Borrow - The Bible in Spain

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November-2011

ISBN : 978-1-4121-9583-6

T HE BIBLE INSPAIN - GEORGE BORROW

AUTHOR'S PREFACE

It is very seldom that the preface of a work isread; indeed, of late years, most books have been sent into theworld without any. I deem it, however, advisable to write apreface, and to this I humbly call the attention of the courteousreader, as its perusal will not a little tend to the properunderstanding and appreciation of these volumes.

The work now offered to the public, and which isstyled THE BIBLE IN SPAIN, consists of a narrative of what occurredto me during a residence in that country, to which I was sent bythe Bible Society, as its agent for the purpose of printing andcirculating the Scriptures. It comprehends, however, certainjourneys and adventures in Portugal, and leaves me at last in "theland of the Corahai," to which region, after having undergoneconsiderable buffeting in Spain, I found it expedient to retire fora season.

It is very probable that had I visited Spain frommere curiosity, or with a view of passing a year or two agreeably,I should never have attempted to give any detailed account of myproceedings, or of what I heard and saw. I am no tourist, no writerof books of travels; but I went there on a somewhat remarkableerrand, which necessarily led me into strange situations andpositions, involved me in difficulties and perplexities, andbrought me into contact with people of all descriptions and grades;so that, upon the whole, I flatter myself that a narrative of sucha pilgrimage may not be wholly uninteresting to the public, moreespecially as the subject is not trite; for though various bookshave been published about Spain, I believe that the present is theonly one in existence which treats of missionary labour in thatcountry.

Many things, it is true, will be found in thefollowing volume which have little connexion with religion orreligious enterprise; I offer, however, no apology for introducingthem. I was, as I may say, from first to last adrift in Spain, theland of old renown, the land of wonder and mystery, with betteropportunities of becoming acquainted with its strange secrets andpeculiarities than perhaps ever yet were afforded to anyindividual, certainly to a foreigner; and if in many instances Ihave introduced scenes and characters perhaps unprecedented in awork of this description, I have only to observe, that, during mysojourn in Spain, I was so unavoidably mixed up with such, that Icould scarcely have given a faithful narrative of what befell mehad I not brought them forward in the manner which I have done.

It is worthy of remark that, called suddenly andunexpectedly "to undertake the adventure of Spain," I was notaltogether unprepared for such an enterprise. In the daydreams ofmy boyhood, Spain always bore a considerable share, and I took aparticular interest in her, without any presentiment that I shouldat a future time be called upon to take a part, however humble, inher strange dramas; which interest, at a very early period, led meto acquire her noble language, and to make myself acquainted withher literature (scarcely worthy of the language), her history andtraditions; so that when I entered Spain for the first time I feltmore at home than I should otherwise have done.

In Spain I passed five years, which, if not the mosteventful, were, I have no hesitation in saying, the most happyyears of my existence. Of Spain, at the present time, now that thedaydream has vanished, never, alas! to return, I entertain thewarmest admiration: she is the most magnificent country in theworld, probably the most fertile, and certainly with the finestclimate. Whether her children are worthy of their mother, isanother question, which I shall not attempt to answer; but contentmyself with observing, that, amongst much that is lamentable andreprehensible, I have found much that is noble and to be admired;much stern heroic virtue; much savage and horrible crime; of lowvulgar vice very little, at least amongst the great body of theSpanish nation, with which my mission lay; for it will be as wellhere to observe, that I advance no claim to an intimateacquaintance with the Spanish nobility, from whom I kept as remoteas circumstances would permit me; EN REVANCHE, however, I have hadthe honour to live on familiar terms with the peasants, shepherds,and muleteers of Spain, whose bread and bacalao I have eaten; whoalways treated me with kindness and courtesy, and to whom I havenot unfrequently been indebted for shelter and protection.

"The generous bearing of Francisco Gonzales, and thehigh deeds of Ruy Diaz the Cid, are still sung amongst thefastnesses of the Sierra Morena." (1)

(1) "Om Frands Gonzales, og Rodrik Cid. End siungesi Sierra Murene!" KRONIKE RIIM. By Severin Grundtvig. Copenhagen,1829.

I believe that no stronger argument can be broughtforward in proof of the natural vigour and resources of Spain, andthe sterling character of her population, than the fact that, atthe present day, she is still a powerful and unexhausted country,and her children still, to a certain extent, a high-minded andgreat people. Yes, notwithstanding the misrule of the brutal andsensual Austrian, the doting Bourbon, and, above all, the spiritualtyranny of the court of Rome, Spain can still maintain her own,fight her own combat, and Spaniards are not yet fanatic slaves andcrouching beggars. This is saying much, very much: she hasundergone far more than Naples had ever to bear, and yet the fateof Naples has not been hers. There is still valour in Astruria;generosity in Aragon; probity in Old Castile; and the peasant womenof La Mancha can still afford to place a silver fork and a snowynapkin beside the plate of their guest. Yes, in spite of Austrian,Bourbon, and Rome, there is still a wide gulf between Spain andNaples.

Strange as it may sound, Spain is not a fanaticcountry. I know something about her, and declare that she is not,nor has ever been; Spain never changes. It is true that, for nearlytwo centuries, she was the she-butcher, LA VERDUGA, of malignantRome; the chosen instrument for carrying into effect the atrociousprojects of that power; yet fanaticism was not the spring whichimpelled her to the work of butchery; another feeling, in her thepredominant one, was worked upon - her fatal pride. It was byhumouring her pride that she was induced to waste her preciousblood and treasure in the Low Country wars, to launch the Armada,and to many other equally insane actions. Love of Rome had everslight influence over her policy; but flattered by the title ofGonfaloniera of the Vicar of Jesus, and eager to prove herself notunworthy of the same, she shut her eyes and rushed upon her owndestruction with the cry of "Charge, Spain."

But the arms of Spain became powerless abroad, andshe retired within herself. She ceased to be the tool of thevengeance and cruelty of Rome. She was not cast aside, however. No!though she could no longer wield the sword with success against theLutherans, she might still be turned to some account. She had stillgold and silver, and she was still the land of the vine and olive.Ceasing to be the butcher, she became the banker of Rome; and thepoor Spaniards, who always esteem it a privilege to pay anotherperson's reckoning, were for a long time happy in being permittedto minister to the grasping cupidity of Rome, who during the lastcentury, probably extracted from Spain more treasure than from allthe rest of Christendom.