第57章 20th April,1836(2)

I have hopes of success,having done all in my power to prevent a failure by making important friends since the moment of my arrival.

I was introduced to the Governor by his most intimate acquaintance Synudi,the Deputy of Huelba,to whom I was introduced by the celebrated Alcala de Galiano,the Deputy of Cadiz,who will sooner or later be Prime Minister,and to him I was introduced by -but Iwill not continue,as I might run on for ever,much after the fashion as 'This is the house which Jack built.'

And now I have something to tell you which I think will surprise you,and which,strange as it may sound,is nevertheless true.The authority of the Pope in this country is in so very feeble and precarious a situation,that little more than a breath is required to destroy it,and I am almost confident that in less than a year it will be disowned.I am doing whatever I can in Madrid to prepare the way for an event so desirable.I mix with the people,and inform them who and what the Pope is,and how disastrous to Spain his influence has been.I tell them that the indulgences,which they are in the habit of purchasing,are of no more intrinsic value than so many pieces of paper,and were merely invented with the view of plundering them.I frequently ask:'Is it possible that God,who is good,would sanction the sale of sin?'and,'Supposing certain things are sinful,do you think that God,for the sake of your money,would permit you to perform them?'In many instances my hearers have been satisfied with this simple reasoning,and have said that they would buy no more indulgences.

Moreover,the newspapers have,in two or three instances,taken up the subject of Rome upon national and political grounds.The Pope is an avowed friend of Carlos,and an enemy of the present Government,and in every instance has refused to acknowledge the Bishops who have been nominated to vacant sees by the Queen.

Therefore the editors say,and very naturally,if the Pope does everything in his power to impede the progress of Spanish regeneration,it is high time to cut the ties which still link Spain to the papal chair.It is my sincere prayer,and the prayer of many of those who have the interest of Spain at heart,that The Man of Rome will continue in the course which he is at present pursuing,for by so doing he loses Spain,and then he is nothing.

He is already laughed at throughout Italy -Ireland will alone remain to him -much good it may do him!

In respect to the Apocrypha,let me be permitted to observe that an anticipation of that difficulty was one of my motives for forbearing to request permission to print the entire Bible;and here I will hint that in these countries,until the inhabitants become Christian,it would be expedient to drop the Old Testament altogether,for if the Old accompany the New the latter will be little read,as the former is so infinitely more entertaining to the carnal man.Mr.Wilby in his [last]letter informs me that 30Bibles have been sold in Lisbon within a short time,but that the demand for Testaments has not amounted to half that number.My best respects to Mr.Jowett.

G.B.