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letters-第70章

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In conclusion; I beg leave to say that Sir George Villiers has  authorised me to state that provided the Bible Society entertain  any doubts respecting my zeal in the Christian cause; or the  correctness of my conduct during my sojourn in Spain; he hopes they  will do him the satisfaction to communicate with him。

I remain; Revd。 and dear Sir; most truly yours;

GEORGE BORROW。



LETTER: 13th June; 1838



To the Rev。 A。 Brandram (ENDORSED: recd。 June 23; 1838) JUNE 13; 1838; MADRID; No。 16 CALLE ST。 IAGO;

REVD。 AND DEAR SIR; … I have received your letter of June 1st; but  not that of the 30th May which you allude to in the same; therefore  I am still in the dark upon many points。

Another bitter cup has been filled for my swallowing。  The Bible  Society and myself have been accused of blasphemy; sedition; etc。   A collection of tracts has been seized in Murcia; in which the  Catholic religion and its dogmas are handled with the most abusive  severity; these books have been sworn to as having been left BY THE  COMMITTEE OF THE BIBLE SOCIETY WHILST IN THAT TOWN; and Count  Ofalia has been called upon to sign an order for my arrest and  banishment from Spain。  Sir George; however; advises me to remain  quiet and not to be alarmed; as he will answer for my innocence。

I am now compelled to ask a blunt question。  Will the Bible Society  look calmly on and see itself compromised and my life and liberty  exposed to danger by the lunatic vagaries of that unfortunate  Graydon; who; like a swine in a field newly sown; has of late been  solely occupied in rooting up the precious seed and destroying  every hope of a glorious harvest?  The newspapers are teeming with  articles against us; for we are no longer looked upon as a Society  founded on the broad principles of Christianity; but as one  instituted for the carrying into effect of sectarian purposes。

In justice to me; it behoves the Society to communicate with Sir  George Villiers; who has abstracts of all the letters which I have  written to the Society; and who will vouch for their correctness。

Do not be cast down; all will go well if the stumbling block be  removed。  I write in haste。

G。 BORROW。

P。S。 … What do you mean; my dear Sir; by the 'GRANO SALIS'?



LETTER: 14th June; 1838



To the Rev。 A。 Brandram (ENDORSED: recd。 June 25; 1838) MADRID; JUNE 14; 1838。

REVD。 AND DEAR SIR; … Immediately after having despatched my letter  of yesterday; I received through my friend; Mr。 Wood; a  communication from the Bishop of …; the president of the body of  ecclesiastics at present engaged in examining our Bible。

He is of my opinion that the Committee of the Bible Society should  in the present exigency draw up an exposition of their views  respecting Spain; stating what they are prepared to do; and what  they are not prepared to do … above all; whether in seeking to  circulate the Gospel in this country they harbour any projects  hostile to the Government and the established religion; moreover;  whether the late distribution of tracts was done by their  connivance or authority; and whether they are disposed to sanction  in future the publication in Spain of such a class of writings。

It of course does not become me to advise the Committee and  yourself upon this point。  I merely take the liberty of  communicating the circumstance; and observing that the Prelate in  question is a most learned and respectable man; and one of the  warmest of our friends。

I have not seen any of the tracts seized at Murcia; nor do I wish。   If examined by the Council; I shall declare on oath that I am  innocent and ignorant of the matter; and that I believe the Bible  Society to be the same。  Sir George assured me that one or two of  them were outrages not only to common sense but decency。

I forgot to tell you yesterday that my poor servant is dead。  He  died of the pestilential typhus caught in the prison; his body at  the period of his death was a frightful mass of putridity; and was  in consequence obliged to be instantly shovelled into the Campo  Santo or common field of the dead near Madrid。  May Christ be his  stay at the Great Day; a more affectionate creature never breathed。

Hear now what the MADRID GAZETTE says of our Society; in an article  in which it reproves in the strongest terms the conduct lately  pursued by pseudo…agents; and gives me a rap on the knuckles for an  anti…catholic expression or two in the advertisement in which I  denounced them。  The GAZETTE is the official organ of the  Government; and all it says is under authority:…

'We will not conclude this article without bestowing the merited  tribute of praise on the project truly magnificent of the Bible  Society; considered not under the religious but the social aspect。   Christianity has been; is; and will be the grand agent in the  civilisation of the world; and the preaching of its doctrine; and  the propagation of its maxims among the nations who know it not; is  the most costly present which can be offered them; and the pledge  of belonging one day to the civilised world; or if they already  belong to it; of ameliorating their actual condition in society。

'Excellent moral results must also be produced among the poorer  classes of the people in Christian countries by the distribution of  copies of the sacred writings; and the Bible Society acts with the  highest prudence; by accommodating itself to the civil and  ecclesiastic laws of each country; and by adopting the editions  there current。  In Spain; where every translation of the Bible is  forbidden; and in general every book of religion; without previous  censure and license of the ecclesiastical authority; much good may  arise from distributing either of the two translations; that of  Father Scio or that of Amat; but precisely as they are; and without  the suppression of the notes; which explain some difficult  passages。  If the great object be the propagation of the evangelic  maxims; the notes are no obstacle; and by preserving them we fulfil  our religious principle of not permitting to private reason the  interpretation of the sacred Word。'

Excuse me this long extract。

I remain; Revd。 and dear Sir; most truly yours;

G。 BORROW。

P。S。 … I should wish to make another Biblical tour this summer;  until the storm be blown over。  Should I undertake such an  expedition; I should avoid the towns and devote myself entirely to  the peasantry。  I have sometimes thought of visiting the villages  of the Alpujarra mountains in Andalusia; where the people live  quite secluded from the world。  What do you think of my project?



LETTER: 16th June; 1838



To the Rev。 A。 Brandram (ENDORSED: recd。 27th June; 1838) MADRID; JUNE 16; 1838。

REVD。 AND DEAR SIR; … I have received your communication of the  30th ult。; containing the resolutions of the Committee; to which I  shall of course attend。

Of your letter in general; permit me to state that I reverence the  spirit in which it is written; and am perfectly disposed to admit  the correctness of the views which it exhibits。  'Greek text which  cannot be reproduced'。  But it appears to me that in one or two  instances I have been misunderstood in the letters wh
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