Rev A Brandram No.20
Madrid 5th June 1848
My Dear Friend,
My intention, as previously indicated, was to set out on my journey on the 1st instant, or a day or two after. As a prerequisite to setting out, your Letter of Credit, accorded me on the 1st May, was counted on. Day after day I looked for it, and in the meantime I got all my things packed up and ready. In my last I intimated that said letter had not arrived, nor has it yet come, nor in your reply to mine of the 23rd ultimo do you, in yours of the 29th this morning received, take any notice of the subject. I am a little at a loss to account for this, especially considering how punctual and regular yourself and Mr. Hitchin are in such and all matters.
But, all is well. I can do without it, and in fact would not have used it for drawing at the present moment, as I found that it would have been an accommodation to Mr. Usoz to put money in London, and I prefer taking from him to getting from the Bank, because he gives me specie, and in the Bank I would get paper, at a loss of 10%. I save also the commission. I apprise Mr. Hitchin on the subject. Still I wished your Letter of Credit here before I should go in order to make new arrangements with it for future operations. I had everything ready to start this morning at five, but no letter having come, I put off going in expectation of one today. One has come, but still the Letter of Credit is lacking. However, I shall not wait longer, but start with the first stage, which goes the day after tomorrow. You further letters will be directed to this place, as noticed in my last, and they will follow me.
And now a word respecting your brief letter this morning received. I thank you for the hope you afford me that my little Basque printing will not be unacceptable. As to the Acts we must learn the character of the translation before we print. We have at least one true Christian in these provinces to whom we can submit it, and I carry it with me for that end. In Andorra, of course before printing you will be apprised of circumstances, so as to say yea, or nay.
As to my little advice of sending books by our new envoy, you do not need to go to Lord Palmerston who has no concern with it, but simply to the Embassador himself.
Many thanks for your letter to Toulouse, and for its kindly wording.
On the 3rd instant I had a letter from Tangier from our Jew friend residing there. He informs me that the Books have arrived but he is a little disappointed as to the size, by which I fear that the type is small. On this I touched in my last. I gave him the cost prices, as the highest he should take. This he calls a terrible precio. I authorized him however to sell them at whatever price he could well get, so as to secure an extensive sale with the least loss possible. The binding also it seems is not exactly what he looked for. Please inform me what kind it is. In my letter of the 23rd November, I find I have said on this as follows, – "These volumes may be bound in roan, without gilding the edges, or in the neat way in which most books are now issued in stamped or ornamented cloth, with the edges cut."
He wishes for 25 of Bagster's Bible such as those I took with me, and he inquires whether there are any Hebrew and English Bibles, and if so, to send five copies for trial. Please therefore to send these 25, which were in blue calf with marbled edges. The Hebrew & English interleaved in one volume you can of course get at Bagster's.
In my letter to him written from this in February, I inquired anew as to the knowledge of the Hebrew language among the Jews in that quarter, and his reply is as follows, – "In respect to your inquiries whether my countrymen here, and in the interior of this country, understand the Hebrew tongue. I would say, that generally speaking, they all understand it and the children also know it well." This fully corresponds with what I formerly wrote you on the subject, and affords a good prospect for the circulation of the Hebrew Scriptures.
I think it would be well to send with the rest, say ten of Duncan's Bible, bound in four volumes to see whether they are liked better. And the binding please to make different from those sent, adopting the other of the two modes I mentioned.
In preparing for this journey, as on the former occasion, I avail myself of acquaintances made here in obtaining letters for the different places to which I go. Besides others who have favoured me in this way, the Conductor of the work now publishing in 10 volumes 4o. entitled "Geographical and Statistical Dictionary of Spain", has been particularly friendly to me, and he was able to be so from his extensive acquaintances in correspondence over all the country. This gentleman drew up an introductory letter for me of some length, and couched in kindly, not say also, complementary terms, and put the same into the hands of his clerks to make several copies of it, and which he afterwards signed and addressed himself to the several parties in the long line of my intended route. He has given me no less than 29 of these letters. This I call a very friendly action, and for which I feel gratefully towards the individual donor, and give thanks to God for disposing him thus effectively to serve me. May the Lord give him and his Bible blessing. To this gentleman I was introduced by my kind friend the Political Chief or Governor of Cadiz, whom I mentioned to you formerly. From him also I have received letters of introduction on the present occasion. In writing to him for these, I took occasion to say, that I hoped he and his family kept the little book in mind, and in use, which I gave him, as it contained the best instructions for what happiness this world could afford, and was the guide to everlasting life. In his reply accompanying the letters forwarded, he says on this point as follows. – "On account of the sacred subject of the little book of our Lord Jesus Christ, to which you refer, and its divine unction, and from its being put into my hands by you, it is one of the books which in preference I keep always at hand, in order to profit by its divine consolations when my occupations afford me leisure, for I am fully convinced, that in it alone we are taught the way of obtaining the incomplete happiness which this world can give, and the future eternal life of glory. My wife and children read in it continually, and benefit by the healthful doctrines contained in this fountain of all good."
To produce some effects similar to those here exhibited, is one of the main inducements held out, as you will recollect, by Mr. Hull in his letter which led to the present mission. I am glad in being able to give you this little specimen. The time may be at hand in all these little gains may be turned to extensive account in a wide distribution of the Scriptures over this country.
The printer of our Basque St. Luke, who has been in England, is a warm friend of the circulation of the Scriptures here, as a sanatory measure in every sense for his country. He will afford his help to us in every way when we are well supplied with stock. Among other little things that I gave him to read was "The Defence of the Bible Societies," which I published in Mexico. On reading it he immediately bethought himself of a person he knew who had erroneous ideas on the subject. He took it to him, and afterwards informed me that it had produced to the full the effect he had desired, and changed the individual into a friend of the Bible Society, and he has promised his help.
The uncle of this printer, to whom the establishment belonged, and who died a few years ago, was a man of a superior mind, and above the usual prejudices of his country, as to self estimation and contempt to foreigners. One of the modes he took to teach his countrymen on the subject was by keeping hung up in his establishment two boards. One contained a plate of engraving exhibiting the grand auto-de-fe which took place here in 1680, when many were committed to the flames. (Under this in very legible characters he had printed, – "View of the Civilization and Illumination of Spain.")* The other Board contained in four sections, one over another, an exhibition of our railroads. In the first section there was a row of first-class carriages. In the second section were seen the 2nd and 3rd class carriages. The third had carriages for Goods, and the fourth for Cattle. (Under the whole was printed in large characters, – "Proofs of the Barbarity and Poverty of the English.")** The nephew has profited by these exhibitions, and we may profit by the nephew.
Yours, My Dear Friend, Very Truly,
James Thomson.
P.S. You requested me, I remember, once or twice, to mark those parts of my letters which I wished more particularly to be read in Committee, when their length would make it inconvenient to read the whole. To this I would reply, that you have always full liberty to omit as much as you choose, and what you choose. It is always an effort with me, rather than a pleasure, to undertake either a long letter or a long journey, and yet circumstances, which seem to form duties, often impel me to both. But you are a better judge than I can be of what should be read in your Committee meetings.
* Corrected by Dr. Thomson July 1, 1848.
"Over this in very legible characters he has printed View of the Civilization and Religion of Spain."
** "Over the whole, at the top of the Board was printed in large letters, Effects of Steam Movement in England, and at the bottom was printed, with equal legibility - Proofs of the Ignorance and Poverty of the English."