Mexico City, 7th September 1842

Rev A Brandram - No 124

Mexico 7th September 1842

My dear Friend,

I left Veracruz on the 22nd ultimo as I mentioned to you in my last which was written on that day. In Jalapa I stopped a day, and one day also in Puebla, in both of which places I made arrangements with Booksellers for the sale of our books when they arrive.

On the 29th of August I arrived in this large and fine city in the midst of many thoughts of things past and present. I feel thankful for my safe arrival here; and there is more than common-place in this expres­sion, for dangers of different kinds have been passed through. The city of Veracruz, never very healthy, is in the summer season very bad, owing to the disease called the Black Vomit,[1] which then prevails, and cuts off great numbers, and most frequently with very little warning. Those arriving there from the sea, or from the high lands here, are most subject to it. I was kept in safety there in the midst of the pestilence, as I had been on two former occasions in the summers of 1827 and 1830. Escaping Veracruz, on the way to this city, one gets immediately into another peril, of a different kind, but probably worse. The whole road is infested more or less with robbers and murderers. The evil to be encountered in this case may best be seen perhaps by stating that not less than 19 of these banditti have been caught, tried, and executed, within the last three months. Nor has this severity, though so recent, rendered the road safe, as we were obliged to have an escort of soldiers on several parts, where the danger is greatest. You see, then, that I have good reason to say that I feel thankful for my safe arrival in this city; and I mention these things the more, that any among you who feel an interest in your poor traveller, and pray for him, may give thanks likewise with me to the Great Preserver; and, further, that they may be reminded afresh of the need I have of their continual prayers, considering the nature of the country I am in, and of the other similar countries I have to travel through in your service.

In my letter to you of the 30th June last, when ordering Books for this place, I said that I would take some with me from New York, to meet immediate demands. These, however, were not brought, owing to an oversight that was made in their not being entered at the Customs House in time. This is of no great consequence perhaps, but it makes me look the more anxiously for the supply you are sending me from London. In Puebla I saw in a Bookseller's five of your Bibles of those printed in Barcelona, which came there in the normal course of business from that city along with other Spanish books. These were the first I have seen of your Barcelona edition. They look well, and the binding is good, but I could not help observing the blankness of the backs, they are so very plain.  If you could at least letter the backs, it would be a great improvement, and would give them an advantage here. A little more than lettering would be still better.

I can find no trace of the 250 copies of the Gospel by Luke in the Mexican dialect which you printed in London. The only thing I can learn is, that Dr Mora showed one of the books to a friend here. Pray, to whom, when, and by what conveyance did you send them? I write to Dr Mora in Paris by this mail, to inquire of him concerning this and other Bible concerns in which we laboured together. I do not wish however this to supercede the notice which I now request from you, nor from the one requested from Mr Jackson in my letter No 120.

You will recollect the edict that was issued in this metropolitan diocese, in 1829, against the buying, selling, reading, or retaining in possession any of your Bibles, and of the difficulties at the Custom House, which arose out of this. Our bookseller informs me, that in consequence of this edict, and some urgency in carrying it into effect, several of our Books were demanded and given up at the confessional. He also, however, gives me the pleasing information, that since the appointment of the present Arch­bishop no urgency has been used on the subject in the confessional; our Books, therefore, have now freer course than they had when I left, and for some time after. This is a gratifying change in advance. The Bibles and Testaments have been on open public sale uninterruptedly all along. How many have been sold since the last arrangement of accounts, I have not yet ascertained, but expect to do so soon. I am sorry to say that our Bookseller, who is a very worthy man, failed from misfortunes some months ago, a circumstance which will of course cause some loss.

The several thousands of copies of your Bibles and Testaments, which were brought into circulation here during your agency in 1827—1830, have produced, we may well say, both a direct good, and an indirect one. The direct one, of course, was these thousands of copies of the word of God coming into many hands, in a country destitute of it, and we may well suppose not without good effects, though we may not know them. The indirect one was a stir created about the Bible, both among those who were friendly to our books, and those who were not. Those against the circulation of the Scriptures without notes, were anxious to bring in a Bible containing the notes; and those friendly to us cheerfully joined them, glad thus to see the Scriptures come into more general use. The consequence was, that a Bookseller ordered an edition of Torres Amat's Bible, which was printed in 17 small volumes, in 18mo, and was sold here at 25 dollars. About 1000 copies of this have been sold. The work is still selling well, and the price is now somewhat reduced.

But this is not all of the effects of your former sales here; there is something better, something that manifests a considerable interest in the Scriptures, and does real honour to this country. A new and improved version of the entire Bible has been published here since I left in 1830. This is accompanied by the Latin of the Vulgate, together with a Harmony of the Four Gospels, prefaces to all the books, analyses, expositions, plates, maps, and dissertations. The whole amounts to 25 volumes in Spanish quarto, (which is about equal to our royal octavo), and a folio volume of maps and plates. This is altogether, as you see, an extensive work, and its publication certainly does great credit to Mexico. It is the first Bible printed here, or in any part of Spanish America, and therefore truly forms an era of a most important kind in regard to these countries. It was published by subscription in 1831, 32, and 33, at 132 dollars each copy, in boards, and there were upwards of 700 subscribers, thus involving a capital in this Bible work of about 100,000 dollars. This was certainly an unex­pected and great undertaking in this country, and under all its circum­stances. The enterprising publisher has much of the merit of the case, and his name deserves to be recorded, which is Mariano Galvan Ribera.

But there is another party which has also great merit in this work, namely, the priests of Mexico, by whom the translation was made: there were about eight of them engaged in it. This whole work is taken from the French of Vence, of which it is a translation. If you have not this French work of Vence in your library, it would be well to have it, and I hope some one of your Committee, or many friends, will present you with a copy of it.

Of this new Spanish version of the Scriptures, I have read through the Gospel  by St. Matthew, and consider it a greatly improved version, and much superior to Scio or Torres Amat. The text is in many parts interlarded with expositions, but they are printed so as to be quite distinct from the text, which is rendered with about the same freedom as our authorized version. The style of the Spanish in this work is modern, easy, and dignified, and more acceptable to general readers than the two versions above named.

One thing particularly distinguishes this translation over the other two, namely, that though it is, in one sense, formally a translation of the Vul­gate, yet there is a constant reference in it to the originals in Hebrew and Greek, and all the variations of these from the Vulgate are noticed, and also frequently adopted.

Among the many valuable dissertations contained in this work, amount­ing in all to upwards of 300, there are two on the Vulgate. In these its inferiority to the originals is distinctly set forth. The object of the Council of Trent, it is stated, was to declare its authenticity among Latin versions on the one hand, and as containing nothing contrary to the faith and sound morals on the other, and not to say that it was free from errors, or preferable to the Hebrew and Greek, with which it was not compared at all, in the decree on the subject. In these two dissertations, errors in the Vulgate are not only admitted, but shown forth freely.

I have thus dwelt at some length on this subject, because of the pre­sent and prospective bearings it has on the general circulation of the Scrip­tures, both in Mexico and Spanish America generally, and also in Spain itself. Already the Bible stands on vantage ground through it in the eyes of this people, and this same advantage will, I doubt not, increase. This Bible, from its size and price, can of course come into the hands of but a few, whilst a desire will be stirred up in many to possess it, and these will avail themselves of your cheaper book. It was your labours here, unquestionably, that led to the publication of this extensive, interesting, and useful work, and in return the greater circulation of your Bibles will be much increased by it. Had you not sent the Scriptures here, and dis­tributed them so fully, this work would not have appeared, and neither would Torres Amat's version have been so much circulated in this country; and as you have brought in these, so will they increase your circulation, and leave you in possession of the main field; just as with us in England, the Bibles without note or comment vastly surpass, in numbers, those with them; and all work together for the general knowledge of the word of God.

I am making inquiries whether it is possible to get an edition of the New Testament printed here, of this version; I mean, of course, the text only. If this could be done with ecclesiastical sanction, formal or tacit, it would at once authorize, I may say, the general circulation of the Scriptures in the country, without notes, which would be a step gained of very great importance. Such a book, from its better language than the other two, would probably become an acceptable school-book. If the govern­ment here should interest itself in the matter in favour of the schools, it would be of much consequence. Would you authorize me to make arrange­ments for such an edition? And would you give a reduction in price for the schools, should the government be friendly and anxious on the subject, in such a way as you favoured the French government and schools? And further, would you aid in putting this New Testament into the hands of the military of this country, should it be desired, as you aided the Prussians? Be kind enough to let me know your resolves on these points as early as convenient.

            I remain, Yours Truly,

                        James Thomson.

P.S.  Have the goodness to let me know what Books in Spanish American Indian languages I put in the Library in 1825, or what others beside you may have in it of these tongues, and otherwise obtained.

Also please say how many copies of the New Testament altogether were bought from your stock by the French Minister of Public Instruction, at what dates, and at what price. Likewise how many Bibles and Testaments were distributed among the Prussian soldiers, when, and how much of the cost you bore. I recollect something of these matters, but wish to have these exact before me, and official.

Address your letters for me: "Messrs Dickson, Gordon & Co., Mexico" - and put in the left hand corner, - "For the Rev. &c"

[1] Note--yellow fever. (BM)

Mexico City, 24th November 1842

Rev A Brandram No 126

Mexico 24th November 1842

My Dear Friend,

I understand that the mail sent from this city to Veracruz for the last packet was too late, and consequently it is lying there still, and will go with the present steamer. You will therefore get my last letter and this one at one time. You will not be much burdened however with an appendix in the shape of the present note, as I have little to say, being sorry to inform you that my business and prospects are apparently in statu quo, though I hope they have moved onward somewhat, yet not very visibly.

Three weeks ago I saw the Secretary of State to whom I gave in my Representation about the use of the New Testament of the Mexican version into the schools here, and of which I informed you. He said he would send me an official answer to morrow. After waiting a very reasonable time, or rather an unreasonable time, I inquired again, it being on a Saturday, and I was informed that without fail I should have a reply on the Monday following. However neither the to morrow nor the Monday has come, though they are both fully gone by, and I am still without an answer. I mention these things that you may see how we get on here, or rather are hindered from getting on, and to apprise you not to measure work done by time in this country, as the latter may be long enough, and the former little. – Notwithstanding however this delay, which is much the routine of things in Mexico, I still expect an answer to my representation, and before very long, and I have hopes of a somewhat favourable one. The Secretary told me that he had spoken with General Bravo the President, laying my Representation before him, and that he, as also himself, thought well of it. The only serious difficulty will be in Ecclesiastical one. I pray God that it may be surmounted.

I mentioned in my Letter 124 what had been done here in the way of Bible circulation through the versions of Torres Amat and Vence. I have since learned something additional on this score. In edition of Scio was also published in the city, and by subscription, the number of names on the list being about 1300. This edition was published in numbers, in all 77, at one dollar each. This Bible was printed about the same time with the Mexican version of Vence, and the one perhaps rather hindered the success of the other, whilst the Revolution that occurred during their publication injured them both, and considerably.

The issue of these three different Bibles here in the course of a few years, and the extent of sale they had, and that such high prices, all show what attention this Sacred Book has obtained in the country. Let us pray that it may obtain an increased attention in every way.

When I mentioned the French Bible of Vence in my Letter 124, and hoped some of your friends would make you a present of this valuable work, I had not the title at hand to give you. I now have it, and it is as follows: –"Sainte Bible en Latin et en Français, avec des Notes litterales, critiques, et historiques des prefaces, et des dissertaciones: Tirée du commentaire de dom. Augustin Calmet, Abbé de Senones, de l'Abbé de Vence, y des auteurs les plus celebres, pour faciliter l'intelligence de l'Ecriture Sainte: A Paris 1822." There are 25 vols in 8vo with a large folio volume of Plates.

Mr. Jackson's letter of the 31st of August came to hand on the 4th instant, and I thank him for his clear and full account of Dr. Mora's sales etc. here, about which I had inquired.

By the first of October Packet I have had no letter.

            I remain, My Dear Friend, Very Truly Yours,

                                                            James Thomson.

Mexico City, 24th December 1842

Rev A Brandram -- No 127

Mexico 24th December 1842

My Dear Friend.

In my last I told you of the statu-quo in which we were here in regard to the Representation I made to the Government of your readiness to aid in preparing an edition and a supply of the Mexican version of Vence's New Testament for the general use of the public schools. I am sorry to say that this statu-quo still remains, and that up to this date I have no official reply to my Representation. But there is, in one sense, a better reason or cause for the delay this time than during the former months. In my letter of the 28th October I signified that it was not at all improbable but that we might have, another added to our many Revolutions before that letter should reach you. If that letter by this date, the 24th December, is not yet in your hands, my prophecy has turned out true, for our Revolution has taken place: it occurred on the 19th instant. It is pretty general over the country, and done by the Military, all of whom, fortunately for peace and safety, are on one side, so that we have had this time no fighting, nor, I suppose, are likely to have. A military government, we are now to be under for some time, with Santa Anna at its head. A sort of Assembly or Convention will be got up by the same parties who have wrought this change, and such as will make some sort of Constitution as will suit themselves; and so we shall be till some other Revolution shall follow. The Congress has been sitting for several months making the Constitution. But on the 19th the soldiers closed their doors, and sent all the members about their business, their Constitution and all. Thus then we are: and this is the cause, I may say, at present, of our statu-quo; for the members of government have had, as you may well suppose, other work to do than attend to the petition and representation of an individual, and a foreigner into the bargain, and upon the subject of schools and the New Testament, when they were so busily engaged in patriotic efforts for the good of the country; for the whole of this affair has, nobody doubts, being manoeuvred by the Government, through their more immediate subjects, the military.

But your question and mine is, How is this fresh revolution likely to affect our concerns in this country? I would say in reply, that the change bodes to be in our favour. All the parties in the government are friendly to education, and well disposed, I believe, to the substance of my Representation. Time will show results and we must have a little or a long patience, considering the materials and the country in question. Prayer will hasten our movements, and I hope prosper and succeed them. There are certain rules of etiquette and propriety that prevent me from calling at the Palace and on the Government here every day, or very frequently, in order to urge my object. But, blessed be God, the Palace of Heaven is ever open, and no rules and regulations bar or hinder our continued and incessant application to that Court, and the Throne of Grace within it, there to urge our object with every importunity and fervour. Whilst therefore we cannot always press our claims with earthly governments, we can press them always with the Heavenly Government, even with the King of Kings: and to Him then let us continually apply: and in due time, I trust, our urgings and importunities will be turned into thanksgiving and praise.

The next subject is that of the Indian languages in this country, and translations of the Scriptures into them. Here we have got beyond the statu-quo, and have made some advance. I wrote to the Bishop of Michoacán some weeks ago, availing myself of the introduction of a friend whom I have long known, and who when one of the Secretaries of State here in former years, had no small part in the election of this and some other of the Bishops. I represented to the Bishop of Michoacán my desire to procure a version of the Gospel by St. Luke into the Tarasco tongue, which is very extensively spoken over his diocese. I have had a very friendly letter from him in reply to mine, in which he shows his willingness to procure this version, and he says he has some Parish Priests under his care who could manage it, being well acquainted with that language. I have written to him, the second time, begging him at once to proceed and stating some rules necessary to be attended to in making the version. In my first letter I intimated to the Bishop, that in the event of his procuring for me this version, I wished to print it, along with the Spanish on parallel pages or columns; and I signified that I would count on his giving the due ecclesiastical license for this impression. His reply, and his entering on the work intimated his readiness to grant the license and this is no small matter, for the greatest fear and difficulty in the case was in regard to such a license. Dr. Mora could not obtain it for the Mexican Gospel and therefore he sent it to you to print; but still its open circulation is doubtful because of the want of this ecclesiastical license. By one Bishop acting favourably in this matter, the way will be opened for others to act in the same manner.

Further, on the same concern, regarding the Indian languages and versions. Availing myself of the same friend to introduce me by letter, I have written to the Bishop of Oaxaca regarding the two chief languages spoken in his diocese and a version into each of them of the same Gospel, that of St. Luke. I wait in prayer, with hope and fears, the result of this application.

Thirdly, and not least on the subject. Some steps had been taken in regard to the language spoken in Yucatán, called the Mayo. The late Governor of that place is now in this city, in consequence of the secession of that state from the general Mexican Republic. I have had a good deal of conversation with him in regard to the language, and a version of one of the Gospels into it. He has given me much interesting and useful information as to the language, and the extent to which it is spoken, as also regarding the character of the people, and the general circumstances of the place. The population of the Peninsula of Yucatán is, he says, about 600,000, and the whole of these speak this language, and no other with the single exception of the town of Campeche, containing some 7,000 inhabitants. To the great body in Yucatán speaking this language are to be added the principal portion also of the inhabitants of Tabasco: the whole number of people therefore in daily use of this, and of no other, approaches well on towards one million. This subject and people and tongue are rendered the more interesting on account of the independence declared in Yucatán, and the religious liberty which is provided for in the new Constitution. From the information I have had from the Governor, I have no doubt but the people will be able to maintain their independence against all the power of Mexico. The feelings and interests of the Indians themselves are all personally and deeply involved in the matter, and they have fully entered into the struggle on their own account and advantages, and not in obedience to a few military rulers. It was an army of Indians that first broke the Spanish power. The Bishop of Yucatán as a brother of this ex-governor of whom I speak, and I have availed myself of an introduction from him to the Bishop, together with the aid of my formerly mentioned friend, and have addressed myself to him after a similar manner as to the Bishops of  Michoacán and Oaxaca. But a longish time will be required for an answer, partly owing to the distance, but chiefly from the close warfare now waged from this place against Yucatán. In the meantime I am getting information and further notices regarding the language and people of that Peninsula, from the ex-governor and other natives of the place now residing in this city.

Lastly, as respects the Indian languages. I have at length found a person able and willing to translate one of the Gospels into the Otomí, a tongue very extensively spoken in the two large dioceses of Mexico and Puebla, and which is very peculiar in its structure, resembling, as some suppose, the Chinese.

These three languages especially named, the Otomí, Tarasco, and Mayo, together with the Mexican as chief, are the four languages most extensively spoken in this country. The next to them, I believe, are the two principal languages of Oaxaca, called the Zapoteco and Mizteco. In one of these we have a translation of one of the Gospels, namely the Mexican, and steps have been taken, you will observe, for accomplishing the same in regard to the other five. By the way, if you have an opportunity, and as soon as you can, I could wish you to send me one copy of the Mexican version at least, and more, if you have plenty. I notice this, lest I should not early hear from Dr. Mora in regard to those sent him. Fuller and more particular information of the Mexican languages I hope to give you on a future occasion, as I intend to inquire especially into the subject, and to make a language map of the whole country.

            I remain, My Dear Friend,

                        Very Truly Yours

                                    James Thomson.

P.S. A Mexican gentleman has requested me to inquire whether Michaelis's Introduction to the New Testament can be got in London in Latin. Please inquire and inform me.

Please notify to Mr. Hitchin that I have drawn a Bill on my Private  Account for £50, in favour of Dickson, Gordon & Co. at 60 days, dated the 19th instant.

I said in my last that I had no letter by that packet: but afterwards I got one.

Mexico City, 24th April 1843

Rev A Brandram  No.131

Mexico 24th April 1843

My Dear Friend,

Since my last I have read your Annual Report; and I am, as I had hoped gladdened with it, in the midst of my present solitude and barrenness. Triumph we shall in our work, come what hinderances there may, in this place and in that, and from time to time. Yes, of this there is an absolute certainty. God is with us, and who can be against us?

I thank you for your very kind notices of my poor labours wrought in my unfitness in British North America. I bless God that he made to prosper these improportionate labours, and to his name, as is altogether due, be the praise.

I was much pleased with your earnest appeal to all your friends for their prayers on behalf of all engaged in the translation of the Holy Scripture. This we should all ever keep close in view, the subject is greatly important. The balancing of words in which the translators are so often engaged, and with anxious solicitude, how easily can God influence; and have we not reason to expect that he will influence the balance in answer to our prayers, though inspiration and perfection may not be granted?

I have also read since my last Mr. Lay's work on China, and have seen his two letters to you printed in the B.S. Reporter for January. I rejoice to see thereby that there are such prospects are circulating the Scriptures in the Chinese world, as I may call it, and that you have such a person as Mr. Lay to take charge of your work there partially or entirely as I understand, according as you may wish for his services in whole or in part. Pray what situation does Mr. Lay hold on board the Cornwallis?

Your letter No. 24 came to hand on the 14th instant. I rejoice in its many cheering statements respecting China, South Africa, New Zealand, Tahiti, British North America, and Jamaica.

Respecting my own predicament and duties in this country, and in others lying before me in the course of my journey, I see you have not as yet decided. I am sorry for this, as I am placed awkwardly and critically for want of your instructions. As it happens no evil has yet arisen from this want of decision and directions: but I pray you not to leave me any longer in this uncertainty as to what I should, or should not do. Say yea, or say nay, and my way will be clear. The responsibilities will be yours, not mine, if you hinder me by a negative or by silence from doing what might be done in the places I visit, for I am your servant, and look to you for instructions. Were the matter in my own hands I should have no hesitancy as to what I ought to do either as to my judgment or my conscience. What I have said refers to the Indian translations, and to an edition of Vence's New Testament, on both of which points I have spoken fully in my former letters, and to which I refer you. Our Indian versions, bating a few Vulgate words, would be in my opinion, I do not say equal, but superior to the versions you are now printing, and which have been made by the missionaries, all of which are made by persons not possessing as their mother tongue languages into which they translate, whereas ours would be made by persons speaking the Indian language from the cradle.

An edition of Vence, such as I have contemplated and treated of in my letters to you, would also I conceive be of great service in our general cause, even though these Vulgate words should not be got rid of, though perhaps we might manage to alter them, or at least some of them.

I renew the subject of the present time, I beg leave most respectfully to urge you to a decision, because of my movement to Guatemala, where most probably I shall have fewer hinderances, and more facilities in regard to these two matters than here: and also because of the general bearings of these points on my future journeyings.

I enclose you a copy of my article on the Canon printed in one of our newspapers here, and from which types I had 200 copies thrown off, that they might continue to do service here in favour of the truth itself, and good character in truth and righteousness, and also that we may be served by these in my onward movements. The early promised article in reply to mine soon made its appearance. But it was no reply, as it never touched upon my statements about the Canon and our integrity. It therefore required no answer, and has had none. Thus the matter has dropped, and our positions stand before the public uncontradicted and unanswered.

Our difficulties with the Custom House have been great, and in one sense unsurmountable, and so that we may consider the door for our books through that entrance into the city shut until some change for the better take place in this country in its laws and councils.

Notwithstanding of what I have here said, our Books are out of the Custom House, and also disposed of. Nearly all the time I have been here on the present occasion I have been on easy and friendly terms with the Archbishop, who has always treated me with attention and friendship. Through him I got the Books removed from the Custom House to his own house. Being thus freed I pleaded with him for a dispensation of the law in my favour that the Books might be openly sold. This however he would not grant but he gave me leave to re-export them although as confiscated property they were entirely in his power; I complained of the expense of carriage, he offered to pay that himself. Finally we arranged, that the Books should lie with him, and he has given me his word that they shall be faithfully distributed, but according to his own plan, and that is, of giving them to the clergy and other educated persons, as table manuals, whilst they have larger and annotated Bibles in their libraries to which they can refer. Perhaps we could not wish for better employment of the Books than this, as the Bible in this manual and table form, being always at hand and accessible, will in all probability be read, and much read, whilst the library volumes would have had an undisturbed rest, as many still have, whilst the manual is frequently used. Further and lastly, the Archbishop has given me for the books, art of his own pocket, one hundred dollars, which though not the full value, is more than half.

I have said above that the way for our Books into the city through the custom house is shut for the present. But another way is open, and has opened to me of its own accord without my inquiring about. In this way we could have continued access to the Booksellers' shops, and it remains with you to adopt it or not. There is no duty on books, so that no loss would accrue to the government or country in conveying books through it by stealth. Veracruz is still open to us for landing them.

I am preparing to leave this city for Veracruz and the Havannah, according to my former notices.

This date is an eventful day in my poor life, as it completes my 25 years' wanderings. I praise and bless the Lord for his great goodness to me during this long period, and in its various vicissitudes. I lament that I have been of so little service in his kingdom, but earnestly pray that I may do better for the future. I beg you to help me for the same by your continual prayers. I ever pray for you all. Oh that God may count us all worthy at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

            Believe me, My Dear Friend, Affectionately Yours,

                                                                                    James Thomson.

[P.S. Will you accept for yourself, My Dear Friend, and not despise, the tender offering of the Father? You have it in the enclosed Monumental. In the death and the burial of our second child you will see two spots well marked in our track from the city to Veracruz in 1830.]

Mexico City, 26th September 1843

Rev A Brandram  No.136

Mexico 26th September 1843

My Dear Friend,

At length I am on the eve of leaving the city, and of proceeding onwards in the course of my journeyings. My luggage is already on the road moving towards Veracruz, as it requires longer time to perform its journey on mule back then I shall do going by the stage.

I mentioned in my last that in consequence of a difficulty occurring between the Commissioners of Yucatán and the Government here as to the bases for their negotiations, one of the Commissioners had gone to Yucatán to see if the Government there would agree to the bases wished for by the authorities here. He has now returned, and we learned that the Government of Yucatán will admit of no alteration in the bases they formerly proposed for negotiation, nor any diminution in the exemptions and privileges they have sought and fought for. In consequence of this determination the negotiations were at once broken off, and orders have already been issued here for fresh in full preparations for a vigorous attack and warfare on Yucatán.

The commissioners leave this for their home in a few days. I intimated to you that I purposed to go with them on their return. This purpose I fully made known to them, and they very kindly gave me the benefit of going in their company, which I expect will be an advantage to me in several ways.

Some two or three months will probably elapse before the war grows hot there. Most probably an attack will be early made on Merida the capital, and it will most likely be taken unless that is a general battle fought before, and ending in favour of Yucatán. Happily my movements from Yucatán to Belize are Eastward, whilst the main part of the war will be on the West. I shall therefore leave Merida for Belize as the circumstances of the war may direct.

I am sorry for the breaking up of this negotiation on more accounts in one. First, because I think it will make the circumstances of this country much worse than they are, and they are already bad enough, and on the other hand war is always horrid and destructive. In the next place, I am grieved of the unsuccessful termination of this negotiation for peace and union, because it will greatly act upon, I fear, and hinder our operations there, from the general agitation which the war will create. But as a counterpart to all this, let us hope that this war will be overruled for good and I humbly trust it will, and perhaps only through war could go would be brought about under our actual circumstances.

I mentioned in my early communications to you from this country, on my present visit, the publication here of a new edition and a new version of the Bible, in 25 volumes, with a volume of plates; and stated, that, in addition to all the other subjects of interest connected with this publication, was the fact of its being the first Bible printed in all Spanish America. It is befitting that you should have in your library a copy of this first Spanish-American edition of the Bible, from this peculiar and interesting circumstance; and it is befitting also that you should have it, because of its being a new and a valuable translation of the Holy Scriptures. I have therefore purchased a copy for you. I have procured for you, likewise, a copy of Scio's Bible, which was published here, and is contained in eleven volumes. Some parts of this Bible were printed before any portion of the other appeared: it was published in numbers, and the other in volumes. But the new version, from that of Vence, had been in preparation for about two years before any of the parts, or even the prospectus, of Scio was issued; and a large sum expended on the same. And, besides, it was finished before the other; and, therefore, in several senses it has the just claim to be the first Bible printed in Mexico, or in all Spanish America.  These two Bibles, I beg you will accept from me as a little present for your Library. They are now on their way to Veracruz, and will be shipped there on the first vessel for London.

Hoping for your prayers in this new movement, and in the exposures of war, and in other dangers.

            I remain,

                         Truly Yours,

                                    James Thomson.