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letters-第99章

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good husband and father;  and a man who fears the Lord:  he is likewise possessed of  considerable ability; but I am entirely unacquainted with any plan  which be may have formed respecting printing the Scriptures in  Spain; or any memorial which he may have sent in to the Bible  Society on the subject; so that of course I cannot be expected to  express an opinion。  It is my intention in a few days to depart  from hence on my expedition; so that should you be desirous of  writing to me; you had perhaps best address to Madrid。

When the Bible Society has no further occasion for my poor labours;  I hope it will do me justice to the world。  I have been its  faithful and zealous servant。  I shall on a future occasion take  the liberty of addressing you as a friend respecting my prospects。   I have the materials of a curious book of travels in Spain; I have  enough metrical translations from all languages; especially the  Celtic and Sclavonic; to fill a dozen volumes; and I have formed a  vocabulary of the Spanish Gypsy tongue; and also a collection of  the songs and poetry of the Gitanos with introductory essays。   Perhaps some of these literary labours might be turned to account。   I wish to obtain honourably and respectably the means of visiting  China; or particular parts of Africa。  I call this letter private;  but communicate such parts of it as you think proper。

(UNSIGNED。)



LETTER: 25th November; 1839



To the Rev。 A。 Brandram (ENDORSED: recd。 Dec。 19; 1839) PRISON OF SEVILLE; Novr。 25; 1839。

REVD。 AND DEAR SIR; … I write these lines as you see from the  common prison of Seville; to which I was led yesterday; or rather  dragged; neither for murder nor robbery nor debt but simply for  having endeavoured to obtain a passport for Cordova; to which place  I was going with my Jewish servant; Hayim Ben Attar。

It is necessary for me here to give you some information respecting  my proceedings since I last wrote。  I wished to distribute some  more Testaments in Seville before I left the country; and  accordingly procured a considerable number from Madrid。  Everything  was accomplished with the utmost secrecy; and the blessed books  obtained considerable circulation。  I likewise sent agents into the  country; and went myself in my accustomed manner。  All went well;  the entire stock which had reached me was circulated; and I rested  from my labours for a little time; for indeed I had need of quiet;  being indisposed。

Some English people now came to Seville and distributed tracts in a  very unguarded manner; knowing nothing of the country or the  inhabitants。  They were even so unwise as TO GIVE TRACTS INSTEAD OF  MONEY ON VISITING PUBLIC BUILDINGS; ETC。  These persons came to me;  and requested my co…operation and advice; and likewise  introductions to people spiritually disposed amongst the Spaniards;  to all which requests I returned a decided negative。  But I foresaw  all。  In a day or two I was summoned before the GEFE POLITICO or;  as he was once called; CORREGIDOR of Seville; who I must say  treated me with the utmost politeness; and indeed respect; but at  the same time he informed me that he had (to use his own  expression) terrible orders from Madrid concerning me; if I should  be discovered in the act of distributing the Scriptures or any  writings of a religious tendency。  He then taxed me with having  circulated both lately; especially tracts:  whereupon I told him  that I had never distributed a tract since I had been in Spain; nor  had any intention of doing so。  We had much conversation and parted  in kindness。  I went away for a few days; though without intending  to do anything; and wrote to the firm of O'Shea for money; of which  I stood in need and which I received。  I now determined to make for  La Mancha and to put my plan into execution; which I should have  done sooner had the roads been a little more secure。  Yesterday I  sent my passport to be signed by the ALCALDE DEL BARRIO。  This  fellow is the greatest ruffian in Seville; and I have on various  occasions been insulted by him; he pretends to be a liberal; but is  of no principle at all; and as I reside within his district he has  been employed by the Canons of the cathedral to vex and harass me  on every possible occasion。  (By the way; the hatred which these  last people nourish against me amounts almost to frenzy; and  scarcely a day passes by in which they do not send in false  accusations against me to the GEFE POLITICO; they have even gone so  far as to induce people to perjure themselves by swearing that I  have sold or given them books; people whom I have never seen nor  heard of; and the same system was carried on whilst I was in  Africa; for they are so foolishly suspicious that they could not be  persuaded that I was out of Seville。)  The above…mentioned ALCALDE  refused to sign the passport; though he was bound to do so; it  being quite in form; and insulted the messenger:  whereupon I sent  the latter back with money to pay any fees lawful or unlawful which  might be demanded; as I wished to avoid noise and the necessity of  applying to the consul; Mr。 Williams。  But the fellow became only  more outrageous。  I then went myself to demand an explanation and  was called all the vilest names contained in the Spanish GERMANIA  (Billingsgate); whereupon I told him that if he proceeded in this  manner I would make a complaint to the authorities through the  consul。  He then said that if I did not instantly depart he would  drag me off to prison; and cause me to be knocked down if I made  the slightest resistance。  I dared him repeatedly to do both; and  said that he was a disgrace to the Government which employed him  and to human nature。  He called me a heretic。  We were now in the  street and a mob was collected; whereupon I cried 'VIVA INGLATERRA;  Y VIVA LA CONSTITUCION。'  The populace seemed disposed to side with  me; notwithstanding the exhortations of the monster to them that  they would knock down THE FOREIGNER; for he himself quailed before  me as I looked him in the eyes defying him。  He at last ran to a  neighbouring guard…house; and requested the assistance of the  Nationals in conducting me to prison。  I followed him and delivered  myself up at the first summons; and walked to the prison without  uttering a word:  not so the ruffian; who continued his abuse until  we arrived at the gate。  I was asked my name by the authorities of  the prison; which I refused to give unless in the presence of the  consul; and indeed to answer any questions。  I was then ordered to  the PATIO or courtyard; where are kept the lowest thieves and  assassins of Seville; who having no money cannot pay for better  accommodation; and by whom I should have been stripped naked in a  moment as a matter of course; as they are all in a state of raging  hunger and utter destitution。  I asked for a private cell; which I  was told I might have if I could pay for it。  I stated my  willingness to pay anything which might be demanded; and was  conducted to an upper ward; consisting of several cells and a  corridor。  Here I found six or seven prisoners who received me very  civilly; and instantly procured me paper and ink for the purpose of  writing to th
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