Article #603-1 | Gutenberg Articles

Excerpt

Excerpt from Letters of George Borrow to the British and Foreign Bible Society, by George Borrow

Permit me, my dear Sir, to correct in your letter something which savours
of inaccuracy. You hint at the issues of the Scriptures in Spain having
been small. Now during the last year I have issued three thousand
Testaments and five hundred Bibles, which is certainly no small
circulation of the Word of God in such a country. But pray inform me why
the circulation has not been ten times greater? Surely you are aware
that among the many peculiarities of my situation was this distressing
one, namely, that I was scarcely ever able to supply the people with the
books that they were in want of. They clamoured for Bibles, and I had
nothing but Testaments to offer them. Had I been possessed of twenty
thousand Bibles in the spring of the present year, I could have disposed
of them all without leaving Madrid; and they would have found their way
through all Spain. I beseech you always to bear this fact in mind in
your reports to the public, otherwise that public will remain strangely
in the dark respecting the spirit of enquiry which is abroad in Spain.

You are quite right in supposing that I entertain a favourable opinion of
Mr. Wood. I know him to be a good husband and father, and a man who
fears the Lord: he is likewise possessed of considerable ability; but I
am entirely unacquainted with any plan which he may have formed
respecting printing the Scriptures in Spain, or any memorial which he may
have sent in to the Bible Society on the subject, so that of course I
cannot be expected to express an opinion. It is my intention in a few
days to depart from hence on my expedition, so that should you be
desirous of writing to me, you had perhaps best address to Madrid.

When the Bible Society has no further occasion for my poor labours, I
hope it will do me justice to the world. I have been its faithful and
zealous servant. I shall on a future occasion take the liberty of
addressing you as a friend respecting my prospects. I have the materials
of a curious book of travels in Spain; I have enough metrical
translations from all languages, especially the Celtic and Sclavonic, to
fill a dozen volumes; and I have formed a vocabulary of the Spanish Gypsy
tongue, and also a collection of the songs and poetry of the Gitanos with
introductory essays. Perhaps some of these literary labours might be
turned to account. I wish to obtain honourably and respectably the means
of visiting China, or particular parts of Africa. I call this letter
private, but communicate such parts of it as you think proper.

Explanation

Detailed Explanation of the Excerpt from Letters of George Borrow to the British and Foreign Bible Society

Context of the Source

George Borrow (1803–1881) was a British travel writer, linguist, and missionary agent for the British and Foreign Bible Society (BFBS), an organization dedicated to distributing Christian Scriptures worldwide. Between 1835 and 1840, Borrow worked in Spain during a period of political instability (following the death of King Ferdinand VII and the Carlist Wars), where he distributed Bibles and Testaments despite official opposition from the Catholic Church and the Spanish government.

This letter, likely written in the late 1830s, reflects Borrow’s frustrations with the BFBS’s administrative decisions, his passion for spreading the Bible in Spain, and his broader literary and scholarly ambitions. It also reveals his independent, sometimes combative spirit—a trait that later defined his travelogues, such as The Bible in Spain (1843), where he recounted his experiences in the country.

Themes in the Excerpt

Zeal for Bible Distribution & Frustration with Supply Shortages
- Borrow is defensive yet passionate about his work, correcting the BFBS’s assumption that Bible circulation in Spain was "small." He insists that demand far outstripped supply—had he had 20,000 Bibles, he could have distributed them all.
- This reflects a missionary urgency, but also a critique of institutional inefficiency. Borrow suggests that the BFBS’s failure to provide enough Bibles misrepresents the Spanish people’s hunger for Scripture ("the spirit of enquiry which is abroad in Spain").
Personal Integrity & Desire for Recognition
- Borrow asserts his loyalty ("I have been its faithful and zealous servant") but also hints at future expectations—he wants the BFBS to "do me justice to the world" when his service ends.
- There is a subtle tension between his devotion to the cause and his personal ambitions (travel writing, linguistics, and further expeditions).
Scholarly & Literary Ambitions
- Borrow boasts of his unpublished works:
  - A "curious book of travels in Spain" (likely The Bible in Spain).
  - Metrical translations from Celtic and Slavonic languages.
  - A dictionary of Spanish Gypsy (Caló) and a collection of Gitano (Roma) poetry.
- These reveal his polyglot genius and romantic fascination with marginalized cultures, themes central to his later works.
Wanderlust & Future Expeditions
- His closing lines express a desire to explore China or Africa, showing his restless, adventurous spirit. He seeks honorable funding for these journeys, suggesting he views his missionary work as a stepping stone to greater exploits.
Diplomacy & Private vs. Public Communication
- The letter is marked "private," yet Borrow permits selective sharing, indicating a strategic awareness of how his words might be used.
- His praise for Mr. Wood (a fellow missionary) is measured—he acknowledges his virtues but avoids endorsing unknown plans, showing caution in organizational politics.

Literary Devices & Stylistic Features

Rhetorical Questions & Emphatic Corrections
- "Pray inform me why the circulation has not been ten times greater?"
  - This challenges the BFBS’s assumptions while highlighting his own efforts.
- "Surely you are aware that among the many peculiarities of my situation was this distressing one..."
  - The word "distressing" emphasizes his frustration, while "peculiarities" downplays his struggles as mere idiosyncrasies of the job.
Hyperbole for Effect
- "Had I been possessed of twenty thousand Bibles... I could have disposed of them all without leaving Madrid."
  - This exaggeration underscores the immense demand for Bibles in Spain, reinforcing his argument that the BFBS underestimates the opportunity.
Appeal to Pathos (Emotional Persuasion)
- "I beseech you always to bear this fact in mind... otherwise that public will remain strangely in the dark..."
  - Borrow pleads for accuracy, framing misinformation as a disservice to both the Spanish people and the BFBS’s mission.
Parallel Structure & Repetition
- "I have the materials of a curious book... I have enough metrical translations... I have formed a vocabulary..."
  - The anaphora ("I have") creates a rhythmic, accumulating effect, showcasing his intellectual productivity and diverse interests.
Irony & Understatement
- "When the Bible Society has no further occasion for my poor labours..."
  - "Poor labours" is false modesty—Borrow clearly believes his work is valuable and underappreciated.
Formal Yet Personal Tone
- The letter blends official correspondence (addressing the BFBS’s policies) with personal aspirations (his travel writing and linguistic projects).
- Phrases like "my dear Sir" and "I call this letter private" create a confidential, almost intimate tone, despite the public stakes of the discussion.

Significance of the Excerpt

Historical Insight into 19th-Century Missionary Work
- The letter reveals the logistical and political challenges of distributing Protestant Bibles in Catholic Spain, where such activities were often suspect or illegal.
- Borrow’s defiance of local authorities (a theme in The Bible in Spain) is hinted at in his frustration with supply limitations.
Borrow’s Self-Fashioning as a Romantic Adventurer-Scholar
- Unlike typical missionaries, Borrow positions himself as a man of letters, blending religious zeal with intellectual curiosity.
- His interest in Gypsy culture foreshadows later Romantic and anthropological fascination with marginalized groups.
Tension Between Institutional Duty and Personal Ambition
- Borrow serves the BFBS but also seeks personal legacy—his unpublished works are mentioned as potential assets, suggesting he views his missionary role as temporary.
- This duality (devotion vs. self-promotion) makes him a complex figure in 19th-century travel literature.
Precursor to The Bible in Spain
- The letter foreshadows themes in his famous travelogue:
  - Spanish religious curiosity vs. institutional resistance.
  - Borrow’s role as a cultural intermediary between Britain and Spain.
  - His adventurous, sometimes reckless methods of Bible distribution.
Colonial & Orientalist Undertones
- Borrow’s desire to explore China or Africa reflects the 19th-century European impulse to "discover" and document the non-Western world.
- His linguistic work on Gypsy culture can be seen as both preservation and exoticization, a common trait in Romantic-era ethnography.

Conclusion: The Letter as a Window into Borrow’s Mind

This excerpt is more than an administrative correspondence—it is a manifestation of Borrow’s personality: passionate, proud, restless, and slightly combative. He defends his work, critiques his employers, and subtly promotes his own talents, all while maintaining a veneer of humility.

The letter also captures a moment of transition—Borrow is still in the field but already looking ahead, dreaming of new expeditions and literary fame. His frustration with the BFBS’s limitations mirrors the larger tensions between institutional religion and individualistic adventure that define his legacy.

Ultimately, the text reveals Borrow as a man caught between duty and ambition, between spreading the Word and writing his own story—a duality that would make him one of the most idiosyncratic and enduring figures in 19th-century travel literature.

Questions

Question 1

The passage’s depiction of Borrow’s relationship with the British and Foreign Bible Society is most accurately characterised by which of the following tensions?

A. A conflict between doctrinal purity and pragmatic compromise in missionary work.
B. A struggle between institutional bureaucracy and the urgency of grassroots demand.
C. A divergence between personal ambition for literary recognition and the Society’s evangelical priorities.
D. A clash between Borrow’s romantic idealism about Spain and the Society’s scepticism of local receptivity.
E. A disparity between the Society’s financial constraints and Borrow’s extravagant proposals for expansion.

Question 2

When Borrow states, “I beseech you always to bear this fact in mind in your reports to the public, otherwise that public will remain strangely in the dark respecting the spirit of enquiry which is abroad in Spain,” his rhetorical strategy primarily serves to:

A. expose a systemic failure of the Society to recognise the scale of Spanish demand for Scriptures.
B. appeal to the recipient’s vanity by implying that accurate reporting would reflect well on their leadership.
C. subtly threaten to publicise the Society’s inadequacies if his contributions are not duly acknowledged.
D. contrast the enlightened curiosity of the Spanish people with the Society’s outdated assumptions.
E. shift blame for low circulation figures onto the Society’s logistical shortcomings rather than his own efforts.

Question 3

The passage’s closing lines—“I wish to obtain honourably and respectably the means of visiting China, or particular parts of Africa”—reveal Borrow’s underlying assumption that:

A. his missionary labours should be leveraged as a stepping stone to more prestigious intellectual and exploratory pursuits.
B. the Bible Society owes him a debt of gratitude that can only be repaid through funding future expeditions.
C. the dissemination of Scriptures in Spain is merely a preliminary phase in a broader global evangelical strategy.
D. his linguistic and ethnographic work on marginalised cultures qualifies him uniquely for colonial ventures.
E. the Society’s mission is ultimately secondary to his own destiny as a chronicler of uncharted territories.

Question 4

Which of the following best describes the function of Borrow’s repeated use of “I have” in the third paragraph?

A. To catalog his achievements with a tone of resigned humility, underscoring his underappreciated service.
B. To accumulate evidence of his intellectual productivity, subtly pressuring the Society to reward his versatility.
C. To contrast his tangible contributions with the Society’s abstract expectations, highlighting a mismatch in priorities.
D. To adopt a confessional mode, revealing his private scholarly passions as a counterpoint to his public missionary role.
E. To mimic the structure of a formal report, lending an air of objectivity to his personal ambitions.

Question 5

The passage’s treatment of Mr. Wood (“I know him to be a good husband and father, and a man who fears the Lord”) is most plausibly intended to:

A. preemptively distance Borrow from any association with Wood’s unspecified plans, while maintaining a facade of collegiality.
B. endorse Wood’s character as a model for how the Society should evaluate its agents, including Borrow himself.
C. highlight the moral virtues that Borrow shares with Wood, thereby reinforcing his own credibility.
D. contrast Wood’s domestic stability with Borrow’s restless ambition, implying a critique of the Society’s priorities.
E. signal Borrow’s reluctance to engage in organisational politics, despite his willingness to offer personal judgments.

Solutions and Explanations

1) Correct answer: C

Why C is most correct: The passage explicitly juxtaposes Borrow’s evangelical duties (distributing Bibles/Testaments) with his literary and scholarly ambitions (the “curious book of travels,” metrical translations, Gypsy vocabulary). His closing lines—“I wish to obtain honourably... the means of visiting China, or particular parts of Africa”—frame his missionary work as a means to an end, namely, securing resources for his personal intellectual and exploratory goals. This tension between institutional service and self-advancement is the dominant undercurrent.