George Borrow and His Circle Part 24

I read Borrow with great delight all the way down per rail. You may depend upon it that the book will sell, which after all is the rub.

And in that letter Ford describes the book as putting him in mind of Gil Blas with 'a touch of Bunyan.' Lockhart himself reviewed the book in _The Quarterly_, so Ford had to go to the rival organ--_The Edinburgh Review_--receiving 44 for the article, which sum, he tells us, he invested in Chateau Margaux.

Ford's first letter to Borrow in my collection is written in Spanish:

To George Borrow, Esq., Oulton Hall, Lowestoft.

HEAVITREE HOUSE, EXETER, _Jan. 19, 1842._

QUERIDO COMPADRE,--Mucho m'ha alegrado el buen termino de sus trabajos literarios que V.M. me participo. Vaya con los picaros de Zincali, buenas pesetas han cobrado--siempre he tenido a los Sres. M. como muy hombres de bien, suele ser que los que tratan mucho con personages de categoria, tomen un algo del grande y liberal. Convega V.M. que soy critico de tipo, y que digo, 'Bahi de los gabicotes.' Conos...o...b..stante loque agradecera al muy n.o.ble y ill.u.s.trado publico--conque sigue V.M. adelante y no dejes nada en el tintero, pero por vida del Demonio, huyese V.M. de los historiadores espanoles, embusteros y majaderos.

Siento mucho que V.M. haya salido de Londres, salgo de esto Sabato, y pienso hacer una visita de como unas tres semanas, en la casa maternal, como es mi costumbre por el mes de los aguinaldos. Con mucho gusto hubiera praticado con V.M. y charleado sobre las cosas de Espana y otra chismografia gitanesca y zandungera, por ahora no entiendo nada de eso. No dejare de llevar conmigo los papeles y doc.u.mentos que V.M. se sirvio de remitirme a Cheltenham. Hare de ellos un paquete, y lo confiare a los Senores Murray, para quando V.M. guste reclamarlo. Hare el mio posible de averiguar y aprofundicar aquellos misterios y gente estrambotica. El Senor Murray hijo, me escrive muy contento de la _Biblia en Espana_. Descaria yo escribir un articulo sobre asunto tan relleno de interes.

Talvez el articulo mio de los Gitanos parecera en el numero proximo, y en tal caso ha de ser mas util a V.M. que no hubiera sido ahora. La vida y memoria de las revistas, es muy corta.

Salen como miraposas y mueren en un dia. Los muertos y los idos no tienen amigos. Los vivos a la mesa, y los muertos a la huesa. Al istante que esta imprimido un nuevo numero, el pasado y esta olvidado y entra entre las cosas del Rey Wamba. Que le parece a V.M., ultimamente en un baile donde sacaron un Rey de Hubas (twelfth night) tire El Krallis de los Zincali. Incluyo a V. Majestad tabula, de veras es preciso que yo tengo en mis venas algunas got.i.tas de legitimo errante. El Senor Gagargos viene a ser nombrado Consul espanol a Tunis, donde no le faltaron medios de adelanta.r.s.e en el idioma y literatura arabica. Queda de S.M. afemo. su amigo, Q.B.S.M.,

RICHARD FORD.[165]

Here is a second letter of the following month:

_February 26th_, HEAVITREE HOUSE, EXETER.

BATUSCHCA BORROW,--I am glad that the paper pleased you, and I think it calculated to promote the sale, which a too copious extracting article does not always do, as people think that they have had the cream. Napier sent me 44 for the thirty-two pages; this, with Kemble's 50, 8s. for the _Zincali_, nearly reaches 100: I lay it out in claret, being not amiss to do in the world, and richer by many hundreds a year than last year, but with a son at Eton and daughters coming out, and an overgrown set of servants, money is never to be despised, and I find that expenditure by some infernal principle has a greater tendency to increase than income, and that when the latter increases it never does so in the ratio of the former--enough of that. How to write an article without being condensed--epigrammatical and _epitomical cream-skimming that is_--I know not, one has so much to say and so little s.p.a.ce to say it in.

I rejoice to hear of your meditated biography; really I am your wet nurse, and you ought to dedicate it to me; take time, but not too much; avoid all attempts to write fine; just dash down the first genuine uppouring idea and thoughts in the plainest language and that which comes first, and then fine it and compress it. Let us have a glossary; for people cry out for a Dragoman, and half your local gusto evaporates.

I am amazed at the want of profits--'tis sad to think what meagre profits spring from pen and ink; but Cervantes died a beggar and is immortal. It is the devil who comes into the market with ready money: _No_ solvendum in futuro: I well know that it is cash down which makes the mare to go; dollars will add spurs even to the Prince of Mustard's paces.

It is a bore not receiving even the crumbs which drop from such tables as those spread by Mr. Eyre: Murray, however, is a deep cove, _y muy pratico en cosas de libreteria_: and he knew that the _first out_ about Afghan would sell prodigiously. I doubt now if Lady Sale would now be such a general Sale. Murray builds solid castles in Eyre. Los de Espana rezalo bene de ser siempre muy Cosas de Espana: Cachaza! Cachaza! firme, firme!

Arhse! no dejei nada en el tintero; basta que sea nuevo y muy piquunte cor sal y ajo: a los Ingleses le gustan mucho las Longanizas de Abarbenel y los buenos Choriyos de Montanches:

El handbook sa her concluido jeriayer: abora principia el trabajo: Tengo benho un monton de papel acombroso. El menester reducirlo a la mitad y eso so hara castratandolo de lo bueno duro y particolar a romperse el alma:

I had nothing to do whatever with the _manner_ in which the handbook puff was affixed to your book. I wrote the said paper, but concluded that Murray would put it, as usual, in the fly-leaf of the book, as he does in his others, and the _Q.

Rev._

Sabe mucho el hijo--ha imaginado altacar mi obresilla al flejo de vuestra immortalidad y lo que le toca de corazon, facilita.r.s.ele la venta.

Yo no tengo nada en eso y quede ta.n.a.l.u.s.tado amo V^{m} a la primera vista de aquella hoja volante. Conque Mantengare V^{m} bueno y alegre y mande V^{m} siempre, a S : S : S : y buen Critico, L : I : M : B.,

R. F.

During these years--1843 and onwards--Borrow was regularly corresponding with Ford. I quote a sentence from one of these letters:

Borrow writes me word that his Life is nearly ready, and it will run the Bible hull down. If he tells truth it will be a queer thing. I shall review it for _The Edinburgh_.

To George Borrow, Esq., Oulton Hall, Lowestoft.

123 PARK MANSIONS, _Thursday, April 13, 1843._

BATUSCHCA B.,--Knowing that you seldom see a newspaper I send you one in which Peel speaks very handsomely of your labour.

Such a public testimonial is a good puff, and I hope will attract purchasers.--Sincerely yours,

R. F.

This speech of Peel's in the House of Commons, in which in reply to a very trivial question by Dr. Bowring, then M.P. for Bolton, upon the subject of the correspondence of the British Government with Turkey, the great statesman urged:

It might have been said to Mr. Borrow, with respect to Spain, that it would be impossible to distribute the Bible in that country in consequence of the danger of offending the prejudices which prevail there; yet he, a private individual, by showing some zeal in what he believed to be right, succeeded in triumphing over many obstacles.[166]

Borrow was elated with the compliment, and asked Mr. Murray two months later if he could not advertise the eulogium with one of his books.

In June 1844, while the _Handbook for Travellers in Spain_ was going to press, Ford went on a visit to Borrow at Oulton, and describes the pair as 'two rum coves in a queer country'; and further gives one of the best descriptions of the place:

His house hangs over a lonely lake covered with wild fowl, and is girt with dark firs through which the wind sighs sadly.

When the _Handbook for Travellers in Spain_ was published in 1845 it was agreed that Borrow should write the review for _The Quarterly_. Instead of writing a review Borrow, possessed by that tactlessness which so frequently overcame him, wrote an article on 'Spain and the Spaniards,'

very largely of abuse, an absolutely useless production from the point of view of Ford the author, and of Lockhart, his editor friend. Borrow never forgave Lockhart for returning this ma.n.u.script, but that it had no effect on Ford's friends.h.i.+p is shown by the following letter, dated 1846 (p. 258), written long after the unfortunate episode, and another in Dr.

Knapp's _Life_, dated 1851:

To Mrs. Borrow, Oulton Hall, Lowestoft.

_Oct. 6, 1844_, CHELTENHAM.

MY DEAR MADAM,--I trouble you with a line to say that I have received a letter from Don Jorge, from Constantinople. He evidently is now anxious to be quietly back again on the banks of your peaceful lake; he speaks favourably of his health, which has been braced up by change of air, scenery, and occupations, so I hope he will get through next winter without any bronchitis, and go on with his own biography.

He asks me when _Handbook_ will be done? Please to tell him that it is done and printing, but that it runs double the length which was contemplated: however, it will be a _queer_ book, and tell him that we reserve it until his return to _review_ it. I am now on the point of quitting this pretty place and making for my home at Hevitre, where we trust to arrive next Thursday.

Present my best compliments to your mother, and believe me, your faithful and obedient servant,

RCH. FORD.

When you write to Don Jorge thank him for his letter.

To George Borrow, Esq., Oulton Hall, Lowestoft.

123 PARLIAMENT STREET, GROSVENOR SQUARE, _Feb. 17, 1845._

DEAR BORROW,--_El hombre propose pero Dios es que dispose._ I had hope to have run down and seen you and yours in your quiet Patmos; but the Sangrados will it otherwise. I have never been quite free from a tickling pain since the bronchitis of last year, and it has recently a.s.sumed the form of extreme relaxation and irritation in the uvula, which is that pendulous appendage which hangs over the orifice of the throat. Mine has become so seriously elongated that, after submitting for four days last week to its being burnt with caustic every morning in the hopes that it might thus crimp and contract itself, I have been obliged to have it amputated. This has left a great soreness, which militates against talking and deglut.i.tion, and would render our charming chats after the Madeira over la cheminea del _cueldo_ inadvisable. I therefore defer the visit: my Sangrado recommends me, when the summer advances, to fly away into change of air, change of scene; in short, must seek an _hejira_ as you made. How strange the coincidence! but those who have wandered much about require periodical migration, as the encaged quail twice a year beats its breast against the wires.

I am not quite determined where to go, whether to Scotland and the sweet heath-aired hills, or to the wild rocks and clear trout streams of the Tyrol; it is a question between the gun and the rod. If I go north a.s.suredly si Dios quiere I will take your friendly and peaceful abode in my way.

As to my immediate plans I can say nothing before Thursday, when the Sangrado is to report on some diagnosis which he expects.

Meanwhile _Handbook_ is all but out, and Lockhart and Murray are eager to have you in the _Q. R._ I enclose you a note from the editor. How feel you inclined? I would send you down 30 sheets, and you might run your eye through them. _There are plums in the pudding._

RICHARD FORD.