probable　he　confounded　the　Bible　　Society　with　some　other　institution　for　the　propagation　of　　religion；　perhaps　with　one　of　the　missionary　societies；　more　　especially　one　of　those　belonging　to　the　United　States；　which　might　　have　sent　individuals　to　the　island　in　question　for　the　purpose　of　　communicating　religious　instruction　to　the　slaves　…　but　all　I　could　　say　was　to　no　avail；　he　would　have　it　that　it　was　the　British　Bible　　Society　who　had　despatched　missionaries　to　Cuba　to　incite　the　　blacks　to　rise　up　against　their　masters。　　The　absurdity　of　this　　idea　struck　me　so　forcibly　that　it　was　with　difficulty　I　restrained　　myself　from　laughing　outright。　　I　at　last　said　that；　whatever　he　　might　think　to　the　contrary；　the　Committee　of　the　Bible　Society　　were　by　no　means　of　that　turbulent　and　outrageous　disposition；　that　　they　were　for　the　most　part　staid；　quiet　gentlemen；　who　attended　to　　their　own　affairs；　and　a　little；　and　but　a　little　to　the　　promulgation　of　Christ's　Gospel；　which；　however；　they　too　much　　respected　to　endeavour　to　kindle　a　spirit　of　insurrection　anywhere；　　as　they　all　know　full　well　that　it　is　the　Word　of　God　says　that　　servants　are　to　obey　their　masters　at　all　times　and　occasions。　　I　　then　requested　permission　to　print　the　New　Testament　in　Spanish　at　　Madrid。　　He　said　he　should　not　grant　it；　for　that　the　New　Testament　　was　a　very　dangerous　book；　especially　in　disturbed　times。　　I　　replied　that　I　was　not　aware　that　the　holy　book　contained　any　　passages　sanctioning　blood…shedding　and　violence；　but　I　rather　　thought　that　it　abounded　with　precepts　of　an　entirely　opposite　　tendency；　but　he　still　persisted　that　it　was　an　improper　book。　　I　　must　here　observe　that　it　was　with　the　utmost　difficulty　I　obtained　　an　opportunity　of　explaining　myself；　on　account　of　the　propensity　　which　he　possesses　of　breaking　in　upon　the　discourse　of　the　person　　who　is　addressing　him；　and　at　last；　in　self…defence；　I　was　myself　　obliged　to　infringe　the　rules　of　conversation；　and　to　hold　on　　without　paying　any　attention　to　his　remarks　…　not　that　I　gained　　much　by　so　doing；　for　he　plainly　told　me　that　he　was　an　obstinate　　man；　and　that　he　never　abandoned　his　opinions。　　I　certainly　do　not　　think　him　the　most　tractable　of　men；　but　I　am　inclined　to　think　　that　he　is　not　ill…natured；　as　he　preserved　his　temper　very　well　　during　the　interview；　and　laughed　heartily　at　two　or　three　of　my　　remarks。　　At　last　he　said：　　'I　will　not　give　you　permission　now：　　　but　let　the　war　be　concluded；　let　the　factious　be　beaten；　and　the　　case　will　be　altered；　come　to　me　six　months　hence。'　　I　then　　requested　to　be　allowed　to　introduce　into　Spain　a　few　copies　of　the　　New　Testament　in　the　Catalan　dialect；　as　we　had　lately　printed　a　　most　beautiful　edition　at　London；　but　he　still　said　'No；　no；'　and　　when　I　asked　if　he　had　any　objection　to　my　calling　again　on　the　　morrow　and　showing　him　a　copy；　he　made　use　of　these　remarkable　　words：　　'I　do　not　wish　you　should　come；　lest　you　should　convince　　me；　and　I　do　not　wish　to　be　convinced。'



LETTER：　22nd　March；　1836



To　the　Rev。　A。　Brandram　（ENDORSED：　recd。　April　2；　1836）　MAR。　22；　1836；

CALLE　DE　LA　ZARZA；　MADRID。

REVD。　AND　DEAR　SIR；　…　I　received　your　letter　of　the　8th　inst。；　　which　gave　me　much　pleasure；　as　I　understood　from　it　that　my　humble　　efforts　had　afforded　satisfaction。　　I　also　received　the　two　letters　　from　St。　Petersburg　which　were　written　by　a　dear　friend　of　that　　place；　to　whom　I　shall　trouble　you　to　forward　a　letter　as　soon　as　I　　have　an　opportunity　of　writing；　which　at　present　I　have　not；　as　my　　time　is　much　occupied。

I　have　to　communicate　to　you　what　will　not　fail　to　be　interesting。　　　The　Spanish　press　have　taken　up　our　affair；　and　I　am　at　present　　engaged　in　attempting　to　lay　the　foundation　of　a　Bible　Society　at　　Madrid；　to　accomplish　which　the　editor　of　the　influential　　newspaper；　the　ESPANOL；　has　promised　me　his　assistance。　　There　has　　already　appeared　in　that　journal　a　most　brilliant　article　which　　gives　the　history　of　our　Society；　and　states　the　advantages　which　　would　result　to　Spain　from　the　establishment　within　its　bosom　of　a　　society　whose　aim　should　be　the　propagation　of　the　Scripture；　in　　the　Spanish　language；　amongst　the　population。　　Of　this　article　I　　send　extracts　below；　and　shall　probably；　when　I　have　more　time；　　send　the　whole。　　The　person　whom　we　are　looking　forward　to　as　a　　head　of　the　projected　institution　is　a　certain　Bishop；　advanced　in　　years；　a　person　of　great　piety　and　learning；　who　has　himself　　translated　the　New　Testament　in　a　manner；　as　I　am　informed；　far　　superior　to　that　of　any　of　his　predecessors；　but　I　have　not　as　yet　　seen　it；　and　therefore　cannot　speak　positively　as　to　its　merits。　　　However；　he　is　disposed　to　print　and　circulate　it；　and　if　the　　translation　be　really　an　excellent　one　it　would　not　be　unwise　in　us　　to　patronise　it；　if　by　so　doing　we　could　induce　him　to　co…operate　　with　us　in　our　plans　for　enlightening　unhappy　Spain。　　But　more　of　　this　anon。　　I　have　little　doubt　that　the　time　is　almost　at　hand　　when　the　cause　of　God　will　triumph　in　this　country；　and　I　am　　exerting　every　means　which　I　can　devise　in　humbleness　of　heart　to　　help　to　bring　about　an　event　so　desirable。　　I　intend　to　remain　a　　few　weeks　longer　at　Madrid　at　all　events；　for　the　present　moment　is　　too　fraught　with　interest　to　allow　me　to　quit　it　immediately。　　As　　far　as　self　is　concerned　I　should　rejoice　to　return　instantly　to　　Lisbon；　for　I　am　not　partial　to　Madrid；　its　climate；　or　anything　it　　can　offer；　if　I　except　its　unequalled　gallery　of　pictures；　but　I　　did　not　come　hither　to　gratify　self　but　as　a　messenger　of　the　Word。

May　I　take　the　liberty　of　begging　you　to　write　a　line　to　my　dear　　and　revered　friend　Mr。　Cunningham；　informing　him　that　I　am　in　　tolerable　health；　and　that　I　hope　to　write　myself　speedily。　　The　　three　letters　which　you　say　have　not　arrived　were；　I　believe；　　destroyed　by　a　servant　for　the　sake　of　the　postage；　but　I　shall　　send　you　parts　of　my　journal　to　supply　the　deficiency。


EXTRACTS　FROM　THE　'ESPANOL'


'The　first　founders　of　the　Bible　Societies　（for　by　this　name　they　　were　known）　immediately　comprehended　their　philosophic　and　　civilising　mission；　and　fulfilled　the　thought　of　its　inventor。　　In　　a　short　period　the　circle　of　their　action　expanded　itself；　and　not　　content　with　making　Great　Britain　alone　a　participator　of　this　　salutary　institution；　they　wished　to　exte