letters-第34节

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　confess　I　would　sooner　provide　myself　with　mules；　but　　they　are　very　expensive　creatures。　　In　the　first　place；　the　　original　cost　of　a　tolerable　one　amounts　to　30　pounds；　and　they；　　moreover；　consume　a　vast　quantity　of　fodder；　at　least　two　pecks　of　　barley　in　the　twenty…four　hours　with　straw　in　proportion；　and　if　　they　are　stinted　in　their　food　they　are　of　no　manner　of　service；　　the　attendance　which　they　require　is　likewise　very　irksome；　as　they　　must　be　fed　once　every　four　hours　night　and　day；　they　are；　however；　　noble　animals；　and　are　much　in　vogue　amongst　the　principal　　nobility。

Hoping　to　hear　from　you　soon；　I　remain；　Revd。　and　dear　Sir；　most　　truly　yours；

G。　B。



LETTER：　27th　February；　1837



To　the　Rev。　A。　Brandram　（ENDORSED：　recd。　Mar。　6；　1837）　MADRID；　No。　16　CALLE　SANT。　IAGO；　FEBY。　27；　1837。

REVD。　AND　DEAR　SIR；　…　I　have　received　your　letter　of　the　27th　ult。　　containing　the　resolution　of　the　Committee；　and　also　yours　of　the　　＇17th＇　ult。　with　my　account。　　I　was　exceedingly　grieved　at　learning　　that　poor　Mr。　Tarn　has　been　removed；　for　he　was　a　most　worthy　　person；　and　the　Bible　Society　will　experience　a　severe　loss　in　his　　death；　but　I　hope　and　trust　that　eventually　some　one　will　be　found　　worthy　to　succeed　him。　　He　is　doubtless　at　present　in　the　other　　world　receiving　the　reward　of　his　faith　in　this；　let　us　pray　that　　we　may　be　counted　worthy　to　join　him　there！

By　the　time　these　lines　reach　you　the　four　Gospels　will　have　passed　　through　the　press；　for　the　work　is　going　on　well　and　prosperously；　　and　I　have　little　doubt　that　within　five　weeks　it　will　be　　completed。　　I　have　already　entered　into　arrangements　respecting　the　　binding　with　Mr。　Borrego；　who　is　about　to　unite　bookbinding　with　　printing；　the　terms　are　very　reasonable；　considering　the　current　　prices　of　the　country；　as　I　am　to　pay　but　three　REALS　per　volume　　for　a　calf　binding　similar　to　that　of　the　copy　which　was　entrusted　　to　me。　　I　have　reckoned　that　the　expense　of　each　book；　printing；　　paper；　and　binding　included；　will　but　barely　amount　to　15　REALS；　　and　cheaper　than　this　it　is　utterly　impossible　to　bring　out　a　work　　of　the　size　of　the　New　Testament；　handsomely　and　creditably　in　　Spain。

Within　a　few　days　I　shall　despatch　letters　circular　to　all　the　　principal　booksellers　in　Spain；　specifying　the　nature；　size　and　　quality　of　the　work；　and　inviting　them　to　subscribe　at　15　REALS　per　　copy；　the　prime　cost；　for　if　anything　will　tempt　them　to　a　　speculation　of　the　kind；　it　will　be　the　hope　and　prospect　of　making　　a　very　handsome　profit。　　Yet　they　are　so　short…sighted　and；　like　　all　their　countrymen；　so　utterly　unacquainted　with　the　rudiments　of　　business；　that　it　is　by　no　means　improbable　that　they；　one　and　all；　　take　no　notice　of　this　proposal；　which　is　however　the　only　plan　　which　at　present　appears　available　for　promoting　the　GENERAL　　circulation　of　the　Scriptures。

Dr。　Usoz；　the　gentleman　who　is　at　present　assisting　me　in　the　　editing　of　the　work　in　question；　is　very　anxious　to　become　a　member　　and　a　correspondent　of　the　Bible　Society。　　His　letter　on　that　　subject　I　translated　and　transmitted　previous　to　my　last　visit　to　　England；　but　he　has　never　received　an　answer。　　I　beg　leave　to　say　　that　I　am　extremely　desirous　that　his　request　be　granted；　and　that　　he　be　written　to　without　delay；　and　I　must　moreover　beg　to　be　　furnished　with　a　written　or　printed　authority　to　establish　a　branch　　Bible　Society　in　Madrid；　and　to　nominate　Dr。　Usoz　as　secretary。

That　part　of　my　last　letter；　where　I　stated　my　wish　of　making　a　　tour　through　the　Asturias；　Galicia；　and　the　Biscays；　as　soon　as　the　　work　should　be　completed；　does　not　seem　to　have　been　clearly　　understood。　　I　did　not　intend　to　devote　myself　entirely　to　THE　WILD　　PEOPLE；　but　to　visit　the　villages　and　towns　as　well　as　the　remote　　and　secluded　glens。　　I　intended　to　take　letters　of　introduction　to　　some　of　the　most　respectable　people　of　Oviedo；　of　Corunna；　of　Lugo；　　of　Vigo；　Pontevedro；　Barbastro；　Bilboa；　etc。；　and　to　establish　　depots　of　Bibles　in　those　towns；　but　in　my　way　I　intended　to　visit　　the　secret　and　secluded　spots　amongst　the　rugged　hills　and　　mountains；　and　to　talk　to　the　people；　after　my　manner；　of　Christ　　and　to　explain　to　them　the　nature　of　His　book；　and　to　place　that　　book　in　the　hands　of　those　whom　I　should　deem　capable　of　deriving　　benefit　from　it。　　True　it　is　that　such　a　journey　would　be　attended　　with　considerable　danger；　and　very　possibly　the　fate　of　St。　Stephen　　might　befall　the　adventurer；　but　does　the　man　deserve　the　name　of　a　　follower　of　Christ　who　would　shrink　from　danger　of　any　kind　in　the　　cause　of　Him　whom　he　calls　his　Master？　　'He　who　loses　his　life　for　　My　sake；　shall　save　it；'　are　words　which　the　Lord　Himself　uttered；　　and　words　surely　fraught　with　consolation　to　every　one　engaged　in　　propagating　His　Gospel　in　savage　and　barbarian　lands。

About　a　fortnight　since　I　purchased　another　horse；　for　these　　animals　are　at　present　exceedingly　cheap。　　A　royal　requisition　is　　about　to　be　issued　for　5000；　and　the　consequence　is　that　an　immense　　number　are　for　sale；　for　by　virtue　of　this　requisition　the　horses　　of　any　person　not　a　foreigner　can　be　seized　for　the　benefit　of　the　　service。　　It　is　probable　that　when　the　number　is　made　up　the　price　　of　horses　will　be　treble　what　it　is　at　present；　which　consideration　　induced　me　to　purchase　this　animal　before　I　exactly　want　him。　　He　　is　a　black　Andalusian　stallion　of　great　size　and　strength；　and　　capable　of　performing　a　journey　of　100　leagues　in　a　week's　time；　　but　he　is　unbroke；　savage　and　furious。　　However；　a　cargo　of　Bibles　　which　I　hope　shortly　to　put　on　his　back　will；　I　have　no　doubt；　　thoroughly　tame　him；　especially　when　labouring　up　the　flinty　hills　　of　the　north　of　Spain。　　I　wished　to　purchase　a　mule；　according　to　　my　instructions；　but　though　I　offered　30　pounds　for　a　sorry　one；　I　　could　not　obtain　her；　whereas　the　cost　of　both　the　horses；　tall；　　powerful；　stately　animals；　scarcely　amounted　to　that　sum。

I　will　now　say　a　few　words　respecting　the　state　of　Spain；　though　　what　I　communicate　will　probably　startle　you；　as　in　England　you　are　　quite　in　the　dark　respecting　what　is　going　on　here。　　At　the　moment　　I　am　writing；　Cabrera；　the　tiger…friar；　is　within　nine　leagues　of　　Madrid　with　an　army　nearly　ten　thousand　strong；　he　has　beaten　the　　Queen's　troops　in　several　engagements；　and　has　ravaged　La　Mancha　　with　fire　and　sword；　burning　several　towns；　bands　of　affrighted　　fugitives　are　arriving　every　hour　bringing　tidings　of　woe　and　　disaster；　and　I　am　but　surprised　that　the　enemy　does　not　appear；　　and　by　taking　Madrid；　which　is　at　his　mercy；　put　an　end　to　the　war　　at　once。　　But　the　truth　is；　the　Carlist　generals　do　not　wish　the　　war　to　cease；　for　as　long　as　the　country　is　involved　in　bloodshed　　and　anarchy；　they　can　plunder　and　exercise　that　lawless　authority　　so　dear　to　men　of　fierce　and　brutal　passions。　　Cabrera　is　a　wretch　　whose　sole　enjoyment　consists　in　inflicting　pain　and　torture　and　　causing　woe　and　misery　to　his　fellow　creatures；　he　is　one　of　the　　instruments　of　the　anger　of　the　Almighty；　a　scourge　in　the　hand　of　　Providence　to　chastise　a　land　whose　wickedness　had　become　　intolerable。　　For　the　elect's　sake；　and　there　are　a　few　even　in　　Spain；　may　it　please　the　Lord　to　shorten　the　affliction　of　these　　days；　or　all　flesh　must　succumb。

I　remain；　dear　Sir；　most　truly　yours；

G。　B。

P。S。　…　Pray　let　me　hear　from　you　shortly；　and　remember　me　　particularly　to　Mr。　Jowett　and　Mr。　Browne。

P。S。　2。　…　I　have　already　paid；　in　part；　for　the　printing　and　paper；　　as　you　will　have　concluded　by　my　draft。　　The　Gospel　of　Saint　Luke；　　in　the　Rommany　language；　is　nearly　ready　for　the　press。　　It　is　my　　intention　to　subjoin　a　vocabulary　of　all　the　words　used；　with　an　　explanation　in　the　Spanish　language。

Before　I　left　England　I　was　authorised　to　look　out　for　a　person　　competent　to　translate　the　Scriptures　in　Basque　（Spanish）。　　I　am　　acquainted　with　a　gentleman　who　is　well　versed　in　that　dialect；　of　　which　I　myself　have　some　knowledge。　　Perhaps　it　would　not　be　unwise　　to　engage　him　to　translate　St。　Luke　as　a　trial　of　his　powers。



LETTER：　16th　March；　1837



To　the　Rev。　A。　Brandram　（ENDORSED：　recd。　Mar。　25；　1837）　MADRID；　No。　16　CALLE　SANT　IAGO　PISO　3RO。　＇MARCH　16th；　1837＇。

REVD。　SIR；　…　I　write　a　few　lines　for　the　purpose　of　informing　you　　that　the　New　Testament　in　Castilian　will　be　ready　in　a　few　days；　　probably　before　you　receive　this　epistle；　should　it　reach　you；　　which　I　have　some　doubts　of　from　the　terrible　and　distracted　state　　of　Spain　at　the　present　time。

The　work　has　been　printed　on　the　best　paper；　and　no　pains　have　been　　spared；　at　least　on　my　part；　to　render　it　as　correct　as　possible；　　having　read　every　proof…sheet　three　times。　　I　must　here　take　the　　liberty　of　observing　that　the　work　executed　in　London；　and　of　which　　a　copy　was　delivered　to　me　to　print　from；　abounds　in　errors　of　　every　kind　and　reflects　little　credit　on　the　person　who　edited　it；　　no　systematic　order　is　observed　either　in　the　orthography　or　the　　use　of　accents　or　capitals；　and　whole　sentences　frequently　appear　　in　a　mangled　and　mutilated　state　which　renders　them　unintelligible。

On　my　final　settlement　with　Mr。　Borrego　I　shall　send　a　regular　　accou