Madrid, 29th May 1848

Rev A Brandram No.19

Madrid 29th May 1848

My Dear Friend,

Your letter of the 18th came to hand the day after I sent off mine of the 23rd and forms in some things an answer to it. I was glad to read it your good hopes on seeing Mr. Miller, but when I read further on, that he would write to General Saunders on the subject, I saw all our hopes vanish. And so it has turned out. Mr. Miller wrote to General Saunders, and his letter is before me. He says the Spanish Consul refuses to let the Books come till General Saunders gets and sends him an order from the government here. In my letter of the 24th ultimo I stated that General Saunders could not at present with propriety apply for such an order. And now things are worse in regard to such an application than before, for General Saunders is nearly out and at loggerheads with the Foreign Secretary, in consequence of neglect he has just met with in regard to leave of access to Louisiana documents, in the Archives here for which the American government has applied to aid in the history of the country.

The best thing therefore that can now be done is to send the six cases at once to Bayonne instead of the supply for that place mentioned in my last. A seventh case may be added, containing the books which Mr Knolleke has lately purchased, and say 20 or 30 Latin & Spanish Bibles interleaved, bound in one volume.

To Toulouse, besides what I mentioned, please to send the same number of Latin & Spanish Bibles, and say 200 Catalonian Testaments. Be so good as to send there also the best map of Spain you can find, in canvas and case, and Murray's Hand Book of France and the Pyrenees.

You will see what I have said about seizing the opportunity of a new Ambassador coming here to get sent with him a good supply for us in Madrid. You can show him the document you have on the privileges he enjoys of bringing articles duty free, and even those prohibited in the tariff. I hope no squeamishness about seeking aid from Authorities will hinder you from availing yourselves of such a personage, as this seems now to be our – derniere resource.

I observe what you say about the Hebrew Bibles being in 12mo and not 8vo. I hope the letter or type is not smaller than in the specimen sent from Gibraltar, and the object in sending it was to show the size of the page, and the size of the type. The 12mo size was wished for, but not with a less type than in the specimen. Please send in the seventh case to Bayonne 10 of these Bibles bound in one volume each. These may sell in the Universities here, in all of which there is a Hebrew chair.

In regard to Mogador, would you allow me to re-request you to send, either the supply mentioned, or a smaller one, if you so prefer. It is a pity to lose this seeming opening there beyond what appears in Tangier and Tetuan, first, because of the robberies and scarcity mentioned, and secondly, because of it being a place of greater trade with the interior. The Books are much more likely to sell there, (and they should be sold) than in the North.

The Acts in Basque is finished, and the printing of Luke in that tongue nearly so. The translator informs me that reading is pretty general in the Basque provinces.

There is some glimmering of hope before us as to the future entrance of  Books, as efforts are being made to procure a change in the law to permit the entrance of Books printed abroad in Spanish, that have no copy right, and this is the case with Scio's Bible. In that case we would have to bind here. It was tried to include bound books in this projected permission, but an entire negative was put upon that proposition.

            I am, My Dear Friend

                        Truly Yours,

                                    James Thomson.

P.S. My new position has necessarily led me to make a new Will, which I enclose, and beg that Mr. Hitchin may preserve it carefully put up, and as it is, sealed.

Barcelona, 1st July 1848

Rev A Brandram No.21

Barcelona 1st July 1848

My Dear Friend,

Your letter of the 20th ultimo came into my hands yesterday, and Mr. Jackson's of the 3rd and 8th are also with me, the former containing the Letter of Credit. I can well understand how Mr. Hitchin might overlook a little affair of mine in the midst of the many money and other heavy duties which lie upon him. My quarter's account goes with this, and though I have but little on hand on Travelling Account, yet having brought some money of my own in case of necessity, I shall do very well till I get to Toulouse, where, in the Bank, I shall of course lack for nothing either of money or credit.

I observed in your Resolution of the 19th your purpose of abstaining from sending books to the South of Marocco till you see how the North works, and I bow to your better judgment.

You observe the attentions of our friend who furnished me with 29 letters of introduction, and inquire if there is any way in which you could express your sense of obligation for his kindness. During the hot summer months he and his family live on the sea coast close by San Sebastian, and he has given me a very kind and earnest invitation to pass a few days with him at his house when I am in that quarter. If you would send the Spanish octavo Bible, rather superiorly bound, like the one I gave to Esportero say, I would present it to him for the reading of his family, as a remembrancer and a token of gratitude. This Bible could be sent with the Books to Bayonne. Please add also a Spanish Testament in 8vo bound in the same manner.

The arrangements noticed in Mr. Jackson's two letters regarding the Books for Toulouse and Bayonne will do very well. I would observe that as far as Bayonne is concerned, if there are vessels direct from England to that Port, the cases you may send for that place should be so sent instead of to Bordeaux. I think I noticed this before in a note to Mr. Knolleke desiring him to mention it to you.

A word now in regard to my journey thus far. I started on the 7th June, as indicated to you in my letter of the 5th. One of my two objects in going to Valencia on my way to this place was, that on the whole it was the easiest and safest way, and as cheap, the land journey being much shorter, and there being a Steamer from Valencia to Barcelona. The other reason I had was, that the more places I can visit the more knowledge of persons and things of the country I obtain, all of which may, and I hope will, be turned to account in times coming. With this same view I made a station of two days at Albacete, somewhat more than halfway from Madrid to Valencia. This is a central point where many roads meet, and the passing and re-passing in all directions is very great. It is reckoned that about 120 wagons, carts, and carriages of all descriptions pass the night there on their routes, and some 800 horses. This would be a fine place for a colport who might visit the various Inns where the parties lodge connected with these vehicles and horses. Also there is an immense eight day fair in September, second only to Seville in all Spain. This fair should also be visited if times are propitious, just as I visited San Juan de los Lagos in Mexico and sold there several hundred copies of our Books.

Valencia is a large city with a densely peopled neighbourhood. It is situated in the best watered, best cultivated, and most fertile plain in all this country, perhaps its equal is not in Europe, or the world. It is like the Valley of Damascus, and is a copy of it in its irrigation arrangements, and made by the same parties, the men of the East, who for centuries held in dominion this quarter and all Spain.[1]

I found in some of the Booksellers in Valencia a Bible or two of our publication. The smaller one they were selling at 2½ dollars, and the larger at 5. None of them however would venture to take a supply at low prices, on account of the want of sales. Many, they said, were sold formerly, but latterly very few and chiefly because of the stir raised against them by the Priests.

The language universally spoken in Valencia by all classes, the highest as well as the lowest, is a dialect called lemosin, which seems to differ as much from the Spanish as the Portuguese dose. I enclose you a specimen of it. Though all speak this dialect, it is very little read, and there are only a few books in it. Most understand Spanish. The Priests never preach in this dialect, except once a year, when two sermons are of necessity delivered in it, according to a statute on the subject. It might become an object some day to have one of the Gospels at least put into this dialect, to be used by a Bible Reader say, when such a person can be employed in this country. He would be more listened to in reading this than Spanish. The whole Bible was translated into this dialect in Spanish Bible days of past times, but all has been lost except one solitary leaf.

To each of two gentlemen who showed me particular attentions, I presented one of the little New Testaments, with special recommendations for their individual and family use. I follow these little distributions with prayer.

In Barcelona I have seen our friend Mr. Prat, the translator of the Catalan version and Mr. Bergnes, the printer of that and the other Scriptures published here. Mr. Bergnes has some copies of the Testament, and I am arranging with him about getting them into use. Both our friends are very willing to serve us. But the present time is one of extreme delicacy for any movements, on this spot especially, for Englishmen. This is owing partly to the diplomatic circumstances of the two countries. Added to this there is always a suspicion of Englishmen in this city, for it would seem they think every Englishman visiting this place comes with no other view, and has no other business here but to destroy their manufacturing establishments. These two things, together with the general and constant ones all over this country, discourage our hopes. Let us pray the more that God would hasten his kingdom here. There is a considerable number of French Protestants in the city, but they do not assemble together in any way to worship.

The Catalan dialect is spoken here, and over the whole Principality as it is called, by all classes high and low, and the most are unable to speak Spanish. Sermons are very generally delivered in it, and not long ago this was universal. I have seen a Latin and Catalan grammar, as the Latin was formerly studied in the colleges through this dialect. It is harsh, and displeases the untutored ear much more than the limosin of Valencia. There is some difference between the languages spoken on the sea coast and in the interior parts of the country. The latter is considered the purer. Your version is in the former, but those who speak it are the more numerous body.

Please to address me at Toulouse, till further notice.

                        Yours Very Truly,

                                    James Thomson.

[1] Thomson also visited the grave of Scío en Valencia: "It gave the writer of this article no little satisfaction to stand beside the tomb of Scio, in Valencia, in 1848, and to contemplate the good done in his life-time by the dead there lying, in having given to his countrymen the Holy Word of God in their own tongue." Spain, Its Position and Evangeliza­tion, also Protestant Religious Liberty Abroad, the Conduct of British Envoys, Interesting Mission in Portugal and its Dangers, with Notices of the Empire of Morocco. London: Partridge and Oakey, 1853: 15.