letters-第72节

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any　　observation　of　yours　respecting　style；　or　any　peculiarities　of　　expression　which　I　am　in　the　habit　of　exhibiting　in　my　　correspondence；　can　possibly　awaken　in　me　any　feeling　but　that　of　　gratitude；　knowing　so　well　as　I　do　the　person　who　offers　them；　and　　the　motives　by　which　he　is　influenced。　　I　have　reflected　on　those　　passages　which　you　were　pleased　to　point　out　as　objectionable；　and　　have　nothing　to　reply　further　than　that　I　have　erred；　that　I　am　　sorry；　and　will　endeavour　to　mend；　and　that　moreover　I　have　already　　prayed　for　assistance　so　to　do。　　Allow　me　however　to　offer　a　word　　not　in　excuse　but　in　explanation　of　the　expression　'wonderful　good　　fortune'　which　appeared　in　a　former　letter　of　mine。　　It　is　clearly　　objectionable；　and；　as　you　very　properly　observe；　savours　of　pagan　　times。　　But　I　am　sorry　to　say　that　I　am　much　in　the　habit　of　　repeating　other　people's　sayings　without　weighing　their　propriety。　　　The　saying　was　not　mine：　　but　I　heard　it　in　conversation　and　　thoughtlessly　repeated　it。　　A　few　miles　from　Seville　I　was　telling　　the　courier　of　the　many　perilous　journeys　which　I　had　accomplished　　in　Spain　in　safety；　and　for　which　I　thanked　the　Lord。　　His　reply　　was：　　'LA　MUCHA　SUERTE　DE　USTED　TAMBIEN　NOS　HA　ACOMPANADO　EN　ESTE　　VIAGE。'

Your　reply　to　the　Trinitarian　Society；　for　I　suppose　that　it　was　　written　by　you；　afforded　me　the　highest　satisfaction。　　I　admired　　its　tone　and　spirit；　and　said　at　the　time　that　a　more　convincing　　piece　of　reasoning　had　never　been　penned　on　any　subject。　　The　case　　of　Luther　and　the　early　Reformers；　who　were　converted　from　the　　errors　of　Popery　by　the　perusal　of　the　Vulgate；　the　book　of　the　　Popish　Church；　is　certainly　exceedingly　strong；　as　it　at　once　does　　away　with　any　argument　which　may　be　raised　against　the　propriety　of　　circulating　versions　made　from　it。　　Perhaps　it　would　have　been　as　　well　to　add　that　the　Lollards'　Bible；　the　book　which　converted　　England；　was　a　literal　translation　from　the　Vulgate　and　not　from　　the　original　tongues；　which；　as　is　well　knows；　Wickliffe　did　not　　understand。　　Those　who　decry　the　Vulgate　should　please　to　remember　　that；　though　adopted　by　the　Popish　Church；　its　foundation　was　laid　　before　Popery　existed；　and　that　before　criticising　a　book　it　is　　desirable　to　have　read　it。　　There　are　faults　in　the　Vulgate；　indeed　　far　too　many；　but　I　believe　them　to　be　more　the　result　of　infirmity　　than　malice；　all　the　heavy　and　strong　texts　most　dangerous　to　the　　Papal　system　appearing　in　it　uncurtailed　and　unmodified。　　No　people　　dread　the　Vulgate　more　than　the　Papists　themselves；　which　they　know　　to　be　A　TERRIBLE　TWO…EDGED　SWORD　WHICH　WILL　CUT　OFF　THEIR　HANDS　IF　　THEY　HANDLE　IT。

I　now　beg　leave　to　send　you　an　extract　of　a　letter　which　I　received　　yesterday　morning　from　Madrid。　　It　is　from　my　landlady；　who　is　my　　agent　there；　and　I　consider　it　to　be　my　duty　to　communicate　it　to　　the　Society；　as　I　consider　that　it　speaks　volumes　as　to　the　state　　of　affairs　in　the　capital　and　the　spirit　of　enquiry　abroad；　at　the　　same　time　I　presume　not　to　offer　any　comment　upon　it。　　The　rest　of　　the　letter　treats　of　indifferent　matters。

'The　binder　has　brought　me　eight　Bibles；　which　he　has　contrived　to　　make　up　out　of　THE　SHEETS　GNAWN　BY　THE　RATS；　and　which　would　have　　been　necessary　even　had　they　amounted　to　eight　thousand　（Y　ERA　　NECESARIO　SE　PUVIERAN　VUELTO　8000）；　（7）　because　the　people　are　　innumerable　who　come　to　seek　more。　　Don　Santiago　has　been　here　with　　some　friends；　who　insisted　upon　having　a　part　of　them。　　The　　Aragonese　gentleman　has　likewise　been；　he　who　came　before　your　　departure　and　bespoke　twenty…four。　　He　now　wants　twenty…five。　　I　　begged　them　to　take　Testaments；　but　they　would　not。'

We　go　on　selling　Testaments　at　Seville　in　a　quiet　satisfactory　　manner。　　We　have　just　commenced　offering　the　book　to　the　poor。　　　That　most　remarkable　individual；　Johannes　Chrysostom；　the　Greek　　bricklayer；　being　the　agent　whom　we　employ。　　I　confess　that　we　　might　sell　more　than　we　at　present　do；　were　we　to　press　the　matter；　　but　we　are　cautious；　and　moreover　our　stock　of　Testaments　is　waning　　apace。　　Two　or　three　ladies　of　my　acquaintance　occasionally　dispose　　of　some　amongst　their　friends；　but　they　say　that　they　experience　　some　difficulty；　the　cry　for　Bibles　being　great。　　Dionysius　also　　tells　me　that　for　every　Testament　which　he　sells　he　could　dispose　　of　with　ease　fifty　Bibles。　　Within　a　few　weeks　I　propose　to　cross　　the　water　to　Ceuta　and　Tangiers　with　part　of　the　books　at　present　　in　embargo　at　San　Lucar。　　I　shall　take　the　liberty　of　giving　you　a　　full　and　minute　description　of　the　state　of　those　places；　the　first　　of　which　has；　I　believe；　never　been　visited　by　any　one　bearing　the　　Gospel。　　When　I　consider　the　immensity　of　what　remains　to　be　done；　　even　in　this　inconsiderable　portion　of　the　globe；　before　wretched　　mortals　can　be　brought　to　any　sense　of　their　lost　and　fallen　state；　　I　invariably　lose　all　hope　of　anything　efficient　being　accomplished　　by　human　means；　unless　it　shall　please　the　Almighty　to　make　of　　straws　and　rushes　weapons　capable　of　cleaving　the　adamantine　armour　　of　superstition　and　unbelief。

It　is　eight　o'clock　at　night；　and　Johannes　Chrysostom　has　I　just　　arrived　from　his　labour。　　I　have　not　spoken　to　him；　but　I　hear　him　　below　in　the　courtyard　detailing　to　Antonio　the　progress　he　has　　made　in　the　last　two　days。　　He　speaks　barbarous　Greek；　plentifully　　interlarded　with　Spanish　words；　but　I　gather　from　his　discourse　　that　he　has　already　sold　twelve　Testaments　among　his　fellow…　labourers。　　I　hear　copper　coin　falling　on　the　stones　and　Antonio；　　who　is　not　of　a　very　Christian　temper；　reproving　him　for　not　having　　brought　the　proceeds　of　the　sale　in　silver。　　He　now　asks　for　　fifteen　＇Testaments＇　more；　as　he　says　the　demand　is　becoming　great；　　and　that　he　shall　have　no　difficulty　in　disposing　of　them　in　the　　course　of　the　morrow　whilst　pursuing　his　occupations。　　Antonio　goes　　to　fetch　them；　and　he　now　stands　alone　by　the　little　marble　　fountain；　singing　a　wild　song；　which　I　believe　to　be　a　hymn　of　his　　beloved　Greek　Church。　　Behold　one　of　the　helpers　which　the　Lord　has　　sent　me　in　my　Gospel　labours　on　the　shores　of　the　Guadalquivir。

Should　you　wish　to　transmit　to　me　any　part　of　the　Report；　I　should　　conceive　that　you　had　best　direct　it　to　the　care　of　Mr。　Brackenbury　　at　Cadiz；　on　whom　I　propose　to　call　on　my　way　to　Ceuta；　etc。　　As　　for　Cadiz　itself；　I　have　no　intention　of　attempting　to　do　any　thing　　there；　at　least　for　the　present。　　After　a　great　deal　of　gloomy　and　　unsettled　weather　the　genuine　Andalusian　summer　has　come　upon　us　at　　last。　　The　brilliancy　of　the　sun　and　the　azure　of　the　heavens　are　　perfectly　indescribable。　　The　people　here　complain　sadly　of　the　　heat；　but　as　for　myself；　I　luxuriate　in　it；　like　the　butterflies　　which　hover　about　the　MACETAS；　or　flowerpots；　in　the　court。　　Hoping　　that　you　will　present　my　remembrances　to　Mrs。　Brandram；　and　　likewise　to　all　other　dear　friends；　I　remain　Revd。　and　dear　Sir；　　yours　truly；

GEORGE　BORROW。



LETTER：　18th　July；　1839



To　the　Rev。　A。　Brandram　（ENDORSED：　recd。　Aug。　5；　1839）　SEVILLE；　No。　7　PLAZUELA　DE　LA　PILA　SECA；　18TH　JULY　1839。

REVD。　AND　DEAR　SIR；　…　As　I　am　about　to　leave　Seville　in　a　few　days　　for　San　Lucar；　Tangiers；　and　Ceuta；　I　wish　before　setting　out　to　　send　a　word　or　two　in　order　that　you　may　be　acquainted　with　the　　state　of　matters　up　to　the　present　moment。　　Our　work　is　concluded　　here　for　the　season；　and　for　the　very　efficient　reason　that　I　have　　no　more　Testaments　to　sell；　somewhat　more　than　two　hundred　having　　been　circulated　since　my　arrival。　　A　poor　Genoese；　the　waiter　at　a　　Swiss　ordinary；　has　just　been　with　me　requesting　a　dozen；　which　he　　says　have　been　bespoken　by　people　who　frequent　the　house；　but　I　　have　been　obliged　to　send　him　away；　it　not　being　in　my　power　to　　supply　him。　　About　ten　days　since　I　was　visited　by　various　　ALGUACILS；　headed　by　the　ALCALDE　DEL　BARRIO；　or　headborough；　who　　made　a　small　seizure　of　Testaments　and　Gypsy　Gospels　which　happened　　to　be　lying　about。　　This　visit　was　far　from　being　disagreeable　to　　me；　as　I　considered　it　to　be　a　very　satisfactory　proof　of　the　　effect　of　our　exertions　in　Seville。　　I　cannot　help　here　relating　to　　you　an　anecdote。　　A　day　or　two　subsequent；　having　occasion　to　call　　at　the　house　of　the　headborough　to　complain　of　an　act　of　dishonesty　　which　had　been　committed　by　my　porters；　I　found　him　lying　on　his　　bed；　for　it　was　the　hour　of　the　SIESTA；　reading　intently　one　of　the　　very　Testaments　which　he　had　taken　away　…　all　of　which；　if　he　had　　obeyed　his　orders；　he　would　have　deposited　in　the　office　of　the　　Civil　Governor。　　So　intently　indeed　was　he　engaged　in　his　reading　　that　he　did　not　at　first　observe　my　entrance；　when　he　did；　however；　　he　sprang　up　in　great　confusion；　and　locked　the　book　up　in　his　　cabinet；　whereupon　I　smiled　and　told　him　to　be　under　no　alarm；　as　I　　was　glad　to　see　him　so　usefully　employed。　　Recovering　himself　he　　said　that　he　had　read　the　book　nearly　through；　and　that　he　had　　found　no　harm　in　it；　but　on　the　contrary　everything　to　praise；　　adding　that　he　believed　that　the　clergy　must　be　possessed　with　　devils　（ENDEMONIADOS）　to　persecute　it　in　the　manner　which　they　did。

It　was　Sunday　when　the　seizure　was