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received　me　very　　civilly；　and　instantly　procured　me　paper　and　ink　for　the　purpose　of　　writing　to　the　consul。　　In　less　than　an　hour　Mr。　Williams　arrived　　and　I　told　him　my　story；　at　which　he　wondered；　as　he　well　might；　　and　presently　departed　in　order　to　demand　redress　of　the　　authorities。　　The　next　morning　I　was　informed　that　the　ruffian　the　　ALCALDE　had　upon　his　own　authority　entered　my　house　and　searched　　for　prohibited　books；　hoping；　if　he　found　any；　to　justify　to　a　　certain　degree　his　conduct　to　me。　　He　found　none；　and　is　now　quite　　in　my　power；　without　a　shadow　of　excuse　…　he　having　entered　by　　force　the　house　of　a　foreigner；　without　authority；　and　not　in　the　　presence　of　the　consul　of　the　nation。　　I　have　now　been　here　four…　and…twenty　hours；　and　am　assured　that　my　liberation　will　have　been　　effectuated　before　another　day　shall　have　passed　over。　　My　fellow…　prisoners　have　treated　me　with　unbounded　kindness　and　hospitality；　　and　I　have　never　found　myself　amongst　more　quiet　and　well…behaved　　men。　　Yet　…　what　is　their　history？　　The　handsome　black…haired　man　　who　is　now　looking　over　my　shoulder　is　the　celebrated　thief　　Palacio；　the　most　expert　housebreaker　and　dexterous　swindler　in　　Spain　…　in　a　word；　the　modern　Guzman　Dalfarache。　　The　brawny　man　　who　sits　by　the　BRASERO　of　charcoal　is　Salvador；　the　highwayman　of　　Ronda；　who　has　committed　a　hundred　murders。　　A　fashionably　dressed　　man；　short　and　slight　in　person；　is　walking　about　the　room：　　he　　wears　immense　whiskers　and　mustachios；　he　is　one　of　that　most　　singular　race　the　Jews　of　Spain；　he　is　imprisoned　for　　counterfeiting　money。　　He　is　an　atheist；　but　like　a　true　Jew　the　　name　which　he　most　hates　is　that　of　Christ。　　Yet　he　is　so　quiet　and　　civil；　and　they　are　all　so　quiet　and　civil；　and　it　is　that　which　　most　horrifies　me；　for　quietness　and　civility　in　them　seem　so　　unnatural。

Novr。　26th。　　Since　writing　the　above；　I　have　been　set　at　liberty。　　　I　am　going　to　Madrid　in　a　few　hours　to　demand　redress；　and　to　make　　preparations　for　leaving　Spain　as　soon　as　possible。　　There　is　　nothing　more　to　be　done　here　for　the　present　in　the　cause　of　the　　Gospel。　　I　received　your　letter；　which　I　read　with　great　pleasure。　　　You　are　quite　right　in　most　of　your　observations；　and　especially　in　　one。　　That　circular　WAS　uncalled　for。

Ever　yours；

GEORGE　BORROW。



LETTER：　24th　December；　1839



To　the　Rev。　A。　Brandram　（ENDORSED：　recd。　Jan。　3；　1840。）　DECR。　24；　1839；　MADRID；　No。　16　CALLE　SANTIAGO。

REV。　AND　DEAR　　SIR；　…　The　last　letter　which　I　wrote　to　you　was　from　　Seville；　and　in　that　I　gave　you　an　account　of　what　I　had　been　doing　　for　some　time　previous　and　likewise　of　my　imprisonment。　　I　have　now　　been　in　Madrid　nearly　three　weeks；　and　immediately　after　my　arrival　　I　demanded　redress　of　the　Spanish　Government　for　the　various　　outrages　which　I　have　recently　been　subjected　to　at　Seville。　　Mr。　　Aston；　the　British　Minister；　not　having　yet　arrived　at　Madrid；　I　　presented　my　complaint　through　Mr。　Jerningham　the　first　secretary　　of　Legation；　who　has　superseded　Mr。　Southern；　the　latter　gentleman　　having　been　appointed　to　Lisbon。　　Mr。　Southern　introduced　me　to　Mr。　　Jerningham；　who　received　me　with　great　kindness　and　took　up　my　　cause　very　warmly。　　Whether　I　shall　be　able　to　obtain　justice　I　　know　not；　for　I　have　against　me　the　Canons　of　Seville；　and　all　the　　arts　of　villainy　which　they　are　so　accustomed　to　practise　will　of　　course　be　used　against　me　for　the　purpose　of　screening　the　ruffian　　who　is　their　instrument。　　An　instance　which　I　am　about　to　give　will　　speak　volumes　as　to　this　person's　character。　　When　I　was　in　prison；　　he　forced　his　way　into　my　house　and　searched　it　for　Testaments；　but　　found　none。　　When　he　was　questioned　by　the　vice…consul　as　to　the　　authority　by　which　he　made　this　search；　he　pulled　out　a　paper　　purporting　to　be　the　deposition　of　an　old　woman　to　the　effect　that　　I　had　sold　her　a　Testament　some　ten　days　before。　　This　document　was　　a　forgery。　　I　had　never　seen　the　female　in　question；　and　during　the　　whole　time　that　I　have　been　in　Andalusia　I　have　never　sold　a　book　　of　any　description　to　any　such　person。

I　have　been；　my　dear　Sir；　fighting　with　wild　beasts　during　the　　greatest　part　of　the　time　which　has　elapsed　since　I　had　last　the　　pleasure　of　seeing　you。　　None　but　myself　can　have　an　idea　of　what　I　　have　undergone　and　the　difficulties　which　I　have　had　to　encounter；　　but　I　wish　not　to　dilate　on　that　subject。　　Thanks　be　to　the　Most　　High　that　my　labours　are　now　brought　to　a　conclusion。　　The　Madrid　　edition　of　the　New　Testament　has　been　distributed；　with　the　　exception　of　a　few　hundred　copies；　which　I　have　no　wish　should　be　　sold　at　present；　for　reasons　stated　on　a　prior　occasion；　and　which　　I　shall　endeavour　to　leave　in　safe　custody。　　The　fate　of　this　　edition　has　been　a　singular　one；　by　far　the　greatest　part　having　　been　dispersed　among　the　peasantry　of　Spain　and　the　remainder　　amongst　the　very　poor　of　the　towns；　the　artisans　of　Madrid　and　　Seville；　the　water…carriers　and　porters。　　You　will　rarely　find　a　　copy　of　this　work　in　the　houses　of　the　wealthy　and　respectable；　but　　you　will　frequently　light　upon　it　in　the　huts　of　the　labourers；　in　　the　garrets　or　cellars　of　the　penniless；　and　even　in　the　hulks　and　　convict…garrisons　（PRESIDIOS）。　　I　myself　saw　it　in　the　prison　of　　Seville。　　As　for　the　few　copies　of　the　entire　Bible　which　I　had　at　　my　disposal；　they　have　been　distributed　amongst　the　upper　classes；　　chiefly　amongst　the　mercantile　body；　the　members　of　which　upon　the　　whole　are　by　far　the　most　intellectual　and　best　educated　of　the　　subjects　of　the　Spanish　monarchy。

I　have　thus　cast　my　books　upon　the　waters。　　It　is　for　the　Lord　on　　high　to　determine　the　quantity　of　good　which　they　are　to　operate。　　　I　have　a　humble　hope　however　that　they　will　be　permitted　to　do　　some。　　If　the　eyes　of　only　a　few　of　these　unhappy　people　amongst　　whom　I　am　still　sojourning　be　through　them　opened　to　one　of　the　　damning　errors　of　popery；　I　shall　esteem　myself　amply　remunerated　　for　all　the　pain；　the　anxiety；　and　I　may　almost　say　misery　（for　the　　flesh　is　weak）　which　I　have　experienced　in　the　work；　even　for　that　　…　to　me；　the　most　heart…breaking　of　everything　…　the　strange；　the　　disadvantageous　light　in　which；　I　am　aware；　I　must　frequently　have　　appeared　to　those　I　most　respect　and　love。　　My　situation　throughout　　has　been　a　most　peculiar　one；　rocks　and　quicksands　have　surrounded　　me　on　every　side；　and　frequently　I　have　been　compelled　to　give　　offence　to　my　friends　in　order　not　to　afford　a　triumph　to　the　　enemies　of　God　and　His　cause。

In　your　last　kind　communication；　I　think；　you　said　that　neither　our　　excellent　friend　Mr。　B。　＇Brackenbury＇　nor　myself　appeared　properly　　to　appreciate　the　worth　of　two　other　of　our　friends　who　had　been　　labouring　in　Spain。　　Permit　me　here　to　observe　that　we　both　　appreciate　their　sterling　worth　of　character　and　piety；　they　are　　both　very　extraordinary　individuals；　one　particularly　so；　and　the　　zeal　which　both　have　displayed　in　a　holy　cause　is　quite　above　　praise。　　But　it　is　necessary　in　order　to　accomplish　much　good　in　a　　country　situated　as　this　is　at　present；　that　the　greatest　prudence　　and　foresight　go　hand　in　hand　with　zeal　and　piety。　　A　corrupt　　Government；　influenced　by　an　atrocious　priesthood；　has　for　the　last　　three　years　been　on　the　look…out　to　take　advantage　of　every　rash　　movement　of　the　helpers　in　God's　cause　in　Spain。　　It　ought　always　　to　be　borne　in　mind　that　though　nominally　a　constitutional　country；　　Spain　is　governed　by　despotism　the　more　infamous　and　dangerous　as　　it　decks　itself　in　the　garb　of　liberty。　　Whenever　a　native　becomes　　obnoxious　to　the　Government；　he　is　instantly　seized　and　imprisoned；　　though　perhaps　guilty　of　no　crime　which　can　be　punished　by　law；　　foreigners　have　by　law　particular　privileges；　but　these　privileges　　are　every　day　violated；　and　redress　is　seldom　or　never　obtained；　　which　proves　that　the　law　is　a　dead　letter。

I　know　perfectly　well　that　it　is　no　infraction　of　the　LAW　to　print　　or　sell　the　Holy　Scriptures；　either　with　or　without　comment；　in　　Spain。　　What　then？　　Is　there　not　such　a　thing　as　A　ROYAL　ORDINANCE　　to　the　effect　that　the　Scriptures　be　seized　wherever　they　are　　found？　　True　it　is　that　ordinance　is　an　unlawful　one：　　but　what　　matters　that；　provided　it　be　put　into　execution　by　the　authorities　　civil　and　military？　　Too　many　Englishmen　who　visit　Spain　imagine　　that　they　carry　their　own　highly　favoured　country　at　their　back；　a　　country　in　which　the　law　rules　supreme；　but　let　them　once　be　　brought　into　collision　with　the　Government；　and　they　will　soon　　learn　how　little　it　avails　them　to　have　right　on　their　side　whilst　　brute　force　is　always　at　the　call　of　their　adversaries。

I　have　informed　Mr。　Jerningham　that　for　some　time　past　I　have　　relinquished　distributing　the　Scriptures　in　Spain　…　which　is　the　　truth。　　I　therefore　claim　the　privileges　of　a　British　subject　and　　the　protection　of　my　Government。　　I　shall　return　to　England　as　soon　　as　I　can　obtain　some　redress　for　this　affair。　　It　is　then　my　　intention　to　attempt　to　obtain　an　interview　with　some　of　the　　members　of　the　House　of　Lords。　　I　have　important　disclosures　to　　make　respecting　the　system　of　persecution　which　still　exists　in　　this　country　with　respect