letters-第61节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


ntly　received　corrections　and　alterations　from　myself。　　　It　can　scarcely　be　said　to　have　been　published；　it　having　been　　prohibited　and　copies　of　it　seized　on　the　second　day　of　its　　appearance。　　But　it　is　in　my　power　to　state　that　it　is　anxiously　　expected　in　the　Basque　provinces；　where　books　in　the　aboriginal　　tongue　are　both　scarce　and　dear；　and　that　several　applications　have　　been　made　at　San　Sebastian　and　in　other　towns　where　Basque　is　the　　predominating　language。

I　now　proceed　to　the　subject　of　my　travels　in　Spain。　　Before　　undertaking　them　I　was　little　acquainted　with　the　genius　of　the　　Spanish　people　in　general；　having　resided　almost　entirely　in　　Madrid；　and　I　was　fully　convinced　that　it　was　not　from　the　　inhabitants　of　one　city　that　an　accurate　judgment　could　be　formed　　of　a　population　of　nine　millions；　thinly　scattered　over　a　vast　　country　so　divided　and　intersected　by　mountain　barriers　as　is　the　　Peninsula。　　With　this　population　under　all　its　various　　circumstances　and　under　all　its　various　phases；　the　result　of　　descent　from　a　variety　of　foreign　nations；　I　was　anxious　to　make　　myself　acquainted；　for　I　reflected　that　he　who　builds　a　city　on　　ground　which　he　has　not　fully　examined　will　perhaps　discover　when　　too　late　that　his　foundation　is　in　a　swamp；　and　that　the　whole　of　　his　labour　is　momentarily　in　danger　of　being　swallowed　up。　　I　　therefore　went　forth　not　so　much　for　the　purpose　of　distributing　　the　Scriptures　as　to　make　myself　acquainted　with　the　prefatory　　steps　requisite　to　be　taken　in　order　to　secure　my　grand　object。　　　Before　departing　from　Madrid　I　consulted　with　the　many　friends；　　some　of　them　highly　distinguished；　which　I　had　the　honour　to　　possess　in　that　capital。　　Their　unanimous　advice；　whether　Catholics　　or　Protestants；　was　that　for　the　present　I　should　proceed　with　the　　utmost　caution；　but　without　concealing　the　object　of　my　mission　　which　I　considered　to　be　the　simple　propagation　of　the　Scripture　…　　that　I　should　avoid　with　diligence　the　giving　offence　to　the　　prejudices　of　the　people；　especially　in　the　rural　districts；　and　　endeavour　everywhere　to　keep　on　good　terms　with　the　clergy；　at　　least　one…third　of　whom　are　known　to　be　anxious　for　the　　dissemination　of　the　Word　of　God　though　at　the　same　time　unwilling　　to　separate　themselves　from　the　discipline　and　ceremonials　of　Rome。　　　I　bore　this　advice　in　mind；　which　indeed　perfectly　tallied　with　my　　own　ideas；　and　throughout　the　two　thousand　miles　of　my　　peregrination　during　the　summer　of　last　year；　I　performed　much　if　　not　all　of　what　I　proposed；　and　am　not　aware　that　in　one　single　　instance　my　proceedings　were　such　as　could　possibly　merit　reproof。　　　I　established　depots　in　all　the　principal　towns　of　the　north　of　　Spain；　and　in　all　gave　notice　to　the　public　of　the　arrival　of　the　　New　Testament　in　a　mild　yet　expressive　advertisement　which　I　here　　exhibit；　and　which　I　beg　leave　to　state　is　the　only　advertisement　　which　I　ever　made　use　of。　　The　consequence　was　that　the　work　　enjoyed　a　reasonable　sale；　and　I　experienced　no　opposition　…　except　　in　the　case　of　Leon；　a　town　remarkable　for　its　ultra…Carlism　…　but　　on　the　contrary　much　encouragement　especially　on　the　part　of　the　　ecclesiastics。　　I　visited　Salamanca　and　Valladolid　the　chief　seats　　of　Castilian　learning；　I　visited　Saint　James　of　Compostella；　the　　temple　of　the　great　image　of　the　Patron　of　Spain；　and　in　none　of　　these　cities　was　a　single　voice　raised　against　the　Bible　Society　or　　its　Agent。　　But　I　did　not　confine　myself　to　the　towns；　but　visited　　the　small　and　large　villages；　and　by　this　means　became　acquainted　　with　both　citizens　and　rustics；　amongst　the　former　I　found　little　　desire　for　sober　serious　reading；　but　on　the　contrary　a　rage　for　　stimulant　narratives；　and　amongst　too　many　a　lust　for　the　deistical　　writings　of　the　French；　especially　for　those　of　Talleyrand；　which　　have　been　translated　into　Spanish　and　published　by　the　press　of　　Barcelona；　and　for　which　I　was　frequently　pestered。　　I　several　　times　enquired　of　the　book…sellers　of　the　various　towns　which　I　　visited　as　to　the　means　to　be　used　towards　introducing　the　　Scripture　amongst　the　villagers；　but　to　this　question　they　　invariably　replied　that；　unless　the　villagers　came　to　the　towns　and　　purchased　the　work；　they　saw　no　means　of　making　it　known　amongst　　them；　unless　I　made　friends　in　the　villages　in　whose　hands　I　could　　deposit　copies　for　sale；　though　in　such　a　case　the　difficulty　of　　recovering　the　money　would　be　immense。　　I　therefore　at　last　　resolved　to　make　an　experiment；　the　result　of　which　fully　　corresponded　with　an　opinion　which　I　had　for　some　time　formed　…　　namely；　that　in　the　villages；　sequestered　and　apart　amongst　the　　mountains　and　in　the　sandy　plains　of　Spain；　I　might　at　any　time　be　　sure　of　a　glorious　harvest；　far　more　rich　than　that　which　it　was　　possible　for　me　to　expect　in　towns　and　cities；　unless　I　had　　recourse　to　means　unwarranted；　nay　forbidden；　by　the　Book　which　I　　distributed；　and　which　means　had　been　proscribed　by　the　Society　　itself　on　my　departure　for　Spain。　　But　now　to　proceed　at　once　to　　the　experiment；　which　I　made　at　different　periods　and　in　different　　provinces。

I　twice　sallied　forth　one　morning　alone　and　on　horseback；　and　　proceeded　to　a　distant　village；　bearing　behind　me　a　satchel　of　　books。　　On　my　arrival；　which　took　place　just　after　the　SIESTA　or　　afternoon's　sleep　had　concluded；　I　proceeded　in　both　instances　to　　the　market…place；　where　I　spread　a　horse…cloth　on　the　ground；　on　　which　I　deposited　my　books。　　I　then　commenced　crying　with　a　loud　　voice：　　'Peasants；　peasants；　I　bring　you　the　Word　of　God　at　a　cheap　　price。　　I　know　you　have　but　little　money；　but　I　bring　it　to　you　at　　whatever　you　can　command；　at　four　or　three　REALS　according　to　your　　means。'　　I　thus　went　on　till　a　crowd　gathered　round　me；　who　　examined　the　book　with　attention；　many　of　them　reading　it　aloud。　　　But　I　had　not　long　to　tarry；　in　both　instances　I　disposed　of　my　　cargo　almost　instantaneously；　and　then　mounted　my　horse　without　a　　question　having　been　asked　me；　and　returned　to　my　temporary　　residence　lighter　than　I　left　it。　　This　occurred　in　Castile　and　　Galicia；　near　the　towns　of　Santiago　and　Valladolid。

The　above　are　incidents　which　I　have　hitherto　kept　within　the　　privacy　of　my　own　bosom　and　which　I　have　confided　to　none；　they　　were　but　experiments；　which　at　that　time　I　had　no　wish　to　repeat；　　nor　to　be　requested　so　to　do。　　I　was　perfectly　aware　that　such　a　　line　of　conduct；　if　followed　before　the　proper　time；　would　give　　offence　to　the　clergy；　not　only　to　the　Carlist　but　the　liberal　　clergy；　and　likewise　to　the　Government；　and　it　formed　no　part　of　my　　plan　to　be　on　ill　terms　with　either。　　For　I　remembered　that　I　was　a　　stranger　and　a　labourer　on　sufferance　in　Christ's　cause　in　a　half…　barbaric　land；　on　which　the　light　of　freedom　and　true　religion　was　　just　beginning　to　dawn；　and　I　was　unwilling　by　over…precipitance　　and　for　the　sake　of　a　mere　temporary　triumph　to　forego　the　solid　　and　lasting　advantages　which　I　foresaw；　and　had　been　told　that　　patience　and　prudence　would　assure。　　I　resolved　to　use　the　　knowledge　which　I　had　obtained　by　these　experiments　only　as　a　last　　resource；　provided　any　accident　which　it　was　impossible　for　me　then　　to　foresee　should　overturn　all　the　plans　which　my　friends　and　　myself　had　been　forming　for　the　quiet　and　peaceful　introduction　of　　the　Scriptures　amongst　the　Spaniards　with　the　consent　or　at　least　　with　the　connivance　of　the　Government　and　clergy；　knowing　well　that　　a　great　part　of　the　latter　were　by　no　means　disposed　to　offer　any　　serious　opposition　to　such　a　measure；　they　having　sense　and　talent　　enough　to　perceive　that　the　old　system　can　no　longer　be　upheld　of　　which　the　essential　part　is；　as　is　well　known；　to　keep　the　people　　in　ignorance　of　the　great　sterling　truths　of　Christianity。　　I　now　　come　to　the　most　distressing　part　of　my　narrative　and　likewise　to　　the　most　miserable　of　my　own　life。

I　returned　to　Madrid　from　my　long；　fatiguing　and　most　perilous　　journey；　in　which　I　must　be　permitted　to　say　that　independent　of　a　　thousand　miraculous　escapes　from　the　factious　and　the　banditti　I　　had　been　twice　arrested　as　a　spy；　namely；　once　at　Vigo　and　　subsequently　at　Cape　Finisterre；　in　which　latter　instance　I　　narrowly　escaped　with　life；　the　ignorant　fishermen　having　　determined　upon　shooting　me　and　my　guide。　　Upon　finding　the　　booksellers　of　Madrid；　with　the　exception　of　Razola；　a　man　of　no　　importance；　averse　to　undertake　the　sale　of　the　New　Testament　I　　determined　upon　establishing　a　shop　of　my　own；　a　step　to　which　I　　was　advised　by　many　sincere　friends　of　the　Cause　and　of　myself。　　　Having　accomplished　this；　I　advertised　the　work　incessantly；　not　　only　in　the　public　prints　but　by　placards　posted　in　all　the　streets　　of　the　city；　but　I　wish　it　to　be　distinctly　understood　that　the　　advertisement　which　I　used　was　the　same　quiet　innocent　　advertisement；　a　copy　of　which　you　possess；　and　of　which　I　have　　availed　myself　in　the　provinces；　an　advertisement　which　had　never　　given　offence　nor　was　calculated　to　give　offence　if　squandered　　about　the　streets　by　millions。　　I　make　this　statement　in　self…　justification；　I　having；　in　consequence　of　a　letter　in　which　I　made　　some　observations　respecting　advertisemen