The Life of George Borrow [123]
Borrow arrive on a black horse, and, in consequence, had spent the whole day in loitering about outside the posada. Borrow was very glad to engage him again, in spite of his recent cowardice and desertion. Borrow once more took up his abode with the estimable Maria Diaz, and one of his first cares was to call on Lord Clarendon (Sir George Villiers had succeeded his uncle as fourth earl), by whom he was kindly received.
A week later, there arrived from Lopez at Villa Seca his "largest and most useful horse," the famous Sidi Habismilk (My Lord the Sustainer of the Kingdom), "an Arabian of high caste . . . the best, I believe, that ever issued from the desert," {285a} Lopez wrote, regretting that he was unable to accompany "The Sustainer of the Kingdom" in person, being occupied with agricultural pursuits, but he sent a relative named Victoriano to assist in the work of distributing the Gospel.
Borrow's plan was to make Madrid his headquarters, with Antonio in charge of the supplies, and visit all the villages and hamlets in the vicinity that had not yet been supplied with Testaments. He then proposed to turn eastward to a distance of about thirty leagues.
"I have been very passionate in prayer," he writes, {285b} "during the last two or three days; and I entertain some hope that the Lord has condescended to answer me, as I appear to see my way with considerable clearness. It may, of course, prove a delusion, and the prospects which seem to present themselves may be mere palaces of clouds, which a breath of wind is sufficient to tumble into ruin; therefore bearing this possibility in mind it behoves me to beg that I may be always enabled to bow meekly to the dispensations of the Almighty, whether they be of favour or severity."
Mr Brandram's comment on this portion of Borrow's letter is rather suggestive of deliberate fault-finding.
"May your 'passionate' prayers be answered," he writes. {286a} "You see I remark your unusual word--very significant it is, but one rather fitted for the select circle where 'passion' is understood in its own full sense--and not in the restricted meaning attached to it ordinarily. Perhaps you will not often meet with a better set of men than those who assembled in Earl Street, but they may not always be open to the force of language, and so unwonted a phrase may raise odd feelings in their minds. Do not be in a passion, will you, for the freedom of my remarks. You will perhaps suppose remarks were made in Committee. This does not happen to be the case, though I fully anticipated it. Mr Browne, Mr Jowett and myself had first privately devoured your letter, and we made our remarks. We could relish such a phrase."
Sometimes there was a suggestion of spite in Mr Brandram's letters. He was obviously unfriendly towards Borrow during the latter portion of his agency. It was clear that the period of Borrow's further association with the Bible Society was to be limited. If he replied at all to this rather unfair criticism, he must have done so privately to Mr Brandram, as there is no record of his having referred to it in any subsequent letters among the Society's archives.
All unconscious that he had so early offended, Borrow set out upon his first journey to distribute Testaments among the villages around Madrid. Dressed in the manner of the peasants, on his head a montera, a species of leathern helmet, with jacket and trousers of the same material, and mounted on Sidi Habismilk, he looked so unlike the conventional missionary that the housewife may be excused who mistook him for a pedlar selling soap.
In some villages where the people were without money, they received Testaments in return for refreshing the missionaries. "Is this right?" Borrow enquires of Mr Brandram. The village priests frequently proved of considerable assistance; for when they pronounced the books good, as they sometimes did, the sale became extremely brisk. After an absence of eight days, Borrow returned to Madrid. Shortly afterwards, when on the eve of starting out upon another expedition
A week later, there arrived from Lopez at Villa Seca his "largest and most useful horse," the famous Sidi Habismilk (My Lord the Sustainer of the Kingdom), "an Arabian of high caste . . . the best, I believe, that ever issued from the desert," {285a} Lopez wrote, regretting that he was unable to accompany "The Sustainer of the Kingdom" in person, being occupied with agricultural pursuits, but he sent a relative named Victoriano to assist in the work of distributing the Gospel.
Borrow's plan was to make Madrid his headquarters, with Antonio in charge of the supplies, and visit all the villages and hamlets in the vicinity that had not yet been supplied with Testaments. He then proposed to turn eastward to a distance of about thirty leagues.
"I have been very passionate in prayer," he writes, {285b} "during the last two or three days; and I entertain some hope that the Lord has condescended to answer me, as I appear to see my way with considerable clearness. It may, of course, prove a delusion, and the prospects which seem to present themselves may be mere palaces of clouds, which a breath of wind is sufficient to tumble into ruin; therefore bearing this possibility in mind it behoves me to beg that I may be always enabled to bow meekly to the dispensations of the Almighty, whether they be of favour or severity."
Mr Brandram's comment on this portion of Borrow's letter is rather suggestive of deliberate fault-finding.
"May your 'passionate' prayers be answered," he writes. {286a} "You see I remark your unusual word--very significant it is, but one rather fitted for the select circle where 'passion' is understood in its own full sense--and not in the restricted meaning attached to it ordinarily. Perhaps you will not often meet with a better set of men than those who assembled in Earl Street, but they may not always be open to the force of language, and so unwonted a phrase may raise odd feelings in their minds. Do not be in a passion, will you, for the freedom of my remarks. You will perhaps suppose remarks were made in Committee. This does not happen to be the case, though I fully anticipated it. Mr Browne, Mr Jowett and myself had first privately devoured your letter, and we made our remarks. We could relish such a phrase."
Sometimes there was a suggestion of spite in Mr Brandram's letters. He was obviously unfriendly towards Borrow during the latter portion of his agency. It was clear that the period of Borrow's further association with the Bible Society was to be limited. If he replied at all to this rather unfair criticism, he must have done so privately to Mr Brandram, as there is no record of his having referred to it in any subsequent letters among the Society's archives.
All unconscious that he had so early offended, Borrow set out upon his first journey to distribute Testaments among the villages around Madrid. Dressed in the manner of the peasants, on his head a montera, a species of leathern helmet, with jacket and trousers of the same material, and mounted on Sidi Habismilk, he looked so unlike the conventional missionary that the housewife may be excused who mistook him for a pedlar selling soap.
In some villages where the people were without money, they received Testaments in return for refreshing the missionaries. "Is this right?" Borrow enquires of Mr Brandram. The village priests frequently proved of considerable assistance; for when they pronounced the books good, as they sometimes did, the sale became extremely brisk. After an absence of eight days, Borrow returned to Madrid. Shortly afterwards, when on the eve of starting out upon another expedition