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letters-第30章

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s wife was following him and would  soon arrive; and within a quarter of an hour she made her  appearance; dripping with rain; and also mounted upon a donkey。  I  asked my friends the CONTRABANDISTAS why he wore the rosemary in  his hat; and they told me that it was good against witches and the  mischances of the road。  I had no time to argue against this  superstition; for as the chaise was to be ready at five o'clock  next morning I wished to make the most of the few hours which I  could devote to rest。



LETTER: Undated



To the Rev。 A。 Brandram (ENDORSED。 recd。 Feb。 15; 1836)

The following Translations into the Romanee; or language of the  Spanish Tchai; Tchabos; Gitanos; Callos; or Gypsies; were made by  me at Badajoz during the first two weeks of January 1836。

THE 15TH CHAP。 OF THE BLESSED GOSPEL OF SAINT LUKE。

'Here follow thirty…two verses of the translation; followed by a  version of the Lord's Prayer。'

SPECIMENS OF THE HORRID CURSES IN USE AMONGST THE SPANISH GYPSIES。

'Here follow sixteen of these 'curses;' to each of which is added a  rendering in English。'



LETTER: 13th February; 1836



To the Rev。 A。 Brandram (ENDORSED。 recd。 Feb。 29th; 1836) MADRID; CALLE DE LA ZARZA; FEBY。 13TH; 1836。

THE game is now in our own hands; and it is our fault if we do not  win it; for a little patience and a little prudence is all that is  required。  I came to Madrid without a single letter of  introduction; and without knowing an individual there。  I have now  some powerful friends; and through the kindness of Sir Geo。  Villiers; the British Ambassador at the Spanish Court; I have had  an interview with that most singular man; Mendizabal; whom it is as  difficult to get nigh as it is to approach the North Pole。  I have  obtained his promise that when matters are in some degree settled  in this country; he will allow us to commence our operations; but  the preposterous idea; which by some means or other he has  embraced; that we have been endeavouring to foment disturbances  amongst the slaves of Cuba; prevents his looking upon us with  favourable eyes。

I now write for orders; if you have received my letters and  journals (copious extracts from which you had better print); you  will see how successful I have been in the Alemtejo; as our books  are now for sale at Evora and Elvas; the two principal towns; and  the Gospel of Christ has been preached to many who were ignorant of  it even by name; you will see what I have been doing at Badajoz;  especially amongst the Spanish Gypsies; whose dialect of the  Rommany I have so far mastered as to be able to translate into it  with tolerable ease。  Now; until my friends here and myself can  claim the fulfilment of Mr。 Mendizabal's promise; do you wish me to  go to Granada; or back to Badajoz; and finish my translation of St。  Luke into Rommany; with the assistance of the Gypsies of those  places; who are far more conversant with their native language than  their brethren in other parts of Spain; or shall I return to Lisbon  and exert all my interest towards the execution of the plan which I  communicated first to Mr。 Wilby; and then to yourself; namely;  attempting to induce the Government to adopt the Scriptures in the  schools which they are about to establish?  Since I have been at  Madrid I have obtained letters to individuals of great importance  at Lisbon; and I know that Don Jose d'Azveto will do anything to  serve me within the limits of reason。  Therefore let the Committee  be summoned; and a resolution forthwith adopted as to my next  course。  I think all our negotiations in the Peninsula may be  brought to a successful termination in a few months; then you must  send over an agent; a plain man of business; to engage colporteurs  and to come to arrangements with booksellers; both in Spain and in  the provincial towns of Portugal; but let him not be a hesitater  and starter of needless doubts and difficulties; anything may be  accomplished with a little shrewdness; a little boldness; and a  great trust in God。  I hope that my exertions have afforded  satisfaction at home; but if not; let me be allowed to state that  it was not in my power to accomplish more than I have。  I have  borne hunger and thirst; cold and fatigue; I have exposed myself to  danger from robbers; and was near losing my life from the ruffian  soldiery at Arrayolos; whose bullets so narrowly missed me。  I have  been as economical as possible; though the charges in Portugal for  everything are enormous; and a stranger there is like a ship on  shore; a mark for plunder。  In Spain the people are far more  honest; and the charges; though high; reasonable in comparison。   Before leaving Lisbon I drew on excellent Mr。 Wilby for 75 pounds;  of this sum 12 pounds was remitted to Malaja; through which place I  shall probably pass on my return to Lisbon。  I have still remaining  by me money sufficient for two months; I therefore need not enter  into a detail of my expenses。  I now wait for a letter from you;  and when you write; please to remit to me a small letter of credit  on some one at Madrid; or request Mr。 Wilby to do so; as he has  correspondents here; and in that case communicate my address to  him。  I give you below an abridgment of my interview with Mr。  Mendizabal。  I think it will make you laugh。  I have the honour to  remain; Revd。 and dear Sir; etc。;

G。 BORROW。


INTERVIEW WITH MR。 MENDIZABAL


At about 8 o'clock in the morning of the 7th inst。 I went to the  palace; where Mr。 Mendizabal resides。  I informed the usher that I  came from the British Ambassador; whereupon I was shown into a  room; and after waiting about three hours I was admitted to the  presence of the Prime Minister of Spain。  He was dressed in a  morning gown and sat behind a table covered with papers。  He is a  man of about five…and…forty; somewhat above the middle height; with  very handsome features; aquiline nose and large sparkling eyes; his  hair is partly grey。  I presented him the letter with which Sir  Geo。 Villiers had furnished me; and when he had read it; I said  that before entering upon the matter which more immediately brought  me to him; I begged leave to set him right upon a point relating to  which he was labouring under considerable error:  Sir Geo。 Villiers  had informed me that Mr。 M。 entertained an opinion that the Bible  Society had been endeavouring to exercise an undue influence over  the minds of the slave population of Cuba by means of their agents;  but that I could assure him with truth; that neither directly nor  indirectly had they exerted or attempted to exert any influence at  all over any part of the inhabitants of that island; as they had  neither sent agents there; nor held any communication with the  residents。  While I was saying this; he interrupted me several  times; insisting that it was so; and that he had documents to prove  it。  I told him that it was probable he confounded the Bible  Society with some other institution for the propagation of  religion; perhaps with one of the missionary societies; more  especially one of those belonging to the United States; which might  have sent individuals to the island in question for the purpose of  communicating 
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