The Bible in Spain

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I have spoken of the surprising number of Sanskrit words contained
in the Basque language, specimens of some of which will be found
below. It is remarkable enough, that in the greater part of the
derivatives from the Sanskrit the Basque has dropped the initial
consonant, so that the word commences with a vowel. The Basque,
indeed, may be said to be almost a vowel language; the number of
consonants employed being comparatively few: perhaps eight words
out of ten commence and terminate with a vowel, owing to which it
is a language to the highest degree soft and melodious, far
excelling in this respect any other language in Europe, not even
excepting the Italian.

Here follow a few specimens of Basque words with the Sanskrit roots
in juxtaposition:-

BASQUE. SANSKRIT.
Ardoa Sandhana Wine.
Arratsa Ratri Night.
Beguia Akshi Eye.
Choria Chiria Bird.
Chacurra Cucura Dog.
Erreguina Rani Queen.
Icusi Iksha To see.
Iru Treya Three.
Jan (Khan) Khana To eat.
Uria Puri City.
Urruti Dura Far.

Such is the tongue in which I brought out Saint Luke's Gospel at
Madrid. The translation I procured originally from a Basque
physician of the name of Oteiza. Previous to being sent to the
press, the version had lain nearly two years in my possession,
during which time, and particularly during my travels, I lost no
opportunity of submitting it to the inspection of those who were
considered competent scholars in the Euscarra. It did not entirely
please me; but it was in vain to seek for a better translation.

In my early youth I had obtained a slight acquaintance with the
Euscarra, as it exists in books. This acquaintance I considerably
increased during my stay in Spain; and by occasionally mingling
with Basques, was enabled to understand the spoken language to a
certain extent, and even to speak it, but always with considerable
hesitation; for to speak Basque, even tolerably, it is necessary to
have lived in the country from a very early period. So great are
the difficulties attending it, and so strange are its
peculiarities, that it is very rare to find a foreigner possessed
of any considerable skill in the oral language, and the Spaniards
consider the obstacles so formidable that they have a proverb to
the effect that Satan once lived seven years in Biscay, and then
departed, finding himself unable either to understand or to make
himself understood.

There are few inducements to the study of this language. In the
first place, the acquisition of it is by no means necessary even to
those who reside in the countries where it is spoken; the Spanish
being generally understood throughout the Basque provinces
pertaining to Spain, and the French in those pertaining to France.

In the second place, neither dialect is in possession of any
peculiar literature capable of repaying the toil of the student.
There are various books extant both in French and Spanish Basque,
but these consist entirely of Popish devotion, and are for the most
part translations.

It will, perhaps, here be asked whether the Basques do not possess
popular poetry, like most other nations, however small and
inconsiderable. They have certainly no lack of songs, ballads, and
stanzas, but of a character by no means entitled to the appellation
of poetry. I have noted down from recitation a considerable
portion of what they call their poetry, but the only tolerable
specimen of verse which I ever discovered amongst them was the
following stanza, which, after all, is not entitled to very high
praise:-

"Ichasoa urac aundi,
Estu ondoric agueri -
Pasaco ninsaqueni andic
Maitea icustea gatic."

i.e. "The waters of the sea are vast, and their bottom cannot be
seen: but over them I will pass, that I may behold my love."

The Basques are a singing rather than a poetical people.
Notwithstanding the facility with which their tongue lends itself
to the composition of verse, they have never produced among them a
poet with the slightest pretensions to reputation; but their voices
are singularly sweet, and they are known to excel in musical
composition. It is the opinion of a certain author, the Abbe
D'Ilharce, who has written about them, that they derived the name
Cantabri, by which they were known to the Romans, from Khantor-ber,
signifying sweet singers. They possess much music of their own,
some of which is said to be exceedingly ancient. Of this music
specimens were published at Donostian (San Sebastian) in the year
1826, edited by a certain Juan Ignacio Iztueta. These consist of
wild and thrilling marches, to the sound of which it is believed
that the ancient Basques were in the habit of descending from their
mountains to combat with the Romans, and subsequently with the
Moors. Whilst listening to them it is easy to suppose oneself in
the close vicinity of some desperate encounter. We seem to hear
the charge of cavalry on the sounding plain, the clash of swords,
and the rushing of men down the gorges of hills. This music is
accompanied with words, but such words! Nothing can be imagined
more stupid, commonplace, and uninteresting. So far from being
martial, they relate to everyday incidents and appear to have no
connexion whatever with the music. They are evidently of modern
date.

In person the Basques are of the middle size, and are active and
athletic. They are in general of fair complexions and handsome
features, and in appearance bear no slight resemblance to certain
Tartar tribes of the Caucasus. Their bravery is unquestionable,
and they are considered as the best soldiery belonging to the
Spanish crown: a fact highly corroborative of the supposition that
they are of Tartar origin, the Tartars being of all races the most
warlike, and amongst whom the most remarkable conquerors have been
produced. They are faithful and honest, and capable of much
disinterested attachment; kind and hospitable to strangers; all of
which points are far from being at variance with the Tartan
character. But they are somewhat dull, and their capacities are by
no means of a high order, and in these respects they again resemble
the Tartars.

No people on earth are prouder than the Basques, but theirs is a
kind of republican pride. They have no nobility amongst them, and
no one will acknowledge a superior. The poorest carman is as proud
as the governor of Tolosa. "He is more powerful than I," he will
say, "but I am of as good blood; perhaps hereafter I may become a
governor myself." They abhor servitude, at least out of their own
country; and though circumstances frequently oblige them to seek
masters, it is very rare to find them filling the places of common
domestics; they are stewards, secretaries, accountants, etc. True
it is, that it was my own fortune to obtain a Basque domestic; but
then he always treated me more as an equal than a master, would sit
down in my presence, give me his advice unasked, and enter into
conversation with me at all times and occasions. Did I check him!
Certainly not! For in that case he would have left me, and a more
faithful creature I never knew. His fate was a mournful one, as
will appear in the sequel.

I have said that the Basques abhor servitude, and are rarely to be
found serving as domestics amongst the Spaniards. I allude,
however, merely to the males. The females, on the contrary, have
no objection whatever to enter houses as servants. Women, indeed,
amongst the Basques are not looked upon with all the esteem which
they deserve, and are considered as fitted for little else than to
perform menial offices, even as in the East, where they are viewed
in the light of servants and slaves. The Basque females differ
widely in character from the men; they are quick and vivacious, and
have in general much more talent. They are famous for their skill
as cooks, and in most respectable houses of Madrid a Biscayan
female may be found in the kitchen, queen supreme of the culinary
department.

CHAPTER XXXVIII

The Prohibition--Gospel Persecuted--Charge of Sorcery--Ofalia.

About the middle of January a swoop was made upon me by my enemies,
in the shape of a peremptory prohibition from the political
governor of Madrid to sell any more New Testaments. This measure
by no means took me by surprise, as I had for some time previously
been expecting something of the kind, on account of the political
sentiments of the ministers then in power. I forthwith paid a
visit to Sir George Villiers, informing him of what had occurred.
He promised to do all he could to cause the prohibition to be
withdrawn. Unfortunately at this time he had not much influence,
having opposed with all his might the entrance of the moderado
ministry to power, and the nomination of Ofalia to the presidency
of the cabinet. I, however, never lost confidence in the Almighty,
in whose cause I was engaged.

Matters were going on very well before this check. The demand for
Testaments was becoming considerable, so much so, that the clergy
were alarmed, and this step was the consequence. But they had
previously recourse to another, well worthy of them, they attempted
to act upon my fears. One of the ruffians of Madrid, called
Manolos, came up to me one night, in a dark street, and told me
that unless I discontinued selling my "Jewish books," I should have
a knife "nailed in my heart"; but I told him to go home, say his
prayers, and tell his employers that I pitied them; whereupon he
turned away with an oath. A few days after, I received an order to
send two copies of the Testament to the office of the political
governor, with which I complied, and in less than twenty-four hours
an alguazil arrived at the shop with a notice prohibiting the
further sale of the work.

One circumstance rejoiced me. Singular as it may appear, the
authorities took no measures to cause my little despacho to be
closed, and I received no prohibition respecting the sale of any
work but the New Testament, and as the Gospel of Saint Luke, in
Romany and Basque, would within a short time be ready for delivery,
I hoped to carry on matters in a small way till better times should
arrive.

I was advised to erase from the shop windows the words "Despacho of
the British and Foreign Bible Society." This, however, I refused
to do. Those words had tended very much to call attention, which
was my grand object. Had I attempted to conduct things in an
underhand manner, I should, at the time of which I am speaking,
scarcely have sold thirty copies in Madrid, instead of nearly three
hundred. People who know me not, may be disposed to call me rash;
but I am far from being so, as I never adopt a venturous course
when any other is open to me. I am not, however, a person to be
terrified by any danger, when I see that braving it is the only way
to achieve an object.

The booksellers were unwilling to sell my work; I was compelled to
establish a shop of my own. Every shop in Madrid has a name. What
name could I give it but the true one? I was not ashamed of my
cause or my colours. I hoisted them, and fought beneath them not
without success.

The priestly party in Madrid, in the meantime, spared no effort to
vilify me. They started a publication called The Friend of the
Christian Religion, in which a stupid but furious attack upon me
appeared, which I, however, treated with the contempt it deserved.
But not satisfied with this, they endeavoured to incite the
populace against me, by telling them that I was a sorcerer, and a
companion of Gypsies and witches, and their agents even called me
so in the streets. That I was an associate of Gypsies and fortune-
tellers I do not deny. Why should I be ashamed of their company
when my Master mingled with publicans and thieves? Many of the
Gypsy race came frequently to visit me; received instruction, and
heard parts of the Gospel read to them in their own language, and
when they were hungry and faint, I gave them to eat and drink.
This might be deemed sorcery in Spain, but I am not without hope
that it will be otherwise estimated in England, and had I perished
at this period, I think there are some who would have been disposed
to acknowledge that I had not lived altogether in vain (always as
an instrument of the "Most Highest"), having been permitted to turn
one of the most valuable books of God into the speech of the most
degraded of his creatures.

In the meantime I endeavoured to enter into negotiations with the
ministry, for the purpose of obtaining permission to sell the New
Testament in Madrid, and the nullification of the prohibition. I
experienced, however, great opposition, which I was unable to
surmount. Several of the ultra-popish bishops, then resident in
Madrid, had denounced the Bible, the Bible Society, and myself.
Nevertheless, notwithstanding their powerful and united efforts,
they were unable to effect their principal object, namely, my
expulsion from Madrid and Spain. The Count Ofalia, notwithstanding
he had permitted himself to be made the instrument, to a certain
extent, of these people, would not consent to be pushed to such a
length. Throughout this affair, I cannot find words sufficiently
strong to do justice to the zeal and interest which Sir George
Villiers displayed in the cause of the Testament. He had various
interviews with Ofalia on the subject, and in these he expressed to
him his sense of the injustice and tyranny which had been practised
in this instance towards his countryman.

Ofalia had been moved by these remonstrances, and more than once
promised to do all in his power to oblige Sir George; but then the
bishops again beset him, and playing upon his political if not
religious fears, prevented him from acting a just, honest, and
honourable part. At the desire of Sir George Villiers, I drew up a
brief account of the Bible Society, and an exposition of its views,
especially in respect to Spain, which he presented with his own
hands to the Count. I shall not trouble the reader by inserting
this memorial, but content myself with observing, that I made no
attempts to flatter and cajole, but expressed myself honestly and
frankly, as a Christian ought. Ofalia, on reading it, said, "What
a pity that this is a Protestant society, and that all its members
are not Catholics."

A few days subsequently, to my great astonishment, he sent a
message to me by a friend, requesting that I would send him a copy
of my Gypsy Gospel. I may as well here state, that the fame of
this work, though not yet published, had already spread like
wildfire through Madrid, and every person was passionately eager to
possess a copy; indeed, several grandees of Spain sent messages
with similar requests, all of which I however denied. I instantly
resolved to take advantage of this overture on the part of Count
Ofalia, and to call on him myself. I therefore caused a copy of
the Gospel to be handsomely bound, and proceeding to the palace,
was instantly admitted to him. He was a dusky, diminutive person,
between fifty and sixty years of age, with false hair and teeth,
but exceedingly gentlemanly manners. He received me with great
affability, and thanked me for my present; but on my proceeding to
speak of the New Testament, he told me that the subject was
surrounded with difficulties, and that the great body of the clergy
had taken up the matter against me; he conjured me, however, to be
patient and peaceable, in which case he said he would endeavour to
devise some plan to satisfy me. Amongst other things, he observed
that the bishops hated a sectarian more than an Atheist. Whereupon
I replied, that, like the Pharisees of old, they cared more for the
gold of the temple than the temple itself. Throughout the whole of
our interview he evidently laboured under great fear, and was
continually looking behind and around him, seemingly in dread of
being overheard, which brought to my mind an expression of a friend
of mine, that if there be any truth in metempsychosis, the soul of
Count Ofalia must have originally belonged to a mouse. We parted
in kindness, and I went away, wondering by what strange chance this
poor man had become prime minister of a country like Spain.

CHAPTER XXXIX

The Two Gospels--The Alguazil--The Warrant--The Good Maria--The
Arrest--Sent to Prison--Reflections--The Reception--The Prison
Room--Redress Demanded.

At length the Gospel of Saint Luke in the Gypsy language was in a
state of readiness. I therefore deposited a certain number of
copies in the despacho, and announced them for sale. The Basque,
which was by this time also printed, was likewise advertised. For
this last work there was little demand. Not so, however, for the
Gypsy Luke, of which I could have easily disposed of the whole
edition in less than a fortnight. Long, however, before this
period had expired, the clergy were up in arms. "Sorcery!" said
one bishop. "There is more in this than we can dive into,"
exclaimed a second. "He will convert all Spain by means of the
Gypsy language," cried a third. And then came the usual chorus on
such occasions, of Que infamia! Que picardia! At last, having
consulted together, away they hurried to their tool the corregidor,
or, according to the modern term, the gefe politico of Madrid. I
have forgotten the name of this worthy, of whom I had myself no
personal knowledge whatever. Judging from his actions, however,
and from common report, I should say that he was a stupid wrong-
headed creature, savage withal--a melange of borrico, mule, and
wolf. Having an inveterate antipathy to all foreigners, he lent a
willing ear to the complaint of my accusers, and forthwith gave
orders to make a seizure of all the copies of the Gypsy Gospel
which could be found in the despacho. The consequence was, that a
numerous body of alguazils directed their steps to the Calle del
principe; some thirty copies of the book in question were pounced
upon, and about the same number of Saint Luke in Basque. With this
spoil these satellites returned in triumph to the gefatura
politica, where they divided the copies of the Gypsy volume amongst
themselves, selling subsequently the greater number at a large
price, the book being in the greatest demand, and thus becoming
unintentionally agents of an heretical society. But every one must
live by his trade, say these people, and they lose no opportunity
of making their words good, by disposing to the best advantage of
any booty which falls into their hands. As no person cared about
the Basque Gospel, it was safely stowed away, with other
unmarketable captures, in the warehouses of the office.

The Gypsy Gospels had now been seized, at least as many as were
exposed for sale in the despacho. The corregidor and his friends,
however, were of opinion that many more might be obtained by means
of a little management. Fellows, therefore, hangers-on of the
police office, were daily dispatched to the shop in all kinds of
disguises, inquiring, with great seeming anxiety, for "Gypsy
books," and offering high prices for copies. They, however,
returned to their employers empty-handed. My Gallegan was on his
guard, informing all who made inquiries, that books of no
description would be sold at the establishment for the present.
Which was in truth the case, as I had given him particular orders
to sell no more under any pretence whatever.

I got no credit, however, for my frank dealing. The corregidor and
his confederates could not persuade themselves but that by some
means mysterious and unknown to them, I was daily selling hundreds
of these Gypsy books, which were to revolutionize the country, and
annihilate the power of the Father of Rome. A plan was therefore
resolved upon, by means of which they hoped to have an opportunity
of placing me in a position which would incapacitate me for some
time from taking any active measures to circulate the Scriptures,
either in Gypsy or in any other language.

It was on the morning of the first of May, if I forget not, that an
unknown individual made his appearance in my apartment as I was
seated at breakfast; he was a mean-looking fellow, about the middle
stature, with a countenance on which knave was written in legible
characters. The hostess ushered him in, and then withdrew. I did
not like the appearance of my visitor, but assuming some degree of
courtesy, I requested him to sit down, and demanded his business.
"I come from his excellency the political chief of Madrid," he
replied, "and my business is to inform you that his excellency is
perfectly aware of your proceedings, and is at any time able to
prove that you are still disposing of in secret those evil books
which you have been forbidden to sell." "Is he so," I replied;
"pray let him do so forthwith, but what need of giving me
information?" "Perhaps," continued the fellow, "you think his
worship has no witnesses; know, however, that he has many, and
respectable ones too." "Doubtless," I replied, "and from the
respectability of your own appearance, you are perhaps one of them.
But you are occupying my time unprofitably; begone, therefore, and
tell whoever sent you, that I have by no means a high opinion of
his wisdom." "I shall go when I please," retorted the fellow; "do
you know to whom you are speaking? Are you aware that if I think
fit I can search your apartment, yes, even below your bed? What
have we here," he continued; and commenced with his stick poking a
heap of papers which lay upon a chair; "what have we here; are
these also papers of the Gypsies?" I instantly determined upon
submitting no longer to this behaviour, and taking the fellow by
the arm, led him out of the apartment, and then still holding him,
conducted him downstairs from the third floor in which I lived,
into the street, looking him steadfastly in the face the whole
while.

The fellow had left his sombrero on the table, which I dispatched
to him by the landlady, who delivered it into his hand as he stood
in the street staring with distended eyes at the balcony of my
apartment.

"A trampa has been laid for you, Don Jorge," said Maria Diaz, when
she had reascended from the street; "that corchete came here with
no other intention than to have a dispute with you; out of every
word you have said he will make a long history, as is the custom
with these people: indeed he said, as I handed him his hat, that
ere twenty-four hours were over, you should see the inside of the
prison of Madrid."

In effect, during the course of the morning, I was told that a
warrant had been issued for my apprehension. The prospect of
incarceration, however, did not fill me with much dismay; an
adventurous life and inveterate habits of wandering having long
familiarized me to situations of every kind, so much so as to feel
myself quite as comfortable in a prison as in the gilded chamber of
palaces; indeed more so, as in the former place I can always add to
my store of useful information, whereas in the latter, ennui
frequently assails me. I had, moreover, been thinking for some
time past of paying a visit to the prison, partly in the hope of
being able to say a few words of Christian instruction to the
criminals, and partly with the view of making certain
investigations in the robber language of Spain, a subject about
which I had long felt much curiosity; indeed, I had already made
application for admittance into the Carcel de la Corte, but had
found the matter surrounded with difficulties, as my friend Ofalia
would have said. I rather rejoiced then in the opportunity which
was now about to present itself of entering the prison, not in the
character of a visitor for an hour, but as a martyr, and as one
suffering in the holy cause of religion. I was determined,
however, to disappoint my enemies for that day at least, and to
render null the threat of the alguazil, that I should be imprisoned
within twenty-four hours. I therefore took up my abode for the
rest of the day in a celebrated French tavern in the Calle del
Caballero de Gracia, which, as it was one of the most fashionable
and public places in Madrid, I naturally concluded was one of the
last where the corregidor would think of seeking me.

About ten at night, Maria Diaz, to whom I had communicated the
place of my retreat, arrived with her son, Juan Lopez. "O senor,"
said she on seeing me, "they are already in quest of you; the
alcalde of the barrio, with a large comitiva of alguazils and such
like people, have just been at our house with a warrant for your
imprisonment from the corregidor. They searched the whole house,
and were much disappointed at not finding you. Wo is me, what will
they do when they catch you?" "Be under no apprehensions, good
Maria," said I; "you forget that I am an Englishman, and so it
seems does the corregidor. Whenever he catches me, depend upon it
he will be glad enough to let me go. For the present, however, we
will permit him to follow his own course, for the spirit of folly
seems to have seized him."