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　benighted　fellow…creatures　may　see　the　lamp　of　salvation；　and　enjoy　　the　same　spiritual　advantages　as　themselves。　　Such　is　their　wish；　　such　their　view；　totally　unallied　with　commerce　or　politics；　hope　　of　gain　and　lust　of　power。　　The　mightiest　of　earthly　monarchs；　the　　late　Alexander　of　Russia；　was　so　convinced　of　the　single…mindedness　　and　integrity　of　the　British　and　Foreign　Bible　Society；　that　he　　promoted　their　efforts　within　his　own　dominions　to　the　utmost　of　　his　ability；　and　established　at　St。　Petersburg　a　Bible　Society　of　　his　own；　whose　publications　have　been　a　source　of　blessing　not　only　　to　Russia；　but　to　many　other　lands。

After　the　above　statement　it　is　unnecessary　for　me　to　dilate　on　the　　intentions　of　the　Society　with　respect　to　Spain；　a　country　which　　perhaps　most　of　any　in　the　world　is　in　need　of　the　assistance　of　　the　Christian　philanthropist；　as　it　is　overspread　with　the　thickest　　gloom　of　heathenish　ignorance；　beneath　which　the　fiends　and　demons　　of　the　abyss　seem　to　be　holding　their　ghastly　revels；　a　country　in　　which　all　sense　of　right　and　wrong　is　forgotten；　and　where　every　　man's　hand　is　turned　against　his　fellow　to　destroy　or　injure　him；　　where　the　name　of　Jesus　is　scarcely　ever　mentioned　but　in　　blasphemy；　and　His　precepts　＇are＇　almost　utterly　unknown。　　In　this　　unhappy　country　the　few　who　are　enlightened　are　too　much　occupied　　in　the　pursuit　of　lucre；　ambition；　or　ungodly　revenge　to　entertain　　a　desire　or　thought　of　bettering　the　moral　state　of　their　　countrymen。　　But　it　has　pleased　the　Lord　to　raise　up　in　foreign　　lands　individuals　differently　situated　and　disposed；　whose　hearts　　bleed　for　their　brethren　in　Spain。　　It　is　their　belief　that　　ignorance　of　God's　Word　is　the　sole　cause　of　these　horrors；　and　to　　dispel　that　ignorance　they　have　printed　the　Gospel　in　Spain；　which　　they　dispose　of　at　a　price　within　the　power　of　the　poorest　to　　command。　　Vain　men　would　fain　persuade　themselves　and　others　that　　the　Society　entertains　other　motives；　by　which　uncharitableness　　they　prove　that　they　themselves　are　neither　Christians；　nor　　acquainted　with　the　spirit　of　Christianity。　　But　let　the　most　　fearful　and　dubious　reassure　themselves　with　the　thought；　that　　should　the　Bible　Society　foster　the　very　worst　intentions；　it　would　　baffle　their　power；　if　even　assisted　by　Satanic　agency；　to　render　　Spain　worse　than　it　at　present　is。

I　beseech　you；　Sir；　to　co…operate　in　a　good　cause；　and　not　seek　to　　retard　its　progress；　for　be　assured　that　sooner　or　later　it　will　　triumph。

I　have　the　honour　to　remain；　Sir；　Your　Excellence's　obedient　servant；　GEORGE　BORROW。



LETTER：　30th　March；　1838



To　the　Rev。　A。　Brandram　（ENDORSED：　recd。　Apr。　9th；　1838）　MARCH　30；　1838。　　MADRID；　16　CALLE　SANTIAGO。

REVD。　AND　DEAR　SIR；　…　Without　waiting　for　an　answer　to　my　last；　　which　I　despatched　some　ten　days　since；　I　shall　take　the　liberty　of　　again　troubling　you　with　a　short　letter。　　My　principal　motive　for　　so　doing　is　a　visit　which　I　have　just　been　favoured　with　from　our　　friend　Mr。　Rule　of　Gibraltar；　a　gentleman　who　has　much　interested　　me；　and　of　whose　zeal；　piety；　and　discretion　I　have　formed　the　　highest　opinion。　　It　seems　that　the　little　congregation　at　Cadiz　　has　been　broken　up　and　dispersed　by　order　of　the　Government；　and　in　　consequence　he　has　travelled　to　Madrid　to　make　intercession　in　its　　behalf。　　I　am　happy　to　say　that　Sir　George　Villiers　has　promised　to　　befriend　him　to　the　utmost　of　his　ability。　　Since　his　arrival　here　　he　has　received　intelligence　which　has　filled　him　with　much　　uneasiness；　and　he　has　entreated　me　to　write　home　in　conjunction　　with　himself　respecting　the　affair；　with　which　indeed　I　am　in　some　　degree　concerned。　　I；　however；　beg　leave　to　state；　that　it　is　with　　the　utmost　reluctance　I　say　a　word　upon　the　subject；　being　at　all　　times　unwilling　to　interfere　in　the　slightest　degree　in　the　　projects　or　movements　of　another　party；　but　I　feel　that　entire　　silence　in　this　case　would　be　wrong　and　unadvisable。

I　come　now　to　the　point。　　A　friend　of　ours；　who　by　your　last　favour　　I　was　informed　was　about　to　leave　Spain　for　the　benefit　of　his　　health；　has；　it　appears；　changed　his　mind；　and　is　on　his　way　to　　visit　Andalusia　and　the　principal　towns；　namely　Cadiz；　Malaga；　and　　Seville。　　Now　Mr。　Rule　is　far　better　acquainted　with　him　than　I　can　　pretend　to　be；　and　he　has　told　me　that　knowing　him　perfectly　well；　　he　entertains　great　dread　as　to　the　effect　which　our　friend's　visit　　to　those　parts　will　have　over　the　issue　of　the　affair　which　has　　brought　him；　Mr。　R。；　to　Madrid。　　I　must　here　observe　that　I　had　　myself　made　preparations　to　visit　Andalusia；　having　indeed　been　　advised　to　do　so　by　Sir　George　Villiers；　who　will　afford　me　all　the　　recommendations　and　assistance　which　I　can　possibly　desire。　　I　may　　add　that　some　time　since　I　despatched　thither　a　considerable　number　　of　Testaments；　which　are　now　being　sold　at　Seville；　etc。　　I　　therefore　humbly　conceive　that　the　arrival　of　another　edition　is　　likely　to　produce　a　clash　highly　detrimental　to　the　interests　of　　the　Society；　and　to　perplex　the　minds　of　the　people　of　the　west　of　　Spain　respecting　its　views。　　But　I　confess　I　am　chiefly　　apprehensive　of　the　reacting　at　Seville　of　the　Valencian　drama；　　which　I　have　such　unfortunate　cause　to　rue；　as　I　am　the　victim　on　　whom　an　aggravated　party　have　wreaked　their　vengeance；　and　for　the　　very　cogent　reason　that　I　was　within　their　reach。　　I　think；　my　　dearest　sir；　you　know　sufficient　of　my　disposition　to　be　aware　that　　I　am　one　of　the　last　people　disposed　to　make　complaint；　whether　　with　or　without　cause；　but　that　passage　in　your　affectionate　and　　kind　letter　which　implied；　though　in　the　gentlest　terms；　that　I　had　　been　rash　in　my　proceedings　in　Madrid；　gave　me　a　pang；　more　　especially　as　I　knew　from　undoubted　sources　that　nothing　which　I　　had　done；　said；　or　written　was　the　ORIGINAL　cause　of　the　arbitrary　　step　which　had　been　adopted　in　respect　to　me。

There　is　another　matter　which　gives　me　much　uneasiness　and　which　I　　wish　to　confide　to　your　bosom　and　yours　alone；　though　you　will；　of　　course；　communicate　it　to　such　friends　as　you　may　deem　proper。　　I　　have　received　two　letters　from　an　ex…priest　at　Valencia　of　the　name　　of　Marin；　to　the　first　of　which　I　have　replied；　though　very　　cautiously。　　This　very　unfortunate　individual；　who　it　seems　for　　some　time　past　has　felt　the　workings　of　the　Spirit；　was　last　year　　induced　by　certain　promises；　and　hopes　thrown　out；　to　leave　　Valencia；　where　he　enjoyed　a　benefice　on　which　he　supported　himself　　and　an　aged　mother；　and　to　repair　to　Gibraltar　for　the　purpose　of　　receiving　Christian　instruction　under　Mr。　Rule。　　After　remaining　　some　time　at　that　place；　where；　Mr。　R。　informs　me；　his　conduct　was　　in　most　points　exemplary；　he　returned　to　Valencia；　where　his　　apostasy；　as　the　Papists　termed　it；　having　become　known；　his　salary　　of　six　PESETAS　daily　was　sequestrated；　and　himself　and　his　parent　　in　consequence　deprived　of　their　only　means　of　subsistence。　　But　　this　is　not　all。　　The　aid　and　assistance　which　he　had　been　led　to　　expect　from　England　were　withheld　in　his　great　pinch　and　need；　and　　the　very　persons　who　had　taken　advantage　of　the　commotion　within　　him　to　induce　him　to　take　what　I　must　term　a　rash　and　hazardous　　expedition；　were　the　first　to　forsake　him；　and　Mr。　Rule　states　that　　there　is　cogent　reason　for　fearing　that　this　unfortunate　man　and　　his　aged　parent　are　at　present　perishing　with　hunger　in　the　　barbarous　streets　of　Valencia。　　I　wish　it　to　be　known　that　the　man　　himself　in　his　letters　told　me　nothing　of　the　promises　which　had　　been　held　out　to　him；　nor　breathed　a　word　of　complaint；　I　being　　indebted　to　Mr。　R。　for　my　knowledge　on　this　point；　who　has　a　very　　high　opinion　of　his　sincerity；　although　he　has　been　termed　an　　impostor；　though　the　fact　of　his　having　lost　his　salary　by　the　　opinions　which　he　has　embraced　ought　to　have　precluded　such　an　　idea。　　Now　the　Lord　forbid　that　this　man　and　his　mother　perish；　so　　that　his　death　be　laid　by　the　enemy　at　the　threshold　of　the　humble　　but　unworthy　servants　of　Christ。　　I　therefore　this　day　have　sent　　him　a　small　sum　on　my　own　account　to　relieve　the　pinch　of　utter　　need；　till　more　can　be　known　of　him。

Pray　excuse　this　letter　written　with　a　heart　full　of　trouble　and　　doubt。　　Dispose　of　me　as　you　think　proper；　my　dear　sir；　who　am　　truly　yours；

G。　B。



LETTER：　19th　April；　1838



To　the　Rev。　A。　Brandram　（ENDORSED：　recd。　May　1；　1838）　MADRID；　APRIL　19；　1838。

REVD。　AND　DEAR　SIR；　…　I　enclose　a　letter　from　Mr。　Rule；　dated　　Valencia；　12th　inst。；　which　I　have　just　received；　and　upon　which　I　　beg　to　make　a　few　observations。

In　this　very　extraordinary　espistle　I　am　requested　to　take　charge　　of　an　ex…priest　of　the　name　of　Pascual　Marin；　on　his　arrival　at　　Madrid；　where　it　appears　he　is　hastening；　to　furnish　him　with　cash；　　make　an　estimate　of　his　probable　expenses；　and　moreover　to　write　　home　to　the　Society；　without　delay；　for　the　purpose　of　advising　the　　Committee　to　join　with　the　gentlemen　of　another　religious　　institution　in　affording　the　said　Marin　the　means　for　supporting　　himself　in　the　Spanish　capital；　where　it　is　the　writer's　opinion　　that　he　may　be　usefully　employed　in　DISTRIBUTING　the　Scriptures；　　and　in　prepari