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, 23rd June 1843

Rev A Brandram  No.133

Mexico 23rd June 1843

My Dear Friend,

Our last packet brought your letter of the 29th April, and a duplicate of the one sent by the preceding packet. What a dismal accident is that of the Solway, with the loss of so many lives! This event makes me afresh give thanks to God for the gracious preservations he has vouchsafed to me in many voyages: and Oh may his gracious hand be upon me until I see your face again and my native land in peace, a blessing I may say, I hope for more than expect, when I cast my eyes on the long course that lies before me: but I will also cast them upwards and hope for the best as it is my duty to do so.

Your last letter mentions Home for me, perhaps before long. This is rather a temptation, and a pretty strong one too, for one who left home, or somewhat equivalent to it, on the present occasion, lowing as he went, like the kine that conveyed the ark, and because his half was left behind.[1] But Home is not so near for me; and though I cannot much rejoice in this personally perhaps, yet as your servant, and the messenger of the churches, to circulate the word of God, in this country and over the vast field lying in the vista, I will rejoice. This present period is probably our darkest day in regard to this mission, for clouds have gathered and thickened upon us hitherto. But the sky is opening, and brighter spots may now be seen in it, and more brightness, I trust, will follow, and we shall yet have great reason, I humbly hope, to rejoice and thank God concerning this mission.

Our main difficulty has been the shutting of the Custom House in this city against us, but the Custom House in Veracruz is still open, and such also is the case, I believe, in all the ports of this country. The stoppage in the Custom House here is owing to the Edict that was issued against our Books in this diocese in 1828. But I consider it an illegal act on the part of the Collector of the Customs to detain our Books, and when there is a more liberal system in action here, things will be otherwise, and the law will then be seen and acted upon, I doubt not, as I view it. But marked intolerance is the rule at present. Our new constitution which was finished and sworn to a few days ago is more illiberal in the article on religion than any of its predecessors. But this constitution is only preparatory to another which we are promised before long. This next may be better than this present. Let us hope for the best, and ever pray for the same.

In the meantime, and as I mentioned to you in my last letter, the word of God is esteemed here and sought after. This circumstance which was mentioned to me by our Bookseller who has good reason to know it, has been confirmed to me in subsequent conversations, and in a most decided manner. An occurrence also which has taken place since I conveyed to you that notice has strengthened this opinion. In the bankrupt stock of Mr Galvan there were some 2000 copies of the Four Books. These have been selling though slowly for some time. At length, and from a desire to get the stock sold off early, the price was lowered, and they were hawked about the streets. I observed frequently persons going about with them, and I observed others who had bought copies and were reading them. I made inquiry as to the extent of the sales, and was most agreeably surprised to learn that more than a thousand copies had been sold in a month. You will see by this circumstance a confirmation of our Bookseller's view in regard to the word of God being in esteem and sought after; and you will see it same time how openly and how freely the word of God sold in the public streets of this large city in spite of Custom House stoppages and diocesan edicts. Another statement of our Bookseller I must mention, and that is, that the cheaper we can sell our books the more extensive will be our sale. This looks like a mere truism, but it has a particular application to us here at the present time, for in consequence of our troubles and revolutions means and money are scanty with us compared to former times in Mexico.

Viewing all these things as bearing on our case, and anxious to know what should be done for the furtherance of our cause, I had especially inquired of the Bookseller what kinds of our books, and how many copies he might be able to sell for us, say in twelve months. He gave his view clearly as follows. Of the 8vo Testament he could sell, he says, 2000 copies, say at five rials each, but if at four they would sell with a certainty. Of the 12mo Testament also 2000 copies, say at three rials, but sure if at two and a half. As to the 32mo edition, he says the type is much too small for acceptance here, and it is not saleable. – What, I inquired, do you say about our Bible? He replied I could sell 2000 copies of but also in a year, if it were complete, that is, having the Apocrypha. Does not the want of notes also prevent the sale, I said, and would do so even where the Bible is complete. He said, No, for there are a great many who wish to have a small book with all the Scriptures in it, for the convenience of ready reference and reading instead of going to their 20 volume editions in their libraries, besides many others who cannot afford to buy these voluminous editions. Our Bibles are in considerable disrepute, he says, from their incompleteness. In a subsequent conversation, I said could we not force, as it were, our Bibles into sale by selling them at a very low price, say the large Bibles at a dollar each? Perhaps, he said, and probably something could be done in that way. How many copies should I order them for a twelve month's sale at this price? Let us say 500 he said, at first, and then perhaps we may require more before that time is elapsed. This is the large Bible, and not the small one, for of it too the type is much under the proper size. And in regard to the small Testament, I said (the 32mo), could you not sell it at a rial? He said, perhaps it would sell at that price, and we agreed to try 500.

In view of these statements and prospects I would request you to send us the kinds and quantities above named, and Invoices in Spanish money at the prices stated, putting the four and two and a half for the Testaments and not the five and three. I have made arrangements with a gentleman here who takes much interest in our cause, to see the Books safely conveyed from Veracruz into the hands of our Bookseller. The cases to be consigned to Messrs. Manning Mackintosh & Co. Veracruz, to be at the disposal of this gentleman, and enclosing to them a letter for him containing invoice etc. His address is  "Al Licenciado D. Domingo Saviñon, Mexico." Please to see number proper document is obtained from the Mexican consul in the place where they are shipped, and enclosed to Manning Mackintosh Co. Who require it for obtaining the books, nor can they obtain them without it.

You see in what I have said above, that there is a reasonable prospect of circulating 5000 copies of the Scriptures here in the course of 12 months. This is the opening and brighter spot in the heavens to which I referred. Further, we may say, that there will be an annual sale in this country of 5000 copies, and most probably more. This brightens our heavens again, you will perceive. Therefore notwithstanding all the clouds that thus far have enveloped us in this present mission let us thank God for the prospects now referred to, and take courage. Be so good thing as to send out these 5000 with the least delay possible. From Guatemala, I may say, I can superintend the distribution, as we have a regular post weekly between the two places. I mention this because of an observation in your last letter indicating your discouragements from past experience as to sending out books to any place where you have not individuals personally known to you to see after their distribution. Do not let this impression, or any other circumstance, hinder you from sending out these preliminary 5000. I will do my best to get them into circulation by sale as above stated, my friend Mr. Saviñon will do the same, and so will the Bookseller. This last noticed individual is a liberal and enlightened man, and as such feels an interest in the diffusion of the Scriptures among his countrymen. He has also another motive to induce him to give us his full cooperation, and that is self interest. I have arranged with him to sell our books at 12½% commission. This rate, though in one sense high, I consider fair, and also wise in us to give as under all the circumstances of this country, a country where money lent on the best commercial security yields 9%, and goes on increasing according to circumstances up to three or months, or 36% per annum.

I would now before I go farther, make an observation about the sale of our books generally in the further prosecution of this mission through those countries where more or less of the same condition of things will come before us from at the similarity of the countries to each other. I refer to the selling of our books cheap. Let us well keep in mind our Bookseller's truism, that the cheaper the more and the surer sale, and down to a certainty of sales and extensively. I know you give me full discretion, but I would like you to say whether you fully allow me to force our books into sale and use by disposing of them at any price, or even no price as circumstances may direct.

When in this country in 1827-30 I sold the Scriptures at the full cost value of the books, and several thousands were thus put into circulation. The full cost I conceive to be a rule when we can attain unto it, but another rule is also before us, and that is, that sales must be effected if at all possible. Again our third and last rule, I may say, is, that if we cannot force sales at even the lowest prices, we are to force circulation at the gospel price – nothing – wherever we can do it with the prospect of the books being read. These I understand to be your golden rules.

Permit me to say a word about the binding of the books for this market. Forced as we now are from a change of circumstances here to sell very cheap, I think the books should all be in the cheapest leather binding, that is, I believe, sheep. Yet neatness should be consulted along with cheapness. The backs of your Bibles are very dark and plain. The Americans in their cheapest sheep bindings always letter the back, and put a few transverse gold strokes on it. This is, I think, a good plan, and perhaps you might imitate it without disadvantage, to please us Americans.

It may be worthwhile to state here perhaps, that in your future prints of the Scriptures in Spanish, it would be well, as I should think, not to print on a type smaller than the Bourgeois, which I believe is the letter with which your 8vo Spanish Bible is printed, or say the Brevier for the New Testament. The same remark will apply probably to all countries, not reading countries. Please give me a note of all the Spanish Scriptures you have on hand, with their sizes and costs. Pray how is it that you can afford an English Testament, say your Brevier, at eight pence, and charge one shilling and sixpence for Spanish one of about the same size? I know that there is a duty on the paper in the one case and not in the other, and some difference too in the cost of printing, but not after the plates are made. Still the difference seems much.

I come now to speak of my movements. I am still, as you see, in this city. In my last I said I was in some perplexity as to what was best for me to do. Yucatán since then is somewhat cleared up as to its warfare state, and hopes are entertained that peace may be some established there. About one half of our Mexican force was obliged to surrender at discretion, or nearly so, and capitulated to leave the country, which was done. And the other day I perceived by the newspapers the other half has entered into an agreement to embark and return home also, making a virtue of necessity, as I suppose. Yucatán will thus be left free of all hostile forces, and be at liberty to enter into friendly relations or union with Mexico according to the terms they can both agree on. Yucatán of course has thus triumphed, agreeable to the prediction of your humble prophet. This to us, I may well say, is a great point gained, as Yucatán has established Religious Liberty by its constitution, from which here at present we are so very far. That just right however established there will no doubt have great influence in our obtaining it here and perhaps before long.

But Yucatán during the wet or summer season is very unhealthy, being greatly subject to the devouring disease of Veracruz called the Black Vomit; and this season I understand it is particularly bad, probably increased by encamped armies but it is also worse than usual this year in Veracruz. My Mexican friends here who have been in that Peninsula all advise me and strongly not to think of going there until the unhealthy season is over. The country is not yet fully open as to its war or rather peace state, I will therefore wait another month at all events to see whether hostilities will then be fully over, and to consider further what is my duty in regard to the climate.

My letters, as noticed in my last, you will please continue to send to our consul at the Havannah, Mr. Crawford. I had a very friendly note from this gentleman by the last packet enclosing your letters to him for me. I shall communicate with him from time to time as to the places to which my letters are to be forwarded, whether to this city, to Yucatán, or Guatemala. On the other hand I will arrange with Mr. Hitchin for repaying to Mr. Crawford the postage is he is obliged to prepay for me from the Havannah.

In your letter of the 29th April you say in reference to my movements and difficulties, "Every obstacle you have met with in Mexico you will meet with in the whole line of country through which you have purpose to pass." In reply to this, I would say, that I do not by any means expect that this will be the case. The shutting of the Custom House in this city, and other hinderances here also are owing mainly to the edict issued in this city and diocese in 1828, as already stated. And edict of the same kind also was issued, I understand, in Oaxaca and Guadalaxara. There are ten dioceses in this country, and only in these three have edicts been issued, so that the other seven, for ought I know, are open, and of a certainty I know that Puebla is, at least for Veracruz which is in the diocese, and which is ruled by the most illiberal, according to common report, of all our Bishops . Neither in Guatemala, nor in any part of the continent of South America has there been any edict published against our books, as far as I am aware. So far therefore from meeting with the same difficulties in every place in the line of my intended route, I do not again even once expect to meet with the same. I would fear such obstacles in Oaxaca, which is a principal objection to my going by land to Guatemala. Our way therefore you see, and our prospects are much better than you have been led to suppose. In Guatemala I expect to circulate a considerable number of copies of the Scriptures. ...

(Final section of letter missing from archives.)

[1] Note (BM): 1 Samuel 6.10-12.