rary Fund.

In later years, as well as at the earlier period, the originator of the
Handbooks was fortunate enough to secure very able colleagues, among
whom it is sufficient to mention Richard Ford for Spain, Sir Gardner
Wilkinson for Egypt, Dr. Porter for Palestine, Sir George Bowen for
Greece, Sir Lambert Playfair for Algiers and the Mediterranean, and Mr.
George Dennis for Sicily.

CHAPTER XXXI

GEORGE BORROW--RICHARD FORD--HORACE TWISS--JOHN STERLING--MR.
GLADSTONE--DEATH OF SOUTHEY, ETC.

In November 1840 a tall athletic gentleman in black called upon Mr.
Murray offering a MS. for perusal and publication. George Borrow had
been a travelling missionary of the Bible Society in Spain, though in
early life he had prided himself on being an athlete, and had even taken
lessons in pugilism from Thurtell, who was a fellow-townsman. He was a
native of Dereham, Norfolk, but had wandered much in his youth, first
following his father, who was a Captain of Militia. He went from south
to north, from Kent to Edinburgh, where he was entered as pupil in the
High School, and took part in the "bickers" so well described by Sir
Walter Scott. Then the boy followed the regiment to Ireland, where he
studied the Celtic dialect. From early youth he had a passion, and an
extraordinary capacity, for learning languages, and on reaching manhood
he was appointed agent to the Bible Society, and was sent to Russia to
translate and introduce the Scriptures. While there he mastered the
language, and learnt besides the Solavonian and the gypsy dialects. He
translated the New Testament into the Tartar Mantchow, and published
versions from English into thirty languages. He made successive visits
into Russia, Norway, Turkey, Bohemia, Spain and Barbary. In fact, the
sole of his foot never rested. While an agent for the Bible Society in
Spain, he translated the New Testament into Spanish, Portuguese, Romany,
and Basque--which language, it is said, the devil himself never could
learn--and when he had learnt the Basque he acquired the name of
Lavengro, or word-master.

Such was George Borrow when he called upon Murray to offer him the MSS.
of his first book, "The Gypsies in Spain." Mr. Murray could not fail to
be taken at first sight with this extraordinary man. He had a splendid
physique, standing six feet two in his stockings, and he had brains as
well as muscles, as his works sufficiently show. The book now submitted
was of a very uncommo