The Bible in Spain

The Bible in Spain,published inLondonin 1843, is a travel book by the British writerGeorge Borrow(1803–1881). It was a popular work when it appeared, running through several editions.Borrow tells of his travels through Spain while working as aBiblesalesman in 1835–1838, during theCarlist Civil War.His activities on behalf of theBible Societyencountered much opposition from theRoman Catholic Churchand from politicians.

Content

Borrow's book, "a song of wild Spain", was based on journals and notes he kept at the time, upon which he also drew for his reports back to the Bible Society, which were returned to him on his request when he was working on the book.His travels began atLisbon,from where he journeyed on horseback viaElvasandBadajoztoMadrid.There he negotiated with government ministers, includingPrime MinistersMendizábalandIstúriz,for permission to print and distribute a Spanish translation of theNew Testament.In this he had the support of the British ambassadorGeorge Villiers.

Borrow went on to travel through northern Spain distributing copies of this work and appointing local agents where possible. On returning to Madrid he opened a bookshop for sale of the work, but this was soon closed by the authorities. He next printed his own translation ofSt. Luke's Gospelin theCaló languageof the IberianRomani people.He was briefly imprisoned in Madrid. During his Spanish travels he suffered from bouts of illness and twice returned to England, and in the end his activities were suppressed and he left Spain forTangier,where the book closes.

The work relates numerous personal encounters Borrow had with Spaniards, from the prime minister to beggars, includingGypsiesandcrypto-Jews.This was the first widely read book with accurate first-hand information on Gypsies, although a more complete description appears in his first work,The Zincalí(1841), which was not a commercial success.

Reception

The book brought money and recognition for Borrow. It went into six editions in the first year, one of which sold 10,000 copies within four months. It also sold well in the United States, and was translated into French and German.The book's popularity inProtestantcountries at the time was presumably due to itsevangelicalenthusiasm, as well as the romantic image of Spain; whereas its continuing interest at the present time arises more from its powerful portrayal of a diversity of people, places and incidents.

A contemporary reviewer expected that readers would be "amused by the lively sketches... along with the author's odd adventures, and the queer positions in which he often placed himself". For this reviewer the book is "in the first rank of entertaining and even of informing books", although in Borrow's "off-hand, free-and-easy" encounters with a wide range of colourful characters he seems frequently to be pursuing an object at variance with "one that could be contemplated by a Bible Society's agent".Borrow's account in the book (Chapters 51–57) of his unscheduled expedition toGibraltarand Tangier makes it "clear that he was pursuing a private agenda, a dream of discovery about Gypsies, Jews, and Moors."

ForEdward Thomas(1912), Borrow presented himself in aheroiclight, without vanity. Borrow's writing style in the book is "effective", conveying "half theatrical and wholly wild exuberance and robustness", even though it "runs at times to rotten Victorianism, both heavy and vague" and shows the influence of Biblical phraseology. Borrow often breaks up his own narrative with "life-like" dialogue that "can hardly be over-praised"; the effect is not marred by the many insertions of untranslated Spanish words and phrases. Thomas concludes that "as always for a good writer, the whole is greater than the mere sum of the parts."

Herbert Read,in his bookEnglish Prose Style(1928) cites Borrow'sThe Bible in Spainas an example of "the virtues of a good narrative style".

For the historianRaymond Carr(1966), Borrow's "strange masterpiece" is of especial historical value, against the shortage of "orthodox sources" for Spanish history at that period.This is seen, for example, in the "splendid eyewitness account" (on pp. 135–140) of the bravery of the military officerVicente Genaro de Quesadain the face of a hostile crowd.

Influence

The success ofThe Bible in Spainhelped to promote public interest in Britain in the work ofcolporteurs,who distribute religious works, and this activity became a major focus for the Bible Society in the mid-19th century.

The description of Gypsy life in the final chapter ofProsper Mérimée's novellaCarmen(the source forBizet'sopera) shows many similarities with those in Borrow'sThe Bible in SpainandThe Zincali.Mérimée was familiar with Borrow's writings and commented on them.

In the Footsteps of George BorrowbyGuy Arnold(ISBN1904955371) is a travel book in which the author retraces the steps of Borrow's journey as related inThe Bible in Spain.

According toEdward Weeks,in his Forward to Richard Soule'sDictionary of English Synonyms,James Hall,the co-author ofThe Bounty Trilogy,“…decided to make the voyage fromTahititoPitcairn Island…and knowing that he would have many days at sea, he took with himBorrow’sThe Bible in Spain….”

Robert Louis StevensontookThe Bible in Spainwith him on his "Travels with a Donkey"

See also

• Bible translations into Spanish
• Protestantism in Spain

References

• Batalden, Stephen K.; Cann, Kathleen; Dean, John (2004).Sowing the Word: The Cultural Impact of the British and Foreign Bible Society, 1804-2004.Sheffield Phoenix Press.ISBN978-1-905048-08-3.
• Carr, Raymond (1966).Spain 1808—1939.Oxford University Press.
• Read, Herbert (1928).English Prose Style.Bell and Sons.
• Thomas, Edward (1912).George Borrow, The Man And His Books.Read Books Limited.ISBN978-1-4733-7418-8.

External links

• The Bible in Spain,published by theProject Gutenberg.