n of the British Embassy entered my apartment. After a
little conversation he informed me that Mr. Villiers had desired him to
wait upon me, to communicate a resolution which he, Mr. Villiers, had
come to. Being apprehensive that alone and unassisted I should
experience considerable difficulty in propagating the Gospel of God to
any considerable extent in Spain, he was bent upon exerting to the utmost
his own credit and influence to further my views, which he himself
considered, if carried into proper effect, extremely well calculated to
operate beneficially on the political and moral state of the country. To
this end it was his intention to purchase a very considerable number of
copies of the New Testament, and to despatch them forthwith to the
various British consuls established in different parts of Spain, with
strict and positive orders to employ all the means, which their official
situation should afford them, to circulate the books in question and to
assure their being noticed. They were moreover to be charged to afford
myself, whenever I should appear in their respective districts, all the
protection, encouragement, and assistance I should stand in need of, as a
friend of Mr. Villiers, and a person in the success of whose enterprise
he himself took the warmest interest.

I could scarcely believe my ears on receiving this information; for
though I had long been aware that Mr. Villiers was at all times willing
to assist me, he having frequently given me sufficient proof, I could
never expect that he would come forward in so noble, and to say the least
of it, considering his high diplomatic situation, so bold and decided a
manner. I believe that this is the first instance of a British
Ambassador having made the cause of the Bible Society a national one, or
indeed to favour it directly or indirectly. What renders the case of Mr.
Villiers more remarkable is that on my first arrival at Madrid I found
him by no means well disposed towards the Society. The Holy Spirit has
probably illumined his mind on this point. Honour be to him: I hope that
by his means our institution will shortly possess many agents in Spain
with far more power and opportunity than I myself can ever expect to
possess, who will scatter abroad the seed of the Gospel, and make of a
barren and thirsty wilderness a green and smiling corn-field.

The next day verified the prediction of the barber. I had to a
considerable degree lost my cough and