letters-第69节

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ngst　his　friends　and　the　poor。

I　have　at　present　sold　as　many　Testaments　as　I　think　Madrid　will　　bear；　for　a　time。　　I　have　therefore　called　in　the　greatest　part　of　　my　people；　and　content　myself　with　the　sale　of　twelve　or　fourteen　a　　week；　for　I　am　afraid　to　over…stock　the　market；　and　to　bring　the　　book　into　contempt　by　making　it　too　common。　　The　greatest　part　of　　those　which　still　remain　（about　one　thousand）　I　reserve　for　　Seville；　Granada；　and　some　of　the　other　inland　cities　of　Andalusia；　　specially　Jaen；　the　bishop　of　which　is　very　favourable　to　us　and　　our　cause。　　I　have　likewise　my　eye　on　Ceuta；　its　garrison；　its　　convicts；　and　singular　inhabitants；　half　Spaniards；　half　Moors。　　To　　Andalusia　I　shall　probably　proceed　in　about　three　weeks。

I　beg　leave　to　call　your　attention　to　the　work　I　sent　you；　and　the　　ferocious　attack　which　it　contains　against　the　Bible　Society；　and　　especially　to　the　letter　of　the　curate；　which　I　sincerely　wish　you　　would　insert　in　your　Extracts。　　This　publication　was　established　　and　is　supported　by　money　sent　by　the　Cardinals　of　Rome；　and　is　　principally　directed　against　us。　　Its　abuse；　however；　is　our　　praise；　and　the　world　may　form　some　judgment　of　what　we　are　　accomplishing　in　Spain　by　attending　to　some　of　the　remarks　and　　observations　which　appear　in　this　work；　and　which　are　in　all　points　　worthy　of　Rome　and　its　clan。

My　respects　to　Mr。　Josiah　Forster；　who　I　hope　will　have　received　　the　biography　of　Ripoll；　the　Quaker；　executed　at　Valencia　in　1826。

What　news　from　China？

（UNSIGNED。）



LETTER：　10th　April；　1839



To　the　Rev。　Joseph　Jowett　（ENDORSED：　recd。　April　22；　1839）　APRIL　10；　1839；　MADRID；　No。　16　CALLE　SANTIAGO。

REVD。　AND　DEAR　SIR；　…　In　a　few　days　I　shall　leave　Madrid　for　　Seville；　and　being　anxious　to　write　a　few　lines　before　my　departure　　in　order　that　yourself　and　others　friends　may　be　acquainted　with　　the　exact　state　of　affairs　in　Spain；　I　embrace　the　present　　opportunity。　　In　the　first　place　however　I　beg　leave　to　apologise　　for　not　having　ere　this　performed　my　promise　of　writing。　　Many　　causes　unnecessary　to　recapitulate　prevented　me；　but　I　steadfastly　　hope　that　already　with　your　usual　considerate　goodness　you　have　　imputed　my　tardiness　to　anything　but　neglect。

A　convoy　starts　for　Andalusia　on　the　13th；　and　I　intend　to　avail　　myself　of　it　so　far　as　to　send　therewith　my　servant　Antonio　with　　the　horses　and　the　Testaments　which　I　destine　for　circulation　in　　that　province。　　I　shall　myself　follow　with　the　courier。　　True　it　is　　that　I　had　determined　to　proceed　by　Estremadura；　but　circumstances　　have　occurred　which　have　induced　me　to　alter　my　resolution。　　The　　roads　in　Spain　are　in　a　worse　state　than　ever；　and　in　Estremadura　　particularly；　which　for　some　time　past　has　enjoyed　a　tolerable　　state　of　tranquillity；　a　band　of　Carlist　robbers　have　lately　made　　their　appearance；　who　murder；　make　prisoner；　or　put　at　ransom　every　　person　who　has　the　misfortune　to　fall　into　their　hands。　　I　　therefore　deem　it　wise　to　avoid；　if　possible；　the　alternative　of　　being　shot　or　having　to　pay　one　thousand　pounds　for　being　set　at　　liberty；　which　has　already　befallen　several　individuals。　　It　is　　moreover　wicked　to　tempt　Providence　systematically。　　I　have　already　　thrust　myself　into　more　danger　than　was　perhaps　strictly　necessary；　　and　as　I　have　been　permitted　hitherto　to　escape；　it　is　better　to　be　　content　with　what　it　has　pleased　the　Lord　to　do　for　me　up　to　the　　present　moment；　than　to　run　the　risk　of　offending　Him　by　a　blind　　confidence　in　His　forbearance；　which　may　be　over…taxed。　　As　it　is；　　however；　at　all　times　best　to　be　frank；　I　am　willing　to　confess　　that　I　am　what　the　world　calls　exceedingly　superstitious；　perhaps　　the　real　cause　of　my　change　of　resolution　was　a　dream；　in　which　I　　imagined　myself　on　a　desolate　road　in　the　hands　of　several　robbers；　　who　were　hacking　me　with　their　long　ugly　knives。　　　We　have　been　very　successful　of　late；　having；　since　my　last　letter　　to　Mr。　Brandram；　sold　no　less　than　two　hundred　Bibles；　so　that　not　　more　than　one　hundred　and　fifty　remain　of　the　five　hundred　which　　were　sent　to　me　from　Barcelona　in　sheets。　　I　have　discontinued　　selling　Testaments　in　Madrid；　as　it　appears　to　me　that　we　shall　　have　barely　sufficient；　unless　something　unforeseen　occurs；　for　　Andalusia　and　one　or　two　other　points　which　I　wish　to　visit。　　When　　I　recollect　the　difficulties　which　have　encompassed　our　path；　I　can　　sometimes　hardly　credit　all　that　the　Almighty　has　permitted　us　to　　accomplish　within　the　last　year：　　a　large　edition　of　the　New　　Testament　almost　entirely　disposed　of　in　the　very　centre　of　old；　　gloomy；　fanatic　Spain；　in　spite　of　the　opposition　and　the　furious　　cry　of　the　sanguinary　priesthood　and　the　edicts　of　a　tyrannical；　　deceitful　Government；　moreover　a　spirit　of　religious　enquiry　　excited；　which　I　have　fervent　hope　will　sooner　or　later　lead　to　　blessed　and　most　important　results。　　Till　of　late　the　name　most　　abhorred　and　dreaded　in　these　parts　of　Spain　was　that　of　Martin　　Luther；　who　was　in　general　considered　as　a　species　of　demon；　a　　cousin…german　to　Belial　and　Beelzebub；　who　under　the　disguise　of　a　　man　wrote　and　preached　blasphemy　against　the　Highest。　　Yet　now；　　strange　to　say；　this　once　abominated　personage　is　spoken　of　with　no　　slight　degree　of　respect。　　People；　with　Bibles　in　their　hands；　not　　unfrequently　visit　me；　enquiring　with　much　earnestness　and　with　no　　slight　degree　of　simplicity　for　the　writings　of　the　great　Doctor　　Martin；　whom　indeed　some　suppose　to　be　still　alive。　　It　will　be　as　　well　here　to　observe　that　of　all　the　names　connected　with　the　　Reformation；　that　of　Luther　is　the　only　one　known　in　Spain；　and　let　　me　add　that　no　controversial　writings　but　his　are　likely　to　be　　esteemed　as　possessing　the　slightest　weight　or　authority；　however　　great　their　intrinsic　merit　may　be。　　The　printing；　therefore；　of　　tracts　in　the　Spanish　language；　of　the　description　hitherto　　adopted；　appears　to　be　pregnant　with　no　good　or　benefit　whatever。　　　Of　what　might　be　the　result　of　well…executed　translations　of　　judicious　selections　from　the　works　of　Luther；　it　is　not　my　　business　to　offer　an　opinion。

Before　commencing　this　journey　to　Andalusia　I　must　take　the　liberty　　of　making　one　humble　request　to　my　friends　of　the　Bible　Society；　　which　is　to　be　patient。　　It　may　not　be　in　my　power　to　send　them　for　　a　long　time　any　flattering　accounts　of　operations　commenced　there。　　　I　shall　be　surrounded　with　enemies；　bitter；　malignant；　and　　powerful；　against　whose　efforts　it　is　very　possible　that　I　may　not　　be　able　to　stand　my　ground；　or　the　books　which　I　carry　with　me　may　　be　seized　and　sequestrated；　in　spite　of　all　the　plans　which　I　have　　devised　for　their　safety。　　The　great　failing　of　Protestants；　in　　general；　is　a　tendency　to　spring　suddenly　to　the　pinnacle　of　　exultation；　and　as　suddenly　to　fall　to　the　lowest　bathos　of　　dejection；　forgetting　that　the　brightest　day　as　well　as　the　most　　gloomy　night　must　necessarily　have　a　termination。　　How　far　more　　wise　are　the　members　of　that　object　of　my　undying　detestation；　the　　Church　of　Rome；　from　mixing　with　whom　I　have　acquired　one　principal　　point　of　wisdom；　which　may　be　termed；　EVER　TO　EXPECT　EVIL；　AND　EVER　　TO　HOPE　FOR　GOOD；　by　attending　to　which　maxim　we　find　that　Church　　ever　regaining　the　ground　which　it　has　lost。　　Yesterday　seeming　a　　lifeless　stick；　as　in　the　case　of　England；　to…day　it　is　a　　magnificent　tree；　glorious　with　leaves　and　fruit。　　Excuse　these　　observations　which；　I　assure　you；　are　well　meant。　　No　one　　acquainted　with　me　will　lay　undue　partiality　to　the　Roman　Church　to　　my　charge；　yet　there　are　some　points　about　it　which　I　highly　　admire；　and　you　know　well　enough　that　it　is　lawful　to　receive　　instruction　from　an　enemy。

I　have　been　lately　going　through　Morrison's　Chinese　Matthew。　　I　　confess　that　I　am　the　merest　tyro　in　the　language；　nevertheless　I　　am　compelled　to　state　that　upon　the　whole　I　do　not　like　the　　translation。　　It　appears　to　me　that　in　various　instances　the　　characters　are　not　grammatically　placed；　I　mean；　not　as　they　are　　placed　in　the　writings　if　the　best　Chinese　authors　to　express　the　　same　ideas。　　Moreover　he　has　translated　the　sacred　Name　by　the　　character　which　the　Chinese　are　in　the　habit　of　bestowing　on　the　　spirits　whose　idols　they　worship；　and　which　is　by　no　means　　applicable　to　the　one　great　God；　whom　the　missionaries　of　the　Greek　　and　Roman　Churches　for　want　of　an　equivalent　in　Chinese　have　always　　styled；　and　with　justice　＇three　Chinese　characters＇　（TIEN　TSZ　　HWANG）；　or　King　of　Heaven。　　The　Holy　Ghost；　he　renders　by　TCHING　　FUNG；　or　Holy　Wind；　which　is　a　Hebraism；　and　which　can　scarcely　be　　understood　by　the　Chinese。　　In　Lipoftsoff's　Mandchou　version　it　is　　happily　translated　by　the　Holy　Spirit。　　You　will　recollect　that　on　　my　second　return　to　Spain　you　requested　me　to　look　into　Morrison's　　Testament；　on　which　account　I　shall　offer　no　excuse　for　these　　trifling　remarks。

Do　me　the　favour；　my　dear　Sir；　to　inform　Mr。　Hitchin　that　within　a　　day　or　two　I　shall　send　him　another　account　of　money　received　and　　disbursed。　　I　hope　you　forwarded　the　packet　containing　the　life　of　　Ripoll　to　Mr。　Forster。　…　Having　now　said　my　say　for　the　present；　I　　have　the　honour　to　remain；　Revd。　and　dear　Sir；