Letters of George Borrow to the British and Foreign Bible SocietyBorrow, George
Religion
Letters of George Borrow to the British and Foreign Bible Society
Borrow, George
Authors, English -- 19th century -- Correspondence; British and Foreign Bible Society; English letters
REVD. AND DEAR SIR,--I shall not be able to send the documents in
question, as they are lodged in the archives, and are now become
state-papers. Those that relate to the affair at Malaga I have not yet
been able to obtain a perusal of; it will therefore perhaps suffice for
the present to say that in one of them the Government was stigmatized as
being '_voraz de pesetas_' (voracious of pesetas), and the Catholic
religion termed '_un sistema del mas grosero fanatismo_' (a system of the
grossest fanaticism). It was well for the writer of this trash that the
Government were at the time alarmed at the step which they had taken in
imprisoning myself, and did not wish to press the matter home: otherwise
he could not have escaped so easily as he did. Yet what must we think of
an Englishman, who, relying for protection on the fear and respect which
the mighty country to which he belongs everywhere inspires, visits a
Spanish town in a state of revolution--as Malaga was--and, for the
bringing about a particular object, adds to the ferment by appealing to
already excited passions? But I shall not dwell further on this subject.
The Society are already aware of the results of the visit of our friend
to Malaga, all their Bibles and Testaments having been seized throughout
Spain, with the exception of my stock in Madrid (upwards of 3000)--Count
Ofalia having in a communication to Sir George declared that he had full
confidence in my honour and good faith, being well persuaded that I
harboured no designs but those I professed.
I send you on the other side some extracts from one of the tracts which
purports to be 'A true history of the Virgin of Sorrows, to whom Don
Carlos, the Rebel and Fanatic, has dedicated his cause, and the ignorance
which he trumpets.' The one, however, which has given most offence is 'A
Catechism on the Principal Controversies between Protestants and
Catholics,' translated from the English.
I now await your orders. I wish to know whether I am at liberty to
pursue the course which may seem to me best under existing circumstances,
and which at present appears to be to mount my horses which are neighing
in the stable, and once more to betake myself to the plains and mountains
of dusty Spain, and to dispose of my Testaments to the muleteers and
peasants. By doing so I shall employ myself usefully, and at the same
time avoid giving offence. Better days will soon arrive, which will
enable me to return to Madrid and reopen my shop; till then, however, I
should wish to pursue my labours in comparative obscurity.
I remain, Revd. and dear Sir, most truly yours,
GEORGE BORROW.
_P.S._--I am engaged in translating the Acts of the Apostles into Basque.
_On the fly-leaf of this letter appear the following extracts_.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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