I have now given a plain narrative of what I have been about up to the present moment,by which you will see that I have accomplished all that lay within the circumscribed sphere of my ability,and have brought every engine into play which it was in my power to command.Let it always be borne in mind that it was no fault of mine that,immediately after my arrival in Madrid from my journey,a retrograde Ministry came into power,the head of which is a weak,timid,priest-ridden man.Sir George has several times told me,that had the Ministry of Calatrava and Mendizabal remained in place,he himself would have answered that I should have received no interruption in my labours,and that he will almost say the same in respect to any future Ministry;and it is impossible that the present can long maintain its ground,as it is disliked by the Court and despised by the people.
I therefore write at present for instructions.Shall I wait a little time longer in Madrid;or shall I proceed at once on a journey to Andalusia and other places?I am in strength,health and spirits,thanks be to the Lord!and am at all times ready to devote myself,body and mind,to His cause.Therefore I pray that my friends at home will point out the course which they think Iought to pursue under these circumstances.In a few days I shall send my account to Mr.Hitchin.I have hitherto delayed,not having yet settled for the printing of the Basque St.Luke.Ireceived your kind letter of the 8th ultimo.
I remain,my dear Sir,most truly yours,G.B.
P.S.-I have received the 500Bibles in sheets from Barcelona.
Translation of a Memorial to his Excellence the Count D'Ofalia (ENDORSED:Memorial of Mr.G.Borrow to Count Ofalia,Madrid,recd.
March 28,1838.)
To His Excellence The Count D'Ofalia SIR,-I have the honour to inform you that,being a member and Agent of the British and Foreign Bible Society,I some months since printed,with permission,at Madrid,an edition of the New Testament of Jesus Christ in the Castilian language according to the authorised version of Father Felipe Scio,Confessor of the late King Ferdinand of happy memory.
That to effect the sale of the said work,in which the Society had subjected itself to an expense of more than 100,000REALS,Isubsequently established a Despatch at Madrid,where the work was publicly sold at a moderate price until the 12th of January last,when the person intrusted with the management of the said Despatch received a notice from Don Francisco Gamboa,Civil Governor of Madrid,forbidding the further sale of the New Testament until fresh information.
