Books: The Life of George Borrow

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In June 1841 Borrow received from Earl Street the originals of his
letters to the Bible Society, and when he was eventually called upon
to return them he retained a number, either through carelessness or
by design. It was evidently understood that there should be no
reference to any contentious matters. Borrow set to work with the
aid of his "Country Amanuensis" to transcribe such portions of the
correspondence as he required. The work proceeded slowly.

"I still scribble occasionally for want of something better to do,"
he informs John Murray, Junr. (23rd Aug. 1841), and continues: " . .
. A queer book will be this same Bible in Spain, containing all my
queer adventures in that queer country whilst engaged in distributing
the Gospel, but neither learning, nor disquisitions, fine writing, or
poetry. A book with such a title and of this description can
scarcely fail of success."

Through a dreary summer and autumn he wrote on complaining that there
was "scarcely a gleam of sunshine." Remote from the world "with not
the least idea of what is going on save in my immediate
neighbourhood," he wrote merely to kill time. Such an existence was,
to the last degree, uncongenial to a man who for years had been
accustomed to sunshine and a life full of incident and adventure.

He grew restless and ill-content. He had been as free as the wind,
with occupation for brain and body. He was now, like Achilles,
brooding in his tent, and over his mind there fell a shadow of
unrest. As early as July 1841 he had thought of settling in Berlin
and devoting himself to study. Hasfeldt suggested Denmark, the land
of the Sagas. Later in the same year Africa had presented itself to
Borrow as a possible retreat, but Ford advised him against it as "the
land from which few travellers return," and told him that he had much
better go to Seville. Still later Constantinople was considered and
then the coast of Barbary. Into his letters there crept a note of
querulous complaint. John Hasfeldt besought him to remember how much
he had travelled and he would find that he had wandered enough, and
then he would accustom himself to rest.

The manuscript of The Bible in Spain was completed early in January
(1842) and despatched to John Murray, who sent it to Richard Ford.
From the "reader's report" it is to be gathered that in addition to
the manuscript Borrow sent also the letters that he had borrowed from
the Bible Society. Ford refers to the story of the man stung to
death by vipers {344a} "in the letter of the 16th August 1837," and
advises that "Mr Borrow should introduce it into his narrative." He
further recommends him "to go carefully over the whole of his
Letters, as it is very probable that other points of interest which
they contain may have been omitted in the narrative. Some of the
most interesting letters relate to journies not given in the MS."

The work when it reached Ford was apparently in a very rough state.
In addition to many mistakes in spelling and grammar, a number of
words were left blank. In a vast number of instances short sentences
were run together. Mrs Borrow does not appear to have been a very
successful amanuensis at this period. Perhaps the most interesting
indication of how much the manuscript, as first submitted, differed
from the published work is shown by one of Ford's criticisms:-

"In the narrative there are at present two breaks--one from about
March 1836 to June 1837 [Chapters XIII.-XX.],--and the other from
November 1837 to July 1839 [Chapters XXXVI.-XLIX.]

This represents a third of the book as finally printed. Ford
objected to the sudden ending; but Borrow made no alteration in this
respect. There were a number of other suggestions of lesser
importance in this admirable piece of technical criticism. Ford
disliked Borrow's striving to create an air of mystery as "taking an
unwarrantable liberty with the reader"; he suggested a map and a
short biographical sketch of the author, and especially the nature of
his connection with the Bible Society. Finally he gives it as his
opinion that it is neither necessary nor advisable to insert any of
his letters to the Bible Society, either in the body of the book or
as an Appendix.

"The Dialogues are amongst the best parts of the book," Ford wrote;
"but in several of them the tone of the speakers, of those especially
who are in humble life, is too correct and elevated, and therefore
out of character. This takes away from their effect. I think it
would be very advisable that Mr Borrow should go over them with
reference to this point, simplifying a few of the turns of expression
and introducing a few contractions--don'ts, can'ts, etc. This would
improve them greatly."

This criticism applies to all Borrow's books, in particular to the
passages dealing with the Gypsies, who, in spite of their love of
high-sounding words, which they frequently misuse, do not speak with
the academic precision of Borrow's works any more than do peers or
princes or even pedagogues. Borrow met Ford's criticism with the
assurance that "the lower classes in Spain are generally elevated in
their style and scarcely ever descend to vulgarity."

Borrow's first impulse appears to have been to disregard the
suggestion that the two breaks should be filled in. On 13th Jan. he
wrote to John Murray, Junr.:

"I have received the MS. and likewise your kind letter . . . Pray
thank the Gentleman who perused the MS. in my name for his
suggestions, which I will attend to. [By this it is clear that
Borrow was not told that Ford was 'the Gentleman.'] I find that the
MS. was full of trifling mistakes, the fault of my amanuensis; but I
am going through it, and within three days shall have made all the
necessary corrections."

No man, of however sanguine a temperament, could seriously
contemplate the mere transcription of some eighty thousand words, in
addition to the correction of twice that amount of manuscript, within
three days. Nine days later Borrow wrote again to John Murray, Junr.
"We are losing time; I have corrected seven hundred CONSECUTIVE pages
of MS., and the remaining two hundred will be ready in a fortnight."
That he had taken so long was due to the fact that the greater part
of the preceding week had been occupied with other and more exciting
matters than correcting manuscript.

"During the last week," he continues, "I have been chiefly engaged in
horse-breaking. A most magnificent animal has found his way to this
neighbourhood--a half-bred Arabian--he is at present in the hands of
a low horse-dealer; he can be bought for eight pounds, but no person
will have him; it is said that he kills everybody who mounts him. I
have been CHARMING him, and have so far succeeded that at present he
does not fling me more than once in five minutes. What a
contemptible trade is the Author's compared to that of the jockey."

It was not until towards the end of February that the corrected
manuscript of the first volume of The Bible in Spain reached
Albemarle Street. Later and better counsels had apparently
prevailed, and Borrow had become reconciled to filling up the breaks.

Borrow had other occupations than preparing his manuscript for the
printer's hands. He was ill and overwrought, and small things became
magnified out of all proportion to their actual importance. There
had been a dispute between Borrow's dog and that of the rector of
Oulton, the Rev. E. P. Denniss, and as the place was small, the dogs
met frequently and renewed their feud. Finally the masters of the
animals became involved, and an interchange of frigid notes ensued.
It appears that Borrow threatened to appeal to the Law and to the
Bishop of the Diocese, and further seems to have suggested that in
the interests of peace, the rector might do away with his own dog.
The tone of the correspondence may be gathered from the following
notes:- {347a}

"Mr Denniss begs to acknowledge Mr Borrow's note, and is sorry to
hear that his dog and Mr Borrow's have again fallen out. Mr Denniss
learns from his servant that Mr D's dog was no more in fault than Mr
B's, which latter is of a very quarrelsome and savage disposition, as
Mr Denniss can himself testify, as well as many other people. Mr
Denniss regrets that these two animals cannot agree when they meet,
but he must decline acceding to Mr Borrow's somewhat arbitrary
demand, conceiving he has as much right to retain a favourite, and in
reality very harmless, animal, as Mr Borrow has to keep a dog which
has once bitten Mr Denniss himself, and oftentimes attacked him and
his family. Mr Borrow is at perfect liberty to take any measure he
may deem advisable, either before the magistrates or the Bishop of
the Diocese, as Mr Denniss is quite prepared to meet them."

"OULTON RECTORY, 22nd April 1842."

Borrow's reply (in the rough draft found among his papers after his
death) ran:

"Mr Borrow has received Mr Denniss' answer to his note. With respect
to Mr Denniss' recrimination on the quarrelsome disposition of his
harmless house-dog, Mr Borrow declines to say anything further. No
one knows better than Mr Denniss the value of his own assertions . .
. Circumstances over which Mr Borrow has at present no control will
occasionally bring him and his family under the same roof with Mr
Denniss; that roof, however, is the roof of the House of God, and the
prayers of the Church of England are wholesome from whatever mouth
they may proceed."

Borrow's most partisan admirer could not excuse the outrage to all
decency contained in the last paragraph of his note, if indeed it
were ever sent, in any other way than to plead the writer's ill-
health.

It had been arranged that The Bible in Spain should make its
appearance in May. In July Borrow wrote showing some impatience and
urging greater expedition.

"What are your intentions with respect to the Bible in Spain?" he
enquires of John Murray. "I am a frank man, and frankness never
offends me. Has anybody put you out of conceit with the book? . . .
Tell me frankly and I will drink your health in Romany. Or would the
appearance of the Bible on the first of October interfere with the
avatar, first or second, of some very wonderful lion or Divinity, to
whom George Borrow, who is NEITHER, must of course give place? Be
frank with me, my dear Sir, and I will drink your health in Romany
and Madeira."

He goes on to offer to release John Murray from his "share in the
agreement" and complete the book himself remitting to the printer
"the necessary money for the purchase of paper."

To Ford, who had acted as a sort of godfather to The Bible in Spain,
it was "a rum, very rum, mixture of gypsyism, Judaism, and missionary
adventure," as he informed John Murray. He read it "with great
delight," and its publisher may "depend upon it that the book will
sell, which, after all, is the rub." He liked the sincerity, the
style, the effect of incident piling on incident. It reminded him of
Gil Blas with a touch of Bunyan. Borrow is "such a TRUMP . . . as
full of meat as an egg, and a fresh-laid one." All this he tells
John Murray, and concludes with the assurance, "Borrow will lay you
golden eggs, and hatch them after the ways of Egypt; put salt on his
tail and secure him in your coop, and beware how any poacher coaxes
him with 'raisins' or reasons out of the Albemarle preserve." {349a}

Ford was never tired of applying new adjectives to Borrow and his
work. He was "an extraordinary fellow," "this wild missionary," "a
queer chap." Borrow, on the other hand, cherished a sincere regard
for the man who had shown such enthusiasm for his work. To John
Murray, Junr., he wrote (4th April 1843): "Pray remember me to Ford,
who is no humbug and is one of the few beings that I care something
about."

Throughout his correspondence with Borrow, Richard Ford showed a
judgment and an appreciation of what the public would be likely to
welcome that stamped him as a publishers' "reader" by instinct. Such
advice as he gave to Borrow in the following letter set up a standard
of what a book, such as Borrow had it in his power to write, actually
should be. It unquestionably influenced Borrow:-

10th June 1842.

"My advice again and again is to avoid all fine writing, all
descriptions of mere scenery and trivial events. What the world
wants are racy, real, genuine scenes, and the more out of the way the
better. Poetry is utterly to be avoided. If Apollo were to come
down from Heaven, John Murray would not take his best manuscript as a
gift. Stick to yourself, to what you have seen, and the people you
have mixed with. The more you give us of odd Jewish people the
better . . . Avoid WORDS, stick to DEEDS. Never think of how you
express yourself; for good matter MUST tell, and no fine writing will
make bad matter good. Don't be afraid that what YOU may not think
good will not be thought so by others. It often happens just the
reverse . . . New facts seen in new and strange countries will please
everybody; but old scenery, even Cintra, will not. We know all about
that, and want something that we do not know . . . The grand thing is
to be bold and to avoid the common track of the silver paper, silver
fork, blue-stocking. Give us adventure, wild adventure, journals,
thirty language book, sorcery, Jews, Gentiles, rambles, and the
INTERIOR of Spanish prisons--the way you get in, the way you get out.
No author has yet given us a Spanish prison. Enter into the
iniquities, the fees, the slang, etc. It will be a little a la
Thurtell, but you see the people like to have it so. Avoid rant and
cant. Dialogues always tell; they are dramatic and give an air of
reality."

The Bible in Spain was published 10th December, and one of the first
copies that reached him was inscribed by the author to "Ann Borrow.
With her son's best love, 13th Decr. 1842."

From the critics there was praise and scarcely anything but praise.
It was received as a work bearing the unmistakable stamp of genius.
Lockhart himself reviewed it in The Quarterly Review, confessing the
shame he felt at not having reviewed The Zincali. "Very good--very
clever--very neatly done. Only one fault to find--too laudatory,"
was Borrow's comment upon this notice.

And through the clamour and din of it all, old Mrs Borrow wrote to
her daughter-in-law telling her of the call of an old friend, whom
she had not seen for twenty-eight years, and who had come to talk
with her of the fame of her son, "the most remarkable man that
Dereham ever produced. Capt. Girling is a man of few words, but when
he DO speak it is to some purpose." Ford wrote also (he was always
writing impulsive, boyish letters) telling how Borrow's name would
"fill the trump of fame," and that "Murray is in high bone" about the
book. Hasfeldt wrote, too, saying that he saw his "friend 'tall
George,' wandering over the mountains until I ached in every joint
with the vividness of his descriptions."

In all this chorus of praise there was the complaint of the Dublin
Review that "Borrow was a missionary sent out by a gang of
conspirators against Christianity." Borrow's comment upon this
notice was that "It is easier to call names and misquote passages in
a dirty Review than to write The Bible in Spain."

A second edition of The Bible in Spain was issued in January, to
which the author contributed a preface, "very funny, but wild," he
assured John Murray, Junr., and he promised "yet another preface for
the third edition, should one be called for." The third edition
appeared in March, the fourth in June, and the fifth in July. When
the Fourth Edition was nearing completion Borrow wrote to Murray:
"Would it be as well to write a preface to this FOURTH edition with a
tirade or two against the Pope, and allusions to the Great North
Road?" To which Murray replied, "With due submission to you as
author, I would suggest that you should not abuse the Pope in the new
preface."

In the flush of his success Borrow could afford to laugh at the few
cavilling critics.

"Let them call me a nonentity if they will," he wrote to John Murray,
Junr. (13th March). "I believe that some of those, who say I am a
phantom, would alter their tone provided they were to ask me to a
good dinner; bottles emptied and fowls devoured are not exactly the
feats of a phantom. No! I partake more of the nature of a Brownie
or Robin Goodfellow, goblins, 'tis true, but full of merriment and
fun, and fond of good eating and drinking."

America echoed back the praise and bought the book in thousands.
Publishers issued editions in Philadelphia and New York; but Borrow
did not participate in the profits, as there was then no copyright
protection for English books in the United States of America. The
Athenaeum reported (27th May 1843) that 30,000 copies had been sold
in America. "I really never heard of anything so infamous," wrote
Borrow to his wife. The only thing that America gave him was praise
and (in common with other countries) a place in its biographical
dictionaries and encyclopaedias. The Bible in Spain was translated
into French and German and subsequently (abridged) into Russian.

What appeared to please Borrow most was Sir Robert Peel's reference
to him in the House of Commons, although he regretted the scanty
report of the speech given in the newspapers. Replying to Dr
Bowring's (at that time Borrow's friend) motion "for copies of the
correspondence of the British Government with the Porte on the
subject of the Bishop of Jerusalem," Sir Robert remarked: "If Mr
Borrow had been deterred by trifling obstacles, the circulation of
the Bible in Spain would never have been advanced to the extent which
it had happily attained. If he had not persevered he would not have
been the agent of so much enlightment." {352a}

There were many things that contributed to the instantaneous success
of The Bible in Spain. Apart from the vivid picture that it gave of
the indomitable courage and iron determination of a man commanding
success, its literary qualities, and enthralling interest, its
greatest commercial asset lay in its appeal to the Religious Public.
Never, perhaps, had they been invited to read such a book, because
never had the Bible been distributed by so amazing a missionary as
George Borrow. Gil Blas with a touch of Bunyan, as Ford delightfully
phrased it, and not too much Bunyan. Thieves, murderers, gypsies,
bandits, prisons, wars--all knit together by the missionary work of a
man who was persona grata with every lawless ruffian he encountered,
and yet a sower of the seed. The Religious Public did not pause to
ponder over the strangeness of the situation. They had fallen among
thieves, and with breathless eagerness were prepared to enjoy to the
full the novel experience.

Here was a religious book full of the most exquisite material thrills
without a suggestion of a spiritual moral. Criminals were
encountered, their deeds rehearsed and the customary sermon upon the
evils arising from wickedness absent. It was a stimulating drink to
unaccustomed palates. The Bible in Spain sold in its thousands.

The accuracy of the book has never been questioned; if it had,
Borrow's letters to the Bible Society would immediately settle any
doubt that might arise. If there be one incident in the work that
appears invented, it is the story of Benedict Moll, the treasure-
hunter; yet even that is authentic. In the following letter, dated
22nd June 1839, Rey Romero, the bookseller of Santiago, refers to the
unfortunate Benedict Moll:-

"The German of the Treasure," he writes, "came here last year bearing
letters from the Government for the purpose of discovering it. But,
a few days after his arrival, they threw him into prison; from thence
he wrote me, making himself known as the one you introduced to me;
wherefore my son went to see him in prison. He told my son that you
also had been arrested, but I could not credit it. A short time
after, they took him off to Coruna; then they brought him back here
again, and I do not know what has become of him since." {353a}

Borrow now became the lion of the hour. He was feted and feasted in
London, and everybody wanted to meet the wonderful white-haired
author of The Bible in Spain. One day he is breakfasting with the
Prussian Ambassador, "with princes and members of Parliament, I was
the star of the morning," he writes to his wife. "I thought to
myself 'what a difference!'" Later he was present at a grand soiree,
"and the people came in throngs to be introduced to me. To-night,"
he continues, "I am going to the Bishop of Norwich, to-morrow to
another place, and so on." {354a}

Borrow had been much touched by the news of the death of Allan
Cunningham (1785-1842).

"Only think, poor Allan Cunningham dead!" he wrote to John Murray,
Junr. (25th Nov. 1842). "A young man--only fifty-eight--strong and
tall as a giant; might have lived to a hundred and one, but he
bothered himself about the affairs of this world far too much. That
statue shop was his bane; took to book making likewise, in a word too
fond of Mammon--awful death--no preparation--came literally upon him
like a thief in the dark. Am thinking of writing a short life of
him; old friend--twenty years' standing, knew a good deal about him;
Traditional Tales his best work . . .

"Pray send Dr Bowring a copy of Bible. Lives No. 1, Queen Square,
Westminster, another old friend. Send one to Ford--capital fellow.
Respects to Mr M. God bless you. Feel quite melancholy, Ever
yours."

In these Jinglelike periods Borrow pays tribute to the man who
praised his Romantic Ballads and contributed a prefatory poem. He
returned to the subject ten days later in another letter to John
Murray, Junr. "I can't get poor Allan out of my head," he wrote.
"When I come up I intend to go and see his wife. What a woman!"

Fame did not dispel from Borrow's mind the old restlessness, the
desire for action. He was still unwell, worried at the sight of
"Popery . . . springing up in every direction . . . THERE'S NO PEACE
IN THIS WORLD." {355a} A cold contracted by his wife distressed him
to the point of complaining that "there is little but trouble in this
world; I am nearly tired of it." {355b} Exercise failed to benefit
him. He was suffering from languor and nervousness. And through it
all that Spartan woman who had committed the gravest of matrimonial
errors, that of marrying a genius, soothed and comforted the sick
lion, tired even of victory.

Small things troubled him and honours awakened in him no enthusiasm.
The Times in reviewing The Bible in Spain had inferred that he was
not a member of the Church of England, {355c} and the statement "must
be contradicted." The Royal Institution was prepared to confer an
honour upon him, and he could not make up his mind whether or not to
accept it.

"What would the Institute expect me to write?" he enquires of John
Murray, Junr., 25th Feb. 1843. "(I have exhausted Spain and the
Gypsies.) Would an essay on the Welsh language and literature suit,
with an account of the Celtic tongues? Or would something about the
ancient North and its literature be more acceptable? . . . Had it
been the Royal Academy, I should have consented at once, and do
hereby empower you to accept in my name any offer which may be made
from that quarter. I should very much like to become an Academician,
the thing would just suit me, more especially as 'they do not want
CLEVER men, but SAFE men.' Now I am safe enough, ask the Bible
Society, whose secrets I have kept so much to their satisfaction,
that they have just accepted at my hands an English Gypsy Gospel
gratis." {356a}

He declined an invitation to join the Ethnological Society.

"Who are they?" he enquires in the same letter. "At present I am in
great demand. A Bishop has just requested me to visit him. The
worst of these Bishops is that they are all skinflints, saving for
their families; their cuisine is bad and their Port-wine execrable,
and as for their cigars--. . . "

Borrow strove to quiet his spirit by touring about Norfolk, "putting
up at dead of night in country towns and small villages." He
returned to Oulton at the end of a fortnight, having tired himself
and knocked up his horse. Even the news that a new edition of The
Bible in Spain was required could not awaken in him any enthusiasm.
He was glad the book had sold, as he knew it would, and he would like
a rough estimate of the profits. A few days later he writes to John
Murray, Junr., with reference to a new edition of The Zincali, saying
that he finds "that there is far more connection between the first
and second volumes than he had imagined," and begging that the
reprint may be the same as the first. "It would take nearly a month
to refashion the book," he continues, "and I believe a month's mental
labour at the present time would do me up." The weather in
particular affected, him. For years he had been accustomed to sun-
warmed Spain, and the gloom and greyness of England depressed him.

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